Chapter 57: Ten Thousand Spirit Stones for the Spirit Essence, Breakthrough to Late-Stage Qi Condensation
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Yu Xian calmly lowered his raised hand.
Zhang Xiaoling’s gaze flickered, and she offered an apologetic smile to the old Daoist.
She then raised her voice and announced:
“Senior Brother Li bids—six thousand spirit stones!”
The old Daoist slowly turned to look at Yu Xian.
His expression remained calm as he asked:
“Young friend, you intend to compete with me for the Wood Spirit Essence?”
Yu Xian said nothing.
He had wasted words on Feng Chang earlier only because it was part of a plan.
But this? This wasn’t worth talking about.
He wasn’t some chatterbox.
Seeing Yu Xian remain silent, the old Daoist’s expression turned cold.
His voice grew softer, more threatening:
“Young friend, you’ve already offended Feng Chang.
I advise you not to make too many enemies.”
“Senior Song,” Chu Yiwu interjected with a frown,
“This is an auction. Please, no unnecessary words. I don’t want to see any more conflict.”
The old Daoist turned to Chu Yiwu, his eyes briefly flashing darkly.
This new force, Wanbao House, had risen rapidly in the past decade.
He was wary—especially of the person backing Chu Yiwu…
A Foundation Establishment expert.
Gazing at the calm and composed Chu Yiwu, the old Daoist suddenly chuckled.
“Heh… the Daoist is right. This is an auction. Wealth determines the winner.
I’ve lived for eighty-eight years, cultivated for fifty-four, and though my realm hasn’t improved much—
I’ve saved quite a few spirit stones.”
He turned back toward Yu Xian and smiled.
“So, young friend—how many spirit stones do you have?
I bid… seven thousand.”
Yu Xian finally looked at him.
Though the old man was also at peak Qi Condensation, those who live this long outside a sect were anything but ordinary.
Compared to Feng Chang, this old fox was far more dangerous.
It was unwise to provoke someone like him.
Yu Xian shook his head slightly.
The old Daoist smiled, thinking Yu Xian had backed down.
Though it cost him 2,000 extra spirit stones, he would finally obtain the Wood Spirit Essence.
He nodded toward Zhang Xiaoling, signaling her to announce the final bid.
“Ten thousand.”
Suddenly, a calm voice rang out—shocking the entire auction floor.
The third floor of Wanbao House fell into utter silence.
Over ten thousand…
In Wanbao House’s entire auction history, only three items had ever broken the 10,000 mark.
And this kid just raised the bid by 3,000 in one go!?
Was he insane!?
The old Daoist’s smile froze.
Yu Xian spoke calmly:
“It’s not that I don’t want to yield to Senior Song.
But this Wood Spirit Essence has been pre-reserved by one of my senior sect brothers.
I’m only here to buy it for him.”
“Senior brother… from your sect?”
The old Daoist’s eyes narrowed.
Jiang Liu and the others exchanged looks.
They knew who Yu Xian was—an outer sect disciple of White Cloud Sect.
So this so-called “senior brother”… must be someone powerful within the outer sect.
Likely the same person who entrusted him with materials worth over 50,000 spirit stones to auction.
Could it be Xu Haoming? Probably not.
Xu Haoming was strong, but not arrogant enough to flaunt like this.
If someone needed Wood Spirit Essence…
Then it was likely an older cultivator, someone trying to revitalize their aging body to attempt Foundation Establishment again.
The four exchanged glances.
It must be someone from the Outer Sect’s Law Enforcement Division…
Those bastards from Law Enforcement were infamous in Heishan Market—extorting, demanding bribes, and making life miserable for smaller forces.
The more they thought about it, the more likely it seemed.
They all took deep breaths, suppressing any further thoughts.
As for the old Daoist, he understood even more than they did.
The implications of “senior brother” were too many to ignore.
He just didn’t know if Yu Xian was bluffing… or speaking the truth.
At that moment, Zhang Xiaoling stood frozen, lips parted slightly, still stunned by the sky-high bid.
“Hahaha!”
The old Daoist finally made up his mind and laughed heartily.
“Forget it! Since your senior brother needs it, I’ll back off.”
He calmly sat down.
Zhang Xiaoling quickly recovered and shouted:
“Senior Brother Li bids 10,000 spirit stones!
Once…
Twice…
Sold!”
A maid carried the Supreme Wood Spirit Essence to Yu Xian.
He tossed her a storage pouch and accepted the bottle, still looking calm and detached.
Around the room, cultivators had mixed expressions.
Everyone was thinking something different.
Especially the old Daoist.
He closed his eyes and appeared tranquil—but the twitching at the corner of his eye betrayed his rage and regret.
He was plotting something.
Maybe even something unspeakable.
Thanks to that explosive price, the final two items—a tier-three longsword and a cultivation method that could take one to the peak of Foundation Establishment—felt lackluster in comparison.
They sold for 4,100 and 7,800 spirit stones, respectively.
The auction was now over.
The crowd dispersed, but their minds were still reeling.
Two major disruptions, both involving the same man.
First, he clashed with Feng Chang and blew up the entire third floor of Wanbao House.
Then, he outbid a veteran Daoist, smashing the price record for a bottle of Wood Spirit Essence.
Now, that man walked calmly down the stairs, exited the building, and made his way through the marketplace.
Everyone watched his back—some mocking, some worried, some just hoping for the best.
Would he even survive the night in Heishan Market?
Yu Xian, of course, knew.
From the moment he stepped out of Wanbao House, multiple people were shadowing him.
They were either Feng Chang’s thugs or spies sent by the old Daoist.
But he wasn’t concerned.
He had expected this.
The confrontation with Feng Chang had been necessary—it was the only way to damage the third-floor support beam, forcing Wanbao House to rebuild it.
As for bidding against the old Daoist?
That had been calculated.
Because this bottle of Wood Spirit Essence was the key to his breakthrough.
He was already at the peak of mid-stage Qi Condensation.
All he needed now… was this!
With it, he could reach late-stage Qi Condensation.
Once that happened, he wouldn’t fear Feng Chang or the old Daoist anymore!
He returned to the same inn as before—though the Earth-rank room he stayed in last time had been taken.
So he gritted his teeth and paid three spirit stones for a Heaven-rank room.
Once inside, Yu Xian closed the door.
He ignored the two spies pretending to loiter outside.
He simply sat on the bed, crossed his legs, closed his eyes, and focused—stabilizing his mind and body.
Inhale…
Exhale…
Half an hour later, he opened his eyes—utterly calm.
He took out the bottle of Wood Spirit Essence, popped the cork, and drank it all in one go!
The essence of a thousand-year-old ancient tree surged into his body!
The potent wood-elemental energy immediately resonated with his top-grade Wood Spirit Root—
A dazzling green light burst from within as his root rejoiced like a vine growing wildly in springtime!
Even the small elm tree sigil on his chest turned more vibrant and lush.
In his spiritual sea, nearly two zhang wide, the once misty green pool began to churn.
The pure and heavy wood-element essence surged.
And then—
As though it had been waiting all along, the sea transformed into a silvery, mercury-like liquid.
Qi becomes like mercury.
Late-stage Qi Condensation—achieved!
Suddenly, spiritual power three times stronger than before flooded his meridians.
In an instant, it surged through his entire body!
