Chapter 156: Beauty and the Beast
If he could successfully obtain the map of Duanlong Cliff and acquire a Goldenspot ginseng, Wei Suo's following plans would really stretch out to distant places. He would pay a visit to Perching Phoenix City to hand over the Scarletwing Flame Devil's demonic dan-pellet to Granny Jin's niece.
In accordance to Granny Jin's words, if he really received 200,000 low grade spiritual stones as remuneration, then Wei Suo would once again shut himself into secluded training; with the goal of breaking through to Heavenly Circuit Stage level 4 and perhaps even level 5.
Those over twenty half-spirit class defensive artifacts and over ten half-spirit class offensive artifacts he passed to Han Weiwei, had already been sold off. Apart from those 7 outstanding Treasure Receiving pockets, his other Treasure Receiving pockets had already been settled through offloading to Han Weiwei's Precious Treasure Pavilion in the dark.
In total, everything supplied him with 130,000 low grade spiritual stones.
Any complete map of a region outside of the Heavenly Dome, would at most cost several thousands of spiritual stones. Apart from the Duanlong Cliff map, Wei Suo would take this chance to scour for any good items that could be used to raise his prowess or cultivation.
While reflecting about things in his heart, Wei Suo spectated the new change of landscape. After a while, the Spirit Treasure Lane covered by a yellow light screen, finally surfaced before Wei Suo and Han Weiwei.
The area before Spirit Treasure Lane was a vast plaza. The ground constructed of giant bricks made with an unknown smelted clay. It appeared golden and were two inches long. There was also a symbol that stated 'Spirit Treasure Lane'. Many little stalls operated by cultivators filled this vast plaza, clearly seizing the atmosphere of the coming auction to sell off their items for a good price.
Along the way, Wei Suo could tell that this tremendous prefecture of the Seven Stars City seemed to be two times larger than Spirit Peak City.
This was the largest prefecture of Seven Stars City. Excellent artifacts were soon to be paraded in a massive auction held in this Spirit Treasure Lane. The scope and ambience of this far exceeded other auctions that Wei Suo had attended before.
There was still several hours before this massive auction would commence. Nevertheless, crowds of 300-400 cultivators had already arrived in this plaza.
These cultivators were all segregated into groups of 3-5 and chatted amongst themselves, touring about the stalls of those merchant cultivators. Moreover, there were multitudes of cultivators that appeared differently dressed compared to the ones belonging to Spirit Peak City and Falling Moon City. They probably came from a faraway location for this massive auction.
Wei Suo glanced around with his Aura Determining technique, realizing that the average cultivation level of this place vastly exceeded Spirit Peak City's. There were Divine Sea Stage level 5 and Heavenly Circuit Stage level 1 cultivators everywhere. Furthermore, there were also numerous Heavenly Circuit Stage level 3 or higher cultivators.
While hesitating if he should browse through the cultivators' stalls for any good merchandise, he decided to enter the auction field first. All of a sudden, a peculiar sound drifted in from the eastern side of the plaza.
Wei Suo turned to look and couldn't help but call out, "Wakao!"
A gigantic barbaric beast was being gradually led in. This gigantic barbaric beast was as huge as Wei Suo's previous stone hut. Its skin was greenish and it looked like a bull, with a single white horn poking out of its head. Its entire body was painted with rippling veins.
An Upper-tier level 5 water element demonic beast! The Ripplebull!
In terms of single battle power, an Upper-tier level 5 water element demonic beast was not inferior to an ordinary Heavenly Circuit Stage level 3 cultivator.
In reality, though many level 5 demonic beasts would repeatedly be slain by Divine Sea Stage cultivators, that was because they relied on the advantage of manpower; like ants nibbling at an elephant. Don't look at the simple and honest appearance of the Ripplebull, its personality was actually exceedingly brutal and ruthless, no less than a Mind Devouring Bug.
Furthermore, right now atop the thick back of this Ripplebull, was a seat that resembled a horse saddle. A gorgeous female cultivator in golden armour and mini skirt was sitting on it.
This female cultivator had curly long hair that was strangely maroon. Her features fitted in her oval head shape, and her eyes were particularly bright. Especially between the eyelids, her fluid glance was astoundingly seductive; as though tears were about to drip out.
Yet her most striking aspect, was the material of her golden armour and mini skirt; it seemed rather discounted.
For the golden armour of her upper half, it actually only covered until the twin peaks of her chest, while the majority of her arms, her back and even her waist were revealing her white jade like skin. Moreover, one couldn't fathom the essence metal used to forge it, and it appeared like sparkling golden armour with nice decorative designs. Looking at the upper body of this gorgeous female cultivator was enough to cause one to bleed out their nose.
Next, that black skin mini skirt of hers couldn't be shortened anymore. Her slender snowy legs dangled down the barbaric beast. She wore a pair of outstanding looking red leather shoes that were also slightly revealing.
Under the sunlight of the early morning, this scene was truly worthy of being called the Beauty and the Beast!
Don't even mention Wei Suo, even Han Weiwei was dumbstruck by this scene.
"Don't you both recognize Xin Youlan?" While Wei Suo was actively fixated and shuttling his vision through the revealed portions of that female cultivator, a low voice abruptly wafted in from the back.
"She is called Xin Youlan? What a peculiar name." Wei Suo turned around to the sound, and immediately noticed a mediocre looking yellow robed youth. "What?" Wei Suo couldn't help being startled by this unknown yellow robed youth.
That mediocre looking yellow robed youth gently explained. "She is a Spirit Beast Palace disciple of the Thousand Longevity City, her name is Xin Youlan, a cultivator with innate Golden Spirit Root. At a tender young age, she already broke through to the Heavenly Circuit Stage level 4, and is heavily valued by the Spirit Beast Palace. Her outfit is always very revealing and her bearing appears extremely licentious, releasing an impression of a loose baby doll. Frequently, cultivators would be bewitched by her and attempt to win her heart, but would frequently fall to her vile methods. Perhaps like how brother was eyeing her just now, she may even remember that and stir up a huge trouble. Last month, a cultivator pretended to stroll past her barbaric beast for a sneak peek at the glory beneath her skirt, but was noticed by her. In the end, when that cultivator was out hunting demonic beast outside, his eyes were dug out; enough said, it was due to her handling."
"Wakao! Adorning herself in this manner, but not wanting to let others peep?" Wei Suo couldn't help but exclaim. As he swept his gaze around….indeed, multitudes of male cultivators were not daring to look at her. Instead, their countenance had drastically changed as they tried to avoid being noticed in terror.
Fortunately, this yellow robed youth had warned him. Wei Suo no longer dared to caress her nearly bare body with unbridled eyes, for fear of attracting the notice of this wantonly baiting female cultivator.
A rarely seen innate Golden Spirit Root and a Heavenly Circuit Stage level 4 cultivator. Wei Suo wasn't actually very fearful of that. Besides, he was already a dual Spirit Root cultivator. With the arrangements of the green gowned Old Man, if all things goes well, he would very rapidly surpass the cultivation of this barbaric beast riding seductive female. However, as he took glances at the back of this seductive beauty, Wei Suo definitely couldn't provoke her as of now.
Thousand Longevity City was located at the south of the Heavenly Profound Continent. It was a cultivator's city that was separated from Seven Stars City by two other cities. Whenever an ordinary cultivator talked about the Thousand Longevity City, most would actually hail it as the City of a Thousand Beasts; or Thousand Beasts City.
Various sects of the Thousand Longevity City reared demonic beasts, and had techniques for nurturing demonic beasts. Hence, various prefectures of the Thousand Longevity City would be specialized in taming beasts, or selling materials for nurturing demonic beasts. For a long while now, many cultivators who were inclined to raising demonic beasts would take residence at the Thousand Longevity City for convenience sake. Hence, one would be able to see cultivators riding or bringing along demonic beasts throughout the streets of Thousand Longevity City.
As for the Spirit Beast Palace, it was the largest sect that controlled Thousand Longevity City. It was said that several decades ago, a Golden Dan Stage cultivator had appeared there. It was an existence superior to the Heaven's First Sect, and could more or less compete with the Thunder Heaven Sect of Bright Heaven City.
Spirit Beast Palace employed a loose control approach over Thousand Longevity City, and would close one eye while opening the other towards squabbles between cultivators of the city. For cultivators that fought and wrecked several buildings, they would only have to compensate a fixed sum of spiritual stones; ensuring those buildings could be repaired. Hence, the Thousand Longevity City was the most intrepid of the entire Southern Heavenly Profound Continent. The cultivators of the city possessed combat experience and had higher cultivation levels than cultivators of other cities.
"I say, serves you right for casting such lecherous looks." Hearing the yellow robed youth's words, and after observing Wei Suo trying to be low profile now, Han Weiwei rolled her eyes and heavily snorted.
"You should learn from her a little." Wei Suo purposefully snorted. "Just look at how sexy she is and then look at yourself, like a clay with lips."
"Bah! You're the clay!"
While Han Weiwei and Wei Suo were bickering, this eye-grabbing beauty and her beast had already arrived at the yellow light screen of Spirit Treasure Lane.
Looking at her pair of fair thighs, the people of Spirit Treasure Lane seemed to be accustomed to it already. Two Spirit Treasure Lane disciples clad in navy-blue brocade robes gazed fixedly as they welcomed Xin Youlan in. That Ripplebull seemed to understand how things work, and automatically detoured towards the back of Spirit Treasure Lane. No one knew where it would hold nest at.
"Seems like you two are intending to participate in the auction too?" After observing Xin Youlan disappearing into the yellow light screen, that yellow robed youth relaxed his demeanor and introduced. "This one is Zhang Fengyi, a cultivator of Falling Moon City. How may I address these two?" Towards Han Weiwei and Wei Suo, this yellow robed youth didn't address them as senior because he was also a Heavenly Circuit Stage level 2 cultivator. Right now, Wei Suo was employing his Secret Concealment art to conceal one layer of his cultivation.
"This one is Ji Li, a cultivator from Spirit Peak City and here to participate in the auction." Wei Suo offered a look at the yellow robed youth, and randomly spouted a name. "My name is Wei Ya." What caused Wei Suo to roll his eyes, was that Han Weiwei actually used his surname once again.
"Zhang Fengyi." Not too far away, another cyan robed cultivator abruptly waved towards this yellow robed youth. It seemed like this yellow robed cultivator had used his real name.
"This one has an appointment with other friends, I shall not disturb you two anymore." When Zhang Tianyi noticed that person, his eyes flashed with delight. Before parting from Wei Suo and Han Weiwei, he added another sentence. "I can tell that you two rarely frequents Seven Stars City and is rather unfamiliar with this city. For this auction, there should be quite a number of expert figures. Apart from Xin Youlan you must be cautious of, there is another cultivator called Dong Qingyi. That man has an innate Wind Spirit Root, and is the young master of East Victory. His personality is extremely hateful, and it would be best not to provoke him."
Chapter 157: Unintentional Enlightenment
After his kind reminder, Zhang Tianyi bid farewell and headed towards his friend.
Wei Suo was obviously grateful for his advice, Han Weiwei instead appeared unhappy upon hearing Zhang Tianyi mentioning about Dong Qingyi. Hence, after he left, Wei Suo couldn't help but inquire, "Why, do you know Dong Qingyi?"
"He's one of my senior sister's pursuer, someone out of the ordinary." Han Weiwei snorted coldly. "Previously, he attempted to approach my senior sister and even proposed marriage on several occasions. He is clearly utilizing his influence to pressure others. Thus, I specially investigated this fellow; I heard he has an extremely small heart that loves to scheme, and has no patience for cultivation. I reckon he has spent most of his time plotting against others; therefore, even with such a backing like East Victory, he is still only a Heavenly Circuit Stage level 4 cultivator. An individual like that, he actually has designs on my senior sister."
"No patience for cultivation". Upon hearing that, Wei Suo smiled bleakly inside.
Indeed, secluded training was an extremely dry and dull process for all cultivators. For a cultivator like him who had no backing but relied on his own abilities, he had no choice but to stake all in bitter cultivation.
If he had Dong Qingyi's backing, Wei Suo would probably also lust after pleasure and his state of cultivation would've changed drastically.
Besides, if he was adequately capable, he could easily tour around the various cities of Heavenly Profound Continent, and soak in hot springs with peerless beauties. It wouldn't be worse off than an exceedingly dry and dull secluded meditation.
"Why don't we head straight for the auction hall to wait?" After smiling wryly, Wei Suo then offered this suggestion. Anyway, his goal for coming to Seven Stars City was for the sake of obtaining a map portion of Duanlong Cliff, that would enhance his safety in travelling there. It would be better to expose himself to lesser troubles.
"Our two esteemed guests, please follow me." Han Weiwei naturally didn't object Wei Suo's suggestion. At the entrance of the Spirit Treasure Lane's yellow light screen, ordinary cultivators would enter themselves after displaying their entry jade token. However, upon noticing Han Weiwei's entry jade token, the disciples on duty immediately offered deferential cordiality and led both of them in.
As it turned out, the auction hall of Spirit Treasure Lane, Spirit Sky Pavilion, was segregated into three floors. The lowest floor was for ordinary patrons, while the middle and upper floors were for esteemed patrons. As for Han Weiwei's entry jade token, it belonged to the category of the most valuable patrons of the upper floor.
Actually, it was Wei Suo who suggested to be the upper floor esteemed patrons.
According to Wei Suo's past experiences, in the perspective of ordinary cultivators, they wouldn't deem those esteemed patrons who spent spiritual stones for their positions to be expert loose cultivators with astonishing cultivation levels. Instead, those would be figures that had extraordinary backings. In a bidding war for any item, ordinary cultivators would definitely give way.
This wasn't something that many intelligent loose cultivators couldn't think of. Instead, many of such cultivators would cherish their spiritual stones and wouldn't simply waste hundreds of them for an esteemed position.
After the Spirit Treasure Lane disciple led them through the entrance, Wei Suo could feel his body becoming slightly heavier. His bodily flow of true energy seemed to have become impeded. It was clear this domain of the Spirit Treasure Lane contained a special forbidden control that stifled a cultivator's capabilities.
Wei Suo immediately felt his horizons were broadened after surveying around the auction hall of this Spirit Sky Pavilion.
There was an unknown formation array established within the hall, where an emerald colored jasper platform was floating above; along with hovering flights of jasper stairs. Once the auction commences, the Spirit Treasure Lane host would probably be employing this jasper platform to exhibit their auctioned articles.
The lowest floor of this grand hall was installed with thousands of white divine light screens. Whenever a cultivator entered, one would no longer be able to observe their exterior. This would safeguard the secrets of any cultivator who entered the hall.
Naturally, the upper floor of esteemed patrons contrasted like black and white to the grand hall below. Not only was the floor covered with soft and silver silk carpet, ancient aromatic furnitures were arranged impeccably. Moreover, their windows were enshrouded with a green divine light screen, and equipped with the effect of magnifying the view of the frontal jasper platform. When they looked through this esteem patron room, Wei Suo and Han Weiwei felt as though the jasper platform was right before their eyes. Evidently, this place provided amplified clarity when examining auction articles.
As for the middle floor esteem rooms, their windows were also enveloped by a layer of yellow divine light screen. Thus, Wei Suo couldn't find out the interior differences of those rooms and his own upper floor esteemed patrons room.
Because time was still early, Wei Suo produced out the jade strip given to him by Liu Wu which recorded the Samadhi Divine Flame skill technique. Then, he attempted to comprehend it.
Wei Suo was still unable to determine the exact rank of this skill technique. Because it was recorded that a Heavenly Circuit Stage level 3 cultivation was needed to train in this.
Only after becoming a Heavenly Circuit Stage level 3 cultivator, could one unleash the Samadhi Divine Flame with true energy in accordance to the detailed skill technique. Moreover, this skill technique was exceptionally abstruse. After breaking through to Heavenly Circuit Stage level 3, Wei Suo followed the Old Man's suggestion to begin comprehending this extremely useful fire element skill technique; in preparation for several simple artifact forging.
Yet in the following days after that, Wei Suo still couldn't comprehend a portion of its contents.
Observing Wei Suo knitting his brows as he sunk into meditation, Han Weiwei didn't disturb him. Instead, she minded her own business and produced a white jade strip before earnestly examining it.
Several hours later before the auction was about to commence, Wei Suo suddenly revealed an ecstatic countenance.
On the contrary, when in a light hearted state of idleness and enjoyment, Wei Suo had stepped into an enlightenment state. Within a short span of time, he managed to grasp a fundamental which led to the rest naturally flowing in. In a flash, he understood that portion of content which even the green gowned Old Man couldn't really understand.
What baffled him and the Old Man was, most of this skill technique recorded the mechanics of controlling the unleashed Samadhi Divine flame after it had been conjured into fire shield, fire serpents or other forms. However, as for how to congeal the flames into those forms of shields and others, the records were strangely silent apart from several few words.
At present, he finally understood that all along, he didn't understand the intent of that tiny component; the most crucial aspect of conjuring the flames into different forms. As it turned out, this Samadhi Divine Flame technique was truly peculiar. It required a method to first ignite the Samadhi Divine flames, before utilizing another skill technique - the Fire Control-form art to conjure out its different forms.
Therefore, that component he couldn't understand, was because he misunderstood the general layout of this Samadhi Divine Flame technique.
Now that he figured out what that component meant, Wei Suo then slowly practiced this Samadhi Divine Flame skill with the excess time he had. Once he could familiarize himself with this, he could then try out artifact forging.
After he completely comprehended the contents of this fire skill, Wei Suo now understood why the Old Man mentioned that one must be of the Thought Division Stage level 2-3 or higher, before one could forge high class artifacts.
The Samadhi flames would inevitably exhaust loads of true energy to maintain. Furthermore, with the example of forging a flying sword, the process of forging the sword frame had to remain constant. Once there was an insufficient true energy and the process halts, the sword frame would solidify. To smelt it again, one would have to restart from the beginning. In addition to the process of forging the sword frame, one still had to split his attention in deploying magic enhancements onto the sword frame. This was something that could only be achieved at the Thought Division Stage level.
Like the flying sword of that red robe cultivator previously, it was of a lower quality whose material could even be smelted with earthflame. Then with a sword controlling technique like the Thunderclap Sword Art, the sword frame wouldn't require much magic enhancements. Thus, that red robed cultivator was able to rely on an earthflame furnace to forge his own flying sword.
Right now, Wei Suo was in possession of the wreckage remains of two flying swords. In addition to Liu Sanbao's broadsword forged with Taiyi Essence metal and the Daysuffering Essence metal he acquired from Old Freak Feng……once his cultivation attained Thought Division Stage level 3 or above, these materials would suffice for him to forge a high quality flying sword.
Yet at present, Wei Suo was delighting over the fact that he obtained the Cyan Search Silver from that horse-faced cultivator back at Cyan Wind Mound.
The melting point of the Cyan Search Silver wasn't high. With his current cultivation and full comprehension of the Samadhi flames, he would be able to forge a magic staff using the Cyan Search Silver once he accumulated some artifact forging experience. In addition to the Magic pearl gained from that Elder Mind Devouring Bug, he would then be able to unleash a decimating divine sense attack or mental thrust.
The divine sense attack of the Elder Mind Devouring Bug was something that Wei Suo had personally witnessed. According to the Old Man's estimation, although such a degree of attack couldn't cause a Heavenly Circuit Stage level 4-5 cultivator to become immobile, it would minimally cause a slight stun.
Once he could forge all those out, in addition to his current assassination weapons, his deadliness would be enhanced again.
"Begins!"
After a brief wait, Spire Treasure Lane's auction finally officially commenced.
It was truly a glorious scene for Wei Suo, prompting Han Weiwei to glare viciously at Wei Suo. She then clenched her teeth and scoffed, "Wei Suo, can't you at least pretend in front of me and stop giving that obsessed and lecherous look all the time. Yes, Spirit Treasure Lane's auction is clearly more amusing than the Golden Jade Pavilion's one.
The ones that were shuttling about the auction hall in charge of delivering auction articles, were all top-notch peerless beauties. Moreover, these female cultivators were all adorned in low cut fish-tailed phoenix patterned robes, revealing half of their snow-white silky breasts; leading one's blood to boil.
Right now, the main auction hostess was a female cultivator in a black fish-tailed phoenix patterned robes. Her features weren't particularly stunning, but the inches of her chest was like an astonishing behemoth. It was even larger than Ji Ya's and her cleavage could determine life and death.
"Right." Recalling Ji Ya, Wei Suo then reckoned Shui Ling'er's measurements wouldn't be inferior to Ji Ya's one as well. Thus, he subconsciously blurted out to Han Weiwei, "Han Weiwei, say which one do you think is prettier, your senior sister or Shui Ling'er?"
"I haven't even seen the real Shui Ling'er, how would I know." Han Weiwei responded smugly. Looking at Wei Suo's wretched smile, Han Weiwei couldn't help but gloomily ask, "Wei Suo, what are you planning?"
"Nothing." Wei Suo chuckled silently. "In the past, my goal of cultivation had always been Shui Ling'er. Now if your senior sister is prettier than Shui Ling'er, then I should alter my goals and pursue your senior sister as my cultivation aim instead."
"HAHA!" Hearing Wei Suo's words, Han Weiwei burst into hysterical laughter. "Just based on you, you wish to pursue my senior sister?"
"Why not, what is wrong with me?" Wei Suo shrugged his head like an irritated bull.
"Cut your wishful thinking over my senior sister. But on account that we are brothers, I can consider helping you chase Shui Ling'er." Han Weiwei curled her lips as she replied.