Family Cultivation: My Ancestral Home Gets Infinite Upgrades

Chapter 125 Auction Turmoil

At the entrance of Qiankun Pavilion.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, what a coincidence, you're here for the auction too?"

Jiang Fu'an turned his head and saw a man in blue robes walking quickly towards him and waving.

The visitor was none other than Wang Zhichuan, the newly appointed head of the Wang family.

"So it's the head of the Wang family."

Jiang Fu'an returned the greeting with a cupped hand and then asked, "I heard yesterday that Fellow Daoist Zhiyue was injured, and I was planning to visit him in the next couple of days."

"How are you? Are you badly hurt?"

Wang Zhichuan sighed with a wry smile: "The injury isn't serious; it should heal in ten to fifteen days."

A hint of sadness flashed across his eyes: "It's a pity we probably won't be able to get back that fishing area in the Moon Spirit River."

Jiang Fu'an frowned: "How can the Zhao family be so domineering?"

"Why----"

Wang Zhichuan sighed again: "In the end, our own strength is too weak, and we can't compete with others."

"We have no choice but to swallow this insult."

He paused, then looked up at Jiang Fu'an: "To be honest, Fellow Daoist Jiang, I have already thought it through."

"From now on, the Wang family will abandon fishing and all its manpower will be transferred to draw talismans."

"I wonder if Fellow Daoist Jiang is available these days? I'd like to send a few disciples to Qinglu Mountain to learn the techniques of talisman drawing."

The more talismans the Wang family draws, the more Jiang Fu'an can earn through the price difference, which is naturally something he's happy to see.

He immediately nodded: "It's convenient anytime. Xiangqian is always on the mountain, you can send someone over anytime."

After saying that, he turned to the side and gestured for us to go in: "The auction is about to start, let's go in first."

The two stepped onto the stone steps side by side, but Wang Zhichuan was half a step slower, a hint of hesitation on his face.

Once they reached the porch, he leaned closer and said, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, there is one more thing."

"I've heard that the Jiang family's unique talismans are very popular in the market."

"I wonder if this drawing method could also be taught to our royal family?"

Jiang Fu'an paused slightly in his steps.

He never expected that Wang Zhichuan had such intentions.

What I promised to teach the Wang family were merely improved methods for creating a few basic talismans, reducing the difficulty of their creation.

However, Chengfu's quality is no different from ordinary goods on the market, and it is not considered a rare or sought-after item.

Even if it gets out, it won't significantly impact the business of "Lingfu Pavilion".

However, their unique talismans are different.

That's the signboard of the Spirit Talisman Pavilion. Once it's leaked, the signboard will be half ruined.

His polite smile remained unchanged, but his voice was crisp: "Patriarch Wang, I am truly sorry. Our unique talismans are not to be passed on to outsiders."

Upon hearing this, Wang Zhichuan's eyes darkened.

But only a moment later, a smile returned to his face, as if his previous request had been casually mentioned: "I apologize for my presumption. Please forgive me, Fellow Daoist Jiang, just pretend I didn't mention it."

As they talked, the two passed through the front hall and stepped onto the wooden stairs leading to the second floor.

The auction venue is located on the second floor.

Jiang Fu'an stood at the top of the stairs and looked around. The place was wider than he had expected, and he estimated that it could hold several hundred people.

In the very center stood several heavy ebony cabinets, on which were neatly stacked wooden boxes, jade caskets, and porcelain vases of various sizes.

A beautiful woman with her hair tied up in a high bun and an old man wearing a gray cloth robe are counting items together.

Dozens of tables and chairs were arranged in a fan shape around the central wooden cabinet, and nearly half of them were already occupied.

"Oh, Patriarch Wang, you've come too. How's Sister Zhiyue's injury?"

A slightly frivolous voice suddenly came from the right.

Jiang Fu'an looked in the direction of the sound and saw a well-dressed man in his early thirties sitting at a table to his right.

He was dressed in a brocade robe, toying with a jade pendant in his hand, and looking at Wang Zhichuan with a half-smile.

Wang Zhichuan's face instantly darkened. Without even looking at the man, he turned to Jiang Fu'an and whispered, "Fellow Daoist Jiang, there are still empty seats in that corner. Let's go sit there."

Although Jiang Fu'an did not recognize the man in fine clothes, he could tell from Wang Zhichuan's reaction that the visitor was up to no good.

He nodded: "Okay."

Just as the two turned to leave, the richly dressed man's voice chased after them again: "Fellow Daoist Jiang? Could you be the head of the Jiang family from Qinglu Mountain?"

As he spoke, he leaned lazily against the back of his chair, not even standing up, clearly not taking Jiang Fu'an seriously.

Jiang Fu'an glanced at him, then lifted his foot and continued walking forward, which could be considered as acquiescence.

He hadn't taken more than a few steps when the voice rang out again, carrying a warning: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, I advise you to keep your distance from the Wang family, lest you bring trouble upon yourself."

Jiang Fu'an seemed not to hear him and walked straight to the empty seat in the corner.

The auction venue was crowded and noisy, and he didn't want to become the center of attention there.

The stone behind him suddenly stopped and clenched its fists tightly at its sides.

This person dared to threaten them to their face; it was an utter disgrace to the Jiang family.

Seeing that his father had no intention of paying attention, he had no choice but to suppress his anger and follow after him.

The three of them sat down at a table in the corner.

Wang Zhichuan's face was still grim. He introduced in a low voice, "That person just now was the eldest son of the Zhao family of Huachi."

"He is a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator with an arrogant and domineering personality. The injuries on Zhiyue's body were inflicted by him."

"We had already backed down, yet he still dared to provoke us in public; it's nothing short of a petty person getting their way."

Jiang Fu'an understood after hearing this.

No wonder the other party could guess his identity at a glance.

He hadn't expected that, despite his desire to avoid a direct conflict with the Zhao family, they would actively draw him into their hostile circle.

It seems I'll have to be more careful around the Zhao family from now on.

We need to find their weaknesses —

Ideally, it should be a fatal blow, ensuring the Zhao family can never recover.

Seeing that Wang Zhichuan still had a sullen face, Jiang Fu'an smiled and said, "Fellow Daoist Wang, there is no need to be angry. This man has only won a small battle, but he has become complacent and made enemies everywhere."

"With this kind of mentality, one will hardly amount to anything in this life and will not go far."

"What Fellow Daoist Jiang said is absolutely right."

Wang Zhichuan forced a smile.

They sat for about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea when the gray-robed old man beside the central wooden cabinet cleared his throat. His loud voice instantly drowned out the noise in the room: "Fellow Daoists, please be quiet!"

The noise gradually subsided, and everyone's attention turned to that direction.

"The auction is now in session!"

"The rules for this auction will remain the same. However, there should be many fellow Daoists here today who are attending for the first time, so I will briefly explain a few more points."

"Today's auction items are open to bidding only with spirit stones."

"I will announce the starting price, and everyone can then raise the price, with each bid not less than one hundred spirit stones."

"Highest bidder wins; the hammer falls and the deal is done."

He spoke concisely and without wasting words, turning around and picking up an open square wooden box from the cabinet.

Inside the box was a red satin lining, on which lay a three-inch-long, entirely crimson flying sword.

"The first item is a top-grade fire-attribute flying sword forged from fire-melting crystal, named Crimson Flow."

"It is unparalleled in sharpness and carries a scorching aura when activated, making it a perfect addition to the cultivation of fire-based techniques."

"Starting bid: 1,500 spirit stones!"

"Great stuff! I'll offer 1600!"

"I will offer 1,800 spirit stones!"

As soon as the old man finished speaking, the bidding began in waves, instantly igniting the atmosphere in the room.

Several cultivators' eyes gleamed, clearly determined to obtain the flying sword.

Jiang Fu'an's heart stirred slightly.

Xuan'er also cultivates fire-based techniques, so this flying sword is quite suitable for her.

Top-grade magical artifacts are available but unavailable in all shops in Moon Spirit Market. If you miss today, who knows when you'll be able to find them again.

But after a moment's hesitation, he gave up.

Xuan'er is still young and has only just begun her cultivation.

Even if she bought the sword, she wouldn't be able to use it in the short term.

There's no need to waste this money now.

After a fierce bidding war, the price had climbed to 2,100 spirit stones.

The gray-robed elder asked loudly, "Two thousand one hundred spirit stones! Any fellow cultivators willing to bid higher?"

There was a moment of silence in the room.

"Since no one else is bidding, the deal is done! This sword belongs to this young master!"

Everyone's gaze followed the direction the old man indicated—it was the eldest son of the Zhao family.

Wang Zhichuan, sitting next to Jiang Fu'an, looked even more unpleasant.

The Wang family was already weak; if Zhao Tianhong were to acquire this top-grade flying sword, they might not even have the strength to resist anymore.

He turned to look at Jiang Fu'an, his eyes pleading: "Fellow Daoist Jiang, if one day in the future the Zhao family attacks my Wang family's mountain gate..."

Jiang Fu'an's expression was solemn, and his tone was earnest: "Fellow Daoist Wang, rest assured. Our two families have been friends for many years, and it is only right that we help each other."

"Even if you don't speak up, if that day ever comes, I, Jiang, will definitely bring Stone to lend a hand!"

That's a beautifully said statement, full of sentiment.

But Jiang Fu'an knew in his heart that it was still unknown whether the Wang family would ever meet that day.

Even if it were true, he would have to weigh the pros and cons and assess the situation before deciding whether to go or not, and how to go.

If they ultimately don't go, they can find many plausible excuses.

There's no need to refuse outright at this moment, as it would needlessly damage the relationship and ruin the current cooperation.

At this moment, the old man in gray on the stage picked up the second wooden box.

The box was opened, revealing a bottle of mutton fat jade inside.

The second item up for auction is a high-grade Spirit Gathering Pill refined by Xuan Dan Valley.

The reputation of "Xuandan Valley" needs no further explanation. As the number one cultivation sect in the Song Kingdom, its quality is absolutely guaranteed.

"This bottle contains three pills. Starting bid: 800 spirit stones. Bidding begins now!"

The moment the words "Mysterious Pill Valley" were uttered, the atmosphere in the arena became noticeably more enthusiastic.

Unlike magical artifacts, elixirs are not consumables, but essential for cultivation.

The bidding erupted like a tidal wave, several times more intense than when they were fighting for the flying sword.

Jiang Fu'an didn't rush to speak, but simply watched quietly.

Stone was getting restless, glancing at his father every now and then, as if afraid someone would snatch him away.

But he dared not ask, for fear of disturbing his father's plans.

In fact, Jiang Fu'an didn't have any special plans.

He was just too lazy to join the fray early on; he wanted to wait until there were fewer people vying for it before taking it all in one fell swoop.

Finally, when the price reached 1,200 spirit stones, only two people remained, bidding against each other.

Jiang Fu'an then spoke loudly, immediately raising the price significantly: "One thousand five hundred spirit stones!"

This price increase is substantial, demonstrating a strong determination to win.

The two competitors, along with Wang Zhichuan standing next to him, all turned to look at him in surprise.

The two competitors hesitated, exchanging glances.

Wang Zhichuan was secretly shocked, not expecting Jiang Fu'an to be so generous.

But then, thinking about the lucrative business of Lingfu Pavilion, he felt relieved.

With such a profitable shop to back it up, they can certainly afford to spend these spirit stones.

Looking at his family's increasingly dire situation, a complex mix of emotions welled up in his heart.

If this continues, it might not be long before the Jiang family's power completely surpasses that of the Wang family.

On the field, the old man asked loudly, "Five thousand five hundred spirit stones! Any further bids?"

The two competitors hesitated for a moment, then shook their heads to indicate that they were giving up.

This price is already high in the market; it's not worth arguing any further.

Just as the gray-robed old man was about to bring down the gavel, that lazy voice rang out again: "I, Zhao, offer 1,600 spirit stones."

Jiang Fu'an frowned slightly.

Not only because there were more competitors, but also because the voice came from Young Master Zhao.

Although he had no shortage of spirit stones, he was unwilling to be ripped off and pay too much for the pill.

After a moment's hesitation, Jiang Fu'an decided to add one last time.

"Seventeen hundred spirit stones."

He also looked up and gazed in Zhao Tianlu's direction.

He wanted to see if the other party was truly determined to fight him to the end.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Tianlu revealed a triumphant smile: "I, Zhao, give up."

Jiang Fu'an immediately understood that this person had no intention of buying the Spirit Gathering Pill.

The price increase was purely to disgust him.

Jiang Fu'an remained calm on the surface, but a murderous intent was quietly growing in his heart.

On the stage, the old man in the gray robe finally brought down the gavel.

"Deal! The Spirit Gathering Pill belongs to this fellow Daoist."

A beautiful young maid in a light green dress walked gracefully towards them, carrying a wooden box.

She stopped in front of Jiang Fu'an's table, bowed slightly, and presented the box with both hands.

"Sir, this is the Spirit Gathering Pill you won at the auction."

Jiang Fu'an reached in, took the jade bottle from inside, uncorked it, and brought it to his nose to sniff.

A rich medicinal fragrance immediately filled the nostrils, invigorating the spirit and making one's spiritual energy seem more active.

It is undoubtedly a top-grade Spirit Gathering Pill.

He took out 1,700 spirit stones from his storage bag and put them into the wooden tray in the maid's hand.

The maid checked the items and found nothing wrong. She bowed again and quietly withdrew.

The auction continued, with items being brought up, bids being made, and sales being completed.

But Jiang Fu'an's mind was no longer on the stage.

He kept glancing at Zhao Tianlu's table out of the corner of his eye, his mind racing.

Suddenly, a plan to use someone else to do the dirty work flashed through my mind.

Jiang Fu'an raised his hand without making a sound and gently patted the shoulder of the stone next to him.

Then he stood up and walked towards the exit passage on the side of the auction house.

Shi Tou paused, his face full of confusion, not understanding why his father would leave midway through the auction.

But he didn't ask any more questions, immediately got up, and silently followed behind his father.