Chapter 118: Choosing a Family

The surrounding cultivators were filled with resentment. A Foundation Establishment cultivator like Wei Tu, who was already standing at the threshold of greater power, was actually competing against Qi Refinement cultivators for a Condensing Foundation Pill. "There will be another auction in five years." "Maybe another Condensing Foundation Pill will be up for sale then!" "There's no need to offend a Foundation Establishment cultivator over this." After a brief internal struggle, many cultivators backed down. Wei Tu was a newly established Foundation Establishment cultivator, and no one could predict his temperament. At this moment, when his momentum was at its peak, competing against him for a Condensing Foundation Pill was simply too risky. "1,100 spirit stones..." "Any higher bids?" "Last nine breaths... Nine, eight, seven..." Time passed quickly. Luo Hong, the auctioneer, glanced across the second-floor hall at the Qi Refinement cultivators. Seeing that no one was willing to speak up, she sighed silently and lightly dropped the auction hammer. This sale… Was a loss for Baibao Pavilion. From his private booth on the third floor, Wei Tu watched the scene unfold and smirked. He had taken advantage of his status to secure the Condensing Foundation Pill at a lower price. Although this might offend Jiuyun Merchant Guild, it was unlikely they would take direct action against him. Right now, he was a highly sought-after cultivator among various factions. A newly advanced Foundation Establishment cultivator was a prized target for recruitment. His ignorance of the rules and slight overreach would be overlooked—for now. After all, in the world of cultivation auctions, Foundation Establishment cultivators weren’t supposed to compete for lower-level Qi Refinement resources. For example— If the Condensing Foundation Pill had only been bid on by Qi Refinement cultivators, its final price would have easily reached 1,300 spirit stones. But because Wei Tu interfered, Baibao Pavilion had to sell it at 1,100 spirit stones. "However, I can only pull this stunt once." "If I do it too often, Baibao Pavilion will hold a grudge." Wei Tu decided not to participate in the bidding for any more Qi Refinement-level items. With his current status, he wasn’t going to squeeze every last spirit stone out of others. But— The Condensing Foundation Pill was a necessity. He needed to secure it as soon as possible to repay Fu Zhizhou and avoid delaying his Foundation Establishment. After the auction ended, Wei Tu made his way to the inner hall of the Jade Tower to collect his prize. Waiting for him was not the auctioneer Luo Hong, but a Foundation Establishment cultivator who oversaw Baibao Pavilion’s operations in Danqiu Mountain—Chai Ping. “Master Wei has only recently advanced to Foundation Establishment. Perhaps you're still unfamiliar with Baibao Pavilion's rules.” “Winning a Condensing Foundation Pill at a low price in this way... isn’t exactly within our guidelines.” “That being said, consider the discounted price a congratulatory gift from Baibao Pavilion for your Foundation Establishment.” Chai Ping's words were polite but meaningful. She handed the pill bottle to Wei Tu while subtly watching his reaction. “I was too eager to obtain the pill and failed to consider Baibao Pavilion’s rules.” Wei Tu accepted her words gracefully. To a Foundation Establishment cultivator, 200 spirit stones was not insignificant, but it also wasn’t enough to truly matter. Besides— He hadn’t come to Baibao Pavilion just to buy the Condensing Foundation Pill. He had also sold off most of his Tier-1 talismans, leaving only a few premium ones. When considering both purchases and sales, Baibao Pavilion had still profited from him overall. Seeing that Wei Tu wasn't arrogant or smug, but instead remained respectful, Chai Ping nodded inwardly. She reached into her robes and retrieved a golden invitation, extending it toward him. “The five-year Baibao Pavilion auction mainly attracts Qi Refinement cultivators.” “For Foundation Establishment cultivators like yourself, Jiuyun Merchant Guild hosts a separate event.” “This is an invitation to Jiuyun Merchant Guild’s underground auction, held once every twenty years.” “If Master Wei is interested, you may attend.” “The items available at this underground auction are rare treasures, difficult to find elsewhere.” Chai Ping spoke softly. "An underground auction?" Wei Tu raised an eyebrow. Since this auction carried the term "underground," it was likely highly confidential. If he weren’t a Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator with a traceable background, Chai Ping probably wouldn’t have extended him an invitation. "The catalog of auction items is listed on the back of the invitation." "If Master Wei is willing to join Jiuyun Merchant Guild as an honored guest, every three auctions, aside from the grand finale item, you will be granted one auctioned item for free." Seeing the interest in Wei Tu’s expression, Chai Ping was secretly pleased. She pressed the matter further, hoping to secure him for the guild. "Receiving a free auction item every three auctions…" Wei Tu was stunned. He couldn't help but marvel at the deep pockets of Jiuyun Merchant Guild. From what he saw, every item in the auction catalog was extraordinarily valuable—rarely seen outside. Each was worth at least thousands of spirit stones. Even a Golden Core family wouldn’t casually offer such generous terms. "Chai Daoist’s kind offer, I deeply appreciate." After a few moments of contemplation, Wei Tu shook his head and declined. He was well aware of his own worth. As a Foundation Establishment rogue cultivator with Talisman Mastery, he would naturally attract the interest of various cultivation clans. However, there was a limit to that interest. At best, he was a valuable support cultivator, but not to the extent that Jiuyun Merchant Guild would lavish him with excessive rewards. His strategy had always been to negotiate the best possible terms within reasonable boundaries and join a Golden Core family that offered stability. But he wouldn’t risk his life for the sake of a slightly better offer. He strongly suspected that Jiuyun Merchant Guild’s high offer came with the same hidden dangers as Qiyue Zhao Clan—perhaps even worse. At least the Zhao Clan's risks were visible. Jiuyun Merchant Guild’s offer, however, was more insidious. After extensive gathering of intelligence and weighing the pros and cons, Wei Tu finally made his decision. He would accept the invitation from Heshan Huang Clan and serve as an honored guest cultivator. Heshan Huang Clan's offer wasn’t the most lucrative, but it had something that no other Golden Core family could match—a Tier-3 Array Master among its Golden Core ancestors. For centuries, because of this master’s presence, Heshan Huang Clan had been free from attacks by demonic cultivators, bandits, or rival clans. They had enjoyed peace. This was precisely what Wei Tu valued most—their security. To him, safety outweighed all other benefits. His "Late Bloomer" destiny meant that as long as he cultivated steadily, without unnecessary fighting or risk-taking, he had a strong chance of reaching the Golden Core realm. After making his choice, Wei Tu wasted no time. He sent a talisman message to Heshan Huang Clan, informing them that he was willing to join as an honored guest. The message was sent in the morning. By afternoon, a response arrived. "In a few days, I'll be leaving Luoxue Courtyard and heading to Heshan Huang Clan…" Wei Tu thought to himself. The spiritual energy in Luoxue Courtyard was only comparable to a mid-tier Tier-1 cultivation ground. It wasn’t sufficient for his Foundation Establishment cultivation. Not to mention, he was also raising a Wind-Cleaving Eagle. Staying here any longer would be a waste of time and resources. Just as Wei Tu finished packing his belongings, preparing to depart for Heshan Huang Clan, an unexpected letter arrived. It was delivered to Luoxue Courtyard. The sender’s name was Wei Xiuwen. "Xinghua… is gone." Wei Tu tore open the letter. As he read the contents, his expression darkened. Previous Chapter || Next Chapte