I am a late bloomer in the world of cultivating immortals

"them?"

Upon hearing this, the burly man was slightly taken aback, seemingly not expecting Wei Tu to be curious about this matter.

From his perspective, aside from being able to cooperate with them in spiritual cultivation, Wei Tu was no different from those slave traders who were bidding for the auction... After all, the main business of the Kui Dou Merchant Guild was to travel between the Zi Chen Realm and the Shi Mo Yuan Realm to sell spirit slaves.

Naturally, Wei Tu, one of the Demon Lords of the Kui Dou Merchant Guild, was also a slave trader.

The fact that they came here to 'bid' suggests that they likely knew the value of these two Jiao family cultivators.

However, since Wei Tu has asked this question, he will not avoid the topic, since it is not exactly a secret in this slave market.

"These two cultivators from the Jiao family possess special Dao bodies, and they have a considerable chance of breaking through to the Integration Realm in the future. Naturally, they will be dozens of times more expensive than ordinary spirit slaves."

"However, the real reason why these slave traders were so persistent was because of their biological father... Fellow Daoist Jiao Changyi..."

"The concept of 'one lineage with three spiritual bodies' remains a popular topic of conversation within the Zichen Realm."

"Fellow Daoist Jiao is one of the most promising Nascent Soul cultivators among the Twelve Tongs, with a high chance of attaining the Mahayana realm in the future. He recently broke through to the late Nascent Soul stage..."

"It is precisely for this reason that the Jiao family has been targeted by this group of ancient demons."

The burly man sighed softly and explained.

"So, this premium is related to his father, Jiao Changyi?" Wei Tu raised an eyebrow, suddenly realizing.

Spirit slaves with the potential to merge into one are not precious; at least, to these veteran demon lords, they are merely dispensable...

However, if it could be used as bait to lure and capture Jiao Changyi, a powerful being with the potential to achieve the Great Ascension stage, its value would increase several times over.

This cultivator may not be able to break through to the Mahayana realm smoothly in the future, but after being captured by the ancient demon, he will be refined using secret methods and fed a secret medicine that damages his foundation. Given time, he will surely be able to obtain a half-step Mahayana spirit slave with considerable strength.

"Late stage of the Integration Realm!" Upon realizing this, Wei Tu seemed to have thought of something, his eyes narrowed slightly, and a look of solemnity appeared on his face.

There's no other reason than that cultivators at this level have already gained the strength to break into the 'Spiritual Cultivation Ruins' of the Purple Chen Realm and use its 'Spatial Nodes' to escape to the Spirit Realm.

“It seems that, following Zi Chi Jun, He Sanyao and other survivors of the Zi Chen Realm, a new batch of Nascent Soul powerhouses has been nurtured within the Zi Chen Realm over the past ten thousand years… This is different from Lin Tianqi’s soul memories. Well, Lin Tianqi’s realm is too low, only at the Nascent Soul stage, so it is difficult for him to know such crucial secrets.” Wei Tu’s eyes flashed slightly, and he secretly thought to himself, ‘Thank goodness.’

His haste to leave the Spirit Realm was certainly for his Daoist partner, Lüqiu Qingfeng, but it was also partly due to his desire to avoid the Feathered Dragon Clan as much as possible...

Disguising himself and using an alias, posing as a 'remnant of the Purple Palace Realm' or other identities, was something he was very familiar with.

However... staying by the side of the 'superior' Zi Chi Jun makes all the difference.

Once they discover the truth, the consequences will be unpredictable.

Of course, he also knew that this was his excessive caution—with the 'one god and two ancestors' of the Zi Chen Realm, it would be extremely difficult for these spiritual cultivators of the Zi Chen Realm to go to the Spirit Realm... The late stage of the Integration Realm only had a chance to fight hard, and the probability of success was extremely slim.

The difficulty of entering that 'spiritual cultivation ruins' is worlds apart from that of the ancient demon lord!

However, as cultivators, we must never harbor such wishful thinking.

“However, when I returned to the Feathered Dragon Clan decades ago to keep my promise, I used the same old trick I used when I met Fairy Xuanling… It wasn’t very dangerous.” Wei Tu shook his head secretly, suppressing this thought.

……

"However, it is acceptable to have Kou bid on my behalf, but what price are you prepared to pay?"

"After all, bidding on the Jiao siblings might offend those Demon Lords..."

After a short while, once the burly man had finished explaining, Wei Tu no longer hesitated and agreed, asking the same question at the same time.

"This..." Upon hearing this, the burly man hesitated for a moment before replying, "I, Jiang, am willing to contribute eight hundred mid-grade magic crystals on behalf of Fellow Daoist Jiao... to repay Fellow Daoist for your help this time."

"Eight hundred mid-grade magic crystals?" Upon hearing this, Wei Tu sneered and shook his head in refusal.

“Eight hundred mid-grade magic crystals are a lot, but not enough to cover the price I have to pay… Since you know my background from that spirit slave, you should also understand my status…”

"A mere eight hundred mid-grade spirit crystals is merely the reward for a few times that I, a seventh-level alchemist, have opened my furnace."

Wei Tu made it clear in one sentence that he was of value and that the burly man had a deeper purpose in asking him to take action.

Anyone can bid on slaves, even those only at the Qi Refining stage, as long as they have money and magic crystals...

However, to avoid being coveted and retaliated against by these ancient demons, one must be a demon lord with a name, status, and considerable power.

If it were this burly man who was hiding his true identity, he would probably be robbed and killed as soon as he left the slave market.

"What does Demon Lord Kou want?" The burly man asked, a cold glint in his eyes.

"After the auction, one of these siblings must remain Kou's spirit slave," Wei Tu said with a faint smile, seemingly unconcerned.

"Choose one person, still to be a spirit slave?"

Upon hearing this, the burly man's face grew colder, and he immediately understood that Wei Tu's greed was no less than that of the other ancient demons.

He is not the kind of short-sighted person!
You should know that the 'weak point' of a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator is far more valuable than a mere eight hundred mid-grade magic crystals!
"However, this man surnamed Kou is also someone who can be cooperated with... No matter which of the Jiao siblings falls into his hands, they will one day regain their freedom..."

The burly man's expression shifted between light and dark. After a moment, he finally made up his mind and agreed to Wei Tu's request.

The reason is simple: even if he brings in other demon lords to help him bid for the Jiao siblings, the reward he asks for is probably similar to, or even more demanding than, Wei Tu's.

In comparison, Wei Tu only needed one person as a slave, which was still within an acceptable range.

That's right! He didn't invite other demon lords to help him on this trip, not because those demon lords were unavailable, but because they were far more greedy and had no bottom line than Wei Tu!

After weighing the pros and cons, they chose to take the risk of contacting Satellite Image.

……

"Five hundred mid-grade magic crystals."

"Five hundred and fifty mid-grade magic crystals..."

Inside the slave market, the bidding for the Jiao siblings was still in full swing.

However, compared to the previous clamor, the only sound now came from the few demon lords inside the arena.

Besides the two demon lords who started bidding from the beginning, three more people spoke up.

"Six hundred mid-grade magic crystals."

At this moment, a sudden and unfamiliar voice came from outside the crowd, which surprised the group of slave traders.

"That is……"

The cultivators turned their heads and extended their divine senses, instantly discovering Wei Tu, who was radiating the aura of a demon lord.

"That's the Shengtian Demon Ship with the Kui Dou Merchant Guild's logo? But this cultivator... doesn't resemble that Kui Dou Demon Lord at all..." The cultivators whispered among themselves, their eyes showing surprise.

"That's Master Kou Dan from the Kui Dou Merchant Guild..."

“I met him once when I was in Tianyuan Holy City.”

Soon, an ancient demon recognized Wei Tu's origins and relayed the news to others.

Under normal circumstances, it is very difficult for a newly crowned Demon Lord to spread his fame to other realms across a single dimension.

But seventh-tier alchemists are different...

It is among the rarest level in the entire Primordial Demon Source Realm.

Secondly, the ancient demons vying for the Jiao siblings' affections are all slave traders among the ancient demons, people who have traveled all over the country, and their knowledge is naturally much stronger than that of ordinary ancient demons.

Therefore, once Wei Tu revealed his true form, any ancient demon with a slightly higher level of experience would not have difficulty recognizing his identity.

"Master Kou..."

The next moment, after confirming Wei Tu's identity, more than 90% of the ancient demons surrounding the area looked at Wei Tu with more awe and eagerness.

At the same time, a wide path naturally parted in the crowd, allowing Wei Tu to walk to the vicinity of the stall.

"Master Kou has offered six hundred mid-grade magic crystals..."

"Fellow Daoists, are you still willing to continue bidding?"

The stall owner selling the Xue sisters was the first to come to his senses, frowning slightly as he spoke up to remind the other cultivators.

"Six hundred and fifty mid-grade magic crystals..."

'Seven hundred mid-grade magic crystals…'

Soon, the bidding resumed, and the prices were not much lower than before.

After all—this is a bidding war between demon lords, and the gain or loss of a few hundred mid-grade magic crystals is not something they care about.

However, when the price reached 'nine hundred' mid-grade magic crystals, the only voices bidding were from Wei Tu and the Demon Lord with blood-red wings on his ribs.

“Master Kou, I am determined to acquire the Jiao siblings… If we continue this bidding war, the only one who will benefit will be the stall owner…”

"Why don't we just state our conditions directly?"

"If Master Kou withdraws from the bidding, I, Feng, am willing to offer three hundred mid-grade magic crystals as a gift to Master Kou..."

After pondering for a moment, the Demon Lord with blood-red wings on his ribs transmitted his voice.

Three hundred mid-grade magic crystals.

This price is already quite high.

Unlike the 'eight hundred' mid-grade magic crystals offered by the burly man, this is wealth that can be obtained without any cost.

"Three hundred mid-grade spirit crystals are a lot, but I, Kou, am determined to get my hands on the Jiao siblings..."

"If Fellow Daoist Feng is willing to give up, I, Kou, am also willing to offer three hundred mid-grade spirit crystals to end this auction."

Upon hearing this, Wei Tu, with his smile undiminished, replied to the cultivator surnamed Feng.

Anyway, he was just bidding on behalf of the other party; the one who actually paid was that burly man. Whether it was three hundred more or three hundred less, it didn't matter to him.

"Five hundred mid-grade magic crystals, that's the most I can do!"

"Jiao Changyi and I have a deep grudge. I hope Fellow Daoist Kou can grant my request... I will repay you handsomely another day."

Upon hearing this, the smile on the face of the Demon Lord surnamed Feng vanished, and his expression tightened slightly. After a pause, he spoke again.

Although the words were spoken amicably, the phrase "harboring a deep-seated grudge" was already a veiled warning to Wei Tu.

In the cultivation world, anyone who obstructs another's revenge is considered an enemy!

Upon hearing this, Wei Tu merely sneered, showing no fear whatsoever.

"If it were a deep-seated grudge, Fellow Daoist Feng would probably have already bought the Jiao siblings from that stall owner at a high price. Why would he have waited until now?"

"This statement is not enough to deceive Mr. Kou."

"If Fellow Daoist Feng truly intends to harm me... I must also remind Fellow Daoist Feng, don't be afraid to warn me!"

Wei Tu folded his sleeves and said calmly.

"Three hundred spirit crystals, plus three opportunities for me to refine pills at a 30% discount. This is the highest price I can offer. If Fellow Daoist Feng does not agree... then the highest bidder wins."

After a brief pause, Wei Tu glanced coldly at the Demon Lord surnamed Feng before speaking again.

"Three chances to refine pills?"

Upon hearing this, the Demon Lord surnamed Feng gave Wei Tu a deep look, and his tense expression eased slightly.

He knew Wei Tu's reputation and knew that he was far from reaching the end of the path of alchemy.

Therefore, if he doesn't rush to cash in on these three opportunities to refine pills at a 30% discount, he can wait until the future, after the pill refiner becomes a seventh-grade high-quality alchemist, and then have the pill refiner abide by this agreement... At that time, the magic crystals saved from the seventh-grade high-quality spirit pills at a 30% discount will be considerable.

"Hmm... I wonder what purpose Fellow Daoist Kou has in bidding for these Jiao siblings? There is certainly a possibility of cooperation between us."

"After we capture Jiao Changyi, the proceeds from the sale of the spirit slaves can also be shared with Fellow Daoist Kou... It would be difficult for Fellow Daoist Kou alone to capture a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator alive..." The Demon Lord surnamed Feng softened his tone, shifting from bidding to cooperating with Wei Tu.

Business people naturally have their own way of doing things.

Although the sale of spirit slaves is bloody, that applies to spiritual cultivators. When dealing with demon lords of the same level, it's something that can be discussed without harming each other's harmony.

"Ha. I don't think this matter has any chance of success. Spiritual cultivators are always cunning. If Jiao Changyi sees that things are hopeless, it's not unthinkable that he would abandon his own children..."

"Waiting for this is too time-consuming and energy-draining."

"This Jiao siblings... to be honest, Fellow Daoist Feng, I value their intrinsic worth more. Two excellent furnace vessels with the potential for integration are far more valuable than the mere Jiao Changyi..."

Wei Tu's eyes flickered slightly, and he explained in a calm tone.

“However, if Fellow Daoist Feng insists on this matter, I, Kou, can join forces with you in the future to lure and capture Jiao Changyi,” Wei Tu said, changing his tone.

Upon hearing this, the Demon Lord surnamed Feng hesitated for a moment before his expression finally softened slightly.

“In that case, I, Feng, will give the Jiao siblings to Fellow Daoist Kou.”

"However—when I need these two to lure and capture Jiao Changyi in the future, I hope Fellow Daoist Kou will not refuse. Of course, I will also pay you a certain reward..."

After speaking, the Demon Lord Feng glanced at Wei Tu with a smile, then flipped his hand, took out an identity token, threw it to Wei Tu, and then swiftly left the slave market with a flick of his sleeve.

However, Wei Tu did not let his guard down after witnessing this scene.

He frowned slightly, tossed a bag of magic crystals to the stall owner, then used his magic to grab the Jiao siblings in front of him. After secretly transmitting a message to the burly man hidden in the crowd, he vanished in a flash, piloting the 'Shengtian Demon Ship' and quickly leaving the slave market.

The entire process took him less than half a breath, which was exceptionally fast.

"This kid is trying to escape?" At this moment, the Demon Lord Feng, who had just left the place but whose divine sense was still shrouded in the slave market, saw this scene and his expression immediately turned ugly.

"This young man is quite shrewd; he knows I might be a threat to him..."

After cursing under his breath, a hint of regret appeared on his face.

“A demon lord who can refine pills is no less valuable than Jiao Changyi. Moreover, he has no powerful background... He is an extremely good slave, worth the risk of taking action.”

"It's just a pity that they were too cautious."

After letting out a sigh, the Demon Lord Feng put the communication device he had just activated back into his storage artifact. (End of Chapter)