Auction Girl

"Lin the Alchemist's Dao Companion is so handsome!"

As soon as she left Lin Shiyu's Cave Mansion, Xu Yuanyuan became a little lovestruck.

"You call that handsome? Is he as handsome as your brother?"

Xu Lifeng said indignantly.

"You? With your scruffy appearance, you're practically a beast. You're about as far from handsome as you can get."

Even though he was her own brother, Xu Yuanyuan still found him utterly distasteful.

"What would a little brat like you know? This is what they call charm. Any mature woman who sees your brother would fall for him at first sight."

Xu Lifeng retorted.

"Who'd believe that..."

Xu Yuanyuan rolled her eyes at Xu Lifeng.

With Zhou Er's tacit approval, Lin Shiyu ultimately agreed to help Xu Lifeng refine the Foundation Establishment Pills.

After all, there was no reason to pass up Spirit Stones.

Foundation Establishment Pills couldn't be refined all at once.

It would take a long time, and Lin Shiyu would have to watch over the Alchemy Furnace herself to prevent any mishaps.

After all, Foundation Establishment Pills were no small matter. Their ingredients were incredibly precious.

While Lin Shiyu refined pills, Zhou Er continued cultivating diligently as usual.

Zhou Er also had some troubles when it came to cultivation.

His path was too scattered. He practiced orthodox cultivation, Poison Cultivation, and had even fused with one of Tianyi Water God's eyes, taking a few steps down the path of the Demon Race.

If he hadn't practiced Moon Absorption Cultivation for decades, his body surely wouldn't have been able to withstand it.

He had Moon Absorption to thank for saving him. Now that he was in the Sunset Sect, he needed to collect some more useful attributes.

Peerless Elegance was completely useless, so he didn't need to pay it much attention.

Besides, if he continued along the path of orthodox cultivation, he would have to collect some cultivation techniques that led directly to Nascent Soul.

Otherwise, his Bi-Sea Tide Sound Technique wouldn't be able to take him that far.

In fact, for Zhou Er as he was now, this technique was already somewhat inadequate.

The Sunset Sect had three inherited cultivation techniques that led directly to Nascent Soul, each passed down by one of the sect's three Nascent Soul Old Ancestors.

But those were clearly beyond the reach of Lin Shiyu, who was only at Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, and Zhou Er, who had appeared out of nowhere.

If Zhou Er wanted a Nascent Soul cultivation technique, he would have to help Lin Shiyu reach Golden Core first.

As it happened, Lin Shiyu was his Dao Companion, and they depended on each other. Helping her reach Golden Core wouldn't hurt him.

Beneath the bright moonlight, Zhou Er pondered many things.

Besides that, Zhou Er had reached a minor bottleneck. This was the perfect time to pick up the Talisman-making he hadn't touched in a long while.

The Sunset Sect had a well-developed system of Second-tier Rune knowledge. He could ask Lin Shiyu to find him some materials later and study them.

After several months of carefully refining pills, Lin Shiyu had refined two batches and produced seven Foundation Establishment Pills.

Two were Good-grade, while the rest were Standard Quality.

Pills were graded as Excellent, Good, Standard, or Inferior.

A Standard Quality Foundation Establishment Pill already gave a thirty percent chance of success, while a Good-grade pill brought that chance close to forty percent.

The legendary highest-quality Foundation Establishment Pill could raise the chance of success to a terrifying fifty percent.

As the alchemist, Lin Shiyu could take thirty to fifty percent of the seven pills as payment for her work.

So she took one Good-grade pill and one Standard Quality pill.

Afterward, she had her junior disciple deliver the rest to Xu Lifeng.

Xu Lifeng thanked her again and again when he received the pills.

As a shrewd man, Xu Lifeng knew the normal success rate for refining them.

A batch of Foundation Establishment Pills yielding three to five Standard Quality pills was considered normal.

So he had come out ahead, receiving one Good-grade Foundation Establishment Pill and four Standard Quality ones.

Of course, Lin Shiyu hadn't collected all the Foundation Establishment materials on her own. She had gathered them together with others.

After taking one Good-grade pill and one Standard Quality pill for himself, Xu Lifeng gave the rest to the other people who had contributed Foundation Establishment materials.

One Good-grade pill and one Standard Quality pill were already enough for Xu Yuanyuan to reach Foundation Establishment.

At Lin Shiyu's Cave Mansion, after the two had shared an intimate moment, Lin Shiyu said:

"Senior Brother, a Good-grade Foundation Establishment Pill can sell for around three thousand Spirit Stones. Once I sell it, I'll buy you a defensive Magic Treasure."

Lin Shiyu brought it up because Zhou Er had no Magic Treasure to protect himself.

"Shiyu, don't trouble yourself. I've been studying Talismans, too. With the current chaos, Talisman prices have been rising. I can earn Spirit Stones on my own."

Zhou Er said with a smile.

With Lin Shiyu's help, he had now learned many Second-tier Runes.

On top of that, with his upgraded Wondrous Brush Attribute, his success rate at making Second-tier Talismans had reached forty percent, which brought in a decent profit.

He had now mastered how to make Water Mirror Talismans and Fire Sparrow Talismans, both of which sold very well.

"What's yours is yours. What I give you is a token of my love."

Lin Shiyu pressed herself against Zhou Er's chest and said.

"I understand."

Zhou Er gently squeezed the soft flesh at Lin Shiyu's waist.

Since the sect offered a low buyback price for Foundation Establishment Pills, Lin Shiyu left the Sunset Sect and went to a market called Qingzhu Workshop to consign one for auction.

Although she had to pay a consignment fee, it would only be around a hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones at most. In the end, she would still earn more than if she had handed it directly to the sect.

At the same time, she was looking forward to attending the auction three days later to see if she could buy Zhou Er a useful Magic Treasure.

Zhou Er naturally accompanied her as they wandered around and looked at the stalls.

Three days later, the auction began, drawing a crowd from all directions.

Lin Shiyu's Good-grade Foundation Establishment Pill was one of the final lots, coming second to last, and was considered quite important.

As honored guests, they were seated in a private room.

Around them were two nearby Foundation Establishment Lineages, several Rogue Cultivators at Foundation Establishment, and a crowd of Late-stage Qi Refining cultivators.

Everyone attending the auction wore masks to keep their identities hidden.

The auction was hosted by the Bai Family, the main family of Qingzhu Workshop.

As the auction began, a stunning female cultivator from the Bai Family stepped onto the stage.

Her figure was voluptuous and shapely, her proportions perfectly balanced, her curves breathtaking.

Her shoulders were as if carved, her waist as slender as a bolt of silk. Her supple, narrow waist swayed with every turn, radiating bewitching allure, yet she was far from frail. Instead, her body had the firm strength that came from years of cultivation.

Her full breasts rose proudly, and her rounded bottom curved upward. As she walked, her hips swayed lightly, every step full of grace. She was born with an alluring, seductive charm.

Her long legs were straight and slender, their lines smooth and firm, their curves from thigh to calf graceful. Her skin was fair and delicate, glowing with the gentle radiance unique to cultivators. Her ankles were fine and exquisitely shaped; just looking at them made it hard to tear one's eyes away.

Her clothes were even bolder and more eye-catching. She wore a close-fitting, scarlet strapless crop top with a deeply plunging neckline, exposing her delicate collarbones and a generous expanse of fair skin. A single gold-trimmed sash embroidered with spirit patterns cinched her waist, making it look so slender that it seemed it could be clasped in one hand.

Below, she wore a floor-length gauze skirt with a high slit. Its hem was exceptionally short, and as she moved, her long legs appeared and disappeared beneath it. The wind lifted and fluttered the fabric, barely concealing her enchanting curves.

Most of her shoulders and arms were bare, with only a few wisps of shimmering gauze wrapped around her elbows. Tiny spirit jade pendants adorned her neck and wrists, chiming whenever she moved.

She was dazzlingly beautiful, alluring but not vulgar. She had both the cool, ethereal aura of a female cultivator and the bewitching charm of a temptress. Standing there, she was a vision of stunning color, impossible to miss.

The moment she stepped onto the stage, she drew the eyes of countless cultivators.

Zhou Er glanced at her a little longer, only for Lin Shiyu beside him to give the soft flesh at his waist a light pinch.

"Does Senior Brother think your little sister has grown old and faded?"

Lin Shiyu said sadly.

Zhou Er looked away, then smiled and wrapped an arm around Lin Shiyu's waist.

"How could a little girl like that compare with my junior sister?"

Afterward, the two sat in their private seats and watched the auction begin.

At the Bai Family female cultivator's introduction, one auction item after another was brought out.

At first, they were only items of modest value, such as decent-quality First-tier Runes and some mid-grade Magic Artifacts.

Although they weren't worth much, the Bai Family female cultivator's silver tongue made them all seem quite enticing.

Many of those attending the auction, whether or not they had Dao Companions, raised the price to buy something, hoping to win a beauty's smile.

Among them were burly men who made lewd jokes at the women. Bai Fengting, the Bai Family female cultivator, had seen it all. She merely smiled and didn't get angry.

At last, the auction items grew more and more expensive, reaching the thousand-Spirit-Stone range.

Only two treasures remained. The several Foundation Establishment cultivators seated in private rooms grew tense as they stared at Bai Fengting on the high platform.

The lights shimmered across the high platform as the woman in scarlet walked slowly to its center. The slit of her skirt brushed the jade steps, revealing glimpses of her long, shapely legs. She turned slightly, her waist supple as a willow, and a gentle twist brought out her enchanting curves. She raised a hand to gesture toward the jade tray as it slowly rose, her voice soft and melodious, with a teasing tremble.

"Fellow Daoists, please take a look. Today's final treasure: a Foundation Establishment Pill."

As she spoke, she leaned forward slightly, the neckline of her top dipping to reveal her finely defined collarbones. Her gaze swept across the crowd as she smiled.

"This pill was refined by Lin Shiyu, Lin the Alchemist of the Sunset Sect. Made from Thousand-year Spirit Herbs, this Good-grade Foundation Establishment Pill can raise the chance of success to forty percent. It is a first-rate treasure. With one in hand, half the road to the Great Dao is already secure."

Her jade-white fingers lightly brushed the edge of the tray. As she straightened, her hips swayed gently, her charm seeming to bloom of its own accord.

"The starting price is one thousand five hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones, with each bid increasing by no less than one hundred."

After Bai Fengting finished her introduction, bids began pouring in. Perhaps her allure had stirred their desire, or perhaps the Good-grade Foundation Establishment Pill was simply too precious to pass up.

"Number three, one thousand six hundred!"

"Number four, one thousand eight hundred!"

"Number eleven, two thousand!"

"Two thousand five hundred!"

"Two thousand five hundred, going twice."

The price quickly reached two thousand five hundred Spirit Stones.

At that point, the others began to hesitate.

Lin Shiyu was pleased with the price, but it still fell a little short of what she wanted.

"Three thousand!"

Just as the sale was about to be finalized, someone in the main hall raised a bidding paddle.

That was exactly the price Lin Shiyu had wanted.

In the end, the Foundation Establishment Pill sold for three thousand Spirit Stones. The buyer would collect it after the auction ended.

After the Foundation Establishment Pill came the auction's final item.

Once the pill was taken away, the female cultivator glided over to the display stand on the other side.

She raised a hand to adjust a strand of hair at her temple. The gauze on her arm slipped slightly, exposing a stretch of fair, delicate shoulder and arm. She leaned back just a little, her graceful figure stretching out beautifully.

"And the final item is the true finale of today's auction: a fragment of the Magic Treasure, the Thunder Snake Whip."

She pointed her jade-white finger at the fragment, which glimmered with faint purple lightning. Leaning forward slightly, she showed off the graceful curve of her lower back, her voice turning even more alluring.

"This whip was once a lightning-element Magic Treasure, containing the Thunder Snake Spirit. Though only a fragment remains, it can still call upon the lingering might of heavenly thunder, injuring the flesh and shattering the Spiritual Soul. If any Fellow Daoist acquires it and takes the time to refine and repair it, it will become a first-rate weapon of slaughter."

As her voice fell, she turned gracefully, her skirt fluttering and her long legs flashing into view. Her eyes lingered seductively on the crowd as she smiled, languid and bewitching.

"Such a treasure is not to be missed, Fellow Daoists."

Inside Zhou Er's private room, Lin Shiyu clung to him and said:

"This Magic Treasure fragment is just right for Senior Brother. You can make do with it."

"If you like it, junior sister, you can use it yourself."

Zhou Er said casually.

"I have the Flowing Fire Gourd. That's enough for me."

Lin Shiyu patted the Purple Gold Gourd hanging at her waist and said with a smile.

The Flowing Fire Gourd was also a top-grade Magic Artifact. It could store spiritual fire, which was enough to protect her.

Zhou Er accepted after a few token protests, then gave Lin Shiyu a light peck on the cheek. The two of them wearing masks as they were, the gesture had its own special charm.

"Number two, three thousand five hundred!"

Once the other bidders had mostly finished, Lin Shiyu raised her paddle.

Three thousand five hundred Low-grade Spirit Stones. The hammer fell.

Most of the others had already spent their Spirit Stones on the Foundation Establishment Pill. They weren't going to spend more on an overpriced Magic Treasure fragment.

After all, it was only a fragment. Its power was far below that of a complete Magic Treasure, making it about as good as a top-grade Magic Artifact, if not worse.

"Congratulations to the senior in private room number two for acquiring the Thunder Snake Whip Fragment for three thousand five hundred."

Bai Fengting congratulated them.

With that, the auction came to an end. Those who had won items stayed behind to complete their transactions, while everyone else left in order.

"Congratulations, senior, on acquiring the Thunder Snake Whip Fragment."

After receiving the Spirit Stones, Bai Fengting handed Lin Shiyu a fragment of the Thunder Snake Whip about a foot long, its surface shimmering with lightning.

Lin Shiyu handed it to Zhou Er.

Having refused long enough, Zhou Er accepted it without further protest. Once they got back, he could refine it.

After settling the proceeds from the Foundation Establishment Pill, the two changed their clothes and left hand in hand.

Halfway along the road, several dark clouds came flying toward them.

Cultivator Robbers blocked all five directions, their faces hidden behind black scarves.

There was not a soul around. It was obvious they had deliberately waited here, ready for the two of them to pass.

Though the Cultivator Robbers all wore black scarves, Lin Shiyu and Zhou Er recognized one of them.

"Fellow Daoist Xu, why have you stopped my husband and me?"

Lin Shiyu looked at one of the black-clad figures and said.

"Lin the Alchemist, you've mistaken me for someone else. I'm not Xu Lifeng."

The black-clad figure denied it in a shrill voice.

"Hahaha! Xu Lifeng, why are you still pretending? Tell her why we're here to stop them."

A Cultivator Robber beside Xu Lifeng kicked him and jeered.

Seeing this, Xu Lifeng knew he couldn't keep pretending. He said:

"Lin the Alchemist, these are all members of the Taiyi Talisman Association. We'd like to invite you outside to discuss something. Lin the Alchemist, you'd better cooperate. If they do something, I can't be held responsible."

Lin Shiyu warily moved closer to Zhou Er and said,

"We're going back to our sect. You'd better not get in our way."

"Lin the Alchemist, do you really think this pretty boy can protect you? Come with us quietly, and we can be gentle. Otherwise, you know what will happen."

One of the men in black revealed his cultivation level: Foundation Establishment Peak.

The others exerted somewhat weaker pressure, but they were basically all at Foundation Establishment Late Stage.