Eternal Tale

Chapter 134: Offering tea instead of wine, honoring the heavens, the immortals, and all the Buddhas

The next day, the sunshine was brilliant, shining brightly.

Qin Immortal Mountain was shrouded in clouds and mist, with strange peaks towering and a vibrant aura pervading the air, like a ribbon falling from the clouds.

"Old ox, let's go."

"Moo~"

Chen Xun and the big black ox felt refreshed, sweeping away their fatigue as they headed down the mountain. As the grand event approached, there were more cultivators descending the mountain, sometimes encountering fellow travelers and exchanging greetings.

Outside, there was a bustling scene with many vendors. Chen Xun scanned the area at the foot of the mountain but didn't see anyone familiar. He smiled faintly and led the big black ox towards the central city area.

"Old ox, if you see any formations or items you like, feel free to buy them."

"Moo moo~"

The big black ox rubbed against Chen Xun and kept glancing around, its eyes wandering aimlessly. Chen Xun glanced at the big black ox and remained silent.

They walked without speaking until they reached the outside of the Tai Gu Palace, which still looked majestic with its black and gold structure exuding a formidable presence.

Chen Xun and the big black ox looked at it again.

At this moment, a young man at the Foundation Establishment stage came towards them, showing respect in his eyes.

"Senior, are you here to attend the auction?"

"Yes."

Chen Xun nodded and smiled, knowing naturally that he was from one of the Top Ten Sects, and handed over the spirit stones with a wave of his hand.

"Please keep this; your room is in sequence 321." The man took out a jade plaque.

"Thank you."

After receiving it, Chen Xun glanced at it briefly. It was obviously different from before, indicating that the restrictions had been changed again.

The man respectfully bowed and said, "Please, senior."

"Old ox, let's go."

"Moo~"

Without any hesitation, they walked straight into the Tai Gu Palace. It was a straight passage, surrounded by items blocking spiritual perception.

The palace had also been renovated, with the appearance of each room changing, but the layout remained the same.

Several Nascent Soul cultivators scattered around, their figures flickering as they entered their rooms without giving any opportunity for interaction.

However, they also saw a wealthy individual walking with an air of arrogance, wearing a jade crown on his head, and exuding an aura of nobility. He was adorned with magical instruments and accompanied by three Nascent Soul stage guards.

He glanced briefly at Chen Xun, dressed in a gray linen robe, and wearing a straw hat, at the Nascent Soul early stage, not paying any attention to him, then led his entourage into his own room.

"Hey, ox."

"Moo?"

"I'm talking about that wealthy guy just now."

"Moo~"

The big black ox looked slightly speechless, thinking he was calling it. Chen Xun chuckled and didn't linger in the hall, heading towards the observation platform.

After a while, they arrived at their room, quietly waiting for the auction to begin.

An hour later, melodious bells rang out, and an old man appeared on the auction stage.

Chen Xun clenched his fist slightly. Why was it this old man again?

The old man bowed, his gaze sweeping around, "Welcome, fellow cultivators, to this auction. I believe this year's auction items will not disappoint you. Let the auction begin!"

As he finished speaking, a dozen or so graceful female cultivators appeared on the stage behind various pillars, all wearing smiles.

In the room, Chen Xun's expression changed slightly. These Top Ten Sects really knew how to spice things up, changing them every hundred years.

The big black ox's body almost reached outside the room; its eyes were fixed firmly on the auction stage; they had spirit stones.

"The first item, five bottles of high-grade True Yuan Pills, identified by the alchemists of the Alchemy Sect, with their medicinal properties intact."

The old man waved his hand, and a bottle of pills fell into his palm. A pure white, translucent pill was pinched between his fingers. The color and fullness of the pill, as well as its fragrance, seemed to be perceptible even through the array.

"I believe everyone knows the value of this pill, a treasure for the Nascent Soul stage. I won't say more." The old man's eyes flashed with greed, "Starting bid, twenty thousand low-grade spirit stones, with each subsequent bid not less than one thousand low-grade spirit stones."

"Thirty thousand."

"Thirty-five thousand."

"Forty thousand."

"Fifty thousand!"

The beams of light on the auction stage continued to flash, indicating fierce competition for the refined pills, which were highly sought after by cultivators at various levels.

The competition for the first item started intensely, without any need for warm-up, directly bringing the auction to its climax.

Chen Xun and the big black ox were not interested in the pills. They remained quite calm, without making any bids, just sipping their health tea, and watching others bid.

Next came some cultivation techniques, rare materials, spiritual medicines, and spiritual beasts. Chen Xun and the big black ox made some notes, but their interest was not high; it seemed that these items were of little use to them.

Finally, it was the highlight, the low-grade Infant Nurturing Pill.

Chen Xun felt quite frustrated, his expression changing unpredictably: "Old ox, let's go."

"Moo~"

The big black ox also shook its head, feeling like they had been cheated out of a thousand low-grade spirit stones since the auction didn't release the item list in advance.

They left the auction early again and returned home.

A few days later, they came to watch the competition of the young geniuses in spellcasting, waiting for the next auction to begin.

And a few days later, as promised, Chen Xun and the big black ox arrived, finding a secluded spot to sit down, preparing to be amazed and dispel the gloom of the previous days.

For several consecutive days, they cracked melon seeds, happily watching the competitions among the Nascent Soul stage young talents, then returned home...

The atmosphere in Yuxu City became increasingly lively, with people from various sects constantly arriving.

There were also some bloodshed incidents in the city, all caused by cultivators from outside Qian Nation who didn't understand the rules.

The members of the Top Ten Sects were furious. Thousands of cultivators gathered, and in the sky, there were many flying on magic tools or treading on empty air. Regardless of right or wrong, they directly initiated the Ascension Conference outside the city!

The troublemakers shed blood in the sky, and the Top Ten Sects issued a stern warning: if anyone wanted revenge, they could come directly to the Sects to seek justice, and they were ready to face the backers behind them. But if they dared to be unruly in Yuxu City again, even outside the Qian Nation, they would be eradicated by the orthodox sects!

Countless cultivators in the city trembled in fear, and each became much more obedient. If they really thought the Top Ten Sects were benevolent, Yuxu City would have been destroyed long ago.

Moreover, the great battle in the cultivation world hundreds of years ago and the mercilessness of the Sects were unforgettable to any cultivator who had experienced it.

The entire Wu Nation’s cultivation world was filled with corpses, and sect cultivators fled northward in a mass exodus. No one dared to provoke authority lightly.

In the blink of an eye, another April passed, and the second auction of the centennial event began. As promised, Chen Xun and the big black ox arrived once again, paid the entrance fee, and entered their room.

"Old ox, let's start the ritual!" Chen Xun adjusted his robe, sat down on the ground, and recited incantations.

"Moo!" The big black ox looked devout, collecting many petals.

The whole room was filled with smoke, with petals flying around. Chen Xun's aura was at its peak, and colorful spiritual energy emanated from him.

With slightly closed eyes, he calmly said:

"My brother and I are determined, traveling far and wide in the cultivation world, facing dangers but also hoping for the protection of the heavens and Buddhas!"

"Moo moo moo!"

The man and the ox's eyes gleamed brightly, their momentum overwhelmingly strong. They clapped their hands together, and the room was filled with smoke and petals.

This time, they would definitely obtain the Yu Chen Grass and the Night White Mushroom!

"Old ox, let's offer tea instead of wine, to honor the heavens, the immortals, and all the Buddhas!"

"Moo moo!"

Chen Xun and the big black ox's robes fluttered without wind. With health tea in hand, they simultaneously poured it onto the ground, steam rising.

They exchanged a smile and returned to their positions, their eyes filled with endless calm and indifference, displaying their elegance.

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