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墨書 Inktalez
At the same time, Xunuo needed to part with some elixirs to gather enough spirit stones for crafting magical artifacts. Due to healing and recovering his cultivation, Xunuo had consumed a large number of elixirs recently. Even though he hadn’t specifically practiced the Huayang Classic afterward, while cultivating spells and refining the residual medicinal power, his realm had uncontrollably surged to the peak of the tenth layer.
Xunuo was worried that even practicing spells might lead him to an uncontrollable breakthrough to the Eleven Layers. This trip was also meant to relax and suppress his realm.
After traveling for over ten days, Xunuo finally left the area surrounding the Ten Thousand Great Mountains and entered the first truly prosperous nation of cultivators, the Bauhinia Mountain Kingdom. Here, the number of cultivators gradually increased, and Xunuo even saw a city entirely composed of cultivators. He walked into this city of cultivation with his mouth agape.
The layout of this city was not much different from that of a mortal town, but it was vast—over a hundred times larger than Mortal Town. Flying was prohibited within the city, and beast carts rushed by on the wide roads. Cultivators thronged the streets, with occasional Foundation Stage cultivators drifting by nonchalantly. Xunuo considered himself well-traveled, yet he was still astonished by the sheer number of cultivators in this city.
Shops lined the streets, but there were none of the mundane hawking sounds typical in ordinary markets. This distinction made Xunuo feel somewhat separated from the secular world. As he walked along the street, he entered shops to broaden his horizons.
After half a day, Xunuo began to discern some patterns. The city housed several cultivation families alongside numerous loose cultivators. The shops were not only run by cultivation families and loose cultivators but also had branches established by merchant alliances. The differences in goods displayed and pricing were evident across various shops.
The branches of the Merchant Alliance were the most orderly; regardless of what items they sold, they offered the widest variety at clear prices, albeit at a premium. Shops run by cultivation families followed next in terms of organization. In contrast, shops operated by loose cultivators had limited offerings and lower prices. It was common to see inferior goods being passed off as genuine, which tested buyers' discernment.
After a day of browsing, Xunuo still hadn’t found the refining materials he needed. However, he did spot two magical artifacts for sale in one Merchant Alliance branch, including a Fire Attribute Flying Sword. Upon seeing the price tag, his eyes nearly popped out; without examining further, he turned and left. The price was astronomical—definitely beyond what a loose cultivator could afford.
After some thought, Xunuo decided to stay in this city for a few days. Firstly, he wanted to understand more about the cultivation world; secondly, he aimed to continue searching for refining materials. Additionally, after wandering around for a day and checking various shops without finding any elixirs for sale, he grew puzzled. There were indeed shops dealing in Medicine Stones; however, none had elixirs available for purchase. When he inquired, the shop assistants merely stated that they were out of stock.
Xunuo felt deeply perplexed but dared not mention his intention to sell elixirs. He needed to clarify this matter thoroughly; acting rashly could invite unforeseen disasters that would lead to regret too late.
As Xunuo approached an inn and asked for a room, he discovered it was fully booked. Initially thinking it was just this inn doing well in business, he soon found that four or five other inns were also fully occupied before realizing there must be a reason behind it. He hurriedly asked an innkeeper why.
The innkeeper looked at him with an expression even more surprised than Xunuo's and said, "Friend, you’ve come to Gaoyi City not specifically for the Gaoyi Auction House?"
Xunuo awkwardly replied, "I’m just passing through and didn’t know there was an auction here."
The innkeeper chuckled and said, "That’s quite unfortunate! The Gaoyi Auction House only holds events once every few years. All rooms in town have been booked long ago. If you’re not interested in this auction, you may leave without issue. During the auction period, there is a curfew at night."
Upon hearing this, Xunuo exclaimed anxiously, "To encounter such a large-scale auction naturally piques my interest! However, with a curfew in place at night, won’t I miss out?"
The innkeeper waved his hand dismissively and said, "No worries! The curfew is merely for managing safety concerns within the city. There are no such restrictions outside; you can camp outside if you wish. The auction will take place in three days; you can return then."
Xunuo clasped his hands in thanks and headed outside the city. For a Cultivator, sleeping outdoors was a common occurrence, and he did not consider it a hardship. Moreover, with a Spell that could raise buildings from the ground, these concerns were trivial.
Gaoyi City had eight gates. As night fell, Xunuo exited one of the gates and was immediately taken aback. Outside the city, the hills and mounds were already crowded with people, all occupied by various Cultivators. Some gentle slopes and grassy areas had also been transformed into platforms and houses by other Cultivators using Spells. As far as the eye could see around Gaoyi City, it was filled with Cultivators camping out.
Xunuo soon understood. During the day, the city was bustling with people, most of whom had come from elsewhere to attend the auction. Otherwise, even if the city were several times larger, it would be impossible to accommodate so many Cultivators.
However, Xunuo now had to worry about where to rest for the night. He absolutely could not go to low-lying areas. In such mixed company, one could not afford to blink an eye; it was dangerous to be in a place where one might be ambushed. Good locations were already overcrowded.
Suddenly, Xunuo spotted a small hill in the distance that appeared quite empty and hurried over. Upon reaching the hill, he abruptly halted his movement and stared in shock at the scene before him. The hilltop was desolate except for a massive stone at its peak where a Black Muscular Man sat cross-legged. Within the area of the hill itself, there was no one else present. A few corpses lay scattered about ten yards in front of Xunuo, while Cultivators on distant slopes or platforms watched intently from afar, their expressions varied but all reflecting a sense of amusement.
Seeing this scene, Xunuo realized he had encountered someone formidable and dared not linger; he turned to leave quickly. Suddenly, a cold voice reached his ears: "Hmph."
The sound was soft but pierced directly into his Sea of Consciousness like a sharp sword. Instantly, Xunuo felt a splitting headache as if his Divine Sense were about to shatter.
Yet within his Sea of Consciousness, the Killing Blade's remnant suddenly trembled slightly. The sword that had pierced his Sea of Consciousness dissipated in an instant.
Xunuo felt as though he had regained control over his body and Sea of Consciousness; drenched in cold sweat, he hurriedly fled from the hill.
The Black Muscular Man atop the hill murmured softly to himself, "This child has a very strong Divine Sense; he must be an Alchemist or a master craftsman. Since your life is not meant to end here, I shall spare you this time." After finishing his words, he closed his eyes again and entered meditation.
As Xunuo left the hill, he was filled with astonishment. The Cultivator on the hill had not yet reached the Foundation Establishment Stage; he seemed to be at the Eleven Layers Peak level. Since advancing to the tenth layer of Basic Skill Method, Xunuo's Divine Sense had become unmatched. Most Eleventh Layer Cultivators could not compare to him; his strength lay in his Divine Sense!
However, this time he had been struck down by just a cold snort from the other party that shattered his confidence regarding his Divine Sense completely. Fortunately, thanks to the suppression of his Divine Sense by the Killing Blade's remnant, he narrowly escaped disaster.
Xunuo deeply recognized that there were countless extraordinary individuals among Cultivators; he simply had not encountered them before. He no longer dared to harbor any arrogance.
Yet Xunuo also sensed an underlying secret: the Killing Blade's remnant seemed particularly concerned about his Divine Sense being attacked. Since embarking on his path of cultivation, he had faced numerous dangers and several life-threatening situations. However, only twice had the Killing Blade's remnant shown anger towards enemies—one time even slaying an opponent whose cultivation level was beyond Xunuo's comprehension in one strike.
This left Xunuo with a furrowed brow: if he lost his life and soul scattered away, his Divine Sense would dissipate as well. He truly could not tell whether this Killing Blade acted out of intelligence or instinct.
Cautiously distancing himself from the hill dominated by the Black Muscular Cultivator, Xunuo retreated further away. His sudden departure surprised many nearby Loose Cultivators who witnessed it.
The cultivator who dominated a hill was named Ni Bingmo. He was notorious among the loose cultivators around Gaoyi City, a figure as fearsome as the Black Wind Old Monster. Yet, he had not yet reached his thirties and had already cultivated to the Eleven Layers Peak. His magical power was formidable, rarely encountering an opponent. What was most terrifying was that Ni Bingmo had unexpectedly acquired a Divine Consciousness Technique, using Divine Sense to attack enemies in an unpredictable manner.
It was quite astonishing for any loose cultivator to escape unscathed from Ni Bingmo's grasp. Thus, when Xunuo passed through some hills and slopes, the cultivators residing there dared not provoke him lightly.
Not long after, a shout came from atop an Earth Hill: "Xunuo Alchemist!"
Xunuo nearly stumbled upon hearing this. The only ones who could directly call out his identity as an alchemist were the cultivators from Chaotic Valley or those from Dome Mountain's Jin Family and Insect Path. The former would be manageable, but if it were the latter, Xunuo would have to flee once more.
Without caring who called out, Xunuo quickly took out the Against the Wind Boat and turned to look. He then relaxed and put away the boat; it turned out that the approaching cultivator was someone he recognized—a cultivator from Chaotic Valley's Heavenly Dragon Society. Feeling relieved, Xunuo approached him, and they exchanged information about the situation in Chaotic Valley.
This cultivator was also a master at Eleven Layers. During the previous operation where Chaotic Valley ambushed Lin Jianfeng, he had been assigned as backup by Xi Dao Jing to scout for any movements around the Three Sacred Mountains. He was the one who informed Xi Dao Jing that Guo Huai had escaped from the Three Sacred Mountains and headed toward Copper Sand Sea.
However, sensing danger, he had fled back from Chaotic Valley at that time. As for Xi Dao Jing and the others' fates, he knew nothing. He simply shook his head lightly, harboring little hope for Xi Dao Jing's survival.
The two then discussed the upcoming auction taking place in three days. Xunuo had just received news about it and was not very familiar with the details, so he asked for his insights. This fellow seemed well-acquainted with the local happenings and spoke openly about the auction's background.
It turned out that this auction was also known as the Dan Association, primarily focused on selling Unity Pills and other elixirs that enhanced magical cultivation. The timing of this auction was not fixed; instead, it depended on when a nearby cultivation sect called Crimson Flower Sect opened its doors to recruit disciples.
The timing for Crimson Flower Sect to recruit disciples was also irregular—ranging from three to five years to over ten years—depending on the talent situation within their sect. The conditions for recruiting disciples were extremely strict but still provided some opportunities for nearby cultivation families.
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