Admin Note:This is a duplicate chapter provided to compare the translation quality.
Xu Chuan could guess exactly why Wei Dao had come here.
The Cao clan had definitely promised him something, such as a Foundation Establishment Pill.
However, since he had made his choice, he was now an enemy of the Xu family.
Still, out of respect for the kindness Yun Zhongzi had shown him, as long as Wei Dao's hands were not stained with the blood of the Xu family, Xu Chuan would spare him once.
If he realized his error and returned to the right path, they might even recruit him into the Xu family.
His talent in the Dao of Alchemy was exceptional, not inferior to Xu Mingqing, and he had the potential to eventually reach Yun Zhongzi's level.
As for surpassing it, that was indeed possible as well.
It could not be helped. In this life, the only person Xu Chuan owed a debt of gratitude to was Yun Zhongzi.
Half a month quickly passed.
Seeing the growing power of the Wei and Feng families and their gradual suppression of the Xu family, some aristocratic families in Guangling Commandery had immediately switched sides to join them.
Moreover, they had indeed received considerable benefits from the Wei and Feng families in the form of High-Grade Pills.
Every few days, Xu Chuan sent disciples out to gain experience.
There were numerous informants from other aristocratic families lurking outside the clan grounds. As soon as a Xu family disciple left, they would notify the Feng family.
The Feng family would then send assassins to intercept them.
Furthermore, they dispatched a Foundation Establishment cultivator every single time.
Unfortunately for them, Xu Chuan had already foreseen this outcome using his Daily Divination talent.
Whenever the Feng family deployed a Foundation Establishment cultivator for an assassination...
...Xu Mingwei would bring the Xu family disciples back almost immediately after they set foot outside.
The assassins failed two or three times in a row.
And if they sent out Qi Refining Stage cultivators...
...without exception, every last one of them died out there.
Xu Chuan used this to gauge whether there were other Cao clan Foundation Establishment cultivators hiding within the Feng family.
If they were hiding a Late Foundation Establishment cultivator as a trump card, the Xu family would have no choice but to endure for now.
After all, Xu Chuan could not possibly deploy all dozen or so of the Xu family's Foundation Establishment cultivators just to deal with the mere Feng and Wei families.
If they truly exposed that trump card, the Cao clan would absolutely cast aside all pretense of civility.
After several attempts.
The Wei and Feng families stopped sending people to intercept them and instead started imitating the Xu family's baiting tactics.
Xu Chuan scoffed at their efforts.
Every interception the Xu family executed was pinpoint accurate, completely avoiding any traps!
This made both enemy families suspect that they had Xu family spies planted within their own ranks.
However, despite conducting multiple investigations and causing quite a commotion, they found absolutely nothing.
Finally, Xu Chuan sent out Ren Xiaoyao, Xu Mingwei, and Xu Mingxuan as bait. After some deliberation, the three Cao brothers set out to intercept them.
Even if they failed, given their strength, they wouldn't be in any danger.
Meanwhile, Xu Chuan personally headed to the Feng Clan Ancestral Land, activating the Top-Tier Phoenix Departure Furnace to incinerate their grand array.
Even a low-grade second-rank array formation could not be easily destroyed by a Fourth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator.
It was only possible through relentless, continuous attacks.
A few minutes later.
Xu Chuan returned to the Branch Clan Grounds.
He was eighty to ninety percent sure that the Cao clan's support for the Feng family consisted of only those three people.
If Xu Chuan were truly the only Fourth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Xu family, then this enemy lineup would indeed be enough.
A Peak Sixth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator would require at least five First-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivators to hold off, and a Fifth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator could fend off a Fourth-Layer and a First-Layer.
As for the remaining Peak Third-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivator, holding off two First-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivators would be no problem at all.
Throwing Wei Changkong of the Wei family into the mix...
It was safe to say that in the eyes of others, the combined strength of the Wei and Feng families was a cut above the Xu family.
As for Qi Refining Stage cultivators...
...the combined manpower of the two families was also greater than that of the Xu family.
About fifteen minutes later.
Xu Mingwei and the other two returned.
They hadn't engaged in combat at all. The moment Xu Mingwei sensed their approach, he had turned and fled.
He even led them in circles.
As for speed, there was absolutely nothing to worry about.
The three of them shared a Fine-Grade Magic Skiff, its speed not the least bit slower than a Mid Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The three Cao clan cultivators couldn't possibly leave Cao San entirely alone.
If he were surrounded and killed...
...they would fall to a disadvantage in this clash against the Xu family.
The three Cao cultivators originally thought this would be a protracted tug-of-war.
However, a few days later.
The Xu family sent out invitations, announcing that they would be hosting a grand auction in Guangling Commandery.
Almost all the Foundation Establishment Noble Families across the various commanderies received an invitation, including the Jiang, Lei, and Lin families of the Imperial City, as well as the Five Great Second-Rank Aristocratic Families.
Xu Chuan couldn't guarantee that everyone would attend.
But the majority definitely would.
After all, this auction would feature an auxiliary pill that increased the probability of reaching Foundation Establishment by nearly ten percent—the Jade Marrow Pill.
This pill was refined using a five-thousand-year-old Earth Core Jade Marrow Ganoderma combined with other Spirit Grasses.
There would also be High-Grade Divine Sense Pills, Void Rushing Pills, Jade Sprout Pills, Qi-Merging Pills, and Top-Grade Magical Artifacts.
Every single one of these was an item intensely desired by Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Longjiang Commandery, the Liu clan.
"This Xu family is truly interesting. Despite being targeted and suppressed by the Cao clan, they still have the mood to host a grand auction."
"However, a Jade Marrow Pill with effects comparable to a low-grade Foundation Establishment Pill, a second-rank realm-breaking Void Rushing Pill, the holy healing relic that is the Jade Sprout Pill, Qi-Merging Pills suited for Late Foundation Establishment, and Top-Grade Magical Artifacts..."
"Notify Wuqing. Tell him to accompany me to Guangling Commandery in seven days to attend the Xu Clan Auction."
"Yes, Ancestor."
Yunshan Commandery, the Feng family.
The Feng family only had one Foundation Establishment cultivator, and he had less than sixty years of lifespan remaining.
Naturally, he was anxious to nurture a successor.
Unfortunately, although Feng Qingyang had made it out of the Wuhua Secret Realm alive last time, his harvest had not been significant.
But now, he saw hope.
Even if it would incur the displeasure of the Cao clan, he would proceed without hesitation to attend the Xu family's auction.
"Qingyang, you will accompany me to Guangling Commandery in seven days."
"Ancestor, for what purpose are we going to Guangling Commandery?" Feng Qingyang asked in confusion. "The Wei and Feng families are currently fighting fiercely with the Xu family over there. Our Feng family isn't going to get involved, are we?"
"Just look at this invitation and you'll understand."
Feng Qingyang took it and read it.
"A Jade Marrow Pill comparable to a Foundation Establishment Pill?!"
"And a Void Rushing Pill capable of breaking through a Foundation Establishment bottleneck?!"
"How could the Xu family be willing to bring these out for auction? Could this be a trap?"
The Feng family Ancestor glanced at him. "Whether there's a pit of fire waiting for us or not, this is our Feng family's last chance. If we can win the Jade Marrow Pill, given your innate aptitude, Qingyang, the probability of you breaking through to Foundation Establishment will increase significantly.
Your innate aptitude and comprehension are superior to mine, and you are still young. If you reach Foundation Establishment, reaching Mid Foundation Establishment in the future will be no problem.
If you encounter enough opportunity, even reaching Late Foundation Establishment isn't completely hopeless.
That way, you might be able to nurture even more Foundation Establishment cultivators for our Feng family."
"I understand!" Feng Qingyang nodded. "Regardless of whether we can win that Jade Marrow Pill this time, I will attempt the Foundation Establishment breakthrough and give it my all!"
The Feng family Ancestor nodded.
The Imperial City.
The Lei family.
The head of the Lei family, Lei Yunchao, stared at the invitation to the Xu Clan Auction, lost in deep thought.
"It isn't surprising that the Xu family can produce these items. With Xu Chuan's attainments in the Dao of Alchemy, as long as he has the materials, he can refine them.
But to host an auction at this exact moment in time... what is his true purpose?"
Ultimately, Lei Yunchao convened a clan council to discuss the matter.
The Ancestor of the Lei family finally made the decision. "Send a few people to Guangling Commandery in five days. Void Rushing Pills and Qi-Merging Pills are things even our Lei family lacks.
There is also the Jade Sprout Pill.
It just so happens that Heyang returned from the Azure Sea Forest a few months ago with a wounded divine sense.
Injuries to divine sense are extremely difficult to heal. If we let him recuperate on his own, it will likely take several years, or perhaps over a decade.
With a damaged divine sense, his combat strength will decrease significantly during this period.
Therefore, you must bring back at least one Jade Sprout Pill."
Although Lei Heyang was only at the Fifth-Layer Foundation Establishment, he was the most promising individual of the He generation, holding hope of eventually reaching Foundation Establishment Perfection.
If he were to waste over a decade due to a divine sense injury, it would be a massive loss for the Lei family.
"Yes, Ancestor. I will arrange for the appropriate people to go," Lei Yunchao replied.
The Jiang Clan and Lin family were also hesitating over whether to attend.
After all, the Void Rushing Pills, Qi-Merging Pills, and Jade Marrow Pills were indeed quite tempting.
They similarly summoned their Foundation Establishment elders to hold discussions.
In the end, the vast majority of the elders agreed to go.
They were merely attending an auction; it didn't mean they were getting involved in the conflict between the Cao clan and the Xu family.
As for the so-called Wei and Feng families, they didn't even place them in their sights.
They were nothing more than puppets the Cao clan was using to suppress the Xu family.
No matter what happened, they would only end up as sacrificial pawns.
The Cao Imperial Palace.
"What a bold Xu family. Hosting an auction, yet deliberately choosing not to invite my Cao Clan."
When Cao Shengming heard the news of the Xu Clan Auction, he felt quite irritated.
"Trying to secretly contact people from other aristocratic families to help your Xu family?"
"I'd like to see who dares to stick their neck out for you!"
Cao Shengming immediately arranged for people to head to Guangling Commandery in five days to attend the Xu family's auction.
After all, the items the Xu family was offering this time were genuinely alluring to Foundation Establishment cultivators.
As long as the benefits were great enough, there would naturally be Foundation Establishment cultivators who were tempted.
A single auction drew the attention of every Foundation Establishment Noble Family in Great Wei.
Five days passed in the blink of an eye.
Those from aristocratic families located further away from Guangling Commandery, such as the Imperial City families, all set off on their journey.
Meanwhile, those from places like Longjiang Commandery, which was only an hour or two away from Guangling Commandery, could simply depart on the day of the event.
During these past few days...
...the Xu family had been busy preparing for the auction, so they ignored the Wei and Feng families entirely.
All the necessary probing had already been completed.
Now, they were just waiting for the grand play to begin.
The day before the auction.
Xu Mingshu, Xu Mingxian, Xu Deling, and Xu Deyue quietly arrived.
The ones participating in the action this time—aside from the publicly known Xu Chuan, Ren Xiaoyao, Xu Deling, Xu Mingxuan, Xu Mingshu, and Xu Mingxian—were Xu Mingwei and Xu Deyue.
The rest of the family would not make an appearance.
Xu Mingqing was left to hold down the fort in Dongxi.
Oh, wait—there was also an old flood dragon babysitting a child.
The next day.
The morning light was dim.
Foundation Establishment Noble Families from all corners of the world streamed into Guangling Commandery.
Some of the aristocratic families ran into each other on the way and traveled together.
At the entrance of the Xu Family Trading Firm.
It was exceptionally bustling.
Loud announcements rang out one after another.
"The Zhou family of Yuehu Commandery has arrived—"
"The Feng family of Yunshan Commandery has arrived—"
"The Liu clan of Longjiang Commandery has arrived—"
"The Cao Clan and the Qin family of Tongshan Commandery have arrived—"
"The Li family of Taiyuan Commandery has arrived—"
"The Lei family of the Imperial City has arrived—"
Foundation Establishment cultivators from various commanderies walked into the Xu Family Trading Firm one after another.
Since the auction had yet to begin, the Foundation Establishment cultivators gathered and began to chat idly with one another.
About thirty minutes quickly passed.
"The Great Wei Imperial Clan, the Cao Clan, has arrived!"
As the sudden announcement rang out from the entrance, all the Foundation Establishment cultivators turned their heads to look.
The representative from the Cao clan was Cao Jinyan, who possessed a Fourth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivation.
Xu Chuan immediately stepped forward with a smile. "Daoist Friend Cao's arrival truly brings honor to our humble home. Please, come take a seat of honor."
Cao Jinyan cast a glance at Xu Chuan, a cold sneer forming on his lips. "What an extravagant display by the Xu family. You invited so many Foundation Establishment Noble Families, so why did you deliberately leave out my Cao Clan?
Could it be that you harbor some prejudice against my Cao Clan?!"
Hearing this, many of the Foundation Establishment cultivators revealed expressions of astonishment.
"The Xu family actually didn't send an invitation to the Cao Clan?"
"Daoist Friend Cao must be joking. Our Xu family naturally holds the utmost respect for the Cao Clan. However, this is hardly some high-end auction; the attendees are merely Foundation Establishment Noble Families.
The Cao Clan is a Golden Core Aristocratic Family, so how could you possibly value such trivial things? Our Xu family couldn't bear to make you condescend to come to a place like this."
Xu Chuan was an absolute master of passive-aggressive courtesy.
"Sigh, if I had known the Cao Clan thought so highly of our Xu family, I would have had someone deliver the most prestigious invitation to you ages ago.
However, I will definitely remember it next time."
Cao Jinyan turned blue in the face from anger.
But with so many Foundation Establishment cultivators present in the auction hall and so many pairs of eyes watching, Cao Jinyan naturally couldn't afford to throw away the Cao Clan's face.
"Then Daoist Friend Xu had better remember next time!"
"Understood. Daoist Friend Cao, please hurry and take your seat."
Xu Chuan stepped onto the high platform.
"I presume my fellow Daoist friends have heard that Guangling Commandery hasn't been very peaceful lately. The Feng family, whom our Xu family previously chased away, has returned. Furthermore, they have united with the Wei family to oppose us.
Given these chaotic times, I am incredibly grateful that you all managed to come."
Lei Hekong smiled and said, "Do not worry, Daoist Friend Xu. We are merely here to attend the auction. We will not interfere in the conflicts of your Guangling Commandery."
"For this, we must thank the Cao Clan for granting autonomy to our Foundation Establishment Noble Families across the commanderies. If other families were allowed to randomly interfere in the affairs of other commanderies, I fear our Xu family would have been annihilated long ago."
A Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Liu clan spoke up, "Daoist Friend Xu, you jest. Your Xu family is now a third-rank family with a profound foundation. Looking at all the aristocratic families present, how many would actually dare claim they could annihilate your Xu family?"
Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "Daoist Friend Liu, you are quite mistaken. Our Great Wei is a place of Crouching Tigers, Hidden Dragons."
"Just recently, the Feng family recruited three grand elders. Those are three whole Foundation Establishment cultivators, two of whom are at the Fifth-Layer and Sixth-Layer of Foundation Establishment.
And they are all rogue cultivators.
If it weren't for them, the Feng family would have been destroyed long ago."
Saying this, Xu Chuan looked over at Cao Jinyan. "Daoist Friend Cao, those individuals all seem to share the surname Cao."
Cao Jinyan's expression froze before he shouted angrily, "What are you implying? Are you trying to say those Foundation Establishment cultivators belong to my Great Wei Imperial Clan?!
What a joke! There are countless people in Great Wei with the surname Cao. Not all of them come from my Cao Clan!"
"Just like how your Xu family isn't the only one in all of Great Wei with Foundation Establishment cultivators surnamed Xu, right?"
"But have any of you Daoist friends ever encountered such powerful rogue cultivators in Great Wei?" Xu Chuan addressed the crowd.
"Rarely heard of them."
"But no one can guarantee they definitely don't exist."
"Perhaps they are ascetic cultivators!"
Several Foundation Establishment cultivators chimed in one after another.
Cao Jinyan said impatiently, "Daoist Friend Xu, I can assure you that those individuals in the Feng family are absolutely not from my Imperial Cao Clan."
"In that case, I am relieved." Xu Chuan let out a sigh of relief. "I was afraid they were your clansmen, Brother Cao. If we accidentally killed them in a fight, wouldn't we have completely offended your Cao Clan to the death?"
'A bunch of newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivators actually think they can kill Fifth-Layer and Peak Sixth-Layer Foundation Establishment cultivators?!'
Cao Jinyan sneered coldly in his heart and said disdainfully, "My Cao Clan has never interfered in the internal conflicts of the commanderies. If you truly have the capability, then just kill them.
But if any of your Xu family's Foundation Establishment cultivators die in the struggle, don't expect my Cao Clan to step in and intervene either.
If we cannot maintain fairness and justice, how can my Cao Clan rule Great Wei and command the aristocratic families?"
Xu Chuan immediately cupped his hands. "The Imperial Cao Clan truly lives up to its reputation as the paragon of aristocratic families!"
Cao Jinyan lifted his chin slightly, looking down upon the crowd with a haughty gaze.
At this moment, the Ancestor of the Feng family spoke up. "Daoist Friend Xu, enough idle chatter. Let's get down to business."
"Daoist Friend Feng makes a fair point." Xu Chuan smiled faintly. "I will be personally hosting this auction. If the hospitality is lacking in any way, I ask for your utmost forgiveness, fellow Daoist friends.
Then I officially announce that the Xu Clan Auction..."
Suddenly.
A Peak Qi Condensation cultivator rushed into the auction hall, shouting loudly, "First Elder, disaster has struck! The Feng and Wei families have launched an attack on our Xu family, and more disciples have been killed!
Elder Xiaoyao and the others couldn't swallow their anger, and they've already gone to attack the Feng Clan Ancestral Land!"