The Green Bamboo Sword gets its name from the green spirit bamboo used as its primary material. Forged to be affordable, these magic swords are immensely popular among Loose Cultivators. However, their poor quality pales in comparison to other First-Tier magic swords.
Master Jiang, who has countless disciples in Han Bamboo City, has inadvertently driven down the price of these First-Tier magic artifacts by training more smiths to forge them.
Understanding the adage, "Teach your apprentice everything, and they'll starve you," Master Jiang only transmits his Second-Tier Refining Techniques to his direct True Inheritance disciples.
The stall owner produced a Second-Tier Green Bamboo Sword, roughly a foot and a half long and half a palm wide. Its jade-like hue had completely abandoned the "bamboo" aesthetic, hinting at some unknown refining process.
Compared to the crudely made First-Tier versions, this magic sword was exquisitely crafted.
Wei Zhong purchased it for over two thousand spirit stones and casually asked, "Is it true that Master Jiang only imparts his Second-Tier Refining Techniques to his True Inheritance disciples?" He rubbed two fingers together.
The stall owner chuckled. "Senior, you jest. Among Loose Cultivators, nothing is truly unobtainable—it's simply a matter of price."
Hearing this, Wei Zhong left feeling reassured, planning to purchase several Second-Tier Inheritances in Han Bamboo City in the future.
For Wei Zhong, anything that could be resolved with spirit stones was no longer a concern.
He wandered through the Market City stalls without any intention of buying anything else. After purchasing the Qi Harmonizing Pills he needed for his cultivation at the Pill Pavilion, he returned to his lodgings to rest and await the start of the auction.
The next day, Wei Zhong hurried to the auction venue and was slightly surprised by the plaque above the grand hall's entrance:
"Cloud Gathering Merchant Guild."
His gaze lingered on the emblem beside the plaque—three black clouds stacked atop each other. A thought struck him: Could this be a force from the Outer Prefecture?
Securing such a prestigious venue during the Azurewood Sect's Core Formation Ceremony meant this organization was undoubtedly powerful.
After collecting his number plate, Wei Zhong entered and found his designated seat.
The auction hall's seating was divided into three tiers. The lower section, with ordinary benches, was reserved for Qi Refining cultivators. The middle tier was naturally for Foundation Establishment experts like Wei Zhong, while the upper level consisted of private boxes for Golden Core powers.
Once all the cultivators had settled into their places, the auction began. Wei Zhong was astonished by the turnout. He counted fifty to sixty Foundation Establishment Fellow Daoists, a sight rarely encountered in everyday life.
*Clang!*
With the resonant strike of a bronze gong, a beautiful woman in a crimson silk robe stepped onto the auction stage.
With an elegant bow, Shan Qin's voice rang out, as melodious as a golden oriole's song:
"I am Shan Qin, and I will be hosting this auction..."
Wei Zhong's expression shifted. He recognized her as a Core Formation cultivator.
In the top-floor pavilion, the Azurewood Sect's foremost True Inheritance disciple led his junior brothers and sisters, seated in their designated positions.
Yao Zheng Sheng gently caressed Nie Yuechan's small hand, a tender light in his eyes. "Chan'er, I'll bid for a Soul Nourishing Pill for you later. Combined with Martial Uncle Duan's techniques, your Divine Soul injuries should fully recover."
Nie Yuechan's excitement was palpable as she squeezed his hand in return. The Cloud Gathering Merchant Guild's arrival couldn't have been better timed. Her Divine Soul injuries, once deemed nearly hopeless, now had a high chance of healing swiftly with the pill's assistance. This would allow her to resume cultivation and close the gap with her senior brother.
The moment Shan Qin appeared, a flicker of excitement crossed Lu Yibin's face. Yao Zheng Sheng, a Core Formation cultivator himself, keenly observed this subtle movement. With a faint sigh, he remarked, "Junior Brother Lu is clearly smitten with Shan Qin. Perhaps you should focus on improving your cultivation. Once you reach Core Formation, I'll ask the Sect Leader to arrange a marriage proposal."
Lu Yibin stared at Shan Qin below for a few more moments before averting his gaze. "Senior Brother's words are wise," he said, lowering his head.
Nie Yuechan turned to look at her Second Senior Brother. Senior Brother Lu, who had previously been wholly devoted to cultivation, had inexplicably changed after meeting Shan Qin a few days prior.
His private confession of affection had been decisively rejected, a rash act that had caused headaches for the sect's Hall Masters.
Fortunately, the Cloud Gathering Merchant Guild was magnanimous and didn't hold any visible grudge against the Azurewood Sect over the matter.
"Senior Brother, does Senior Brother Lu truly stand a chance?" Nie Yuechan asked cautiously through telepathy.
Yao Zheng Sheng shook his head imperceptibly and replied mentally:
"Slim to none. The Cloud Gathering Merchant Guild, as a Nascent Soul-level power, possesses not only immense influence but also terrifying financial resources amassed through years of trade.
Countless Nascent Soul sects seek to establish connections with them, yet our Azurewood Sect remains merely at the Golden Core level.
Moreover, rumors claim that Shan Qin has close ties to the guild's upper echelons. She's likely a descendant or disciple of some influential figure, which explains her early Core Formation achievement.
Such a female cultivator is the dream Dao companion of countless young talents.
Junior Brother Lu's chances... are hopeless."
Nie Yuechan lowered her gaze, feeling a pang of sympathy for Senior Brother Lu.
...
The Core Formation True Person personally presiding over the auction naturally caused a brief stir in the venue, but it was quickly suppressed by another Core Formation cultivator's aura.
Another Core Formation expert was secretly present, their imposing aura even surpassing that of True Person Shan Qin.
Just what kind of power did this Cloud Gathering Merchant Guild truly wield?
"The auction officially begins!"
At her enchanting call, a woman in azure gauze emerged from behind, bearing a jade tray covered with golden silk to block divine sense probes.
"Our first item is a High-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill. Bidding starts at 3,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones, with minimum increments of 100 Spirit Stones."
The announcement ignited the hall.
Foundation Establishment Pills were already notoriously difficult to refine among Second-Tier Medicinal Pills. A High-Grade version could only be successfully crafted by the most seasoned alchemists. In terms of medicinal efficacy, it surpassed mid-grade pills by more than ten percent.
For such a precious item to be the opening act of the auction was truly extraordinary.
"3,100 Spirit Stones..."
"3,200 Spirit Stones..."
The cultivators relentlessly bid against each other, driving the price steadily upward until it reached 6,000 Spirit Stones. Finally, an unidentified Golden Core faction seated in one of the upper-level pavilions secured the pill.
Wei Zhong couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Had the Cloud Gathering Merchant Guild arrived a few years earlier, this High-Grade Foundation Establishment Pill would have fetched at least 8,000 Spirit Stones.
With the Azurewood Sect's extensive mining operations in the Myriad Beasts Mountain Range, the abundance of resources had driven the price of even ordinary Low-Grade Foundation Establishment Pills down to a mere three to four thousand spirit stones.
As one auction item concluded, a dazzling array of rare and exotic treasures paraded across the stage, thoroughly delighting Wei Zhong's eyes.
"Next, we present a Soul Nourishing Pill. The starting bid is five thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, with minimum increments of five hundred spirit stones."
"Here it comes!" Nie Yuechan nervously squeezed Yao Zheng Sheng's left hand. He patted her hand reassuringly, signaling her not to worry.
"A Soul Nourishing Pill?" Wei Zhong eyed the grayish-white pill on the platform, intrigued by its purported magical properties and the exorbitant price it commanded.
The five thousand spirit stone starting bid immediately deterred most cultivators in the hall. Aside from bids from the private booths, only a handful of Foundation Establishment cultivators ventured to raise their voices.
As the price climbed to eight thousand spirit stones, only Core Formation-level powers remained in the bidding war.
"Nine thousand spirit stones," a voice boomed from the Azurewood Sect. "Fellow Daoist from the Rakshasa Sect, would you consider yielding this pill to our Azurewood Sect?"
"Hmph!"