Some People Change, Some Cannot!

Bid? Play the sucker? Luo Chen gave a cold sneer in his heart. "No, I won't wade into these muddy waters." "Still, don't you want to stay in Taishan Market?" Luo Chen hesitated for a moment before deciding to speak frankly. "To be honest, not really." "Oh?" In the Li family's private booth, a look of surprise appeared on Li Yixian's face. "Why?" "Do you truly want to remain here?" Luo Chen asked. "In a market that has been cultivated by the Kang family for hundreds of years, where power is changing hands, and whose new masters possess overwhelming strength and background? I fear that years from now, you will be devoured until nothing remains of you!" Li Yixian frowned. "But..." "There are no buts. Perhaps you might prioritize your family, seeking a secure place with little conflict to develop in peace. Yet my heart is set on the Great Dao, and there is only a single second-tier spirit vein here, divided between two clans at that." Finally, Luo Chen added in a faint voice, "If you wish to compete, I wouldn't mind lending you ten thousand spirit stones." After his words fell, prolonged silence followed. Only the strained, labored bids echoed through the palace hall, each sounding more difficult than the last. Huo Hu stood in the center, listening with a broad smile to the offers from both sides. Even when long gaps stretched between calls, he made no mention of going once or going twice. However, when his gaze swept across the booths belonging to the Luotian Association and the Li family, his expression turned rather unfriendly. *Giving me no face!* With two factions refusing to bid, the atmosphere was simply not lively enough! Inside the Li family's booth. Li Yixian parted her cherry lips more than once, tempted to join the bidding. Yet Luo Chen's words echoed repeatedly in her mind. For her clan, Taishan Market seemed like a place where they could grow in peace, but in the long run, it was definitely not a safe haven. After all, with the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion gone, there was no major power left in the middle to maintain balance. As the local tyrant, the Huo family would sooner or later find itself unable to tolerate outside family factions. They might tolerate old acquaintances like the Kang and Yu families, but newcomers... And from an individual standpoint, lacking a second-tier spiritual ground would severely hamper her cultivation. In the end, she dispiritedly abandoned the idea of bidding on the Mystic Fire Sword. By the time she gave up, the hall had already fallen silent for quite a while. The price had halted at eighty-three thousand low-grade spirit stones, offered by Wang Haichao. Nangong Jin wore a bitter expression. It was impossible for him to continue bidding. This had exceeded the Nangong family's limit. Any further, and the entire clan would be crushed under the weight. Failing the auction, however, meant losing their chance to remain in Taishan Market. Turning to look back at the several ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivators who had accompanied him, he let out a sigh. "Perhaps... we must wander once more." Meanwhile, Wang Haichao's face was equally dark. Eighty-three thousand! To pay that much for an ordinary low-grade magic treasure flying sword—he was being an absolute sucker. Right now, many of his Foundation Establishment peers across the hall were probably looking at him as if he were a fool! *Nangong Jin!* *You despicable bastard!* *Didn't you agree to just be a spectator?* All three Foundation Establishment cultivators from Dahe Market were in foul moods. Yet within the auction hall, an enormous uproar had already erupted. An ordinary low-grade magic treasure had fetched the staggering price of eighty-three thousand, completely shocking these rogue cultivators who had never witnessed such extravagance. A price like that should have belonged to defensive magic treasures or esoteric treasures! Amid the clamor, some began to catch on. These Foundation Establishment True Cultivators were giving face to the Huo family! Luo Chen quietly watched this farce draw to a close. It was impossible for Nangong Jin to outbid Wang Haichao. When leaving Dahe Market, Wang Haichao had milked an enormous sum in ferry fares from the rogue cultivators. Fifty spirit stones per ticket! Back then, two to three thousand people had boarded the vessel. That was a massive fortune! Moreover, every bit of it rested under Wang Haichao's sole control. Weighed down by an entire clan, how could Nangong Jin possibly hope to compete? "Master!" A voice suddenly reached Luo Chen's ear. Luo Chen turned to look. Qu Lingjun was just coming to his senses from the shock, yet confusion still lingered in the youth's eyes. "What is it?" Qu Lingjun asked in bewilderment, "Why did Gang Leader Wang spend so much money to buy that magic treasure? I heard others say it doesn't even suit him very well!" Luo Chen smiled faintly. "Because he wants to stay in Taishan Market!" "Why does he want to stay in Taishan Market so badly?" Qu Lingjun was still puzzled. "I heard Aunt Gu say he made over a hundred thousand spirit stones. Wouldn't it be better to take all that money, find a second-tier spiritual ground, and cultivate in peace?" Luo Chen paused, a flicker of doubt passing across his own face. Over a hundred thousand was a slight exaggeration; to fill the belly of the River-Swallowing Toad, Wang Haichao had shared a substantial cut of spirit stones with two families to purchase tamed spirit beasts. Even so, whatever remained would still amount to a good hundred and ten or twenty thousand. With such immense capital, where could one go and not live freely and comfortably? "Heh heh..." A deep, gentle chuckle sounded. It was Wang Yuan. Yet that soft chuckle soon turned into a scoff. "Some people have changed! It's as simple as that." "Changed?" Qu Lingjun was still bewildered, his inquisitive eyes fixed on Wang Yuan. He failed to notice that beside him, Luo Chen's expression shifted drastically as a tremor ran through him. *Indeed!* *Wang Haichao has changed!* Wang Yuan glanced at Luo Chen, then casually asked Qu Lingjun, "Aside from cultivation clans and sects, why do rogue cultivators establish factions?" Qu Lingjun replied as if it were obvious, "Naturally, to gather cultivation resources with the help of ample manpower!" That was the original motive for every Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator who poured immense effort into creating a faction. Wang Yuan nodded and continued, "However, when someone grows used to being the center of attention, used to holding the power of life and death, used to commanding hundreds or thousands of cultivators... if you tell him to take his abundant resources and hide away in a quiet cave abode or deep mountain forest to cultivate, will he still be able to accept it?" Qu Lingjun was taken aback, answering naturally, "Why wouldn't he accept it?" *Indeed!* To the young Qu Lingjun, who had yet to experience the wider world and knew only family and romance, what was there not to accept? Once the objective was achieved, shouldn't one pursue immortality? Luo Chen looked with a bitter smile at the youth whose height was already catching up to his own. *My disciple!* *You do not know that in this world, there is a terrifying thing called "power."* *A thing that can drive a man to cast aside countless treasures.* His gaze drifted to Wang Yuan, looking at him with gratitude. Wang Yuan gave a nonchalant nod, turning his attention back to the auction below. The reason Luo Chen felt "grateful" toward Wang Yuan was that the man had deliberately used those words to give him a wake-up call! Wang Haichao was willing to pay a heavy price just to stay in Taishan Market. Wasn't his goal simply to secure territory that would allow him to maintain his grip on the Great River Gang? If he relocated elsewhere, could the Great River Gang even survive? Among the rogue cultivators who had fled Dahe Market, how many were truly willing to wander from place to place with him? Without blood ties, and without Luo Chen's towering prestige, gathering these people and leading them all the way to Taishan Market had already been extraordinarily difficult. Thus, if he wanted to savor the taste of power, he had to remain here! Perhaps his initial intention had merely been to use the Great River Gang to gather resources for himself. Gradually, however, he had become intoxicated by it. He had changed! By comparison, was Luo Chen not heading down the same path? Or rather, wasn't he currently in the early stages of Wang Haichao's journey? At this stage, the Luotian Association was indeed useful to him—immensely so. What about later? When he amassed sufficient wealth to comfortably enter secluded cultivation, would he still be able to relinquish the habit of enjoying power? Luo Chen found it hard to imagine whether his future self would change. Wang Yuan, however, had already prepared for a rainy day and anticipated that moment. People differed from one another. In his previous life, Luo Chen had merely been a corporate wage slave. Aside from the occasional experience of directing teammates in online games, he had rarely tasted real authority. Yet now, he truly liked the sensation of waving his hand and receiving the reverent respect of hundreds of cultivators. He truly enjoyed that very moment when all the cultivators of the Luotian Association shouted in unison, "Guild Master, please board!" Therefore... In the future, it was genuinely possible that he would become hopelessly addicted. Wang Yuan was different. He came from the mortal jianghu, having fought and killed his way up, even establishing martial sects among mortals. Yet for the immortal path, for sheer strength, he had resolutely abandoned his peak worldly status without hesitation, choosing to come to Dahe Market and struggle from the very bottom as a low-level rogue cultivator. In the past, when Luo Chen had asked him to manage the Luotian Association on his behalf, he had always shown great impatience. It was not that he lacked the skill to manage it, but that he felt it would impede his cultivation. He was someone who had walked that path before! *A friend, an older brother, and even more, a mentor who constantly reminds me of the true path of cultivation.* Suppressing his complex emotions, Luo Chen cast another grateful glance at Wang Yuan before turning his attention back to the hall. *** "Next is the auction segment by the Spirit Herb Pavilion." "What they are putting up for auction is... the Foundation Establishment Pill!" Huo Hu dragged out his voice. Yet the instant his words fell, thousands of rogue cultivators across the hall held their breath. Their scorching gazes seemed hot enough to melt him on the spot. Huo Hu pressed his lips together and waved his hand. The red cloth over the display table was pulled back, revealing three jade bottles in plain view. "Three in total, auctioned separately." "Starting bid is one thousand spirit stones each, with minimum increments of no less than one hundred." "Gentlemen, please!" The moment his voice faded, a roaring tide of bids surged forth like crashing waves hitting the shore. "One thousand one hundred!" "One thousand two hundred!" "Two thousand!" "Three thousand!" Without the slightest hesitation, the price skyrocketed crazily. Not only the rogue cultivators, but heavy breathing could also be heard echoing from the booths of the various Foundation Establishment factions. Inside the Great River Gang's booth, Min Longyu's eyes lit up. "Gang Leader!" Wang Haichao glanced at him. "Wait a bit longer. I wouldn't advise moving on the first pill; the price is bound to be driven excessively high." Min Longyu parted his lips, ultimately restraining his urgent anticipation. Wang Haichao was entirely correct. Meanwhile, in the Luotian Association's booth, Luo Chen's interest was piqued. The Huo family was indeed remarkable; for their very first auction, the Spirit Herb Pavilion had given them ample face. Though three pills did not match the five that the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion had casually presented back in Dahe Market, it was still a considerable amount. What truly stirred his mind was that with so few pills, it was impossible for the various Foundation Establishment factions to coordinate and divide the spoils behind the scenes. That meant... first come, first served! Turning around, Luo Chen looked over the Luotian Association members. Ten ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivators! Those nearing the Great Perfection of Qi Refining included Sima Huiniang, Murong Qinglian, Duan Feng, and a rogue cultivator named Bian Zhen who had joined three years ago. Aside from them, Qin Liangchen and Sima Xian were only a few years of bitter cultivation away from the Great Perfection. Furthermore, Gu Caiyi, Zhou Yuanli, Liu Qiang, and Su Xiaolin were all relatively young, possessing a fair chance of achieving Foundation Establishment in the future. Every single one of them surely craved a Foundation Establishment Pill! Even Qin Liangchen and his wife, who already had one in hand, would never think an extra pill was too many. Meeting Luo Chen's sweeping gaze, the breathing of all ten cultivators grew heavy. They looked at Luo Chen, their lips moving as if to speak, yet each held back. Luo Chen smiled. "None of you bid; you won't be able to snatch it." "Out of the three Foundation Establishment Pills, I will win one for you!" "When the time comes, whoever reaches the Great Perfection of Qi Refining first may purchase it from me at cost." With that, he turned around abruptly. Facing the fervor of the auction hall below, he called out in a loud, clear voice: "Five thousand low-grade spirit stones!" The hall fell quiet for a moment. Shortly after, a cultivator at the Great Perfection of Qi Refining gritted his teeth and shouted, "Five thousand one hundred!" Luo Chen glanced at him and said unhurriedly, "Five thousand two hundred." The man ground his teeth again. "Five thousand three hundred!" "Five thousand four hundred." With his calm, unwavering momentum, Luo Chen carried an unmistakable air of matching whatever bid the man offered. The man wanted to call out once more, but his companion grabbed hold of him. The companion shook his head with utter gravity. The bidder was still unwilling, yet in the end, he slumped and gave up. After all, he was facing a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator! Three strikes and one should cease; if he pressed any further, he feared he might have the life to buy it, but not the life to use it. Besides, two more pills remained! Fear of a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, combined with the lingering hope for the subsequent lots, finally made him surrender. "The first Foundation Establishment Pill, five thousand four hundred spirit stones, going once!" "Five thousand four hundred spirit stones, going twice!" Huo Hu's brow furrowed tightly, his face filled with dissatisfaction. For a publicly auctioned Foundation Establishment Pill, the price should never have been this low! Moreover, with the current market value of medicinal pills soaring, it shouldn't be this low either! Today was also the day the Huo family declared their sovereignty over Taishan Market, making this low price all the more unbearable! He dragged out the third call, deliberately delaying. Meeting his gaze was Luo Chen's lofty, unruffled stare. In the end, Huo Hu gritted his teeth and declared, "Five thousand four hundred spirit stones, going three times." "Sold!" Without offering a single word of congratulations, he directly instructed his attendants to deliver the pill to Luo Chen. This ungracious display was witnessed by many. Inside the Kang family's booth, Kang Dongyue shook his head. The Huo family had truly handled this auction poorly. Declaring sovereignty was fine in itself. Yet rushing to put Huo Hu, this newly risen Foundation Establishment prodigy, into the spotlight was highly questionable. Had they invited a respected, senior figure to host the auction, they could have reaped immense profits while preserving their reputation. Why bother with this! Inside the Yu family's booth, a young woman in palace attire also frowned. Beside her, an elderly man said in a low voice, "This lad Huo Hu takes after his father. Overbearing in conduct, yet petty-minded. If Chuchu is betrothed to him, her future will likely not be an easy one!" The woman gave a bitter smile. "Elder, what else can I do? That old fellow Huo Quan will likely be at the late Foundation Establishment stage once he leaves seclusion. If so, they will already surpass us, boasting two Foundation Establishment cultivators and backed by the Flame Alliance." "We are not like the Kang family, who have the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect as their backer. If we don't form a marriage alliance, are we to wait around to be suppressed later?" The clan elder fell silent. Yet looking at Huo Hu, his eyes were ultimately filled with dissatisfaction. In the future, that child Yu Chuchu would likely have to suffer. And so, the first Foundation Establishment Pill was sold at the low price of five thousand four hundred spirit stones. The rogue cultivators who hadn't participated in the bidding were consumed with envy. In particular, those capable of scraping together that amount of spirit stones regretted holding back. Yet their opponent was a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator! Over at the Great River Gang's booth, Min Longyu stared longingly as the Foundation Establishment Pill was escorted through the back to Private Booth Nine. He knew Wang Haichao could never contest Luo Chen. After all, Luo Chen had not tripped him up during the auction for the Mystic Fire Sword, and Luo Chen's wealth was exceptionally deep. Had Min Longyu been in the same position, he would have done the exact same thing. Licking his dry lips, he carefully offered a reminder, "Gang Leader, the auction for the second Foundation Establishment Pill has begun." Wang Haichao nodded. "No rush. We will watch and wait, then strike with a decisive bid!" Min Longyu hesitated for an instant before nodding heavily. *Right!* *A decisive bid!* Hadn't Luo Chen previously secured a second-tier secret art with a single decisive bid? There was no reason they couldn't do the same. When he had pledged allegiance to Wang Haichao back then, the man had sworn an oath to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill for him.