Chapter 1289: In the True Martial Realm, the Killing Spiritual Division's Huang Qingque

"Yang Essence? What sort of thing is that? A spiritual material?"

"Didn't you hear? It comes from the sun. It should be an essence born from the sun itself."

"The sun... it originates from the oldest place within the Nine Mortal Realms. Even the Upper Three Realms are incomparably far from it. If Yang Essence truly originates from the sun, then it's no ordinary spiritual material. But... is it really possible for anyone to obtain essence directly from the sun?"

The crowd whispered amongst themselves. On the surface, it seemed like idle conversation, but in truth, they spoke deliberately for Jidu Kongyuan to hear. If they were lucky, they could elicit an explanation from him. That way, they would learn about the Yang Essence, and what use it held.

𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Jidu Kongyuan smiled faintly and said, "Fellow cultivators, when it comes to the sun, I imagine every inheritance and lineage has their own interpretation of it."

When they saw him truly begin to speak on the matter of the Yang Essence, Ji Tiandu and Lady Suya couldn't help but look a little unsettled. They hadn't expected that Jidu Kongyuan would actually know something about the Yang Essence.

Fortunately, the two could be sure that his knowledge had only scratched the surface. If he truly understood its essence, then Yang Essence would never have appeared at an auction at all. After all, true treasures were never distributed this way. They are privately claimed in advance by the great powers themselves.

Jidu Kongyuan explained, "'Tai' means supreme, ultimate. The sun, naturally, is also a supreme, ultimate existence. The flames upon it are the purest flames in all creation. No immortal flame in the present world can compare. No matter how exalted the immortal, none can perform a fire immortal technique purer than the sun's flames."

He chuckled. "Don't be so quick to refute me. I learned this knowledge from the mouth of an Ancient Immortal. I've no wish to debate here today, merely to speak of the origins of this Yang Essence.

"It is said that at certain times, the sun undergoes surges of activity. Its fiery power erupts, growing violent. In such extreme bouts, blazing sparks are ejected outward. Such sparks could easily annihilate entire regions, such as the Nanqing Constellation. Only the strongest protective formation could prevent them from burning all to ash.

"Yet, if such a spark drifts within the heavens long enough, it will deteriorate and transform. No longer a force that incinerates all things, it instead condenses into a spiritual material. That material is what we call 'Yang Essence.'"

With that, Jidu Kongyuan held aloft the jade box in his hand. "If any of you intend to refine a treasure related to fire, or concoct a pill aligned with fire-essence, or cultivate a fire-type immortal technique, this Yang Essence may provide you with unique assistance.

"Among the cultivators present today, there should be some who hail from the Five Elements Realm, yes? Some of you specialize in fire energy, do you not? Then this Yang Essence is an opportunity you truly must not miss."

With this explanation, Fang Chen noticed that many in the hall had begun breathing more heavily. However, even more were unmoved, their interest waning in the Yang Essence even further.

For all his speech, Jidu Kongyuan hadn't actually revealed any concrete use. In the Nine Mortal Realms, materials with "too many uses" were often the ones least valued.

Ji Tiandu's expression turned gloomy.

This fellow talks far too much nonsense.

Jidu Kongyuan's speech might raise the bid a bit, but it would be no more than a ten percent increase. Fortunately, their one thousand immortal crystals meant they didn't have to worry.

Fang Chen's thoughts drifted again, and the faint silhouette he had almost forgotten surfaced in his mind.

No immortal flame, nor fire-type technique, can compare to the fire of the sun.

So much time had passed, including the long years within the Three Thousand Dao Realm. Had it not been for the tangible benefits brought by his unique divine soul, he might have believed what he saw back then was an illusion.

Yet, it was not an illusion. But back then, I was only a mortal, and I instinctively believed she was walking amidst the blazing sun. Perhaps it was merely a vision—or perhaps something else entirely. But if she can really walk within the sun, then her cultivation and means should be reevaluated altogether.

"The starting bid for the Yang Essence is one hundred immortal crystals. Each increment can't be less than five."

For a time, no one spoke. None made an offer.

Jidu Kongyuan seemed unsurprised by this and did not press. A spiritual material of this sort, so long as the price wasn't high, there would eventually be someone willing to pick it up.

After a moment, a voice rang out.

"One hundred and five immortal crystals."

It was Immortal Xingyu.

When she called out her bid, Immortal Taixu gave her a glance. Immortal Xingyu explained casually, "My disciple is curious. I intend to buy it for her to study."

It was just like certain cultivators who devoted themselves to comprehending the ancient energy hidden within peak-grade spirit stones.

The crowd had assumed that once Immortal Xingyu made her bid, no one else would contest for the so‑called Yang Essence. Yet unexpectedly, almost immediately, another voice rang out.

"One hundred and ten immortal crystals."

Immortal Xingyu's brows furrowed slightly. After a moment's thought, she gave up any intention of further competing for the Yang Essence.

Ji Tiandu inwardly let out a sigh of relief, unable to resist sneering at Jidu Kongyuan.

After all that grand talk, Jidu Kongyuan has only made people more suspicious of the item. No one dares to buy it now.

Time passed.

Jidu Kongyuan, seeing no further offers, was just about to conclude the transaction when suddenly another voice called out.

"One hundred and thirty immortal crystals."

"Oh? Someone is still vying for the Yang Essence?"

The bidder was not the old flood dragon, but a cultivator who had concealed his appearance and aura. Many speculated that he came from the Five Elements Realm, where cultivators devoted their lives to understanding the Five Elements.

The reason was simple: the Five Elements Realm boasted elemental energy so abundant it was unrivaled across both the Upper Three Realms and the Lower Six Realms.

The bids continued back and forth. But when the price climbed past two hundred immortal crystals, the concealed cultivator finally withdrew.

"That Yang Essence shall be ours," declared Lady Suya with composed grace.

Ji Tiandu's eyes glinted with a faint smile, and he gave a small nod.

Yet before the matter closed, another voice nonchalantly intruded, "Two hundred and fifty immortal crystals."

It was the old flood dragon, spoken in a languid drawl.

Ji Tiandu's gaze chilled.

Who the hell is that now?

He cast his gaze toward the old flood dragon, a flicker of light flashing across his pupils as he sought to pierce through appearances. What he saw was a plain, utterly forgettable old man.

While his visage could be discerned, his cultivation aura remained shrouded, ungraspable. Only one thing was certain: the stranger's strength surpassed his own—at least a third-transformation Loose Immortal.

To bid two hundred and fifty immortal crystals so casually, his level of cultivation might well be higher still.

A Fourth‑Turn Immortal? From the Five Elements Realm, perhaps?

Ji Tiandu pondered for several breaths, then raised his voice.

"Two hundred and sixty immortal crystals."

"Two hundred seventy."

"Two hundred eighty."

"Two hundred ninety."

The old flood dragon pressed onward, bidding right after Ji Tiandu, forcing the contest as if deliberately goading him.

The atmosphere made it impossible not to sense the tension. It was not simply bidding, but a clash of wills.

Ji Tiandu felt the same. Yet he was also certain he had never seen this old man before, nor had he crossed swords with him in the past.

Not wishing to waste immortal crystals in pointless escalation, Ji Tiandu thought for a moment, then cupped his fists toward the old man and said, "Daoist, perhaps you might grant me this favor. I am Huang Qingque of the Killing Spiritual Division of the True Martial Realm."

In an instant, many faces in the chamber changed.