Picking Up the Slack

Bone Forging—bones hard as iron, impervious to blades and spears.

Both defense and combat power increase dramatically.

Across all of Jianghai City, those who reached this level of cultivation could already be considered mid-to-upper-tier martial artists.

An ordinary person would need at least ten years to master it, yet Lu Wangchuan had done so in just a few months!

As long as he didn't actively provoke others, acted steadily, and developed for a while longer to break through to a stronger realm, he would have greater capital for survival!

Lu Wangchuan glanced at the Light Screen.

Name: Lu Wangchuan. Cultivation: Bone Forging. Vitality: 1649. Techniques: Mountain Splitting Fist (Layer Seven), Eight Section Brocade (Layer Seven).

Mountain Splitting Fist and Eight Section Brocade were both the most basic techniques. Adding a point consumed one hundred Vitality, and Layer Seven was their highest level! Once they reached the perfected state, they would no longer improve.

"It seems I need to find a way to learn some higher-level techniques."

Just then, Lao Tan sent a clerk from the Longtai Merchant Guild to deliver a letter, saying the auction would begin today.

"Time flies."

Lu Wangchuan murmured, instructing Xiao Wu to prepare the carriage and head to the Moon Gazing Pavilion.

Jianghai City bordered a river on one side and the sea on the other. By the river stood a high mountain, atop which was a tall pavilion. Climbing high to gaze at the moon—hence the name Moon Gazing Pavilion.

Arriving at the Moon Gazing Pavilion, Lu Wangchuan found it already packed, with people streaming up the mountain one after another.

It seemed Lao Tan was right—this auction was truly massive. Besides the martial artists of Jianghai City itself, it had also drawn many from the surrounding areas.

"Young Master Lu, over here."

Lao Tan, already waiting at the foot of the mountain, waved. Lu Wangchuan told Xiao Wu to drive the carriage back home and walked toward him.

"Quite a crowd."

"Of course. This auction is jointly hosted by several merchant guilds in our Jianghai City. They spent a fortune to hire many experts from the city to oversee it, greatly ensuring the auction's safety. So many people came—without a spot, you can't even get in."

The two walked and talked as they climbed to the Moon Gazing Pavilion. Lu Wangchuan suddenly noticed Lu Xianyuan was also there and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Instructor Lu."

Lu Xianyuan gave a light "Mm" and said nothing more, simply leaning against a bamboo railing, gazing at the distant sea, lost in thought.

Lu Wangchuan knew his temperament had always been like this, so he didn't linger. After taking his leave, he went straight into the auction venue inside the Moon Gazing Pavilion.

Lao Tan chuckled.

"This Instructor Lu from the Dragon Tiger Martial Hall is no ordinary man. I hear that among the experts hired this time, his fee ranks in the top three!"

Lu Wangchuan's eyes flickered. He had long heard that Lu Xianyuan's strength was formidable, but he hadn't expected it to be this formidable!

Fortunately, he had managed to build some connection with him—that was beneficial to himself.

Entering the auction venue, it was also packed with attendees. Some were dressed in opulent finery, others in tattered rags, but Lu Wangchuan dared not underestimate a single one.

Anyone who had received an invitation to this auction was no simple character.

Soon, the auction officially began. The first item up was a pill formula—a simple one for replenishing Vitality. Placed in those immortal sects, no one would even bother to pick it up, but here it was a top-tier treasure, far superior to the Body Strengthening Soup in effect.

Lu Wangchuan's eyes burned with desire, but he didn't bid.

Too many people wanted something this good—he couldn't get a hand in. Even if he actually bought it, with his current strength, he wouldn't be able to protect the formula.

"I bid one thousand taels."

"One thousand five hundred taels."

"Two thousand six hundred taels."

Starting at one thousand taels, the price soared, finally closing at five thousand eight hundred taels.

The items that followed were also excellent, and nearly every one made Lu Wangchuan take a second look.

There was a powerful internal technique, the "Speed Heart Art," a razor-sharp Meteorite Iron Sword, and even a thousand-year Blood Spirit Mushroom.

A wide variety—each one a treasure to Lu Wangchuan—but he never made a move.

He was clear-headed, knowing those things weren't his, at least not yet—whether in terms of money or strength.

After several rounds of bidding, the auction took an intermission. Tea and snacks were served to let everyone relax, since such a large auction couldn't be finished in half a day.

Lu Wangchuan didn't eat or drink. Though meat now provided very little Vitality replenishment for him, he still only ate meat. Other things had no nutrition—he'd just have to shit them out.

Of course, eating meat also meant shitting, but the nutrients absorbed were always greater than with other foods.

After the tea break, a new round of bidding began.

"Everyone, this next item is an internal technique called the 'Dao Embryo Breathing Method.' This technique focuses on strengthening the body and replenishing Vitality, making it very suitable for healing when injured. The starting bid is fifty taels of silver, and each raise must be no less than ten taels."

Few people showed interest this time. Internal techniques differed just like external techniques.

Take the earlier Speed Heart Art, for example—it was a more 'orthodox' internal technique. Practicing it for two hours a day could match the cultivation progress of ten or even more hours of the Dao Embryo Breathing Method.

Of course, the Speed Heart Art was also more exhausting to cultivate, draining one's mind, energy, and blood. Practicing it for an hour or two a day was likely the limit.

The Dao Embryo Breathing Method was relatively gentle; one could cultivate it for over a dozen hours a day without issue, which actually allowed it to surpass the Speed Heart Art in cultivation speed.

But the problem was, ordinary people couldn't just train in internal cultivation techniques and neglect combat skills like swordsmanship, blade arts, or fist techniques.

After cultivating the Speed Heart Art, they still had spare time to practice martial arts and improve their combat skill levels.

If they cultivated the Dao Embryo Breathing Method, how would they have time to train in combat skills?

If they couldn't train in combat skills and only focused on boosting their own cultivation, wasn't that like a warrior who only stacked defensive gear?

Without dealing damage, they'd eventually be worn down and killed.

So this thing was useless to others, but Lu Wangchuan was especially interested.

Replenishing blood and energy—wasn't that exactly the good stuff he needed?

The bidders showed little interest, and after a few rounds, the price had only risen to over ninety taels of silver.

Lu Wangchuan directly raised his hand and said:

"One hundred taels."

Many in the crowd cast mocking smiles his way, and Lao Tan beside him was also a bit stunned.

"Young Master Lu, spending a hundred taels on this thing—even if we have the money, there's no need to be this wasteful."

Lu Wangchuan gave a faint smile.

"It's still an internal cultivation technique. I'll buy it and take a look."

Seeing that he couldn't talk him out of it, Lao Tan could only smile helplessly and shake his head.

"Sooner or later, you'll have to sell this junk again. You'll lose at least sixty or seventy taels."

Lu Wangchuan just smiled without a word. This thing might not be good for others, but for him, its value was no less than the Speed Heart Art he'd obtained earlier.

The Speed Heart Art had sold for over seventeen thousand taels, and he'd only spent a measly hundred taels.

He'd made a killing, plain and simple.