Translator: AnubisTL

"Three-thousand-year-old Thunder Sound Bamboo? That's quite rare indeed. It's an excellent material for artifact refinement."

"Moreover, the Thunder Sound Bamboo contains the power of Heavenly Thunder. The faint, intermittent rumbling sound it emits can resonate with the body's five vital organs, creating a body-tempering effect."

"Hmm, I've heard of such uses before. However, tempering the body through the sound of thunder likely requires special Cultivation Methods or secret techniques."

"..."

The sight of the Thunder Sound Bamboo once again stirred the crowd's emotions. Many nascent soul realm cultivators whispered among themselves.

Such a precious treasure would naturally attract many interested parties. After a period of hushed discussion, everyone fell silent, awaiting True Monarch Wan He's next words.

Everyone understood that such a rare and valuable spirit material could hardly be traded for spirit stones.

As expected, True Monarch Wan He chuckled softly. "The auction for this segment of Thunder Sound Bamboo will be conducted through barter. The seller seeks a spiritual object or elixir capable of assisting in breaking through to the divine transformation stage."

"If any of you can offer such an item, you may immediately claim this three-thousand-year-old segment of Thunder Sound Bamboo."

"Of course, the seller understands that the value of this Thunder Sound Bamboo alone cannot compare to spiritual objects or elixirs that aid in breaking through to the Divine Transformation stage. Therefore, upon a successful transaction, they have pledged to provide substantial compensation!"

"If no one can offer a suitable exchange, the seller will select the auction item that satisfies them most to complete the deal."

Hoping to exchange for a spiritual object or elixir that increases the success rate of breaking through to the Divine Transformation stage.

As these words echoed through the hall, a deathly silence descended upon the entire venue. For a long moment, not a single sound stirred within the grand hall.

Someone is plotting to reach the Divine Transformation stage?

This meant the mysterious auctioneer was at least a late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator, and quite possibly had reached the pinnacle of the Nascent Soul Realm—the very peak of cultivation, with no further progress possible!

After digesting this revelation, a wave of profound shock surged through the hearts of the assembled cultivators.

Who dares harbor such ambition? While late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators weren't entirely absent from the world, only a handful were publicly known, and these figures had long vanished from the world's stage. Who could say if they still lived?

Even Li Qing couldn't help but swallow hard, struggling to process the shock. It was utterly unbelievable—the seller of the Thunder Sound Bamboo was someone of such terrifying stature.

Wait a minute!

In that instant, several quick-witted individuals, including Li Qing, grasped a deeper implication.

"Could the seller of the Thunder Sound Bamboo... be present here right now?" someone asked in a trembling voice. The question sent a fresh wave of terror through everyone's hearts.

Yes, how else would he choose his preferred auction item? This mysterious Great Cultivator selling the Thunder Sound Bamboo must be observing everything from somewhere nearby.

Almost certain of this, all the nascent soul realm cultivators began scanning their surroundings with their gazes, desperate to find the hidden Great Cultivator.

Even the Black Flood Dragon King, who had just obtained the supreme treasure, couldn't resist releasing his divine sense to probe the hall.

But such a being, having concealed their presence so thoroughly, could hardly be detected so easily.

True Monarch Wan He, standing on the auction platform, merely smiled without comment, allowing the cultivators to sweep the area with their divine sense at will.

After a long silence, as the shock gradually subsided, True Monarch Wan He finally spoke:

"Alright, everyone, you may begin bidding. Any spiritual object or elixir that can aid in breaking through to the divine transformation stage can be claimed immediately."

"If none such items are offered, fellow daoists, please bid at your own discretion."

After repeating these instructions, True Monarch Wan He resealed the half-human-sized Thunder Sound Bamboo, suppressing the faint thunderous rumbling that occasionally emanated from within.

"Elixirs or spiritual objects that assist in breaking through to the divine transformation stage... such things likely only exist in the upper realm."

"Impossible. Even if such items existed, they would never be openly displayed like this."

"Exactly. The divine transformation stage is so distant. Few in this world would even bother preparing for it."

"..."

Amidst the murmurs and speculation, no one made a bid.

As nascent soul realm cultivators themselves, they were acutely aware of the immense difficulty of cultivation at this stage.

Let alone the late-stage nascent soul realm, most cultivators remained trapped in the early-stage nascent soul realm, struggling to advance further.

As for the divine transformation stage, no one dared waste their energy contemplating such a remote possibility.

Once it was clear that no one else had a suitable item to bid, the first offer finally came:

"I offer a Heavenly Fiend Lotus with a medicinal age of at least 2,300 years. This lotus has been nourished by various malevolent energies and fiendish auras. Though born from such dark forces, it remains completely untainted by them, making it a sacred medicine of unparalleled rarity."

"I have a Black Jade Pearl, likely extracted from the belly of a fourth-tier black whale—a truly extraordinary gem!"

"A section of thunderstruck wood at least 5,000 years old. Within its destruction lies the potential for rebirth. Perhaps the esteemed cultivator could glean some profound insight from it, allowing them to advance further."

"..."

It must be said, this auction was truly an eye-opener for the core formation realm cultivators below.

One after another, the nascent soul realm cultivators in the upper tiers announced their bids, clearly deeply interested in the Thunder Sound Bamboo.

Moreover, after declaring their offerings, they each added a boastful description, hoping to capture the attention of the mysterious Great Cultivator.

But how could someone who had cultivated to such a realm lack discernment?

At the very least, the Great Cultivator was likely already familiar with all the items being offered. There was no need for these cultivators to boastful introductions—he would know exactly what each item was.

As the bids echoed through the hall, someone had a sudden inspiration.

"This old one possesses a longevity lock. When worn close to the body, it can seal the flow of one's lifespan, extending it by at least a century—perhaps even a century and a half!"

The one who presented the longevity lock was none other than Old Lord Tu Yuan, who had previously invited Li Qing to the trade fair.

Li Qing hadn't expected Old Lord Tu Yuan to abandon his pursuit of spirit pills and elixirs that could extend lifespan by fifty years, instead using the longevity lock to bid on the Thunder Sound Bamboo.

"The competition is fierce! It's just a section of Thunder Sound Bamboo, yet so many are vying for it. Are they trying to curry favor with that mysterious elder?" Li Qing sighed helplessly, but he refused to give up.

He decided to observe the bidding for a while longer, pondering what he could offer to outbid the others and secure the Thunder Sound Bamboo for himself.

Just then, perhaps inspired by the longevity lock, others began offering lifespan-extending spiritual objects and pills, hoping to impress the enigmatic elder.

In their eyes, someone who had cultivated to the late-stage nascent soul realm must be a venerable expert who had lived for over a thousand years. Their desperate search for a breakthrough to the divine transformation stage likely stemmed from their lifespan nearing its end, their great limit approaching!

"I can offer a Spirit Longevity Peach from a thousand-year-old tree," one cultivator said. "If refined into a pill with other spirit herbs, it could extend one's lifespan by at least a century."

"I also possess an Earth Yellow Essence, nearly nine hundred years old," another added.

Unfortunately, they were mistaken. A senior cultivator of such profound cultivation would undoubtedly have already exhausted all known methods of prolonging life.

True Monarch Wan He shook his head. "Fellow daoists, unless we offer something like a Rejuvenation Pill or Rejuvenation Water, that senior won't be interested."

His words brought many to their senses.

After a long silence, Li Qing, seated in a private chamber, slowly set down his wine cup. After careful consideration, he spoke:

"I offer a Dragon Transformation Pill, a palm-sized piece of Immortal Spirit Green Gold, and a jar of Yellow Springs Water, likely sourced from the Netherworld."

He didn't elaborate on the uses of these items, trusting that the senior cultivator would already be familiar with them. Moreover, with the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild present, their authenticity could easily be verified.

The moment Li Qing announced his offerings, many in the crowd reacted with surprise:

"Dragon Transformation Pill? Could this be the legendary elixir that enhances the success rate of nascent soul formation?"

"Incredible! Fellow Daoist Limitless actually possesses such a rare and priceless treasure."

Even more astonished were the core formation realm cultivators below. For them, the most pressing matter was finding a way to break through to the nascent soul realm. They never imagined such a miraculous item as the Dragon Transformation Pill would appear here.

However, others turned their attention to the remaining two auction items Li Qing had mentioned: Immortal Spirit Green Gold and Yellow Springs Water!

"Immortal Spirit Green Gold? This spirit gold only exists in the upper realm! It can house the divine soul and has countless wondrous uses."

"Yellow Springs Water from the Netherworld? Could it have been extracted from the Nether Domain itself?"

"..."

Li Qing offered no further explanation, patiently awaiting the auction's outcome. These were the finest items he could offer.

Seated in his private chamber, Li Qing felt confident that his offerings would impress the mysterious expert. After all, he had spotted not one, but two familiar faces in the crowd!

Below, among the seats reserved for core formation realm cultivators, an old man with a goatee sat cross-legged, picking his nose with utter disregard for decorum.

Beside him sat a man in a daoist robe, his cultivation also at the core formation realm.

Qiu Zhen!

The long-forgotten name surfaced in Li Qing's mind. This was a fellow daoist he had met during his adventures in the Great Wilderness Domain.

Back then, Qiu Zhen's cultivation was only at the foundation establishment realm. He was a master of feng shui and often invited Li Qing to join him in tomb raiding, constantly proclaiming the extraordinary terrain of various sites.

"This fellow... I never expected to see him here," Li Qing murmured with a chuckle, stroking his chin.

He had also encountered the goatee-bearded old daoist in the Great Wilderness Domain. The man's movements were enigmatic and unpredictable, making him impossible to read.

Even now, the old daoist's aura only revealed a Pseudo-Core cultivation level—utterly unremarkable in this gathering. A sweep of divine sense would instinctively overlook him.

If Li Qing hadn't recognized Qiu Zhen's familiar face with his own eyes, he might have missed them entirely.

Meanwhile, in the core formation realm cultivator seating area below, the goatee-bearded old daoist, having just picked his nose, was now digging between his toes, muttering to himself:

"Not even the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild has anything worthwhile?"

"Wan Shengtian is such a miser! He's no proper merchant—just like that old flood dragon in the Boundless Eastern Sea, hoarding his trash as if it were treasure!"

"Fine, fine. This Thunder Sound Bamboo of mine will pave the way for my dear disciple."

"But I wonder if that Yellow Springs Water is genuine. Those ox-nosed daoists from the Nether Domain Heavenly Guard Temple are so rigid—how could they let such miraculous water out of their clutches?"

"..."

Strangely, every casual remark from the goatee-bearded old daoist was astonishing, yet the core formation realm cultivators around him seemed not to hear a word, completely ignoring him.

Qiu Zhen, sitting nearby, wore a look of pleasant surprise, never expecting to gain anything from this visit.

Seeing his expression, the old daoist snapped, "What's with that look! I divined heaven's will before coming here—this place holds an opportunity for you, my stubborn disciple. I just never imagined it would come from that boy."

Soon, True Monarch Wan He, who was presiding over the auction on the platform, seemed to receive some instruction. He turned toward Li Qing's private room and called out:

"Fellow Daoist Limitless, do you have the Yellow Springs Water with you? We need to authenticate it."

Li Qing nodded from within his room. "Of course."

With a thought, he drew a portion of Yellow Springs Water from the Black Furnace. This water, naturally, was what he had brought back from the ruins of the Yellow Springs Holy Sect in the World of Eternal Night.

Though this water could purify many things, it could also be safely stored within the Black Furnace. Before leaving the ruins, Li Qing had filled the furnace with a substantial quantity.

The dark yellow liquid surged forth, instantly chilling the grand hall with the frigid, netherworld energy it radiated.

In truth, the sheer purity of this netherworld energy alone would have been enough to confirm the water's authenticity as genuine Yellow Springs Water.

However, the Ten Thousand Treasures Merchant Guild's treasure appraisal team, eager to demonstrate their expertise, declared:

"Fetch the Extreme Yang Cauldron!"

Before long, True Monarch Tianbao and the others returned with a gleaming golden cauldron, its surface radiating a warm, yang energy.

The moment the Yellow Springs Water entered the cauldron, signs of yin-yang harmony manifested almost instantly.

"Indeed, this is genuine Yellow Springs Water!"

"Fellow Daoist Limitless, your connection to the Heaven's Guard Temple runs deep. Such miraculous water rarely circulates beyond their domain."

Li Qing's heart stirred slightly at these words, but he offered only a vague reply:

"I did venture into the Nether Domain once."

This was the truth. Li Qing had indeed visited the Nether Domain and even entered a yin meridian, glimpsing what appeared to be the netherworld itself.

However, he was unaware that the Heaven's Guard Temple in the Nether Domain possessed a river similar to the Yellow Springs River.

This revelation greatly surprised Li Qing, but he was wise enough not to admit it outright.

With the Yellow Springs Water confirmed as genuine, True Monarch Wan He ceased his teasing and declared decisively:

"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist Limitless! The Thunder Sound Bamboo is yours. Now, please present the Dragon Transformation Pill and the Immortal Spirit Green Gold."

At these words, Li Qing's heart finally settled, and he let out a long sigh of relief.

The Thunder Sound Bamboo was finally his!

(End of the Chapter)

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