Chapter 43: On the Eve of Battle

Kun City Auction House—after paying a deposit of five thousand lower-grade spirit stones, Zhou Qi finally stepped into the legendary den of extravagance. If even here he could not find the demon core of the Heart-Seeking Phantom Wolf, there was no hope left.

The auction hall was packed, most attendees engaged in lively discussions. The majority were lower-tier cultivators, though some powerful experts sat in watch. Zhou Qi had altered his appearance, letting his cultivation show at the Golden Core stage; no one dared provoke him.

The auction house operated around the clock. Encountering a treasure to one’s liking depended on luck. Many cultivators lingered here, hoping to seize a rare find. Unless an extraordinary item appeared and was advertised in advance, most auctions proceeded without much fanfare; only when the treasures were truly remarkable did the bidding grow fierce and intense.

“Light Chirping Whip, a mid-grade spiritual weapon. When used, it produces a cicada-like sound capable of confusing the mind. Starting price: three thousand lower-grade spirit stones,” the voluptuous auctioneer announced.

Few responded. Not many cultivators used whip-type weapons—not for lack of power, but because whips required higher skill and lacked the visual appeal of swords and sabers. Even as a mid-grade spiritual tool, there was little competition, and a female cultivator secured it for thirty-five hundred spirit stones.

“Ancient Pine Pattern Sword, mid-grade spiritual weapon, weighs three thousand pounds. With spiritual energy, its weight can reach ten thousand pounds, making it devastating in battle. Starting price: five thousand lower-grade spirit stones; bidding increments no less than five hundred,” the auctioneer continued.

This sword immediately drew the crowd’s attention. Its imposing form and mighty aura made it a spectacle. Many cultivators began bidding enthusiastically, drawn more by its appearance than its power. Zhou Qi, already equipped with the Immortal-Slaying Sword, had no interest in competing, and the sword eventually sold for ten thousand lower-grade spirit stones.

Zhou Qi watched for a long time but saw nothing he desired. He was about to leave when the auctioneer’s voice made him pause.

“A top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, starting price: ten thousand lower-grade spirit stones.” Instantly, the hall erupted. A top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill offered a one hundred percent chance of establishing the foundation. The quality of the pill determined future cultivation; lower-grade pills might work, but their success rate and subsequent advancement could not be guaranteed. With a top-grade pill, success was assured, and unless one died prematurely, reaching the immortal stage was within reach.

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Even if one didn’t need it now, their descendants might. The auctioneer offered no further explanation, yet the cultivators below began bidding fiercely, and in the end, a Nascent Soul stage expert won it for eighty thousand spirit stones.

If a top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill could fetch such a price, then Zhou Qi’s perfect Foundation Establishment Pill would be an enormous fortune. Yet he dared not offer it for auction—doing so would reveal to the Life-and-Death Sect and the Celestial Partners Sect that he had obtained the Saintly Apothecary’s mansion. Who knew if Han Yuanzheng would turn hostile then.

He waited in vain for the demon core of the Heart-Seeking Phantom Wolf to appear at auction and left disappointed. Even if it had appeared, his eighty thousand spirit stones might not have been enough—it was, after all, a core of the Transformation stage.

Zhou Qi’s return to the Life-and-Death Sect was soon discovered by the Celestial Partners Sect. Their sect leader, Long Chengye, demanded Zhou Qi be handed over to account for the death of Long Feiyu, threatening war otherwise.

Han Yuanzheng replied, vowing to protect his disciples at all costs. He accused the Celestial Partners Sect of ambition and bullying, charging them with false crimes simply to seize the spirit stone mines controlled by the Life-and-Death Sect. He declared his sect unafraid of war.

The two sect leaders exchanged sharp words, stunning the audience. The Heavenly Dao Sect did not intervene, allowing the conflict to escalate. Some speculated that both the Life-and-Death Sect and the Celestial Partners Sect had grown too powerful in recent years, and the Heavenly Dao Sect intended to let them weaken each other for easier control.

Zhou Qi returned to Liu Ruicai’s cave as if nothing had happened and began cultivating with the Lotus Profound Technique. Yet progress was slow, and he soon turned his attention to studying the techniques he had acquired. Although they required Foundation Establishment to practice, it was worthwhile to familiarize himself in advance.

The verbal sparring between the Life-and-Death Sect and the Celestial Partners Sect continued unabated, each airing grievances and denouncing the other, both casting themselves as victims and dredging up old scores. The two sects had accumulated countless conflicts over millennia, but were kept in check by the Heavenly Dao Sect. Now, with the higher sect silent, the tension deepened.

Anyone with sense could see this was heading toward war. Both sides were creating a public opinion advantage—waiting for the fuse to be lit. Disciples from both sects eagerly awaited the battle. In peaceful times, contribution points and spirit stones were hard to earn; only war could rapidly accumulate points and advance one’s standing.

As for death in battle, it was inevitable. The hope was always: let others die, not oneself. Among so many cultivators, why should it be me?

The subordinate sects—Righteous One Sect, Spirit Silence Cave, Celestial Dragon Garden, Heartless Pavilion, Peach Blossom Sect—also began recalling their disciples from outside. If war broke out, the subordinate sects would clash first, and their casualties would be highest. The main sects would not throw their trump cards onto the battlefield from the outset; the heavy blows would come later.

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Both main sects and their subordinates were preparing for war, waiting to see which side would lose patience first.

Life-and-Death Sect, within Liu Ruicai’s cave.

Zhou Qi earnestly sought Liu Ruicai’s guidance in alchemy, and his master patiently instructed him. Under Liu Ruicai’s tutelage, Zhou Qi finally succeeded in refining Spirit Recovery Pills, Vitality Pills, and Blood Essence Pills. Now, the origin of these pills would no longer be questioned.

It was all taught by his master. With Liu Ruicai’s help, Zhou Qi also reached an agreement with the Life-and-Death Sect: the sect would purchase his pills at a rate of thirty lower-grade spirit stones per pill.

Zhou Qi rented an alchemy chamber within the sect and began seclusion to refine pills.

Of course, he wasn’t really refining them himself—three workers handled the production of these common pills. Zhou Qi used the alchemy chamber mainly to avoid Liu Ruicai’s scrutiny, and there he practiced the Profound Heaven True Technique, rapidly absorbing spirit stones. Every few days, he exchanged for more pills, careful not to draw attention.

A year passed. Zhou Qi remained in the alchemy chamber, reaching the late stage of Qi Refining, level ten. His spirit stones not only didn’t decrease, but grew steadily. The three workers toiled day and night, and after accounting for pills exchanged, the stockpile reached an astonishing level. Zhou Qi began to wonder if he should teach them to make higher-grade pills.

Over the year, the verbal war between the Life-and-Death Sect and Celestial Partners Sect never ceased, but lately, both sides had abruptly fallen silent. Many suspected this was the calm before the storm, and that real conflict was imminent.