Chapter 692: Exchange List (Part 2)

Chapter 692: Chapter 463: Exchange List (Part 2)

However, a Golden Core Cultivator defeating a Nascent Soul Cultivator was something the Cultivation Realm had not heard of for a very long time.

And Fang Qingyuan intended to break this convention. He wanted to be able to firmly support the Qingyuan Sect on his own, even without Bear Wind, so that no power within White Mountain would dare to make a move on them.

To fight a Nascent Soul Cultivator while in the Golden Core Realm, one’s Magical Power naturally had to be on par. Fang Qingyuan wasn’t worried about this; with the support of his Immortal Mansion, his Magical Power was even stronger than that of a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

His only problem was the True Meaning Domain of the Great Dao. Fang Qingyuan had no solution for it unless he passed the Nascent Soul Celestial Tribulation and comprehended his own domain to fight against another. But clearly, that was impossible for him right now.

However, the cultivation method of Sword Cultivators offered Fang Qingyuan a way to break the stalemate. Sword Cultivators did not rely on a True Meaning Domain of the Great Dao; they believed in “one sword to break all techniques,” excelling at carving out their own place in the world.

In other words, a Sword Cultivator uses their three-foot blade to carve out their own world, thinking, ‘Against this, no True Meaning Domain of the Great Dao can affect me in the slightest.’

This was the philosophy of a Sword Cultivator, and Fang Qingyuan planned to borrow it to counter the True Meaning Domain of the Great Dao used by Nascent Soul Cultivators. This didn’t mean he would switch to the path of a Sword Cultivator in the future; rather, the methods of a Sword Cultivator were simply more suitable for his goal of fighting a Nascent Soul Cultivator while still in the Golden Core Realm.

Once Fang Qingyuan truly reached the Nascent Soul Realm, he would return to the orthodox path of cultivation. Although Sword Cultivators were strong in this world, the powers that currently ruled the Cultivation Realm were not the Cyan Lotus Sword Sect, but the Great Zhou Academy, the Qi Yun Daoist School, and the Beast Taming Sect.

The problem Fang Qingyuan now faced was how to subdue the Xuanli Sword. Then, using the Mirage Dragon Sword Scripture, he needed to comprehend his own True Meaning of Sword Dao. This would give him a fighting chance even against a Nascent Soul Cultivator in the future, rather than being forced to simply kneel and await death.

As long as Divinity Transformation Cultivators didn’t make an appearance, being able to fight a Nascent Soul Cultivator meant that no matter how vast the Cultivation Realm was, Fang Qingyuan could dare to go anywhere.

… … …

“The final item of this auction is a Tier Three Spiritual Object from the Qingyuan Sect: a Mutated Purple Crystal Spirit Fish. This Spirit Fish measures one chi, three cun, and four fen in length, setting the starting price at one hundred thirty-four Top-grade Spirit Stones. Each bid must be an increment of no less than five Top-grade Spirit Stones. Are there any objections?”

At the foot of the mountain housing the Qingyuan Sect, within the Qingyuan Marketplace, a high-profile auction was in full swing.

The auction was now nearing its end. It was being held by the Vast Collection Pavilion, a power from Qi Yun.

Just as it had been with the Yuanling Square Marketplace years ago, once a sect gained prominence, it would attract Cultivators from all walks of life. A simple market would spontaneously form, which would then evolve into a proper Marketplace, and could eventually become an Immortal City.

The formation of the Qingyuan Marketplace followed this very pattern. It began with a few Loose Cultivators spontaneously setting up stalls in a remote spot, selling tasty treats and interesting trinkets to earn the monthly stipend given to the Qingyuan Sect’s disciples.

But as the Qingyuan Sect grew, this small market slowly transformed into a street. Soon, people began opening permanent shops and putting down roots. Eventually, it attracted numerous major merchant houses to open branches, ultimately forming the Qingyuan Marketplace.

Fang Qingyuan had not been involved in the Marketplace’s formation at all. He was past that stage, unlike his days on Yuanling Mountain where he had to personally handle every profitable venture. Now that the Qingyuan Sect employed so many people, there were naturally professionals to manage such affairs and negotiate with the Cultivators from the major merchant houses.

The auction houses were handed over to two major merchant houses: the Vast Collection Pavilion and the Treasure Pavilion, both from Qi Yun. The Spirit Beast trade was, of course, the exclusive domain of the Beast Taming Sect, while the flesh trade and brothels were given to the Hehuan Sect. Businesses involving Magical Artifacts, Elixir Pills, Spirit Plants, and the like were left unrestricted, allowing the numerous low-level Cultivators a chance to make a living.

The Vast Collection Pavilion was currently holding its monthly grand auction. As the final Spiritual Object of the month, the Mutated Purple Crystal Spirit Fish from Fang Qingyuan’s Immortal Mansion was more than enough to headline the event.

The Qingyuan Sect had consigned this Spirit Fish for sale at the request of the Vast Collection Pavilion. The Pavilion would not take any commission from the Spirit Stones earned; what they wanted was prestige—ideally, enough to outshine the Treasure Pavilion.

As the Auctioneer spoke, a transparent crystal ball hovered in midair on the high platform. Inside the fist-sized sphere, a Purple Crystal Spirit Fish with two distinct bumps on its head swam about contentedly.

The crystal ball was clearly a Spatial Magical Artifact, but everyone’s eyes were glued to the Spirit Fish inside. Just then, a Golden Core Cultivator emerged from a private box on the second floor and asked:

“May I have a closer look?”

“Of course, but you may not use any probing arts, you may not startle the Spirit Fish, and you may not touch it.”

After laying out the restrictions, the Auctioneer allowed the unfamiliar Golden Core Cultivator to approach for a look. When the hundreds of Cultivators in the audience saw a Golden Core Cultivator show interest, most of them groaned inwardly.

‘When it comes to financial power, we naturally can’t compete with a Golden Core Cultivator. We thought they only bothered with the semi-annual or even tri-annual grand auctions. I can’t believe they won’t even pass up a small monthly one.’

“That Golden Core Cultivator looks unfamiliar. He’s not one of the White Mountain People, and judging by his clothes, he’s not one of the Qi Yun People either. He looks more like he’s from the Land of the Far West.”

“That far? What’s he doing in White Mountain? Just for this Spirit Fish? No way, that’s impossible.”