But right now, 50,000 Spirit Stones was more than he'd fetch even if he sold himself.
Besides, the next moment, the entire venue erupted.
This Order was a Spirit Mine—and one that yielded an endless supply of Spirit Stones.
Cultivators needed time to cultivate in order to maintain their Cultivation Realm, absorbing spiritual energy from the surrounding air or replenishing it with Spirit Stones. Otherwise, their Cultivation Realm might regress.
This was especially true for high-level cultivators, who needed far more spiritual energy.
Now, with this "Clan Establishment Order," one could apply to the Qingyun Sect for a Spirit Vein. Of course, this was an opportunity that could only be chanced upon, never sought.
"60,000!"
"Damn it, you've got the nerve to offer 60,000? I bid 80,000!"
Before he could finish, a bid from one of the Third Floor boxes immediately crushed his offer, with a jab of mockery for good measure.
"You've got the nerve to offer 80,000? That's the pot calling the kettle black!"
Another voice rang out. A new bid came from a box on the western side of the second floor.
"100,000!"
"..."
As the bidding grew more heated, the Order's price soared to an astonishing 150,000 Spirit Stones.
It made sense. If one could obtain a Spirit Vein, there'd be no need to roam far and wide.
One could cultivate at home with spiritual energy all around. What could be better? And several people could cultivate at once.
It was the sort of rare opportunity one couldn't find even with a lantern.
At such a price, the cultivators on the first floor could only stare helplessly as the boxes on the second floor and above bid fiercely. The first-floor cultivators seemed to have come merely to watch.
Lu Wanyuan hadn't expected a mere Order to sell for the astronomical price of 150,000 Spirit Stones. It was simply unimaginable.
But when he thought of the mere 10,000 Spirit Stones in his Storage Ring, he realized that establishing a Cultivation Family wouldn't be easy.
Just to get the Spirit Stones, he'd have to earn an enormous amount.
He'd thought that all he needed was for his family's population to grow, then to find an opportunity to obtain a Clan Establishment Order.
But given the situation now, he'd better take things slowly.
Still, once the price passed 150,000, the number of bidders quickly dwindled.
In the end, only two boxes were still competing, and their bids were rising by just 2,000 at a time.
Seeing this, Lu Wanyuan grew puzzled.
"At this price, they could easily secure it by raising their bids a few tens of thousands. Why are they dragging their feet?"
"Daoist Lu, you must be wondering why, right?"
"Actually, it's simple. Once the price exceeds 150,000, the Order's value becomes questionable. After all, 150,000 Spirit Stones is a huge sum—not something any ordinary rogue-cultivator family can easily afford."
"Besides, the Qingyun Sect isn't stupid. They certainly won't let you pick whichever Spirit Vein you want. There's a lot of room for maneuver there!"
"If you could get a second-tier Spirit Vein, you'd certainly come out ahead. But if they gave you a first-tier, low-grade Spirit Vein, it might not be worth the cost."
"Why do these rogue-cultivator families want this Order? Isn't it for the chance to gain the Qingyun Sect's recognition and make their Cultivation Families legitimate? In the end, what matters is still their own strength and foundation."
"But because it would make them legitimate, so many rogue-cultivator families are clamoring for it. You can tell from how excited everyone was and how fiercely they bid just now."
"But everything has its limits. Once they reach a certain threshold, they'll weigh the cost. That's why the bidding slowed down."
Hu Yidao, standing nearby, explained as if he knew the subject inside out. Lu Wanyuan found it strange.
This guy was just an ordinary hired hand, barely able to guarantee his next meal. How could he know so much?
But then again, as a hired hand, he met all kinds of people every day and had been in this line of work for a long time. Of course he'd picked up a few useful insights.
Still, one thing had always puzzled Lu Wanyuan: after all these years, Hu Yidao seemed to have no savings at all. Just from the way he'd paid for his admission ticket, it was clear his circumstances were rather tight.
He had no idea what this guy had been doing all these years.
Hu Yidao had no idea what Lu Wanyuan was thinking. Instead, he continued:
"Of course, an upper-grade Spirit Vein would be even better. But upper-grade Spirit Veins aren't easy to obtain."
"It's unthinkable. If they were willing to give one out, there'd surely be plenty of harsh conditions."
"Even if they gave one to them, these rogue-cultivator families have such weak foundations that they definitely wouldn't be able to protect it."
"Faced with this situation, they'll certainly have to think it over. Even after paying 150,000, they'll still have plenty of household expenses. Can they keep bearing the cost? Establishing a Cultivation Family isn't easy."
"So at this point, every Spirit Stone saved matters. They've already reached their limit!"
Hearing this, Lu Wanyuan finally understood.
It seemed that even if he got his hands on the Order, whether he could establish a Cultivation Family would still be another matter.
It made sense. In the Cultivation World, strength was everything. If the Qingyun Sect weren't the hegemon, the Spirit Veins in its territory would probably have been snatched away long ago.
Just as Lu Wanyuan figured this out, the old man onstage, Luo Zexuan, quickly brought the bidding to a close!
"Good! Congratulations to the honored guest in Third Floor Box 13 for winning this Clan Establishment Order with a bid of 160,000 Spirit Stones!"
Everyone was stunned. They hadn't expected this little Order to fetch 160,000 Spirit Stones.
It was more Spirit Stones than they could ever hope to earn in their entire lives!
Their eyes were filled with envy and hatred!
Lu Wanyuan couldn't help sighing, too!
"Daoist Lu, what are you planning to do next?"
After the auction ended, the crowd streamed quickly out of the auction hall. Hu Yidao glanced at Lu Wanyuan and asked in a casual tone.
Hearing this, Lu Wanyuan answered with a smile:
"What could I do, Daoist Hu? I'm going home to cultivate, of course, and raise my Cultivation Realm. With strength, I'll be able to earn more Spirit Stones—and it'll be easier to earn them, too. Without them, I won't have any cultivation resources."
"I hope I won't be just a spectator the next time I attend an auction. I didn't bid on anything this time, but I learned a lot and saw plenty of things."
"Next time, I'll be sure to bring more Spirit Stones and get my fill of bidding!"
As he spoke, his eyes took on a resolute look, as if he'd secretly made a firm decision.
"Oh, in that case, congratulations!"
Seeing that Lu Wanyuan seemed not to understand his meaning and wasn't taking the bait, Hu Yidao put on a regretful expression and said, "I found a place that's said to be the cave dwelling of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator. I don't know if it's true."
"I was planning to find a few friends and explore it together. We've known each other for a long time, so I wanted to invite you along. We know each other well, and things would be easier that way."
"Who knew you'd be going off to cultivate, Daoist Lu? I guess it'll have to wait until next time!"
"Ah, I see. Please forgive me, Daoist Hu. I appreciate the offer."
"You know how weak I am at my current level. How could I dare go wandering around? Even if there were rare treasures out there, they wouldn't be for a nobody like me. At least I know my place."
"I can't compare to you, Daoist Hu. You've walked this dangerous path for years, with the experience of a seasoned wanderer. If I don't reach Late Qi Refining, I won't dare leave this market town."
"Life in the market town is hard right now, but I can still get by. Most importantly, I'll stay alive!"
Lu Wanyuan saw that Hu Yidao kept trying to coax him into leaving town, so how could he not understand the man's intentions?
All that talk about them being old friends was complete bullshit.
They were barely more than acquaintances. What kind of friendship did they have?
He'd been around the block. Even his own father had driven him off Green Bamboo Peak. How could he trust anyone else?
If he did, they'd sell him off and he'd still be counting their Spirit Stones for them.
So he immediately turned Hu Yidao down, making it clear he should give up on the idea.
The important thing was that he still had something urgent to do. He had no time to keep dealing with this guy. If he missed his chance, it would be trouble.
Up ahead, Xiao Wanchang was hurrying toward the market town with several people.
If Lu Wanyuan didn't catch up quickly, he wouldn't be able to play the Yellow Bird!
Perhaps Hu Yidao saw that he wasn't budging and understood that he wouldn't be able to get him to leave the market town anytime soon.
Who could blame the kid, with that timid, trouble-avoiding look of his?
So he stopped pressing. "Daoist Lu, you really do know what's best for you. Here, I'll leave you a Sound Transmission Talisman. If you change your mind and want to run with your big brother Hu, just let me know. Your big brother Hu will look after you!"
As he spoke, Hu Yidao put on a loyal, righteous expression, then took a Sound Transmission Talisman from his Storage Bag and handed it to Lu Wanyuan.
Lu Wanyuan saw that he couldn't very well refuse, so he accepted the Sound Transmission Talisman.
"Right, little brother Lu, you know how to use this Sound Transmission Talisman, don't you? Just activate it and speak into it."
"Then the talisman will carry your words to me. Unfortunately, this is a first-tier Sound Transmission Talisman, so it only works within a hundred li."
"If you're more than a hundred li away, it won't work. I hear high-tier Sound Transmission Talismans can carry messages freely across ten thousand li."
Hu Yidao explained enthusiastically.
"Big Brother Hu, Sound Transmission Talismans must be pretty expensive, right? Isn't it a bit of a waste to give me one?"
"I'm cooped up in the market town all the time. I don't go anywhere, so I won't have any use for it, will I?"
Lu Wanyuan held the talisman between his fingers and said helplessly.
"Not expensive, not expensive. Just 10 Spirit Stones. We're brothers, so why make a fuss over something like this? If I'm giving it to you, then it's yours."
"Maybe you don't plan to go anywhere now, but who knows? You might change your mind in a little while."
"Anyway, it's settled. I'm off!"
Perhaps he was afraid Lu Wanyuan would refuse. Before Lu Wanyuan could react, Hu Yidao hurried away.
Seeing Hu Yidao act like this again and again, Lu Wanyuan knew he was up to no good.
Since the man was looking for trouble, Lu Wanyuan would gladly oblige. Did he really think he was a soft persimmon that could be squeezed however he pleased?
He'd find a chance to have some fun with him. Then he put the talisman away.
Watching Hu Yidao disappear into the distance, Lu Wanyuan went into an empty alley.
Then, with a thought, he tapped the "Concealment 2 Hours" Entry in his mind.
The next moment, the Entry vanished, and a mysterious radiance instantly fell over him.
Seeing this, he immediately understood that he'd entered a state of invisibility. He left the alley and hurried toward the outskirts of the market town.
Before you continue