The Martial Saint Started from Scavenging

Two days have passed since Ye Sheng obtained his samurai status.

Over the past two days, the atmosphere in Qingyun City has changed more and more each day. As the Grand Alchemy Gathering draws ever closer, this magnificent city, like a slumbering beast, is beginning to reveal its true prosperity and profound heritage.

On the official road outside the city, carriages and horses were like dragons. Alchemists, medicine merchants, extraordinary people and strange people from all over the Eastern Region, as well as disciples from various cultivation families and sects, poured into the city like a swarm of locusts crossing a river.

In no time, the inns in the city were full, prices soared, and cultivators and martial artists of various styles and extraordinary auras could be seen everywhere on the streets.

Inside the Lin family's villa, Ye Sheng seemed to be completely isolated from the hustle and bustle of the outside world.

His daily life was extremely simple. In the early morning, he would practice breathing exercises to refine the true energy of the "Thick Earth Technique"; during the day, he would immerse himself in the alchemy room prepared for him by Lin Xuan to study alchemy; at night, he would continue to meditate and cultivate to consolidate his cultivation.

The resources provided by the Lin family were enormous. Hundreds of years old spiritual plants, rare minerals, alchemy furnaces of various grades, and the "True Explanation of Alchemy" copied from the Qingyun Sword Sect were all at Ye Sheng's disposal.

With such reckless investment, Ye Sheng's strength is improving at an alarming rate.

His cultivation level has stabilized at the peak of the Meridian Opening Realm, and he is only one step away from the Grandmaster Realm of Condensing Qi into Qi.

His alchemy skills have improved by leaps and bounds. With his talent of "first glimpse into the Dao of Alchemy", his understanding of "True Explanation of the Dao of Alchemy" has progressed by leaps and bounds. Now he can skillfully refine more than a dozen kinds of low-level pills. His success rate and quality are even inferior to those senior alchemists served by the Lin family.

That afternoon, Ye Sheng had just finished refining a batch of "Qingyun Pills" when Lin Qingxue pushed open the door and walked in.

She wore a light purple silk dress today, which made her skin appear even whiter and her demeanor more elegant. She held a thick stack of files in her hand and placed them in front of Ye Sheng.

"This is information on several opponents that we need to pay the most attention to at this Grand Alchemy Conference, which my father asked me to compile."

Ye Sheng picked up the file and began to look through it.

"Medicine King Valley, Wang Teng." Ye Sheng raised an eyebrow when he saw the first name.

"Hmm." Lin Qingxue explained from the side, "Medicine King Valley is a family of alchemists in the Eastern Region with a history of hundreds of years. They have a profound foundation and are especially good at refining various healing and detoxifying pills."

"This Wang Teng is the only son of the Valley Master of Medicine King Valley, and also the most outstanding alchemy genius among the younger generation. It is said that he was able to refine mid-grade spiritual pills at the age of twenty, making him a strong favorite to win the championship in this alchemy competition."

"Moreover..." Lin Qingxue paused, a hint of disgust flashing across her pretty face, "This Wang Teng is extremely arrogant and domineering. Relying on the power of Medicine King Valley, he runs rampant in the Eastern Region. Three years ago, he even came to my Lin family to propose marriage, wanting to take me as a concubine, but my father refused on the spot. Since then, he has become an enemy of my Lin family."

Ye Sheng nodded and memorized the name.

He scrolled down and saw several other equally impressive names: a disciple of Danxia Valley, a genius alchemist from a reclusive sect, and even a mysterious rogue cultivator from the Southern Frontier who was proficient in Gu poison.

"It seems this alchemy gathering is going to be a fierce battle," Ye Sheng remarked, putting down the file.

"That's for sure," Lin Qingxue said. "This grand event is not only about personal reputation, but also about the interests of the forces behind it. It is said that the top three winners of this event will not only receive the position of guest elder of the Qingyun Sword Sect, but also a reward of a thousand-year-old 'Dragon Blood Ginseng'."

Thousand-year-old Dragon Blood Ginseng!

Ye Sheng's heart skipped a beat. This was a legendary treasure, containing immense power of blood and qi, a coveted item for any martial artist. If he could obtain it, he was ninety percent certain he could break through to the Grandmaster realm in one fell swoop!

"Oh, right," Lin Qingxue suddenly remembered something, took out an invitation from her bosom, and handed it to Ye Sheng, "There's a big auction at the 'Baibaolou' in the city tonight, and I heard there are a lot of good things. My father got two invitations, so we can go and see what's going on, and maybe we can bid on something useful to you."

"Okay." Ye Sheng nodded in agreement.

That evening, Ye Sheng changed into a moon-white brocade robe prepared for him by the Lin family, and together with Lin Qingxue, they rode in a carriage to Baibaolou.

Baibaolou is the largest auction house in Qingyun City, with a mysterious background and immense power. Tonight's auction is unprecedented in its scale.

As Ye Sheng and Lin Qingxue entered the magnificent auction hall, they sensed several powerful auras. The hall was already packed, filled with prominent figures.

Led by a waiter, the two arrived at a private room on the second floor with a great view.

"Qingxue, what a coincidence! I didn't expect to run into you here."

Just as the two sat down, a slightly flirtatious voice came from the next private room.

Immediately afterwards, a young man dressed in a magnificent golden robe, with a handsome face but a somewhat gloomy look in his eyes, walked over, surrounded by a group of people.

It was Wang Teng, the young master of Medicine King Valley.

When Lin Qingxue saw him, her pretty face instantly turned cold: "Wang Teng, who is your sister? Please show some respect."

"Hehe, Qingxue is still so cold-hearted." Wang Teng wasn't angry. He looked Lin Qingxue up and down without restraint before finally settling on Ye Sheng beside her.

"Who is this?" Wang Teng looked Ye Sheng up and down, his eyes filled with scrutiny and contempt. "When did Qingxue get this pretty boy by her side? He looks completely unfamiliar."

His words were extremely rude.

"He is a distinguished guest of the Lin family, and like you, he will also attend the Pill Gathering. Wang Teng, I advise you to watch your mouth!" Lin Qingxue said coldly, her pretty face frosty.

"A distinguished guest?" Wang Teng scoffed as if he had heard the biggest joke in the world. "Him? A mere mortal martial artist who doesn't even have a trace of spiritual energy? Does he deserve to be a distinguished guest of your Lin family?"

His henchmen behind him also joined in the laughter.

Ye Sheng remained silent throughout, simply looking calmly at Wang Teng with an expressionless gaze.

Seeing that Ye Sheng ignored him, Wang Teng felt bored and turned his gaze to Lin Qingxue. He took out a jade box from his bosom, opened it, and inside lay a spirit herb that was entirely crimson and shaped like a dragon's whiskers.

"Sister Qingxue, look, this is a 'Crimson Dragon Whiskers' plant that I obtained by chance a few days ago. It's at least five hundred years old. I know your Lin family has been searching everywhere for this plant recently. I'm willing to give it to you, as long as you..."

"No need," Lin Qingxue coldly interrupted him. "My Lin family will take care of what we need ourselves; there's no need for Young Master Wang to trouble himself."

Just then, Ye Sheng, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up.

"Young Master Wang, this 'Crimson Dragon Whiskers' of yours was probably not obtained by chance, was it?"

Wang Teng was taken aback, turned to look at Ye Sheng, and frowned: "What do you mean?"

Ye Sheng stood up, walked to him, pointed to the spirit herb in the jade box, and said calmly, "This Crimson Dragon Whiskers has obvious grafting marks at its roots and stems, and the fire elemental energy on its leaves is also mixed and impure. It was obviously grown using a secret method and is no more than a hundred years old. You are trying to deceive Miss Lin with such a fake. You are being far too insincere."

Ye Sheng's words shocked everyone present.

All eyes were focused on the red dragon whiskers.

Wang Teng's face instantly turned a deep purplish-red. He hadn't expected that this seemingly ordinary mortal martial artist would have such sharp eyes, seeing through the true nature of his growth-enhancing spiritual herb at a glance.

This Crimson Dragon Whiskers plant was indeed cultivated using a secret method by his Medicine King Valley, specifically to swindle those who don't know anything about it at tonight's auction.

"You...you're talking nonsense! Who do you think you are to comment on the spiritual herbs of my Medicine King Valley!" Wang Teng shouted angrily, pointing at Ye Sheng.

"Whether it's nonsense or not, you know it in your heart." Ye Sheng looked at him calmly. "If you don't believe me, you can ask the appraisers at Baibaolou to examine it."

Wang Teng was speechless. He knew that once an expert appraiser was brought in, his lie would be exposed immediately.

"Fine! You little brat!" Wang Teng trembled with rage, pointing at Ye Sheng with venomous eyes. "You just wait! At the Grand Alchemy Gathering, I'll make you pay for offending me, Wang Teng!"

After saying that, he led a group of followers and slunk back to his private room.

The storm has thus subsided.

Lin Qingxue looked at Ye Sheng, her beautiful eyes sparkling with admiration.

"How did you figure that out?" she asked curiously.

"I only know a little bit about it." Ye Sheng smiled faintly and sat back down in his original seat.

He didn't mention that he was able to see through the true nature of that spiritual herb at a glance because of his "initial understanding of alchemy".

Looking at Ye Sheng's calm profile, Lin Qingxue suddenly felt a strange sensation.

She found that she seemed to understand the boy in front of her less and less.

He is like a mystery, full of unknowns and surprises.

Meanwhile, in the next private room, Wang Teng was listening to his subordinate's report with a gloomy expression.

"Young Master, we've found out. That kid's name is Ye Sheng. He's a guest elder recently recruited by the Lin family. He's said to be a martial artist at the Qi Opening Realm."

"A mere martial artist dares to ruin my plans!" Wang Teng crushed the teacup in his hand, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. "Investigate! Find out everything about him! Before the Grand Alchemy Gathering, I want him to disappear from this world completely!"