"Fellow Daoist Yan seems interested in this True Fire, but I remember that your sister has already nurtured a strand of True Fire within her body. Without a special technique, two True Fires cannot merge. Could it be that Hundred Pills Square now has another Alchemist capable of wielding True Fire?" Yuan Ming said, surprised by Yan Siyun's move.

"Alas, Fellow Daoist Yuan is not aware of our situation. The Alchemy Technique of the East Sea differs significantly from that of the Black Wind Desert. Most elixirs are refined with Demon Cores and demon beast flesh and blood, with Spirit Grass Alchemy being quite rare. Among them, the elixirs refined from Demon Cores have the best effects. However, Demon Cores are hard to find, and Hundred Pills Square cannot afford to use Demon Cores in refining all elixirs. Thus, we have to follow suit with other stores, utilizing demon beast flesh and blood in our alchemy," Yan Siyun sighed and explained from the start.

Yuan Ming, who had just arrived in the East Sea and possessed plenty of elixirs, hadn't paid attention to the local elixir situation. Hearing this, he was quite surprised and said, "Using Demon Cores in Alchemy is not uncommon, but I didn't expect that demon beast flesh and blood could also be used here. Aren't there any side effects to such elixirs?"

"Strictly speaking, it's not so much side effects; it's that the demon beast flesh and blood have mixed and muddled auras, making the effects of the refined elixirs significantly weaker than those made from Demon Cores. There are also many impurities. Although I possess Ice Core Yin Fire, I'm not adept at removing impurities from elixirs. The elixirs I refine are no different from those of other stores, which is why our business here is nowhere near as smooth as it was in the Black Wind Desert," said Yan Siyun quite helplessly.

Yuan Ming suddenly understood and continued to ask, "Does Fellow Daoist Yan want to bid for the apricot wood green fire to replace the Ice Core Yin Fire within your sister's body, or is there another method that allows your sister to use both Types of True Fire at the same time?"

"It's true that nothing escapes Fellow Daoist Yuan's notice. Indeed, ever since the store opened, I have been looking for a way to solve this problem. As luck would have it, I stumbled upon a damaged Two-Orifice Pill Furnace in the black market of Dragon King City. If I can secure the apricot wood green fire, I might resolve our current predicament," Yan Siyun said.

"What is a Two-Orifice Pill Furnace?" Yuan Ming asked curiously.

"It is the name for a high-grade pill furnace. A Two-Orifice Pill Furnace contains two Fire Spirit Formations, capable of producing two completely different flames. Not only can they enhance each other's firepower, but they also do not conflict with one another, resulting in a much more effective pill refining than a single formation furnace. If an Alchemist has two kinds of True Fire, they can be infused into the fire formations to achieve even better results," Yan Siyun explained.

Yuan Ming's eyes lit up, "Such a marvelous pill furnace exists, Fellow Daoist Yan is indeed fortunate."

"It's all thanks to my sister's efforts. Pill furnaces with multiple orifices have excellent alchemy effects, and I have long wanted one. Unfortunately, such treasures are incredibly precious. A Two-Orifice furnace alone costs at least two to three hundred thousand Spirit Stones, which Hundred Pills Square simply can't afford. Thankfully, my sister found this damaged furnace in the black market. Although much of its array patterns were damaged, the core remained intact. I found an Artifact Refiner to repair most of the furnace, so with the apricot wood green fire, I'm confident I can refine exceptionally pure demon meat elixirs," Yan Sijing said excitedly.

"I see. It seems this apricot wood spirit fire is crucial for Hundred Pills Square. Since I have invested in it, I should also contribute. Fellow Daoist Yan, go ahead and bid. If you fall short, you can make up the difference from me," Yuan Ming said with a smile.

"How can I impose on you? You have already helped Hundred Pills Square so much, and we haven't been able to repay you. How can we let you spend more?" Yan Siyun hurriedly declined.

"If you feel uneasy about it, just give me a larger share of the profits once you start earning," Yuan Ming waved his hand and said nonchalantly.

Deeply appreciating Yuan Ming's generosity, Yan Siyun immediately assured him that if she acquired this True Fire, she would definitely increase the profits of Hundred Pills Square by at least fifty percent.

Meanwhile, although the apricot wood spirit fire was just a common auction item, many were interested in it. Despite Yan Siyun's efforts to control the price, she couldn't stop it from continuously rising.

Fortunately, the rate of price increase eventually slowed down and stopped completely after Yan Siyun's final bid.

"Alright, the Fellow Daoist in Booth Yi-73 bids seventy-three thousand Spirit Stones. Is there anyone willing to offer more?" The female cultivator hosting the auction looked around the hall. After waiting for quite a while with no one responding, she was about to lower the gavel.

But just at that moment, from the third floor of the auction house, a hoarse voice suddenly rang out:

"Seventy-four thousand Spirit Stones."

In the booth, Yan Siyun's expression changed slightly. A Nascent Soul cultivator on the third floor had unexpectedly joined in, beyond her expectations.

Quickly thinking, Yan Siyun decisively raised her bid: "Eighty thousand Spirit Stones!"

Nascent Soul powerhouses were wealthy individuals. Increases of two or three thousand Spirit Stones wouldn't deter them, so she immediately added five thousand.

Inside a private room on the third floor stood seven or eight members of the Thousand Snake Clan, including that Nascent Soul stage effeminate man.

"A mere Core Formation cultivator dares to compete with the ancestor in bidding, clearly showing contempt for our Thousand Snake Clan. Let me capture them!" A cold young man with green skin and blue eyes said angrily.

The other members of the Thousand Snake Clan also appeared full of righteous indignation.

"This is the Fusang City auction. We are here to bid with our financial power, not to cause trouble," White Scale Master spoke indifferently, then slowly raised the bid:

"Ninety thousand Spirit Stones."

Yan Sijing was in great distress; the True Fire that seemed it was about to come into her possession had suddenly run into an issue!

The apricot wood green fire was critical for the development plans of Hundred Pills Square, and Yan Siyun did not give up, "One hundred thousand Spirit Stones!"

"One hundred and twenty thousand." White Scale Master's face was slightly cold. Although his voice remained unhurried, it clearly began to carry a hint of displeasure.

Yan Siyun's face turned a bit pale, the price had already far exceeded her expectations. Although she still had a surplus of Spirit Stones, judging by the attitude of the Nascent Soul powerhouse on the third floor, he would definitely continue to bid. If the bidding went on, she feared that not only would she fail to acquire the True Fire, but she might also anger the other party, resulting in a loss greater than the gain.

Yan Siyun turned her head to glance at Yuan Ming, seemingly seeking his opinion.

"Let it be, apricot wood green fire, though precious, is far too expensive at one hundred and twenty thousand Spirit Stones. Since a Nascent Soul cultivator is interested, we might as well let him have it. As for the other True Fire needed for the Pill Furnace... I will find another solution when I get back, and perhaps I can find a better one." Yuan Ming glanced at the private room of the Thousand Snake Clan and said.

"Fellow Daoist Yuan is right. However, the Immortal Fruit Conference is approaching, and you needn't worry too much about the True Fire. Though it's scarce, it's not that precious. I will continue to mobilize my subordinates to collect information. We'll find another one sooner or later." Despite some regret, Yan Siyun's face also showed a trace of relief.

Yan Sijing was clearly unhappy, as True Fire suitable for Alchemy was not so easily found. The people from Hundred Pills Square had inquired around the East Sea for about a year before learning that True Fire would appear during the Immortal Fruit Conference. Missing this opportunity, they didn't know how long they would have to wait next.

On the stage, the colorful-robed female cultivator waited for a few moments. Seeing that there were no more bids from the second-floor private rooms and knowing that a Nascent Soul cultivator had made a bid, it was unlikely that anyone else would bid again, she knocked the auction hammer three times, announcing the winner of the lot.

"Congratulations to guest number seven in compartment 'A' for acquiring the apricot wood green fire. After the auction concludes, our establishment will deliver the auction items in a unified manner. If the Senior wishes, you can also command your attendants now to have the item sent over," she said respectfully.

Having said that, and seeing that White Scale Master did not respond, she waved her hand toward the attendants behind her, signaling them to bring up the next auction item.

In the private room on the third floor, White Scale Master looked toward the compartment where Yuan Ming and the Yan sisters were, eyes brimming with a thick layer of dark, ghostly light, which seemed to be some kind of Pupil Technique. His mouth quickly revealed a strange smile.

"So it's them; no wonder they were competing for the apricot wood green fire."

"Does the ancestor know these three people?" The green-eyed young man also had traces of black light in his eyes, looking down curiously and asking.

This person's Pupil Technique was clearly not as advanced as White Scale Master's, but he had begun to understand the basics and was able to see through the Forbidden protections surrounding Yuan Ming's compartment.

"Hmm, Qing Tong, do something for me..." White Scale Master beckoned with a wave of his hand.

Amid the free seats on the first floor, many cultivators couldn't help but whisper among themselves.

"Who would have thought that this auction would see a Nascent Soul powerhouse participating in the bidding, and it's just for a piece of True Fire. Could it be that this apricot wood green fire carries some sort of secret?" A green-robed cultivator whispered.

"I don't think that's necessarily the case. The owner of Golden Feather Auction House, Liao Shun, is a direct disciple of Qiong Hai Island Master. Although his cultivation isn't outstanding, his skill in treasure identification is not inferior to his master's, and there haven't been any treasures that have slipped past his inspection. Besides, do you know who the Nascent Soul Ancestor that bought the True Fire is?" The green-robed cultivator's neighbour, a cultivator dressed as a Taoist, shook his head.

"How would I know that?" The green-robed cultivator was taken aback.

The Daoist monk cultivator smiled mysteriously: "If my guess is correct, he's probably White Scale Master from Thousand Snake Island."

"That old monster? Wait, the private rooms in the auction house are all protected by Forbidden arrays, how can you know his identity?" The green-robed cultivator couldn't help but wonder.

The Daoist monk cultivator chuckled, "Ah, you don't know. Half a year ago, there was an auction held on Ping Mountain Island where a True Fire emerged. It wasn't really a big deal, but who knew that White Scale Master would actually show up and bid on that True Fire. I just happened to be there, and the voice of that Nascent Soul powerhouse just now was exactly the same as White Scale Master's. Who else could it be but him?" he explained.

"I see, but that's a bit strange. Of the three major Alien Clans in the East Sea, the Snake-man Clan has the greatest aversion to fire. It's quite curious as to why White Scale Master is collecting True Fires and to what end." The green-robed cultivator said in surprise.

"The motives of a Nascent Soul powerhouse are beyond our comprehension as Core Formation cultivators. We should just mind our own business. Oh, I've been so caught up talking to you that another lot has come up. It's actually the one I've had my eye on, so I'd better stop chatting now," the Daoist monk cultivator glanced at the item on the stage and quickly called out a bid.

Yuan Ming, having heard their conversation, remained composed.

He had already deduced from the voice that the person on the third floor was White Scale Master, but it was curious why he was collecting various kinds of True Fires and what purpose he had in mind.

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