Chapter 135: The Liu Clan of the Plains, Willing to Guarantee for Xiao Chen

Chapter 135: The Liu Clan of the Plains, Willing to Guarantee for Xiao Chen (Triple-Length Chapter)

Before the second half of the auction began, Qianzhu Building had arranged a performance of music and dance.

Only after the sun had fully set did attendants light the ever-burning lamps that had been prepared in advance, bathing the interior in golden light.

Then came another surprise—spirit tea was served, allowing the crowd to refresh themselves.

By the time the auction finally resumed, impatience had begun to simmer among the attendees.

The same auctioneer from the first half returned, now wearing a sharper, more vibrant robe.

"Esteemed cultivators", he announced, "the next item is a pill that rivals heaven and earth in its craftsmanship."

Xiao Chen already knew from the catalog that it was a Polygonum Multiflorum Life Extension Pill.

Its effects were straightforward: for a Foundation Building cultivator, the first dose would extend life by five years, the second by two, and the third by one. Beyond three doses, it would no longer work.

The catalog entry, of course, had been abbreviated.

As the first item of the second half, the auctioneer spared no effort detailing the pill’s rare ingredients, the credentials of the alchemist who refined it, and its proven effects.

"Starting bid: one thousand spirit stones. Minimum increments of fifty."

As soon as he finished, several cultivators began bidding, quickly driving the price to two thousand one hundred.

"Such a high price?" Xiao Chen was initially surprised.

This Polygonum Multiflorum Life Extension Pill had surpassed even the highest price of his own Foundation Building Pills.

But he quickly realized the logic: compared to securing a Foundation Building opportunity for a clan heir, many cultivators valued extra years of life more.

"If that’s the case, this is a lucrative market too", Xiao Chen mused. He could certainly profit from Life Extension Pills in the future.

However, the Evergreen Pill Formula contained few second-tier pill recipes, and rarer ones were absent entirely.

Fortunately, he wasn’t a solitary cultivator scrambling to collect formulas.

Glancing at Elder Chen, he resolved to seek the elder’s guidance after returning.

Next came several Spirit Herbs, which sold quickly. Soon arrived the Five-Color Golden Lotus.

The auctioneer’s introduction was brief this time: "Esteemed cultivators, you all recognize this golden lotus—it’s the primary ingredient for Foundation Building Pills."

"Starting bid: two thousand spirit stones. Minimum increments of one hundred."

Xiao Chen was the first to bid: "Three thousand!"

The third floor fell silent.

First, the market value of the Five-Color Golden Lotus was barely worth more than three thousand. Paying higher would be impractical.

Second, most cultivators sought it solely for Foundation Building Pills. Since Xiao Chen had already auctioned a batch earlier, those desperate for such pills had already secured them.

Third, everyone now knew Xiao Chen had no shortage of spirit stones. Competing with him risked both financial loss and unnecessary rivalry.

Thus, as Xiao Chen bid, others quickly withdrew.

The auctioneer was stunned.

He, of all people, wanted fierce competition and inflated prices to earn a larger commission.

The first half had already been absurd—only three bids for each item. He’d likely lose part of his commission.

Now, in the second half, he faced outright silence. And both situations involved Xiao Chen.

Muttering curses under his breath, he lamented the lost spirit stones.

"Three thousand, second call! Any higher bids?"

He deliberately dragged his tone, hoping someone would raise the price.

No response.

"Three thousand, final call..."

"I bid three thousand one!"

A voice cut in at the last moment.

All eyes turned to the bidder—Zhang Ruihao of the Rui Bao Guild.

The Five-Color Golden Lotus hadn’t been on their purchase list.

But Zhang Ruihao had seized the moment to provoke Xiao Chen.

Smirking, he locked eyes with Xiao Chen, his gaze openly taunting.

"You enjoy aggressive bidding? Go ahead, match me if you can."

At four thousand, Xiao Chen would face a loss.

If he backed down, Zhang Ruihao could still sell the lotus through other channels.

"Rui Bao Guild bids three thousand one. Any other interested cultivators?"

The auctioneer’s words addressed everyone, but his eyes fixed on Xiao Chen.

Xiao Chen shot Zhang Ruihao a cold glance and raised his hand: "Four thousand."

With [Buy One Get One Free], he’d still profit.

Of course, if Zhang Ruihao continued this spiteful bidding, he’d abandon the lotus and let the guild taste its own medicine.

"Cultivator Xiao, how bold!" Zhang Ruihao clapped mockingly. "Since you’re so capable, I’ll graciously let you have the lotus."

Xiao Chen’s eye twitched. The jab stung.

He reminded himself: Stay calm. Don’t lose composure in front of everyone.

But this wasn’t over. He’d retaliate the next time Rui Bao Guild bid.

With no further competition, the auctioneer concluded the sale. A servant delivered the lotus to Xiao Chen and collected four thousand spirit stones.

Nearby, Elder Cheng of the Cheng Clan watched uneasily.

Another top-tier Spirit Herb costing four thousand stones? How much did Xiao Chen have left?

Adding the first half’s nine thousand and this four thousand, that totaled thirteen thousand. How many spirit stones had he brought?

Elder Cheng had met many young scions of powerful clans, but none so young wielding such wealth.

The Cheng Clan, with two Foundation Building experts, couldn’t muster such a sum.

Others shared his bewilderment.

Cultivators typically held wealth in artifacts and manuals. Few carried large reserves of spirit stones.

Among hundreds present, less than one in ten could produce ten thousand stones on the spot. Many Foundation Building cultivators with decades of experience might own tens of thousands total—but their storage bags held only hundreds or a few thousand.

They’d need to borrow for expensive purchases.

Xiao Chen, however, spent thousands casually.

Realizing this, curiosity about him deepened.

Besides Rui Bao Guild, Sihai Sect’s other major players—Yunfan Trading House and Yuyu Trading House—had taken interest.

Yunfan’s current head, Yun Jinghang, studied Xiao Chen repeatedly.

Turning to his daughter beside him, he asked, "Ruoyan, what do you think of Xiao Chen?"

Yun Ruoyan nodded, then shook her head. "He’s young, clearly has some talent earning sect elders’ support. But his aptitude is poor—I dislike that."

Yun Jinghang sighed. "I think he’s impressive. Handsome, and a cultivation prodigy."

Yun Ruoyan disagreed. "Low-grade Wood Spirit Root? In thousands of years, Li Zhou and Hezhou have never seen a cultivator with a low-grade root form a golden core.

"Whatever boosted his speed—pills, celestial treasures—it’s undermined his foundation. His already slim chance of forming a core is now zero.

"He’ll never surpass Foundation Building Peak."

Dual Spirit Root or Heavenly Spirit Root cultivators avoided aids to build stable foundations. Slow but steady progress ensured longevity.

Yun Jinghang countered, "Even Dual Spirit Roots often fail to form cores. Reaching Foundation Building Peak in Li Zhou is already remarkable."

Yun Ruoyan’s eyes gleamed. "I’ll try. I’ll definitely form a golden core."

Her father smiled faintly. She’ll learn the hard way.

Golden core formation was rare. Among hundreds present, another Golden Core Zhenren was unlikely. His daughter’s ambition was lofty.

Next, several Spirit Herbs were auctioned normally.

Xiao Chen watched Rui Bao Guild, ready to retaliate.

But strangely, the guild remained silent, letting other clans and houses claim items.

Zhang Ruihao’s inaction puzzled Xiao Chen.

Did you come just to provoke me?

Unbeknownst to him, Rui Bao Guild had studied the auction list beforehand.

They’d abandoned the Six Harmonies Spirit Water to conserve spirit stones for the final item—the Wind-Thunder Pair Swords.

As the hour struck the third quarter of Hai (9-11 PM), the last item arrived, veiled in red cloth.

"Esteemed cultivators", the auctioneer declared, "we now present the most anticipated treasure of tonight’s auction.

"Today, we’ve witnessed countless marvels. But allow me to reveal—a masterpiece of artistry and craftsmanship."

The auctioneer yanked the red cloth aside with a crisp swish, revealing the Wind-Thunder Pair Swords crossed atop a jade tray. To emphasize their uniqueness, the tray featured carved grooves that held the twin blades upright. The jade grooves even pulsed faintly with mana, causing a breeze to swirl around the left-hand sword while arcs of lightning danced along the right. The distinct aura of a Top-Grade Magic Artifact rippled through the room, drawing every eye upward.

“The legend says,” the auctioneer began, “that far beyond the Eastern Sea, in a yin-yang tree born of heaven and earth itself, a master artisan from the Central Domain discovered his muse. This tree, rooted in a nine-yin deathland, was infused with a third-tier supreme yang stone at its base. The result? A yin-wood exterior and yang-wood interior. From its timber, two swords were forged—Yin Sword and Yang Sword. The former summoned wind, the latter thunder. What you see before you are these peerless, mutated treasures.”

He paused, letting the crowd murmur before declaring, “I guarantee—nowhere else in Li Zhou will you find two Flying Swords of such value together!”

With that, he paraded the tray around the third-floor balconies, ensuring every guest beheld the artifacts. “Starting bid: thirty thousand spirit stones. Increment by one thousand at minimum.”

The price stunned many cultivators. Though all expected a Top-Grade Magic Artifact to command a fortune, hearing the figure aloud still drew gasps. Yet even those without means leaned forward, eager to witness which sect leader or guildmaster would claim the swords.

“Thirty-three thousand!” boomed Cheng Qihong, sect leader of Cangyan Sect.

Mei Yong of Lihuo Sect countered, “Thirty-five thousand!”

Yun Jinghang of Yunfan Trading House chuckled, “Why not skip the dance? I’ll bid forty-five thousand now. If no one tops that, I’ll take them home.”

His sudden leap sparked cries of shock. But Cheng Qihong merely laughed, “Fair point. Cangyan Sect bids forty-six thousand.”

Yun Jinghang didn’t flinch. He sipped his wine, withdrawing gracefully. His house had spent heavily already—forty-five thousand was his limit.

Then Zhang Ruihao, guildmaster of Rui Bao Guild, spoke. Since his earlier bid on the Five-Color Golden Lotus, he’d waited patiently. “Forty-nine thousand.”

His reasons were layered: the guild’s Threefold Lock Array required wind-thunder artifacts; his secret wind-thunder cultivation technique demanded a suitable tool; and the Zhang family’s young sword prodigy needed a treasure to bind him to the family. This pair was his.

But before the auctioneer could confirm, Xiao Chen raised a hand. “Fifty thousand.”

The room froze. All eyes snapped to him. Who was this cultivator, daring to rival sect leaders?

“A clown!” Zhang Ruihao sneered, turning to Mei Yong. “When did Lihuo Sect start breeding such riffraff?”

Mei Yong bristled. “Careful your tongue, Zhang Daoyou. Or must I remind you how words become calamities?”

Zhang Ruihao scoffed, “This brat’s been scheming since the Six-Harmonies Spirit Water auction. Does he truly have fifty thousand stones? Or is he just wasting our time?” He turned to the auctioneer. “I demand verification. No room for fraud here.”

Murmurs spread. Fifty thousand was absurd. Even Yunfan’s coffers held only forty-five. Some recalled the Five-Color Lotus incident—was this revenge?

The auctioneer sweated. To demand proof risked offending Liu Clan, who’d vouched for Xiao Chen. But Liu Elder’s voice cut through: “Liu Clan guarantees Xiao Chen’s bid. No need for theatrics.”

Zhang Ruihao fell silent. The Liu name carried weight.

Chen Tianyuan slid beside Xiao Chen, pressing a storage bag into his hand. “Four thousand stones. Tianyang’s careless with funds. Use them if needed.”

Xiao Chen hesitated, but Chen Tianyuan insisted. “We’re family. Keep it.”

“Fifty thousand… twice!” the auctioneer called. “Final call—”

“Fifty-three thousand!” Zhang Ruihao roared.

Xiao Chen didn’t blink. “Sixty thousand.”

A wine cup clattered to the floor—a minor sect disciple’s nervous slip. No one noticed. All fixated on Zhang Ruihao, whose knuckles whitened.

Sixty thousand. His budget: sixty-seven thousand, minus four thousand spent earlier. Sixty-three thousand left.

He turned to Yan Hui of Yuyu Trading House. A loan, perhaps? But Yan Hui’s smirk said no.

“Sixty-one thousand,” Zhang Ruihao growled.

Xiao Chen lifted his cup, sipped, then raised a hand. “Seventy thousand.”

Gasps erupted. The previous record—Triplefold Wind-Fire Fan—was shattered.

Zhang Ruihao’s nails bit his palms. This brat! Between the Spirit Water and now this…

But his stones were spent.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end