Elderly Martial Saint: Sixty Times the Cultivation Speed ​​at the Start

When Yi Yang learned the news from Xu Min, he simply tapped his fingers rhythmically twice on the table and asked:

"A master from the Hidden Dragon Ranking?"

"Yes, sir!"

Xu Min, his face filled with shock and admiration, said, "One is an elder from the Enforcement Hall of the Heavenly Heart Sect, his name is... oh right, Chu Tiankuo! He's ranked 263rd on the Hidden Dragon Ranking! The other is a sword cultivator from the Ten Thousand Swords Valley named Bai Yuchen, ranked even higher, 259th!"

"Both of them arrived riding exotic beasts. When Bai Yuchen from Ten Thousand Swords Valley flew over the city gate on a bird, everyone in the city came out to watch! The spectacle was quite something!"

Xu Min gestured as if he had seen it with his own eyes and said, "I heard that even Deputy Inspector Jiang Zhongtian's ranking on the Hidden Dragon List is lower than these two."

Yi Yang didn't speak. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table twice, his eyes calm as he pondered in his heart.

Xu Min stood aside, not daring to disturb them.

The room was very quiet, with only the sound of fingertips tapping on the table.

Yi Yang thought to himself, "The Hidden Dragon Ranking is a list that gathers the most outstanding Tongxuan Realm experts in the Great Yu Dynasty. It is a list used by the Great Yu Dynasty to record the strength of all Tongxuan Realm experts within its territory, and it is updated by the Imperial City Secret Service every three years. Every expert on it is someone whose stomp can shake a prefecture."

Would a master of this caliber condescend to personally travel to an auction in a major local town?

impossible.

Even the most prestigious auction wouldn't warrant someone of this caliber condescending to make such a grand entrance.

One is Chu Tiankuo, the other is Bai Yuchen.

Tianxin Sect, Wanjian Valley.

The two most powerful sects outside Qingzhou City have both sent elders of this caliber. If there's nothing fishy about this, Yi Yang wouldn't believe it.

Hengyue Town is now a boiling pot of water.

Various prefectural powers, the Imperial City Trade Bureau, the Southern Frontier Witch Kingdom, the Nine Evil Sects... now even the most powerful sects in Qingzhou have reached out.

Yi Yang recalled the things he had encountered before: Li Chengyan of the Nine Rivers Sect, the martial artists of the Witch Kingdom, and the Blood Envoy of the Nine Evils Sect whom he had killed.

Behind every event, there is an unseen hand driving it.

Now two more experts from the Hidden Dragon Ranking have arrived.

This game of chess is getting bigger and bigger. He secretly reminded himself that although he has now broken through to the Profound Realm, he is still just an insignificant little player in this grand game.

One wrong step can lead to utter ruin.

"It seems we'll have to keep this auction more low-key," Yi Yang decided.

"grown ups?"

Xu Min cautiously probed.

Yi Yang snapped out of his thoughts and said calmly, "I understand."

"Any other news?"

"By the way, sir," Xu Min added, "the Qizhen Pavilion sent word that they have reserved exclusive private rooms for the top 100 experts on the Heroes List, and they can enter with just a token."

Yi Yang nodded; this saved him a lot of trouble.

He looked at Xu Min and instructed, "While I was away, did you manage all the people I was assigned to oversee?"

Xu Min quickly straightened his back: "Don't worry, sir! They're all training in the courtyard, and not one of them dares to go out and cause trouble! The money has all been distributed, and those kids are training like madmen now!"

"Um."

Yi Yang responded and waved his hand, indicating that he could leave.

Xu Min bowed and left, closing the door behind him.

The room fell silent again. Yi Yang stood up, walked to the window, and looked out at the night view of Hengyue Town in the distance.

The place was brightly lit and bustling with activity.

But he knew that beneath this prosperity, undercurrents were surging, and the arrival of the two experts from the Hidden Dragon Ranking would inevitably disrupt the existing balance.

He cannot be the center of the storm.

Yi Yang turned around, took out a set of dark-colored martial arts clothes from his storage ring and changed into them. He activated the "Concealing Breath Without Form Technique" to continue suppressing his cultivation at the late stage of the True Qi Realm.

The aura of the Profound Realm was completely concealed.

After doing all this, he sat down again, closed his eyes, and regulated his breathing. No matter how the outside world changed, he only needed to do one thing well.

Keep a low profile and steadily improve your strength.

……

A day later, night fell.

The nights in the important town of Yokogake are even more bustling than the days.

Yi Yang changed into an ordinary dark-colored martial arts outfit, wrapped the jet-black Xuan Yuan Blade with strips of cloth, carried it on his back, and walked alone towards the "Tian Yun Ya Ge" in the center of the city.

Tianyun Pavilion, a seven-story building with flying eaves and brackets, is brightly lit, resembling a palace standing in the bustling city.

The area in front of the gate was bustling with activity, with luxury cars and exotic animals everywhere. Countless martial artists and merchants crowded at the entrance, blocking the entire street.

Yi Yang presented the palm-sized jade token sent by Qizhen Pavilion.

Upon seeing this, the guard's impatient expression vanished instantly, replaced by a respectful one as he said:

He personally opened a side door for Yi Yang and led him into a private passage.

The ordinary martial artists who were still waiting in line all cast envious and gossipy glances at them.

"Who is that person? How come they can use the private channel?"

"That figure looks familiar... like someone from the List of Heroes!"

"I remember now! It's that commander from Suining Prefecture, Yi Yang! Ranked fifty-eighth on the Heroes List! I heard he single-handedly took on several major forces in White Fish City!"

"Tsk tsk, I heard he's the commander of the Suining Prefecture's Sky Patrol Division. He looks so young yet he has such strength, that's amazing."

Yi Yang ignored the surrounding discussions.

The private passageway was spacious and quiet, with soft and expensive carpets on the floor and luminous pearls the size of longan trees embedded in the walls, illuminating the passageway as bright as day.

He was about to go up the stairs.

Behind me, I heard a soft sound of footsteps.

Yi Yang subconsciously turned around, glanced at it only once, and then turned back as if nothing had happened.

He recognized the person behind him. Judging from the other person's attire and the strength emanating from him, it should be Han Ji, an elder of the Tianxin Sect.

Beside Han Ji was a woman with a graceful figure and an arrogant expression.

Yi Yang also recognized the woman; she was Xie Tinglan, the elder of the Zhuxi Sect whom he had met before.

Previously at the inn in Heyu County, it was this woman who provoked the Zhenfuwei, and was eventually driven away by He Ming, the commander of the Xifeng Cavalry.

At this moment, she was intimately holding Han Ji's arm, and the two were walking side by side, their behavior affectionate, clearly indicating that their relationship was not ordinary.

Yi Yang remained expressionless, withdrew his gaze, ignored the two people, and continued upstairs on his own.

His attitude did not escape Han Ji's notice.

Han Ji narrowed his eyes slightly. He recognized the figure from behind, turned his head, and whispered a question to Xie Tinglan beside him.

"It's him?"

"It's him!" Xie Tinglan's voice was filled with suppressed resentment. She snorted coldly and gritted her teeth, saying, "It's this fool who embarrassed me in public in Heyu County!"

"Didn't you say he wouldn't survive past the Ten Thousand Demon Mountains? How come he ended up here?!"

A fleeting, barely perceptible embarrassment crossed Han Ji's face.

He then gave a disdainful smile and patted Xie Tinglan's hand reassuringly, saying:

"Don't worry, I'll get revenge for you."

"Just a peasant from the Sky Patrol Bureau, he's just too tough."

He lowered his voice, his tone carrying a hint of disdain and arrogance as he made his promise:

"Last time, it was because we were wary of that madman Jiang Zhongtian. Now it's different."

"Elder Chu from our Enforcement Hall is here in person. He's a figure on the Hidden Dragon List, ranked more than ten places higher than Jiang Zhongtian. With him in charge in the city, who do I need to be beholden to?"

Upon hearing this, a glint of excitement flashed in Xie Tinglan's eyes.

But she still said with some unease, "But Jiang Zhongtian is, after all, a deputy inspector. Wouldn't it be...?"

"rest assured."

Han Ji interrupted her, his tone so confident it bordered on arrogant:

"There will be plenty of opportunities after the auction."

"I will show him what the consequences are for offending you and our Heavenly Heart Sect."

The two exchanged a few words in hushed tones and then headed straight for a luxurious private room several floors higher than Yi Yang's.

……

Led by a maid, Yi Yang entered a private room on the third floor.

The private room wasn't large, but it was decorated quite elegantly. The window seat offered a clear view of the entire auction stage, and on the table were spiritual fruits that Yi Yang couldn't name and fragrant tea snacks.

He walked to the window and sat down on the soft couch.

Through that specially made crystal window, one can see the view of the lobby downstairs in one direction.

The auction hall was already full of people, and the noisy conversations could be heard through the barrier, making them indistinct.

Yi Yang picked up his teacup and took a small sip.

His gaze calmly swept across the hall, while his divine sense quietly spread out.

He could clearly sense powerful auras hidden around him and on the floors above.

Several of them had already reached the Profound Realm.

Clearly, those present tonight are all prominent figures from the important town of Hengyue.

Yi Yang suppressed all outward aura, completely blending himself into the shadows of the private room, quietly waiting for the auction to begin.

……

at the same time.

Tianyun Yage, top floor.

Inside an extremely luxurious secret room.

Lin Qi, the owner of Qizhen Pavilion, was respectfully pouring tea for the two distinguished guests.

There are very few people in the entire Hengyue stronghold who could make this powerful expert, who is at the fourth level of the Tongxuan realm, "Guixuan", lower his posture like this.

Sitting opposite him was Lu Zui, the master of "Mountain and River Fist," and his granddaughter, Lu Qinglan, who was famous in the town.

While pouring tea, Lin Qi subtly probed Lu Qinglan's direction with his divine sense.

He was very curious whether this so-called "Number One Hero of Hengyue" had actually broken through to the Tongxuan Realm.

However, his divine sense had only just reached a three-foot radius around the other party.

It was gently bounced back by a force that seemed soft but was actually incredibly strong.

Lin Qi's expression changed slightly in an instant. He immediately withdrew his divine sense, and a fine layer of cold sweat had already seeped out from his forehead.

"snort."

Lu Zui, sitting to the side, didn't even lift his eyelids, only letting out a cold snort from his nose.

This hum, though light and airy, felt like an invisible mountain pressing down on Lin Qi.

Lin Qi's expression changed slightly, and he immediately withdrew his divine sense, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.

He quickly bowed and apologized repeatedly, saying, "Senior Lu, please forgive me. I was very presumptuous!"

He dared not have any more thoughts of probing and quickly changed the subject, saying respectfully, "The distinguished guests have all taken their seats in the private rooms. The two from Tianxin Sect and Wanjian Valley, as well as... Deputy Inspector Jiang Zhongtian, have also arrived."

Upon hearing Jiang Zhongtian's name, Lu Zui nodded slightly.

He stood up, walked to the window, stood with his hands behind his back, and gazed intently at the myriad lights of Hengyue Town outside the window.

"Jiang Zhongtian..."

He spoke softly, his voice carrying a sense of the vicissitudes of time, "That Jiang Zhongtian used to be by someone's side, but now he's quite a figure."

He paused, then added, "But compared to the person who was by his side back then, he's still far from being as good."

Lu Qinglan listened quietly to her grandfather's somewhat desolate figure, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes.

She asked softly, "Grandpa, did we really come to Hengyue Town just... for that item at the auction?"

Lu Zui did not answer.

He simply turned his back to her, waved his hand, and gestured for her not to ask any more questions.

The grandfather and grandson, then led by Lin Qi, went to the top floor, to the VIP room that was never open to the public.

After seeing off Lu Zui and his grandson, Lin Qi stood alone in the empty secret room and let out a long breath.

He raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, a complex and unreadable expression flashing in his eyes as he thought, "So many important people... are all here for that thing."

He muttered to himself, "This auction... is probably not going to be peaceful."

He shook his head, turned around, and walked towards the auction hall downstairs.

This auction, which is destined to be extraordinary, is about to begin.