Wasted Spiritual Root to Embark on Demonic Cultivation

Chapter 214

Wang Yu could confirm that when the Violet Golden Chamber of Commerce first joined Jade Spirit City, it had already been the eyes and ears of Young Master Jin Lin.

At that time, it might have also had some connection with Qian Zhong.

Now that it had secretly fallen under True Personage Qingyang’s control, this vast and intricate conspiracy had completely landed in his hands.

He realized that whether it was Chang Xi, the wandering emissary of the Sword Sect, or Jin Lin, the successor candidate of Golden Abundance Tower, they both had a peculiar fondness for devising complex schemes.

These plans were always meticulous and complicated. Though the eventual gains were substantial, when one’s strength was insufficient, it was difficult to ensure everything developed as planned.

Such a controlling and arrogant personality… truly matched their origins—too conceited indeed.

“City Lord, this Ghost Market auction will attract a large number of Core Formation and even Nascent Soul cultivators. For weak cultivators like us, it’s best not to make any moves.”

“I understand.”

Qingyang’s warning was reasonable. Wang Yu, who had always been cautious about risks, naturally did not naively assume that the Yanluo Ghost Market’s rules were absolute.

Besides, he was short on money now. Even if he wanted to buy something high-end, he couldn’t afford it. Most third-rank spiritual items were within his risk limit.As for fourth-rank items, even if he had enough spirit stones, he would not make a move.

After all, this trip was mainly to broaden his horizons and to counter Jin Lin’ schemes. He truly wanted to see the look of shock on his enemy’s face when his plot failed.

The two of them walked all the way to the base of a tall tower in the center of the Ghost Market. Passing through a dark, water-like curtain, their vision suddenly brightened.

They appeared inside a spacious private box. Before them was a transparent barrier resembling a floor-to-ceiling window. Around them were square, black compartments arranged layer upon layer.

These were all similar private boxes. From the bottom to the top, there were thirty-two levels. Wang Yu and Qingyang were on the eighth level. Below them floated a jade platform suspended in the air.

At this moment, the stage was empty. The entire tower-shaped auction hall was utterly silent, as if only the two of them existed.

Then, suddenly, the ground began to churn with waves of ghostly mist. A beautiful female ghost, pale as bone and wearing a finely cut maid dress, rose from beneath the floor.

Her eyes streamed with bloody tears, yet her demeanor was extremely respectful.

“Honored guests, the 136th Auction of the Yanluo Ghost Market, a Nascent Soul-level auction, will begin in half an hour. This is the catalog of items you may preview in advance.

“When the auction officially begins, this servant will assist you in transmitting bids and handling the delivery of purchased items. Then—until later, honored guests.”

After speaking, the ghostly maid sank back into the floor.

Wang Yu and Qingyang exchanged glances. As expected, the Ghost Market auction was held in extreme secrecy.

They checked the catalog. As expected, it contained only rare second-rank spiritual items and mostly third-rank items.

As for fourth-rank items, they had no clearance to view them beforehand.

Even so, seeing more than 1,600 rare spiritual treasures listed, Wang Yu couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement. The collection capacity of just one Ghost Market was astonishing.

He dared not imagine how abundant the resources of the Blood Reversal Sect must be.

“Only outside the sect can someone like me, a commoner—find real opportunities. Within a sect, the class hierarchy is so rigid. Take Deacon Xu’s pill shop, for example—utterly helpless, like a lamb awaiting slaughter, unable to offend anyone.”

Wang Yu silently reminded himself again. Half an hour wasn’t long. He calmed his mind and recited the Prajna Heart Sutra to maintain inner peace as time slowly passed.

A clear bell rang.

Before the crowd’s eyes, two figures appeared on the previously empty jade platform—both cloaked in black robes. The man was handsome, the woman beautiful, and both released their auras without restraint.

Nascent Soul sixth layer peak.

Only one step away from the late stage—both were the mighty Yanluo and Yanfú, twin rulers of the Ghost Market.

In the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain, most Nascent Soul cultivators were in the early first to third layers. Mid-stage ones were considered powerful, while late-stage ones were near-invincible masters.

These two, holding territory on the borders between two hegemonies, indeed possessed extraordinary strength. Judging from their synchronized auras, they likely cultivated a dual-attack combination technique.

Their very presence carried oppressive might.

“Everyone, no more words. The 136th Auction begins now.

“This first item will be personally presented by this Lord.”

Spiritual light shimmered.

The Yanluo Ghost Lord tossed an item into the air. Its aura radiated alluring power—it was undoubtedly a rare treasure.

“This item is called Thunder Extreme Treasure Liquid, a third-rank thunder-attribute Core Formation spiritual item. It originates from the Taihu Spiritual Domain, taken from the hands of a true disciple of the Thunderfire Temple. Starting price: one million spirit stones.”

Upon hearing this, Wang Yu was a little surprised.

The meaning was clear. The Yanluo Ghost Lord had obtained it by killing that true disciple. Only a Foundation Establishment peak cultivator in need of thunder-attribute materials would dare bid for such a thing—and only if they weren’t afraid of death.

There were also people who bought items for their juniors. He thought the bidding would quiet down for a while, but the voices of offers followed one after another, announced by nearby Lady Yanfú.

“One million three hundred thousand.”

“One million six hundred thousand.”

“Two million three hundred thousand.”

“Two million four hundred thousand.”

The price rose rapidly. This was clearly not an ordinary high-grade item; its quality was close to the level of the Everlasting Vitality Treasure Branch, only lacking its regenerative property.

In the end, it was bought for a sky-high price of four million spirit stones. No one knew which private room had won the bid.

After the two Ghost Market Lords enthusiastically auctioned ten items, they disappeared again, leaving their ghost slaves to continue hosting the auction.

The two third-rank peak ghost slaves were both stunning beauties with exaggerated figures, almost unnaturally perfect, as if their bodies had been modified, giving them an uncanny and artificial charm.

The Core Formation-grade spirit item had only been the opening. Afterward, a great variety of rare treasures were presented one after another.

Heavenflame Blade, Origin Mark of the Hungry Ghost King, rare spiritual herb Spirit Ganma, pure-blood Flood Dragon Core, fragments of an Ancient Inheritance... the quantity and variety left the audience feeling the trip was truly worthwhile.

Then, one particular item caught Wang Yu’s interest.

“Next is a legacy from the Ancient Heavenly Soul Sect. It is a soul-searching secret technique known as the Soul-Gouging Evil Boat Curse. The starting price is two hundred thousand spirit stones.”

Soul-searching techniques were widespread in the Crimson Kite Demonic Domain. Some even had common simplified versions. However, such techniques required a cultivator to possess at least third-rank divine sense to perform them.

If the target’s divine sense was too powerful, the user could suffer backlash, damaging their own soul, which was extremely difficult to heal.

For demonic cultivators, soul-searching techniques were standard tools, so buying another one from an auction was of little use. As for those below Core Formation, they lacked the divine sense strength to even attempt it.

To most people, it was a rather tasteless thing.

Therefore, the true value of the Soul-Gouging Evil Boat Curse lay in its identity as an ancient inheritance. Few knew how to use it, which meant it had unique effects and was harder to counter.

It was not surprising that it could fetch a price of two hundred thousand spirit stones.

Wang Yu immediately instructed the ghost woman beside him to place a bid. Not much, only two hundred and ten thousand spirit stones. It was one of the few secret techniques he could afford and also something he happened to lack.

With it, intelligence gathering in the future would become much easier.

After a brief but not intense competition, Wang Yu won the item for two hundred and eighty thousand spirit stones. The ghost woman promptly brought him the auctioned item, and the transaction was completed.

The following items, he only watched with mild interest.

He immersed his mind into studying the newly obtained Soul-Gouging Evil Boat Curse. This secret technique condensed divine sense into small black paper boats that could pierce through matter and directly enter the target’s Niwan Palace.

It forcibly extracted the soul.

Moreover, within one’s own Niwan Palace, these black paper boats could be gathered to resist invasive divine sense attacks. It could attack or defend, making it a well-rounded technique.

Many other soul-searching arts had similar functions.

However, its true worth was revealed when perfected. Once the technique reached completion, the black paper boats could penetrate divine sense barriers and forcibly read a person’s memories.

“Perfection, huh...”

Techniques involving divine sense always placed heavy emphasis on talent. Achieving perfection was far harder than with ordinary arts. For most people, mastering it fully might take half a lifetime.

For Wang Yu, however, that was precisely what made it worthwhile. He enjoyed difficult challenges.

[Idle Slot 6: Soul-Gouging Evil Boat Curse]

“Soul-Gouging Evil Boat Curse (0/100): 96 practice cycles per day, perfection in 40 years.”

“Not bad.”

He tested it briefly. When the Idle Slot began to take effect, Wang Yu felt the first feedback: the divine sense power in his Niwan Palace automatically circulated and began to condense into the shape of black paper boats.

Unfortunately, it failed at about one-fifth of the process. The divine sense dispersed and returned to calm.

He waited for the next feedback from the Idle Slot. Meanwhile, his mind was filled with new insights and comprehension about the technique.

The Idle Slot truly was extraordinary.

In the auction hall, the treasures grew progressively higher in grade. Before long, the prices had far surpassed what Wang Yu could afford. When the first fourth-rank spiritual item appeared, the frequency and range of bids soared dramatically.

“Fourth-rank high-grade artifact: Blood Skull Demonic Sword. Fifty supreme-grade spirit stones.”

As soon as this bid was announced, everyone fell silent.

Supreme-grade spirit stones could not be artificially crafted. They were the purest condensation of heaven and earth’s spiritual essence, possessing incredible regenerative power. Even when completely drained, if left in a spirit vein for a hundred years, they could restore themselves to full.

Through special means or formations, this restoration time could be greatly shortened.

Supreme-grade spirit stones were the foundation of Nascent Soul cultivators’ advancement and one of the key resources representing the heritage of dominant sects. They were almost never spent lightly.

Fifty pieces was no small number, but exchanging them for a Nascent Soul-level high-grade artifact was still considered worthwhile.

The Blood Skull Demonic Sword triggered a wave of excitement.

The next item, the highlight of the auction, was even more astonishing: a high-grade Nascent Formation Pill. It could increase a peak Core Formation cultivator’s chance of breaking through to Nascent Soul by fifty percent.

It originated from the Taihu Spiritual Domain, seized from some unfortunate cultivator’s assets.

It sold for three million high-grade spirit stones plus ten supreme-grade spirit stones.

The final item of the night was no less remarkable.

It was a fragmented Spirit Transformation-realm inheritance from the ancient Immortal Dynasty’s Poison Path. The legacy contained a complete cultivation method but lacked all associated artifacts, techniques, secret arts, and poison recipes.

For other paths, that might have been acceptable, but for the Poison Path, missing such attachments rendered the technique almost useless. Hence, it was auctioned merely as a Nascent Soul-level treasure.

Even so, it sold for an astronomical price.

Two hundred supreme-grade spirit stones.