Soon, some cultivators ran short of spirit stones and began offering rare items as collateral, each one more expensive and uncommon than the last, leaving Han Li dazzled by the spectacle.
“I’ll trade a set of tools for the Inverted Five Elements Formation in exchange for this spiritual herb!” someone suddenly shouted in desperation, causing the noisy crowd of cultivators to fall silent.
It wasn’t because the person’s voice was particularly loud, but because the “Inverted Five Elements Formation” he mentioned was extremely famous—almost universally known! In some respects, it was even more highly valued by cultivation families and sects than a thousand-year spiritual herb.
This formation, known as the “Minor Restriction Formation,” was renowned for its ability to conceal and protect sect gates, as well as confuse and trap enemies. Although it covered a smaller area and lacked offensive capabilities, its defensive and illusory effects were on par with the protective formations of major sects.
If a family or sect could secure such a formation, it would provide immense protection.
However, setting up such a powerful formation typically required a formation master skilled in its intricacies, along with a year or more of labor and significant resources. The idea of condensing it into a portable set of formation tools seemed almost impossible. If this claim were true, this auction would indeed be full of surprises and eye-opening wonders.
Hearing this, Han Li’s eyes gleamed with interest, and he turned to look at the speaker.
It was a Qi Refinement stage youth wearing a tiger-head mask, short and stout, appearing entirely unremarkable—hardly someone who would possess such a treasure. Yet, the urgency in his eyes suggested there might be some truth to his claim.
“Do you really have the formation tools for the Inverted Five Elements Formation?” the tall, thin auction host asked skeptically after a moment of surprise. Though doubtful, he knew that if the youth truly possessed such tools, the thousand-year herb would undoubtedly be his.
The other cultivators also fixed their eyes on the youth, awaiting his response.
“I do, but it’s not yet fully functional. It can only unleash about ten percent of the formation’s power. However, if you give me the herb, I guarantee that within a few years, I can enhance its power several times over, reaching at least half of its full potential,” the youth stammered nervously under the collective gaze, though the importance of the herb compelled him to speak up.
“So it’s not the real deal—just an experimental prototype!” Many cultivators were disappointed. They had been ready to spend vast sums if the tools were genuine, but a flawed product held little appeal.
Formation masters were even rarer than alchemists or artifact forgers in the cultivation world. Delving deeply into formations often meant sacrificing progress in cultivation, as the two pursuits demanded too much time and energy.
Some even considered seeking out the formation master behind the youth after the auction. After all, anyone capable of researching such tools could likely set up the formation in practice. For smaller families and sects, having the formation protect their vital areas was enough—portability was secondary.
“Are you joking? This is an auction, not a place for promises years down the line! Given your youth, I’ll let it slide this time. But if you make false claims again, our establishment will not be so lenient!” the tall, thin host said sternly, his face hardening upon confirming the exaggeration.
The stout youth opened his mouth as if to say more, but the host turned away, ignoring him. With a sigh, the youth reluctantly returned to his seat.
Han Li watched intently, memorizing the youth’s appearance and demeanor.
Meanwhile, the thousand-year herb was won by a Foundation Establishment cultivator who offered two thousand spirit stones and several Illusory Moon Stones.
With that, the secret auction concluded, and the event moved into a free exchange period. Those with nothing to trade could leave through the stone door that had just opened.
The burly man who had traded iron essence for the puppet beast remained seated leisurely, seemingly interested in the free exchange. In contrast, the bag-headed stranger left immediately once the door opened, puzzling some observant attendees.
Han Li pushed these thoughts aside, preoccupied with his own plans. He intended to approach the stout youth during the free exchange to discuss the formation tools.
Although the set could only unleash ten percent of the formation’s power, it was more than enough for Han Li. He had long heard of this legendary formation and believed even a fraction of its power would be extravagant for his humble cave, providing ample protection for his small domain.
But as Han Li moved toward the youth, four or five other cultivators surrounded him, seemingly to discuss matters. This unexpected development frustrated Han Li, who worried they might also be interested in the formation tools.
However, his concern proved unnecessary. After a brief conversation, the group shook their heads and dispersed, leaving the youth standing alone, dejected.
Delighted, Han Li approached and coughed lightly to get his attention. Before he could speak, the youth glanced at him listlessly and said, “If you don’t have a thousand-year spiritual herb, don’t bother me. The formation master I represent needs the herb to save a life—he can’t design formations for you right now.”
Han Li was surprised but chuckled softly. “What if I have the herb but don’t need a formation designed?” he teased playfully.
Since the youth was only at the Qi Refinement stage, Han Li felt no need to be cautious.
“You have the herb?” The youth immediately perked up, his face brightening with hope.
Han Li didn’t answer immediately but glanced around. No one seemed to be paying attention to them, as the other cultivators were focused on someone demonstrating an interactive artifact ahead.
“Shall we talk over there? It’s too crowded here,” Han Li suggested, pointing to an inconspicuous corner of the hall.
“Of course!” the youth agreed without hesitation. They moved to the corner, where the nearest cultivators were still five or six zhang away. Han Li casually cast a soundproofing barrier, ensuring their conversation would remain private.
Since reaching Foundation Establishment, Han Li had found it easy to learn minor spells that had once eluded him—a stark contrast to his earlier struggles. The soundproofing barrier was one such commonly used spell he had quickly mastered.
“Do you really have the herb? It must be over a thousand years old—even seven or eight hundred years won’t work!” the youth urged anxiously once the barrier was in place.
Han Li glanced at him calmly without replying. Instead, he directly retrieved a box containing a spiritual herb from his storage bag. It wasn’t the thousand-year Yellow Essence Ganoderma he had sold before, but a thousand-year Purple Osmanthus, equally valuable. Since the youth hadn’t specified the type of herb, Han Li assumed any millennium-old plant would suffice. He guessed it was likely needed as a medicinal catalyst, hence the lack of挑剔.
“Is this…?” The youth stared fixedly at the box, his face full of anticipation.
“Yes, it’s a millennium-old herb. But before I open it for inspection, shouldn’t we discuss what you’ll trade for it?” Han Li said coolly. Since the youth needed his help, Han Li intended to drive a hard bargain. He wanted to acquire several sets of these rare formation tools for future use.
“What do you want, Senior? Aside from the formation tools, I don’t have anything else valuable,” the youth replied hesitantly.
“Do you think a flawed set of formation tools is enough to trade for a millennium-old herb?” Han Li asked, his tone unchanged, showing no disappointment.
“Well…” The youth scratched his head, realizing the imbalance in the proposed trade.
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