Ti flew, and a year had passed in the blink of an eye since Fang Qingyuan arrived on Sea Gate Island. On this day, he and Jinbao made their way to a subsidiary island east of Sea Gate Island to attend a small auction.
Six months ago, after breaking through to the Eighth-Layer Qi Cultivation, Fang Qingyuan had first spent so ti stabilizing his new realm. Afterward, he made a point of going out and socializing more often. Having reached the Eighth-Layer Qi Cultivation, it was ti to start preparing for Foundation Establishnt.
After careful consideration, Fang Qingyuan ultimately decided to pursue the path of the Five Elents Flow. If he were to form his Dao Foundation using only the Wood Spirit Dragon, redying the imbalance later would require far more effort and resources.
Once the decision was made, all that remained was execution. Fang Qingyuan already had a plan in mind. ’The Chaotic Star Sea Region has everything I need.’
Sea Gate Island was not small; in fact, its total area was slightly larger than the Hainan Island of Fang Qingyuan’s past life. Fang Qingyuan hadn’t brought Yinbao this ti, choosing instead to travel by Flying Shuttle Spiritual Boat.
The flying shuttle wasn’t large, only about thirty feet from bow to stern. Its pilot was a Late-stage Qi Cultivation Cultivator. But even though he and Fang Qingyuan were of the sa cultivation stage, the pilot’s attitude toward him was far more deferential.
This was because Fang Qingyuan was not traveling alone; he was accompanied by a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator. When the pilot saw how respectfully this Foundation Establishnt Cultivator treated Fang Qingyuan, he naturally followed suit.
Jinbao took up most of the space inside the shuttle’s cabin, so Fang Qingyuan and the Foundation Establishnt Cultivator beside him decided to go out on deck. Gazing down at the erald waters below, Fang Qingyuan asked,
"Fellow Daoist Shi, are you certain there will be Profound Yuan Heavy Water for sale at this auction?"
The Fellow Daoist Shi he’d addressed was nad Shi Yuanzhe, a Loose Cultivator from Sea Gate Island. He had so connection to Lu Chengzong, the Steward in charge of renting out cave residences on the island, and had learned from him that Fang Qingyuan was a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect. In his pursuit of Spirit Stones, Shi Yuanzhe had gone out of his way to ingratiate himself with Fang Qingyuan.
As it turned out, Fang Qingyuan had use for soone like him, so he didn’t resist Shi Yuanzhe’s enthusiasm and decided to test the waters. He later accepted Shi Yuanzhe’s invitations to a few auctions and spent several thousand Spirit Stones, earning Shi Yuanzhe a handso commission. As a result, Shi Yuanzhe’s eagerness only grew.
Although Shi Yuanzhe had reached Foundation Establishnt, he had no money or influence. The magical artifact he used was still only first-tier, and his combat strength was utterly diocre among his peers. He couldn’t even defeat so of the more powerful Qi Cultivation Perfection cultivators, a weakness for which he was rather infamous.
This was precisely why Fang Qingyuan was willing to attend an auction with Shi Yuanzhe. Otherwise, he would never have so casually ventured out with a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator, even if that person knew he was a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect.
After its recent advancent, not only had Jinbao gained a new Talent, but its combat strength was now on par with a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator.
Seven years ago, even before its advancent, Jinbao had been able to completely overpower and thrash the late-stage chicken-faced cultivator. Now, seven years and one advancent later, Fang Qingyuan was confident Jinbao could hold its own even against a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator.
For a disciple of the Beast Taming Sect, the beast’s strength is the Master’s strength. Since Jinbao could rival a Foundation Establishnt Cultivator, it ant Fang Qingyuan could be considered their equal. After this realization, he no longer felt inferior when facing other Foundation Establishnt Cultivators.
Coupled with the fact that Shi Yuanzhe was the one asking for favors, Fang Qingyuan naturally felt a certain superiority when looking at him. This created an odd dynamic: Shi Yuanzhe, the Foundation Establishnt Cultivator, was in a subordinate position to Fang Qingyuan, the Eighth-Layer Qi Cultivation cultivator. And both of them treated this as perfectly natural.
Hearing Fang Qingyuan’s question, Shi Yuanzhe affird,
"Profound Yuan Heavy Water is a third-tier, low-grade spirit material, so it’s naturally a rare sight. But I have a reliable tip. The Liu Brothers had so bad luck when they went out fishing and ran into a massive waterspout. Their Spiritual Boat got sucked right into the eye of the storm. But those Liu Brothers are tough as nails—not only did they survive, but it turned out to be a blessing in disguise! They managed to collect three drops of Profound Yuan Heavy Water in the eye of the storm. They’ve really struck it rich this ti."
As Shi Yuanzhe recounted the story, his face was filled with envy. Looking at his expression, Fang Qingyuan got the feeling that Shi Yuanzhe wished he had been the one sucked into the eye of the storm.
It was no wonder Shi Yuanzhe was so envious. Profound Yuan Heavy Water was a third-tier, low-grade spirit material that normally fetched two to three thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones per drop. Three drops would certainly sell for close to ten thousand Spirit Stones.
Ten thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones was the total inco a Core Disciple of the Southern Border Beast Taming Sect would earn in ten years. It was a fortune a Qi Cultivation Loose Cultivator from White Mountain might not be able to accumulate in fifty years.
Fang Qingyuan didn’t envy the Liu Brothers. They had risked their lives for it. They were lucky to escape the eye of the storm alive this ti; if their luck had been just a little worse, they would have been obliterated without a trace.
’In the face of the power of heaven and earth, what was a re Qi Cultivation Cultivator?’
These thoughts flashed through Fang Qingyuan’s mind as he gazed ahead. ’The poor trade their lives for money, but I’ve moved beyond that state. I can use money to protect my life. With Huo Gan making his move, it shouldn’t be more than a few years before the Red Camp starts normal mining operations, and I’ll be able to collect my earnings again each year.’
Just as Fang Qingyuan was lost in thought, a lush, verdant island appeared before them. Shi Yuanzhe chid in just the right mont,
"The auction is being held on that island up ahead. The Island Master is a Late-stage Foundation Establishnt Cultivator. He’s well-known and trustworthy, so security is guaranteed."
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