Chapter 102: Chapter 102: The Approaching Storm

On the day the third auction commenced, the formations of Celestial Profound City were activated, and the entire city was on high alert.

The Tier Three Profound Water Turtle personally took charge, and anyone daring to seize the Core Formation Spiritual Object would have to face the wrath of the foremost loose cultivator of the Yue Kingdom, Master Lu.

The mana fireworks exploding in the sky were seen by countless cultivators who all turned their gaze toward the direction of the Fengle Auction.

“Is the final auction about to start?!”

Under the moonlight, Lin Chang’an, seated solemnly at the Gathering Immortals Tower, looked gravely around.

The streets around were devoid of cultivators, each having hidden away in their homes.

Yet, this scene made Lin Chang’an sigh inwardly, recalling how he could only hide at home when facing turmoil.

Truly, the world is ever-changing.

With a shake of his head, he then looked toward the direction of the auction, hoping everything would go smoothly.

“Brother Lin, you’ve worked hard.”

Inside the Gathering Immortals Tower, long closed and dark, Shen Lie brought in a sumptuous spread of spiritual vegetables and spirit wine with a grave expression.

“Mr. Shen, why don’t you hide in the underground passage? Even if there’s turmoil, it won’t affect ordinary cultivators.”

Seeing Shen Lie’s nervousness, Lin Chang’an softly reassured him, and his words were not without reason.

Throughout Celestial Profound City, hundreds of Foundation Establishment cultivators maintained order, and even if there were upheavals above, they wouldn’t easily affect the below.

Unless Li Huo Palace and Profound Sound Pavilion, those two major sects, mobilized completely to jointly attack Celestial Profound City.

“Ah, this world, if only the Yue Kingdom could produce a Nascent Soul True Monarch.”

Shen Lie sighed helplessly after setting down the food and drink, his gripe reflecting the innermost thoughts of ordinary cultivators.

“Brother Lin, my abilities are inadequate to offer any help. If anything happens, you don’t need to worry about us.”

With a shake of his head, Shen Lie headed downstairs.

Currently, both he and his wife, along with Wei Buyi and his daughter, were hiding in the underground passage of the Gathering Immortals Tower.

On the top floor, leaning against the window, Lin Chang’an gazed serenely at the silent Celestial Profound City, then lowered his head to peruse the jade scroll of talisman insights given to him by Yun Yao.

Though he had become a Foundation Establishment cultivator, no longer the weak cultivator who could only hide at home, one thing remained unchanged.

Amidst a turbulent situation, he could only go with the flow, unable to influence the broader picture.

At most, he had transformed from a weak ant into a slightly stronger ant.

So now, he wanted to seize every moment to strengthen himself.

…

That night was a sleepless one for almost all the cultivators in Celestial Profound City.

The turmoil they feared didn’t occur; instead, they peacefully awaited the arrival of dawn.

“Mr. Lin.”

Sitting in the attic of the Gathering Immortals Tower, Lin Chang’an, who had spent the night reading talisman insights, was greeted by an exhilarated Chen Qing stepping in on his sword.

“Mr. Lin, your stable mindset and Dao heart truly impress me.”

Chen Qing was sincerely admiring. He had been on edge all night, while Lin Chang’an calmly sat by the window, reading a jade scroll the entire time.

No wonder Lin Chang’an could become a Tier Two Talisman Master, while he failed to break through.

It wasn’t just about effort; there was a fundamental difference in their mental states.

Lin Chang’an simply smiled and said nothing, as he couldn’t just proclaim his extraordinary talent.

“Mr. Lin, something big has happened!”

Chen Qing, beaming with excitement, eagerly relayed the news he had uncovered.

“During last night’s auction, the final item was indeed a Core Formation Spiritual Object, and you’d never guess, it was the Han family fortress that won the bid.”

“The Han family fortress?” Hearing this name, Lin Chang’an was taken aback, quickly showing a look of suspicion:

“Could it be the Han family fortress that was renowned as the Yue Kingdom’s foremost Foundation Establishment clan over thirty years ago?”

“Indeed, back then the Han family fortress was so prominent that they offended Li Huo Palace and had to flee far away. This time they’ve gambled everything.”

“Brother Lin, you wouldn’t believe it; the Han family fortress bet everything, their Foundation Establishment cultivators sacrificing three parts of their Primordial Spirit as the price to pledge allegiance to Master Lu, all to obtain this Core Formation Spiritual Object.”

Good heavens, hearing this, Lin Chang’an also felt a pang of shock.

The details were quite revealing.

That Master Lu even accepted the Han family fortress indicates talks with Li Huo Palace must have fallen through; otherwise, he wouldn’t openly accept the allegiance.

Moreover, the Han family fortress had endured a tough time after being displaced for over thirty years, prompting them to make this desperate gamble.

Otherwise, why else would they take such a risk?

Three parts of their Primordial Spirit in someone else’s hands is practically no different from slavery.

“There’s more. They say that even the Mengshan Five Friends attended last night’s auction…”

Listening to Chen Qing’s account, Lin Chang’an could envision the scene of that final auction.

It’s more like a showdown.

Based on Yun Yao’s farewell and the Han Family Fort incident, Lin Chang’an had a vague suspicion.

“What about the Profound Sound Pavilion?”

When the two major sects were mentioned, the smile on Chen Qing’s face became noticeably stiff, finally sighing helplessly and sitting by the table, pouring himself a glass of spirit wine.

Draining it in one gulp, Chen Qing shook his head solemnly and said:

“The Profound Sound Pavilion’s stance is unclear, but sect cultivators inherently look down on us loose cultivators. How could they just sit by and watch another Golden Core True Man emerge in Celestial Profound City?”

At that moment, as the auction ended, countless cultivators who attended the event poured out, making Celestial Profound City bustling once more.

However, beneath this prosperity, a deeper crisis lurked.

Upon seeing this, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but shake his head and sigh lightly.

“As for us loose cultivators, we can only wish for Celestial Profound City’s immortal fortune to be everlasting.”

Chen Qing silently nodded beside him.

They were mere loose cultivators; asking them to risk their lives for Celestial Profound City was simply impossible.

“Alas, I have no other desires in this life, only wishing to live peacefully in this Celestial Profound City, and hope the next generation makes some advances.”

Chen Qing shook his head, drank another cup of wine, and left.

The Celestial Profound City auction had ended, but the crisis was far from over.

Thus, the tasks for these Foundation Establishment cultivators remained, guarding their respective regions.

Everyone awaited Master Lu’s disciple’s Core Formation.

Many cultivators hadn’t left; instead, they lingered in Celestial Profound City.

…

Time passed, two months later.

“This ice attribute cinnabar is too expensive.”

In the market trading area, Lin Chang’an, in disguise, appeared to be haggling at a stall.

The foreign cultivator responded irritably, “Fellow Daoist, you’re already a Foundation Establishment cultivator, why are your Yue Kingdom cultivators so stingy?”

Lin Chang’an glared displeased. Was this stingy?

You never know the cost of firewood and rice until you manage a household. Even if he could earn, his expenses were equally large; naturally, he needed to be frugal.

“Alright, ice attribute cinnabar is rare, give me three bottles.”

Two months had passed since the third auction, and these Foundation Establishment cultivators still shouldered the responsibility of guarding their regions.

Master Lu did not cancel the task, but increased the rewards instead.

For loose cultivators like them, who sought a stable life, it was a cause for great joy.

He frequently visited the market trading area to exchange for cultivation materials he needed.

After acquiring the ice attribute cinnabar, Lin Chang’an roamed the market trading area, silently contemplating the information he had gathered.

“Most loose cultivators simply seek a stable living environment, so many have joined the task and left their mana aura behind, even some foreign loose cultivators have joined in.

However, some Foundation Establishment cultivators did not join, but have been secretly targeted by many cultivators.”

If you don’t join, you will be suspected of intending to cause trouble, and there’s no need for Celestial Profound City to intervene, as there are plenty of loose cultivators willing to take a gamble.

As a result, these cultivators would keep an eye on this group of people.

This situation has given these Foundation Establishment cultivators, who were hopeful for a stroke of luck, quite a headache.

Some have clearly become targets, some chose to give up and leave Celestial Profound City, while others decided to join.

Witnessing this, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but admire.

“Master Lu’s methods are truly ingenious, using loose cultivators to deal with tribulation cultivators, leaving them with almost no room.”

Lin Chang’an also felt secretly pleased, then placed the purchased ice attribute cinnabar and Tier Two talisman papers into his storage bag.

[Tier Two Lower Grade Talisman Master (Proficiency 89/500)]

Looking at his talisman master’s proficiency, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but smile contentedly.

Over these two months, he hadn’t been idle. The talisman master’s insights Yun Yao gave him made his skills grow rapidly, estimating that in just over a year, he could break through to become a Tier Two Middle Grade Talisman Master.

“I hope Yun Yao is well and not caught up in danger.”

Thinking of Yun Yao’s farewell figure, Lin Chang’an couldn’t help but sigh. At this moment, he finally recalled why that attire seemed so familiar back then.

Because those clothes were very much like what he wore back when he was in the Prince Mansion.

Decades of cultivation, Yun Yao was still the little Commandery Princess who yearned for freedom.

Then he thought about how he was just a mere loose cultivator, unable to influence these matters, and couldn’t help but laugh wryly, Lin Chang’an sighed softly.

He decided to make a few more Ice Talismans, just in case.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep