Chapter 314: Yinshan Stronghold Auction

Fortunately, this was merely the prelude to the Spirit Tide, which was still brewing. The actual arrival of the Spirit Tide was a long way off.

During this period, it was unlikely that the Tianxing Alliance would rashly start a large-scale war. At most, there would be minor skirmishes and mutual probing.

If what Senior Brother Qi said was true and the Tianxing Alliance’s intention was merely to harass, that would undoubtedly be the best possible outcome.

I hope so.

Qin Sang shook his head. He stepped into the Taiyi Core Pavilion, where a charming maid immediately greeted him.

Opening his palm, he displayed a Sound Transmission Talisman to the maid in the hall. She respectfully bowed before leading Qin Sang to the highest floor of the Taiyi Core Pavilion, where he met Elder Wen.

Elder Wen was a close friend of Wandering Man and oversaw the Taiyi Core Sect’s possessions in Xuanlu Stronghold, wielding significant authority.

Three years ago, Qin Sang had become acquainted with Elder Wen through Wandering Man and had entrusted him with the task of seeking information about the Soul-Guiding Grass.

Though the strength of Shaohua Mountain rivaled that of the Taiyi Core Sect, its influence in the realm of pills—whether in terms of connections or resources—was vastly inferior.

Rumor had it that the Taiyi Core Sect had established a presence even within the areas of demonic sects, though only the sect members could verify such claims.

It turned out that Qin Sang had chosen the right person.

The Sound Transmission Talisman that had summoned him to the Taiyi Core Pavilion had been sent to his cave dwelling by Elder Wen, prompting Qin Sang to leave seclusion.

"Daoist Qin, please have a seat!"

Elder Wen waved his hand to dismiss the attendant, greeting Qin Sang warmly with a broad smile.

"Greetings, Elder Wen," Qin Sang said, cupping his hands in salute. He sat down and savored the fragrant tea under Elder Wen’s enthusiastic invitation.

Elder Wen studied Qin Sang from head to toe and suddenly expressed surprise. "Three years have passed, and I didn’t expect Daoist Qin to have already broken through to the middle stage of Foundation Building Realm. Congratulations!"

"It was merely a stroke of luck," Qin Sang replied humbly, cupping his hands again. There was no hint of arrogance in his demeanor.

Elder Wen was no less skilled than Yu Yangzi. According to Wandering Man, Elder Wen had been stuck at the bottleneck of the late stage of Foundation Building Realm, and, seeing no hope of breaking through, he had decided to abandon the pursuit of immortality and take charge of the Taiyi Core Pavilion’s possessions.

In his prime, Elder Wen had been a notable figure within the Taiyi Core Sect, and his strength remained unfathomable.

"Daoist Qin has already received the Sound Transmission Talisman, I presume?"

After some polite conversation, Elder Wen got straight to the point. "The Soul-Guiding Grass is indeed rare. It is said to aid some unconventional cultivators in their practice, making it highly sought after. Whenever it appears, competition is fierce. Over the past three years, Yinshan Stronghold has seen it emerge twice, but we learned about it too late each time. Fortunately, this time, the news reached us early, and it’s almost certain that the upcoming auction will feature the Soul-Guiding Grass."

The auction Elder Wen referred to had been explained in the Sound Transmission Talisman. It was set to take place a year later in Yinshan Stronghold.

Yinshan Stronghold was a chaotic place, a melting pot of rogue cultivators, unconventional practitioners, and both righteous and demonic forces.

Unlike other strongholds, it lacked a dominant power to maintain absolute control, resulting in a state of perpetual disorder. This also meant that rare treasures frequently surfaced during its auctions.

Every auction held there attracted considerable attention. However, to obtain desired treasures, one needed substantial resources. Furthermore, no one dared to cause trouble at the auctions.

In the past, there had been instances where individuals, unable to win through bidding, had attempted to seize treasures by force. Without exception, these offenders were swiftly suppressed, their corpses hung outside the stronghold gates as a grim warning.

It was rumored that the true power behind the auction was none other than the city lord of Yinshan Stronghold, a cultivator at the Spiritual Infant Realm.

Hearing Elder Wen’s words, Qin Sang fell into deep thought. The Soul-Guiding Grass was evidently highly coveted. At the auction, he would likely face competition from late-stage Foundation Building cultivators.

As for Core Formation Realm cultivators, he was less concerned. It was said that the auctions in Yinshan Stronghold were categorized by levels, and treasures capable of enticing Core Formation Realm cultivators would not appear in this particular auction.

Still, a significant expenditure was inevitable.

The spirit stones Qin Sang currently possessed were undoubtedly insufficient. Even if he were willing to sell his Yin-Yang Luopan or Sky Poison Veil, there was no guarantee that he would have enough. After all, auctions were unpredictable.

Aside from the spiritual materials needed to refine the Primordial Unity Ring, the only item he could offer and was willing to part with was the Blue Dew Epiphyllum.

"Is there any way to contact the person who has the Soul-Guiding Grass?" Qin Sang asked.

𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Elder Wen shook his head. "The rules of the auction are set by those in charge. If it weren’t for the connections between the Taiyi Core Pavilion and the major powers in Yinshan Stronghold, even obtaining information about the Soul-Guiding Grass would have been impossible. Beyond this, that individual wouldn’t dare reveal anything else—doing so would cost them their life..."

Elder Wen made a gesture across his neck, a grim reminder of the consequences.

Qin Sang nodded lightly. He knew his question was a bit fanciful and had asked merely out of curiosity.

"What are Daoist Qin’s plans?" Elder Wen asked, taking a sip of tea. "If you don’t have time to travel to Yinshan Stronghold, I could arrange for someone to bid on your behalf, though I can’t guarantee success."

Qin Sang pondered for a moment but ultimately declined Elder Wen’s offer. He decided to go to Yinshan Stronghold himself.

In the past, he had avoided traveling far due to fear of being captured by remnants of the Kuiyin Sect.

However, now that the Kuiyin Sect had been eradicated and he had the

Xuyuan Seal

to suppress the fluctuations of the Heart-Devouring Insect, there was little risk in making the trip himself.

Most of the Golden Core Realm cultivators from the Kuiyin Sect had been killed. Even if some late-stage Foundation Building sect members discovered him, with his current strength, he would not fear them.

Entrusting the task to someone from the Taiyi Core Pavilion would lack the same diligence, and he would have no control over the price. If the grass was purchased at an exorbitant cost, it would hardly be worth it—he couldn’t afford to squander his resources carelessly.

Going in person would allow him to adapt to any situation.

Next, Qin Sang consulted Elder Wen about the rules of the auction. He learned that the process wasn’t rigid; bidders were allowed to trade amongst themselves.

During the auction, participants could exchange items directly to fulfill their needs, resulting in mutually satisfactory deals.

This ensured that most treasures were exchanged at fair prices, without the fear of being undervalued by the auction house. This only reinforced his decision to attend in person.

After conversing with Elder Wen for a while longer, Qin Sang took his leave and departed from the Taiyi Core Pavilion.

With a year remaining before the auction, Qin Sang decided to return to the Tianjing Hidden Realm to hone his skills and accumulate more spirit stones. He planned to set out for Yinshan Stronghold closer to the auction date.

The looming upheaval made time precious—every moment counted.

Any progress he made in strengthening himself, even by a small margin, could improve his chances of survival. If he could break through to the late stage of Foundation Building Realm or even the Fake Core Realm before war erupted, his odds of staying alive would increase significantly.

At this time, Wandering Man was still in seclusion.

Qin Sang relinquished his cave dwelling to the sect. By now, Senior Brother Rong had taken over the management of Xuanlu Stronghold, making adjustments to Qi Yuanshou’s previous arrangements. Qin Sang and the others cooperated with Senior Brother Rong before bidding farewell to their fellow disciples and leaving Xuanlu Stronghold for the Ancient Immortal Battlefield.

Returning to the Ancient Immortal Battlefield as a middle-stage Foundation Building cultivator, Qin Sang felt a significant change in his mindset. Many of the dangers that had once frightened him could now be handled with ease.

Flying swiftly on his sword, he made almost no stops along the way, heading directly for the Changyang Market.