Part II: Cultivation World, Book One: The Tianxin Sect on the Brink of Collapse - Spending Money Like Water

Zhang Xingfeng sighed inwardly, "Why are these guys so eager for an Azure Bracelet? After all, the Azure Bracelet is only a top-tier immortal artifact. Aren't top-tier immortal artifacts only priced at 100 immortal crystals? But look at this! The Great Luo Golden Immortal and the Nine Heavens Profound Immortal have already raised the price to 760 immortal crystals!"

"Alas, it's a pity that the method for refining the Azure Bracelet is far too difficult, far beyond what can be compared to refining ordinary Top-grade Immortal Artifact. Otherwise, if we could make a few, the immortal crystals would be inexhaustible." Zhang Xingfeng shook his head and sighed. He hadn't realized that this was precisely why the Azure Bracelet was so precious.

Although the Azure Bracelet is considered Top-grade Immortal Artifact, it is several times more difficult to forge than ordinary Top-grade Immortal Artifact. Storage bracelets of the same level are generally more valuable than weapons of the same level.

Azure Bracelet are extremely rare, very rare. Even in the Immortal Realm, very few Nine Heavens Azure Bracelet Nine Heavens Profound Immortal possess them—less than one percent. Of the nearly ten thousand Nine Heavens Mystic Immortals in the Immortal Realm, only a few dozen possess one. The seven Nine Heavens Profound Immortal came to the Cultivation World, although treated well by their sects in some ways, were not issued Azure Bracelet, as they offer little benefit in terms of attack or defense.

In terms of crafting, ordinary storage bracelets only require Golden Illusion Stone, but Top-grade Immortal Artifact -grade Azure Bracelet require some very precious materials— Void Nether Stone. Zhang Xingfeng had a total of five Azure Bracelets, giving one each to Lang Feng, Xiao Little Dragon, and Yu Yan, and keeping two more with him. These five Azure Bracelet contained various materials left behind by the five Demon Emperors.

The materials used for the five Azure Bracelet, plus the materials from the heavens, amounted to only eight Void Nether Stones. Void Nether Stone are incredibly rare. One can only imagine just how rare these Azure Bracelet truly are.

Of the seven Nine Heavens Profound Immortal, only Tian Nan had already obtained the Azure Bracelet in the Immortal Realm; the other six had not yet received it and were currently making frantic bids.

"800 Immortal Crystals!" The Supreme Elder of the Lingyu Sect, also a Nine Heavens Profound Immortal, was now gritting his teeth. 800 Immortal Crystals were extremely precious to him. Although the Lingyu Sect was one of the seven major sects, even as Supreme Elder, he couldn't use the sect's Immortal Crystals at will, because above him was the Lingyu Sect.

"810 Immortal Crystals!" Wu Tong of the Tianlong Sect made a bid. He desperately wanted this treasure, because ordinary storage bracelets simply couldn't store immortal artifacts. After all, there were only two types of immortal artifact-level bracelets— the Azure Bracelet (Top-grade Immortal Artifact) and the Maple Red Bracelet (Low-grade Immortal Artifact).

Wu Tong's own treasures are generally of the Immortal Artifact level, with most being mid-level or even Top-grade Immortal Artifact. His Maple Red Bracelet is simply insufficient. Storage bracelets cannot store treasures of a higher level than oneself! Wu Tong is uneasy if those rare treasures are not on his person!

These Nine Heavens Profound Immortal and Great Luo Golden Immortal all used the immortal crystals they had saved to make their bids.

"900 Immortal Crystals!" Suddenly, a high price appeared. Just now, it was only ten Immortal Crystals at a time. Now, it suddenly increased by 90 Immortal Crystals, which surprised all the immortals. At the same time, it made many immortals who wanted the Azure Bracelet grit their teeth. However, in terms of wealth, how could even Nine Heavens Profound Immortal compare with a long-established merchant Lineage?

The one who made the offer was Li Shang.

Li Shang stood up from his seat, looked at Zhang Xingfeng with a smile, and said, "If the True Person could give Li Shang a Huangxing Pill, then Li Shang would definitely buy this Azure Bracelet and give it to Zhi Ren!"

"Whoosh!" "Whoosh!"...

Everyone present was shocked. They hadn't expected Li Shang to be so persistent, so... generous! Although the Huangxing Pill was precious, it was at most worth a few dozen immortal crystals, which was already the absolute maximum.

"It seems Li Shang really wants the Huangxing Pill, but what use is this Azure Bracelet to me? However, Li Shang is quite persistent. But what was the meaning of the gloom in his eyes when we first met? No, the Huangxing Pill can't possibly be worth so many immortal crystals, so... Li Shang must have some kind of conspiracy!" Zhang Xingfeng narrowed his eyes slightly, glanced at Li Shang, his mind racing, and then made up his mind.

"Young Master Li's persistence has truly moved Xingfeng. However, Xingfeng is currently out of Huangxing Pill. How about... after some time, I, Xingfeng, personally start the furnace to refine some for Young Master Li?" Zhang Xingfeng appeared very sincere.

Zhang Xingfeng assumed Li Shang had ulterior motives simply because Li Shang offered such terms. However, everyone present forgot that while the Huangxing Pill might not be worth that price for an immortal, it was absolutely worth it for Li Shang, a cultivator. After all, with the Huangxing Pill, he could save at least fifty years of arduous cultivation! Immortal Crystals were precious, but Li Shang couldn't use them; the Huangxing Pill was what he needed most.

What you need is the most precious!

Li Shang felt a surge of anger. He genuinely wanted the Huangxing Pill. All he wanted was for Zhang Xingfeng to give him one of the other two Huangxing Pills. As for Zhang Xingfeng being a disciple or friend, he would have to wait a while!

However, he did not expect that even the Azure Bracelet could not move Zhang Xingfeng. Li Shang's anger began to build up. "Zhang Xingfeng, I, Li Shang, am giving you face, but you don't want it, humph!" Li Shang did not respond to Zhang Xingfeng's answer, but just smiled at Zhang Xingfeng and then sat down again.

Zhang Xingfeng found that smile very fake, and his Divine Sense even detected Li Shang's murderous intent towards him.

"A mere brat, nothing but a spoiled brat!" Zhang Xingfeng utterly disdainful of Li Shang. Such a spoiled brat posed no threat to him whatsoever. If he wanted to deal with someone like that, Zhang Xingfeng had a hundred ways to keep it a secret from the Cultivation World. He could simply create a spatial rift, crush him, and suck him into another dimension without anyone noticing.

"1000 Immortal Crystals!" Zhu Zhihong bowed slightly to the immortals around him and smiled, "Just now, True Person Xingfeng gave me such a spiritual pill, and I was wondering how to repay True Person. Now I'm offering it to you! I hope True Person will accept it!"

Upon hearing this, several Nine Heavens Profound Immortal looked at Zhang Xingfeng with envy. Zhang Xingfeng 'Zhang Xingfeng goodwill towards the eldest son of the Zhu Family rose even higher. Now, Zhang Xingfeng found the eldest son both pleasing and displeasing. Zhang Xingfeng sighed inwardly, "No wonder the Li Lineage can't compare to the Zhu Family; just look at the next generation. This Zhu Family lad is really generous, giving me the Azure Bracelet like that, without asking for anything in return!"

Zhang Xingfeng suddenly glanced at the girl next to Zhu Zhihong, scanning her with his Divine Sense. A thought struck him, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Everyone, Zhihong has now won the bid for this Azure Bracelet. Would anyone like to raise the price?" Zhu Zhihong said with a smile to the important figures around him. No one raised the price, because 1000 immortal crystals was already a record-breaking amount!

In the celestial realm, this Azure Bracelet typically costs around 800 celestial crystals, and most immortals are reluctant to spend extra celestial crystals.

Even the eight great Lineage, after tens of millions of years of accumulation, would only amount to a few hundred thousand immortal crystals. The Zhu Family's wealth is estimated to be at most a million. Ordinary Zhu Family would not be qualified to use such a large amount of immortal crystals as 1,000, but Zhu Zhihong is qualified because he is the next head of the Earth family.

Li Shang didn't raise the price, even if he had. Zhang Xingfeng wouldn't give him Huangxing Pill Flour Maple Red Bracelet was already enough for his cultivation level.

"True Person Xingfeng, please accept this!" Zhu Zhihong waved his hand slightly, and the Azure Bracelet flew towards Zhang Xingfeng.

Zhang Xingfeng did not refuse. After accepting the Azure Bracelet, Zhang Xingfeng looked at Zhu Zhihong's smiling face and said, "Since you are so affectionate, it would be pretentious for Xingfeng not to accept it. However, the Huangxing Pill is indeed not as precious as this Azure Bracelet. I noticed that the woman next to you seems to be of the water element. Coincidentally, I have some small water-attribute items here!"

Zhang Xingfeng casually pulled out the Water Essence from the heavens, causing some of the surrounding immortals to shake their heads and chuckle. Although the Water Essence was indeed a treasure, it was only worth one immortal crystal, far less than the Azure Bracelet.

Zhang Xingfeng noticed the expressions of the people around him, smiled, and didn't care. He stretched out his right hand, and five pieces of Bright Cold Crystal appeared in Zhang Xingfeng hand.

"Bright Cold Crystal!" A knowledgeable immortal immediately exclaimed. Although the Bright Cold Crystal was only worth one immortal crystal, its preciousness was beyond doubt. This Bright Cold Crystal could only be found in extremely cold places, and in such places, without the strength of Nine Heavens Profound Immortal, death was the only outcome.

However, because the Bright Cold Crystal is condensed from the Azure Sky Cold Qi (at the same level as Heavenly Fire), it is extremely difficult to resist. But this is not the most terrifying thing. The most terrifying thing is that where there is Bright Cold Crystal, there is usually Extreme Cold Crystal. Extreme Cold Crystal is condensed from the Absolute Killer Cold Air (at the same level as Blazing Heavenly Fire). Even for Immortal Monarch, it is extremely difficult to resist.

Therefore, without the strength of Immortal Monarch, ordinary immortals wouldn't go to such places. However, the Extreme Cold Crystal and the Bright Cold Crystal are either undiscovered or, once discovered, are worth thousands or even tens of thousands of yuan! That's why their prices have never been high.

Zhang Xingfeng stretched out his right hand again, and five more crystals appeared, which were the Extreme Cold Crystal!

Everyone was moved and looked at Zhang Xingfeng with confusion. They couldn't understand why Zhang Xingfeng could obtain the Extreme Cold Crystal. Even Nine Heavens Profound Immortal didn't have that kind of strength, and it was extremely difficult for Immortal Monarch to go to such a place.

"Hmm... How could I possess such strength! How could you possibly have obtained these things from the Cold Light Demon Emperor? That Absolute Killer Cold Air was indeed terrifying; my Skyfire Body didn't even dare to enter that formation!" Zhang Xingfeng recalled the incident at the Cold Light Demon Emperor's palace. After passing through the first formation, Zhang Xingfeng gave up, believing he had already felt the terror of the Absolute Killer Cold Air. Unless you possessed the complete set of the Heavy Profound Chisel at that time.

"However, if this Absolute Killer Cold Air is already so terrifying, what about the Blazing Heavenly Fire?" Zhang Xingfeng was full of confidence for the future. "Hmm... last time I obtained 1 million Bright Cold Crystal and 50,000 Extreme Cold Crystal. In theory, that's worth over a million Immortal Crystals, but these things are difficult to sell all at once, and if there's a large quantity, it's not worth that much!" Zhang Xingfeng sighed inwardly. He knew a little about the general situation of trading Bright Cold Crystal and Extreme Cold Crystal in the Immortal Realm. These things were rare, which is why they were so expensive. This also meant that the Extreme Cold Crystal Extreme Cold Crystal Zhang Xingfeng's possession couldn't be exchanged for Immortal Crystals! After all, Extreme Cold Crystal weren't a hard currency like Immortal Crystals, which every immortal could use!

Simply put: Immortal Crystals bring in money, while Extreme Cold Crystal are just merchandise!

Thinking this to himself, he didn't stop. Under Zhang Xingfeng's Heavenly Fire, the five Bright Cold Crystal turned into liquid and were easily fused with the Water Essence. The Extreme Cold Crystal, however, remained unchanged. Zhang Xingfeng directly wrapped the Extreme Cold Crystal with the Water Essence, forming five small beads. Then, according to the Five Elements Manifestation Water Array, he connected the five small beads together to form a bracelet-like object.

"Excellent, excellent, excellent!" Tian Nan's eyes shone brightly as he exclaimed several times, "The True Person is indeed generous! This bracelet is extremely precious. The woman beside Young Master Zhu is only at the Nascent Soul Realm, and she cannot withstand the power of the Bright Cold Crystal and the Extreme Cold Crystal. However, the True Person used the Water Essence as a bridge, with the Extreme Cold Crystal as the core. The spiritual power output by the Water Essence can be easily absorbed by this woman. The energy of the Extreme Cold Crystal also passes through the Bright Cold Crystal and then through the Water Essence, achieving double regulation, making absorption easy as well! With this treasure, I believe this woman's cultivation speed will increase at least three times!"

Tian Nan shook his head, looking extremely amazed.

The surrounding immortals were also quite surprised. Although the cost of this bracelet was only around one hundred immortal crystals, its value lay in two aspects. First, it contained three types of crystals. Each of these crystals was extremely rare, yet this bracelet contained three of each type. Collecting five of each type was no easy feat. Second, the bracelet linked three levels of energy crystals: Water Essence, Bright Cold Crystal, and Extreme Cold Crystal, forming a perfect ladder. For water-attribute cultivators, this bracelet was undoubtedly a supreme treasure, worth at least 1000 immortal crystals!

"Young Master, please give this bracelet to the lady beside you!" Zhang Xingfeng smiled and waved, and the bracelet flew towards the eldest son of the Zhu Family.

The girl in the cloud stared wide-eyed at the bracelet. Clearly, she was very fond of the shimmering bracelet. Zhu Zhihong could tell from the girl's expression that she had already fallen in love with the bracelet, so Zhu Zhihong accepted it without hesitation and handed it to the girl.

"True Person Xingfeng, I won't say thank you. If you ever need anything from the Zhu Family in the future, just send a message!" The domineering aura of the future clan leader was already emanating from Zhu Zhihong.

Zhang Xingfeng nodded, smiled, and said nothing. He simply turned to look at the next item up for auction—"Nine-leaf Lingzhi"!

Looking at the Nine-leaf Lingzhi, Zhang Xingfeng thought to himself, "If I get it, I should be able to refine the Ziyuan Pill!"