True Martial World - Chapter 1322: Canyon Tomb

Among the Cloud Pool City's various mountain ranges, Netherdoor Gorge had the deepest canyon.

The canyon reached deep into a ten-thousand-meter mountain like it was the result of a mighty figure's slice of a sword. The canyon was thousands of meters deep. In the deepest depths, the towering canyon walls cast a shroud so dark it hid even starlight and moonlight. It was pitch black.

It was truly a great place to rob and murder someone. Yi Yun had this thought when he arrived at the canyon.

"The Yin aura is quite heavy…"

As he had such a thought, he slowly turned his head. He looked towards the ends of the canyon and in the dark sky, more than ten figures slowly appeared. They were silent as they flew over like ghosts.

Just seconds later, these figures landed on the ground a little more than hundred feet away from Yi Yun.

The person leading the group was Su Boyang!

There was a middle-aged man and a woman with an excellent figure standing beside Su Boyang.

Yi Yun could sense stronger auras from the middle-aged duo. Although the way they were standing seemed to place Su Boyang as the leader, Yi Yun knew that their strength was higher than Su Boyang's!

Yi Yun knew that not every alchemist was adept at combat. Alchemical research took up time and effort, and if the Pillheart Sect wanted to stand firm in the Sinkhole, it required martial force. Since that was the case, the Pillheart Sect would naturally have Elders that did not know alchemy but placed all their efforts into raising their combat strength. The duo in front of him was likely an example of that.

Behind the middle-aged duo were a few youths. Su Muyan was one of them.

At that moment, Su Muyan was looking at Yi Yun with a delighted smile.

"You chose this place to be your tomb? This area has heavy Yin auras, what a perfect place for eternal slumber!"

Su Muyan resented Yi Yun for causing Manager Su to be severely punished by the sect. In addition, he was completely overwhelmed by Yi Yun's wealth at the auction. He felt like he was a clown that came forward only to be made into a fool. He already hated Yi Yun deeply and this night would be his chance for revenge.

"You mean to escape Cloud Pool City under the cover of night? How naive you are. You didn't even realize that Master Uncle Boyang had already placed a tracing mark on you. Your every action is at our fingertips. Even if you were to leave through a teleportation array, we can tear through a spatial passage to capture you! Martial Uncle Boyang, why don't you leave him to me? You don't need a sledgehammer to crack a nut. All you need to do is watch over the area and prevent other factions from taking advantage of the situation."

After Su Muyan, some of the youths looked at Yi Yun, eager to take action. They could not stand Yi Yun's arrogant demeanor and wanted to see him crippled.

Su Boyang exhaled slightly. This operation was of great importance and if the heritage Yi Yun obtained was truly related to that person, they might even be able to use Yi Yun to find the valuable cauldron. In that case, he would be recognized for rendering great meritorious service and might even be made the next sect master of the Pillheart Sect.

Su Boyang had planned on taking action himself to ensure things went smoothly. But as he was flying, he constantly surveyed his surroundings. There was indeed no faction that was foolish enough to try and snatch Yi Yun from the Pillheart Sect.

As such, he could let the juniors kill Yi Yun. It would sate their aspirations and help them build greater confidence.

"Elder Wang, this little bastard is tricky. Keep watch. If his strength is superior to Martial Nephew Muyan’s, use the Purpledark Sand to maim one of his hands or legs. This will prevent any unforeseen circumstances."

Su Boyang did not use a Yuan Qi voice transmission and instead said it right in front of Yi Yun.

"Of course!" The middle-aged man licked his lips. His skin was dark, and in the dark of night, all that could be seen were his two rows of teeth. "I have set up an array here, ensuring that there's no way he can escape. It's as simple as letting Martial Nephew Muyan catch a rat in a hole."

As the middle-aged man spoke, he waved his hand and more than ten array flags flew out of his interspatial ring into every direction of the canyon.

The woman beside them took action as well. With a seductive laugh, she took out a black ghost banner. "Martial Nephew Muyan, don't you harm that kid's soul sea. It's best you leave some breath in him. All you need to do is cripple his dantian and meridians. In a while, I plan on storing his soul in the ghost banner and slowly searching it. Searching a living soul gives more intact memories."

The woman was gorgeous but there was a faint red ghostly pattern on her face. She was adept at the art of ghost control and soul mystic techniques. She was particularly skilled in extracting souls and refining marrows, as well as reading memories.

This was the reason why the Pillheart Sect sent her. They wanted to uncover the source of Yi Yun's heritage. If the ruin he found the heritage in still remained, they could have experts from the sect search for it. In the eyes of the Pillheart Sect, Yi Yun was a walking treasure trove.

"Don't worry!" Su Muyan laughed. He took out a long spear from his interspatial ring and beside him, two young Pillheart Sect junior disciples formed a triangular formation with him.

"Weng!"

At that moment, the middle-aged man threw out an array flag that emitted a dazzling golden beam. The array flags hovered in midair, and the entire canyon was sealed by the array formation, creating an isolated world.

And the middle-aged man did not stop there. He took out a black bead from his interspatial ring and took aim at Yi Yun's calf. If it seemed like Yi Yun would injure Su Muyan, he would throw the black bead out and shatter the bones in Yi Yun's leg.

"Hahahaha!" Su Muyan laughed maniacally as he leaped up. "Do you hate how life isn't fair? Do you think that the likes of you are worthy of my Pillheart Sect's heritage? Die!"

Su Muyan's body spewed golden flames and his spear curled the flames into a swimming golden dragon that plunged straight down for Yi Yun!

But at that instant—

"Whew!"

The black bead that the dark-faced middle-aged man was holding suddenly flew out. He was astounded. He did not throw out the black bead at all!

What just happened?

He was snapped out of his daze by a series of explosive sounds. The golden array flags that were floating around the canyon were penetrated by the black bead, making them explode!

"Elder Wang, what are you doing?"

Elder Su looked at the middle-aged man with a perplexed expression. The middle-aged man was completely dumbfounded. The bead in his hand had destroyed his array flags of its own will? Ignoring how fantastical that sounded, the array he set up was an ancient array he found in ancient ruins. How could it be instantly destroyed?

Was someone secretly taking action? But even a person with a Divine Lord Royal Seal would not be capable of such feats!

Just as Elder Su and the middle-aged man were dumbstruck by the sudden turn of events, Su Muyan, who was focused on his battle, had already charged right at Yi Yun. With the sect Elders protecting him, there was nothing for him to fear. He put his all into attacking, with no thoughts of defense. He thrust it straight at Yi Yun's face!

The golden flames surged, with the power to melt boulders into lava!

"Pa!"

With a metallic hum, a hand extended out from the golden flames and grabbed the spear's tip firmly!

The hand appeared to be constructed of hefty divine metal that lodged the spear in place, preventing it from moving!

"Wh…What?"

Su Muyan was completely dumbfounded. He looked at the hand as the golden flames recessed, and he realized the hand belonged to Yi Yun!

The golden flames that enveloped the spear tip did not injure the hand at all. And at that moment, Su Muyan felt a tremendous amount of force coming from the spear. Yi Yun gave the spear a forceful throw, knocking Su Muyan to the ground.

"Ka-cha!"

The ground cracked as Su Muyan slammed into the ground. His mind buzzed from the crash.

"Elder Wang, I…"

Su Muyan never expected Yi Yun to grab his spear with a single hand. And most critically, Elder Wang did not take action.

"Puah!"

Su Muyan felt his chest heat up as an excruciating pain rushed up his nerves. He watched helplessly as his own golden spear suddenly penetrated his chest. It tore straight through his lung.

What stabbed through him was not the spear's tip but the spear's shaft!

With immense strength, a spear's shaft was no different from a spear's tip. In fact, as the shaft was thicker, it caused even greater damage!

The tremendous pain left Su Muyan's face pale. His lung had been seriously injured and he could hardly breathe.

Following that, the spear gradually rose, slowly raising up Su Muyan's broken body.

Yi Yun held the spear by its tip with a single hand as he lifted Su Muyan high into the sky.

He said unhurriedly, "I didn't choose this canyon to be my tomb...but yours."

All of this had happened in an instant. It happened so fast that no one could react in time. Only when Yi Yun said those words did the Pillheart Sect disciples suddenly feel a cold chill.

What had happened!?

"Who destroyed my array!?"

The middle-aged man questioned in a deep voice. An expert must have secretly taken action to accomplish such a feat.

Of course, Yi Yun's strength had far exceeded their imaginations.

They had naturally considered the possibility that Su Muyan was not Yi Yun's match, but they never expected the difference in strength to be so disparate.

At that moment, a short figure appeared behind Yi Yun.

The person was dressed in ordinary clothes. His hair was disheveled and there was an alcohol calabash hanging by his waist. His foundation looked normal and he did not resemble an expert at all.

Upon seeing this person appear, Su Boyang's expression changed. He had previously probed their surroundings repeatedly but did not sense a single person. As an alchemist, Su Boyang was extremely confident in his perception, but he had completely failed to detect the elder's presence.

Even now, he realized his perception could hardly detect the elder standing in front of him!

"Who… who are you?" Su Boyang asked in a deep tone. He was already feeling horrified to his core.

The elder ignored Su Boyang and played with the black bead in his hand before putting it away.

He turned towards Yi Yun and said languidly, "You made such an urgent request for me to come all the way from the Calm Sea, just to deal with these people of little significance?"

Yi Yun and Old Snake had their ways to stay in touch. Before the auction even began, Yi Yun had already called Old Snake.

True Martial World - Chapter 1321: Out the City

Jing Yuesha had no idea what Yi Yun was planning. So it surprised her when Yi Yun actually began to shop in Cloud Pool City.

Yi Yun went to various stores and looked at the merchandise very carefully. Every time, Yi Yun did not find anything of interest. All he did was shake his head gently.

Jing Yuesha could not help but ask, "Sect Master Yi, what do you want to buy?"

"I'm just browsing. Also… just call me Yi Yun." Yi Yun laughed. He was deliberately teasing Jing Yuesha in the past. Now, he felt a little sorry for his actions.

"Okay…" Jing Yuesha nodded. "Young Master Yi, Master just said that if you do not leave tonight, it will be difficult to escape when you want to…"

"I know. Thank you for speaking up for me, Miss Yuesha," Yi Yun said solemnly as he looked at Jing Yuesha. His sudden choice of words left Jing Yuesha a little embarrassed.

"Not that it did anything. Besides… it was all because of me that you quarreled with Princess Redjoy and exposed that recipe, making you a target of the Pillheart Sect…"

Yi Yun shook his head. "It has nothing to do with the pill recipe. I was bound to reveal my wealth when participating in the auction. The Pillheart Sect was only looking for an excuse. In fact, when the auction began, I went in fully expecting such an outcome."

As Yi Yun spoke, he suddenly felt a minute fluctuation in the surrounding Heaven Earth Yuan Qi. It spread out and was gathering towards a particular direction.

Yi Yun turned to look in that direction. What he saw made him frown slightly.

He saw a gigantic cauldron flying slowly over from the horizon.

The cauldron flew very slowly but it carried an immense might. It made the Heaven Earth Yuan Qi throughout all of Cloud Pool City fluctuate slightly.

Yi Yun clearly recognized a familiar emblem carved on the cauldron. He had seen it before on Su Muyan and company's chests.

It was the Pillheart Sect!

The cauldron was clearly a mobile abode in the form of a cauldron. And those within the cauldron were no doubt experts from the Pillheart Sect.

"How are they so fast?"

Upon seeing the cauldron, Jing Yuesha was stunned. She naturally recognized the emblem. Her master had surmised that more experts from the Pillheart Sect would rush over, but that it would take them at least a day. It was unexpected that the Pillheart Sect reacted so swiftly.

Yi Yun said, "The Heavenly South Peaks Meet is about to begin. Perhaps the members of the Pillheart Sect were already on the way here. Of course, they might have come early because of me."

Yi Yun was very aware of the value of the divine alchemist's heritage. To the Pillheart Sect, it was something it had to acquire at all costs.

"Boom!"

The cauldron landed on a mountain range outside the city. Its massive three feet crushed countless boulders and even the void trembled as a result.

Cloud Pool City's warriors naturally noticed the Pillheart Sect's cauldron. Although many large factions were participating in the Heavenly South Peaks Meet, most experts would choose to keep low profiles while entering Cloud Pool City. Few would be like Pillheart Sect, smashing down onto a mountain in plain view of Cloud Pool City with a massive cauldron.

"What an ostentatious display by the Pillheart Sect. I heard from my sect Elders that there was a fellow named Yi Yun at the auction who offended Su Boyang. That Yi Yun also has some long-lost heritage of the Pillheart Sect. Could this cauldron be here for Yi Yun?"

Warriors all around the city were discussing the matter. There were many participants at the auction so the news had long spread.

"It's not that simple. Hehe. Look at that Yi Yun's cultivation level. He's not worth the Pillheart Sect's efforts. The Pillheart Sect has raised such a rumpus not for Yi Yun but to scare all the other parties that might be eyeing Yi Yun. From the looks of it, the heritage that Yi Yun holds in hand is very important to the Pillheart Sect," said an elder. People found what he said to make sense. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

However, even if this was not known, no faction would have dared to snatch Yi Yun from the Pillheart Sect's proverbial jaws anyway.

After all, the Pillheart Sect was a faction that went beyond the constraints of the Heavenly South Great World. It had many branches in other Great Worlds. Even the Outcloud Empire and Divine Empire of Thunder did not dare touch the Pillheart Sect.

"Young Master Yi, what can you do now?"

The Pillheart Sect was standing guard outside the city. It was now impossible for Yi Yun to exit the city. Jing Yuesha began to believe that Yi Yun was in danger even if he stayed inside Cloud Pool City. Perhaps, the Pillheart Sect would ignore Cloud Pool City's rules and capture him once the Heavenly South Peaks Meet was over.

"Miss Yuesha, I plan on returning to the tavern. You should return and rest too," said Yi Yun. The auction had taken up most of the day, so it was likely that Su Boyang had already called in the Pillheart Sect before it was over.

"But…"

Jing Yuesha did not finish her sentence. She was at a loss for words. It was already late into the night and since Yi Yun was planning on returning to the tavern, it was unbecoming of her to follow him.

"Alright then." Jing Yuesha could only nod her head awkwardly.

With the Heavenly South Peaks Meet beginning, the Cloud Pool City's taverns were mostly booked. Yi Yun and company had failed to find a tavern that could take them all in, so they found separate lodgings. Yi Yun stayed in Perilla Tavern which was a distance away from the tavern the Clear Lunar Island group stayed at.

Perilla Tavern was considered a mediocre tavern in Cloud Pool City. Typically, large factions that participated in the Heavenly South Peaks Meet would place a lot of emphasis on their reputation. They would reserve high-class inns well ahead of time and so did not need to even enter such taverns. They felt it would be undignified, but Yi Yun did not care about such things.

Yi Yun returned to Perilla Tavern alone and sat on the bed to meditate.

He spent more than forty hours meditating. More than two days and two nights had passed, and they passed by peacefully.

During these two days, Jing Yuesha would pass by Perilla Tavern, hoping to find Yi Yun. But when she came to the tavern, she learned that Yi Yun had placed a 'do not disturb' sign with the tavern's owner. Jing Yuesha could only leave.

She felt it wasn't right to knock on his door. Warriors spent most of their time meditating in cultivation. Knocking on the door suddenly would be rude. Furthermore, she would have nothing to say to Yi Yun if she did see him.

And so it was, when the sun set on the third night. The meditating Yi Yun suddenly opened his eyes and pushed open the window. Like a light dove, he flew out of Perilla Tavern.

Cloud Pool City did not have curfews and the city gates were never closed. People could leave the city at night but not enter.

Yi Yun was dressed in black and he kept his aura converged. Under the night sky, he appeared to fuse with the darkness itself. He was pretty much indistinguishable.

After Yi Yun made it out of the city, he began flying towards a valley.

The night was cold, with freezing winds inundating him. Yi Yun's clothes fluttered but he remained calm. He was fast and, from afar, he could see faint shadows a distance away. They instantly vanished, seeming to melt into the world.

True Martial World - Chapter 1320: Ending. Killing Intent

After the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed, nothing caught Yi Yun's eye again. From that point on, he was only at the auction as a spectator.

Instead, there were a few items that Su Boyang produced that caught Yi Yun's attention.

For instance, the medicinal pills known as Youth Regaining Pills.

"These pills…"

Before the auction began, Yi Yun had heard King Yi mention the Youth Regaining Pills. King Yi had even specially requested Su Boyang to put a few Youth Regaining Pills aside for him.

Su Boyang had taken out a few Youth Regaining Pills for auctioning, and a bidding war ensued between King Yi and another old freak. In the end, King Yi obtained four pills while the other old man received two. Each pill reached the price of seven million.

This price was, of course, nothing compared to Yi Yun's Red Lotus Seed. However, it still far exceeded Yi Yun's expectations.

"So these are the so-called Youth Regaining Pills…" Yi Yun stroked his chin and said with a hint of surprise.

"Sect Master Yi, you know of them too?" Jing Yuesha asked in amazement. Even if Yi Yun was knowledgeable, it couldn't be such a coincidence that he knew everything, right?

Yi Yun gave a faint smile. A portion of the divine alchemist's heritage that he inherited was shared with the Pillheart Sect, so how could he not recognize it?

The so-called Youth Regaining Pills were indeed recorded in the divine alchemist's notes. They seemed to be some sort of fake Longevity Extending Pills.

Typical sacred medicine used to lengthen one's longevity, such as the Nine Revolutions Azure Fruit, could extend a person's lifespan by tens of thousands of years. But that was a divine treasure that was exceedingly rare to chance upon.

However, the Youth Regaining Pills did not have such effects. They actually had a little toxicity to them. They were like a basin of cold water that doused the user's flames of vitality.

For young geniuses, to be weakened like that would be a form of destroying one's foundation. Taking the pills would be severing their own cultivation paths. However, the old freaks that had little life in them had already expended all their vital potential, and there was no way for them to make new breakthroughs. They were not afraid of having their flames of vitality weakened. On the contrary, the more their flames of vitality were weakened, the longer they could live for.

The concept was akin to a pile of timber. If it burned too intensely, the timber would quickly be reduced to ashes. But if it was slowly burned, it could burn for much longer.

"No wonder. I previously noticed how King Yi's body was filled with a deadly air, as though he had half a foot in a coffin. It's because he has eaten too many Youth Regaining Pills, causing his flames of vitality to weaken so drastically. It accentuates the cadaveric aura in his body."

Upon coming to this realization, Yi Yun sighed. Such was the horror people had towards the thought of death.

The old fogies who were nearing their end naturally knew the side effects of the Youth Regaining Pills. They weakened their flames of vitality, destroyed their foundation, and would even cause their strength to decline. However, they could double or triple the little lifespan they had left.

They were willing to accept it because they treasured their lives.

"The divine alchemist's notes have records of the Youth Regaining Pills. The divine alchemist had even improved some of the pill recipes, producing effects that are much better than the original Youth Regaining Pills. If I were to refine them, I could even produce some that have characteristics of Longevity Extending Pills. However… according to the divine alchemist's notes, the Youth Regaining Pill recipe requires the main herb known as Unwithering Grass. It's extremely rare and, although it's not expensive, the divine alchemist had noted it as 'seldom encountered.' Yet, the Pillheart Sect is able to sell these Youth Regaining Pills en masse. That's odd…"

Based on his knowledge, Yi Yun knew that it was extremely difficult to switch the main ingredient in a pill recipe. Perhaps, the Pillheart Sect had found a way to grow Unwithering Grass.

The Pillheart Sect did seem quite capable. The source of their heritage was definitely not limited to the divine alchemist. It also stemmed from other alchemy grandmasters from ancient times.

…

The auction continued for more than half a day before it finally ended. When Yi Yun left the venue, his eyes met Su Boyang’s. Su Boyang had an extremely cold expression. He pretended not to see Yi Yun and directly brushed past him.

At that instant, Yi Yun suddenly felt something odd.

A tracing mark!?

Yi Yun had the Purple Crystal in him, so he was extremely sensitive to energy fluctuations. However, he could not find evidence of any tracing mark. He did not notice anything on Jing Yueyin, who wasn't that far from him, either.

Perhaps, it was a mystic technique of the Pillheart Sect.

If there were any tracing incense, Yi Yun would not dare claim that he could definitely identify it. The divine alchemist dedicated his life to seeking the Elixir of Immortality and Elixir of Resurrection. As such, he steered himself towards the path of longevity and was not interested in unorthodox means at all.

And given the Pillheart Sect's varied means and Su Boyang's cultivation level, it was quite normal that he could not detect any tracing incense.

"Brother Yi Yun, take care. Hahaha."

Prince Boundless Heaven happened to pass by Yi Yun as he made a snarky comment.

Princess Redjoy was beside him and although she hated Yi Yun, she did not feel that he deserved death.

"It's all your fault for being so arrogant, afraid that others might not know how rich you are. Serves you right! If it were me, I would give up all the divine treasures I obtained out of sheer luck in the ruin. Perhaps, you can hire an expert to escort you back and ignore whatever is left of the Heavenly South Peaks Meet. Quickly return to that backwater Calm Sea of yours. Maybe you can still live."

Princess Redjoy taunted Yi Yun. Although her words were vicious, her intentions were not nefarious. It was a disguised way to give Yi Yun a way out of his predicament.

"Hmph! We don't need your concern!"

Jing Yuesha and Princess Redjoy were not people to be messed with. The moment they saw their sworn enemy, Jing Yuesha immediately gave tit for tat.

"What a waste of my good intentions. I don't care if you people have a death wish. Just don't blame me when you end up as ghosts."

After Princess Redjoy was done, she flicked her hair and left.

Jing Yuesha was left behind, staring with her beautiful eyes. She was still infuriated. "Master, what do we do?"

At that moment, all Jing Yuesha could do was seek her master, Jing Yueyin's help.

Jing Yueyin was famous in the Calm Sea. Although she was not illustrious in the Heavenly South Great World, she was still considered an expert not to be ignored.

Jing Yueyin knitted her brows slightly. She would not be afraid if it were only Su Boyang. She could protect Yi Yun completely then. But most critically, the enemy was an ancient sect that had a long heritage. Furthermore, Yi Yun's fortuitous encounter was related to this sect. The opponent was definitely not one to be underestimated. It was a tough conundrum.

It was not that she did not want to protect Yi Yun but that she likely lacked the strength to do so.

"Master, is there nothing you can do either?"

Jing Yuesha blinked her eyes as she looked helplessly at Jing Yueyin. She was feeling anxious but Yi Yun had stirred this trouble for himself. What could she do? All she could do was look towards her master as a straw to clutch at.

Jing Yueyin fell silent for a moment as she looked at her disciple. She said, "The Pillheart Sect will require some time to muster their troops. If we forget the Heavenly South Peaks Meet and leave tonight, using some concealment techniques of mine, we can rush to the spatial node quickly and cross the void. I estimate we might have a forty to fifty percent chance of escaping safely. If we continue participating in the Heavenly South Peaks Meet, however, there is no way we can leave once the experts from the Pillheart Sect arrive."

Forget the Heavenly South Peaks Meet?

Jing Yuesha was taken aback when she heard that.

The Heavenly South Peaks Meet was something she had been looking forward to for a long time. When she received the invitation to the Heavenly South Peaks Meet she thought of nothing but being able to flex her muscles at the meet. She believed that the chance to face elites would be a great way to temper herself, a once in a lifetime opportunity!

Now, after going to painstaking lengths to get to the Heavenly South Great World, she had to give up the Heavenly South Peaks Meet?

She was completely aware that it was impossible for her to stay behind alone to participate in the Heavenly South Peaks Meet. Once her master escorted Yi Yun away, the Pillheart Sect's revenge was not something she could withstand alone.

Upon coming to this realization, it was impossible for Jing Yuesha to feel anything but disappointment.

She was in a daze for a moment. She began envisioning the consequences of drawing a fine line separating her from Yi Yun. That way, the Pillheart Sect would not make things difficult for her and she could participate in the Heavenly South Peaks Meet smoothly.

However, she faltered at the idea. Firstly, she felt it was beneath her. Furthermore, the choice seemed to make her feel a baffling sense of melancholy.

"Yi Yun got into this mess because he exposed the secret of the beautification pill for my sake. I cannot abandon him."

Jing Yuesha had such a thought in mind as she gritted her teeth. Just as she wanted to say something, Ren Yunzong suddenly spoke up.

"Clear Lunar Island Lord, Sect Master Yi, Zijian previously mentioned that he would like to buy a treasured artifact. He would like to patronize a store. Shall we split up for now? If Clear Lunar Island Lord is interested as well, would you like to join me and take a look?" he said with a chuckle.

Xia Zijian was taken aback. He had never mentioned anything about a treasured artifact, right? However, he soon understood his master's intentions.

It was an excuse for them to part and go their own ways!

Ignoring the thought of abandoning of the Heavenly South Peaks Meet, just the idea of traveling with Yi Yun to leave the Heavenly South Great World was something Ren Yunzong was unwilling to do!

They would face the pursuit of the Pillheart Sect, but since the Pillheart Sect's target was only Yi Yun, why should they be his aegis?

Ren Yunzong had made his intentions clear. It was Yi Yun's trouble. There was no reason for them to be implicated as a result.

Ren Yunzong had asked for Jing Yueyin's decision. There were two choices. She could follow him to the artifact store and if Yi Yun was even slightly cognizant, he would know that he had been abandoned. He would not follow them just to end up being snubbed.

She could also choose to stay behind and protect Yi Yun. In that case, Jing Yueyin was a fool.

Jing Yueyin obviously knew the outcome of either choice. She fell silent and looked at her disciple, Jing Yuesha.

"Yuesha, do you want to look at treasured artifacts?"

When Jing Yueyin asked the question, Jing Yuesha noticed that Xia Zijian was looking hopefully at her.

The choice was on her, and her master's stand was very clear. She would abide by her choice.

Instantly, Jing Yuesha became confused. She did not place too much thought on herself, because she was not the only person there from the Clear Lunar Island. There were also her sisters from Clear Lunar Island that would be affected by her decision.

How could she be selfish in such circumstances?

"Junior Sister Yuesha, let's go look at treasured artifacts. The scale of the stores in Cloud Pool City far exceeds that of the Calm Sea."

Xia Zijian noticed Jing Yuesha's hesitation. He slowly walked over and said this with a friendly chuckle.

He then looked at Yi Yun and said, "I believe Sect Master Yi wouldn't be interested. Sect Master Yi, why don't you stay here and take in the scenery of Cloud Pool City? We wouldn't be joining you."

As Xia Zijian said that, he felt the joy of having obtained revenge. Previously, he had accidentally bowed at Yi Yun and it made him very uncomfortable.

However, Xia Zijian never expected Yi Yun to shake his head and say, "I'm actually very interested in that. But, Martial-Nephew Zijian, while shopping for treasured artifacts is nice and all, the treasured artifact store that caught your eye is just too low-class. Whether a treasured artifact store is good or not can be determined by the surrounding nomological fluctuations. I wouldn't want to enter such a treasured artifact store. Cloud Pool City is quite a bustling city and I do plan on traveling around. I heard that in the city center, there's a treasured artifact store named Tian Yuan Loft. They sell highly prized items and there are only about a dozen treasured artifacts for sale. Even the cheapest one starts at thirty million mid-grade Spirit Jade. However, this price is something you probably cannot…"

Yi Yun did not finish his sentence but Xia Zijian nearly choked when he heard that.

He was hoping to use the opportunity to put Yi Yun down, but he ended up being degraded by Yi Yun.

This bastard was sick!

The Pillheart Sect was already at his throat, with the bunch of old monsters grinding their knives, waiting to place him on a chopping board. Yet, here he was mentioning the prices of the treasured artifacts of the various stores? Was thirty million that impressive?

Alright… it was truly impressive. Just the thought of his own wealth made Xia Zijian shrink back. Although it was not difficult for the Heavenly Pivot Chapter to produce thirty million, it would not spend even ten million on a junior like Xia Zijian. He could not afford to look at such treasured artifacts.

Xia Zijian looked at Ren Yunzong, who had a sullen expression. Ren Yunzong was wondering if he had minced his words too much. Did the young bastard really not understand what he was implying? He felt that Yi Yun was definitely not a fool. He had reached the position of sect master at such a young age after all. How could he not understand his insinuations?

Ren Yunzong sneered and said, "Sect Master Yi, you truly are stubborn as a mule. I already warned you during the auction that there are consequences for being overly arrogant. Sect Master Yi, you don't seem to have a good memory but whatever. There is a price needed to grow up. I shall not bother in your affairs any longer!"

When Ren Yunzong said that, he began to lead the members of the Heavenly Pivot Chapter away.

Yi Yun was also planning on leaving. He cupped his fists at Clear Lunar Island Lord and said, "Thank you, Senior for keeping me in your thoughts. I can go alone. I bid you farewell."

With that said, Yi Yun turned to leave. Upon seeing this scene, Jing Yuesha turned anxious.

"Master, I'll go with Sect Master Yi."

Jing Yuesha was momentarily at a loss as to what to say. She could not make the decision for the Clear Lunar Island Lord but she could make decisions for herself. She sped up and followed Yi Yun.

Upon seeing Jing Yuesha leaving, Jing Yueyin's gaze turned heavy as she sighed lightly.

"Are you worried about the child?" Fairy Ping's voice transmission rang in Jing Yueyin's ears.

"Yes…" Jing Yueyin nodded. Jing Yuesha had yet to realize it, but subconsciously, her concern for Yi Yun had far exceeded the scope that a stranger deserved.

Perhaps, it was still a favorable impression that could not be defined at present. But in the future, it could slowly sprout.

…

"You shouldn't have followed me."

Yi Yun strolled down Cloud Pool City's streets and spoke softly.

Jing Yuesha followed behind him with an embarrassed expression.

She did not know why she had rashly chased up to him. Perhaps… she could not bear the sight of seeing Yi Yun depart alone?

That was an explanation Jing Yuesha gave herself. But just some thought was enough to know that it wasn't the case. If the person who had departed alone was someone else, such as Xia Zijian, would she have followed?

Upon realizing this, Jing Yuesha felt depressed. What did it have to do with her?

She did not know what to say to Yi Yun. All she could do was follow behind him. As she looked at the youth in front of her, Jing Yuesha suddenly felt that his back looked lonely, emaciated but forceful.

Perhaps, he was never bothered by Ren Yunzong's verbal drawing of a line…

True Martial World - Chapter 1319: The Auction's Rules

Su Boyang's eloquent assertion made Yi Yun want to rip the skin off the old bastard's face. He had never seen someone as thick-skinned as him.

"Master Su, isn't it a little farfetched to claim that our young friend Yi Yun's heritage comes from your Pillheart Sect just because of a pill recipe?"

Elder Mu knitted his brows as well. Su Boyang was truly shameless. He was actually making such audacious claims because of one pill recipe.

However, further thought made it obvious that the old bastard was shameless. Were he not, he would not have directly threatened Yi Yun with a voice transmission. For an old freak to threaten to a junior because he failed to outbid him at an auction was clear evidence of his character.

"There is a way to verify if I have wrongfully maligned him. I believe our young friend here has things that are related to my Pillheart Sect. In particular, an alchemical cauldron my Pillheart Sect lost… Although the cauldron was lost, we have the remnants of the cauldron's core array. These remnant array pieces have been kept in my Pillheart Sect for tens of millions of years. In recent days, it has had a sudden reaction to something. Us Elders from the Pillheart Sect were initially unsure of what triggered the reaction but now, I have my suspicions…"

When Su Boyang said that, he squinted his eyes at Yi Yun. He was only guessing and was not certain.

Yi Yun's heart skipped a beat.

Cauldron!?

He guessed that the cauldron Su Boyang referred to was the Divine Alchemy Cauldron!

Su Boyang's claim that they possessed the remnants of the Divine Alchemy Cauldron's core array was obviously true. The Divine Alchemy Cauldron and the array's remnants would definitely still have some sort of connection.

"Could it be that you suspect that Yi Yun's interspatial ring holds your Pillheart Sect's cauldron?" asked Elder Mu.

"That's right. And I would like to verify it. Since it is a heritage item of my Pillheart Sect, we have to get it back. According to the Heavenly South Great World's rule of mandatory exchange, if someone finds treasures that are proven to belong to others, the original owner can use mandatory exchange to buy back their original treasures. But in reality, few people use the rule of mandatory exchange. This is because the Heavenly South Great World reveres the strong. Usually, such encounters would be resolved through force. Of course, my Pillheart Sect prefers to follow the rules. I believe our young friend, Yi Yun has only chanced upon our Pillheart Sect's items. As long as you take it out for exchange, I can guarantee you that the Pillheart Sect will not harp on past transgressions."

Su Boyang did not mention the Divine Alchemy Cauldron's price. That was because he was afraid others would be moved to nefarious thoughts by the potential wealth. Secondly, he really did not know.

In fact, the Pillheart Sect had never seen the Divine Alchemy Cauldron. They could only infer that the Divine Alchemy Cauldron was a valuable item based on the core array.

Su Boyang was unsure if Yi Yun really had the Divine Alchemy Cauldron but he was certain that Yi Yun must have obtained some impressive heritage. Otherwise, he would not have been able to produce the Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus or the eighty million mid-grade Spirit Jade, not to mention the Herb Nurturing Technique.

Su Boyang raised the so-called rationale of mandatory exchange mainly to announce at the auction that Yi Yun's items belonged to the Pillheart Sect. By taking his items according to the rule, they were doing so in an above board manner. Other sects were not to covet his items.

Even if hungry tigers fought for food, there were rules. The figurative piece of meat, Yi Yun, belonged to the Pillheart Sect.

"Sect Master Yi, sigh. Didn't Clear Lunar Island Lord exhort you to keep a low profile?"

Not far from Yi Yun, Ren Yunzong sent a voice transmission.

One had to be careful revealing their wealth at an auction. Despite lacking strength, Yi Yun had taken out a Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus. Wasn't that equivalent to telling others that he had stumbled on great fortuitous encounters, making him extremely rich?

Ignoring the fact that he was now being targeted by the Pillheart Sect, even if the managed to evade their attempts, many people probably now had thoughts of robbing Yi Yun.

Yi Yun replied nonchalantly, "As a junior, I naturally know that keeping a low profile is safer. But warriors such as us have to vie for opportunities when they present themselves. If we don’t, we could go our whole lives with no chance to reach the peak of martial arts. I will naturally shoulder the responsibility. Sect Master Ren, you do not need to worry about being pulled into the fray."

Yi Yun naturally knew what Ren Yunzong was thinking. He was only afraid of being implicated. He did not think too much of Ren Yunzong's thoughts since the Heavenly Pivot Chapter had nothing to do with him. It would be foolish to pin his hopes on them to help him resolve his problems. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

"You… Hmph! I was just advising you but you didn't recognize my kind intentions. You truly do not know better!"

Ren Yunzong's expression turned ugly. Although he did have such thoughts, he could not maintain his composure when they were exposed by Yi Yun.

"How about it? Might I borrow your interspatial ring to take a look, Yi Yun? If there's really a cauldron or the Herb Nurturing Technique, I will purchase it according to market rates."

Master Su said with a sneer in an aggressive manner.

As for the talk of market price, only a fool would believe him. Be it the cauldron or the Herb Nurturing Technique, one could know with their toes how precious they were.

"Su Boyang, are you done!?" Elder Mu suddenly spoke out. His voice was cold, dropping the temperature of the area a few notches.

Oh?

Su Boyang felt his heart jolt. At that instant, he felt a tremendous aura envelop him. It tightened his heart.

He looked at Elder Mu and saw the immense aura lock on to him.

Although Elder Mu looked calm on the surface, Su Boyang felt like he had a sword pointed at his glabella. The elder in front of him seemed to transform into a dangerous primordial behemoth.

He realized that he had truly tried Elder Mu's patience.

It was as though too much time had passed and many people had forgotten the strength within the chuckling old man.

"Mandatory exchange is a rule of the Heavenly South Great World. The Heavenly South Peaks Meet's auction follows my rules. At this auction, all of you have to abide by my rules."

Elder Mu enunciated each word forcefully. Every word seemed like a sword that was stabbing into Su Boyang's soul sea.

Su Boyang felt his heart palpitate when he heard that. His aura was completely suppressed by Elder Mu.

Su Boyang clenched his teeth, cupped his fists and said, "Sorry for my rude behavior. Please forgive me for offending you, Elder Mu…"

In front of absolute strength, he could only bend over. However, it did not matter. His intention in speaking was to announce his 'rights' to the prey that was Yi Yun. He had achieved his goal.

"Then, let's continue!" Elder Mu said lightly. As he spoke, his aura withdrew. The atmosphere suddenly became a lot more relaxed.

After that display, no one dared to act rashly again.

However, many people believed that Yi Yun was doomed.

Elder Mu had indeed protected Yi Yun but that was because it was at his auction. Elder Mu only needed to ensure that the auction rules were abided by. Yi Yun was not his disciple. Once the auction was finished, Elder Mu had no obligation to ensure Yi Yun's safety.

Awaiting Yi Yun after the auction was the behemoth that was the Pillheart Sect. There were also other factions hoping to take their share of the loot by killing him in secret to seize his treasures.

Regardless of how it unfolded, Yi Yun's outcome was clear. At that moment, everyone was watching Yi Yun. He had bid at ridiculous prices, so it was obviously impossible that they did not feel envious. Now that they saw Yi Yun in trouble, many of them gloated at his misfortune.

"Does Yi Yun not realize this at all? He is only a warrior at the Dao Palace realm. By being so arrogant at an exchange, how is he different from a lamb jumping into a pack of wolves to provoke them?"

People discussed silently. When Prince Boundless Heaven heard such discussion, he revealed a delighted smile. The opportunity for revenge came too fast. He was waiting, waiting for the moment Yi Yun was eaten clean.

True Martial World - Chapter 1318: Mandatory Exchange

"Is Master Su still interested at eighty million?"

Elder Mu looked at Master Su. He was pleasantly surprised for the price had far exceeded his expectations.

Yi Yun felt that victory was at hand. He did not believe Master Su would raise his bid again.

After all, it was not a perfect Abyssal Red Lotus Seed. Even if it was properly nurtured, possibly restoring thirty percent of its medicinal properties, it would only be worth approximately eighty million. And that wasn't including the time and capital investment needed.

Most people would call the purchase unprofitable.

However, he never expected Master Su to extend a finger after a long moment of silence. He enunciated his words firmly, "I bid a hundred million!"

A hundred million!?

Upon hearing the bid, everyone was astounded, especially the Thunder Imperial Preceptor. He knew some alchemy himself so he was baffled by how a withered Abyssal Red Lotus Seed could be sold at the astronomical price of hundred million.

Yi Yun's heart sank. Was this old bastard also adept in Herb Nurturing Techniques?

He had likely underestimated the Pillheart Sect's heritage. Only a paragon Herb Nurturing Technique could allow the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed's vital radiance to be energized and fully drawn out. This was the only reason why he could make such a crazy bid.

If that was the case, a hundred million was likely not the old bastard's limit.

However, no matter how good the Pillheart Sect's Herb Nurturing Technique was, Yi Yun refused to believe that they could regrow the Abyssal Red Lotus. That was no longer an issue of having the proper Herb Nurturing Technique, but the fire-elemental Yuan Qi that needed to be provided.

Yi Yun possessed the Heretical God Fire Seed. It was a unique quality that gave him the confidence to make such an attempt. By using the Heretical God Fire Seed to nourish the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed, he could even induce transformations he never expected!

"Kid, if you add so much as one Spirit Jade, I'll make sure you die without a proper burial!"

Master Su's Yuan Qi voice transmission rang in Yi Yun's ear. This was a direct threat. For someone of Master Su's status to make such threats, it was obvious how much he coveted the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed.

Yi Yun sneered. He did not reply Master Su with a Yuan Qi voice transmission. Instead, he said loudly, "You said that if I were to add so much as one Spirit Jade, you'll make me die without a proper burial! Then, I won't add Spirit Jade. I'm willing to pay one Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus to buy this Abyssal Red Lotus Seed."

Everyone was stunned when they heard Yi Yun's bid.

Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus!

Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli was just another form of currency. However, it was ridiculously rare. Spirit Jade was mined from mineral reefs be they high or mid-grade Spirit Jade.

However, legends said that Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli only appeared during the Sinkhole's birth. It was coagulated worldly essence, something mineral reeds could not produce. After long periods of time, Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus mostly landed in the hands of Godly Monarchs; that was why they were termed 'Godly Monarch' Immortal Annulus.

Perhaps only Godly Monarchs would use Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli to purchase items. Ordinary warriors would not even see a piece in their entire lives. In that way, it was a symbol of one's identity.

"How can this punk… have a Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus…"

Prince Boundless Heaven was already stammering. A currency at the level of Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli was only owned by a few patriarchs in the Outcloud Empire. Even the national treasury's reserves did not have one.

The bid had not only stunned the crowd, even Master Su was dumbfounded. He was already prepared to continue increasing his bid if Yi Yun did not know better and potentially add another ten or twenty million. His limit was 160 million.

But with Yi Yun directly bidding with a Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus, how was he to match the bid?

The exchange rate of a Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus was a hundred million mid-grade Spirit Jade to one in ancient times. But in the current age, almost no one did such exchanges. It made the exchange rate somewhat indeterminable.

But it was without a doubt that a Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus was worth more than a hundred million mid-grade Spirit Jade.

Master Su had only brought Spirit Jade of various grades to the auction. Even if he bid 160 million, it would appear weak in comparison. Elder Mu was probably not going to show interest in his bid.

Master Su could see the sparkling glint in Elder Mu's eyes after he heard the words "Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus." He knew that the old man had made his decision.

"Alright! Look at how good you did! I'll stop vying for it!"

Master Su stared at Yi Yun with intense killing intent. Since he knew he could not outbid Yi Yun, he did not wish to incur ridicule on himself.

Yi Yun had just repeated the contents of his voice transmission out loud and now everyone knew that Master Su had just threatened Yi Yun with a voice transmission.

It was a despicable act to threaten at an auction. Yet, Master Su had ignored his status and threatened a junior in such a manner. Just this point alone made everyone think lowly of the way he bared his fangs. More critically, he had failed to acquire the item despite baring his fangs in such an ugly manner!

It was obvious how furious Master Su was feeling.

"This punk's madness knows no bounds. He treats Su Boyang's threat like it's nothing."

"There is a price for such madness. This punk is probably finished. Su Boyang has lost face and also future profits. He will not spare the punk at all, to say nothing of the fact that he is backed by the Pillheart Sect! How is a Dao Palace realm junior the match of the Pillheart Sect?"

"Indeed, those that are overly arrogant always die the fastest. Although he has two or three Calm Sea experts accompanying him, there is no way they can protect him. They might not even want to protect him. From their conversations, they do not seem to be from the same sect."

Yi Yun himself was already sect master, so how could the other Divine Lord experts be Yi Yun's subordinates? Clearly, they were together because they traveled together from the Calm Sea. In that case, they did not have deep relations. Under such circumstances, who would risk endangering themselves to protect Yi Yun?

Yi Yun could not be bothered with the crowd's comments. He took out an interspatial ring and handed it to Elder Mu.

Elder Mu received the interspatial ring and scanned it with his perception. Immediately, he beamed. "Very pure in quality. As an old man, I haven't seen many Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli yet. Haha, it's truly an unexpected harvest!"

Upon seeing the way the exchange was made, the crowd, especially the young juniors, was disappointed. They believed that they would catch a glimpse of the Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus and be able to brag about it in the future but Yi Yun had placed it in an interspatial ring. They didn't have a chance to catch even a glimpse of it.

"This Abyssal Red Lotus Seed is yours." Elder Mu handed the seed to Yi Yun. He was very satisfied with the auction and more so with Yi Yun.

The Myriad God Patriarch, hoarder that he was, had three Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli stored away. However, Yi Yun thought nothing of it. Although currency was valuable, it was only currency. Being able to use it to buy things he needed was worth it.

If he could use the remaining two Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli to buy herbs at the level of the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed, Yi Yun would probably laugh himself awake in his dreams.

However, it would be quite difficult. The herbs he encountered in the future might not be flawed. If they were intact, he might not even be able to buy them with the remaining two Godly Monarch Immortal Annuli.

"I have to find an opportunity to amass wealth."

Yi Yun secretly made up his mind. When he put away the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed, he noticed that Master Su was still staring at him.

"I wonder what this old bastard is thinking."

Yi Yun furrowed his brows. Being marked by the old bastard was obviously not a good feeling.

At that moment, Elder Mu also noticed Su Boyang's gaze. He said, "I say, Master Su, don't you have something to put up for sale?"

Elder Mu interrupted Su Boyang. He naturally favored Yi Yun after Yi Yun bought the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed from him at an astronomical price.

"Me? Hehe…" Master Su chuckled sinisterly. "I had brought a few bottles of pills and relics but there are so many impressive figures at this auction. Even a Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus has shown itself. I'm afraid I'll only attract ridicule with the items I have."

"Look what you are saying. How would we know if you do not take them out for us to see? I'm still waiting to have my horizons broadened." Elder Mu obviously detected the anger in Master Su's words but it didn't matter. He continued speaking leisurely in a non-confrontational manner.

"I think it's better to not make a fool of myself." Master Su shook his head and suddenly looked at Yi Yun. He said out of the blue, "Young lad, with your wealth, do you not have any items to put on sale?"

Very suddenly, Master Su redirected the request to Yi Yun.

Yi Yun frowned slightly. The old bastard was going from bad to worse. He rejected it instantly, "I have nothing to sell."

"Heh! That might not be the case. Young lad, since you were willing to pay one Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus to buy Elder Mu's Abyssal Red Lotus Seed, you must have an extraordinary Herb Nurturing Technique. You can put that up for sale!"

Master Su's words were clearly meant to instigate, as many people present began to stir.

They originally felt that Yi Yun was rich to buy the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed but now, after hearing Master Su's words, they were enlightened. If Yi Yun really had a Herb Nurturing Technique of that level, it would be priceless!

If their sects could obtain such a Herb Nurturing Technique, their pills and treasures could be nourished, considerably raising the sect's strength!

Many of the old freaks present could not hide the glimmer in their eyes!

"Master Su, what you said makes sense. Young Brother Yi, if you have a mystic technique of such a high grade, it's true that you can sell it. I'd be willing to pay a handsome price for it!"

King Yi stroked his beard and said with a chuckle. He looked middle-aged but he kept giving off the feeling of someone lacking vibrancy.

A handsome price?

Yi Yun sneered. As someone who probably didn't even have a Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus, could you even afford the Herb Nurturing Technique left behind by the divine alchemist?

As for the Thunder Imperial Preceptor, he did not say a word. Instead, he only looked at Yi Yun.

Instantly, the mood changed. Everyone had different thoughts and the way they looked at Yi Yun was as though they were watching a plump lamb about to be slaughtered.

At that moment, Elder Mu spoke out. He lowered his hands and emitted an invisible aura, repressing the mood.

"Everyone, have you forgotten what I said at the beginning of the auction? Those that participate in the auction must first abide by the Heavenly South Peaks Meet's rules. The exchange has to be voluntary. That is the most basic principle. No one is to force a sale."

Elder Mu's voice gradually turned cold. As the founder of the Heavenly South Peaks Meet, he naturally needed to keep the Heavenly South Peaks Meet impartial. If not, who would dare auction away their items at future meets?

"Haha! Elder Mu is right! However the Heavenly South Great World has another rule. There is a rule of mandatory exchange. Elder Mu, you should know of it, right?"

"Oh? Mandatory exchange?"

Yi Yun narrowed his eyes. What the hell was that rule?

Elder Mu faltered slightly. "There is the rule of mandatory exchange but almost no one has ever used it. According to the rule, only by proving that Yi Yun's items come from your Pillheart Sect can a mandatory exchange be held…"

"Of course!" Master Su laughed sinisterly as he continue staring at Yi Yun. "All of you have probably forgotten that a few days ago, Yi Yun saw a dish at the Brightheart Veranda. With just a glance, he could tell the pill recipe used in the dish. Furthermore, he easily restored the pill and accurately described the composition of the pills. Later on, he declared that he knew the pill recipe."

"All of you likely know that the pill recipe used for the dish is not considered valuable, but it is absolutely confidential. It was an ancient heritage of my Pillheart Sect. It's impossible that an outsider could obtain it!"

When Master Su said those words, everyone came to a realization. They recalled Yi Yun's actions at the Brightheart Veranda, and they were not something a junior was capable of. Yi Yun could only have restored the pills if he knew the techniques behind it.

Instantly, everyone looked at Yi Yun. And at that moment, Yi Yun was feeling alarmed!

Could it be…

He carefully thought about the matter. The Brightheart Veranda's beautification pill was indeed an ancient recipe recorded in the divine alchemist's notes. As the recipe was of little worth, it did not spread. The divine alchemist had only chanced upon it and recorded it in passing. It was too much of a coincidence for the Pillheart Sect to know of it as well.

Just this coincidence alone did not make Yi Yun think too much was off. But the second coincidence happened when Elder Mu auctioned his Abyssal Red Lotus Seed.

The Pillheart Sect was also adept at Herb Nurturing Techniques!

If he had not bid a Godly Monarch Immortal Annulus, the old bastard would have bought the withered lotus seed for above a hundred million!

How could a typical sect make such an unprofitable purchase?

A non-mainstream pill recipe and an outstanding Herb Nurturing Technique. Yi Yun began to suspect that the Pillheart Sect's heritage was likely related to the divine alchemist!

Without a doubt, the divine alchemist's main heritage had been left in the Sun Burial Sandsea, eventually obtained by Yi Yun.

However, the divine alchemist had previously been in the Sinkhole. He had stayed in there for years, so it was not strange for him to leave behind a little bit of his heritage during that long period of time!

For a powerful sect like the Pillheart Sect to develop to such a grand scale, how could it not have an ancient heritage propping it up? Perhaps, the Pillheart Sect had relied on that tiny bit of divine alchemist heritage and any other possible heritage to slowly bolster themselves.

"No wonder it was so coincidental. I should have thought of it long ago!"

Yi Yun's expression sank. He looked at Su Boyang and noticed the corners of his mouth curve up, revealing a teasing smile. The old bastard was sharp. He had actually came to this realization before him!

Yet despite the tumultuous upheavals running through Yi Yun's mind, he did not reveal a single emotion on his face.

Even so, Su Boyang was apparently more certain that Yi Yun had obtained a heritage similar to the Pillheart Sect.

He stroked his beard and said confidently, "I did not pursue the matter regarding the Brightheart Veranda's pill recipe since it isn't of great worth. But who knew that this junior would continue push his luck? He thinks that the Pillheart Sect is weak and easily bullied. He even dared to vie for the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed with me!"

"He used my Pillheart Sect's heritage to vie for a treasure my Pillheart Sect thinks highly of. Is this even tolerable?"

True Martial World - Chapter 1317: Herb Nurturing Technique

"Thirty million mid-grade Spirit Jade?"

When Su Muyan and Prince Boundless Heaven heard the bid, they were stunned. They had been assuming that the price of fifteen million, raised slowly in increments of five hundred thousand, was already extremely close to the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed's true value. So they never expected that someone would directly make a bid that doubled it!

"It's that Yi punk!"

Prince Boundless Heaven just stared at Yi Yun as he could not close his agape mouth. How could the punk be that rich?

As Prince Boundless Heaven was of royal birth, and he believed that his wealth was something very few juniors could match. However, the amount Yi Yun had casually shouted far exceeded his imagination. Didn't he come from the Calm Sea? Since when did juniors from the Calm Sea have such terrifying amounts of wealth?

Prince Boundless Heaven subconsciously gulped mouthfuls of saliva.

"Do… Do you really have that much Spirit Jade?" he asked. However, Yi Yun ignored him completely. There was no need for him to prove his wealth to Prince Boundless Heaven.

At that moment, Elder Mu finally revealed a smile. He looked at Yi Yun and asked cordially, "Dear friend, might I know your name?"

Upon seeing Elder Mu's smile, Yi Yun was rendered speechless. The old fellow was not one to take action without a clear target. "Greetings Senior, my name is Yi Yun."

Yi Yun!

Everyone's eyes were concentrated on Yi Yun.

They did not know Yi Yun's full name previously, only hearing that he was the one who caused Brightheart Veranda to be shuttered.

"So his name is Yi Yun. Everyone said that he is a sect master but I thought he had just conferred the title for himself. Who knew that he's so rich? He bid thirty million so easily. That's the action a sect master of a typical large sect would take."

Many people sighed inwardly. If farmers of a few villagers gathered together and their leader conferred himself the title of emperor, it would naturally be an event that invited ridicule. However, if the combined wealth of the villages was more than a country, people would suddenly find themselves unable to laugh.

"Our young friend, Yi Yun has bid thirty million. Is anyone going to bid further?"

Elder Mu smiled as he looked around. Yi Yun had been constantly observing Elder Mu, but the old fox's expression wasn't doing anything to give away the price he had in mind.

After a long silence, someone finally spoke. "Thirty-five million."

The person who spoke was surprisingly Pillheart Sect's Master Su!

From the moment Elder Mu took out the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed, Master Su had been smiling silently. He did not join in on the bidding war between the juniors. It was only when Yi Yun made his bid that he finally spoke.

"This old bastard."

Yi Yun looked at Master Su. These old men were very crafty. He immediately understood that Su Muyan's competition with Prince Boundless Heaven was likely instigated by Master Su. By getting a junior to step forward, he could probe Elder Mu's reserve price without revealing his own intentions. He never expected Yi Yun to suddenly participate in the auction, so he gave up on his careful probing.

Instantly, everyone looked at Yi Yun. They were waiting for his response. At such auctions, there was an unspoken rule that juniors would compete with juniors while seniors would compete with seniors. That was because the natural treasures required by old freaks were different from those used by juniors. Furthermore, if a junior tried to compete with a senior, not only would they face the immense pressure of having insufficient wealth, they would also be suppressed by their lack of strength and standing.

If a junior were to offend an old freak, they might suffer in the future.

Yi Yun returned to his seat. He did not speak but the auction did not stop either. The Divine Empire of Thunder's Imperial Preceptor slowly raised his hand. "Forty million!"

Everyone was astounded. Another bigwig had joined the fray. The competition for the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed was beginning to rage like a storm!

"Forty-five million!"

Master Su responded almost immediately. He was expressing his determination to obtain the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed.

Prince Boundless Heaven was already dumbfounded by how high the price had gone. The damaged lotus seed was actually worth that much? Was his discernment that terrible? He felt that it was at most worth fifteen million.

"Heh! Master Su, for you to show such determination, it appears the Pillheart Sect's Herb Nurturing Technique must truly be spectacular," said Divine Empire of Thunder's Imperial Preceptor. His words left many people stunned. noveltranslationweb.blogspot.com

Herb Nurturing Technique?

"What's that?" Jing Yuesha was baffled.

"It's a special technique to handle natural treasures. By setting up a massive array through an alchemical cauldron, an incomplete, flawed, or damaged natural herb can be placed inside and nourished for hundreds of years, allowing it to be renewed. That is what it means to nurture a herb!"

"So that's the reason. It's no wonder they are willing to bid such a high price. They are planning to repair the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed. Sect Master Yi… you sure are knowledgeable…"

Jing Yuesha looked at Yi Yun with sparkling eyes. So far, Yi Yun had been able to answer her every question. She found it hard to believe that his age was about the same as hers.

Yi Yun chuckled. "I do know a little about Herb Nurturing Techniques."

What people took away from that sentence was that his knowledge was very ordinary. In fact, he was being very humble.

In terms of Herb Nurturing Techniques, the records written in the divine alchemist's notes were at a paramount level. Or it could be said that the divine alchemist had been researching Herb Nurturing Techniques in his later years.

The divine alchemist wanted to refine two legendary divine pills. They were the Elixir of Immortality and the Elixir of Resurrection.

The former made one immortal and the latter could bring one back from the dead!

Refining these two pills was easier said than done. It was impossible to refine them in one swoop. Therefore, the divine alchemist began researching Herb Nurturing Techniques.

By first refining a pill embryo, he could then make it take form using Herb Nurturing Techniques.

And after the divine alchemist's death, the worldly array he set up in the Sun Burial Sandsea was supposed to refine the legendary Elixir of Resurrection so as to revive his daughter that had died a long time ago.

All of that resulted in Yi Yun mistaking Ling Xie'er as the divine alchemist's daughter's soul back when he first arrived in the worldly array.

Although the divine alchemist ultimately failed to refine the Elixir of Resurrection, the reason for his failure was because the elixir was too heaven-defying. It went against the Heavenly Dao and reversed the cycle of reincarnation. But the Herb Nurturing Techniques that the divine alchemist left behind were absolutely flawless.

"Fifty million. The Imperial Preceptor has bid fifty million. Are there any higher bids?" the coquettish woman beside Elder Mu asked. Her voice was very pleasant to the ears.

At that moment, Yi Yun raised his hand. "Eighty million!"

"Huh!?"

Everyone was stunned by that number. For him to shout eighty million in one go, it was as though he did not treat money as money. It was as though it was all a meaningless number.

"This punk is way too aggressive!"

People believed that Yi Yun had stopped bidding because he lacked the courage to compete with seniors. Not only had he not stopped vying for it, his bid had completely overwhelmed the other parties. His courage was astounding.

"He is aggressive but this also means he will be offending the Divine Empire of Thunder and the Pillheart Sect."

People waited to watch the situation unfold. Indeed, due to Yi Yun's bid, the expressions of Imperial Preceptor and Master Su sank. It was fine if they competed with each other, but if a junior joined their fray and even used an amount much higher than theirs to price them out, they would find it intolerable.

The Imperial Preceptor grunted and did not say another word.

Eighty million far exceeded his estimated price. Although the Divine Empire of Thunder had Herb Nurturing Techniques, the grade of the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed was too high. It was very difficult to nurture it well. At best, they could restore its medicinal properties to forty to fifty percent. And even that would require a lot of time and monetary investment.

But Master Su was more confident in this aspect. The Pillheart Sect was a lot more brilliant than the Divine Empire of Thunder when it came to Herb Nurturing Techniques.

"Junior, don't reach for what is beyond your grasp. Do not ruin your future just because of your personal feelings."

Master Su's Yuan Qi voice transmission rang in Yi Yun's ear. It contained faint killing intent.

Yi Yun sneered. He could not be bothered to respond to Master Su. Yi Yun was bent on obtaining the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed. He had other, better uses for it.

Others were thinking of nurturing the herb to restore the seed's medicinal properties.

However, Yi Yun planned to completely awaken the slumbering vitality within the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed. He would then plant the seed, allowing it to grow into a complete Abyssal Red Lotus!

Once he succeeded, Yi Yun would profit immensely. The Abyssal Red Lotus was one of the most rare sacred herbs in all of the Sinkhole. The important Elder Mu treated the withered seed as a treasure, so one could only imagine the value of a complete Abyssal Red Lotus that was capable of producing many more lotus seeds!

This fire-elemental divine treasure was of great use to Yi Yun!

True Martial World - Chapter 1316: Abyssal Red Lotus

With the auction having taken such a turn, Jing Yuesha was full-on chortling when she saw Prince Boundless Heaven's expression.

Her chortling made many girls that had come with their sect's seniors snigger as well. They were not from the Outcloud Empire so they obviously didn't care who Prince Boundless Heaven was.

The usually suave Prince Boundless Heaven that won the hearts of countless girls suddenly became the butt of the joke. Even Princess Redjoy beside him gave him a disdainful look. All of this turned Prince Boundless Heaven's face as black as a wok's bottom.

He truly wanted to jump forward and tear apart the table on the platform. Fuck this auction. Are you kidding me!?

However, he knew that the matter was purely a result of his own foolishness. He never thought about the Ground Demon Ape having ten fingers because whenever he encountered treasures at that level they were usually owned by someone else or purchased from a store. As such, they were stowed away for long periods of time and only one unit was displayed.

But the items the old fellow had taken out were harvested from the source. They were naturally in a set.

Having thrown out money for no reason and thus failing to win the favor of the beauty, instead receiving the mockery of others, Prince Boundless Heaven could only take a deep breath to barely compose himself. If he didn’t, he could have burst a lung from anger.

Just as he went to say a few words to Princess Redjoy to conceal his embarrassment, he heard Yi Yun say to Jing Yuesha, "When one postures to impress a girl, his failure becomes all the more foolish."

The words that were at the tip of Prince Boundless Heaven's tongue stuck there.

He glared angrily at Yi Yun and felt all his blood surge to his brain. He nearly shattered his teeth from gritting them.

He knew that engaging Yi Yun in a war of words would only add insult to injury. All he could do was tolerate it.

"Punk, I'll remember this…" Prince Boundless Heaven thought to himself with a sunken expression.

…

At that moment, the second auction began.

Elder Mu looked calm and composed while he left the auctioning to the coquettish beauty.

With the first auction setting a precedence, the second auction happened very quickly. The price naturally did not rise as high as 2.6 million like before. Instead, it stopped at 950,000.

The person who bought the set of treasures at 950,000 mid-grade Spirit Jade was the sickly man from the first auction.

He seemed to be in such desperate need of the treasures that when he got them for the price of 950,000, he was extremely excited.

"Thank you, Senior Mu! Thank you!"

The man thanked Elder Mu incessantly. At the same time, he looked at Yi Yun and seemed to have a good impression of him.

Upon seeing the man's expression, Prince Boundless Heaven was incensed. Treasures he had bought for 2.6 million had been bought for less than a million by the fellow. He felt disgusted, as though he had eaten a fly.

"There's nothing to thank me for," said Elder Mu with a chuckle. At that moment, everyone was looking at Elder Mu, hoping to see him produce another Ground Demon Ape's finger bone or Black Jade Flower Fruit.

These things that did not catch Yi Yun's eye were highly coveted by others. When they heard from Yi Yun that there were at least ten finger bones and seven fruits, all of them started hoping for the price to fall. Perhaps they could buy a set at an extremely low price! That would be quite a bargain!

However, Elder Mu did not produce the jade boxes anymore. Instead, he took out an emerald-green porcelain bottle.

From the size of the bottle, it did not seem like a vessel that contained herbs like before.

"Elder Mu, didn't you obtain several ancient Fey bones and Black Jade Flower Fruits? Why aren't you selling them anymore?" Someone from the crowd asked.

"Selling two sets will do. The rest can wait. I'll sell them again in the future," the old man replied, playing down the matter.

At that moment, the people who were waiting to buy the items were rendered speechless. They originally felt that 950,000 was a little expensive. They hoped that the price would continue dropping but Elder Mu had stopped putting the items up for purchase.

"This old fellow knows how to create artificial scarcity."

Yi Yun stroked his chin. In his previous life, that was not something new. But in a martial world, it was a rare concept. It was no wonder the old fellow was able to use his title as founder of the Heavenly South Peaks Meet to raise the meet to such a high profile event.

From the looks of it, it was not easy to exploit the old fellow.

Just as Yi Yun was pondering over the matter, Elder Mu had poured out something from the small bottle. Everyone looked over and saw a black wrinkled seed. It was not striking in any way.

What was this?

Many people shook their heads. They had never seen such an item before. However, they knew that it was definitely something useful if it was Elder Mu taking it out.

At that moment, Master Su, who was sitting in the row closest to Elder Mu, had his eyes light up. "Elder Mu, may I take a look at this item!?"

"Of course."

Elder Mu handed the bottle to Master Su. As Master Su held the seed in his hand, he tossed it around and occasionally revealed a look of pleasant surprise. Other times he shook his head.

Upon seeing Master Su's expressions, everyone was baffled.

"What is that seed?" Many people present did not recognize it.

"Sect Master Yi, do you know?" Jing Yuesha asked Yi Yun casually. Unknowingly, Jing Yuesha was already treating Yi Yun as an omniscient being. Asking Yi Yun had become her subconscious response.

"It's an Abyssal Red Lotus's seed," Yi Yun said lightly. He kept his voice very low, and only a few people around him heard it.

"Oh? Abyssal Red Lotus?" Jing Yuesha looked at Yi Yun in surprise. She had never heard of such a plant before. There were too many natural treasures in the world and countless specimens of divine vegetation. Ignoring Jing Yuesha, even Clear Lunar Island Lord only knew a portion of all there was in the world.

Yi Yun did not reply as his eyes shined with a strange flicker.

The Abyssal Red Lotus was very useful to him. The lotus seed was fire-elemental and he could consider using the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed as a main ingredient. By matching it with other divine treasures, he could refine a new Dragon Emperor Relic and attempt to cultivate the Fire Hornless Dragon stance from the Nine Stances of the Ascending Dragon.

Back when Yi Yun ate the first Dragon Emperor Relic, he had only cultivated the Golden Carp stance of the Nine Stances of the Ascending Dragon.

However, the medicinal essence contained in the lotus seed was still a little lacking in terms of the requirement needed to refine the Dragon Emperor Relic.

At that moment, Master Su shook his head and sighed. "Unfortunately, this Abyssal Red Lotus Seed must have been sealed in a land with impoverished Yuan Qi for too long. As a result, it has lost a lot of the Yuan Qi it originally contained. Otherwise, it would truly be priceless."

As a top alchemist, Master Su was fanatical when it came to divine refinement treasures produced by the world. He found it a pity when he discovered such divine treasures that were flawed.

"Haha, it has indeed lost some of its Yuan Qi. You guessed right. It was sealed in an ancient tomb. As the energy of the ancient tomb's array formation had long drained, it resulted in the impoverished Yuan Qi. This Abyssal Red Lotus Seed must have been sealed in there for more than a hundred million years. When I took it out, it was already in this state."

Elder Mu did not conceal the origins of the lotus seed. He abhorred the thought of scamming anyone.

A lotus seed found in an ancient tomb would undoubtedly be tainted by some cadaveric auras. Such energy was the complete opposite of the vibrant life force within the lotus seed, and as a result, lowered its value.

"How about it? Is Master Su uninterested?" asked Elder Mu.

Master Su chuckled without a reply. No one knew what was on his mind.

"Now, if anyone is interested, they can begin bidding."

When Elder Mu spoke, the mood turned silent instantly. No one spoke out.

When Prince Boundless Heaven saw the lotus seed, he felt a little hesitant. He dual cultivated two elemental laws. One of them was fire and so the fire-elemental Abyssal Red Lotus Seed was of interest to him.

However, he had no idea how much Spirit Jade it was worth.

"Senior Mu, do you not have a minimum starting bid for this lotus seed?" Prince Boundless Heaven could not help but ask.

Elder Mu smiled faintly and said, "I never give a minimum starting bid when selling my items. As long as the price is reasonable, I'll naturally sell it."

The value of many divine treasures was hard to appraise. Once a minimum bid was given, it would give people a subconscious notion that the item was roughly worth that much. It would prevent them from bidding high.

Prince Boundless Heaven said with a wry smile, "Since Senior Mu has no minimum starting bid, I'll just shout out something random. Please do not mock a junior like me."

As Prince Boundless Heaven said that, he extended his finger and said, "10 million mid-grade Spirit Jade!"

When he shouted such a price, Prince Boundless Heaven felt a little panicked. In fact, his bid was an estimate based on the amount of Yuan Qi contained within the item.

He appraised the Abyssal Red Lotus Seed to be worth approximately ten million but when he actually shouted such an astronomical number, he felt distraught. He was afraid he had made an overestimation that would make him suffer monetarily.

Many of the people present were only watching. The lotus seed was too rare and those that knew what it did were just too few. The number of people that had thoughts of buying it was even fewer.

With more than thirty seconds of silence passing, Prince Boundless Heaven turned even more anxious. Why was he the only one who bid? Was no one else interested? Was his evaluation wrong? The Abyssal Red Lotus Seed was actually not worth the price? Ten million mid-grade Spirit Jade was more than half his savings. It was definitely not easy to bid that much.

Now, he was feeling regret. Was he being rash for shouting such a bid?

"12 million!" Someone seated at the Pillheart Sect's younger generation area shouted. It was none other than Su Muyan.

He was an alchemist so he was very interested in a lotus seed that was rarely recorded in canon.

Upon hearing Su Muyan's bid, Prince Boundless Heaven finally heaved a sigh of relief. From the looks of it, there were others who were vying for it too. Also, the price was about the same as his.

This gave Prince Boundless Heaven the necessary courage to proceed.

"13 million!"

Prince Boundless Heaven raised his hand again. At such huge numbers, he could not raise the prices so quickly like before.

"14 million!" Su Muyan did not back down. He was from the Pillheart Sect. As an alchemical sect, the Pillheart Sect's wealth far exceeded the Outcloud Empire's. But even so, Su Muyan was clearly very serious when making a bid that involved more than ten million.

"This Su guy…"

Prince Boundless Heaven furrowed his brows. The price was already beginning to encroach into the upper limits of his wealth. At this point, adding another million each bid was a burden that would gradually weigh too heavy on him.

…

As Prince Boundless Heaven and Su Muyan were engaging in a bidding war, Jing Yuesha noticed that Yi Yun was staring intently at the lotus seed. His eyes were shimmering.

She probed, "Sect Master Yi, are you interested in the lotus seed?"

"Yes." Yi Yun nodded his head.

Jing Yuesha felt her heart jolt. "Do you plan on spending more than ten million to purchase the lotus seed? Do… you really have a use for it?"

From Jing Yuesha's point of view, Yi Yun was only a junior despite being a sect master. It was unlikely he was in control of that much wealth. More than ten million was not a small amount. Could Yi Yun really compete with Su Muyan who came from a large alchemical sect?

"More than ten million?"

Yi Yun smiled. He had been keeping tabs on Elder Mu's reaction to the bids. He sat there composed and did not really move. Clearly, the bidding prices had yet to reach his reserve price.

In fact, from Yi Yun's point of view, even a flawed Abyssal Red Lotus Seed was definitely worth more than ten million. It was not as simple as people thought. It had more specialized uses.

At that moment, the price had been raised to fifteen million by Su Muyan. The prices were increasing in bids of five hundred thousand. Prince Boundless Heaven hesitated longer and he was beginning to hold back a little.

At that moment, Yi Yun spoke out. He extended three fingers and said calmly, "30 million!"

Oh!?

Yi Yun's bid stunned everyone present.

Instantly, all eyes were on Yi Yun.

He had raised the bid from fifteen million to thirty million at once. He had doubled it!

Furthermore, the person who had made the bid was Yi Yun!

If it was Master Su or King Yi who had bid thirty million, they would be shocked but would not find it too odd. But what was up with this youth? Was he mad?

What was he buying the lotus seed for? Besides… could he afford it?

The people were perplexed. Even Jing Yuesha was dumbfounded. She asked under her breath, "Sect Master Yi, do you have that much Spirit Jade?"

Yi Yun smiled. Before he became Myriad God Sect Master, he had been poor. But now, with the former Myriad God Sect Master and old woman having died, their interspatial rings were his. And with that, all the riches accumulated by the Myriad God Ridge over the years had been picked clean by Yi Yun.

The Myriad God Ridge was a sect that hid a lot. The Myriad God Patriarch was extremely ambitious and it was something the Calm Sea's Clear Lunar Island and the Heavenly Pivot Chapter did not notice. In terms of cultivation level, Myriad God Patriarch was a lot higher than Jing Yueyin and Ren Yunzong.

The Myriad God Ridge's wealth had been severely underestimated by both Jing Yueyin and Ren Yunzong.

Other than that, Yi Yun was now the lord of Myriad God Ridge. The more powerful Elders had soul marks implanted in them. None of them dared to disobey Yi Yun's orders. The other Elders could be ignored but the Zhang and Song family had a feud with Yi Yun. After enslaving Zhang Tianxing and Song Zhanchen, Yi Yun had appropriated their wealth. As much as half their family clan's accumulated reserves had been swiped clean by him.

Now, Yi Yun was definitely a tycoon. He had gathered all the old fellows' riches and the entire sect's reserves!

Thirty million mid-grade Spirit Jade was nothing to Yi Yun!