191: underground auctions

Several days later, the Great Jin capital.

The city was bustling with traffic, Cultivators flowed like weaving threads, and its prosperity far surpassed any place in Tiannan.

Lin Feng, clad in a black robe with his hood obscuring most of his Face, arrived at a deserted spot outside the city.

He flipped his hand and took out a token as black as ink, engraved with a ghost Face relief.

As soon as Spiritual Qi was injected, a layer of cold, ghostly Qi emanated from the token, silently spreading in all directions.

Having done all this, he stood with his hands behind his back, waiting quietly.

Upon seeing this token, the Great Yan Divine Lord's consciousness within the bamboo slip fluctuated.

“The Nine Underworlds Sect’s method of contact is still the old, eerie one.”

Lin Feng did not respond; his gaze pierced through the clouds, landing on a streak of Escape Light (escape light) in the distant sky.

Before long, a hearty laugh, approaching from afar, broke the silence of the place.

“Hahaha, Brother Qinglian! You’re finally here; I’ve been waiting so long the flowers are almost wilting!”

Before his words finished, a streak of Escape Light (escape light) landed hurriedly not far away, and as the light dissipated, Elder Fu Cheng’s Face, full of smiles, was revealed.

He took three steps as two and walked up to Lin Feng, scrutinizing him from head to toe, his eyes filled with genuine joy.

Lin Feng cupped his hands towards him, his voice calm.

“Fellow Daoist Fu, it’s been many years; your demeanor is even more impressive than before.”

“Not at all, not at all!” Elder Fu Cheng waved his hand, his smile becoming even brighter, “This is all thanks to Brother Qinglian!”

He leaned in closer, lowering his voice, his excitement almost impossible to conceal.

“To tell you the truth, Brother Qinglian, the two sets of transforming Yao Beast Materials I exchanged from you last time were absolutely superb in quality! I took them back to the Sect for our Artifact Refining Great Master, and he actually refined two top-tier Magic Treasures from them!”

What he didn't say was that one of them wasn't to his liking, so he sold it.

Elder Fu Cheng rubbed his hands, smiling so widely his eyes were almost invisible, clearly having made a huge fortune.

Looking at Lin Feng, he said eagerly, “Brother Qinglian, do you think… this time we can also… have a private exchange?”

Lin Feng understood in his heart but did not take up the topic, simply changing the subject indifferently.

“Has Fairy Bai arrived in Great Jin?”

Elder Fu Cheng was momentarily stunned by the question, then suddenly realized, slapping his forehead.

“Look at my memory! Knowing that Brother Qinglian cares about Fairy Bai, I had already sent my Disciples to keep an eye out!”

He said confidently, “Fairy Bai arrived in the capital a month ago and is currently cultivating in an Immortal Cave in the city. If Brother Qinglian wishes to see her, I can arrange it right away!”

Lin Feng’s heart stirred slightly.

It’s good that she has arrived.

Since that’s the case, there’s no need to rush at this moment.

“Let’s talk about it after the auction,” he replied calmly.

Elder Fu Cheng nodded. Seeing that Lin Feng had no intention of trading, he did not press the matter further and instead extended a warm invitation.

“It’s rare for Brother Qinglian to visit my Great Jin, and as the host, my Nine Underworlds Sect should certainly show its hospitality!”

“Come! Follow me to the Sect; we’ll host a welcoming banquet for Brother Qinglian!”

Lin Feng pondered for a moment.

He had already slighted his Face once before; refusing again this time would seem too unfeeling.

Moreover, with his current Late Stage Nascent Soul cultivation, what was there to fear?

He nodded: “Very well, then I shall trouble you.”

“No trouble at all! No trouble at all!”

Seeing Lin Feng agree, Elder Fu Cheng was immediately overjoyed.

This was not a simple visit!

For a Late Stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator of unfathomable strength to openly enter the Nine Underworlds Sect’s stronghold during this sensitive period, when various forces were gathered, was itself a statement!

This Face given was more than enough!

That day, the atmosphere within the Nine Underworlds Sect was unusually lively.

All Nine Underworlds Sect Disciples in the capital were summoned back, lined up on both sides, their expressions solemn.

When Elder Fu Cheng led Lin Feng, clad in a black robe, through the entrance of the stronghold, the display startled many Cultivators from other Sects who were secretly observing.

What shocked them even more was yet to come.

Within the Sect, an ancient and powerful aura soared into the sky.

An old man with white hair and beard, dressed in a black robe, personally emerged from his seclusion and stood at the entrance of the main hall to welcome them.

“Welcome, Fellow Daoist Qinglian, your esteemed presence brings glory to my Nine Underworlds Sect!”

The old man’s voice was resonant; he was precisely the Grand Elder of the Nine Underworlds Sect, who rarely showed his Face, and also a genuine Late Stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator.

He cupped his hands and bowed to Lin Feng, his posture extremely humble.

Under Lin Feng’s hood, his gaze met the Grand Elder’s calmly, and he likewise cupped his hands in return.

“Fellow Daoist is too polite.”

This news, once leaked, completely ignited the intelligence networks of the major forces in the capital.

“Who is that black-robed man? To be able to make the Grand Elder of the Nine Underworlds Sect personally come out to greet him?”

“I heard he’s a mysterious Great Cultivator befriended by Elder Fu, whose strength is probably not inferior to the Nine Underworlds Sect’s Grand Elder!”

For a time, the entire upper echelon of the Great Jin Cultivation world knew that the Nine Underworlds Sect had befriended a mysterious Great Cultivator.

The prestige of the Nine Underworlds Sect was invisibly elevated by a large margin.

…

Two days later.

Fu Cheng and Lin Feng went to the auction together.

The entrance to the underground auction was hidden in the backyard of an inconspicuous pawn shop.

When Fu Cheng displayed the Elder token of the Nine Underworlds Sect, the two Core Formation guards at the hidden door immediately bowed.

When their gaze swept over the black-robed man behind Fu Cheng, whose aura was restrained and figure tall, their hearts suddenly tensed.

In these two days, the news of a mysterious Great Cultivator being acquainted with Fu Cheng within the Nine Underworlds Sect had already spread among the top forces, and they knew that this person was probably that mysterious Great Cultivator.

The guards dared not show the slightest disrespect, their respectful attitude even surpassing that towards Fu Cheng.

“Senior, please!”

The two bowed deeply and quickly pushed open the stone door leading to the underground auction.

Upon entering the venue, a complex mixture of Spiritual Qi, Devilish Qi, and ghostly Qi assailed them.

Walking down the long staircase, their vision suddenly opened up.

A huge circular venue appeared before them, with moonstones emitting soft light embedded in the surrounding stone walls.

The venue was already quite full, and looking around, almost everyone, like Lin Feng, wore black robes, completely concealing their figures and Faces.

Vast Spiritual Qi, cold ghostly Qi, and domineering Devilish Qi intertwined and collided here, yet strangely maintained a fragile balance.

Everyone implicitly understood that even if the person next to them was a mortal enemy, no one would easily make a move in this place.

“Tsk tsk, how lively.”

The Great Yan Divine Lord’s consciousness sounded in Lin Feng’s mind, carrying a hint of excitement.

Lin Feng, without changing his expression, followed Fu Cheng’s lead towards a private room with an excellent view.

His Divine Sense swept across the entire venue, taking in every powerful aura.

There were indeed a few tough opponents.

However, that was all.

He entered the private room, sat down, and calmly cast his gaze towards the high auction platform in the center.

He could feel three faint Great Cultivator Divine Senses briefly lingering on him, seemingly with some doubt, but they quickly moved away.