I forge immortality with spiritual treasures.

Chapter 152 The Essence of the Five Elements
By this time, many guests had already boarded the Wanbao Boat, and pedestrians were flocking to each of the Rainbow Bridges, heading towards the various pavilions and terraces.

Ying Chan looked around and saw that the pavilions and terraces were all nine stories high, with golden tiles and glazed tiles that reflected the sky and changed colors.

It truly exudes opulence.

"This Wanbao Boat is truly luxurious," he thought to himself, and then strode toward the nearest pavilion.

As they got closer, the grandeur became more apparent; even the gate was nine zhang high and wide, with hundreds of silver bells hanging above it, swaying and bobbing.

Ying Chan stepped through the gate and heard the melodious sound of silver bells. Soon, a lady in a long dress with a light veil over her shoulders came forward and gave a slight curtsy: "This humble girl, Zhu'er, greets the honored guest."

"May I ask, esteemed guest, are you here for the treasure gathering?"

Ying Chan said, "That's right."

Upon hearing this, Zhu'er said, "In that case, may I choose a private seat for our honored guest?"

Ying Chan readily agreed, and after nodding in agreement, he followed Zhu'er up the stairs and through the corridor.

Soon, the two had climbed to the sixth or seventh floor before stopping at a certain spot.

Before the jade railing, which was about a foot high, there was a table and cushions. On the table were celadon teacups, a small carved stove, a jade chime, and a jade mallet.

In addition, there were two or three small white jade dishes, each containing pastries.

Zhu'er led Ying Chan to the table and then said softly, "Honored guest, please take a seat."

Ying Chan sat cross-legged on the futon and looked over the jade railing. He saw a crowd of people below, with countless cultivators sitting side by side.

In comparison, this place is not only spacious, but also separated by screens and curtains on both sides, making it much quieter.

When Pearl said she was choosing a private seat for him, she was not lying.

Of course, he also saw higher places, where the light was hazy and thin clouds shrouded many painted pavilions, which were obviously different from this 'elegant seat'.

Ying Chan knew, even without wanting to, that there must be some underlying reasons for the difference in status.

However, outsiders have no way of knowing what evidence Wanshanfang City has.

After all, Wanbao Club has a large number of guests, and Fangshi can't possibly verify the identity and financial strength of each one. That would be too undignified.

After Ying Chan sat down, Zhu'er poured fragrant tea and lit incense.

Soon, wisps of smoke began to rise from the carved incense burner, emitting a pleasant fragrance that calmed the mind and soothed the spirit.

Then, Zhu'er said, "The banquet is about to begin, and I must greet our honored guests, so I will not be able to attend to you any longer."

"If you have any instructions, please activate this talisman, and I will come as soon as possible."

Ying Chan nodded slightly. Zhu'er put down a jade talisman, bowed slightly, and left the room, then lowered the curtain.

Ying Chan glanced at the sky, leisurely sipped his fragrant tea, and soon the sun was high in the sky, and the atmosphere outside suddenly became lively.

His eyebrows twitched slightly, and his gaze once again swept over the jade railing.

Including Ying Chan's location, the pavilions and terraces on this Wanbao ship subtly form an enclosing shape, while the center is originally an open space.

However, as noon approached, a jade platform suddenly rose up here, with mythical beasts carved on all four sides, inlaid with jade and gilded, shimmering with light.

At this moment, a man in fine clothes appeared on the stage, cupped his hands towards the four pavilions, and said loudly: "Since the establishment of this association, we have relied on the support of fellow Daoists from all sides, and the response has become more and more enthusiastic each year. We are truly grateful."

"I will not waste any more time with official pleasantries. Now, please proceed with the first treasure."

In response, a graceful young woman appeared out of nowhere and ascended the platform, holding a tray and presenting a white jade vessel.

Although the high platform was far from the pavilion, everyone present was a cultivator, so it was not difficult for them to see the details clearly.

Ying Chan strained his eyes and saw that inside the white jade container were clusters of iridescent, multicolored crystal beads, which bore a resemblance to the Five Elements Spiritual Essence he had previously obtained from the White Jade Spring. A thought struck him: "Could this be...?"

At this moment, a faint commotion arose on the four sides of the pavilion.

Clearly, among the large crowd at Wanbaohui, there were many knowledgeable individuals who had already recognized the object's significance.

Seeing this, the man in fine clothes said calmly, "I'm sure you all have already recognized that this is the essence of the Five Elements!"

"Sure enough!"

Ying Chan felt a slight tremor in his heart.

The Five Elements Essence may sound similar to the Five Elements Spiritual Essence, but in reality, they are worlds apart.

If the cultivation of the Profound Light Realm can be divided into three stages: minor success, major success, and refining the Qi and Sha, then Qi and Sha cultivators who want to refine the Golden Core also have three major hurdles, one of which is called the absorption of the Five Essences.

The "Five Essences" refer to the most refined of the Five Elements.

In other words, these five elements are the essential elements for refining the Golden Elixir.

Ying Chan knew that such a grand gathering would be presented with first-class treasures at the beginning to create a lively atmosphere, but he never expected it to be this.

Although he has not yet achieved the Gang Sha, with the Five Elements at his fingertips, he still cannot help but feel a burning passion in his heart.

If there were any cultivators present who had achieved the Gang Sha realm, or even those who were already stuck at the stage of absorbing the Five Essences, they would naturally find it even more difficult to restrain themselves. Immediately, a voice rang out, shouting, "I want this Five Essences!"

Ying Chan looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young cultivator suddenly appear on the tower to his left.

Originally, the entire pavilion was shrouded in a hazy light, making it difficult to see anything clearly when looking in from the outside.

However, this cultivator surnamed Zong took the initiative to unveil his aura and stepped out, his gaze sweeping around as if he wanted to intimidate people with his power.

Upon seeing this, Ying Chan simply shook his head, and the four pavilions remained silent.

Seeing this, the richly dressed man simply smiled and said, "Honorable guest, please be patient. I will tell you the price shortly, and you will have a chance to win it."

Having said that, he stopped showing off and immediately said, "I will not elaborate further on the value of these five elements."

“The starting price is five thousand coins. Honored guests, you may now bid.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the cultivator surnamed Zong turned back to his seat, and then a loud chime sounded.

Ying Chan's heart stirred, and his gaze fell back on the jade chime and jade mallet on the table.

He took the jade mallet, played with it in his palm for a moment, and then he understood.

Although it is ultimately business, the guests coming and going are all practitioners, and it would be too unseemly for them to argue until they are red in the face.

Therefore, this jade chime was used as a symbol; striking the chime represented participation in the bidding, with each strike costing one hundred coins.

Ying Chan shook his head, unable to say whether this was elegance or mere appearances, and simply put the jade mallet back in its original place.

At this moment, the sounds of chimes rang out from all four directions.

These five elements are of the highest quality and are not ordinary treasures. Although five thousand magic coins are a high price, it is still difficult to suppress the enthusiasm of cultivators from all sides, and even some small sects.

Ying Chan counted in his mind and realized that in just a short while, the bidding had already exceeded ten thousand coins.

He was amazed, yet he couldn't help but feel that it made perfect sense.

If one seeks the Golden Elixir of Immortality, what are mere riches worth? One should put oneself in another's shoes; if one possessed tens of thousands of coins, one would not hesitate to part with them for the sake of the Five Elements' essence…

(End of this chapter)