A Guaranteed Win!

"One thousand!" "One thousand five hundred!" "Three thousand!" "Five thousand five hundred!" The bidding for the second Foundation Establishment Pill erupted with ferocious momentum. In the blink of an eye, it had already surpassed the price Luo Chen had paid for the first. Three parties were competing for it: A Foundation Establishment elder from a clan based in Snow Lotus Market; The rogue cultivator at the Qi Refining Great Perfection who had previously bid against Luo Chen; And... the Li family! "Xiao Ao, although I prepared a Foundation Establishment Pill for you eight years ago, having only one still isn't safe," Li Yixian said to Li Ao. "With Duan Rui of the Duan family serving as a cautionary tale, you cannot afford to be careless. "Therefore, I will win this Foundation Establishment Pill for you no matter what!" Turning back toward the hall, she called out a price of six thousand spirit stones. This happened to be the exact price a Foundation Establishment Pill had fetched when auctioned to rogue cultivators back at Dahe Market. "Six thousand one hundred!" The Foundation Establishment elder from Snow Lotus Market refused to yield. "Six thousand two hundred!" The rogue cultivator at the peak of Qi Refining called out, his eyes bloodshot. Li Yixian's expression turned stern. She had refrained from bidding on the Mystic Fire Sword, and the Li family had accumulated a deep foundation over the years. It was only a Foundation Establishment Pill. "Six thousand five hundred!" "Six thousand six hundred!" "Six thousand seven hundred!" "Seven thousand!" The moment Li Yixian called out seven thousand, the cultivator from Snow Lotus Market hesitated for an instant before backing down. The rogue cultivator at the Qi Refining Great Perfection opened his mouth, wanting to raise the bid further. Yet a beam of spiritual sense traversed several hundred meters to lock firmly onto him. The frantic redness in his eyes dissolved in a flash. His face turned paper-white. His mouth hung open, and he slumped weakly into his seat. The companion beside him hastily offered comfort. "It's fine. There's still a third chance. Don't lose heart." He managed a forced, bitter smile, but said nothing. *** Inside the Great River Gang's private booth, Min Longyu trembled all over as he watched the Foundation Establishment Pill being carried away. "Gang Leader?" Wang Haichao shook his head. "Li Yixian didn't contest the Mystic Fire Sword with me earlier. Since she's so determined to win this one, I naturally have to give her face." "But..." "Don't panic. There's still a third chance." "Is there truly a chance?" "This time, I'll take the initiative from the start and seize the advantage. It will be a guaranteed win!" Like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline, Min Longyu nodded repeatedly. Right—take the initiative and seize the advantage! Wang Haichao was a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, and at the third layer of Foundation Establishment at that, just one step shy of the mid-stage. If he opened the bidding first, what insect would dare make a sound? A guaranteed win! *** Seven thousand spirit stones for a single Foundation Establishment Pill! Huo Hu was thoroughly pleased with the price. Now this was more like it! This was the market reality during wartime—scarce supplies and skyrocketing prices! That earlier pill selling for just five thousand four hundred was an utter embarrassment. He truly hoped Luo Chen wouldn't participate in any more auctions. Every time that man stepped in, he pinched the price down to the absolute limit, leaving Huo Hu with zero margin for profit. If word got out, people who didn't know better would think he was incompetent and couldn't even manage an auction. With a faint smile, Huo Hu rested the final jade bottle on his palm. "The third Foundation Establishment Pill—the rules remain the same. "Everyone, please!" Before his voice had even faded, Wang Haichao's voice rolled out across the hall. "Five thousand spirit stones!" Another Foundation Establishment True Cultivator had joined the fray? The rogue cultivators who had been bracing themselves to bid looked ready to weep. The rogue cultivator at the Qi Refining Great Perfection had just parted his lips to speak when a crisp, melodious voice, clear as the cry of a luan bird, rang in his ears: "Six thousand!" Having only just sat up straight and craned his neck, the rogue cultivator closed his mouth and slowly curled back into his hard, cold chair. This world was simply too cruel to rogue cultivators! *** In the Great River Gang's booth, Wang Haichao hesitated. Min Longyu grew frantic. "Gang Leader!" Wang Haichao wore a look of bitter distress. "The one who just bid is Yu Rou, the matriarch of the local Yu family from Mount Yihua!" "Gang Leader..." Min Longyu looked at him, his tone practically pleading. "Alas, you foolish boy!" Wang Haichao sighed. "Very well. I will bid once more for your sake. Whether it succeeds or not will depend on fate. "Seven thousand," he called out leisurely. Yet his voice lacked his earlier commanding presence, sounding instead like the feeble struggle of a dying man. *** Over in the Yu family's area, a clan elder looked at the young woman in palace robes with resolute determination. "Patriarch, we cannot give up. "Even if this is a marriage alliance, we must stand on relatively equal footing. "Securing this Foundation Establishment Pill will increase Chuchu's chances of establishing her foundation by thirty percent. You cannot place all your hopes on Huang'er alone. "If Chuchu reaches Foundation Establishment, she will at least have a voice with the Huo family." Yu Rou listened patiently before nodding. "You are quite right. I was indeed being short-sighted earlier. "Seven thousand one hundred!" Her crisp feminine voice rang out. Though she had only raised the bid by a hundred spirit stones, her tone was decisive, signaling that she would match any further increase. Hearing that, Wang Haichao decisively chose to yield. He turned around, looked at the despairing Min Longyu, and said with earnest gravity, "The marriage alliance between the Yu and Huo families is common knowledge. We cannot afford to offend either clan, let alone both at once. "Besides, it makes no sense for all three Foundation Establishment Pills to be swept up by newcomers from Dahe Market. "Xiao Yu..." Min Longyu leaned his back against the cold wall, his eyes vacant. "I want to be alone for a bit." "Mm, it's good to calm your mind. Some things cannot be forced; they depend on fate. That is just how cultivation is. Don't be discouraged. Once we gain a firm foothold, smaller auctions occur once a year and major auctions every decade—we will have plenty of opportunities. Furthermore..." Wang Haichao chattered on. It was rare for him to speak at such length. If it had been Gao Tingyuan or Li Da, he would never have had such patience. Min Longyu, however, was different. This man was skilled in formations and had no background or ties; he had to be won over. Wang Haichao considered himself to have treated him generously, and he had indeed bid just now. Yet there was nothing to be done—circumstances were stronger than men. Such was cultivation. *** "One went to me, and one went to Li Yixian. "It's fortunate the third Foundation Establishment Pill was claimed by the Yu family of Mount Yihua. Otherwise, it really might have stirred up unnecessary trouble." Luo Chen nodded to himself. He was very satisfied with this outcome. He believed the major local factions of Taishan Market would find it acceptable as well. Perhaps the only ones who couldn't accept it were the late-stage Qi Refining rogue cultivators. Yet who cared? No one would care! The Yuding Sword Pavilion was gone, the Yan Alliance had entrusted the market's governance to the Huo family, and establishments like the Spirit Herb Pavilion and Wanbao Tower were enterprises of outside sects. Under such circumstances, no one would abide by the unspoken rules of the past. What? Set aside a Foundation Establishment Pill to leave a ray of hope for rogue cultivators? What a joke! With a resource as precious as a Foundation Establishment Pill, what cultivation clan would be willing to sell it on the cheap? If it were truly sold at a discount, Huo Hu would be the first to be denounced as a prodigal fool. Different positions yielded different perspectives. When all was said and done, this was simply how things played out. His gaze fell upon the lifeless, peak Qi Refining rogue cultivator who looked as though he had lost all hope in life. Luo Chen felt neither pity nor compassion. *If I had chosen the path of an ordinary rogue cultivator back then, I would probably be facing the same wretched predicament at auction after auction.* *Holding plenty of spirit stones, yet unable to spend them.* *How could Qi Refining ever compete with Foundation Establishment!* After a moment of reflection, Luo Chen returned his attention to the ongoing auction. The Spirit Herb Pavilion was truly worthy of being an enterprise of the Medicine King Sect; every pill they brought out was top-grade merchandise! Unable to resist, Luo Chen stepped in again to purchase second-tier Spirit Purifying Pills and a large batch of premium Spirit Calming Incense. To that end, he spent a considerable sum of spirit stones. With every bid he made, he timed and calculated the price with absolute precision. Doing it once or twice was impressive enough, but after several times, the group of ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivators from the Luotian Association looked on in utter astonishment. Conveniently, the auction then transitioned to the segment featuring items consigned by rogue cultivators. There were few exquisite resources among them, so Luo Chen took little interest. Instead, he struck up a casual conversation with those he had brought along. "In the cultivation world, transactions at auctions, black markets, and rogue cultivator markets are commonplace. "Each venue requires different trading techniques. "Since the occasion presents itself today, let me explain some bidding strategies used in auctions! "First, we must properly assess our own practical circumstances, such as..." He explained in meticulous detail. The cultivators of the Luotian Association listened with rapt attention. Even young Qu Lingjun was completely entranced. After all, Luo Chen wasn't merely speaking in theory. Throughout the preceding auction, he had demonstrated these principles in practice multiple times. Observing the opponent before delivering a decisive final bid! Raising the price gradually to pile psychological pressure on the rival! Seizing the opening bid to take the initiative and dominate the room... While everyone was listening intently, Wang Yuan couldn't help casting a deep, thoughtful glance at Luo Chen. In that fleeting moment, he seemed to see the shadow of a certain person in Luo Chen. *** The auction finally drew to a close with the bidding on a magic treasure known as the Smoke-Chill Gauze. The one who secured this treasure was none other than Li Yixian. It had to be said: During this auction, the four Foundation Establishment cultivators from Dahe Market had stolen the spotlight entirely. Both magic treasures had been claimed by Wang Haichao and Li Yixian, and at extremely steep prices at that. Luo Chen had not stayed idle either, bidding repeatedly. While the items he secured weren't the very highest tier, they were nonetheless exceptionally precious. Only Nangong Jin had fallen into brooding silence after losing the bid for the Mystic Fire Sword to Wang Haichao. Toward the high-profile conduct of Dahe Market's Foundation Establishment cultivators, the local cultivators of Taishan Market harbored goodwill. It demonstrated that these newcomers genuinely wished to integrate into Taishan Market and were actively spending their wealth. In particular, since this auction had been organized by the Huo family of Red Toad Mountain, the extravagant bids from Wang Haichao and Li Yixian had given them tremendous face. *** The auction's conclusion did not mean the hall emptied out. Looking at the crimson invitation in his hand, Luo Chen found it rather intriguing. Raising his eyes, he saw Li Yixian, who had just stepped out of her private booth in the distance, give him a nod. It seemed they had all received invitations! However, this banquet would likely be anything but pleasant. Shaking his head, Luo Chen stowed the invitation. "Huiniang, take the others and head back immediately. "Pack everything up, and keep the Heavenly Eagle flying boat ready for departure at a moment's notice." The voice transmission entered her ears. Sima Huiniang looked at Luo Chen in surprise before realizing what he meant. She nodded heavily and led the others away at once. Wang Yuan paused in his steps. "Do you need me to come with you?" Luo Chen smiled faintly. "There's no need. It's hardly a dragon's den or a tiger's lair, and the Huo family cares about their reputation. Head back first and look after the Luotian Association for me!" Wang Yuan nodded. Since Luo Chen had such confidence, there was no need to fuss. Besides, Luo Chen's current strength was not inferior to his own. He no longer required the constant protection of earlier days. Once the cultivators of the Luotian Association had departed, Luo Chen shook out his sleeves and strode toward the inner chambers of the palace. Before long, the four Foundation Establishment cultivators from Dahe Market gathered in tacit understanding. Yet despite that unspoken accord, the atmosphere was laced with tension. Trailing half a step behind, Luo Chen looked at the two men ahead with a faint smile. "Fellow Daoist Nangong, you certainly kept quiet and gave me quite a pleasant surprise!" Wang Haichao's even voice was dripping with sarcasm. Nangong Jin smiled bitterly. "Since you got what you wished for, Fellow Daoist, why press the matter so ruthlessly?" "Hmph!" Wang Haichao snorted coldly and glared at Nangong Jin. "I wouldn't have had to pay such a steep price to begin with!" Nangong Jin put away his bitter smile and said gravely, "There was no need for you to force your way into staying here anyway. Why bring such trouble upon yourself?" Indeed. Wang Haichao was different from Nangong Jin. The latter was burdened by a clan and desperately needed a place to recover and recuperate. Taishan Market was undoubtedly the best choice. Remaining here offered a familiar environment, and he already understood the temperaments of the nearby Foundation Establishment True Cultivators. This was of immense benefit to the development of the Nangong family. Yet Wang Haichao was entirely on his own; forcing his way into staying here was truly unwise. Wang Haichao glared fiercely at him, refusing to say another word. With a flick of his sleeves, he turned and marched away. He moved so swiftly that he broke away from the trio of Dahe Market cultivators in an instant. Watching this scene, Li Yixian let out a soft sigh. At this moment, the nominal Dahe Alliance had completely unraveled. She glanced at Luo Chen, only to find a knowing smile on his face, as if he had anticipated this outcome all along. *"Fellow Daoist Luo, where should we go from here?"* Hearing her voice transmission, Luo Chen's expression remained unchanged, his gaze still following Nangong Jin's sluggish steps. He quietly sent back three words: *"Tianlan Immortal City!"* Li Yixian shuddered. Her steps ground to a halt, allowing Luo Chen to overtake her and take the lead. Staring at his composed back, a storm of emotion surged within Li Yixian's heart. Tianlan Immortal City, one of the ten great immortal cities of the Jade Cauldron Domain, possessed a third-tier spirit ground. It was located extremely far from here. Even traveling by flying magical artifact, the journey would take dozens of days at the very least. Ordinary cultivators rarely traveled such vast distances to venture into unfamiliar territory. Was Luo Chen planning this simply because he couldn't remain in Taishan Market...? *No!* Li Yixian's heart skipped a beat as she recalled the scene inside the main hall on Mount Xiaohuan. At the time, Luo Chen had suggested several potential destinations, and the one he had left for last was unmistakably Tianlan Immortal City. In other words, he had made up his mind long ago. This was no spur-of-the-moment whim! *Of course. He has no clan weighing him down; every single thing he does is aimed at seeking longevity.* *In that case, how could a mere Taishan Market ever catch his eye?* *Yet across such a vast distance, who knows how many trials will be encountered along the way... And once there, will the Luotian Association truly be able to establish a foothold?* *It truly is a fine place, though. If my Li family were to go as well...* "Fellow Daoist Li?" A puzzled voice called out from ahead, interrupting Li Yixian's thoughts. Seeing Luo Chen looking back at her in confusion, she hurried to catch up. Why think so much! Even as an established cultivator, she was being more hesitant and indecisive than Luo Chen, who had only just reached Foundation Establishment. Better to take things one step at a time.