The Longevity Family: Starting from the Foundation Establishment Ancestor

Three days later, in Tianyuan City, at Wanbaolou.

The trade fair was being held on the third floor of Wanbaolou, which was lavishly decorated today. The hall was circular, with the auction stage in the center and three tiers of private rooms surrounding it, all of which were now filled with cultivators from various races. Han Li, accompanied by three law enforcement officers, took his seat in an ordinary private room on the second floor. He had spent three thousand spirit stones to reserve this spot; although it wasn't in the front, the view was still acceptable.

"clang!"

A crisp gong rang out, and an elderly man in the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, dressed in a brocade robe, slowly walked onto the auction stage. The old man had white hair and beard, but a ruddy complexion and a deep aura. He was none other than Jin Buhuan, the owner of Wanbaolou in this area.

"Welcome, fellow Daoists, to the Wanbaolou Trade Fair. I am Jin Buhuan, and I will be hosting the event today." Jin Buhuan's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "As you all know, the highest bidder wins. If you don't have enough spirit stones, you can use treasures of equivalent value to offset the difference. Now, let's begin with the first item—a bottle of five fifth-grade elixirs, 'Tianyuan Pills,' which can help Nascent Soul cultivators break through to a minor realm. The starting bid is 50,000 mid-grade spirit stones."

"Fifty-five thousand!"

"Sixty thousand!"

Bidding was in full swing. The Heavenly Origin Pill was a hard currency for Nascent Soul cultivators, and it was eventually sold for 85,000 spirit stones.

The next items up for auction included magical treasures, cultivation techniques, spiritual materials, and talismans, each one incredibly valuable. Han Li took a liking to several items, but considering that the Spirit Cleansing Liquid hadn't appeared yet, he didn't make a move.

"The next item up for auction is a replica of the ancient ice-attribute magic weapon, the 'Ice Soul Sword.'" Jin Buhuan's voice rose slightly. "Although this sword is a replica, it uses three drops of genuine Ice Soul Sword Spirit Liquid, making its power comparable to a mid-grade ancient treasure. It is especially suitable for cultivators with ice-elemental roots. Starting bid: 120,000 mid-grade spirit stones!"

A replica of the Ice Soul Sword? Han Li's heart skipped a beat. The Ice Soul Sword in his hand was the genuine article, but this replica might be worth bidding on, as it could be used as a reference for weapon forging techniques. Moreover, Han Ling'er had an ice spirit root, so this sword would be useful to her.

"150,000."

"180,000."

Two hundred thousand.

The price quickly exceeded 300,000. Ice-attribute magic treasures are already rare, and this imitation is quite powerful, attracting many ice-elemental cultivators to compete for it.

"Four hundred thousand," Han Li quoted.

"Four hundred and fifty thousand." A cold female voice came from the opposite compartment.

"Five hundred thousand," Han Li followed up.

"Five hundred and fifty thousand," the woman replied without hesitation.

Han Li hesitated for a moment, then finally gave up. His main goal was the Spirit Cleansing Liquid, and he couldn't afford to waste too many spirit stones.

The replica of the Ice Soul Sword was sold for 550,000 spirit stones and was won by the woman who spoke.

Midway through the auction, Jin Buhuan took out a jade bottle containing three drops of milky white liquid that emitted a faint fragrance.

"Next up is one of the highlights of this auction—three drops of Spirit Cleansing Liquid!" Jin Buhuan announced loudly. "This liquid comes from the Spirit Cleansing Pool, and only three drops condense every hundred years. It can cleanse impurities from spiritual roots and improve cultivation aptitude. It is most effective for Nascent Soul and Deity Transformation cultivators. The starting bid is 100,000 mid-grade spirit stones, and each bid must be at least 10,000!"

"150,000!"

"Two hundred thousand!"

"Two hundred and fifty thousand!"

The bidding instantly intensified. The Spirit Cleansing Elixir was extremely rare; its ability to improve one's aptitude meant faster cultivation and easier breakthroughs, making it a priceless treasure for any cultivator.

Han Li didn't rush to bid; he observed quietly. The price quickly surpassed 500,000, leaving only five private rooms participating in the auction. Three of them were disciples of Nascent Soul cultivators, one was a direct descendant of a powerful family, and the other's identity was unknown.

"Seven hundred thousand." A voice came from a private room on the third floor. It was a disciple of the Nascent Soul cultivator "Master Xuanming".

"Eight hundred thousand." Another private room followed, occupied by a disciple of the "Heavenly Sword Sect".

"Nine hundred thousand," a direct descendant of a powerful family offered.

"One million," the unidentified person in the private room casually quoted.

With prices exceeding one million, competition has intensified. Although the Cleansing Elixir is precious, three drops are actually worth around eight hundred thousand, and it is now commanding a significant premium.

"One million two hundred thousand." Xuanming Shangren's disciple gritted his teeth and made the offer, clearly having reached his limit.

"One million three hundred thousand," a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect followed up.

"One million five hundred thousand." The direct descendant of the powerful family seemed determined to win.

"Two million." The unidentified person in the private room made another offer, raising the price by five hundred thousand.

The entire hall erupted in uproar. Two million for three drops of the Cleansing Elixir—that was more than double the original price. The disciples of Master Xuanming and the Heavenly Sword Sect fell silent, and even the direct descendants of the major families hesitated.

Han Li knew it was time to make a move.

"Two million two hundred thousand," he calmly quoted.

"Who is it again?" A cold voice came from the unidentified private room. "Two and a half million."

"Three million." Han Li replied without hesitation.

"Three and a half million!"

"Four million."

The entire room fell silent. Four million mid-grade spirit stones—that was already a year's income for a medium-sized power. The unidentified person in the private room remained silent for a long time before finally giving up.

"Four million for the first time, four million for the second time, four million for the third time! Sold!" Jin Buhuan sealed the deal with a single blow.

The Spirit Cleansing Elixir was delivered to Han Li's private room. He paid with spirit stones and carefully put away the jade bottle. Four million spirit stones had almost emptied his funds, but it was worth it for the Spirit Cleansing Elixir.

The auction continued, but Han Li had lost interest. He had achieved his main objective for this trip; now it was time to return safely to Han City.

"Elder, when do we leave?" asked team member Zhao Yuan.

"No rush, let's leave by blending into the crowd after the auction," Han Li said. He knew that many eyes were on him at this moment, and leaving rashly would be dangerous.

An hour later, the auction ended. Han Li led his team into the crowd and left Wanbaolou. They didn't go straight back to the inn, but instead circled the city a few times to make sure no one was following them before quietly returning.

"Zhao Yuan, you all stay outside. If anyone suspicious approaches, immediately raise the alarm," Han Li instructed.

"yes!"

Han Li entered the room and set up several layers of restrictions before taking out the Spirit Cleansing Liquid. The three drops of liquid in the jade bottle emitted a soft white light, and just smelling it made one feel that the spiritual energy in their body had become more active.

"It's definitely a good product." He carefully put it away, intending to hand it over to Han Mu for distribution after returning to Hancheng.

Just then, a whooshing sound came from outside the window.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!"

Three dark figures, like ghosts, pierced through the barrier and instantly appeared in the room. All three were dressed in black, wore ghost-face masks, and exuded a chilling aura—they were assassins from the Shadow Assassin Hall! Moreover, all three possessed late-stage Nascent Soul cultivation!

"Hand over the Cleansing Elixir, and I'll spare your life," the leader of the men in black said coldly.

Han Li's heart sank. The opponent's ability to penetrate his defenses silently was not to be underestimated. Moreover, this was Tianyuan City; for the opponent to dare to make a move within the city, they must either have a powerful background or be a desperate criminal.

"The Shadow Assassins' reach is truly extensive." Han Li slowly stood up, the Azure Thunder Sword already in his hand.

"Since you know it's the Shadow Assassin Hall, you should understand that resistance is futile." The man in black sneered. "The three of us working together can put up a fight even against someone in the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm. You, a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, are doomed."

"Is that so?" Han Li's eyes grew cold. "Then let's try."

Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly attacked. The Azure Thunder Sword transformed into a bolt of lightning, piercing straight at the leading man in black. At the same time, he raised his left hand, summoning the Ice Soul Pearl, instantly filling the entire room with chilling energy, causing frost to form on the floor and walls.

"Attack!" the man in black shouted, and the three of them attacked simultaneously.

One man unleashed a black banner, creating a myriad of ghostly shadows; another threw a poisoned needle, its green light flashing; the leader of the men in black then drew a blood-red dagger and thrust it straight at Han Li's throat.

"Five Elements Sword Formation, activate!"

Han Li gave a low shout, and five sword energies flew out from his body, each belonging to one of the five elements. They intertwined in the air to form a sword net, enveloping the three of them. This was the "Minor Five Elements Sword Formation" that he created after comprehending the "Primordial Chaos Sword Art" and the "Heavenly Secret Manual". Although it was not as exquisite as Han Mu's sword formation, it was more than enough to deal with cultivators of the same level.

"Clang clang clang!"

The sword energy collided with the black-clad men's magical weapon, erupting in blinding sparks. The three black-clad men were indeed quite powerful, and their excellent teamwork allowed them to withstand the first wave of attacks from the sword formation.

"Form the 'Three Talents Killing Formation'!" shouted the leader of the men in black.

The three shifted their forms, forming a triangular battle formation. The black banner, poison needles, and daggers linked their auras, their power surging, subtly suppressing the Five Elements Sword Formation.

"What a powerful combined attack technique!" Han Li thought to himself in surprise. The Shadow Assassin Hall truly lived up to its reputation as a renowned assassin organization in the Spirit Realm; this combined attack technique was no less impressive than the sect's most powerful formations.

"We can't fight for long." Han Li thought to himself and activated the Ice Soul Pearl with all his might. The pearl emitted a bright blue light, and the cold aura instantly intensified several times over, causing the three men in black to move noticeably slower.

"Now!"

He bit his tongue, spitting out a mouthful of blood essence onto the Azure Thunder Sword. The sword blazed with lightning, transforming into an azure thunder dragon that roared and pounced on the leading man in black.

"Not good!" The leader of the men in black's expression changed drastically. He tried to dodge, but the cold air greatly reduced his speed.

"puff!"

The lightning bolt pierced his chest, blood spurting out. The man in black screamed, flying backward and crashing heavily into the wall, his life fading.

"Big brother!" the other two exclaimed.

"Go!" The leader of the men in black gritted his teeth, took out a blood-red talisman, and crushed it. The talisman turned into a cloud of blood mist, enveloping the three of them and disappearing instantly.

"Blood Escape Talisman?" Han Li's eyes narrowed. This talisman is a life-saving weapon, but it severely damages one's vital energy after use, and it is difficult to recover without several years of recuperation.

He retrieved his magical artifact and inspected the room. Although the three men in black had escaped, they had left behind many traces, especially the blood-red dagger, which was a fine ancient treasure.

"The Shadow Assassins will not let this go." Han Li sheathed his dagger, deep in thought. He had to leave Tianyuan City and return to Han City as soon as possible.

"Elder, are you alright?" Zhao Yuan and the others rushed in upon hearing the commotion, and their expressions changed when they saw the room in such a mess.

"It's alright, pack your things, we'll leave tonight," Han Li said.

"But the city gates are already closed..."

"I have a way."

Half an hour later, Han Li and his group arrived at the south gate of Tianyuan City. The city gate was indeed closed, and the guards were tight. Han Li took out the jade slip given to him by Han Mu, found the contact information of the manager of "Duobaoge" (Treasure Pavilion), and sent a message.

A moment later, a chubby middle-aged cultivator rushed over; he was none other than Qian Duobao, the manager of Duobao Pavilion.

"Fellow Daoist Han, it's an honor to meet you." Qian Duobao smiled and cupped his hands. "The City Lord has sent me a message, instructing me to assist you at all costs. Please come with me; I have a way to get you out of the city."

"Thank you for your help, Manager Qian."

Qian Duobao led the group to a secluded spot beneath the city wall, where a hidden door appeared. He took out a token, pressed it against the door, and the door slowly opened.

"This gate leads directly three hundred miles outside the city. It's a secret passage for Wanbaolou, known only to a select few," Qian Duobao whispered. "After Fellow Daoist Han leaves, head west without stopping. The City Lord is already on his way to meet you."

"Thank you." Han Li cupped his hands in thanks and led his team through the small door quickly.

Outside the door was an underground passage. After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, light appeared ahead. The group stepped out and found themselves in a valley three hundred miles outside the city.

"Hurry up." Han Li summoned the flying chariot, and everyone boarded it, transforming into a streak of light as they sped westward.

Three days later, at the edge of the Qingluan Mountains.

The flying car was flying through the clouds when suddenly the space in front of it distorted, and a blue figure appeared out of thin air—it was Han Mu.

"Senior!" Han Li exclaimed in surprise.

"Let's talk inside." Han Mu entered the flying car, looked everyone over, and said, "It seems this trip went fairly smoothly."

"We've obtained the Cleansing Elixir, but the Shadow Assassin Hall has its eye on it." Han Li reported the events in Tianyuan City in detail.

After listening, Han Mu's eyes flashed with a cold light: "Shadow Assassin Hall... it seems someone doesn't want Han City to develop too quickly. I will investigate this matter. You all return to Han City first; I will handle the rest."

"Yes."

Han Mu took out another storage ring: "Inside are 300,000 spirit stones and some cultivation resources, which are your rewards for this trip. In addition, I have a plan for how to use the Spirit Cleansing Liquid. One drop for Chang Qing, one drop for Yun Ge, and the last drop for that thunder spirit root brat Han Jinglei."

"The arrangements have been made, senior."

The flying car continued its journey, escorted by Han Mu, and the trip was safe and sound. Seven days later, the group returned to Hancheng.

Han Mu stood atop the city wall, gazing towards Tianyuan City, a cold glint in his eyes.

"Shadow Assassin Hall... Since you dare to touch the people of my Han family, you must pay the price."