Eternal Life: I Can Control My Essence Qi-Chapter 188 - 160: Thousand Change Glaze Qi (2)

"Why is it like this? I haven't done anything wrong, so why do I have to endure this kind of treatment?"

"Clearly Pingdu Sect had already perished before I was born. I just had the misfortune to join the wrong sect..."

In Fu Yaozi's mind, thoughts were floating up and down, and suddenly a subversive idea popped up:

"I actually haven't received the slightest favor from that Pingdu Sect. On the contrary, I've been burdened by this identity for so many years and paid such a heavy price!"

"I've been their dog for so many years, and I've already repaid even the greatest of debts!"

"Instead of muddling along until my lifespan runs out, it's better to report them directly. Not only would I clean up my identity, but I could also receive rich rewards from one of the families..."

When he first reacted, he was startled himself, a wave of panic and unease flashed through his heart:

"Why would I have such a thought?"

His sallow face tightened. After taking several deep breaths, he finally forced a wry smile:

"I must be crazy, a Foundation Establishment master, yet I'm almost losing my mind over this little bit of worldly scene."

He secretly shook his head and quickly commanded his Escape Light to fly towards the Celestial Treasure Tower Headquarters, skimming over numerous temporary marketplaces on the outskirts.

As for the absurd thought just now, he had already firmly suppressed it in the depths of his heart.

Meanwhile:

"Hmm?"

On the top floor of the Celestial Treasure Tower, Yu Wen Tai, who was meditating, suddenly opened his eyes as if he sensed something.

"This feeling..."

Instinctively, he lowered his head, his gaze seemingly penetrating through layers of pavilions and several thousand feet of space, looking at the bustling temporary marketplace outside the headquarters of the Celestial Treasure Tower.

"Could it be... is this really heaven's blessing?!"

A hint of astonishment flashed across his face, as if he still couldn't believe it.

But once he came to his senses, he suddenly stood up, quickly walked to the airborne corridor outside the pavilion, and looked down at a certain spot below.

His gaze penetrated directly through the high-altitude clouds, locking onto a beam of Escape Light in a temporary marketplace, his eyes slightly brightening, and the corners of his mouth curling up in genuine joy:

"Good... really good! Heaven has not treated me badly!!"

He laughed heartily a few times, feeling immensely relieved. Then he sat down behind a desk, poured himself a cup of Jade Dew, and leisurely drank and enjoyed himself.

"No rush, no rush."

Yu Wen Tai was in a great mood, wearing a faint smile while having another drink:

"So many years have passed already..."

......

Two days later.

Three days before the grand auction was to start, a catalog of auction items was sent to the hands of each Foundation Establishment master.

The completion of this catalog also announced the end of accepting auction items from the public, with all the items scheduled for display and browsing by the guests.

In Room 17:

Zhang Yao sat in the Taishi Chair, flipping through the Jade Scroll Records in his hand.

The Jade Scroll Records were exquisitely crafted, each page as thin as a cicada's wing. By infusing a bit of Magical Power, a screen of light would rise, revealing images and brief introductions of the auction items.

"Hmm? This 'Purple Cicada Pill' is quite nice, but unfortunately, I have no use for it..."

"Not bad, the quality of these three taels of Celestial Light Silver is very high. Although the quantity is a bit low, it can be considered as an alternative to enhance the Yellow Talisman. I might bid for it."

"Oh, I didn't expect there to be a top-grade Second grade Spirit Pill that extends life by sixty years! Won't the Foundation Establishment cultivators go crazy over this? Was it personally refined by Yu Wen Tai?"

Zhang Yao leafed through the Jade Scroll Records, occasionally making comments, and overall, he was quite satisfied.

As a grand event held every decade, the Celestial Treasure Tower's auction was truly a gathering of rare treasures, and many items thoroughly tempted him, although he wisely restrained himself.

Even as the head of the Haihe Association, his wealth and resources were ultimately limited, so he needed to prioritize bidding on the most urgently needed top-grade Spiritual Artifact.

"Hmm?"

Halfway through, Zhang Yao's eyes lit up with a smile:

"There really is Foundation Establishment Stage Demon Race Essence Blood auctioned here!"

The Foundation Establishment Stage Demon Race Essence Blood is a relatively niche rare item, hard to come by ordinarily.

For instance, a major venue like Immortal Gate Island wouldn't have a collection of Foundation Establishment Demon Blood; it's quite difficult to procure, otherwise, Zhang Yao would've acquired it long ago.

However, as a superior material for Alchemy and Qi Refining, it has a considerable potential market. In every major auction held by the Celestial Treasure Tower, there's a decent probability of it appearing as an auction item.

"Hmm, there are a total of seven kinds of Foundation Establishment Essence Blood, only one with the Water Attribute."

Upon seeing this, Zhang Yao secretly felt relieved.

Although there's only one true blood he needs, it already meets his minimum expectations; it's better than having none at all.

Zhang Yao calmed himself and continued browsing, quickly reaching the final section.

"Top grade Spiritual Artifact!"

Zhang Yao's gaze instantly locked onto the images on the last few pages.

In the final section of the Jade Scroll Records, within the most precious batch of auction items, there was a top-grade Spiritual Artifact called 'Thousand Change Glaze Qi.'

From its appearance, the Thousand Change Glaze Qi looked like a mass of colorful gas, emitting a spectrum of glows.

"Not bad, this thing is quite good, and it's very suitable for me!"

After carefully reading the description, Zhang Yao showed a satisfied smile, already marking this top-grade Spiritual Artifact in his heart.

"As long as it doesn't exceed two hundred fifty thousand Spirit Stones, I can bid for it."

He pondered in his mind, setting a psychological baseline.

Top-grade Spiritual Artifacts aren't something ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators can afford; they are adorned by those at Foundation Establishment Perfection or the leaders of major powers.

Each piece of top-grade Spiritual Artifact starts at a minimum of tens of thousands of Spirit Stones; most Foundation Establishment cultivators are destined to merely admire them.

......

Three days later.

The decennial grand auction began as scheduled.

On the three-hundredth floor of the Celestial Treasure Tower, the entire level was the venue for the grand auction, with tens of thousands of seats filled and the crowd bustling with excitement.

And on a higher level of the auction venue, most of the more than a hundred boxes were also occupied, all esteemed Foundation Establishment cultivators whom everyone looked up to.

Within one of the boxes, the members of the Haihe Association had gathered, with Zhang Yao sitting in the main seat, Old Peng, and Fairy Lichen beside him.

"This time's grand auction is quite lively indeed."

"Yes, it's livelier than ever. I never realized there were so many Qi Refining cultivators within Da Li Territory..."

"This is not even all of them. The public data became outdated long ago. Now, the total number of Qi Refining cultivators within the Da Li Twenty-four provinces is estimated to exceed one hundred thousand!"

"Tsk tsk, one hundred thousand Qi Refining cultivators, that's not a small number at all. The Da Li Cultivation Realm is becoming more prosperous than ever..."

Words spoken without intention, yet the listeners caught onto it.

Before the auction formally started, a casual conversation among several Foundation Establishment masters made Zhang Yao's heart move.

"More and more Qi Refining cultivators..."

Suddenly, he thought of when he crossed the Da Li border from the Lu Kingdom many years ago and encountered Qinglian Sect's Chen Qingju.

Chen Qingju told him that the Tribulation Cultivator groups in the Desolate Zone at the Lu Kingdom border were mainly supported by several major Golden Core powers in the background, and they disallowed other Foundation Establishment masters from intervening.

After joining the Haihe Association, this point was specifically mentioned at a certain gathering, and Lord Haihe also confirmed that the rumor was true.

At the time, he didn't understand the rationale behind the Four Major Golden Core Sects doing so and didn't think deeply about it afterward.

But today, the casual conversation of Old Peng and others was like an eye-opener, suddenly making him realize the key point:

"Right, more and more Qi Refining cultivators!"

Within the Da Li Territory teeming with treasures, there are many Spirit Veins and resources. However, the carrying capacity for Immortal Dao Cultivators is ultimately limited.

Fuhai Sect, Lingyang Sect, and other Four Major Golden Core powers support Tribulation Cultivator groups from behind. They probably aim to filter and eliminate outsiders, a form of natural selection, in a sense.

Thinking about this made Zhang Yao's heart slightly chilled.

In that instant, he thought of many things: the five-sect war in the past, the heavy losses of the Four Major Golden Core powers afterward, and the Five Elements Secret Realm sealed for a hundred years.

"Likely, not just Qi Refining cultivators, but even Foundation Establishment cultivators are becoming more numerous..."