Chapter 50: Intensifying War
“Didn’t expect that this is just the first day of the auction, and even Foundation Establishment materials have already appeared.”
After leaving the auction, the crowd began chattering all at once. Lin Chang'an naturally regrouped with Li Erniu and the others.
Among them, Li Erniu spoke with envy.
“Foundation Establishment materials are worth a fortune. Fortunately, I received some spirit stones as a reward when I returned from the frontlines, so this time I didn’t return empty-handed.”
At this auction, Li Erniu bought two bottles of pills that could enhance cultivation.
“Brother Lin, you...?”
Li Erniu, sharp-eyed, seemed to notice something. Then, he feigned a casual expression as if joking. Even Shen Lie at the side teased with a laugh.
“This time it was truly worth it. I bought a mid-grade bloodline spirit beast, a flying type.”
Shen Lie patted his spirit beast pouch with a grin. This was a gift included with the spirit beast purchase after the auction.
Likewise, when Lin Chang'an saw this, he also smiled and shook his head. He did not hide it from the two, since this big fellow could not be hidden for long anyway.
“I was lucky and won the bid for that Azure-Horned Bull.”
When Lin Chang'an also smiled and revealed his spirit beast pouch, Shen Lie beside him immediately expressed his envious admiration:
“So it was Brother Lin. As expected of a top-grade Talisman Master.”
Often, it wasn’t that one couldn’t afford it, but rather that couples had to cultivate while also raising children. They preferred to spend their resources on themselves.
Unlike ascetic cultivators like Lin Chang'an.
“Brother Lin, Brother Shen, and Erniu, this auction was truly worth attending. I heard that there will be three rounds in total—mid-month and end of the month, each with a session.”
At this point, Wei Buyi looked around to make sure no one was paying attention, then lowered his voice and transmitted his words:
“I heard that there will be a Foundation Establishment Pill at the final auction. This news probably won’t stay secret for long.”
One had to admit, someone like Wei Buyi had incredibly broad access to information.
After hearing this, Lin Chang'an and the others were enlightened. This auction hosted by the two major sects was indeed a grand event for the marketplace.
It also highlighted the strength of the alliance between the two major sects.
“Fellow Daoists, let’s talk again another day.”
Upon seeing Huang Shaohai emerge, Wei Buyi’s expression changed. He immediately smiled and bid farewell to everyone.
Seeing this, Li Erniu grumbled discontentedly, “Is that outsider going to give him spirit stones, or become his father or something?”
Lin Chang'an and Shen Lie both smiled and shook their heads upon hearing this. The two were practically like sworn enemies.
Although Wei Buyi’s personality wasn’t exactly likable, he had never shown any ill intent towards them.
Not until Lu Qingqing and Yun Yao came out did they find out what treasures they had auctioned. The two couldn’t help but glance at Lin Chang'an.
“Fellow Daoist Lin truly has a steadfast Dao heart.”
Even Yun Yao couldn’t help but sigh emotionally. Lin Chang'an choosing to raise a spirit beast at this time clearly showed he was preparing Foundation Establishment resources for the future.
“Fellow Daoist Yun, you flatter me. I am but a rogue cultivator, and I must plan ahead. Even if I fail, at least I’ll have a spirit beast to protect me.”
Lin Chang'an cupped his hands with a smile. Just as Yun Yao had guessed, that was indeed his intent, and the others thought so as well.
With the identity of a first-grade Talisman Master and at the seventh level of Qi Refinement, it was only natural to start preparing for Foundation Establishment early—whether that meant gathering Foundation Establishment materials or venturing into the Cloudmist Mountain Range.
Compared to forming alliances with other cultivators, raising a spirit beast was far more reliable.
While Lin Chang'an nodded with a smile, he had other thoughts in mind.
In truth, he leaned more towards using spirit stones to buy Foundation Establishment resources in the marketplace, but raising a spirit beast was still a precautionary measure.
Walking both paths simultaneously—grabbing with both hands.
One day, when he reached perfection at the ninth level of Qi Refinement and was a top-grade first-rank Talisman Master, who would believe he wasn’t preparing to break through to Foundation Establishment? Not even ghosts would.
Naturally, someone would set their eyes on him, so raising a spirit beast now was also meant for deterrence and protection.
“Brother Lin, I believe you can do it.”
Li Erniu nodded firmly, as though he believed in Lin Chang'an without a doubt.
“Everyone, focus on cultivation. The outside world is only going to get more chaotic.”
Finally, after some casual chatting, Lin Chang'an, Shen Lie, and Li Erniu discussed a few materials needed to feed their spirit beasts and then went their separate ways.
……
“Moo moo……”
In the courtyard, a calf the size of a dog adorably rubbed against Lin Chang'an's pant leg, its clear, large eyes filled with affection as it gazed at Lin Chang'an.
The Azure-Horned Bull, also known as the Blackcloud Beast, had blue-black fur. Aside from the sharp horns on both sides of its head, it had a bulging spot at the center of its forehead—exceptionally hard.
Seeing this beast, Lin Chang'an also rarely showed a smile.
“You little fellow.”
Thanks to the Beast-Taming Token, he could clearly sense the emotional fluctuations of intimacy and dependence coming from the spirit pet.
Lin Chang'an wasn’t stingy. He took out and sorted the spirit herbs Zhou Qing had given him earlier. This way, they wouldn’t go to waste.
Sure enough, the little calf immediately let out clumsy “moo moo” sounds.
The next moment, it began to chew on the precious spirit herbs.
“The Azure-Horned Bull is known for its sturdy physique, famous for being thick-skinned and durable. It’s also easy to raise.”
In the courtyard, he had even built a small cattle shed. Lin Chang'an couldn’t help but show a satisfied smile.
When fully grown, the Azure-Horned Bull could reach the second tier if well-fed. However, this required specific spirit fruits or pills at critical stages of development.
Still, even without those, once mature, this Azure-Horned Bull could reach late first tier, equivalent to a cultivator at the late-stage Qi Refinement.
“Though the marketplace appears prosperous now, behind it lies endless hidden danger. Once this grand feast ends, another storm of blood will likely erupt.”
Stroking the Azure-Horned Bull, Lin Chang'an gazed at the illuminated marketplace and quietly shook his head.
In times of stability, the great sects and families sealed off resources out of fear that rogue cultivators would threaten their interests.
Now, by opening up resources and allowing rogue cultivators to grow quickly, it was clearly a trap to harvest them batch by batch.
The grand event at Bamboo Mountain Marketplace lasted a full month.
The final auction truly showed Lin Chang'an the madness of cultivators.
When the Foundation Establishment Pill appeared, countless cultivators were ecstatic. What originally cost about six thousand within the sects was driven up to nearly nine thousand spirit stones outside.
In the end, it was bought by the Wang Clan.
But none of this had much to do with Lin Chang'an. He returned to his usual routine of drawing talismans and cultivating. The only difference this time was the addition of feeding a spirit beast.
This Azure-Horned Bull was nothing like the hawk spirit beast Shen Lie had bought—wild and unruly. Word was it had already broken quite a few things. His, on the other hand, neither caused trouble nor fussed.
Its favorite thing was lying in the courtyard sunbathing—serving as a spirit beast that guarded the home.
……
Two months had just passed since the auction when a piece of news disrupted Lin Chang'an’s daily life.
“Wei Buyi is in trouble!”
Though his personality was unlikable, after twenty-seven years of cultivation, he was still one of Lin Chang'an's few friends.
At the very least, Wei Buyi had never shown any harmful intentions. Moreover, he truly shared some valuable information with them.
When Lin Chang'an arrived at Wei Buyi’s new residence, he heard coughing from within the courtyard.
“Brother Lin, Wei Buyi’s wife ran off with Huang Shaohai and even took all the household assets.”
Li Erniu secretly transmitted the backstory.
Yet when Lin Chang'an entered the room, he saw Wei Buyi lying on the bed, his eye sockets sunken—clearly seriously injured.
Inside the room were Shen Lie and Lu Qingqing, along with Wei Buyi’s daughter, who was not yet two years old.
“This Huang Shaohai is truly lawless to have injured Fellow Daoist Wei so badly.”
With sharp eyes, Lin Chang'an was inwardly shocked. Huang Shaohai was indeed ruthless. Both of Wei Buyi’s legs—no! It should be said all three of his legs—were crippled.
At this moment, bloodshot veins spread from the corners of Wei Buyi’s eyes. His face was haggard and desolate.
Seeing Lin Chang'an, Li Erniu, and Shen Lie coming to visit, he held onto his male dignity and forced himself to sit up, speaking hoarsely:
“It’s nothing. I still have my pill refining skills. I can survive in this marketplace.”
Seeing Wei Buyi, who would rather save face than admit defeat, Lin Chang'an was speechless.
Everyone offered their comfort. However, Lu Qingqing looked visibly upset. According to Erniu, Huang Shaohai had even tried to make a move on her.
If not for Yun Yao’s timely appearance, the consequences would’ve been unimaginable. After all, that man was someone they truly couldn’t afford to provoke.
At that moment, Shen Lie was clearly burning with anger, yet in his heart, he became more determined to cultivate diligently. Even if he couldn’t afford to retaliate someday, he could at least take his family and leave this place.
So they wouldn’t be at others' mercy.
As for Wei Buyi, whether it was fortune or misfortune was unclear. Just a few days later, with the frontlines becoming more tense and cultivators being drafted again, he was exempted due to his complete lower body disability.
But from then on, Wei Buyi’s wife was never seen again in the marketplace.
As the war at the frontlines intensified, even their rear region began to feel the crisis approaching.