Chapter 765

Chapter 765: The Bazaar of Red City

"Where are you heading now? Though Red City has abundant goods, they aren’t flawless. Unlike Lingxiao City, where items undergo strict screening, the checks here are lax," the Ancestor remarked, watching Ye Yun wander aimlessly.

He couldn’t grasp the young man’s thoughts. Though Ye Yun might have a purpose, the Ancestor suspected he was merely hoping to stumble upon something worthwhile. The soul water they’d acquired earlier had thrilled him—such a divine item could purge his lingering weakness.

"A peculiar aura lingers. It feels like a call, but I can’t trace it. Each time I near it, the connection breaks," Ye Yun confessed, frustration in his eyes. The Ancestor swept Red City with his soul power, then chuckled when his spirit perception locked onto an object.

"Blood essence! Luck favors you to sense this. While it might briefly affect your Sun and Moon Dual Souls-enhanced body, most would feel only a fleeting pull. Yet you’ve lingered on it—remarkable," the Ancestor said, recognizing the discarded jar of essence. He guided Ye Yun to a cluttered stall where the small black jar sat ignored.

After feigning casual browsing, Ye Yun picked up the jar. "Brother, I’ll take this. The price?"

The seller hesitated. "A hundred top-tier Immortal Spirit Stones."

"Too steep. This is worth a hundred top-quality Immortal Spirit Stones at most. Testing me as if I’m a fool?" Ye Yun set the jar down coldly.

"Seven hundred top-quality stones, then. If you need it, you can afford it," the seller pressed.

Ye Yun frowned, disliking the manipulation. "Three hundred top-quality stones. Take it or not." He turned to leave.

The seller relented. "Fine, three hundred. My loss."

"Good." Ye Yun paid and stored the jar. The seller hastily packed up and fled.

"How does it feel?" the Ancestor teased as Ye Yun absorbed the essence. "Decent, but inferior to soul water. A bargain for three hundred stones."

"An illusion. The essence reacted to my sun and moon aura—else it’d ignore me," Ye Yun mused, surprised by the physical boost. Rare materials that enhanced his physique were scarce, making this find fortuitous.

"If this essence strengthens me so, its source must link to the Sun and Moon Dual Souls," he noted, eyeing the dwindling liquid.

"Sun and Moon Flower essence. Someone foolishly extracted it, perhaps intentionally. That’s why it called to you," the Ancestor explained.

Ye Yun paused at an auction where a collared Golden Horned Lion—a Sixth Level Nascent Soul beast—was displayed. The restraint suppressed rebellion, punishing disobedience with death.

"Thirty thousand mid-grade stones!" the auctioneer barked, lashing the lion. It glared but stayed docile.

"Thirty-three thousand!" a rotund cultivator bid. "Its essence boosts physical strength."

The auctioneer grinned. "Wise choice! Its hide resists common weapons. The heart’s essence indeed enhances the body."

Most bidders withdrew, deeming the price excessive. Ye Yun observed briefly before leaving—such scenes were common, and intervention seldom helped.

"I thought you’d aid that beast. Trapped after reaching Nascent Soul… pitiful," the Ancestor prodded.

Ye Yun sighed. "Even if I acted, it’d change nothing."

He spent hours acquiring materials, then met Mo Tianxiao, who joked, "Visited Red Qian Building, eh? We’re alike."

"Such places don’t suit me. You enjoy leisure, but as cultivators, moderation saves resources," Ye Yun chided.

Mo Tianxiao paled. "Hush! My Master would thrash me if he knew."

The Ancestor chuckled. "This lad’s a Seventh Level Earth Immortal yet indulges in mortal joys—refreshing!"

Ye Yun ignored him, noting the gathering crowd. "The Blood Stained Pavilion opens at night?"

"The City Lord prefers sunset’s glow—it mirrors blood’s beauty," Mo Tianxiao explained.

Ye Yun shrugged. "Her taste, not mine."

Guards barked order, unleashing Earth Immortal auras to quiet the crowd. Ye Yun presented his red token, and guards hastily knelt. "Forgive our delay, honored guest!"

Ye Yun accepted the deference, though he preferred respect earned through strength. Seated at a jade table, he studied the battle platform’s scarred surface, stained with old blood, and awaited the spectacle.