Profound Light Mirror, Fu Minghui

Treasure Pavilion stood in the most bustling central district of Falling Cloud City, a majestic seven-story pavilion sprawling across a vast area.

With flying eaves and interlocking brackets, carved beams and painted rafters, the three gilded characters "Treasure Pavilion" above its entrance gleamed brilliantly beneath the sun, radiating an air of weight and extravagance.

Two guards with condensed auras and sharp eyes stood at the entrance. Both were actually late Qi Refining stage cultivators, displaying just how extraordinary this place was.

After presenting her Flowing Cloud Sect Inner Disciple token, Lin Zixue led Li Chengjie unimpeded into the pavilion.

The auction venue was in the first-floor hall, where crowds already packed the space and a cacophony of voices filled the air.

Cultivators clad in all manner of attire moved through the hall—sect disciples, clan cultivators, and quite a few Rogue Cultivators with fierce auras. Their cultivation levels ranged from the middle to the late Qi Refining stage. Li Chengjie even faintly sensed several unfathomably deep, heart-palpitating auras. They were likely Foundation Establishment Realm experts.

At the center of the hall stood a jade platform raised several feet above the ground, presumably where the auction items would be displayed.

Several rings of seats surrounded it, most of them already occupied.

The second floor contained individual private rooms, draped with bead curtains or gauze veils, clearly reserved for guests of greater status.

Lin Zixue seemed to have prepared in advance. After showing a jade talisman, they were led by a beautiful maid to seats near the front with a good view.

"These seats were reserved beforehand by Master, so we can see the auction items clearly," Lin Zixue explained in a low voice.

Li Chengjie nodded, gaining a more direct understanding of Elder Jin's influence within Treasure Pavilion.

After they waited for a moment, a crisp bell chime rang out and echoed through the entire hall. The noisy voices gradually subsided.

A plump-faced middle-aged cultivator in a brocade robe, smiling amiably, slowly stepped onto the central platform. He was astonishingly at Foundation Establishment Early Stage. Cupping his hands as he surveyed the crowd, his voice boomed like a great bell: "Welcome, fellow Daoists, to Treasure Pavilion's quarterly auction! This old man is Qian Bu Duo, and I have the honor of presiding over today's auction. I trust everyone understands the Rules: the highest bidder wins. Those short on spirit stones may use items of equivalent value as collateral, to be appraised by this pavilion's evaluators. Should anyone bid maliciously, do not blame this pavilion for showing no mercy! Without further ado, please behold the first auction item!"

The auction officially began.

The early auction items were mostly fine Dharma Artifacts, rare Talismans, or spiritual herbs and materials of decent age. Though the bidding was fierce, no staggeringly high prices appeared.

Li Chengjie and Lin Zixue sat in the front row, quietly watching item after item be brought forth, bid upon, and sold.

"The next auction item is an Azure Profound Cauldron."

Manager Qian's voice rang out again. A maid carried forth an alchemical furnace about a foot tall, dark blue-black all over and engraved with cloud patterns. "This First Rank middle-grade cauldron was forged from Azure Profound Iron mixed with a small amount of Cold Crystal. It has remarkable effects in stabilizing Heat Control and removing impurities from pills, and is especially suited for refining Water and Wood Attribute pills. For the alchemist Daoists present, it is a rare treasure indeed. The starting bid is eight hundred spirit stones, with each increase no less than fifty."

The appearance of this alchemical furnace drew the interest of quite a few people, most of them cultivators wearing Alchemist Robes or possessing mild, gentle auras.

Li Chengjie was still using the ordinary dark-red alchemical furnace he had acquired from Qingshi Market, and he too felt tempted by this cauldron. But after considering his empty pockets—and the spirit stones he needed to save for buying materials and replicating others' experience—he suppressed the thought.

"Nine hundred spirit stones!" A somewhat eager voice rang out from behind and to the side.

Li Chengjie glanced over from the corner of his eye and saw a young female cultivator in a pale-purple Alchemist Robe, an exquisite orchid embroidered on her cuff. Her eyes were fixed intensely on the Azure Profound Cauldron.

"She's from the Wen Family." Following his gaze, Lin Zixue explained quietly, "Falling Cloud City has three great families: the Wen Family, the Tan Family, and the Zhang Family. All have Foundation Establishment cultivators overseeing them, and none can be underestimated. The Wen Family excels at alchemy and cultivating spirit plants, and has the closest ties with our Flowing Cloud Pill Pavilion. That woman is Wen Yali, a fairly renowned alchemist of the Wen Family's current generation."

Li Chengjie nodded faintly, committing the Wen Family's traits to memory.

"One thousand spirit stones!" From another direction, a luxuriously dressed young master with a jade pendant at his waist lazily raised a hand.

"That's Tan Feng of the Tan Family, a well-known wastrel, though the Tan Family Ancestor dotes on him greatly." Lin Zixue continued serving as commentator. "The Tan Family's cultivation arts lean toward the fire element, and they have their own alchemists as well. But Tan Feng himself seems to have no talent for alchemy. He is likely bidding for this furnace to curry favor with some clan alchemist—or simply to flaunt his wealth."

In the end, Tan Feng purchased the Azure Profound Cauldron for one thousand three hundred spirit stones. Though Wen Yali was unwilling to accept it, her financial resources seemingly fell short, and she could only give up.

Afterward, a top-grade Dharma Artifact, the Flowing Light Shuttle, was auctioned off, drawing a scramble from several bidders.

The final buyer was a middle-aged cultivator seated alone in a corner. He wore fitted gray clothing, had a cold and stern face, and carried a long saber at his waist.

His aura was sharp and fierce. He was astonishingly at Qi Refining Great Perfection.

"That is Liu Wenxuan, the 'Peerless Saber'," Lin Zixue said with a trace of caution in her voice. "He is a famous Rogue Cultivator around Falling Cloud City. His saber technique is uncanny and divine. It is said that he once escaped from the hands of a Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivator, and his combat strength is immense. Among Rogue Cultivators, very few can reach his level."

Li Chengjie activated Detection and locked onto his target, "Liu Wenxuan." He pondered silently, How many Replication Points would it take to replicate Liu Wenxuan's strength?

Since Liu Wenxuan had been able to escape from a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, he undoubtedly possessed unique techniques and secrets.

To replicate his full strength would likely require a massive number of Replication Points.

Li Chengjie began calculating silently. Based on his past experience, replicating the strength of a Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivator required approximately Replication Points.

Name: Li Chengjie

Cultivation level: Qi Refining stage, Sixth Layer (Peak) (Bottleneck has loosened)

Cultivation Art: Mysterious Flame Art (Proficient 99/100) (Understanding deepened)

Alchemy: First Rank middle-grade (Mastery 85/100)

Available Replication Points: 0

Replication Count: 0

Replication Point Recharge: One Low-grade Spirit Stone = one Replication Point.

[Replicable target detected: "Liu Wenxuan" (Qi Refining Peak). Liu Wenxuan possesses powerful divine sense. Replicable Item: Profound Light Mirror, which enhances divine sense... Estimated Replication Points required: .]

Ten thousand Replication Points! Li Chengjie was shocked. Even Sun Miao, a Qi Refining Peak First Rank High-Grade Alchemist, had required only 8,000 Replication Points. Yet this "Liu Wenxuan" before him had so many Replication Points. It truly left Li Chengjie stunned.

Li Chengjie silently remembered the name "Liu Wenxuan." He could not help thinking, Once I have a Replication Count, I must replicate Liu Wenxuan.

The auction continued, and the atmosphere grew increasingly heated.

After a Spirit Nurturing Pill capable of advancing the cultivation level of late Qi Refining stage cultivators was sold for the high price of two thousand spirit stones, Manager Qian cleared his throat, the smile on his face growing even broader.

"The next auction item will surely set many fellow Daoists' hearts racing." He gestured for a maid to bring forth a jade tray. Resting on it was a pill the size of a longan, crimson throughout, with faint phantom flames flickering across its surface. A rich Pill Fragrance instantly spread through the hall, causing the Internal Spiritual Energy of every cultivator practicing Fire Attribute cultivation arts to stir faintly.

"A First Rank High-Grade Spirit Pill—the Barrier Breaking Pill!" Manager Qian's voice was highly rousing.

"This pill is remarkably effective for breaking through the bottleneck from Qi Refining Level 6 to Qi Refining Level 7. When Qi Refining Level 8 cultivators charge toward Level 9, or Level 9 cultivators strive for Great Perfection, it can raise their odds by twenty percent! Appraised by the alchemists of our Treasure Pavilion, its quality is exceptional!"

As soon as the pill appeared, the breathing of quite a few late Qi Refining stage cultivators in the hall grew heavy.

Pills that helped one break through bottlenecks had always been among the most sought-after resources.

"The Barrier Breaking Pill starts at two thousand five hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones! Each bid must increase by no less than one hundred!"

The bidding erupted at once, even fiercer than it had been for the Azure Profound Cauldron.

"Two thousand six hundred!"

"Two thousand eight hundred!"

"Three thousand!"

The price rapidly climbed, soon surpassing three thousand five hundred Spirit Stones.

Those competing were mostly Qi Refining Level 8 and Level 9 cultivators, along with representatives of several families.

Just as a burly man called out a bid of three thousand eight hundred Spirit Stones, a slightly aged yet unquestionable voice of authority rang out from the rear of the hall.

"Four thousand Spirit Stones."

Everyone followed the sound and saw an old man clad in a dark-gold robe.

His face was lean, his wrinkles deeply etched, yet his eyes were as sharp as an eagle's. The Spirit Pressure emanating from him was obscure and profound, far surpassing that of an ordinary Qi Refining Great Perfection cultivator, yet somehow different from that of a true Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. He exuded an indescribable contradiction—a blend of twilight decline and formidable strength.

The moment he spoke, the cultivators who had been bidding immediately lowered their banners and silenced their drums. They seemed to recognize him and did not dare contend with him.

Feeling the faint pressure radiating from the old man, Li Chengjie's heart tightened slightly. He quietly asked Lin Zixue beside him, "Senior Sister Lin, who is this man? His aura is so strange. He seems far beyond Qi Refining, yet he doesn't seem to be at Foundation Establishment..."

Lin Zixue swept her gaze over the old man, a trace of gravity appearing on her face as well. She explained through voice transmission, "His name is Fu Minghui, the current head of the Fu Family in Falling Cloud City. He was once a prominent figure in the city. Fifty years ago, he reached the Qi Refining Peak at only thirty-one years of age. He was hailed as the Fu Family's greatest genius in a century, the one most likely to establish his foundation."

"Oh? Qi Refining Peak at thirty-one?" Li Chengjie was secretly startled. That talent truly was astonishing.

"Unfortunately," Lin Zixue said with a hint of regret, "Heaven's Will toys with men. During an exploration of a secret realm, he suffered hidden injuries while competing for a Foundation Establishment Opportunity, damaging his foundation. Later, he forcibly attempted Foundation Establishment, but in the end, all his efforts came to nothing. He failed to fully condense his Dao platform and was left stranded in an awkward state."

"Failed Foundation Establishment? Doesn't that usually mean death and the dispersal of one's Dao?" Li Chengjie asked in confusion. Nearly every case of failed Foundation Establishment he had heard of ended in death.

Lin Zixue gave a slight shake of her head, her voice transmission carrying a note of feeling. "The great thousand worlds are full of wonders. Foundation Establishment is an act of defying Heaven, fraught with immense danger. One survivor out of ten is the norm.

Most who fail do indeed suffer Spiritual Energy Backlash, their Dantians shattering as they die.

But there are always an extremely rare few with exceptional fortune, or unusually thorough preparations, or cultivation arts that offer protective effects, who manage to preserve their lives beneath the onslaught of violent spiritual energy from a failed Foundation Establishment attempt. Their Dao foundations are merely damaged beyond repair, leaving them forever cut off from the Great Dao.

Fu Minghui is one of them."

Li Chengjie came to a realization, recalling the saying from Blue Star in his previous life: "Failure is the mother of success."

Li Chengjie instinctively focused his mind and secretly activated the detection function on Fu Minghui.

[Replicable target detected: 'Fu Minghui'. Replicable Items: Azure Sun Art cultivation insights, insights and experience from failed Foundation Establishment (extremely valuable, includes methods for avoiding certain risks), low-tier spell Breath Concealment Art... Estimated Replication Point cost: 30,000 points.]

Thirty thousand points!

Li Chengjie was shaken. This price far exceeded Liu Wenxuan's, and was even several times more expensive than copying the experience of Sun Miao, a First Rank High-Grade Alchemist!

Yet upon further thought, it made perfect sense.

The most precious part of Fu Minghui's experience was likely those "insights and experience from failed Foundation Establishment." To any Qi Refining cultivator aspiring to establish their foundation, they were priceless treasures—something that could greatly raise their future chances of success and help them avoid known dangers.

Li Chengjie came to a realization, recalling the saying from Blue Star in his previous life: "Failure is the mother of success."

But in this cruel Cultivation World, one critical failure often meant eternal stagnation, with no "success" left to speak of.

Yet Fu Minghui's "experience of failure," purchased at such an enormous cost, might be no less valuable to those who came after him than a successful cultivation art!

Thirty thousand Replication Points was suffocatingly expensive.

Yet Li Chengjie hesitated for only an instant before making his decision.

"Replicate it! Fu Minghui's experience must be replicated as well!" Li Chengjie told himself with absolute resolve.

Unlike Liu Wenxuan's Profound Light Mirror, which enhanced spiritual sense with an emphasis on combat and survival, Fu Minghui's experience pointed directly at the greatest hurdle on the cultivation road—Foundation Establishment!

Its core value lay in that one-of-a-kind "insights and experience from failed Foundation Establishment."

It did not merely tell one how to succeed. It used bloody lessons to show which pits must never be stepped into and which dangers could be avoided.

For Li Chengjie, who possessed the replication panel and was destined to charge toward higher realms, the long-term significance of this experience might even surpass that of a complete Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation art.

After all, cultivation arts could be sought out slowly, but lessons of failure bought with the severance of one's Dao path were opportunities that could be encountered only by chance, never sought.

"Liu Wenxuan's experience costs ten thousand points and enhances spiritual sense—it is an art for protecting the Dao. Fu Minghui's costs thirty thousand points and concerns the very foundation of the Dao path—it is the basis of achieving the Dao. Neither can be neglected..." Li Chengjie's gaze flickered as a clear path took shape in his mind. "My top priority is to break through to Qi Refining Level 7 as soon as possible, improve my alchemy skills, and earn Spirit Stones like mad! Ten thousand points, thirty thousand points... one day, I'll get them all!"

Li Chengjie engraved the name "Fu Minghui," alongside "Liu Wenxuan," deeply at the very top of the "must replicate" list in his heart.

One of these two targets represented a guarantee of his short-term combat strength, while the other concerned the upper limit of his future Dao path.

At that moment, the Barrier Breaking Pill was sold to Fu Minghui for four thousand Spirit Stones without any suspense.

After completing the exchange, Fu Minghui simply closed his eyes to rest, his expression unchanged, as though he had merely done something trivial. That weathered stillness only made Li Chengjie feel that the man was unfathomably deep.

The auction continued, and several more fine treasures appeared afterward.

But Li Chengjie's thoughts were no longer wholly on the auction items. Taking advantage of a pause, he quietly asked Lin Zixue, "Senior Sister Lin, in your opinion, besides the people we've seen today, are there any other cultivators in Falling Cloud City with exceptional qualities or special abilities?"

(In Chu Kingdom, pills—especially Foundation Establishment Pills—are relatively expensive because of a monopoly. This will be explained later.)