Tianlan Immortal City was the name of a city.
Yet to the cultivators who lived and trained here, Tianlan Immortal City referred to the vast surrounding domain inside and out.
Apart from those mountain ranges and earth veins, one river and one great waterway encircled Tianlan Immortal City.
The smaller river was called the Yunjin River. It was not particularly large, falling far short of the Lancang River back at Dahe Market. Its primary waters surged out from beneath Tianlan Peak in Tianlan Immortal City.
The great waterway, however, was truly extraordinary.
The Qinhua River was a massive watercourse formed by the confluence of countless streams and tributaries across the Jade Cauldron Domain. Rushing all the way forward, it emptied into the distant Eastern Sea. Flowing across immense distances, it was rich beyond measure in resources.
The Li family had merely occupied a small stretch of the riverbank, yet that alone had sustained two centuries of prosperity. However, as their ancestor's lifespan drew to its close, the Qinhua Li family grew increasingly precarious.
Fortunately, a momentous, joyous event washed away the unease weighing on the Li cultivators' hearts.
The Li family was about to ally with Tianlan's newly risen power, the Luotian Association!
Or rather than an alliance, it was more accurately a marriage alliance.
On this very day, the head of the Luotian Association had personally arrived with an entourage bearing betrothal gifts to formalize an engagement with Li Yingjun, the direct granddaughter of the Li family's Foundation Establishment ancestor.
The process unfolded without a ripple of trouble.
The only thing people found strange was that Li Yingjun's fiancé was completely obscure within the Luotian Association.
Perhaps calling him obscure was not entirely fitting, but a mere spirit herb elder from the Medicine Hall hardly seemed a match for Li Yingjun!
Luo Chen did not care what low-level cultivators thought.
He could roughly see through the Li ancestor's reasoning.
Sima Xian's cultivation was too high! Moreover, he appeared to have no hope of reaching Foundation Establishment, which would only drive him to set his inappropriate ambitions on coveting the Li family's estate. By contrast, while Yuan Dongsheng had little fame and modest cultivation, he was truly someone whose position might not seem high, but whose real authority was substantial!
The Luotian Association's hundreds of Tier 1 spirit fields were entirely under his control. A figure like that was bound to be someone the Luotian Association relied upon! Furthermore, having to devote his energy to managing the association's spirit fields meant he would naturally have no spare attention to covet the Li family.
Looking at that face, ravaged by age yet still beaming with smiles, Luo Chen mentally called him an old fox.
"President Luo, won't you taste my Li family's spirit medicine tea?" Li Jinhuang said with a smile.
Luo Chen naturally obliged, picking up the cup of spirit medicine tea unique to the Li family. Only after savoring it carefully did he set it down.
"Fresh and mellow, with a lingering sweetness. The medicinal taste is imperceptible, yet its spiritual energy unfurls like a painting beneath clear skies, surging into the dantian's sea of qi. This method of infusing tea with medicine is truly exquisite!"
Hearing this appraisal, Li Jinhuang's cloudy eyes brightened.
"Fellow Daoist is truly a connoisseur of tea!"
Luo Chen offered a faint smile and a few humble deflections.
His knowledge of spiritual tea was even inferior to his knowledge of spiritual wine. That appraisal just now was simply a passage he had deliberately memorized from intelligence gathered on the Li family beforehand.
Outside, the engagement banquet was bustling and lively. Inside, the two Foundation Establishment cultivators traded polite pleasantries.
However, Luo Chen had not made a special trip here today merely for such mundane matters; otherwise, he could have just let Sima Huiniang handle it on his behalf.
"Let us speak frankly!" Luo Chen set down his teacup.
Li Jinhuang's expression turned serious as well.
"I have never attended the Immortal City auction and know little about it. When it comes to its taboos and unwritten rules, I will need you, Fellow Daoist Li, to enlighten me."
This was his true purpose.
Li Jinhuang had operated in Tianlan Immortal City for more than two centuries and was richly experienced. Now that the man had little lifespan remaining and would need to rely on Luo Chen to shield the Li family in the future, he naturally would not hold back on such matters. Compared to Shi Boying or Xuan Yunzi, Luo Chen trusted Li Jinhuang, whose interests were bound to his own, far more.
Sure enough, the old man promptly laid out things Luo Chen had never known, point by point.
"Aside from the auctions hosted exclusively by the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect, the Immortal City auction is typically organized jointly by two great sects. A grand gathering of this scale is bound to draw Core Formation cultivators.
"One cardinal taboo is that if a Core Formation cultivator takes an interest in an item, no matter how wealthy you or I may be as Foundation Establishment cultivators, we must do our best not to contest it. The consequences are far beyond what we can bear."
Luo Chen's brow knitted slightly. "Has there been a precedent?"
"There has!"
Li Jinhuang explained that several decades ago, a major faction had used its immense financial resources to outbid a Core Formation cultivator. They won! But the consequence was that their entire faction was annihilated by a single wrathful strike from that Core Formation master. The Immortal City authorities offered no explanation or recourse whatsoever.
"What you and I as Foundation Establishment cultivators desire most is naturally Core Formation spiritual items. My advice is that unless you reach the late Foundation Establishment stage, do not enter the fray for them," Li Jinhuang said, speaking at length.
Luo Chen's brows furrowed again. "Could it be that treasure-hunting murders occur as well?"
"Such things are inevitable. But the true danger stems from the six great... no, it is five great Core Formation sects now." Li Jinhuang corrected himself, gesturing vaguely upward. "Unless you have the backing of one of the great sects above, your path to Core Formation will be fraught with endless obstacles. I do not know the exact details, but with your youth and present cultivation, Fellow Daoist, you will naturally come to learn the inner workings in the future."
Luo Chen took a deep breath and asked, puzzled, "Then for whom are the Core Formation items at the auction prepared?"
"Core Formation Masters, powerful late Foundation Establishment experts, and factions closely tied to the great sects." Li Jinhuang said tentatively, "Fellow Daoist seems to be on good terms with the Ice Fort, so you should count as closely connected, right?"
Luo Chen nodded with a slight grimace.
His relationship with the Ice Fort right now could hardly be called close. Or rather, he had a decent rapport with Tantai Jin. But if Core Formation items were involved, Tantai Jin would likely covet them even more fiercely than he would.
"Additionally, regarding Foundation Establishment spiritual items..." Speaking up to this point, Li Jinhuang looked at Luo Chen with a knowing smile. "Fellow Daoist must be eager to secure a quota!"
A quota!
This was the thing Luo Chen craved most among his goals.
Back when Dahe Market auctioned Foundation Establishment Pills, he had watched the entire process from the sidelines. Except for the single pill reserved for rogue cultivators, all the rest had been carved up by the four Foundation Establishment factions. That meant private collusion among Foundation Establishment True Cultivators had taken place behind closed doors.
Different places invariably followed much the same rules. Tianlan Immortal City was no different.
He had secretly asked Chu Kui about it: the Foundation Establishment Pill quotas in the Immortal City were governed by established conventions. Only factions that had put down roots in Tianlan Immortal City for over fifty years were qualified to join that carving feast.
A newly risen faction like the Luotian Association possessed no quota at all. If they wanted one, they would have to compete against the rogue cultivators at sky-high prices—and, quite likely, offend the great Core Formation sects in the process.
"It seems Fellow Daoist Li has seen through my thoughts," Luo Chen admitted openly.
Li Jinhuang sighed. "In that case, I shall hand the Li family's quota over to you this time! As for the transaction price, we have set it at five thousand spirit stones per pill."
"So high?" Luo Chen was astonished.
Back at Dahe Market, the Foundation Establishment cultivators had set their private price at merely two thousand spirit stones a pill!
"Foundation Establishment Pills have always been precious, and most originate from Nascent Soul high sects. This time, the sects offering Foundation Establishment Pills are the Falling Cloud Sect and the Medicine King Sect." Li Jinhuang said earnestly, "We must give face to the Falling Cloud Sect!"
Understood!
The Falling Cloud Sect was a newly elevated Nascent Soul high sect. With their ally, the Azure Pill Valley, taking part in this auction, the Falling Cloud Sect's willingness to bring out Foundation Establishment Pills was also a show of support for their partner.
There were too many twists and turns involved. Luo Chen chose not to overthink it; he would simply go with the flow when the time came.
"Besides that, before the auction begins, the Immortal City will open an open-air market for everyone to conduct free trade. This is a prime opportunity for our Foundation Establishment factions to do business. Fellow Daoist Luo must not let it pass."
Luo Chen nodded. He was already aware of this. Back in the Dahe Market days, the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect had done the exact same thing; it had long become standard procedure.
Afterward, Luo Chen and Li Jinhuang chatted for a long time, exchanging some of their insights on Foundation Establishment along the way. Only when he saw fatigue creeping onto the old man's face did Luo Chen take his leave.
After he departed, the weariness on Li Jinhuang's face remained, but he forced himself to rally his spirits.
A young woman stepped inside.
"Grandfather!"
"Have you seen your fiancé?"
Li Yingjun bit her pearly teeth and nodded gently. "I have seen him. He is a decent man."
"Is his relationship with this Master of the Luotian Association truly as good as the rumors say?"
Li Yingjun hesitated. "It should be fairly good. They crossed paths back when they were both obscure. Later, after Senior Luo rose to prominence, the Yuan family contributed greatly. It is said that when Granny Yuan passed away, he personally saw her off and instructed the Luotian Association to hold a grand funeral for her."
*Is that so?*
Li Jinhuang let out a breath of relief.
Earlier, he might have entertained a few other schemes. But after meeting Luo Chen, those thoughts were thoroughly erased.
The young man was not old, yet conducted himself with utter prudence. Once Li Jinhuang passed away, the Li family cultivators would never be able to stir up trouble under his watchful eyes. In that case, it was better to have his granddaughter integrate firmly into the Luotian Association and secure an in-law connection, thereby protecting the Li family from the sidelines.
Seeing her grandfather having to toil over these matters at such an advanced age, guilt and self-reproach surfaced on Li Yingjun's face.
"It is all because of our incompetence as juniors that Grandfather must work so hard."
Li Jinhuang shook his head.
"This is no fault of yours. In truth, even if one of you were to become a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator right now, I would still ally with the Luotian Association."
Li Yingjun froze. Why was that?
Li Jinhuang sighed. "Your horizons are too narrow, your vision too short-sighted. The broader tide across the entire Jade Cauldron Domain is shifting slowly. Amid such a colossal tide, how could a mere Qinhua Li family protect itself with only one or two Foundation Establishment cultivators?"
Li Yingjun asked in surprise, "Does Grandfather mean the war between the Nascent Soul high sects?"
"Yes."
"But haven't things calmed down considerably over the past two years?"
"Calmed down?" Li Jinhuang sneered. "Even if they calm down for a few more years or several decades, so what? The fundamental contradiction has never been resolved."
Li Yingjun made an assumption: "Could it be the enmity forged by the disciples and members on both sides who fell during the early battles?"
"No, that amounts to nothing. Whose hands haven't been stained with the blood of other sects?" Li Jinhuang said with a grim expression. "The fundamental contradiction lies in the fact that a mere Jade Cauldron Domain cannot hold two Nascent Soul sects!"
The young woman's mouth parted slightly, her expression shaken.
"In other words... they will fight again later?"
"Yes!" Li Jinhuang said with absolute certainty and a cold tone. "Not only will they fight, it will be even fiercer than before. It is quite possible that every sect across the Jade Cauldron Domain, large and small, will be swept into it."
And that was precisely why he had to find a backer for the Li family.
As for why he chose the newly risen Luotian Association? That was based on his own calculations.
From establishing dominance upon their arrival, to swiftly securing a great Core Formation sect as their backer, to aggressively yet smoothly breaking into the Tier 1 cultivation elixir market through bloodless means—all of these demonstrated that the Luotian Association had an exceptional talent in its ranks!
In ordinary times, such a person would be bound by countless rules. But if true turmoil descended, they would thrive like a fish in water, seizing the opportunity to rise!
Through their brief interaction, Li Jinhuang had already determined that the capable talent of the Luotian Association was Luo Chen!
It had nothing to do with intelligence details; it was purely intuition.
"Yingjun!"
"I left a share of Foundation Establishment resources for your elder brother. If he fails, so be it. But if he succeeds, have him join the Luotian Association!"
Still reeling from shock, Li Yingjun was thoroughly stunned by his words.
"Grandfather, how could that be? Our Li family..."
"Do as you are told!" Li Jinhuang said sternly. "Your brother is someone obsessed with cultivation. I will instruct him later, but once I am gone, it will be up to you to keep him in check.
"Luo Chen is not a man who tolerates half a speck of sand in his eyes!"
***
One month later!
At the very center of the Immortal City.
The seven major beast-drawn carriage routes had altered their courses, concentrating their stops at the massive central plaza.
Every day, they brought countless cultivators.
Across the immense plaza, countless temporary stalls were erected—all set up by various clans and shops after paying their rental fees. Even more rogue cultivators had laid out mats on the ground.
This bustling, familiar scene would last for nine full days!
Nine days later, the Immortal City auction would officially commence, spanning another three days in total.
However, a formal, grand auction was not something ordinary rogue cultivators could take part in. From Core Formation down to Qi Refinement, everyone without an official invitation had to undergo an asset verification to qualify.
To prepare for this grand occasion, everyone throughout the Luotian Association was naturally busy as well.
With great generosity, Luo Chen rented three stalls from Ice Billow Palace: one for pills, one for artifacts, and one for refreshments.
With only nine days available, they had to seize the opportunity; it was very possible to earn what would normally take one or two months of revenue.
Cultivators from the Battle Hall ferried goods produced on Danxia Peak without pause. Over at the Gold Hall, Gu Caiyi temporarily entrusted Danxia Hall to trusted female cultivators under her command, while she headed to the Immortal City plaza to oversee the overall situation.
As for Luo Chen?
After a frenzied month of refining pills, he had finally relaxed.
All by himself, concealing his aura and altering his appearance, he strolled through the bustling marketplace of the Tianlan Trade Fair.
*I am a transmigrator after all, yet I haven't picked up a single overlooked bargain in this lifetime!*
He conveniently ignored the massive haul of Emperor's Flowing Syrup—Wang Yuan had led him to that one, so it hardly counted as his own doing.
This time, he truly intended to browse to his heart's content.
To relax his mind, and to hunt for hidden gems!
*Cultivators from all across the realm, from the four seas and beyond, bring an endless variety of goods. There might just be something that suits me.
*Just because someone can't enter the auction doesn't mean they don't have good things.
*With my spiritual sight growing sharper and clearer by the day, it's about time I stumbled upon a rare find!* Luo Chen grinned, rubbing his hands together, ready to hunt for a magnificent prize!
Chapter 253