novelraw Chapter 227 : Gifts Prepared for the Senior Sisters
Chapter 227 : Gifts Prepared for the Senior Sisters
Chapter 227: Gifts Prepared for the Senior Sisters
At the auction, a single drop of Millennium Spirit Milk was priced at approximately 400 middle-grade spirit stones. Selling ten drops together would come to 4,000 spirit stones.
This price, Ji Yuan could naturally afford—no problem even if it were higher.
After all, Real Person Heaven Silkworm had given him 100 upper-grade spirit stones and 6,450 middle-grade spirit stones.
The entire wealth of a Golden Core Real Person should be more than enough to purchase these ten drops of Millennium Spirit Milk.
So, this item was something he absolutely had to obtain.
Ji Yuan flipped the pages further.
Next came the third-tier Flood Dragon’s blood essence, corpse, and demon core—being sold separately. The background of this Flood Dragon was clearly marked as well.
Third-tier demon beast — Earth-Turning Flood Dragon.
An earth-attributed demon beast.
Given that, Ji Yuan had no interest in its demon core. He would just try to obtain the corpse and blood essence.
This was the Dragon-Slaying Auction, yet this Flood Dragon’s corpse was only listed as the penultimate item.
Ji Yuan turned to the final page—this was the true highlight of the auction… a quota!
A disciple quota under a Golden Core Real Person.
This kind of quota being auctioned off was a first for Ji Yuan.
Whoever won this quota would be able to become a disciple of Real Person Lingyu.
Ji Yuan didn’t know what cultivation level this Real Person Lingyu had, but since this item was saved for last, it was likely to fetch a very high price… Winning this quota would essentially mean gaining a Golden Core Real Person as backing.
How could such a thing go for a cheap price?
“Who is this Real Person Lingyu?”
Ji Yuan closed the booklet and turned to ask Ning Shanshan.
“Real Person Lingyu is a rogue cultivator from Spirit Sword Cavern, and he’s the towering tree behind all of us rogue cultivators in Lanshan City. It’s precisely because of him that we rogue cultivators can live well here.”
Ning Shanshan said softly, “Senior, do you know about the opening of the Nine Nether Grotto-Heaven a few years ago?”
“I do.”
“It was Real Person Lingyu who helped us rogue cultivators negotiate with the Six Immortal Sects at the time. In the end, he secured some quotas for us.”
“Oh?”
So it was him!
Ji Yuan certainly knew of the event, but hadn’t known who among the Golden Core Real Persons had represented the rogue cultivators. Unexpectedly, this Real Person Lingyu was one of them.
Thinking this way, it made sense that he would put up this quota for auction.
“Has he auctioned disciple quotas before?”
“No, this is the first time. He rarely takes disciples and has only accepted two so far. If someone gets this quota, they would become his third disciple—possibly even his final one.”
Ning Shanshan not only had sharp observational skills but also knew the local affairs of the city very well.
Ji Yuan nodded slightly. From the looks of it, this final quota would likely become a competition between Beast Taming Sect and Corpse Herding Mountain.
Securing this Golden Core rogue cultivator would be a great boon for either sect.
Especially now, on the eve of the Righteous–Demonic War.
Thinking even further—
Rather than saying that Real Person Lingyu was auctioning a disciple quota, it was more accurate to say he was auctioning himself.
With the war approaching, he was seeking protection. But perhaps due to the persona he had built, it wouldn’t be appropriate to directly join a sect—so he used this method to pledge allegiance.
This way, both sides could save face.
And Real Person Lingyu could also gain a hefty settlement fund through this auction.
Thoughts raced rapidly in Ji Yuan’s mind, and the more he thought, the more he felt this was the case.
‘Seems like this auction is going to be quite the spectacle.’
Ji Yuan began checking the contents of his storage pouch.
By the time he left the auction house, night had already fallen. Ji Yuan had Ning Shanshan find him an immortal lodging—a luxurious inn.
After leading the way, Ning Shanshan was about to leave.
But Ji Yuan arranged a place for her to stay too, saying he would need her help again the next day for directions, which delighted the young woman.
Ji Yuan smiled faintly, not paying it much mind.
He hadn’t lied.
Once the auction ended, Ji Yuan would head to Mirror Lake, though he had no idea what the situation was over there.
So the gifts prepared for the senior sisters naturally had to be sorted here in advance.
That night.
Once it was deep into the night and the world had quieted, Ji Yuan, having finished checking his storage pouch, silently changed the Shapeshifting Talisman on his body. From the appearance of a middle-aged man, he turned into an elderly man with white hair and a wrinkled face. Then, he used 《Shadow-Following》 and left the inn.
Under the moonlight, he made his way to the auction house.
With the auction drawing near and the final item list not yet finalized, the auction house remained brightly lit, even in the middle of the night.
After all, some cultivators preferred to move at night and wouldn't come out during the day.
Naturally, the auction house had to accommodate them.
Ji Yuan, at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, arrived at the entrance of the auction house and was warmly welcomed by a maid. Amid a chorus of flattery, he was led to the appraisal room.
Inside was a black-robed old man at the mid-Foundation Establishment Stage waiting. When he saw Ji Yuan, he stood up and bowed.
“Greetings, fellow Daoist.”
Ji Yuan returned the courtesy.
The maid quietly closed the door, leaving the room to the two Foundation Establishment cultivators.
“Please, fellow Daoist, have a seat.” The black-robed elder gestured, and after Ji Yuan sat down, he kindly served some spiritual tea before smiling and asking,
“Does fellow Daoist have anything to consign for auction?”
Ji Yuan said nothing. He simply took out two jade bottles, each containing several scattered pills.
The black-robed old man glanced at them and immediately perked up, not even putting down the spiritual tea before leaning in to take a closer look.
“Foundation Establishment Pills… so many!”
His eyes widened instinctively. “May I open them and take a look?”
Ji Yuan waved his hand lightly. The two jade bottles opened, and a strong medicinal fragrance instantly filled the room. The black-robed elder took a single sniff—
All the fatigue from his day vanished.
Ji Yuan chuckled and covered them again.
“How are they?”
“The quality is unquestionably excellent.” As the long-time appraiser of the auction house, identifying Foundation Establishment Pills—a common item in such events—was no trouble for him. “But fellow Daoist, are you certain you wish to auction all of these?”
“I’m sure.”
“Such generosity.” The black-robed elder gave a thumbs-up. “Eight Foundation Establishment Pills in total—six are Two-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pills, and two are One-Pattern Foundation Establishment Pills.”
“No issue with that?”
“No issue.”
Ji Yuan agreed. The black-robed elder then, in Ji Yuan’s presence, took the eight pills from the jade bottles and sealed them in a special jade box. He then pulled out a jade token from his storage pouch.
“This is your claim token. After the auction, you can use it to collect your spirit stones from us. Please keep it safe.”
The elder handed it over with both hands.
The token bore the number ‘79’ and some special engravings, even the aura it emitted was unique.
Clearly an anti-counterfeit measure of the auction house.
Ji Yuan took it and carefully stored it back into his storage pouch. Then he retrieved more third-tier pills and various demon beast spiritual materials.
“Please take a look and see which of these might qualify for the auction.”
The black-robed elder immediately stood and carefully inspected the materials.
After a while, he gave his verdict.
Two bottles of third-tier pills, a poison sac from a third-tier Poison Lizard, and the horn of a third-tier Single-Horned Rhinobeast were eligible for auction.
The rest, though not qualified for the auction, could still be purchased directly by the auction house.
Since they were willing, Ji Yuan simply sold them all in one go.
The auction hadn't even begun, and Ji Yuan had already earned 890 middle-grade spirit stones.
As for the rest, he had nothing else worth selling.
Not because he didn’t have good items—quite the opposite. He had too many good items and was reluctant to part with them.
Like those six Talisman Treasures, two Heavenly Thunder Seeds, and the magical treasure Heavenly Net.
Not to mention the three drops of Millennium Spirit Milk previously gifted by Water Dragon Sect.
And numerous spiritual artifacts.
He even had something as rare as a Divine Soul Method, virtually nonexistent in Cangluo Continent.
Unfortunately, none of those could be taken out for sale. Still, with what he had sold, it should be enough—even if it meant exhausting all his Foundation Establishment Pills.
Once he returned, he would need to focus on farming and development again.
At that thought, Ji Yuan recalled the Spirit Vein.
“Fellow Daoist, would you be interested in attending the auction in ten days? If you are, this is your admission token. Since the items you consigned sold for over 5,000 middle-grade spirit stones, you’ll be allowed into a private room on the second floor.”
The black-robed Real Person handed over another jade token with a smile.
5,000 spirit stones just to get upstairs—this was no ordinary threshold.
Ji Yuan naturally accepted it. Attending the auction on the second floor would be much safer. Sitting in the first-floor hall… one wouldn’t even dare to shout out a price loudly.
“Thank you, fellow Daoist. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way.”
Ji Yuan cupped his hands with a cheerful smile.
“Please, by all means.”
The black-robed elder stood up and saw him off. Only after Ji Yuan left and he closed the door did the smile on his face fade.
He returned to his seat, took a sip of spiritual tea, and stroked his beard in thought.
‘Judging by that man’s accent, he’s probably from Southern Waters. And to sell that many Foundation Establishment Pills… odds are he’s from Medicine King Valley.’
‘But even if he is a cultivator from Medicine King Valley, why travel such a distance to attend our auction in Lanshan City?’
‘Most likely, there’s only one explanation—the origin of these Foundation Establishment Pills is rather dubious.’
Still, that didn’t matter. The auction house didn’t care about such things. As long as you brought good items to the door, then—
Sell!
Profit from anyone's fortune—money is still money. What, you think you can show up at our doorstep and make us pay damages?
Try it, and Beast Taming Sect and Corpse Herding Mountain will teach you what it means to face the Twin Tyrants of Northern Waters!
…
Meanwhile, after leaving the auction house, Ji Yuan circled the city for a while. Once he confirmed there were no tails, he returned to his inn.
Back inside, he consumed a Three-Colored Spiritual Egg, did a bit of cultivation, and soon the sky brightened.
Once he'd returned to his usual face, he stretched and got up. After tidying up, he realized Ning Shanshan was already waiting outside.
“Senior, where are we going today!”
Today, Ning Shanshan no longer had her hair down like yesterday.
Instead, she tied it up in a ponytail and openly revealed her disguised appearance. Her disguise was much simpler: darkened her face, thickened her eyebrows, and dotted some freckles on her cheeks with something unknown.
She looked ordinary, but her smile was radiant.
“Just strolling around today.”
Ji Yuan smiled. Perhaps it was the sudden windfall, or the anticipation of acquiring something to upgrade his buildings, or maybe Ning Shanshan’s cheerful energy had rubbed off—either way, he was in a good mood.
“Alright! Senior, let me tell you—when it comes to knowing Lanshan City like the back of one’s hand, I’m second to none!”
Ning Shanshan bounced ahead cheerfully.
Clad in loose blue robes, Ji Yuan walked behind her. “No need for that. I just want to buy some local specialties of Lanshan City to bring back for some friends.”
“Oh?” Ning Shanshan’s eyes lit up. “Now that matters. May I ask your budget? Are these gifts for male or female friends?”
“Senior, let me tell you, whatever you do, don’t go to those stores labeled ‘Lanshan City Specialties.’ They’re scams targeting out-of-town cultivators. Absolutely overpriced.”
“And some couriers like me, they’re no good either. They work with those shops to lead seniors there on purpose. But don’t worry, I’m not like that.”
“Alright, alright.”
And so, for the whole day, Ji Yuan didn’t go anywhere special. He simply followed Ning Shanshan around the city, shopping for various items.
For Hua Yaoyue, he naturally chose Spiritual Wine, though it would need to be refined in the Wine Cellar back home.
For Feng Zhi Tao, he selected Lanshan City’s signature bamboo dragonflies and paper butterflies. In terms of quality, they were likely lower-grade spiritual artifacts.
When infused with spiritual energy, they would flutter and dance—and even sing.
They could be used in battle, though not very effective. Their main appeal was entertainment.
And that was exactly what would suit Feng Zhi Tao.
As for Du Wanyi, Ji Yuan also prepared a gift—but not the bamboo dragonfly or paper butterflies.
Her talent was slightly lacking, and her strength wasn’t particularly great. So Ji Yuan chose a locally crafted protective spiritual artifact.
Dayu Hairpin.
A mid-grade spiritual artifact worn in the hair. It offered passive protection and, in critical moments, could be activated as a hidden weapon—perfect for her.
As for Dong Qian's gift, Ji Yuan put the most thought—and the most spirit stones—into it.
A matching set: bracelet, necklace, and earrings. Though also mid-grade spiritual artifacts, they offered neither defense nor offense.
According to the shopkeeper, the true effect was a protective barrier that formed over the skin, nourishing the body day and night, slowing aging, and making the skin more supple.
Ji Yuan even tested it himself. As a second-tier artifact refiner and formation master, he could tell the effect was real—not very strong, but definitely present.
That alone made it worth it.
This set of spiritual accessories cost Ji Yuan 800 middle-grade spirit stones.
But he found it worth the price. Not to mention that part of the spirit stones probably came from Dong Qian anyway, and considering they had shared a bed… a gift was only proper.
Every time Ji Yuan made a purchase, Ning Shanshan sensibly waited outside the door.
So she had no idea what he bought or how many spirit stones he spent.
For such a thoughtful runner, Ji Yuan naturally tipped her generously.
Two middle-grade spirit stones.
When Ning Shanshan saw the stones in her hands, her eyes widened. “Senior, this… this…”
For a fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator, 200 lower-grade spirit stones was a small fortune. Even many Peak Qi Refining cultivators might not be able to produce that much.
“I see you have talent. Go home and cultivate well—strive to reach Peak Qi Refining and aim for Foundation Establishment. That is the right path.”
“These spirit stones are yours now. Hurry and stash them away. Don’t let others see.”
Ning Shanshan, hearing this, quickly put away the two middle-grade spirit stones. Then, watching the senior enter through the gates, she gathered her courage and asked, “Se… Senior, may I know your name?”
“Ji Yuan.”
“Ji Yuan, Ji Yuan, Ji Yuan…”
Ning Shanshan silently repeated the name several times until she felt she would never forget it. Then, holding the spirit stones close, she left.
Inside the courtyard, Ji Yuan looked calm.
When committing murder and arson, of course he used the name Qiu Qianhai.
But in this case—an act of chivalry—it was only fitting to use his real name.
No need to ruin both names, after all.
With the gifts now all purchased and the auction yet to begin, Ji Yuan stayed in and focused on cultivation. He nurtured his spiritual energy while studying the 《Sword Manual》.
He occasionally visited the Meditation Room for a boost to his Divine Sense.
Ten days passed in the blink of an eye, and soon it was time for the auction.
Ji Yuan changed his Shapeshifting Talisman, reverting to the old man image he used when selling the Foundation Establishment Pills, and headed out early.
When he arrived at the auction house, he found the place already packed—there were even people standing outside.
The last time Ji Yuan had seen so many Foundation Establishment cultivators was… well, the last time. Though many had already entered, there were still 40–50 people standing at the entrance.
Ji Yuan kept to the outer edge of the crowd, hunched over, smiling at anyone who looked his way.
Eventually, he slipped away from the crowd and entered the auction house.
Inside, it was much quieter and more spacious, with no noise—only a few elaborately dressed young female cultivators walking around like butterflies among flowers.
Before Ji Yuan could speak, a female cultivator in a pink short skirt exposing her long, jade-like legs walked up, bent slightly, and offered a polite bow.
Her posture highlighted her graceful figure.
“Does Senior need any assistance?”
Without a word, Ji Yuan took a jade token from his storage pouch and showed it to her. “Take me upstairs.”
Upon seeing the token, the female cultivator became even more respectful. “Senior, please follow me.”
No wonder Ji Yuan was cautious—he had just glanced around and noticed that even many mid and late Foundation Establishment cultivators were stuck on the first floor.
For someone like him, only early Foundation Establishment, to have a second-floor token would definitely draw attention.
When traveling, it's best to stay low-profile.
But just as he was walking up the stairs, Ji Yuan caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the first-floor hall.
Why is he here too?