Immortality begins with inheriting the myriad arts of cultivation.

After explaining, he worried that the two of them wouldn't understand.

Li Ping then explained it to them in detail.

These two kinds of spiritual items that help one achieve the Golden Core stage.

Qionghua Liquid can increase the probability of achieving half of the Core Formation stage; it is a relatively common Core Formation spiritual item.

The Heavenly Purification Water is much more effective than the Jade Flower Liquid, increasing the probability of Core Formation by 10%, making it a top-quality item among Core Formation spiritual items.

However, with such a significant increase in the probability of forming a Golden Core, its price will also be considerably higher.

If you're lucky, you might be able to buy Qionghua Liquid for around 20,000 spirit stones, while Tianjing Water will definitely fetch over 40,000 spirit stones.

After explaining, Li Ping smiled and asked the two, "What kind of spiritual creature do you want to photograph?"

He estimated that the two would choose Qionghua Liquid, since the auction price of Heavenly Pure Water was almost equivalent to that of a magic weapon, and the two probably didn't have that many spirit stones on them.

Of course, this does not mean that the value of the Heavenly Pure Water can be compared to that of a magic weapon.

The main reason is that these kinds of spiritual items are traded among Core Formation cultivators through barter. Anyone who tries to buy spiritual items with spirit stones would be laughed at.

Now, bidding with spirit stones at auctions can result in a premium.

Furthermore, with many cultivators vying for the items at the auction, the price naturally skyrockets.

To Li Ping's surprise, Cheng Yao remained silent for a moment before asking, "Brother, can 40,000 spirit stones guarantee we'll get the Heavenly Pure Water?"

"Um?"

Li Ping glanced at her with some surprise. Seeing her serious expression, he shook his head slightly and said cautiously, "I can only say that this is a normal price, but whether we can actually bid for the Heavenly Purification Water at 40,000 spirit stones... I can't say for sure."

"Phew!" Cheng Yao breathed a sigh of relief.

After struggling for a long time, her eyes gradually hardened, and she smiled and said, "Big brother, I've decided to bid for the Heavenly Pure Water. I'll need your help then."

Li Ping nodded: "Okay, you guys will come with me to the big auction."

……

After seeing Cheng Yao and her husband off, Li Ping couldn't help but be surprised by Cheng Yao's decision.

Forty thousand spirit stones was nothing to him, but for the Foundation Establishment Immortal Clan, it was an unaffordable sum.

Where did Cheng Yao get so many spirit stones?

Even with the support of Zhang Tie, Gu Musheng, and Bai Qing, could they possibly gather so many spirit stones for Cheng Yao?

"It's not impossible, after all, that kid Gu Musheng..." Li Ping shook his head slightly.

He remembered that when Cheng Yao came to visit him not long ago, she told him that in addition to the Wang family's own efforts over the past hundred years, Gu Musheng had also contributed a lot of spirit stones.

Li Ping had long recognized that Gu Musheng was a talented individual.

He was the most business-savvy person in the Fellowship. Before reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, he ran a small shop on his own and earned a fortune equivalent to that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

For more than 120 years after he reached the Foundation Establishment stage, he spent most of his time managing the Wanfa Pavilion.

With the backing of the Immortal City's official government, he has likely amassed a considerable fortune through his abilities.

Now, perhaps sensing the danger of the situation and realizing that he himself had no hope of forming his core, he simply took out a large sum of spirit stones to help Wang Xingwei form his core.

Li Ping didn't know what to say about this.

They amassed so many spirit stones in just over a hundred years, and with the addition of the Meng family and other Yuanxun families, it's no wonder that Ziyun Valley was so eager to get involved in the management of the Immortal City.

Moreover, once they settled in the Immortal City, they marginalized all the original managers.

If this continues unchecked, Fenglan Immortal City will suffer losses.

Li Ping snapped out of his reverie and cleared his mind of the jumbled thoughts: "I hope they can successfully bid for Tianjingshui."

If the difference is within 10,000 spirit stones, he will lend it to Cheng Yao temporarily, as long as they repay it in the future.

……

The problem of the Core Formation spiritual items needed by Cheng Yao and her husband has been solved, but the four spiritual items that Li Ping needs are not on the auction list at all.

This disappointed him greatly.

After all, this meant he could only place all his hopes on the Core Formation cultivator exchange event following the grand auction.

A year later, the grand auction held in Donghuashan Market finally began.

Accompanying the grand auction was a special promotional event at the market.

A large number of cultivators flocked to Donghua Mountain from all directions, and the market was overcrowded. Many cultivators could not find suitable accommodation in the market and simply stayed at the foot of the mountain.

Despite the market's best efforts to maintain order, the large number of cultivators gathered, including demonic cultivators and other supernatural beings, made the situation difficult.

The security situation near Donghua Mountain inevitably deteriorated, and news of the extermination of a certain Qi Refining Immortal Clan could be heard from time to time.

Due to the large number of items to be auctioned, the grand auction will last for about half a month.

Li Ping wasn't interested in the items auctioned earlier, so he didn't participate. It wasn't until ten days after the auction started that he occasionally appeared at the auction house and bid on some rare spiritual herbs that were not old enough, intending to use the Spirit Island to cultivate them to a sufficient age before refining them into pills.

During the auction, he also noticed that some spiritual materials that could be used to create low-grade third-tier puppets had appeared.

During the auction, he also noticed that some spiritual materials that could be used to create low-grade third-tier puppets had appeared.

However, Li Ping no longer values ​​the combat power of a low-grade third-tier puppet. He plans to go all out and directly refine a high-grade third-tier puppet.

Therefore, he completely ignored these spiritual materials...

Time quickly passed to the last day of the auction, on which the most valuable items were auctioned.

Early in the morning, Cheng Yao brought Wang Xingwei to Li Pingdong's residence, eagerly requesting an audience.

Seeing Cheng Yao's nervous expression, Li Ping couldn't help but smile: "Let's go to the auction now."

Immediately, the four of them flew together toward the "Heavenly Treasure Hall" where the auction was being held.

Upon landing outside the Tianbao Hall, Li Ping took out the token he had obtained from the market, and at the same time released the aura of a Core Formation cultivator.

Immediately, a Foundation Establishment cultivator rushed over and respectfully bowed, saying, "Senior Li, you've arrived. This junior will take you to the VIP room on the second floor."

Li Ping nodded and followed, walking up the stairs into the second-floor private room amidst the awe and envy of the lower-level cultivators.

A moment later, two beautiful maids at the Qi Refining stage served spiritual fruits and spiritual tea.

The older maidservant said respectfully, "Senior, my sister and I are waiting outside the door. If you need anything, just tell us."

Li Ping smiled and nodded: "Go ahead."

On the second floor of the Tianbao Hall, there are about forty or fifty private rooms, which are reserved for Core Formation cultivators and those with great influence.

Apart from the private rooms on the second floor, the first floor consists of rows of seats arranged haphazardly, with a few people already sparsely seated.

Directly in front of the main hall, about a hundred feet away, stands a raised stone platform, which is the auction stage.

Seeing Cheng Yao's uneasy appearance, Li Ping said softly, "Wait a little longer, the auction is about to begin."

……

The group entered the private room, and before long, the auction officially began.

However, even after the auction began, latecomers continued to enter the hall one after another.

The auctions held a few days ago were hosted by a white-haired late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Gu. Today, he is hosting the auctions again, but Old Monster Crimson Thunder is also present and personally announces the start of the auctions, implying that he intends to oversee the auctions.

With his mid-stage Core Formation cultivation, as long as the few late-stage Core Formation cultivators in the Western Wilderness don't come, he will be the most powerful cultivator in the hall. With him present, the other Core Formation cultivators will give him face and won't cause trouble recklessly.

Li Ping scanned the venue with his divine sense and found that, in addition to himself, there were seven other Core Formation cultivators sitting calmly in private rooms on the second floor.

The Foundation Establishment cultivator surnamed Gu smiled and cupped his hands in greeting to the cultivators present: "Thank you all for your kindness, seniors and fellow Daoists. Today, I, Gu, will once again preside over the auction."

"A bottle of Essence Pills contains six pills. These pills are of Grade 2, High Grade, and are made from precious materials. They are helpful for mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage. The starting bid is 7,000 spirit stones, and each bid must be at least 500 spirit stones higher," the old man surnamed Gu introduced with a smile.

For cultivators stuck at the peak of the mid-Foundation Establishment stage, the Essence Pill is a precious spiritual item.

Therefore, as soon as he announced the start of the bidding, people immediately started bidding.

The price soared, and it was eventually bought by an unknown cultivator for 9,500 spirit stones.

Li Ping noticed that just as the nameless cultivator successfully bid for the Essence Pill, several cultivators sitting next to him also showed expressions of joy.

He quickly realized that these cultivators must have bought the Essence Pills in a group, and the pills would be redistributed according to their respective investment ratios after they were received.

After the Essence Pill, the auction items were all ordinary, none of which interested Li Ping, and he didn't bother to pay attention to them.

As the event approached its second half, some valuable items began to appear, prompting VIPs in the second-floor private rooms to bid.

"Flowing Silk Skirt, a second-tier superior-grade magic robe, possesses the effects of dust repellency, lightness, and protection. Its protective ability is comparable to that of an ordinary second-tier magic weapon. Starting bid is 1,800 spirit stones, with each bid increment not less than 100 spirit stones."

Li Ping noticed that just as the elderly man surnamed Gu was introducing a long, emerald-green dress, Meng Wanjun's eyes suddenly lit up, and it was clear that she really liked the robe.

After hesitating for a moment, he thought of how Meng Wanjun had taken care of the two beasts during his years of seclusion.

Li Ping bid 2,500 spirit stones to acquire the Flowing Silk Skirt, which he then gave to Meng Wanjun as a reward.

"Thank you, young master." Meng Wanjun accepted the robe with a sweet smile on her face.

Li Ping smiled and encouraged her: "Keep up the good work and raise both spirit beasts to the third rank."

"Yes, Wanjun will try her best."

Wang Xingwei was curious about the style of the flowing skirt and wanted to borrow it to take a look so he could buy Cheng Yao a similar one later.

Cheng Yao quickly pinched his thigh to stop him from talking nonsense.

Wang Xingwei looked puzzled and somewhat aggrieved.

Before they knew it, the auction was nearing its end, and some treasures that even Core Formation cultivators were bidding against each other for finally appeared.

Once a Core Formation cultivator calls out a price, the Foundation Establishment cultivators below will obediently give up.

After all, even if they could out-find a Core Formation cultivator within this Heavenly Treasure Hall, what difference would it make?

Aren't you afraid of being exposed by Core Formation cultivators after you go out?

"Qionghua Liquid..." The old man surnamed Gu introduced the first spiritual item for Core Formation.

Cheng Yao stared at him nervously, beads of sweat glistening on her forehead.