War Intensifies

"I never thought that on the very first day of the Auction, even Foundation Establishment materials would appear."

After leaving the Auction, everyone chattered at once. Lin Chang'an naturally met up with Li Erniu and the others.

Li Erniu, in particular, spoke with envy.

"Foundation Establishment materials are worth a fortune. Luckily, when I returned from the front lines, I was rewarded with some Spirit Stones, so I didn't come back empty-handed this time."

At this Auction, Li Erniu had bought two bottles of Medicinal Pills to improve his cultivation.

"Big Brother Lin, you...?"

Sharp-eyed Li Erniu seemed to have noticed something, but then stopped himself halfway, pretending to laugh it off. Even Shen Lie beside him smiled and teased him.

"This time was truly worth it. I bought a Medium-Grade Bloodline Spirit Beast, a flying type."

Shen Lie smiled as he patted his Spirit Beast Bag. It had been a free gift with the Spirit Beast he bought after the Auction.

Seeing this, Lin Chang'an also smiled and shook his head. He did not hide anything from the two of them; after all, there would be no way to conceal that big fellow in the future.

"I got lucky and won the bid for that Green-Horned Ox."

When Lin Chang'an likewise smiled and revealed his Spirit Beast Bag, Shen Lie immediately said with sour envy,

"So it was Brother Lin. As expected of a High-Grade Talisman Master."

In many cases, it was not that they could not afford it. Rather, husband and wife both needed to cultivate and raise children, so they preferred to spend their resources on themselves.

They were not like Lin Chang'an, a bitter cultivator who devoted himself entirely to cultivation.

"Brother Lin, Brother Shen, and Er Niu, this Auction has truly been worth the trip. I heard this Auction will be held three times, with two more sessions in the middle and at the end of the month."

As he said this, Wei Yiyi glanced around. Once he saw no one paying attention, he lowered his voice and transmitted,

"I heard that a Foundation Establishment Pill will be auctioned at the final session. This news will probably spread before long."

It had to be said that people like Wei Yiyi had truly broad sources of intelligence.

After hearing this, Lin Chang'an and the others understood. This Auction held by the Two Major Sects could be considered a grand event for the Market.

It also displayed just how firm the alliance between the Two Major Sects was.

"Fellow Daoists, let us chat another day."

When Wei Yiyi saw Huang Shaohai emerge, his expression immediately changed. He forced a smile and bade everyone farewell.

Watching this, Li Erniu said unhappily, "Can an outsider give him Spirit Stones, or become his father?"

Lin Chang'an and Shen Lie both laughed and shook their heads. Those two could be considered mortal enemies.

Although Wei Yiyi's personality was somewhat unpleasant, he had never intended to harm them.

Only after Lu Qingqing and Yun Yao emerged did the two women, upon learning what he had auctioned, both involuntarily glance at Lin Chang'an.

"Fellow Daoist Lin truly has a steadfast Dao heart."

Even Yun Yao could not help sighing. Lin Chang'an's decision to raise a Spirit Beast at this time clearly showed that he was preparing resources for Foundation Establishment in the future.

"Fellow Daoist Yun flatters me. I am merely a Rogue Cultivator, so I can only prepare for a rainy day. Even if I fail, I will still have a Spirit Beast to protect me."

Lin Chang'an smiled and cupped his hands. Just as Yun Yao had thought, everyone else thought the same.

With the identity of a First-Rank Talisman Master and cultivation at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, he naturally had to start planning early for Foundation Establishment, whether for gathering Foundation Establishment materials later or venturing into the Cloud Mist Mountain Range.

Compared with traveling alongside other cultivators, raising a Spirit Beast was more reliable.

Lin Chang'an smiled and nodded, but he had other thoughts in mind.

Relatively speaking, he preferred using Spirit Stones to purchase Foundation Establishment resources in the Market. Still, raising a Spirit Beast was also a precaution against unforeseen circumstances.

He would pursue both paths and grasp both with his hands.

One day, once his cultivation reached the perfected Qi Refining Ninth Layer and he became a First-Order High-Grade Talisman Master, if anyone claimed he was not preparing for Foundation Establishment, not even ghosts would believe it.

Naturally, people would keep their eyes on him. Thus, raising a Spirit Beast now was also for deterrence and self-protection.

"Big Brother Lin, I believe you can definitely do it."

Li Erniu nodded firmly, as though he truly believed Lin Chang'an would succeed.

"Everyone, cultivate diligently. Things outside will only grow more chaotic."

After chatting for a while, Lin Chang'an, Shen Lie, and Li Erniu ordered some supplies for feeding Spirit Beasts, then went their separate ways.

"Moo, moo..."

In the courtyard, a calf the size of a dog rubbed against Lin Chang'an's trouser leg with an adorably foolish look. Its clear eyes gazed at him with affection.

The Green-Horned Ox, also known as the Dark Cloud Beast, had bluish-black fur. Apart from the sharp horns on either side of its head, it had a hard, exceptionally sturdy protrusion in the center of its forehead.

At the sight of this beast, Lin Chang'an revealed a rare smile.

"You little fellow."

Because of the Beast Taming Plaque, he could clearly sense the intimate and dependent emotional fluctuations coming from his Spirit Pet.

Lin Chang'an was not stingy either. He sorted through the Spirit Grass Zhou Qing had given him earlier and took it out. At least it would not go to waste.

Sure enough, the little calf immediately let out several simple-minded moos.

The next moment, it began chewing the precious Spirit Grass.

"Green-Horned Oxen have strong constitutions. They are famously thick-skinned and durable, and they are easy to raise."

He had even built a small cowshed in the courtyard, and Lin Chang'an could not help revealing a satisfied smile.

If fed well, an adult Green-Horned Ox could reach the Second Tier. However, it would need certain special Spirit Fruits or Medicinal Pills at critical stages.

Even so, once this Green-Horned Ox matured, it could be raised to the First-Rank Late Stage, equivalent to a cultivator at the Qi Refining Late Stage.

"The Market appears prosperous now, but endless murderous danger lurks behind it. Once this grand feast ends, blood and storms will probably rise again."

Stroking the Green-Horned Ox, Lin Chang'an gazed at the illuminated Market and secretly shook his head.

During stable times, great Sects and Lineages sealed off resources because they feared Rogue Cultivators would affect their interests.

But now they were opening up resources and allowing Rogue Cultivators to grow rapidly. They were clearly waiting to harvest batch after batch like ripe crops.

The grand event at Green Bamboo Mountain Market lasted an entire month.

The final Auction allowed Lin Chang'an to witness the madness of cultivators.

When the Foundation Establishment Pill appeared, countless cultivators erupted. Its usual internal Sect price of around six thousand Spirit Stones was driven up to nearly nine thousand Spirit Stones outside.

In the end, it was bought by the Wang Family.

However, none of that had much to do with Lin Chang'an. He returned once more to his usual rhythm of Talisman Drawing and cultivation, except now he had the additional task of feeding a Spirit Beast.

This Green-Horned Ox was nothing like the unruly Falcon Spirit Beast Shen Lie had bought. He had heard it had already wrecked quite a few things. Unlike his, which neither made trouble nor caused a fuss.

Its favorite thing to do each day was lie in the courtyard and bask in the sun, acting as a Spirit Beast that guarded the house and courtyard.

Only two months had passed since the Auction when a piece of news shattered Lin Chang'an's daily routine.

"Wei Yiyi has met with trouble!"

Although that man's personality was unpleasant, after twenty-seven years of cultivating immortality, he was still one of Lin Chang'an's few friends.

At the very least, Wei Yiyi had never intended to harm anyone, and he had truly shared some valuable information with them.

When Lin Chang'an arrived at Wei Yiyi's newly moved residence, he heard coughing from inside the courtyard.

"Big Brother Lin, Wei Yiyi's wife ran off with Huang Shaohai. She even swept away all the assets in their home."

Li Erniu secretly transmitted the details to him.

However, when Lin Chang'an entered the room, he saw Wei Yiyi lying on the bed with deeply sunken eye sockets. It was obvious he had suffered severe injuries.

Shen Lie and Lu Qingqing were also in the room, along with Wei Yiyi's daughter, who was not yet two years old.

"That Huang Shaohai is truly lawless, to beat Fellow Daoist Wei so badly."

But sharp-eyed Lin Chang'an was secretly alarmed. Huang Shaohai was truly vicious. Wei Yiyi's two—no, three—legs had all been crippled.

Bloodshot filled Wei Yiyi's eyes, and his face was haggard and desolate. When he saw Lin Chang'an, Li Erniu, and Shen Lie come to visit him, his masculine pride made him force himself upright as he rasped,

"It's fine. I still have my skill in alchemy. I can still survive in this Market."

Looking at Wei Yiyi, who would rather suffer than lose face, Lin Chang'an was speechless.

Everyone comforted him for a while, but Lu Qingqing's expression was rather ugly. According to Er Niu, Huang Shaohai had apparently also wanted to make a move on her.

Had Yun Yao not appeared in time, the consequences would have been unimaginable. After all, they truly could not afford to provoke that man.

Shen Lie was clearly filled with anger, but it only strengthened his resolve to cultivate diligently. Even if he could not afford to provoke such people in the future, he would at least be able to take his family and leave this place.

So they would not be slaughtered at another's whim.

Yet whether Wei Yiyi was fortunate or unfortunate, only a few days later, the war on the front lines grew tense and cultivators were conscripted again. Because the part below had been completely ruined, he was unexpectedly exempted from the draft.

However, Wei Yiyi's wife was never seen in the Market again afterward.

As the war on the front lines intensified, even they, in this rear area, could feel the approaching danger.