https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-495-Jiang-Yu-s-Demise-Luo-Chen-Emerges/12936273/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-497-Second-Level-Golden-Core-Breaking-Moon-Wings-Mirror-Flower-Water-Moon-Blood-Tears-Re/12936275/
Chapter 496: Reforging Flight Feathers, Bidding for the Tier 3 Wolf King
Chapter 496: Reforging Flight Feathers, Bidding for the Tier 3 Wolf King
After two years, Luo Chen returned to Moonbreaker Immortal City.
Compared to two years ago, Moonbreaker Immortal City was even more bustling.
Countless cultivators came and went, and occasionally, one could spot traces of mortals, presumably brought over by entire families of cultivator clans.
It was said that not long ago, the Falling Cloud Sect had proposed moving a group of mortals from the inland to the vicinity for propagation and establishing a mortal realm, thereby replenishing the source of low-level cultivators.
However!
Amidst this apparent liveliness, Luo Chen vaguely sensed an underlying solemn atmosphere.
The first major defeat at the front lines could not have had no impact on the rear, that was absolutely impossible.
This impact became evident when Luo Chen sought an audience with the Artifact Master Hu Yanzhuo.
"Do I need an appointment?"
"Yes, my master has recently taken on many commissioned tasks and is extremely busy. Without an appointment... I'm sorry, Senior Dan Chenzi."
Looking at the unassuming Celestial Sail City disciple before him, Luo Chen maintained a calm demeanor.
After a moment of thought, he said, "Since that's the case, then arrange an appointment for me!"
The disciple hesitated, "At this time?"
Luo Chen handed him a Whisper Crane and smiled warmly, "It's fine, I have plenty of free time recently. Just notify me when Hu Yanzhuo has time, and I'll come."
The disciple nodded hastily.
After Luo Chen left, he carefully put away the Whisper Crane.
"This rumored Alchemy Master has a pretty good temperament."
Muttering to himself, he headed towards the Casting Hall within Celestial Sail City, where Hu Yanzhuo was working diligently with the assistance of several Foundation Establishment Stage Artificers.
He quietly waited by the side for a long time.
It wasn't until Hu Yanzhuo came over to rest, drenched in sweat.
"You guys continue, this Azure Goldstone is extremely heat-resistant, and it must be smelted day and night for nineteen days before it can be used for artifact forging."
After giving a casual instruction, he turned to the disciple who had something to say.
"Rengui, is there something you need?"
Rengui immediately handed over the Whisper Crane.
"It's that Dan Chenzi, he wants to see you."
"See me?"
Hu Yanzhuo frowned, "That shouldn't be the case. Although the Mystic Flame Sword was repaired by you, the results were definitely qualified. As for the Tianyue Purple Golden Wheel, I personally spent a day repairing it, so there shouldn't be any mistakes. Why does he want to see me?"
Rengui whispered beside him, "As far as I know, the Rothean Alliance lost a Golden Core Cultivator on the front lines."
Upon hearing this, Hu Yanzhuo was initially stunned, but then he smiled with understanding.
He took a sip from his teacup and chuckled to himself, "It seems he's in a hurry! That's right, last time I discovered that he had refined a bunch of miscellaneous inferior-grade artifacts. It's likely that he doesn't have a suitable primary artifact to refine, which is why he has the energy for that. This time, he's probably asking me to personally refine his primary artifact to enhance his combat power!"
Seeing Rengui's confusion, he looked perplexed.
Hu Yanzhuo gestured with his mouth, "Rengui, don't compare the Golden Core Cultivators from small sects and solitary cultivators to us. Not everyone can obtain a suitable primary artifact immediately after advancing to the Golden Core Stage. Only we, the Celestial Sail City, can provide such treatment."
Rengui suddenly realized, and his sense of pride in being a disciple of Celestial Sail City grew.
He asked, "Master, do you want to see him?"
Hu Yanzhuo hesitated a bit.
Custom-forging primary artifacts was the most profitable business, with commissions almost equivalent to the value of the artifact itself.
But this task was also the most time-consuming! With the Expansion War Era underway, there were numerous artifact repair tasks to take on, and producing and selling standardized artifacts was even more lucrative.
If he were to accept Luo Chen's task...
"Forging primary artifacts has a high failure rate and is too time-consuming. I'd rather not meet him." He spoke softly.
Rengui understood and asked, "Should I refuse him in a couple of days?"
Hu Yanzhuo was about to nod.
But remembering a rumor, he shook his head.
"Let's meet him!"
"I heard that when this person first entered the Golden Core Stage, he was acknowledged by Qing Danzi of Verdant Pill Valley and invited to refine the Incarnation Pill. In the past few years, he successfully refined Tier 3 Cultivation Pills and could even supply them to others, which shows how skilled he is in alchemy."
"For such a person, even if we can't help, it's best to maintain a good relationship. Perhaps I might need his pills in the future."
"Wait until I finish my current tasks, and then arrange a meeting for me!"
Rengui acknowledged with a sound, noting the matter.
...
After leaving the Ten Thousand Treasure Tower, Luo Chen headed to the Luo Tian Treasure Hall, which was the previous eighth shop.
Upon arrival, he didn't do much but confirmed the time of the Immortal Auction with Xu Zhenxuan and then quietly waited.
This time, he had two matters to attend to in Moonbreaker Immortal City.
He could only hope that nothing would go wrong!
...
The auction would be held in half a month.
Before that, news came from Hu Yanzhuo.
Without delay, Luo Chen entered the Ten Thousand Treasure Tower again on the same day.
And met with Hu Yanzhuo once more.
The old man's face now bore the marks of time, indicating he had been busy during this period.
But the vigor in his brows suggested he had indeed profited, much like the joy Luo Chen felt every time he received the pill elixirs and their payments from Chen Xiulian and Song Mi.
After exchanging pleasantries, they got straight to the point.
"I wish to forge a treasure, but I'm not sure if you have the time, Master Huyan Zhuo," Luo Chen said solemnly.
Huyan Zhuo wasn't surprised at all and smiled, "Is it the Mixed Origin Cauldron?"
Luo Chen's eyebrows rose, but the words on the tip of his tongue were suddenly swallowed back, and he continued chatting about the Mixed Origin Cauldron.
"Did your sect ever forge such a treasure before?"
"Of course we did!" Huyan Zhuo chuckled with satisfaction. "Back when the Verdant Pill Valley hadn't yet relocated to the Jade Cauldron Domain, they didn't have such abundant resources of heavenly and earthly strange fires. Their sect's pill refiners would naturally seek out the services of our Celestial Sail City."
Luo Chen became intrigued. "With such confidence, you must have had successful cases before?"
"Naturally. Although there were many failures, I've successfully forged two in the past."
"Oh! I wonder if your sect currently has a ready-made Mixed Origin Cauldron?"
"You want to buy one directly?" Huyan Zhuo shook his head. "In that case, you might be disappointed. Forging such a treasure is extremely challenging, and we usually only accept custom orders. There aren't any extras lying around."
What he didn't mention was that Celestial Sail City indeed possessed a few Mixed Origin Cauldrons.
But they couldn't be considered readily available.
Because they all had owners, and were being used by the pill refiners cultivated within Celestial Sail City.
"To be honest, the Mixed Origin Cauldron is too versatile, making it complicated to forge. In my early years, inspired by it, I crafted a Four Symbols Cauldron, but sadly, it didn't turn out well. If you want me to forge a Mixed Origin Cauldron for you, I truly don't have the time now, nor can I guarantee success."
Huyan Zhuo spread his hands. "In the end, the most likely result is that you'll lose both your treasure and your wealth."
Luo Chen listened with great interest.
He hadn't expected that the Four Symbols Cauldron he once possessed was actually crafted by Huyan Zhuo, not one of those falsely named and overpriced imitations.
Luo Chen wasn't disappointed; instead, he seized this opportunity to ask a few more questions.
"Is it easy to fail? Why is that?"
"The Mixed Origin Path emphasizes the completeness of the Five Elements, and maintaining their balance is inherently difficult."
"But in the end, the initial Soulbound Treasure is merely of inferior quality!"
"Haha, it's not that simple. If possible, who wouldn't want their Soulbound Treasure to be of better quality? Moreover, the Mixed Origin Cauldron's power depends on the limit of the materials added. The more you add, the higher the failure rate. Only if my master, Tian Yizhi, personally intervenes can a success rate of over 60% be ensured."
"Tian Yizhi, the True Immortal!"
"Indeed! My esteemed teacher is an absolute Fourth Stage Artifact Forging Master, having forged several superior-grade treasures and unorthodox artifacts. It's only in recent years that he's been less active, or else I wouldn't have had the opportunity to become renowned across the Six Realms."
"The formation of a treasure is closely related to the engraving of its formation arrays. The few formation arrays required for the Mixed Origin Cauldron don't seem that difficult..."
"You're mistaken there. The difficulty of a single formation array isn't the key; it's the compatibility of multiple formation arrays that poses a significant challenge to the formation array master's skill. Simultaneously, the quality of the materials used is also extremely demanding. Inferior materials couldn't possibly support so many formation arrays."
"But the materials you used for the Four Symbols Cauldron were also excellent. Why..."
"How do you know the materials I used?"
"Cough, I'm not very talented. I was the owner of that Four Symbols Cauldron. During my Qi Condensation Period, it was a great help."
"I never expected such a connection between us! Never mind, the principle is quite simple. The quality of the materials themselves can also affect the power of the formation arrays. There's a perfect balance to be struck. Mastering this balance is the key to testing a treasure forger's abilities."
...
As Luo Chen intentionally played along,
Unknowingly, they chatted about the forging of the Mixed Origin Cauldron for a long time.
Until Huyan Zhuo suddenly snapped out of it.
"I've already said I can't help you forge your Soulbound Treasure right now. No matter how much you ask, I don't have the time."
Unexpectedly,
Luo Chen smiled slightly.
"The reason I came to see you, Master, was to ask you to forge an unorthodox treasure, not a Soulbound Treasure."
Huyan Zhuo was taken aback.
He raised his finger and pointed at Luo Chen, shaking it.
"You little rascal, you've been leading me on this whole time! I understand now; you plan to take the shortcut to forging the Mixed Origin Cauldron, intending to forge it yourself later, right? You've been soaking up the experience of forging the Mixed Origin Cauldron from me."
Luo Chen nodded, not trying to hide it.
The Mixed Origin Cauldron indeed had two methods of forging.
One was the conventional method used by treasure forgers.
The other method, though rougher, was for Golden Core Cultivators to forge it themselves, resulting in a treasure more attuned to its owner upon success.
Huyan Zhuo shook his head, looking at Luo Chen.
"I almost forgot that you seized the Withering Flourishing Fire from the Flame Alliance, which already provides a foundation for self-forging."
"Enough, just tell me what treasure you want to forge?"
Luo Chen pursed his lips, "Wings!"
"Hmm?"
"Strictly speaking, it's a treasure-grade flying wing. This unorthodox artifact requires the most experienced refining skills, so I can only seek the help of a Grandmaster like yourself."
"A treasure-grade flying wing?"
Hu Yanzhuo's eyebrows furrowed slightly, stroking his beard with his right hand as if contemplating something.
After a while, he said slowly, "Let's hear your request."
Upon seeing this, Luo Chen was overjoyed!
...
After leaving the Ten Thousand Treasure Tower, Luo Chen heaved a long sigh of relief.
This trip was not in vain!
Although he had put down a deposit of fifty thousand spirit stones, it was insignificant compared to the gains he had obtained.
The refining experience of the Mixed Origin Cauldron.
And persuading Hu Yanzhuo to personally craft a pair of flying wings tailored for him.
His previous Fiery Cloud Wings had become tattered after multiple uses.
Especially during the journey to the Great Snow Mountain for refining the Netherworld Pill, it was rendered useless after several intense battles due to overexertion.
Without the Fiery Cloud Wings, he could still activate the Nine Ten Thousand Miles, but his escape speed decreased by a full threefold!
As a result, his speed during the Golden Core Stage could be considered excellent, but it was by no means exceptional.
Perhaps he was faster than most early-stage Golden Core cultivators flying with swords, but he couldn't match the Swift Wind Nine Transformations of Tao Wan, let alone the speed of Sword Sect Golden Core cultivators using the Rainbow Transformation.
It could even be said that once, he witnessed Wu Diqi's extreme speed during close-range maneuvers, which was slightly superior to his own.
The advantage he had during the Foundation Establishment Stage turned into a disadvantage at the Golden Core Stage, and he couldn't continue to utilize it effectively.
Precisely for this reason, he wanted to make up for this deficiency.
Next, it would be his turn to go to the front lines.
The Nine Ten Thousand Miles, a trump card combining attack and escape, couldn't be left unused any longer.
Apart from this matter, there was another concern.
It was related to the cultivation of the Mirror Flower Water Moon illusion technique.
After reaching the Grandmaster level, his proficiency increased more and more slowly, to the point where Luo Chen couldn't bear it anymore.
According to his estimation, achieving Great Perfection would require at least ten years or more!
Ten years!
It was too long!
In the current situation, even if it wasn't comparable to the golden era of ancient times when humans conquered the five continents and established their dominance over the mountain and sea realms, it was evident that the demon race was no longer sitting idly by, and the war had taken an unexpected turn.
Chaos was about to descend!
In such a situation, every additional trump card meant an increased chance of survival for Luo Chen.
He didn't want to end up like Jiang Yu, lying dead before the clan, serving as a memorial for others to pay respects.
Therefore, he had to accelerate his cultivation of Mirror Flower Water Moon.
As for how to speed it up, he had gradually figured out a method.
In essence, Mirror Flower Water Moon was not a free-casting technique; it required corresponding targets.
The stronger the target, the longer he could maintain the technique, and the faster his proficiency would naturally increase.
In short, he needed better sparring partners!
First and second-stage beasts could no longer meet his needs.
Ordinary Golden Core cultivators wouldn't be able to cooperate with his practice either.
Therefore, he required a third-stage beast.
A living one!
...
"Did you get the tickets?"
"Two tickets, one for you and one for me. That cultivator family withdrew from the war, so these two extra tickets became available. Take them, and quickly go secure a front-row seat."
"This is the first official large-scale auction held by Moonbreaker Immortal City, right?"
"Amidst the recent frontline defeat, hosting an auction of this scale serves to circulate resources, gather popularity, and boost morale for the upcoming war. Those high-ranking figures up there have indeed thought this through!"
"Don't forget they can also collect a hefty commission."
"Never mind that. I'm thinking of acquiring a decent Incarnation Technique at this auction."
"You're quite daring, seeking to achieve Incarnation during the war."
"The bigger the risk, the greater the reward. In the current situation, the restrictions on third-stage spirit veins are at their weakest, presenting us with an opportunity to rise. Should I take this chance?"
"Hearing you say that, I'm starting to get tempted. How about we join forces to bid together?"
"Er... I'll consider it!"
The news of the Falling Cloud Sect's auction had already spread.
This was why, despite the defeat on the front lines, the number of cultivators in the rear was increasing.
Everyone knew that with so many cultivators dead and so many beasts slain, an abundance of resources would be up for grabs.
Especially for those Golden Core cultivators determined to secure third-stage spirit veins, they were willing to trade some non-essential sect foundations just to obtain resources that could enhance their combat power.
And those items were precisely what many small-force leaders or powerful lone cultivators desired.
Amidst the bustling crowd, a certain order was maintained.
Only Golden Core cultivators were granted special passage.
Luo Chen was one of them.
Concealed under a black robe, he entered the VIP room exclusively reserved for the eighteen Golden Core cultivators.
Upon entering, Wu Diqi was already seated.
At this moment.
Wu Diqi pointed at a VIP room in the circular palace hall and said in a deep voice, "Tai He Gate, in name only."
That VIP room was originally reserved for the Golden Core cultivators of Tai He Gate.
At this moment, the place was sparsely populated, and the Golden Core Sage was nowhere to be seen.
Luo Chen shook his head, naturally clear about this matter.
The five major upper sects had besieged an excellent third-stage spirit vein, and the one that suffered the most losses was the Tai He Gate.
Three Golden Core cultivators had perished there.
Only one Golden Core mid-stage cultivator who had stayed behind survived.
It was said that he had recently been gathering the remaining sect members and was planning to withdraw from the war.
But now that the war has started, how could it be so easy to withdraw?
Luo Chen didn't care about this matter; his gaze fell on the center of the venue.
According to the invitation, the first round was an auction of resources related to demons.
His target was among them.
Soon, as he closed his eyes to rest, the attending cultivators gradually arrived, and the auction slowly began.
The items being auctioned off were rare first-stage demons or resources related to second-stage demons.
Live ones, dead ones, blood, bones, demon cores, pelts...
One by one, the auction items were presented, making it seem like a slaughterhouse, with a pungent stench and demonic energy filling the air! The cultivators in the venue were all excited, their eyes burning with fervor.
The living demons on the auction table had anger and sadness in their beastly eyes.
When resources related to third-stage demons appeared one after another.
The Fifth Qi beside him suddenly spoke up: "When a demon advances to the third stage, it refines its bones, speaks human language, and gains wisdom, cultivating the Grand Dao of Heaven and Earth alongside us. Such an existence is actually not much different from us Golden Core cultivators."
Luo Chen opened his eyes, unsure why he brought up this topic.
The Fifth Qi spoke softly: "Do you think it's possible that in a world we can't reach, human cultivators might also be put up for auction, allowing demons and evil spirits to pick and choose as they please?"
Luo Chen furrowed his brows, momentarily at a loss for words.
He could only say that the other party had failed to break through to the fourth layer of the Golden Core and had become a bit sentimental.
Just then, a Golden Core cultivator from the Falling Cloud Sect received a spirit beast bag from another cultivator.
A spiritual seal was placed on it.
Instantly, a lifelike image appeared in the center of the venue.
"A Tier 3 Gray Leaf Wolf King!"
"The most common and ordinary Gray Leaf Wolf has cultivated to the level of a Tier 3 Demon King, with a solid foundation and a relatively gentle temperament. It is most suitable for taming and using as a mountain guardian beast."
"The starting bid is 100,000 spirit stones, and each increase must be no less than 10,000."
"Interested friends can place their bids now."
As soon as the words fell, many in the venue were tempted.
Although this Wolf King might not have the combat power of a Golden Core cultivator, it was undoubtedly superior to an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Using it to protect the mountain gate would increase combat power and enhance the sect's prestige.
The only drawback was that taming such a Wolf King required too much time, and it couldn't provide immediate results in the current war.
However, the starting bid of 100,000 spirit stones was not expensive, so perhaps it was worth trying to bid?
For a moment, everyone was eager to try.
Just then, a calm voice came from above.
"One million spirit stones."
The eyes of the Golden Core cultivator from the Falling Cloud Sect lit up, and he immediately shouted: "Luo Tian Alliance's Dan Chenzi, bidding one million spirit stones. Is there anyone else bidding?"
The venue fell silent.
Dan Chenzi, the newly advanced Golden Core Sage and a master pill concoctor, had made a bold move, increasing the price tenfold.
What a bold move!
In the VIP room, the Fifth Qi couldn't help but glance at Luo Chen, feeling a bit envious.
Were pill concoctors that wealthy?
He didn't know that Luo Chen was spending his savings.
"Grabbing the initiative with an absolute price, coupled with my reputation, should prevent anyone from competing with me!"
Luo Chen muttered to himself.
Fortunately, there were no disturbances.
After three calls for bids with no response, the Tier 3 Gray Leaf Wolf King fell into Luo Chen's hands.
The Fifth Qi spoke with a hint of jealousy: "A Gray Leaf Wolf with no potential or combat power, yet you spent so much on it. It truly broadens my horizons!"
Luo Chen smiled slightly, saying nothing.
As long as something was "worth the price," there was no such thing as overspending.
He walked straight to the backstage.
The Fifth Qi was startled.
"Fellow Daoist Luo, are you not attending the rest of the auction?"
Luo Chen waved his hand without turning back.
"I can't afford good things, and I'm not interested in ordinary items. It's pointless to stay, so I'll take my leave first."
The Fifth Qi opened his mouth, feeling impressed by Luo Chen's decisiveness.
Who attends an auction and doesn't stay until the end?
Even if you don't buy anything, it's still a great experience!
He didn't know that Luo Chen was racing against time, starting to seize every second, not wasting a moment.
Moreover, the remaining spirit stones on his body couldn't buy any treasure that could immediately enhance his strength.
After going backstage and trading with the surprised Falling Cloud Sect cultivator, Luo Chen left without further delay.
As for any exciting moments during the auction or whether there were demonic cultivators wreaking havoc after the conference, it had nothing to do with him.
His mind was now solely focused on spell cultivation!
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
