While Liu Changxu was busy switching cultivation methods and learning alchemy, Grand Elder Liu Qiusheng and the other senior members of the Lineage were busy selling spiritual goods wherever they could to raise spirit stones. All of it was in preparation for buying a Foundation Establishment Pill at the auction.
To ensure nothing went wrong, even Liu Qiuju, who had been staying at her sect, came to the Purple Forest Market to meet up with the Liu Household cultivators.
This was Liu Changxu's first time meeting his Ninth Great-Grandaunt, Liu Qiuju. She wore a red cultivator robe, and although she was nearly a hundred years old, she still had the radiant beauty and graceful bearing of a young married woman. With Foundation Establishment cultivators enjoying lifespans of up to 250 years, Liu Qiuju was still in her physical prime. Combined with her regular use of beauty-preserving pills, she showed none of the signs of a hundred-year-old woman.
His Ninth Great-Grandaunt Liu Qiuju's daughter, the Foundation Establishment cultivator Zhao Yushan, accompanied her mother.
His Ninth Great-Grandaunt Liu Qiuju's husband was a Foundation Establishment late stage cultivator of the Azure Cloud Sect, with an excellent chance of reaching Golden Core. He was in secluded cultivation, so he had not come.
In the courtyard's main hall, Liu Changxu's father led him forward to bow to his Ninth Great-Aunt Liu Qiuju and his cousin-grandaunt Zhao Yushan. "Greetings, Ninth Great-Aunt! Greetings, Cousin-Grandaunt!"
Liu Qiuju smiled. "So this is Liu Changxu, the young qilin of our Liu Household! Such a handsome boy, and your cultivation is impressive too. You've reached the sixth level of Qi Refinement at just sixteen! Even among Azure Cloud Sect disciples your age, you would be outstanding! Don't let that make you slack off! Strive to reach Foundation Establishment as soon as you can!"
Liu Changxu hastily nodded. "Great-Grandaunt, I'll certainly work hard!"
His Ninth Great-Grandaunt Liu Qiuju took three second-tier talismans from her Storage Bag: a second-tier lower-grade Fire Snake Talisman, a second-tier lower-grade Earth-Travel Talisman, and a second-tier lower-grade Diamond Talisman. She handed them to Liu Changxu and said, "Child, I'm delighted to meet you for the first time. Take these three talismans as a welcoming gift! I hope you'll use them with care!"
Liu Changxu accepted the talismans with great delight. "Thank you for your gifts, Great-Grandaunt!"
Then, at his father's signal, he took his leave of his Ninth Great-Grandaunt Liu Qiuju and his second elder sister Liu Changxia!
Time passed quickly, and the auction began as scheduled.
Under Liu Qiuju's lead, Liu Changxu and the other Liu Household cultivators arrived at the auction venue together.
The auction was being held at the Azure Cloud Auction House, which the Azure Cloud Sect had established in the Purple Forest Market.
The Azure Cloud Auction House occupied extensive grounds. Its main building was a towering golden pavilion ten zhang high, gleaming brilliantly even from afar.
After paying spirit stones at the entrance, his Ninth Great-Grandaunt Liu Qiuju led Liu Changxu and the other Liu Household cultivators into the auction hall.
The auction hall was exceptionally spacious, with three floors that could accommodate several thousand people. The first-floor hall catered to Qi Refinement cultivators, the second-floor private rooms to Foundation Establishment cultivators, and the third-floor private rooms to Golden Core cultivators.
After entering the hall, his Ninth Great-Grandaunt Liu Qiuju led the Liu Household group straight to a private room on the second floor. It was spacious enough to seat a dozen or more people without feeling crowded. Spiritual fruit and spiritual tea were provided on the table for their enjoyment. Each private room also had restrictions that blocked sound and probing spiritual senses. Through a jade window, those inside could watch the auction stage.
Just then, a beautiful female cultivator with a sultry figure and alluring bearing stepped onto the auction stage. She first gave the assembled cultivators an enchanting smile, then said, "Esteemed seniors and fellow Daoists! I am Bai Qian'er of the Azure Cloud Sect, and I offer you my greetings. Welcome, esteemed seniors, to this auction! Please take a look at our first lot: the Purple Sun Sword, a first-tier supreme-grade magical artifact longsword."
"This Purple Sun Sword was forged by a second-tier Artifact Refiner of our Azure Cloud Sect and is especially suited to cultivators with fire spiritual roots. The starting price is 1,000 low-grade spirit stones, with each bid increasing by no fewer than 50 low-grade spirit stones."
The cultivators soon began bidding:
"1,100 spirit stones!"
"1,300 spirit stones!"
"1,500 spirit stones!"
The final bid reached:
"1,950 spirit stones!"
Bai Qian'er called out, "1,950 low-grade spirit stones! Does anyone offer more? No? 1,950 low-grade spirit stones, going once! 1,950 low-grade spirit stones, going twice! 1,950 low-grade spirit stones, going three times! Sold! Congratulations to this fellow Daoist!"
"Now we begin bidding on our second lot! An upper-grade first-tier Golden Armor Shield, with a starting price of 1,000 spirit stones. Each bid must increase by no fewer than 50 spirit stones!"
A bid soon rang out: "1,200 low-grade spirit stones!"
"1,400 low-grade spirit stones!"
"1,850 low-grade spirit stones!"
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