"Disconnected in the Northern Desert... Can Fellow Daoist Di Yue elaborate on that?" Yuan Ming inquired upon hearing this.

"About a year ago, the life plates of three Foundation Establishment disciples from our sect shattered simultaneously. The sect immediately dispatched people to investigate, but the leads they discovered were complex and convoluted. In the end, the only relatively clear conclusion they came to was that all three had been seen in Little Lake City. As the Tianxiang Auction was about to convene at that time, the sect dispatched a Core Formation elder along with some disciples, including myself, to come here and continue the investigation." Di Yue explained.

"Considering they were Foundation Establishment disciples, I don't think Pu Zhengqing should be too involved. Since you only found out that they'd been in Little Lake City, why did you go on to investigate the Northern Desert?" Yuan Ming thought of Sha Hao unconsciously but immediately dismissed it himself.

"After our thorough investigation, those three disciples only stayed in Little Lake City for a few days before heading to Zhao Country. Based on some other clues we discovered, we deduced that they most likely went to the Northern Desert in the end. I think Fellow Daoist Hagon is very suitable, could you help us investigate this matter? We will surely not treat you unfairly after the matter is resolved," Di Yue said.

"Since your sect has already dispatched a Core Formation elder to lead the investigation, why then recruit me, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, to participate?" Yuan Ming tilted his head and considered for a moment before posing a non-committal question.

"The journey to the Northern Desert may involve many uncertainties. It is better to have fewer but more capable companions. Fellow Daoist Hagon, having defeated Pu Zhengqing, is already a rare adversary amongst your peers. If you could lend us your aid, it would be adding wings to a tiger," Di Yue said.

"To be frank, for the time being, I am unable to make myself available and fear that I can't be of assistance to Fellow Daoist Di Yue," Yuan Ming pondered for a moment and then shook his head.

Di Yue's expression showed disappointment, but her attitude towards Yuan Ming remained unchanged, "No matter, I will have the armor improved in the next few days. Please leave a contact method, so I can have someone deliver it when it's ready."

"Then please send it to Qingmu Building, say it's for Hagon to pick up temporarily," Yuan Ming nodded and provided a location.

With Hagon's identity currently being quite conspicuous, to avoid trouble, it was best not to get involved with the Xuanhua Spirit Incense Shop.

Di Yue didn't seem to mind and mentioned that Yuan Ming could retrieve the armor in no more than seven days.

Afterwards, Yuan Ming exchanged pleasantries for a bit longer before turning to leave.

Initially, after hearing that the Fire Sparrow Sect was adept at Artifact Refining, he had intended to ask for their help in refining a top-grade magical tool. However, first, Song Huichong had already agreed to introduce someone for that purpose, and second, he had declined Di Yue's invitation, and she had agreed to optimize his Heavy Armor for him; he did not want to owe any more favors.

...

After leaving the Fire Sparrow Sect's booth, Yuan Ming continued to casually stroll around the building.

Soon, time quickly passed, and a clear bell began to toll suddenly within the building.

This was closely followed by a powerful voice, echoing within the tall structure.

"The time has come. The Tianxiang Auction is about to begin. Please ride the spirit ladder to the main auction venue," it announced.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Ming quickly made his way to the spirit ladder along with the crowd, and before long, he was transported to an open hall.

In the hall, several of the City Lord's personal guards were stationed at the exit of the spirit ladder, politely requesting invitation cards from each cultivator who arrived.

Yuan Ming handed his invitation card to one of the guards, who briefly examined it and then handed back a token to Yuan Ming.

"This token will be needed later for bidding. Please keep it safe and remember to return it when you leave. Next, please walk north and take the spirit ladder there to the venue," the guard instructed.

Yuan Ming pocketed the token and followed the guard's directions, boarding another spirit ladder.

As the ladder ascended, Yuan Ming lost track of time, and before he knew it, twinkling stars began to appear before his eyes.

Soon after, a massive domed hall suddenly revealed itself before him.

The floor of the hall was irregular, generally resembling a large bowl, towering on the sides with a depression in the middle.

Currently standing at the very edge and thus the highest point of the hall, Yuan Ming looked down a long flight of steps leading to the deepest point at the center of the hall.

There, another elevated platform stood, though it was empty and bare at the moment.

Along the corridor, elaborately carved wooden chairs were arranged in a stepped configuration from top to bottom. The chairs were not too close to each other, with a gap between each one.

Yuan Ming glanced around and casually picked a seat with a good view to sit down.

Just after he settled in, Yuan Ming looked up inadvertently and suddenly noticed that above the numerous seats, there were quite a few separate platforms. Not only were there seats on these platforms, but there was also a small table with fruits on it. Beside the table, maids in plain long gowns holding teacups were attending to guests. The treatment was several times better than the seats below.

"Tsk tsk tsk, if only one day, I could also sit over there, how nice that would be."

When Yuan Ming heard the voice and turned around, he saw a rotund cultivator with a figure so chubby he seemed to have no neck, taking a seat next to him.

The plump cultivator, noticing Yuan Ming looking over, immediately grinned and gave Yuan Ming a polite hand gesture: "I am Wang Chongshan, the Alliance Hierarch of the Mountain Flipping Alliance. May I ask how Fellow Daoist is called?"

"Hagon," Yuan Ming nodded, returning the gesture.

Wang Chongshan's eyes sparkled: "So it is Fellow Daoist Hagon, I've heard much about you. With your status, you should qualify for a private booth. Why are you sitting here?"

"This is my first time attending the Tianxiang Auction and I was not sure how to enter a private booth," Yuan Ming admitted candidly.

"Oh, I see now. Haven't you joined a Scatter Alliance yet, Fellow Daoist Hagon? The private booth seats at the Tianxiang Auction, besides those reserved for the big sects, the rest are given to well-known Scatter Alliance Hierarchs and Core Formation Cultivators. I assumed that with your strength, you must have already been recruited by some Alliance and would accompany its Hierarch to sit in a private booth at the auction. I did not expect you to be unaffiliated," Wang Chongshan said with sudden realization.

"I do not like being constrained, which is why I haven't considered joining any forces," Yuan Ming replied.

"I must say something about that, for you seem to misunderstand Scatter Alliances. They're quite different from sects and cultivation forces. Although a Scatter Alliance is a power in its own right, it doesn't impose constraints on its members. They are only called together for missions. Once a task is complete and rewards are distributed, members are free to leave. You can even be part of several Scatter Alliances simultaneously," Wang Chongshan explained.

"If that's so lax, then what is the point of forming a Scatter Alliance?" Yuan Ming asked.

"Heh, think about it, Fellow Daoist Hagon. When a bunch of strangers come together for a mission, there's no cooperation and one must be cautious of stabs in the back. But with a Scatter Alliance, the longer it has been established, the more familiar members become with each other. Not only does this improve their coordination, but resource distribution and rewards are also fair and just. Most importantly, an Alliance has a reputation to uphold; they won't take money and not complete the job. Hence, most cultivators and sects prefer to entrust tasks to reliable Alliances directly, rather than posting them. Only tasks with low rewards or ones that don't require many people are posted publicly," Wang Chongshan elaborated.

"There's also the situation where an Alliance accepts a task but doesn't have enough manpower to mobilize immediately. They will post tasks externally to recruit other Loose Cultivators, but the rewards for such tasks, set by the Alliance, are generally lower than what the Alliance was originally offered," Wang Chongshan added.

Yuan Ming, having roughly understood this during his time in the Southern Border, felt reassured by the explanation from a cultivator of the Central Plains, showing his acknowledgment with a salute to Wang Chongshan.

While he engaged in conversation with Wang Chongshan, other cultivators also entered the venue, and the seats gradually filled up, with many also taking places in the booths above.

Soon, the melodious sound of strings started playing, and the noisy venue gradually quieted down.

Under the gaze of many cultivators, a young woman wearing a goose-yellow long robe with fair skin and beautiful looks ascended from the platform at the center of the venue.

Yuan Ming widened his eyes at the sight of the woman, not because he recognized her identity, but due to the obvious joints and seams on her body.

Though she appeared lifelike and seemed like a real person, the cultivators present could tell that she was merely a puppet powered by Spirit Stones.

"First and foremost, I thank all the seniors for attending this Tianxiang Auction. My name is Gui Jiu, and I am the host of this auction. As you can see, I am a Spirit Stone Puppet. I assure you there will be no mistakes during the auction, a guarantee personally upheld by City Lord Lü, without any falsehood."

Having said this, Gui Jiu bowed to the audience with clear and logical speech. If not for her joints, no one would ever think that such a lively woman was just a puppet powered by Spirit Stones.

On the platform, Gui Jiu continued to introduce the auction rules.

"This auction will be conducted in an anonymous bidding format. If Fellow Daoists are interested in an item, you may make an offer using the Token distributed upon entrance. After receiving a signal, I will announce the highest bid to you all. If there are identical bids, I will clarify accordingly. Without further delay, please have a look at the first item."

As soon as Gui Jiu finished speaking, a square stone platform slowly rose behind her.

She took a camphor wood box from a stone stand padded with gold goosedown, opened it, and displayed the Jade Scroll inside to everyone.

"This Jade Scroll contains the Core Technique of Zhao Country's Fire Origin Sect, the 'Red Fire Heart Method.' As you all may be aware, the Fire Origin Sect was once as renowned as the Five Thunder Sect in Zhao Country. Regrettably, after the passing of their founding master, no one ascended to the Nascent Soul stage, and the sect ceased to be part of the first-class hierarchy. Nevertheless, the 'Red Fire Heart Method,' being the core cultivation method once practiced by the founding master, has not diminished in value. This piece offered by our shop is the complete 'Red Fire Heart Method,' intact in every word, even including the Core Formation stage method. Possessing such a technique could completely transform a small sect, allowing disciples with a Fire Spiritual Root to save at least fifty years of detours, dramatically cutting down on cultivation time and resources. The starting bid is merely twenty thousand Spirit Stones. Fellow Daoists, please place your bids freely."

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.