Starting with warding off evil and disaster, one can ascend to immortality after countless tribulati

Outside the vermilion gate, Jiang Ming handed over the invitation. After the guard checked it and confirmed it was correct, he immediately bowed respectfully, his eyes full of deference.

"Please come in, esteemed guest. Please take your seat according to the number on your invitation. My young lady will be here shortly."

Upon entering the hall, Jiang Ming was greeted by a cacophony of voices. Looking around, he noticed that there were only thirty seats available.

Most of them have arrived now, and everyone present is dressed smartly and looks beautiful.

Just by looking at him, you can tell he comes from an extraordinary family and is quite wealthy.

In no time, the spacious hall was packed with people.

Wearing a red bodycon dress, Cheng Ya arrived late. Despite not wearing any makeup, her fair and beautiful skin was still striking.

Her appearance wasn't exceptionally beautiful, but she had a very pleasant look, with bright eyes and white teeth, giving off a graceful and generous vibe.

"You have come from afar, which is an honor for the Cheng family. You are all discerning people, so I will not waste my time."

The first competing item is "The True Explanation of Talismans" by Master Huang Wei, a master of talismanic arts. Among the various arts of cultivating immortality, the talismanic path is mysterious and unpredictable.

When used properly, it can solve many problems. The starting bid is one hundred spirit stones, and each bid must be at least ten spirit stones higher.

"Wow, that's some serious stuff right off the bat. This competitor's product is probably more than just what's listed in the catalog. I'll bid 110!"

……

"One hundred and fifty!"

The price skyrocketed, reaching two hundred spirit stones in an instant.

Huang Wei, just by listening to his name, is clearly an amateur.

Resisting the urge to bid, Jiang Ming reluctantly gave up the idea, as he didn't have any extra funds.

The meager five hundred spirit stones must be used wisely.

Fire Spirit Stone and Dragon Blood Flower are the two treasures he absolutely must obtain; other things can wait.

Don't bite off more than you can chew. There will be plenty of time to study these secret manuals on the arts of cultivation in the future, so there's no need to rush.

After waiting patiently for a long time, Jiang Ming's gaze instantly turned fiery as Cheng Ya held up a bright red flower.

"Dragon Blood Flower, according to legend, was born in the place where a true dragon fell. It is very beneficial for tempering the body and replenishing blood and qi. Starting bid is one hundred spirit stones." She gracefully bent down and put down the Dragon Blood Flower.

After Cheng Ya gave her quote, the atmosphere became somewhat awkward.

The greatest use of dragon blood flower, unless it is used for alchemy, is to enhance physical strength.

However, looking across the entire world, only two sects still retain the lineage of body cultivation.

Therefore, this item was quite useless to everyone present, and most people actually had no use for it at all.

"One hundred spirit stones." An old woman with gray hair raised her hand, breaking the silence first.

Upon hearing her speak, the expressions of everyone present changed slightly, and for a moment, no one dared to compete with her.

This person was named Granny Jin Hua. Although she was a rogue cultivator with no background, she possessed the cultivation level of the late stage of the Qi Absorption Realm. With little time left to live, she naturally did not want to miss this item, as it was believed to have the effect of prolonging her life.

"One hundred and ten spirit stones, Granny. I'm preparing to refine a batch of seventh-grade pills, and I need these kinds of spirit herbs as an aid. Could you please give this to the younger generation?"

"Once the elixir is completed, I would like to offer one as a gift to wish you longevity." The richly dressed young man cupped his hands in a friendly gesture, blinked, and earnestly requested.

She glanced back at him and smiled kindly. "Since Master Guhe's beloved disciple has spoken, how could this old woman bear to refuse? There are more than just this one treasure for prolonging life. In that case, I will not compete for it."

Before the boy could even feel happy, Jiang Ming had already raised the price, "One hundred and twenty spirit stones."

Raising an eyebrow and glaring at Jiang Ming, the young man's face darkened, and he tentatively said, "One hundred and thirty."

"One hundred and forty." Ignoring the other party, Jiang Ming continued to raise the price, though he couldn't help feeling a pang of pain in his heart.

However, this is a necessary sacrifice in order to break through to the next level of the "Eternal Immortality Scripture".

"Fellow Daoist, are you truly determined to oppose me? This flower is so big, can you even finish using it all!"

I won't raise the price. How about we split it 50/50?

Frustrated, the boy slammed his thigh down. Clearly unwilling to waste too many spirit stones on this item, he spoke with a stern face and some displeasure, trying to quell the dispute.

"I am seriously ill and about to die. I desperately need this to save my life. If there is any left over, I will personally visit you." Jiang Ming raised his hands and clasped his hands in a fist salute, casually making up a lie.

The young man fell silent, his throat bobbing, and he said with some shame, "I was being too aggressive. My master is the chief alchemist of the Ye Family Chamber of Commerce."

If you have any dragon blood flowers left over, just come to the Chamber of Commerce and I'll help ease your financial burden.

The Ye Family Chamber of Commerce? Why would I even bother going there?

With a knowing look, Jiang Ming nodded in acknowledgment and then stopped looking at the boy, fearing that he might get involved with him and attract the pursuit of the evil spirits of the Great Forest.

……

After this brief interlude, the auction continued in full swing.

Several treasures in succession reached the high price of three hundred spirit stones, and Cheng Ya couldn't help but feel very happy.

He bent down and picked up a jeweled box, saying mysteriously, "The next item in the auction is very targeted."

For cultivators who cultivate in the furnace fire realm, this is simply not to be missed. Everyone here knows more or less about the effects of fire elemental stones.

Without further ado, the starting bid is 150 spirit stones.

"Tsk tsk, it's a pity it doesn't match my rank; this treasure is out of my reach."

"The Wanfa Sect has two Foundation Establishment True Persons who cultivate the Furnace Fire, and the neighboring Yan Kingdom even has six."

According to my ancestor, a position can only guide a maximum of ten Foundation Establishment cultivators. After so many years, the positions are probably already full.

Cultivators who cultivate the fire within the furnace are fortunate, as their potential for growth is predetermined from the start.

……

Listening to the discussions of the crowd, Jiang Ming couldn't help but glance sideways.

Among these things, there were some things he was unaware of.

No wonder there are so few Foundation Establishment cultivators. It turns out that it's like a thousand troops crossing a single-plank bridge. No matter how many Qi Refining cultivators yearn to reach the Foundation Establishment stage, they all want to achieve the same goal.

Ultimately, only ten people can succeed.

"Two hundred spirit stones!" Without much hesitation, Jiang Ming quickly offered his price.

Whether or not one can establish a foundation is a matter for later; the most urgent task is to acquire the Fire Element Stone and prepare for the sixth rank.

"Two hundred and fifty spirit stones."

People turned their attention, and a male and a female swordsman joined the competition.

The two seemed to be from the same faction and had a close relationship. Hearing their offer, Jiang Ming couldn't help but frown.

If they keep pursuing us relentlessly, we'll probably have a hard time getting our hands on the Fire Element Stone.

There were many cultivators from the Furnace Fire Realm present, but many of them had already crossed the threshold of the sixth rank and did not participate in the bidding.

Looking at Jiang Ming and the two swordsmen fighting, his eyes were full of memories.

"Besides Earth Spirit Milk, Fire Element Stone is the most suitable auxiliary material for cultivators who cultivate in the furnace."

Without this item, it is extremely difficult to break through the bottleneck from the fifth to the sixth rank. Unfortunately, this item is rare and most of them are possessed by cultivation families.

"If I hadn't been lucky enough to obtain a small bottle of Spiritual Milk back then, I wouldn't be at the late stage of the Qi Absorption Realm now."

"Although Fire Element Stones are expensive, Earth Spirit Milk is even more rare and hard to come by."

Let's see which of these little guys has the most money...

"Three hundred spirit stones." Amid the discussions, Jiang Ming raised the price again, having already made his decision. He could only come up with a maximum of 400 spirit stones at the moment.

If the other party offers a higher price, we will have to give up this time.

"Three hundred and one." The two swordsmen frowned as they looked at Jiang Ming, and seemed to be in a bad mood as well. After communicating for a while, they slowly offered their price.

"Three hundred and fifty spirit stones." He added forty spirit stones in one go.

The two swordsmen immediately fell silent, whispered to each other for a moment, then, clutching their long swords, shook their heads, sighed, and rose from their seats.

My name is Jiang Ming. By the time you read this, I am already in dire straits, my life hanging by a thread!