"This Is the Main Lineage. It Cannot Be Severed."

The growth of a newly risen power had its limits. Foundation Establishment Lineages built from scratch were as numerous as the hairs on an ox, yet Golden Core Lineages built from nothing were almost nonexistent. For a lineage to produce a Golden Core powerhouse capable of sheltering it for five hundred years—

It had to accumulate strength over several generations, until one generation suddenly possessed the right time, the right place, and the right people. Then, out of nowhere, a Golden Core powerhouse would emerge, allowing the lineage to leap into the ranks of Golden Core Lineages. During the years under that Golden Core cultivator's protection, it would continue accumulating generation after generation until it could cultivate another Golden Core powerhouse.

Only then could a lineage's inheritance endure.

This middle-aged man had built a Foundation Establishment Lineage from scratch with his own hands. He had clearly sensed that both his strength and energy had reached their limits. If he wanted the lineage to continue, he had to place his hopes on the next generation, and Heavenly Dao Traits were a fine choice.

Though there was an element of gambling involved.

But no one who had risen from nothing feared a gamble.

What the middle-aged man failed to notice was that the young man standing behind him had pupils blazing with an exceptionally furious and venomous fire.

The young man wanted to forcibly suppress the emotions in his heart, but the rage within him surged beyond his control. His father had encountered an opportunity in middle age and built a small lineage from nothing. He had originally been thrilled.

His father had only one son—him. The future position of lineage head was surely his.

His mother had died early. For some reason, his father suddenly wanted to pass down several Heavenly Dao Traits and turn them into the kind of lineage that possessed Heavenly Dao Traits. So he had taken another wife, intending to make that younger son, who would be born with Heavenly Dao Traits, the lineage head.

Heavenly Dao Traits could indeed be inherited, but when his father had him, he did not yet possess any damned Heavenly Dao Traits. Naturally, he would not inherit them.

Only the first wife who had undergone the marriage ceremony could pass down Heavenly Dao Traits, but that applied to later inheritance.

The first person to possess a Heavenly Dao Trait was called the Dragonhead. This restriction did not apply to the Dragonhead. The Dragonhead's second wife could likewise pass down Heavenly Dao Traits so long as she had undergone the marriage ceremony, provided that the first wife was dead.

And it was precisely because of this—

He loathed the gorgeous woman in his father's arms, yet he could not interfere with his father's plans. With this Heavenly Dao Trait involved, his father had already spent a fortune purchasing three Heavenly Dao Traits. The Spirit Stones had already been spent; there was no way he would abandon the plan halfway.

And he could not possibly give up his future position as lineage head.

"Father."

After a long while, the young man suddenly spoke with a calm expression. "It just occurred to me that my younger brother, whom I have yet to meet, has not even been born. Who knows when he will arrive in this world? It will still be a long time before he comes of age. Why not let me first take the position of young master? When you grow old, Father, I can become the lineage head. Once my younger brother has fully matured, I can pass the position of lineage head to him. What do you think?"

"And what if Second Mother gives birth to a girl? A woman cannot inherit Heavenly Dao Traits."

"No!"

The middle-aged man shook his head without leaving the slightest room for discussion. "There is no possibility of that. A lineage's inheritance must follow its proper order. Go find any lineage with Heavenly Dao Traits—whose lineage head does not possess Heavenly Dao Traits?"

"This is the main lineage. It cannot be severed."

"I know you feel wronged, but even if you do, you must endure it. A lineage's development cannot possibly take every person into account. For the sake of the lineage's growth, one should take personal interests more lightly."

"Besides, I built this lineage with my own two hands. I can give it to whoever I want!"

The young man said nothing further. He merely turned to look at himself in the bronze mirror beside him. After a long silence, he suddenly chuckled softly. Sure enough, Master's words had been right.

The day one sets foot upon the immortal path, kill one's father and mother first, then cut down one's son.

In that case, two days from now, let the truth be revealed in the Windward City Secret Realm.

He also wanted to ask this Second Mother exactly what abilities she possessed, that she could muddle his father's head with just a few words until he could no longer tell north from south. His father was willing to abandon the son who had built this lineage alongside him and instead pour everything into a child he had yet to meet.

And while he was at it, he wanted to find out what Second Mother tasted like.

"The ninth auction item."

"Mid-Grade Heavenly Dao Retrospection Talismans, suitable for the Foundation Establishment Realm. They allow one to use a Retrospection Talisman to additionally obtain one of the two traits discarded during the three-choice selection upon breaking through to Foundation Establishment."

"There are two in total, to be auctioned as a package."

"Starting bid: 100 Spirit Stones. Each bid must increase by at least 100 Spirit Stones."

The moment the host finished speaking, quite a few people began bidding. The price quickly rose to 1,300 Spirit Stones. The value of this item varied from person to person.

If, when you broke through to the Foundation Establishment Realm and received the opportunity to choose one out of three traits, the two traits you discarded were both exceptionally good in rank and effect, then these two items would be extraordinarily valuable to you.

No amount of Spirit Stones spent on them would be excessive.

But if the two discarded traits from your Foundation Establishment breakthrough had both been trash, then this item would have very limited value to you. Unless you could obtain another opportunity within the Foundation Establishment Realm to choose one trait out of three, its only value would be to trade it for Spirit Stones.

Seeing that the bidding had slowed down—

Chen Qiu placed a bid of 1,800 Spirit Stones, ending the contest. These two Mid-Grade Heavenly Dao Retrospection Talismans held considerable significance for him. This price was not expensive; he could accept it.

The auction continued—

There was nothing among the later items that interested him.

Until—

"The twelfth auction item."

"A mid-grade Foundation Establishment Realm spell, 'Lightning-Channeling Art,' from the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm. Upon learning it, one immediately reaches the Major Accomplishment realm."

"Starting bid: 100 Spirit Stones. Each increase must be at least 100 Spirit Stones."

It ultimately fell into Chen Qiu's hands for 600 Spirit Stones. A directly damaging spell like the Lightning-Channeling Art was far more expensive than a spell like the Illusion Technique he had obtained before.

"The fourteenth auction item."

"A top-grade Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation art, 'Seven Lamps Descend,' from the Heavenly Dao Secret Realm. Upon learning it, one immediately reaches the Major Accomplishment realm."

"Starting bid: 100 Spirit Stones. Each increase must be at least 100 Spirit Stones."

It was one of the finest cultivation arts within the Foundation Establishment Realm, sufficient for use all the way into the Golden Core Realm. Even many Golden Core powerhouses used top-grade Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation arts. Cultivation arts of this caliber allowed one to absorb and recover spiritual energy far faster than low- or mid-grade Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation arts.

This round of bidding was much livelier.

Quite a few Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators at Great Perfection even joined the bidding. In the end, Chen Qiu had to pay 3,000 Spirit Stones to secure it.

The auction was also gradually drawing to a close.

An attendant knocked and entered, carrying all the items Chen Qiu had won at this auction on a tray. Chen Qiu casually tossed over a storage pouch. After the attendant counted the Spirit Stones, removed them, and returned the storage pouch, he set down the tray and left.

Chen Qiu said nothing. He merely calculated how many Spirit Stones he had spent at this auction.

He had bought two Mid-Grade Heavenly Dao Retrospection Talismans, one top-grade Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation art, Seven Lamps Descend, and one mid-grade Foundation Establishment Realm spell, Lightning-Channeling Art, spending a total of 5,400 Spirit Stones.

So expensive.

.