Returning to his residence, Li An was prepared for someone to come and seize the Purple Soul Herbs.

He had already given Gu Hong a Primordial Soul Beast Crystal Core.

He still had two remaining in his hand.

However, to his surprise, the following days were incredibly quiet, and Luo Yong never showed up again.

Could it be that he was overthinking?

Seems unlikely...

He decided to remain unchanged in the face of changing circumstances and wait calmly.

Regardless, he couldn't trust Luo Yong anymore.

In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.

That day, Li An set out early in the morning and headed to the Treasure Pavilion!

The Treasure Pavilion was very well-known throughout White Tiger City, and it had everything from pills and cultivation techniques to materials and talismans, plus it regularly held auctions to sell precious items.

It's said to have quite a background, with deep roots throughout the Great Li Dynasty, and even White Tiger Mountain must give it some respect.

A few days ago, Li An had already paid the "deposit" to participate in the auction and obtained the qualification to join. Led by an attendant, he quickly entered the auction hall and into a box on the second floor.

This box is usually only available for free to "VIPs" with special identities. Li An spent five hundred spirit stones to rent this box.

It was quite painful, but necessary.

In the open hall on the first floor, buying something would make it easy to expose oneself.

Soon, the auction began.

A woman in a qipao walked to the center of the auction stage, guided by the array, lights focused completely on the stage.

The surroundings darkened.

"Welcome everyone, I am the auctioneer for today's auction, Jiaru."

The woman introduced herself, "The auction begins now, and the first item being auctioned today is an Upper Grade Tier One Magical Artifact, the Child-Mother Heaven and Earth Sword..."

The auction quickly began.

The Upper Grade Tier One Magical Artifact was only an appetizer, after paving the way with some similar items, it finally reached the main focus of everyone's attention.

"The next item is Tier Two Artifact Refining material, Silver Spans the Sky, a total of three pounds, enough to craft a Tier Two Magical Artifact!"

"Starting bid five hundred spirit stones, with each increment not less than one hundred spirit stones!"

With the Tier Two material out, the venue finally became lively.

"Six hundred spirit stones!"

"Eight hundred spirit stones!"

... The price climbed quickly, soon surpassing the one thousand mark.

"One thousand four hundred spirit stones!"

A rough voice shouted out a high price.

Among the bidders, most stopped.

This was almost the price ceiling unless they were a Tier Two Artifact Refiner themselves; otherwise, buying such an item at high prices and then spending more spirit stones to get it refined meant the final price might already match or exceed buying a finished Tier Two Magical Artifact, making it not worthwhile.

Moreover, many had already recognized the owner of the rough voice — Gao Jun, a well-known Tier Two Artifact Refiner in the city.

"One thousand five hundred spirit stones!"

But at this moment, a female voice suddenly rang out.

Once this voice emerged, Li An in the box froze momentarily.

He looked toward the source, seeing nothing but darkness, unable to discern anyone's appearance.

But he was incredibly certain...

This is...

Chen Qingling's voice?!

The other party isn't dead?

He frowned slightly.

Five years ago, during the Zhao family's fiasco, he directly came to White Tiger City and didn't seek revenge against Wang Dazhu or Chen Qingling because he felt it was a waste of time.

Especially since Chen Qingling had been poisoned by him and wouldn't survive past three months.

Now, Chen Qingling actually appeared at the auction in White Tiger City?

Did she have some fortuitous encounter that delayed the poison's onset within her?

"One thousand six hundred spirit stones..."

Gao Jun continued to shout a price, his tone slightly anxious.

"One thousand seven hundred!"

"One thousand eight hundred..."

"One thousand nine hundred!"

Chen Qingling's voice was calm and steady, soft yet firm.

"Fine, fine, fine, I'll let you have this material!"

Gao Jun finally conceded, speaking with a hint of resentment.

Chen Qingling won the bid for the Tier Two material.

Soon after, many Tier Two talismans, Tier Two Magical Artifacts, etc. were auctioned, and the venue was bustling.

Li An watched silently, not making a move.

"The next item to be auctioned is a Tier Two Primordial Soul Beast Crystal Core, which has miraculous effects in nurturing the Divine Soul, and, if used appropriately, may allow Qi Refining Stage cultivators to condense Divine Sense..."

The auctioneer continued, and a transparent crystal core was brought up immediately. Li An glanced at it from afar, the quality was far inferior to the ones he held.

It was definitely not suitable as the main ingredient for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

"Starting bid two thousand spirit stones!"

When this price was announced, the crowd was somewhat stunned.

Too high!

It should be noted that even a treasure like the Foundation Establishment Pill is priced at around six thousand in White Tiger City — this is the difficulty faced by loose cultivators; when Li An was in the Profound Yang Sect, the sect had abundant resources, low costs, and plenty of alchemists, making the purchase of Foundation Establishment Pills within the sect almost half the price compared to the outside.

By comparison, a Primordial Soul Beast Crystal Core, though rare, doesn't reach even a third of the value of a Foundation Establishment Pill.

"Two thousand two hundred!"

From a box on the second floor, a female voice calmly echoed.

Li An's heart skipped a beat!

This is Xu Qiuhui...

She's actually purchasing a Primordial Soul Beast Crystal Core?

Could it be that the powerful figure Manman mentioned who is collecting treasures for nurturing Divine Soul, is her?

Xu Qiuhui herself was only in the Foundation Establishment Stage; she couldn't have such a huge demand in nurturing the Divine Soul.

She should be working for White Tiger Mountain.

Indeed, no one was competing.

Xu Qiuhui directly took it for two thousand two hundred.

"It seems the Treasure Pavilion probably knew that no one dared to compete with Xu Qiuhui, so they set a higher price to avoid losing money..."

Li An understood clearly.

"Next to be auctioned is a Second Grade Fire Spirit Fruit, widely known as one of the main herbs for Foundation Establishment Pills, starting bid eight hundred spirit stones with each increment not less than one hundred spirit stones!"

The Fire Spirit Fruit finally appeared.

"Nine hundred spirit stones!"

"One thousand spirit stones!"

"One thousand three hundred spirit stones!"

…

Finally, an elderly man shouted one thousand six hundred spirit stones.

This price similarly reached the ceiling.

No one further wanted to bid.

"One thousand eight hundred!"

Yet Chen Qingling's voice suddenly sounded again.

"One thousand… one thousand nine hundred!"

The elderly man unwillingly shouted a price again.

"Two thousand!"

Chen Qingling's voice remained incredibly calm.

Clearly determined to obtain it.

The elderly man sighed deeply, ultimately not competing further.

In the box on the second floor, Li An contemplated...

The Second Grade Fire Spirit Fruit must be prepared for Wang Dazhu?

After five years, he should have also reached the threshold of Foundation Establishment.

As a Second Grade Artifact Refiner, Wang Dazhu would naturally not lack spirit stones.

"Two thousand once..."

"Two thousand twice..."

And the auctioneer was ready to strike the hammer.

"Two thousand one."

Li An finally spoke, his voice rough and hoarse.

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