It was clear that once Luo Chen made a decision, he never turned back halfway. With both the main material and the crafting method in hand, there was no way he would give up so easily. Problems could be solved one by one. And now, the perfect opportunity had arrived to resolve most of them.

The Jadecold City auction began as scheduled at the start of winter. Above the bustling city, streaks of light shot in from all directions, all converging toward the tallest and most prominent palace. Below, countless low-tier cultivators looked up with envy and reverence. They all knew that anyone qualified to attend such a grand event was an Initiate at the very least; there were plenty of Adepts, and even the occasional Sage!

Luo Chen was, of course, among these streaks of light. He came to a stop before the entrance of the towering palace, where a massive plaque revealed its name: "Cold Palace."

"That doesn't sound very auspicious[1]," muttered Luo Chen as he walked up to the two Adepts guarding the entrance.

Perhaps due to the sheer number of attendees today, the two Adepts responsible for checking entry qualifications no longer wore much of a smile. However, upon sensing Luo Chen's aura, they still forced one out.

"Fellow Daoist, your invitation, please."

Luo Chen asked, "Can a rogue cultivator enter without an invitation?"

One of the Adepts replied, "Yes, but you won't have an assigned seat. You'll need to sit in the rogue cultivator section. Also, before the auction starts, you'll have to go through a financial verification in the hall behind the Cold Palace."

Financial verification? Luo Chen frowned for a moment, then understanding dawned. An invitation signified the organizers' recognition of one's financial strength. With that, even aggressive bidding during the auction would not be seen as reckless. Naturally, those who came of their own accord had to prove their qualifications. Otherwise, if someone started to bid wildly, even if the organizers held them accountable afterward, the chaos at the auction could not be undone. If words spread, it would become a great embarrassment.

Looks like this auction's being run quite properly. After a moment's thought, Luo Chen took out a black-and-white token from his storage ring.

Seeing this, one of the Adepts flashed a look of surprise. "Ah, so you're a guest of the Heaven Origin Tower! This way, please! One of our attendants will guide you."

Luo Chen nodded and stepped into a brightly lit corridor.

This was not the gilded invitation sent by Wu Qi through the Flying Swallow Merchant Caravan, but rather the Heaven Origin Tower's esteemed guest token, which he had obtained earlier from Shan Shubao. That was more than enough to prove his wealth. After all, anyone who could become an esteemed guest of a tower under the Heaven Origin Trade Alliance was certainly no pauper.

Upon entering, he saw two neatly lined rows of female attendants, all with delicate features and late-stage Qi Refinement cultivation. In terms of appearance, none were inferior to Gu Caiyi or Cheng Haixin. What they lacked was merely a certain aura. In truth, there were few truly unattractive people in the cultivation world; under the nourishment of spirit energy, clear skin and pleasing features were practically a given. Only those who neglected their appearance or used unusual cultivation techniques, like Luo Chen was doing now, would see changes in complexion or facial features.

As soon as Luo Chen entered, an attendant stepped forward. "My name is Ah Qing. This way please."

The attendant had bright eyes and white teeth; her smile was like a flourishing plum blossom. As she guided him, she moved to take his arm. Luo Chen glanced at her. She immediately stopped and led the way in a more formal manner.

Before long, the lighting dimmed, and Luo Chen entered a slightly dark private room. It was not large, but it was fully furnished with tables, chairs, couches, tea sets, wine cups, flower arrangements, and paintings. He gave it a brief glance before turning his attention outside. From his position on the second floor, he could overlook the auction hall below. At first glance, it appeared dark and silent, but when he spread his divine consciousness slightly, he sensed that tens of thousands had already gathered. The noise below was immense.

The soundproofing here is pretty good. Luo Chen nodded inwardly and glanced upward. The first floor was for ordinary Initiates, mostly rogue cultivators and people from minor sects. The second floor was for Adepts, as well as Initiates representing major forces. The third floor was reserved for forces connected to the organizers or specially invited Adepts.

He had only presented the Heaven Origin Tower esteemed guest token. If he had an invitation directly issued by the Heaven Origin Trade Alliance or he used the one sent by Wu Qi, he would likely have qualified for the third floor. As for the fourth floor... he shook his head and did not linger on it even for a moment.

He turned back to the attendant, who was now proffering a thick catalog. "Adept, there are quite a few items in this auction. This is the catalog. If anything catches your eye, you can check when it's scheduled and keep track of it. You can also let me know, and I'll remind you when the time comes. Also, some sellers arrived late, so a few new items have been added. They might not be listed in your original invitation, so you may want to take a look. Meanwhile, would you prefer tea or wine? We have thirteen kinds of spirit tea and seven varieties of wine, as well as fruits and light refreshments..."

Luo Chen waved his hand. "Water is fine. Nothing else."

These attentive services and special treatment were likely unavailable to those seated in the first floor. Especially with the newly added items listed in the catalog, the rogue cultivators might spend their funds elsewhere and be unable to bid when such items appear. As for the cultivators on the third floor, what further benefits did they enjoy?

Luo Chen let his thoughts wander as he opened the thick catalog. Item after item came into view, each accompanied by a more detailed description: background, properties, applications, starting price, and transaction conditions. Some even specifically listed the seller's identity.

He read quickly, yet carefully. This time, he was not only after ingredients for the Nascent Soul Pill but also materials he needed for his defensive enchanted treasure. Some of the materials were incredibly rare, and he did not want to miss even a single one.

As Luo Chen skimmed through the catalog, a voice suddenly drifted into his ears. "Luo Chen, get the Soul-Nurturing Wood for me!"

Luo Chen's expression remained unchanged. He waved the attendant out, and once the door closed behind her, he flipped back a page.

[Soul-Nurturing Wood]

Age: 3,000

Size: ~1 cun

Origin: Sunken Sea

Condition: Tainted with a dark energy; quality is below average

Applications: Suitable for crafting soul-type enchanted treasures

Starting Bid: 1,000,000

Note: Alternative terms may be negotiated if the seller's special conditions are met

It was only a brief description, yet Luo Chen studied it closely. "Senior, you want it?"

Han Zhan was inside the Primordial Unity Cauldron right now. He replied with a hint of excitement, "Of course I want it! This may help me recover some of my strength."

In the private room, the red-faced Daoist in black muttered in a quiet tone, "An item like this won't be easy to win." 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

1. In imperial China, the imperial concubines who fell out of favor but were not punished more severely were often sent to the Cold Palace. It is not an exact location so much as a generic name for a secluded part of the imperial compound where they lived in isolation, stripped of status and forgotten by the court. ☜