Refining Ruins Cauldron

The speed of an airship is far superior to that of flying on a sword.

They sped along at breakneck speed and soon arrived at their destination.

The Yonglan Market was even more bustling than Gu Qingyun had imagined.

From afar, the city was filled with towering buildings and crisscrossing streets, with cultivators coming and going in an endless stream.

There were sect disciples who arrived on swords, aristocratic cultivators who rode in spirit beast carriages, and many independent cultivators carrying treasure bags, their faces covered in dust.

Clearly, news of the auction has already spread.

Even if the Earth Dragon Spirit Ore isn't top-tier, it's enough to attract many people to try their luck.

The auction house had made preparations well in advance.

This auction was clearly a high-profile event, held in the main hall on the third floor.

The lobby is incredibly spacious and luxuriously decorated.

Even so, it can still accommodate nearly a thousand people!

Looking around, even the floor tiles are inlaid with gold edges, truly a magnificent sight.

The surrounding walls are also inlaid with illuminating beads.

Soft light shone down, illuminating the entire auction hall as if it were daytime.

Each row of seats is also extraordinary, made of warm wood that exudes a faint fragrance, and sitting on them even has a calming effect.

When Gu Qingyun and Luo Mei entered, there were already quite a few cultivators in the auction hall.

As people arrived one after another, the venue quickly filled up.

Originally, Gu Qingyun had planned to see if he could buy the spiritual item from Manager Shen ahead of time, just like before.

Unfortunately, the owner of this spirit object is different from the previous ones; their identity is extremely mysterious.

Apart from publicly available seller information, there is absolutely no trace of it.

It seems they made preparations in advance and deliberately concealed the news.

After all, this is a spiritual object of the five elements, and even if its grade is not high, it can still cause quite a stir.

Nobody likes trouble, and nobody wants to be entangled in it.

Especially with items like this, once their origins are traced, someone might already be making moves behind the scenes before the auction even begins.

Having no other choice, Gu Qingyun had to participate in the auction.

No matter the cost, we must acquire the spirit object.

Once you miss it, who knows when you'll get another chance?

"Fellow Daoist Gu, please look to your right."

Manager Shen spoke in a low voice, deliberately keeping his volume very low.

Following the former's gaze, Gu Qingyun quickly saw the person he was pointing to.

The group of six, judging from their clothing, should be members of the Blood Blade Sect.

The leader looked to be around thirty years old, with a cold gaze and a stern face.

Even while seated, one could sense a sharp and incisive aura emanating from him.

That aura wasn't deliberately released.

It's more like the sharpness that naturally forms after years of being with a knife, with the intent of the knife seeping into one's bones and blood.

He just sat there quietly, and no one dared to approach him from the surrounding seats.

"They are..."

Gu Qingyun was puzzled.

"Wen Boxiao, a disciple of the Blood Blade Sect Master, is a late-stage Golden Core cultivator with terrifying strength."

That simple sentence sent a chill down Gu Qingyun's spine.

Late stage of Golden Core!

Even someone of this stature is interested in Earth Dragon Spirit Ore?!

For the first time, Gu Qingyun realized that the competition on this trip was far more intense than he had imagined!

He had previously interacted with Qiu Wentian in the Taiyi Secret Realm and was familiar with the style of the Blood Blade Sect disciples.

These guys may look rough and tough on the surface, but when the opportunity arises, they're ruthless and decisive.

Not to mention that this time, the one who came was a direct disciple of the sect leader.

"Look over there again!"

Manager Shen spoke again, pointing in another direction.

Gu Qingyun looked over and saw that there were only three people this time.

However, the three men's clothing was anything but simple; they were adorned with gold and jade, clearly indicating that they came from wealthy families.

Even the hilt of that sword seemed to be made of spirit jade, incredibly luxurious.

The three sat there, with the table already filled with spiritual tea and fruits, and auction house attendants carefully serving them behind them.

The way they were acting didn't seem like they were there for an auction; it was more like they were there to inspect their own property.

"These are all people from the Golden Flowing Gold Merchant Guild. The leader is the manager, who is at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm."

Shopkeeper Shen added, "Don't underestimate them just because they're not as strong as the Blood Blade Sect. These three are like shadows, always by your side, and they've even created their own combined attack technique. The power they unleash can even force a late-stage Golden Core expert to submit!"

"The Golden Merchant Guild has a wide range of interests, and they do business regardless of whether it's righteous or evil."

"They possess all sorts of cultivation resources. If they can afford it, even the combined wealth of the three major sects probably wouldn't match that of the Flowing Gold Merchant Guild!"

When the Flowing Gold Merchant Guild was mentioned, Manager Shen's expression clearly showed a hint of apprehension.

Not to mention him, even Gu Qingyun was full of amazement.

The three major sects combined can't compare to the Golden Merchant Guild. To describe them as richer than a country would probably be an understatement.

With such a powerful force at play, can I really win the bid for that Earth Dragon Spirit Ore?

Gu Qingyun felt a lot more pressure.

He has a lot of resources, but if he really compares his financial strength with that of a business tycoon, he probably still wouldn't stand a chance.

"And then there's him."

This time, Manager Shen changed his target again.

He was an old man, dressed in a white robe, with white hair and beard, and a dignified and otherworldly air about him.

The old man sat in his seat, whether he was resting with his eyes closed or had fallen asleep, it was unclear, as if everything around him did not exist.

Gu Qingyun was surprised to find that this person did not have any spiritual energy fluctuations at all.

At first glance, he looks like an ordinary old man.

But how could an ordinary old man be worthy of sitting in the front row?

Even compared to the two forces mentioned earlier, their positions are further forward!

Could it be... a Nascent Soul?!

Gu Qingyun's pupils contracted.

Manager Shen noticed this and stopped talking.

The answer is self-evident.

Even Nascent Soul cultivators have arrived!

Gu Qingyun's expression suddenly became more serious.

Wasn't it said to be just a low-grade Five Elements spiritual object?

Is it really worth causing so many people to go to such lengths, even alarming a Nascent Soul cultivator?!

There are probably things behind this that we don't know.

Earth Dragon Spirit Ore may not be as simple as it seems on the surface.

"Fellow Daoist Gu, obtaining this Earth Dragon Spirit Ore will be quite difficult. Are you sure you still want to try?"

Manager Shen hesitated for a long time, but finally couldn't help but speak up to persuade him.

The sheer scale of this lineup far surpasses anything seen before.

Gu Qingyun was far inferior to them.

I'm withdrawing now to save time and avoid humiliation.

Upon hearing this, Gu Qingyun fell silent.

But only for a moment, his gaze hardened again, and his tone became resolute.

"try!"

You only get one chance.

Cultivation is about seizing the path of heaven; every step is like snatching food from a tiger's mouth.

Even if your opponent is a Nascent Soul cultivator, don't expect to retreat without a fight!

Moreover, this earth dragon spirit ore is related to his Five Elements Dao Foundation.

If you don't even dare to try, how can you talk about forming a core?

Boom!

A deep, ancient bell rang out, signaling the start of the auction.

Inside the venue, everyone quieted down, their attention drawn to the stage.

The host was a woman dressed in gorgeous clothes, with a beautiful face and light makeup that made her stand out. Even a glance from her was enough to amaze people.

Her clothes covered what should be covered and revealed what should be revealed, her proud figure, like a majestic mountain range, with appropriate undulations, was simply perfect.

Many male cultivators, after just one glance, stared wide-eyed and could no longer look away.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Mei'er will be in charge of the auction this time. Welcome."

The woman smiled sweetly, her voice like a silver bell, melodious and captivating.

"Xu Meier, personally taught by Master Liuli, is also at the late stage of the Golden Core realm."

When Manager Shen spoke, his expression changed slightly, showing a hint of apprehension as he mentioned Xu Meier.

"Don't let her stunning beauty fool you; every beautiful rose has thorns!"

"I never expected the auctioneer would send her out!"

Another late-stage Golden Core cultivator!

Gu Qingyun's expression was solemn, and he was even somewhat numb.

I've probably seen more Golden Core cultivators today than I did back in the sect.

Even the auctioneer was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator!

I'm afraid I underestimated the allure of the Earth Dragon Spirit Ore!

Moreover, the words "personally taught by Master Liuli" stirred something within Gu Qingyun.

Although the Liuli Sect hasn't truly traced him back to the Taiyi Secret Realm yet, the cause and effect still lingers.

Now that he had encountered a disciple of Master Liuli in such a place, Gu Qingyun naturally became more cautious.

"Well then, Mei'er won't keep you in suspense any longer. Let's present today's auction items!"

Xu Meier snapped her fingers, and a square jade box was brought forward.

It is about one meter long and requires two strong men to lift.

The jade was crystal clear, and it was obvious at a glance that it was no ordinary object. There were also many inscriptions engraved on it, which looked like sealing array patterns.

Even from a great distance, Gu Qingyun could sense the sharp aura concealed within.

If it's already like this even when it's sealed, what kind of object is hidden inside?

Xu Meier didn't say much, but with a light flick of her finger, she easily opened the jade box.

Inside lay a precious sword.

The sword is three feet long, dark silver in color, and appears to ripple like water under the light, revealing a chilling gleam.

On the blade, there are faint, intricate patterns, like a silver dragon coiled around.

Just one glance is enough to sense a sharp and piercing aura emanating from it.

"Silver Dragon Spirit Sword, a top-grade spiritual weapon, forged from millennia-old black iron. Starting price: 30,000 spirit stones, with each bid increment no less than 5,000."

The explanation is simple and clear.

Those present are no ordinary people; they can recognize the quality of the items at a glance.

Extraneous remarks serve no purpose other than wasting time.

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, someone immediately made a bid.

"Eighty thousand spirit stones!"

"Ninety thousand..."

"I'll offer 100,000..."

The voices rose in waves.