The Sect Assembly began.
On this day, Tai Lingxuan warned Chen Yuyang and the others about some precautions before ascending alone to the summit of Ziyang Peak to participate in the assembly.
The assembly was to last for another three days.
As she was leaving, Tai Lingxuan quietly slipped thirty premium spirit stones into Chen Yuyang’s hand.
However, these spirit stones were not meant for Chen Yuyang himself, but for Gu Qiushui.
“If you find any heavenly materials or treasures suitable for your senior sister, don’t hesitate to spend.”
This was Tai Lingxuan’s instruction when handing over the spirit stones to Chen Yuyang.
The reason she didn’t give the spirit stones directly to Gu Qiushui was simple: Tai Lingxuan knew Gu Qiushui would be reluctant to spend them.
Although thirty premium spirit stones were not few, finding the right items to purchase was not so easy.
Of course, Chen Yuyang didn’t mind sneaking in a few extra stones.
But if possible, he wanted to come up with a reasonable and, above all, safe explanation for the source of his spirit stones.
Since his master was away.
Little Lingxi excitedly ran to the Sword Stele every day to comprehend sword intent, while Gu Qiushui dragged Chen Yuyang all around the city.
Chen Yuyang was free anyway, so he accompanied her in looking around.
But honestly, he just couldn’t muster much enthusiasm for shopping.
“Yuyang, look! That’s the Auction House opened by the Tianbei Chamber of Commerce. Want to go in and take a look?”
Suddenly, a sign caught Gu Qiushui’s attention.
“Auction…”
Finally, something that made Chen Yuyang’s eyes light up a little.
Most importantly, sitting in one place comfortably was better than wandering around outside.
So, Chen Yuyang quickly nodded in agreement.
However, upon reaching the auction entrance, a small line of text on the sign immediately dampened Gu Qiushui’s spirits.
【Entry allowed only with fifty or more premium spirit stones.】
Disappointment filled Gu Qiushui’s face; she had wanted to go in and broaden her horizons.
Chen Yuyang, however, was not surprised.
After all, if the Auction House did not test the capital of entrants, it would soon be filled with cultivators simply looking for entertainment.
“Forget it, Yuyang, let’s go~” Gu Qiushui said helplessly.
Chen Yuyang pondered for a moment, then walked to the gate and asked the woman responsible for verifying funds.
“If I have something I want to auction, can I enter?”
“This young gentleman, of course you can. But our auction only accepts items of fourth rank or above, or objects with special significance and value,” the woman replied with a professional smile.
Chen Yuyang nodded.
Gu Qiushui, overhearing this, was startled and quickly grabbed the boy’s arm, lowering her voice to whisper in his ear:
“Junior Brother, what are you talking about? We don’t have any fourth-rank items to auction.”
“Let’s leave now, or else people might think we’re here to cause trouble.”
Chen Yuyang smiled and shook his head.
“Senior Sister, don’t worry. We do, we do.”
He glanced back at the woman still politely smiling, then slowly pulled out a circular jade pendant from his pocket.
“I have here a jade pendant once worn for years by a great power at the half-step True Immortal Realm. It carries the residual aura left by that being.”
“I wonder if this item qualifies for auction at your establishment.”
“What? Half-step True Immortal!” The young woman’s expression instantly changed, looking at the jade pendant in Chen Yuyang’s hand in disbelief.
At this moment, even Gu Qiushui was stunned.
Her junior brother had such a treasure, yet she had no idea?
“Please, young gentleman, take a seat in the private chamber and wait a moment.”
The woman couldn’t decide on her own nor could she appraise the jade pendant’s level, but she could indeed sense an extraordinary aura emanating from it.
Not daring to delay, she quickly ushered Chen Yuyang and Gu Qiushui into a nearby room, sent for tea, and hurried off to summon someone.
Inside the room, Gu Qiushui was still trying to process everything.
Chen Yuyang, however, leisurely picked up the cup of tea and took a sip.
“Ugh, really awful!”
“Junior Brother, are you serious? Is that really a jade pendant carried by a half-step True Immortal?” Gu Qiushui still found it hard to believe.
Chen Yuyang smiled mysteriously.
“Whether it is or isn’t, we’ll find out when the experts come to appraise it, won’t we?”
Seeing the boy so calm, Gu Qiushui realized he must have a reason.
“But if it’s such a treasure, why do you want to auction it off? If you carry it yourself, it would greatly aid your cultivation and comprehension of your realm!” Gu Qiushui anxiously pressed.
Chen Yuyang smiled faintly but gave no answer.
He knew clearly himself.
That jade pendant was one of many mass-produced during his earlier days of making a living.
During that period, he had worn dozens of such trinkets for a hundred or eighty years, saturating them all with his own aura.
This story was a little embarrassing if revealed, so Chen Yuyang always claimed they belonged to other half-step True Immortals.
Though mass-produced, his half-step True Immortal realm was unquestionable.
Coupled with his chaotic prime Yang constitution, these trinkets generally contained extremely pure supreme Yang energy and lingering half-step True Immortal regulations.
Their effect in aiding comprehension was absolutely guaranteed.
This jade pendant, unsold for thousands of years, had been gathering dust in storage, slightly flawed.
But now…
Selling it shouldn’t be a problem.
After all, it’s valuable mainly for mid to low-level cultivators as a cultivation aid.
For cultivators at the Formation Divine Realm and above who had their own rules, its help was minimal, and for those whose attributes conflicted with it, it could even be detrimental.
With Tai Lingxuan’s consolidated fourth-level strength backing him, no one would make a move over such a thing.
As for how to explain it to Gu Qiushui and the others…
“Senior Sister Qiushui, last night when I went out for a walk alone, I saw a mysterious old man selling something at a street stall.”
“I was curious, so I went over…”
Making up stories was second nature to Chen Yuyang, a cultivator with countless lifetimes.
What followed was a typical ‘lucky find’ tale.
Gu Qiushui stared dumbfounded.
“That works?”
Though she sounded doubtful, she seemed to accept the explanation—after all, what else could it be?
It couldn’t be that Junior Brother Yuyang used it himself.
Chen Yuyang finished and smiled at the young lady.
He knew Gu Qiushui would believe him.
Because not only Gu Qiushui, but cultivators throughout the cultivation world often believed in things like “the old man in the ring,” “falling off a cliff,” or “mysterious origins” capable of turning fate upside down.
“This jade pendant only aids cultivation. Its help to me isn’t that great, so I thought it better to auction it for some reliable spirit stones.”
“Aid cultivation and you say the help isn’t much?” Gu Qiushui couldn’t help but say.
Chen Yuyang shook his head.
“Senior Sister, my mind is made up. Let me handle this myself.”
Gu Qiushui wanted to argue more but seeing Chen Yuyang’s serious expression, she said nothing.
Fine, it was her junior brother’s decision; it would be improper to interfere.
“Do you remember what that mysterious old man looked like?” Gu Qiushui asked with curiosity.
“That old man…” Chen Yuyang was about to continue his fabricated tale when the door opened abruptly, cutting him off.
An elderly man with white hair and a youthful face entered, smiling and bowing respectfully.
“Allow me to introduce myself—I am Liu Yuanbai from Qiankun Sect, a seventh-rank appraiser and the manager of this auction house. May I ask where you two young friends hail from, and your names?”
Chen Yuyang smiled slightly, neither humble nor arrogant, and introduced himself.
“Hehuan Sect, Chen Yuyang.”
“He… Hehuan Sect, Gu Qiushui.”
Compared to Chen Yuyang, Gu Qiushui’s voice trembled slightly.
A seventh-rank appraiser was no minor figure.
Although appraisers were not as practically esteemed as alchemists or artificers, reaching seventh-rank still earned one great respect and recognition from major sects.
This was probably the most honorable person Gu Qiushui had encountered outside her own master.
Liu Yuanbai’s calm gaze fell upon the younger, somewhat youthful-looking young man.
Despite his mature age, Liu Yuanbai’s sharp appraiser’s eyes and extensive experience told him this youth was anything but ordinary.
Hehuan Sect…
Wasn’t that a third-rate sect that had never made much progress since its reconstruction?
Yet this youth was a member?
And his composed demeanor suggested he wasn’t from just any small sect.
“Young friend, may I have a look at the jade pendant?”
Liu Yuanbai inquired.
Chen Yuyang nodded and casually took out the pendant, handing it over.
This casual attitude did not escape Liu Yuanbai’s notice.
From his experience, those bringing treasures to auction usually treasured them deeply, wrapping them carefully and rarely allowing him close inspection—often only letting him view from afar.
But this boy’s casual manner was as if the item was nothing more than a common trinket.
This young man was definitely not simple.
Liu Yuanbai took the jade pendant and began examining it quickly.
The pendant’s style was unremarkable—no elaborate patterns, jade quality rather ordinary.
But the residual rule force on it was undeniable.
Beyond that, Liu Yuanbai sensed an extremely pure supreme Yang energy…
Such a level of purity suggested the half-step True Immortal who had owned it must have been a pure Yang body… no, a Haoyang body!
Only a Haoyang body could leave such dense and fierce supreme Yang energy…
He could even sense a trace of Haoyang fire contained within the jade pendant!
But if Chen Yuyang knew Liu Yuanbai’s thoughts, he’d probably curse aloud.
Haoyang True Fire?
Who do you think you’re kidding?
That was clearly the mysterious Extreme Yang Fire, second only to the Primordial Fire and Chaotic Spirit Fire!
It was just that Liu Yuanbai’s limited experience constrained his imagination at that moment.