331: Chapter 331 Ganges Market

A month later, Chen Lingxiu and Hong Tao had both recovered completely. In truth, Chen Lingxiu had taken the longest to recover since he had almost been cut in two. Fortunately, he was lucky and had some healing Medicinal Pills on hand, which allowed him to escape death.

The two had originally planned to return to the Family after recovering, but they happened to run into an acquaintance here.

It was a Cultivator from their Chen Family, Li Qingshuang.

"Aunt Qingshuang, why are you here?" Chen Lingxiu asked.

"Junior Sister Li." Hong Tao greeted her as well.

As people of the Chen Family without a blood relation, both sides could not discuss their relationship based on seniority, so they had to address each other as fellow apprentices.

After all, both had once studied at the academy in Qinghe County, so everyone simply reckoned their relationship this way.

"Why is it the two of you?" Li Qingshuang was also puzzled.

Having gone out on their travels separately, they truly did not know where the others would go.

Yet they never expected to run into each other in such a massive Tianli City.

Hong Tao told her about their recent situation. Upon hearing this, Li Qingshuang felt some anger in her heart.

"You mean they made a move against you?"

"Mm, but fortunately we managed to escape back," Chen Lingxiu said.

Li Qingshuang nodded, her brows relaxing.

"Come with me. There will be an auction in Henghe Market during this period. I heard there will be Foundation Establishment spiritual items, and we can bid on some to take back to the Family."

"Understood!" The two nodded in acknowledgment.

The two followed Li Qingshuang to her residence.

During this time, they had also heard about the auction, but they simply did not know that Foundation Establishment spiritual items would appear.

However, this type of market was different from those established by Foundation Establishment factions; as long as there was an auction, Foundation Establishment spiritual items would definitely appear.

Li Qingshuang wanted to bid on some Foundation Establishment spiritual items, taking a portion back to the Li Family and handing the rest over to the Chen Family.

Although handing them over to the Chen Family would only yield contributions ten percent higher than the value of the Foundation Establishment spiritual item itself, the Chen Family also possessed certain resources that the outside world could not obtain.

The Chen Family did not resent this behavior; on the contrary, they highly advocated it. After all, if one wanted others to contribute, they had to grant corresponding benefits.

It was impossible to make others contribute for nothing.

It was just that these Cultivators had also received help from the Chen Family to varying degrees, so naturally they still had to do some things for the Chen Family.

The three of them stayed in Henghe Market for several days like this, and finally ushered in the Henghe Auction.

Relying on her token, Li Qingshuang brought Chen Lingxiu and Hong Tao in together.

The entire auction was densely packed with Cultivators, numbering around a thousand people.

Almost all Cultivators were in the main hall, and only a few dozen people could proceed to stay in the pavilions.

Li Qingshuang and the other two likewise arrived at a pavilion. After the three of them sat down, they waited for the auction to begin.

This auction was divided into two sessions: upper and lower.

The first half mainly auctioned First-Rank treasures for Qi Refining Cultivators to use.

What was auctioned in the second half were Second-Rank treasures, numbering around a few dozen pieces, except that they included five foundation establishment pills and fifteen Foundation Establishment spiritual items.

As for the grand finale item of the second half, it was said to have appeared only a short while ago, and it had squeezed out the original grand finale item.

Everyone was curious as to what kind of treasure could squeeze out the original grand finale item.

Furthermore, that initial grand finale item was a Second-Rank High Grade treasure.

Exactly because of this, this auction managed to gather dozens of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.

Otherwise, mere Foundation Establishment spiritual items and that Second-Rank High Grade treasure would not have been enough to attract so many Foundation Establishment Cultivators here.

After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, the auction officially began. Presiding over the auction was a beautiful woman whose cultivation was merely at the Ninth Layer of Qi Refining Perfection.

As soon as she took the stage, countless ill-intentioned gazes stared at her, yet she did not feel any discomfort at all. Because she had experienced this more than once, she was long accustomed to such matters.

She was responsible for the auction of the first half, which auctioned First-Rank treasures.

The entire process took a full two hours, after which she auctioned off all the First-Rank treasures completely.

After finishing the auction, she first expressed her gratitude before stepping down from the stage.

The second half would not start until an hour later, and this period of time was left for all Cultivators to rest and prepare.

Time passed quickly. An hour later, the second half began.

The first auction item was a Second-Rank Low Grade Flying Sword.

"This Flying Sword is refined from Second-Rank Low Grade Xuan Gold Ore, so this sword is named the Xuan Gold Sword. The starting bid is three hundred Spirit Stones, and each bid increment must not be less than fifty."

The second half was likewise hosted by a beautiful woman, except that this woman in a red dress had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, so those Qi Refining Cultivators did not dare to tease her with overly excessive gazes.

"One thousand," someone shouted.

The red-dressed beautiful woman glanced over, covering her mouth with a light chuckle, "As expected of Fellow Daoist Wu from Baibaoshan, your bid is truly lavish."

As soon as the name Baibaoshan was uttered, all the Qi Refining Cultivators below were startled, and even some Foundation Establishment Cultivators in the pavilions were somewhat surprised.

Within the sphere of influence of Tianli City, Baibaoshan was also a Purple Mansion faction, located to the west of Tianli City and being one of the five Purple Mansion factions in the west.

There were two Purple Palace Cultivators within this faction, yet they rarely had disputes with others and almost never left the Sect. Every time a Cultivator left the Sect, it would cause a huge sensation.

This sensation was not because of them, but because they had done certain things.

Because this Sect excelled at unearthing treasures.

Or rather, grave robbing.

Yet they refused to admit it. Every time they argued with others, they insisted that they were searching for history rather than digging up the graves of other people's Old Ancestors.

Although their actions made many people somewhat wary, fortunately, the targets they set their sights on were all tombs of powerful figures. Rumor had it that this faction had even dug up the tombs of the Qinglian Sword Sect, though later, for some unknown reason, the Qinglian Sword Sect did not make a move against them.

From then on, no one within Tang Country dared to provoke this Baibaoshan anymore.

Of course, what was being spoken of here was not the Baibaoshan in the west of Tianli City which only had two Purple Palace Cultivators holding down the fort.

Because this Baibaoshan was merely a branch of the Golden Core faction Baibaoshan.

As for the range of their activities, let alone the entire territory of Tang Country, it was even heard that their traces existed in Heiyuan Valley, Chu Country, or Zhao Country.

"Madame Hong jests. This Wu is merely coming down the mountain on a matter," Wu Qing said with a chuckle.

He walked to the side of the pavilion, allowing everyone to clearly see his appearance.

Li Qingshuang and the other two also looked over, feeling somewhat shocked in their hearts. This Foundation Establishment Cultivator from Baibaoshan turned out to be a somewhat plump and obese man.

Had it not been for the Foundation Establishment aura circulating across the surface of his body, everyone would have thought he was merely a wealthy household in the mortal world.

After he bid one thousand Spirit Stones and his identity was exposed, the Foundation Establishment Cultivator present did not speak up, instead quietly waiting for the auction of the next treasure.

"It seems no one is competing with Fellow Daoist Wu, so this Xuan Gold Sword shall be obtained by Fellow Daoist Wu," Madame Hong nodded and said.

"Thank you all for showing mercy," Wu Qing smiled, cupping his fists in a salute to the crowd.

"Does this Cultivator from Baibaoshan not seem to have anything strange about him?" Chen Lingxiu was somewhat puzzled by the others' reactions.

"No matter what this Wu Qing is like, the other party definitely comes from Baibaoshan; that is definitely correct." Li Qingshuang shook her head.

In the Immortal Realm, it is best not to judge people by their appearance; otherwise, one will die a miserable death.