CHAPTER 563: CHAPTER 442 OPENING_2

Consolidating the Golden Core, integrating and harmonizing the secret techniques of Thick Earth, Celestial Water, and Fiery Flame, Gao Xuan naturally mastered some profound secret techniques.

After properly arranging Yuanbao, Gao Xuan left the valley alone.

The Nine Peaks Profound Nether Celestial Robe was a bit conspicuous, so Gao Xuan transformed the Black Gold Robe into pure jade white, took out a duster and a hair-binding jade crown from the Sleeve Universe, and hung a three-inch jade sword at his waist.

The Jade Sword Sect, a super major sect in the East Sea’s Fangzhang Province, is said to have millions of outer disciples. Most of them are children of the nobility of Fangzhang Province.

It’s precisely because the disciples of the Jade Sword Sect are numerous and wealthy. These wealthy people, with money and leisure, enjoy wandering around.

The jade crown and jade sword of Gao Xuan were all items left in the Vermilion Bird Ring. They are Foundation Establishment level artifacts. Not of much use, but more than enough to pretend to be a member of the Jade Sword Sect.

Dressed in such a guise, paired with Gao Xuan’s adjusted face, he truly appeared as a dashing young man, elegant as jade.

Gao Xuan spurred the three-inch jade sword into action, a cluster of jade-like sword light enveloped him, soaring into the sky and leaving a long trail of jade light in the sky.

The speed of flying by sword control is incredibly fast. Gao Xuan set out in the morning and arrived at the Pot Mouth Ghost Market by noon.

The Pot Mouth Ghost Market is the largest ghost market in Penglai Province, differing from other ghost markets by operating day and night without ever closing.

Gao Xuan entered the Pot Mouth Ghost Market through the entrance from a large Chinese scholar tree, and immediately a lively scene unfolded before his eyes.

Intersecting long streets, various buildings sprawl continuously, looking like a bustling market town.

Along the streets, clerks shouted vigorously at shop entrances. Cultivators came and went in groups, shoulder to shoulder. The lively scene was like a popular tourist spot.

Compared to the ghost market Gao Xuan visited before, this place was more than ten times larger.

Scanning his gaze, Gao Xuan naturally noticed the Wanbao Pavilion in the center of the market. No matter which ghost market it was, the Wanbao Pavilion inevitably occupied the best location with the most impressive storefront.

The Wanbao Pavilion claims that wherever there are gatherings of cultivators, there’s a branch of Wanbao Pavilion, with branches all over the world.

Gao Xuan couldn’t verify this, but it’s said there were branches everywhere in the Ten East Sea Provinces.

To inquire about news, the Wanbao Pavilion is undoubtedly the best choice.

Gao Xuan stood at the entrance of the Wanbao Pavilion, without needing to speak, naturally a waiter came over to greet him eagerly.

For no other reason than Gao Xuan’s appearance of warmth and elegance being worthy of attention. Judging by his attire and demeanor, he was at least a Foundation Establishment expert.

"Immortal Master, please come in. Today is a great day for an auction, with various exotic treasures, secret techniques, and spiritual artifacts, all available..."

Gao Xuan nodded and followed the waiter into the Wanbao Pavilion.

The interior of this Wanbao Pavilion was spacious, passing through the first hall led to a second even larger hall, divided into two levels, filled with seats.

Already, over a hundred people were inside, creating a lively atmosphere.

At the entrance of the hall, the waiter bowed and grinned at Gao Xuan, "Immortal Master, to prevent chaotic bidding, you need to pay five hundred low-grade spirit stones to participate in the auction. If you buy nothing, fifty spirit stones will be deducted..."

The waiter didn’t mention this earlier, fearing Gao Xuan would be scared away. Now that he’s here, cultivators usually try to maintain face. Could it be he would be despised by a mere waiter?

If Gao Xuan hadn’t wanted to enter to listen for news, he wouldn’t have fallen into the waiter’s trick.

He casually took out a middle-grade spirit stone and gave it to the waiter. One middle-grade spirit stone could be exchanged for a thousand low-grade spirit stones. From the inheritance of the Fiery Flame and Celestial Water families, he also had over five thousand middle-grade spirit stones, speaking to his considerable wealth.

It’s important to know this was the accumulation over hundreds of years for the Fiery Flame and Celestial Water families. Whereas the Thick Earth Sect only had a few thousand low-grade spirit stones in total, revealing how poorly they fared.

Upon receiving the middle-grade spirit stone, the waiter’s eyes lit up again. This one truly is wealthy.

The waiter eagerly led Gao Xuan to a solo VIP seat in the back row. In this position, Gao Xuan could see others, but for others to see him, they would have to deliberately turn their heads. Additionally, there were screens for separation on either side, making it a good spot.

As soon as Gao Xuan sat down, someone served tea, offered water, set out a fruit platter, and even presented a catalog of the auction.

The catalog was also etched on a piece of white jade, and by arousing it with a divine sense, the catalog recorded inside the white jade could manifest as a holographic image.

The operation was somewhat like a projector, just with a higher threshold. Only cultivators could arouse it with their divine sense.

Gao Xuan casually glanced through, the highlight of the auction was surprisingly a spiritual artifact: the White Jade Gourd.

The White Jade Gourd could transform water into top-grade wine and could also hold an almost unlimited amount of liquid, like water or wine.

To say it’s useless, the White Jade Gourd still had some utility. To say it’s useful, such a spiritual artifact was practically a plaything. The starting price was directly a thousand middle-grade spirit stones.

Gao Xuan shook his head, with so many spirit stones, what else couldn’t one buy? Who would buy a plaything? In Penglai Province, there probably weren’t many who could afford such luxury.

Yet, inexplicably, he suddenly had a thought: this gourd seems quite fun... it also matches his current appearance.

Gao Xuan quickly suppressed this thought, wasteful spending seemed a bit unfair to Zhou Huang and the others.

The auction hadn’t started yet, cultivators gathered from the southeast, northwest inevitably engaged in mutual exchange.

Sitting here, Gao Xuan primarily wanted to listen to the news from various quarters.

The cultivators sitting here were mostly loose cultivators from various places. Regardless of their cultivation, they were quite experienced and knowledgeable. Speaking of all kinds of strange tales and anecdotes, Gao Xuan listened with interest.

As this group of cultivators talked, they naturally turned to discussing the battle between the Xuanzhen Sect and the Celestial Secret Sect.

After all, these two major sects are the bosses of Penglai Province. The confrontation of the two bosses impacted a wide area, greatly affecting many cultivators.

"The Xuanzhen Sect has been truly aggressive lately. I heard two Golden Cores of the Celestial Secret Sect have already died..."

"Not only that, I heard the Five Elements Sect was destroyed by the Xuanzhen Sect. A group of sect disciples were forced to join the Xuanzhen Sect, those who refused were killed on the spot, and Flame True Master Zhou Huang died heroically, it’s too tragic!"

"Truly tragic..."

A group of people shook their heads and sighed. The Five Elements Sect was one of the three sects and six schools, with a legacy spanning thousands of years, and it perished just like that.

Talking about it, many cultivators felt tremendous emotion. A major sect like the Five Elements Sect was obliterated just like that, leaving these small sects and loose cultivators wondering how to protect themselves amidst the turmoil.

With no choice, many people fled to the Pot Mouth Ghost Market to lay low.

"I heard Li Buyi of the Xuanzhen Sect became a Nascent Soul True Master, and a Tier Five Nascent Soul at that, and somehow found the Xuanzhen Sect’s ancestral Profound Sun Sword. Now he’s declared as Penglai’s First Sword Cultivator."

"That’s just their Xuanzhen Sect boasting, isn’t it? Claiming to be Penglai’s First Sword Cultivator, where does that leave the Ten Thousand Swords Sect?"

"Don’t say that, but the Ten Thousand Swords Sect really hasn’t made a sound."

"Could the Celestial Secret Sect, such a large sect, actually be destroyed?"

"Who knows?"

"It feels like such a shaky and turbulent time..."

"The sooner the two major sects conclude their fight, the better. Enough of the fuss!"

A group of cultivators discussed in clusters of two or three phrases.

Gao Xuan listened for a while and already understood the general situation.

Though such information had passed through many hands, it was still worth hearing.

Just as everyone was deep in discussion, a group of people entered from outside the door. The leader, a young man, suddenly shouted sternly, "Noisy, our Xuanzhen Sect’s affairs are not for you to discuss!"

Startled, everyone turned their heads to look, seeing the young leader in a black Daoist robe, handsome in appearance, with a black mark resembling an eye drawn on his forehead.

The attire and the mark on the forehead identified him as a true disciple of the Xuanzhen Sect.

The Xuanzhen Sect had always been arrogant and domineering in Penglai Province. Many loose cultivators had clashed with the Xuanzhen Sect before. Seeing his demeanor, no one dared to speak.

The young Daoist leader sneered, "Let me tell you frankly, my master, Profound Sun True Monarch, will face off against Wang Haichan, the Sect Leader of the Celestial Secret Sect, at the Four Seasons Lake on the fifteenth of next month."

Everyone was shocked to hear this.

Wang Haichan, a Nascent Soul True Monarch famed across the land, had achieved the Dao over six hundred years ago. Profound Sun True Monarch Li Buyi had only become a Nascent Soul this year.

Li Buyi actually had the audacity to challenge Wang Haichan?

No doubt, both sides were aiming to settle the score with a duel. That would actually simplify things.

The crowd looked at the young Daoist again, their eyes filled with reverence. This was the disciple of the newly risen True Monarch Li Buyi, currently at the height of his power, with no one daring to confront him.

The young Daoist proudly led his group to sit in the front row.

The surrounding guests quickly stepped aside, avoiding confrontation.

Gao Xuan also became interested; this fellow arrived just in time. He couldn’t yet contend with Li Buyi, but this fellow, merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator, dared to flaunt himself like this, so Gao Xuan decided to give him a taste of defeat and make a start!