“It’s a cultivator from the Ye family,” Ge Tianhao said slowly.
“The Ye family? The imperial Ye family?” Lin Yinping showed a look of surprise.
“Fellow Daoist Lin, do you know who sent him? It was a Ye family elder surnamed Han, and this Elder Han bore a striking resemblance—about seventy to eighty percent—to the man we’re currently pursuing,” Ge Tianhao said with a strange expression.
“Such a thing! Are they the same person? How could that man be connected to the Ye family?” Lin Yinping asked, startled.
“That’s still unclear. The person I soul-searched was merely a rogue cultivator recruited by the Ye family. But even if they aren’t the same person, they must be closely related. Otherwise, why would they send someone to track us for no reason? If that man truly is a Ye family elder, this could be troublesome,” Ge Tianhao said, his expression growing serious.
“What? Is the imperial family’s influence that great? I thought the Ye family was just a noble house propped up by your sects. Why would Brother Ge be so wary?” Lin Yinping chuckled lightly.
“The Ye family is no ordinary cultivation clan. Not only are they the imperial family of Great Jin, hailed as the foremost noble house, but they also have six or seven Nascent Soul elders within their ranks, not to mention the rogue cultivators they’ve secretly recruited and the unknown forces they’ve nurtured. Their true strength likely rivals that of any major cultivation sect. Take this tracker, for example. Though his cultivation wasn’t high, the banner he wielded was extraordinarily mystical. If not for Fellow Daoist Lin’s Miraculous Sound Mirror, we might not have noticed him sneaking behind us,” Ge Tianhao sighed.
“It’s nothing. My cultivation technique emphasizes sensory perception. Ever since leaving the market, I had a vague sense of unease, so naturally, I used the mirror to check. This man was simply unlucky to run into me while I had the mirror. Brother Ge, how do you plan to handle this? Does your sect still intend to honor our agreement?” The Heavenly Lasso Saintess stared at Ge Tianhao, her tone calm.
“Heh! The Ye family may be powerful, but our sect fears no one. Moreover, this matter involves our sect’s guardian treasure and the life of a Law Enforcement Elder. Even if this man truly is a Ye family elder, our sect will demand his surrender. Fellow Daoist Lin need not worry. It’s getting late—let’s attend the trade fair first,” Ge Tianhao said, glancing into the distance with a faint smile.
“If Brother Ge says so, this little girl can rest easy,” Lin Yinping nodded in satisfaction.
With that, the three transformed into streaks of light and vanished from the spot.
Unbeknownst to them, shortly after they left, a black flash flickered in the nearby space. A figure blurred into existence—a young man in a blue robe, who appeared out of nowhere. He gazed in the direction they had disappeared, a cold smirk playing on his lips.
“So the Yin Luo Sect and the Heavenly Lasso Shrine have joined forces. Fine. I’ll spare you for now—let you help me find that brat surnamed Han. The grudge from that pursuit years ago… this venerable one has never forgotten.” Muttering these words, the young man vanished once more.
—
Han Li found himself enveloped in a faint green radiance, surveying his surroundings with a wry smile.
He stood in a dimly lit, expansive hall with four to five hundred seats arranged uniformly around a central circular clearing.
To his surprise, upon entering, a masked gatekeeper had affixed a special talisman to him. After passing through a simple teleportation array, the moment he arrived, his body was immediately shrouded in a green glow, rendering him indistinct.
Startled, Han Li glanced around and noticed dozens of cultivators scattered throughout the hall, some standing, others seated, all similarly veiled in multicolored radiances that obscured their true appearances.
Curious, Han Li took a seat in a corner and discreetly extended his spiritual sense toward a nearby figure, testing whether he could penetrate their glow. To his shock, the radiance acted as a tangible barrier—no matter how forcefully he pushed his spiritual sense, it was effortlessly repelled. Though he hadn’t exerted his full strength, he doubted even that would make a difference.
Shifting his focus, Han Li swept his spiritual sense across the entire hall and realized it was under the influence of a peculiar formation. While the formation lacked any overt restrictions, its spiritual energy subtly resonated with the radiances enveloping the attendees.
Well-versed in talismans and formations himself, Han Li quickly grasped the mechanism and marveled at its ingenuity.
Clearly, these talismans were designed to work in tandem with the formation. Once inside its range, their concealment effects activated automatically. This ensured that no cultivator, no matter how powerful their spiritual sense, could overpower the entire formation.
This setup allowed even the most cautious old monsters to participate freely, exchanging items without fear of encountering enemies or drawing unwanted attention.
Han Li relaxed slightly, his earlier concern about Yin Luo Sect cultivators attending the fair now dispelled. Placing a jade slip on the table before him, he leaned back and closed his eyes to meditate.
Time passed, and more cultivators gradually teleported into the hall.
When Han Li reopened his eyes, the hall had swelled to nearly two hundred attendees. In the central clearing, a jade table several zhang wide had appeared at some point. Han Li narrowed his eyes, silently observing.
Before long, a flash of light illuminated the jade table, revealing a figure shrouded in white radiance.
“The time is about right. Since most fellow Daoists have arrived, let the exchange begin,” the figure announced coolly, sweeping a glance across the hall. With a flick of his sleeve, three or four bulging storage pouches materialized on the table.
Instantly, the gazes of every cultivator in the hall locked onto them, brimming with fervor.
“This exchange follows the usual format, focusing primarily on rare materials. If any ancient treasures or magical artifacts are exceptionally unique, they may also be traded. As per tradition, we’ll first auction a batch of materials for spirit stones—highest bidder wins. Afterward, fellow Daoists may engage in bartering. However, this year differs slightly. A major patron has entrusted us with a final treasure, to be exchanged only for certain exceedingly rare items. If no one possesses these materials, it will then be auctioned for spirit stones. Whether you leave with this treasure depends on your fortune,” the figure explained leisurely.
“A treasure? What exactly is being exchanged—materials, pills, or treasures? Could you elaborate? Otherwise, if someone trades away the required items beforehand, wouldn’t they regret it?” an anonymous voice suddenly inquired.
“Heh! I can only describe it as something exceedingly rare. As for specifics, you’ll learn at the end. As for your concern, it’s unnecessary. The items required for this treasure are things ordinary cultivators would never part with once obtained,” the figure replied with a faint laugh.
The sheer audacity of these words stirred murmurs among the crowd, piquing their curiosity. Yet, no one pressed further.
The figure then reached into one of the storage pouches, withdrawing a black, jujube-like fruit that gleamed ominously.
“Shadow Date—found only on the graves of those born on a Yin year, month, and day. It takes three hundred years to mature and requires forty-nine days of refinement using vengeful spirits. It can be consumed directly or used as an alchemical ingredient. Starting bid: 100,000 spirit stones. Increments of 5,000.”
The announcement startled Han Li.
“120,000!”
“140,000!”
“145,000!”
…
In the blink of an eye, this obscure Shadow Date fetched an astonishing price. Most bidders were those shrouded in dark or gray radiances—likely demonic cultivators who highly valued such items.
Ultimately, the Shadow Date sold for 190,000 spirit stones.
“Blood Sun Iron—forged by fusing the souls of three Core Formation cultivators who practiced fire-attribute techniques with Crimson Sun Iron. A rare material for crafting Yin-fire treasures. Starting bid: 150,000. Increments of 10,000.”
The figure produced a half-chi-long, blood-red ingot radiating intense heat.
“180,000!”
“200,000!”
…
Though fewer bidders competed for this material, those who did were exceptionally wealthy and unwilling to back down. It eventually sold for a staggering 250,000 spirit stones.
“Ghost Wail Grass…”
One after another, items with sinister-sounding names appeared, each snapped up by eager buyers with vast sums of spirit stones. Compared to the grand auction, this was on an entirely different level.
Han Li touched the storage pouch at his waist, inwardly sighing.
For the first time, he worried whether the spirit stones he’d brought would suffice. Though he’d known about the pre-barter auction, he hadn’t anticipated such exorbitant prices—each item’s final bid surpassing even the grand auction’s finale.
“Jade Rubber—a secretion from the millennium-old Jade Oak, the finest material for crafting exotic treasures and puppets. Starting bid: 120,000. Minimum increment: 5,000…”
“150,000!”
When the figure produced a milky-white, gelatinous substance, Han Li, who had been half-distracted, suddenly perked up and immediately placed a bid.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage