Chapter 140: Heaven-Piercing Vine, Star-Origin Spirit Fruit

Entering the auction house, Zhou Changwang found himself in a spacious hall. A semicircular raised platform stood at the front, with rows of seats below it.

By then, many cultivators were already seated. Some had restrained their auras so completely that their strength could not be discerned, while others made no effort to conceal themselves, allowing their presence to radiate openly.

Among them, Zhou Changwang even detected one or two who seemed to be genuine Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Naturally, he also noticed a familiar figure.

It was none other than Master Xu, Xu Zhisheng—the man who had previously bought spirit talismans from his stall.

When Xu Zhisheng saw him, he gave a slight nod. After a moment’s thought, Zhou Changwang walked over and sat down beside him.

“Has Fellow Daoist also taken a fancy to that Cloud-Piercing Vine?” Xu Zhisheng asked curiously.

“Cloud-Piercing Vine? The third-grade spirit plant known as the Cloud-Piercing Vine, said to be capable of lashing through anything? A naturally formed supreme-grade magical artifact, and one of the foundational materials for refining treasures?”

Zhou Changwang stared at him in surprise.

“You didn’t know?”

This time, it was Xu Zhisheng who looked astonished. He quickly explained, “It is precisely the kind you described. Otherwise, why do you think it attracted these two Foundation Establishment experts?

“Even freshly harvested, the Cloud-Piercing Vine is already a supreme-grade magical artifact. With only a little refinement, it can become a treasure suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators.

“Moreover, it is one of the primary materials used to refine a cultivator’s life-bound treasure. Its value is extraordinarily high. That is why it has drawn so many cultivators here.”

Xu Zhisheng paused, then sensed Zhou Changwang’s aura and suddenly understood.

The fifth level of Qi Refinement.

Indeed, it was unlikely that he had come for the Cloud-Piercing Vine.

“I’m only here to broaden my horizons,” Zhou Changwang replied with a smile.

He glanced around the hall.

There were dozens, perhaps nearly a hundred people. The two cultivators he had previously suspected of being at the Foundation Establishment stage had now been confirmed by Xu Zhisheng’s words.

One wore a veil over his face, while the other had a bamboo hat pulled low. Neither appearance could be seen clearly.

One had a burly build, the other a delicate figure. Clearly, one was male and the other female.

What level they had reached within Foundation Establishment, however, was impossible to tell.

With so many people present, Zhou Changwang did not dare use his Spirit Eye Technique to investigate them. Foundation Establishment cultivators possessed divine sense and extremely keen perception. If he were discovered and displeased them, he would certainly suffer for it.

Time passed.

Auctions in the black market generally began around midnight.

Just as the appointed time approached and Zhou Changwang thought no one else would arrive, another person entered.

This time, it was yet another Foundation Establishment cultivator.

His aura was powerful, and spiritual power spilled openly from him. The pressure he exuded left many people pale and uncomfortable.

He paid no attention to them, however, choosing a seat near the front and sitting down boldly.

“This must be a senior who has only recently broken through to Foundation Establishment,” Xu Zhisheng said in a lowered voice. “His realm has yet to stabilize completely, which is why his aura is leaking so freely. I wonder which senior of the market he is.

“Judging by his hurried arrival, he must have heard about the Cloud-Piercing Vine.”

Zhou Changwang merely nodded.

He had only been in the Godwind Valley market for a month. His knowledge was limited, and naturally he did not recognize the newcomer.

“All right. The time has come,” a voice announced. “The auction will now officially begin. First item!”

At that moment, a beautiful female cultivator in a multicolored ritual robe stepped onto the platform with a faint smile on her face.

When Zhou Changwang saw her, his pupils contracted.

He knew her.

She was Chen Xiao’er, the senior apprentice-sister of Fairy Sunset Glow—the woman who had sold him the Pure Yang Five-Element Art at the Phoenix-Cry Wharf market.

Zhou Changwang also remembered clearly that when the market battle had broken out, Chen Xiao’er had joined numerous cultivators in surrounding and attacking a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

He had never expected her to escape safely, much less appear in the Godwind Valley market and preside over this auction.

“The first treasure is a supreme-grade magical artifact, the Golden Radiance Bracelet.

“This artifact combines offense and defense. It can ward off attacks from the outside and can also activate the defensive radiance within it—the Golden Radiance Shield—which can withstand a full-power strike from a sixth-level Qi Refinement cultivator.

“The starting price is eight hundred low-grade spirit stones. Each increase must be at least ten low-grade spirit stones.”

Chen Xiao’er placed a golden bracelet on the platform. With a special technique, she activated the radiance within it. Golden light shimmered across its surface, making it extraordinarily beautiful.

“Eight hundred!”

“Eight hundred and fifty!”

The bids rose quickly.

Before long, the price surpassed one thousand low-grade spirit stones. In the end, a female cultivator dressed in red bought it for fifteen hundred.

The second item followed immediately.

It was a piece of purple-gold flint, a high-grade refining material. It weighed nearly a thousand catties despite being only the size of a washbasin.

Few people were interested, but two or three still made bids. It was eventually sold for three thousand low-grade spirit stones.

Then came the third item, followed by the fourth.

Nearly half an hour passed.

Zhou Changwang discovered that everything presented at the auction was a genuine treasure. The lowest grade was a supreme-grade magical artifact. Mid-grade artifacts would almost never appear unless they were exceptional pieces or part of a complete set.

Most of the items were useful to cultivators at the fifth or sixth level of Qi Refinement, or even those in the late Qi Refinement stage.

At least during all this time, Zhou Changwang had not seen any of the three Foundation Establishment cultivators speak even once.

“Next is a set of three bottles of high-grade, first-grade Jade Radiance Pills. The starting price is two thousand low-grade spirit stones.

“Each increase must be at least ten low-grade spirit stones. The bidding begins now.”

After more than a dozen treasures had been auctioned, something that interested Zhou Changwang was finally brought out.

Jade Radiance Pills.

And there were three bottles.

“Two thousand one hundred low-grade spirit stones!”

“Two thousand one hundred and fifty!”

“Two thousand two hundred!”

The bids rose rapidly.

Spirit pills—especially pills that could directly increase a cultivator’s cultivation—never lacked buyers. Even those who did not currently need them could purchase them as reserves.

Zhou Changwang raised his bidding token. “Two thousand three hundred low-grade spirit stones.”

His bid was quickly surpassed.

Only when the price approached two thousand four hundred did the number of bidders begin to diminish.

Zhou Changwang bid twice more, offering two thousand three hundred and fifty, then two thousand four hundred and sixty.

In the end, he secured the set of Jade Radiance Pills for two thousand six hundred and fifty low-grade spirit stones.

The price was somewhat inflated.

Many late-stage Qi Refinement cultivators had familiar alchemists from whom they could obtain pills at cost, or even slightly below market price—around eight hundred low-grade spirit stones per bottle. Three bottles would normally cost only two thousand four hundred.

That was why the bidding thinned once the price reached this level.

Unfortunately, Zhou Changwang had no familiar alchemist and could not reliably obtain pills from the various shops before they sold out.

He could only come to the auction and try his luck.

Paying a premium was unavoidable, and he could accept it.

The next item was a second-grade, early-stage spirit talisman: the Earth-Escape Talisman.

At the sight of it, Zhou Changwang immediately thought of Zhao Shanhe, the Ghost Eye, who had once relied on such a talisman to escape.

“Those who know I possess a Foundation Establishment treasure are limited to Zhao Shanhe and Qian Xiaoyue.

“Xiaoyue is not a concern. But Zhao Shanhe…”

Zhou Changwang narrowed his eyes.

Qian Xiaoyue had known from the beginning that he had obtained a Foundation Establishment treasure. Since she had not mentioned it to Shen Xinyi before, she certainly would not reveal it now. He had no reason to worry about her.

Zhao Shanhe was different.

Although Zhou Changwang had obtained the third-grade Earthshade Ganoderma because of him, Zhao Shanhe had not helped out of kindness. He had merely wanted to use the opportunity to escape.

If given the chance, Zhou Changwang would certainly not let him off.

And the value of a Foundation Establishment treasure was immense. If Zhao Shanhe found an opportunity, he would undoubtedly try to reclaim the Earthshade Ganoderma from Zhou Changwang.

While Zhou Changwang was thinking, the auction for the second-grade, early-stage spirit talisman began.

Its price climbed steadily, reaching five thousand low-grade spirit stones. Although Zhou Changwang was interested in it, he could only give up.

He occasionally bid on the next few treasures when something caught his eye, but abandoned the competition once the price exceeded his expectations.

Master Xu, Xu Zhisheng, on the other hand, successfully bought several items, most of them ancient jade slips.

One golden ancient slip, said to have come from an ancient ruin, was purchased by Xu Zhisheng for five thousand seven hundred low-grade spirit stones.

The sight made Zhou Changwang glance at him.

Unlike jade slips bought in shops, whose contents and value could be examined clearly, the value of an ancient slip was unknown.

It might contain an ancient inheritance, a precious cultivation art or spell, or even records of divine abilities. Yet it might equally be a daily journal, a biography, an account book, or nothing more than an empty, ruined slip.

Luck played a major role.

“The next treasure is no ordinary item,” Chen Xiao’er said with a smile. “I wonder whether any of you fellow Daoists have heard of the Star-Origin Spirit Fruit?”

“The Star-Origin Spirit Fruit?”

“Is that the legendary heavenly treasure capable of improving a cultivator’s spiritual root aptitude?”

“I’ve heard it called the Rebirth Fruit. It can regenerate spiritual roots. As long as one has not yet established a foundation, one can reshape one’s spiritual roots and continuously improve one’s aptitude.

“One fruit can raise a low-grade spiritual root to the middle grade. Three can raise a low-grade spiritual root to the upper grade.

“And if someone can consume nine Star-Origin Spirit Fruits, even an upper-grade spiritual root has a chance of advancing to a supreme-grade spiritual root—a Heavenly Spiritual Root!”

A cultivator could not restrain his excitement and cried out.

The Star-Origin Spirit Fruit?

A fruit that could improve spiritual root aptitude?

With enough of them, could it truly allow a cultivator to advance to a Heavenly Spiritual Root?

The moment these words were spoken, every cultivator present was stunned.

Many faces filled with anticipation and excitement.

Even if there was only one fruit, it was still the Star-Origin Spirit Fruit—a heavenly treasure that could genuinely improve a cultivator’s spiritual root aptitude.

Many cultivators would be willing to buy it regardless of the price. Such opportunities did not come often.

Even if they had no use for it themselves, they could leave it to their descendants.

At that moment, even the several Foundation Establishment cultivators showed changes in expression, apparently developing an interest.

Zhou Changwang’s heart leaped, and he too felt eager.

His spiritual root aptitude had troubled him for a long time, and his cultivation speed had always been slow.

Only after he changed cultivation arts and raised his mastery of the art to the minor completion stage, with great completion close at hand, had his cultivation speed begun to improve.

Yet that improvement came from his mastery of the cultivation art. His aptitude itself had not changed in the slightest.

No matter how much spiritual energy from heaven and earth he absorbed, the amount he could convert into spiritual power still depended on his spiritual root aptitude.

The weaker the aptitude, the lower the efficiency, and the more spiritual energy would be wasted.

If he could improve his spiritual root aptitude…

“Whatever happens, I have to fight for it.

“I have nineteen thousand low-grade spirit stones in total. After deducting what I spent on the high-grade, first-grade Jade Radiance Pills, I can only use sixteen thousand…”

Zhou Changwang calculated silently, feeling somewhat helpless.

This time, he had earned fifteen thousand low-grade spirit stones from selling spirit talismans and various treasure materials. Added to what he had already possessed, that gave him nineteen thousand.

It was not a small amount, but considering the rarity of the Star-Origin Spirit Fruit, he truly had little confidence.

“Judging by everyone’s reaction, you already know what the Star-Origin Spirit Fruit can do,” Chen Xiao’er said. “However, the item we are selling today is not the fruit itself, but the seed within it.”

She had not expected such a strong reaction and could only continue despite her embarrassment.

As expected, several cultivators immediately expressed their dissatisfaction.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator seated at the front darkened his face and said coldly, “Fellow Daoist Chen, are you making fools of us?”

“It is only a seed. Do you expect us to cultivate it ourselves and grow the fruit?”

Another Foundation Establishment cultivator below also spoke, his tone displeased.

“I would never dare,” Chen Xiao’er said, waving her hands repeatedly. “As everyone knows, the Star-Origin Spirit Fruit has no seed within its flesh. Thus, even if one is fortunate enough to encounter this heavenly treasure in the wild, it is almost impossible to obtain a viable seed. Naturally, there is no way to plant and cultivate it.

“It is said that only when a mature Star-Origin Spirit Fruit remains unharvested and uneaten for one hundred days will the essence of heaven and earth within it automatically contract and condense into a new seed.

“In other words, one mature Star-Origin Spirit Fruit can produce only a single seed.

“That is unfortunate, but it also proves how precious these seeds are.

“The seed being auctioned today came from a mature Star-Origin Spirit Fruit that was never harvested.

“It is a third-grade spirit-plant seed.

“The starting price is three thousand low-grade spirit stones.”

The hall fell somewhat silent.

The difference between a spirit fruit and a spirit seed was enormous.

Many people were displeased. Not everyone was a spirit-plant cultivator capable of raising such a precious seed.

Nor could an ordinary spirit-plant cultivator cultivate a third-grade spirit-plant seed.

More importantly, even if it could be nurtured, making it flower and bear fruit again would often take a hundred years.

A spirit-plant cultivator might possess a Ring-Year Technique capable of continuously accelerating a plant’s growth, but the effort and resources required were still considerable.

Not everyone was willing to go to such lengths.

Still, there were a few who were tempted.

After a brief silence, someone called out, “Three thousand one hundred low-grade spirit stones.”

Another followed.

“Three thousand two hundred!”

The enthusiasm was utterly incomparable to the frenzy that had erupted before Chen Xiao’er clarified that the item was not the fruit itself.

Still, the fact that someone had bid was enough to satisfy her.

In truth, the seed had been placed in this small auction by Chen Xiao’er herself.

She had obtained it unexpectedly half a year earlier while traveling outside the market.

Unfortunately, by the time she found it, the fruit had already passed the proper moment for harvesting. Its flesh had condensed into a seed.

Two of the seeds had even sprouted tender shoots and bore marks suggesting that some kind of bird had pecked at them. She suspected that other seeds had been swallowed by a bird-type demon beast.

Only this one remained intact and had not sprouted.

When she heard that a Cloud-Piercing Vine would be auctioned this time, she had placed the Star-Origin Spirit Fruit seed up for sale in hopes of obtaining a high price.

The crowd was certainly disappointed that it was not the fruit itself.

Nevertheless, it was still a seed capable of producing a fruit that could improve spiritual root aptitude. Its price continued to rise, quickly surpassing five thousand low-grade spirit stones.

“Six thousand low-grade spirit stones!”

After a moment of silence, Zhou Changwang finally spoke.

He had considerable confidence in his own skill with spirit plants.

Although he too felt disappointed that this was not the Star-Origin Spirit Fruit itself, another thought occurred to him.

Perhaps this was not a bad opportunity.

If he obtained the seed, what he gained would not be merely one Star-Origin Spirit Fruit, but several, perhaps dozens—or even an endless supply of Star-Origin Spirit Fruits.

“Six thousand five hundred!”

“Six thousand seven hundred!”

“Six thousand eight hundred!”

Several cultivators present had reached the same conclusion as Zhou Changwang.

The price of the seed continued to soar.

Only after it rose to seven thousand low-grade spirit stones did one bidder withdraw.

In the end, only Zhou Changwang and an elderly man with a weathered appearance remained in competition.

“Seven thousand five hundred low-grade spirit stones.

“Fellow Daoist, I am Lin Beisheng, a spirit-plant retainer of the Gu Family. I hope you will show the Gu Family some consideration and yield this seed to me.”

After making his bid, the old man narrowed his eyes and suddenly spoke in this manner.

“Eight thousand low-grade spirit stones!”

Zhou Changwang remained unmoved and immediately raised the price.

He knew of the Gu Family. Aside from the Ye Family, it was the second-largest cultivation family in Godwind Valley and possessed formidable strength.

But what did that have to do with him?

Since he had decided to buy the seed, he would not hesitate.

Even if a member of the Gu Family himself had made the bid, he would not have yielded.

After all, what he displayed before everyone was the appearance produced by the Disguise and Bone-Shrinking Art, further concealed beneath a bamboo hat and veil. No one knew his true identity.

Even when entering and leaving the black market with the Greenleaf Token, he had used the token previously belonging to Fenghua.

Thus, the alias attached to his comings and goings was Adept Fenghua.

It was not the one belonging to his own identity, Daoist Longevity, which bore the recorded name “Longevity.”

“Very well, very well…” Lin Beisheng said through clenched teeth. “May I ask your name? I would like to know when another fellow spirit-plant cultivator appeared in the Godwind Valley market.”

“Fellow Daoist Lin, this is an auction,” Chen Xiao’er suddenly said from the platform, her expression turning cold. “If you dare to speak disrespectfully again, do not blame me for showing no courtesy and having you escorted out.”

Lin Beisheng’s face became awkward, and he fell silent.

Naturally, he did not bid again.

Thus, the third-grade spirit-plant seed—the Star-Origin Spirit Fruit seed—fell into Zhou Changwang’s hands.

“It seems Fellow Daoist is not only a talisman master, but also a spirit-plant cultivator,” Xu Zhisheng said in a low voice after watching Zhou Changwang complete the transaction with the auction staff and take possession of the seed.

By then, quite a few people nearby had begun paying attention to Zhou Changwang.

After all, among cultivators, anyone able to produce more than ten thousand low-grade spirit stones was at least in the late Qi Refinement stage. Judging by his aura, however, Zhou Changwang seemed to be only at the middle stage.

Many eyes began to flicker with hidden thoughts.

“It has another use,” Zhou Changwang replied indifferently.

His gaze swept across the crowd, and his heart tightened.

Spending eight thousand low-grade spirit stones to purchase a single third-grade seed had indeed been somewhat conspicuous.

Yet many things in life were like this. Opportunities appeared and vanished in an instant, leaving no time for deliberation.

Once missed, they were truly gone.

For the sake of this opportunity, what did it matter if he attracted some attention?

Fortunately, Chen Xiao’er soon brought out another treasure.

A supreme-grade magical artifact: the Creation Hammer.

It was said to be the weapon an artifact-refining grandmaster carried as a standard tool when forging magical artifacts, and its offensive power was unparalleled.

Another wave of bidding soon swept through the hall.

The price rose directly to ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.

There were only two or three more items to be auctioned before the event ended. The later the auction proceeded, the more precious the treasures became.

Sure enough, the next item was a second-grade, early-stage spell: the Minor Severing Art.

It was reputed to cut through anything, with unmatched might.

Several Foundation Establishment cultivators joined the bidding.

Meanwhile, Zhou Changwang quietly took advantage of the distraction and left the auction hall.

In truth, people had been entering and leaving throughout the auction. Most kept a low profile and did not cause any disturbance.

Zhou Changwang’s early departure did not attract much attention.

Naturally, he knew that someone in the auction hall had noticed him, and among them there were likely no shortage of robbery cultivators.

The moment he stepped outside, he immediately used the Aura-Concealing Technique, suppressing his presence as completely as possible.

At the same time, he silently cast the Cleansing Technique.

Sure enough.

At some point, at least three tracking marks had already been placed on him.

He hurriedly continued using the Cleansing Technique to wash them away. Only after confirming that all three spiritual traces had been completely erased did he finally breathe a sigh of relief.

End of Chapter