Volume 1, Chapter 20: Robbery

Just as Chu Rou’er turned over, the thin quilt slipped down a bit, revealing her smooth and beautiful skin. Lying on her side, her exquisite curves became even more apparent, making one’s blood pulse quicken slightly.

So Ye Bufan leaned down again.

“Mm!”

“Brother Ye, how do you have so much energy! I can’t take it anymore, please go out quickly.”

Their voices were low, unheard by Chu Xiong outside the tent.

He simply thought his daughter might be feeling unwell today and didn’t pay much attention. Waiting a little longer wouldn’t hurt.

There was something going on—according to the system, Chu Rou’er possessed the Three Spiritual Roots aptitude, but Ye Bufan had limited lifespan left. He could only choose to deduct two hundred years of his lifespan, which would give her the profound spiritual root aptitude.

Five days later.

The escort finally arrived at its destination, Phoenix City.

“Rou’er, go find an inn for everyone first. I’m going to deliver the escort payment,” Chu Xiong said.

“Alright, Father,” Chu Rou’er replied, her voice carrying a gentle warmth.

Chu Xiong felt something was off; his daughter seemed to have suddenly matured over the past few days.

But this was a good thing—seeing his child grow up put his mind at ease, especially since Ye Bufan was there.

“Master, Rou’er, once your business is done, wait for me here. I’ll be back in a few days,” Ye Bufan said.

He planned to go to the market to buy some goods.

The jade slips stored in the Shadow Monster’s bag had records of the market’s location.

“Understood,” everyone responded respectfully.

They all knew Ye Bufan had promised to help them test their spiritual roots after a few days and were eager for it.

Chu Rou’er said reluctantly, “Brother Ye, please go quickly and come back soon.”

Ye Bufan reached out to gently pat her head, intending to comfort her with a “Be good, wait for me,” but seeing so many people around, he stopped abruptly.

After all, her father was still nearby, unaware that his precious daughter had already been taken by Ye Bufan.

He took out the flying boat obtained from the Shadow Monster, stepped on it, and with a “biu” sound, swiftly flew away.

The escort team watched enviously, all hoping for their own chance someday.

Ye Bufan flew higher and higher, enjoying the aerial view for the first time.

The sky was like a sapphire, dotted with fluffy white clouds—some arranged like fish scales in neat layers, others resembling mountain peaks or galloping horses, ever-changing and magnificent.

As the flowing cloud boat neared a cloud shaped like a cockscomb, he even reached out to touch it.

The market was set up on a flat area atop Twin Screen Mountain.

It was home to about ten thousand permanent merchants and scattered individuals.

Run by a nascent soul-stage sect, the quality of goods traded here was generally low, with nothing above nascent soul-level.

This place was abundant in spiritual energy. Originally a small sect’s spiritual mine, it mysteriously vanished overnight a thousand years ago, leaving no owner.

With many powers intersecting here, no single sect could monopolize the vacant spiritual mine.

Thus, anyone could come to mine, gradually attracting more people and developing the area.

A confusing array of formations concealed the mountain, so ordinary people living at its foot had no idea that a multitude of so-called immortals resided above.

Ye Bufan now displayed a ninth-level Qi Refining cultivation externally, suitable for buying low-grade goods today.

“Junior, there’s a ten spirit stone entry fee,” said a man wearing a badge labeled “Twin Screen Mountain Cultivator Market Management,” or simply Market Manager.

His job was merely to charge entrance fees.

Ye Bufan thought this market business was quite profitable—ten spirit stones just to enter. He resolved to open one himself someday.

“That expensive? Just to enter?” Ye Bufan asked, “Can I bargain?”

“If you don’t ask for a receipt, five spirit stones,” the man replied.

Such corruption was truly inescapable, Ye Bufan thought, laughing.

Ye Bufan paid the five spirit stones and entered, determined to stamp out such practices when he opened his own market.

It was his first time at a cultivator market—goods were dazzling, from street stalls to storefronts. To avoid being cheated, he decided to shop at a store.

“Excuse me, how much for these cultivation manuals?”

Basic manuals for the five elements—metal, wood, water, fire, earth—were common everywhere. He intended to buy them all, not for himself, but for his family.

“Ten spirit stones each.”

Reasonable price. He decided to buy all five.

He also asked about the “Supreme Clarity Pill Scripture,” “True Explanation of the Tao of Talismans,” and “Beyond the Soul Cultivation Realm.”

“Each one hundred spirit stones.”

He purchased a bunch of miscellaneous basic items: refining stones, pill recipes, alchemy furnaces, spiritual instruments, talismans—all low grade, spending less than three thousand spirit stones, still leaving him seven thousand.

“How much for the Foundation Establishment Pill recipe?”

He asked directly.

“Ten thousand spirit stones.”

“That’s too expensive, I can’t afford it.”

This price was neither cheap nor expensive, but Ye Bufan simply couldn’t buy it. He considered lurking outside to rob instead.

After wandering around with nothing else to buy, he heard there was an auction today.

From outside, the auction house looked like a cracked egg with the broken side facing the ground.

It had nine floors; the bottom three floors were hollow halls serving as the auction venue, holding five hundred people—not many seats, so there was an entrance fee!

Then a deposit of five thousand spirit stones was required.

He scanned inside with his divine sense, finding the highest cultivator inside was only at Golden Core level, so he wasn’t afraid.

Before long, the host took the stage.

“Welcome, wealthy patrons, to the Twin Screen Mountain Auction House. I am your host today. Let’s give a round of applause!”

The host rambled on, but no one responded; the room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. It was awkward.

“Clears throat. Um, let’s begin with our first auction item!”

“This is a soul-attack spear called the ‘Soul-Attracting Spear.’”

“The seller once obtained this treasure by chance. Starting bid: eighty thousand spirit stones!”

“This magical weapon amplifies your divine sense power. Anyone with a divine sense weaker than this spear will have their soul shattered instantly, though their body remains intact.”

Many corpse-refining heretics in the audience were tempted.

“This spear is forged from refined gold, Dragon-Subduing Wood core, and several other materials, making it exceptionally tough—hardness level nine, nearly the highest known. Our Eastern Victory Continent’s highest is only ten.”

Excitement in the crowd grew; more people were interested.

“It can pierce many defensive items easily. Its main function is to use spiritual power to trigger resonance between the Heart-Eating Core and Dragon-Subduing Wood, producing a soul-shaking wave.”

“This wave is focused and fired in a single direction. If the target’s divine sense is weaker than yours, their soul shatters with no chance to resist.”

“Additionally, it can be used for area attacks. When not focused, the soul-shaking wave disperses within a fifty-meter radius, causing dizziness or divine sense damage that slows movement. However, area attacks are omni-directional, so innocent bystanders might be harmed.”

Ye Bufan was quite excited hearing this—what a treasure. He loved such items.

“I bid one hundred thousand.”

“I bid one hundred and twenty thousand.”

“One hundred and fifty thousand.”

Finally, it sold for three hundred thousand spirit stones.

Ye Bufan’s divine sense tracked the buyer. He had made up his mind—he would rob someone as soon as he left.