Spirit Ruin, Sword Coffin, Blind Swordsman

Feeling refreshed, Ye Feng happily caught up to Li Guanqi and Cao Yan. “Hehe, thanks for being so open-minded, Boss. I thought you wouldn’t let me have a go.”

Li Guanqi shrugged. “People like that deserve a beating. Still, he’s from some faction called the Cloud Pill Pavilion, and he doesn’t look like someone who’ll be easy to shake off.”

Cao Yan rubbed his nose and grinned. “Then let him come back.”

Ye Feng froze, then gave Cao Yan a long look and muttered, “I’m starting to think Third Brother isn’t exactly a good person. Boss, you’d better keep an eye on Big Head. Sometimes the things he says have double meanings.”

Li Guanqi smiled but said nothing, knowing Ye Feng was only joking.

In truth, Li Guanqi suspected that the mild-mannered, refined Cao Yan was even more battle-hungry than Ye Feng. After all, a punching technique was aggressive and close-ranged—no one would choose it without a taste for combat.

In the cultivation world, nine out of ten cultivators specialized in swords or knives, so those who pursued other skills were rare. The number might sound exaggerated, but it was the truth.

“Don’t pay them any mind,” Li Guanqi said. “We’re just here for the auction. We won’t be crossing paths with that bastard again, so there’s no need to swallow any grievances.”

Talking as they walked, the three soon reached the main hall where the auction was to be held.

The moment they stepped inside, they were struck by the sheer opulence.The floor tiles beneath their feet were cut from low-grade spirit stones, each carved with intricate patterns. Overhead hung a massive chandelier studded with multi-colored gemstones that glowed like captured starlight.

The hall bustled with people, while numerous staff moved briskly behind the counters, serving guests.

As the three entered, a stunning woman with a great figure approached them. Her long dress, a striking mix of red and blue stripes, accentuated her graceful curves perfectly.

She had an oval face, a high-bridged nose, and bright eyes that lit up when she smiled. Her lips naturally curved upward, giving her a pleasing, natural smile. She seemed unconcerned by their open gazes.

She bowed slightly, her voice as clear and refreshing as a mountain spring. “My name is Yao Hua. Gentlemen, is this your first time here?”

Li Guanqi nodded. “It is. We just wanted to look around and see if there’s anything we need.”

With practiced ease, Yao Hua led them deeper inside and introduced them to the place. Besides the rare treasures sold at auctions, the Yunding Auction House also handled ordinary transactions. Auctions were held daily, but if something truly exceptional appeared, it would be announced half a month in advance.

A particularly grand auction was scheduled for later that day, just four hours away.

Yao Hua soon brought them to an elegant, traditional-style viewing box. Once they were seated, she half-knelt to pour them some tea. It was a special spirit tea infused with spirit qi, easing fatigue with every sip.

After listening to Yao Hua’s introduction, they all picked up their cups and took a sip.

She rose slowly. “Is there anything in particular you’re looking for? I’d be happy to help you find it. If you’d rather not say, I can leave today’s auction catalog here. Just let me know once you’ve had a chance to review it.”

Li Guanqi thought about it, then put down his cup and said, “Please give me the catalog.”

Yao Hua smiled, reaching inside the chest area of her robes to retrieve a milk-white jade slip, which she then handed over to them.

Ye Feng stiffened slightly as he accepted it, then passed it to Cao Yan. Cao Yan also stiffened, coughed awkwardly, and handed it to Li Guanqi.

By then, Yao Hua had already left, her retreating footsteps carrying a faint allure.

After she left, Ye Feng muttered in a low voice, “Warm! It was still warm! Right, Big Head?”

Cao Yan nodded sheepishly.

Both of them turned to Li Guanqi, making him cough twice in embarrassment. “Mm… I know. But you two should be careful. A girl in a place like this can’t be as simple as you think. She’s probably cultivated some kind of seduction technique—enough to make you feel drawn to her without overstepping any boundaries.”

The two froze, having not realized it. After a moment’s thought, they both understood.

Ye Feng sighed. “So that’s why I felt something was off the moment I saw her. Makes sense now…”

Li Guanqi smiled faintly and sent a wisp of divine consciousness into the jade slip. Scanning the list, he stopped short when he spotted a pill-refining cauldron. It was entirely sapphire blue and three chi wide, with twin handles and three legs, all covered in intricate carvings

The cauldron was a high-grade spirit tool.

He glanced at Cao Yan, then mentally tallied his funds. After recent battles and expenses, he had nearly two hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones. If he sold the loot taken from the Great Wind Mountain Residence and the Dark Blood Association, he could add perhaps fifty thousand more. That would make two thousand five hundred mid-grade stones in total.

The cauldron was one of the final items and a highlight of the auction. There were no Longevity Pills listed, but that was no surprise. Such pills could extend a cultivator’s life by a full century, and they were exceedingly rare.

Li Guanqi thought for a moment, then decided to buy the cauldron for Cao Yan. With it, they could make the most of any rare herbs or materials they found. He had no intention of letting Cao Yan’s talent go to waste, but he wanted to speak with him first.

He put down the jade slip and said, “Third Brother, let’s have a chat.”

Cao Yan grew solemn and sat up straight. “Eldest Brother, go ahead.”

“I know you’re talented,” Li Guanqi said after a pause, “but I think you should focus more on your own cultivation. Refining pills and making talismans are just means to support your cultivation or earn money. Honestly, you could drop talisman-making entirely and only refine pills when needed.”

Cao Yan’s chest tightened. He took a long look at Li Guanqi before nodding solemnly.

Ye Feng didn’t object. Everyone had limited time and energy; no one could master everything.

Li Guanqi smiled. “Just think it over. There are things in life only you can decide, and you need to weigh what matters most.”

Cao Yan nodded with a faint smile, then called Yao Hua back to escort them to the auction floor.

During their earlier conversation, Yao Hua had requested to see how many spirit stones the three of them had, which was already an indirect invitation for them to participate in the auction. She had also implied that she knew about their conflict with Wang Heyang, and Li Guanqi guessed that they were only being served by her because of that fight.

She led them to their seats on the first floor, close to the stage, and handed them their number: one hundred eighty-eight.[1]

In a room on the second floor, Wang Heyang glared at the jade slip in his hand, marked number two hundred and fifty. He got so angry[2] that he wrecked a good portion of the room.

1. Eight is a lucky number in Chinese tradition. ☜

2. In Chinese slang, the number 250 means “idiot” ☜