Chapter 1 Brother and Sister

  The small courtyard is quiet and secluded, with artificial hills and flower beds serving as decorations, making the scenery very pleasant. The backyard of Xianmeng Auction House was just a temporary residence for staff members who were busy with work, and usually no one would come in.

  These days, Lu Chen's life has been quite comfortable. Three meals a day were served by maids, and tea was also provided in the afternoon. Half a month passed quickly, during which Lin Hongjin came to visit every day, chatting with Lu Chen about his heart and telling him about changes outside. Qi Xianghai also visited once, after learning that Lu Chen had become enemies with the Youxian team, he was one of the few people who only smiled and reminded Lu Chen to be careful, without saying much more.

  No way, they are a member of the Xianmeng organization and a high-ranking cultivator at that. They have the elder's attention, so they wouldn't bother with a small group like the Youxian team. Of course, this is obvious to Lü Chen, he's just a lowly Qi Practitioner, if it wasn't for his luck in selling a large amount of demon beast materials, they wouldn't even look at him, let alone let him stay in the Xianmeng auction house. Providing him with a place to live was already the limit of their favor towards him.

  Lu Chen has this bit of self-awareness, so he won't go asking for anything or seeking help.

  Half a month, most of the time was spent on cultivating earth escape technique and Kongyuan's sixth style, his strength can be said to have improved day by day. At present, he has already mastered the essence of Kongyuan's sixth style with great proficiency, let alone the earth escape technique. This kid originally had a super strong understanding ability and innate superiority in earth-based Taoist techniques, so it was only natural that he could easily master the simple earth escape technique. If it weren't for the fact that the Xianmeng City was surrounded by array formations that prevented all escape techniques from entering or leaving the city, Lu Chen might not have had to wait any longer and could have directly escaped from the city using his earth escape technique.

  It's not about escaping, the goal set by Dust for himself still needs to be completed. Within three years, he has practiced Qi for eight layers, and now he has used half a year to reach six layers. Dust estimates that it will take him about a year to reach the seventh layer of Qi practice, and as for the eighth layer, one and a half years is more than enough.

  Lu Chen didn't plan on practicing until the eighth layer before leaving the Desolate Expanse.

  It's undoubtedly true that the Desolate Expanse is a great place to rapidly improve one's cultivation. Staying here is far better than staying in that ghostly place, Qianyu Gate. Lu Chen thought to himself, first cultivate to the eighth layer, then consider the time it takes to return to Dazhou and calculate how much he can cultivate during that time. The reason he likes staying here so much is none other than being able to earn more spirit stones.

  Three days later, the six symbol arrows were finally refined. When Lin Hongjin delivered the arrows, the dazzling light flashing on them made Lu Chen extremely fond of them, and he didn't know how to play with them when holding them in his hands. Lin Hongjin couldn't help but whisper to himself as he watched from the side.

  "This kid must have some kind of treasure or artifact related to archery! What's the point of having so many arrows?"

  The way of the sword and the technique of the sword have almost been practiced, and the use of the sixth style of Kongyuan Sword still needs to be improved through actual combat experience. The arrows are already in place, and Lu Chen has no reason to stay, so he decides to leave the Xianmeng auction house and enter the Honghuang...

  On this day, the sun was shining brightly, and Lu Chen bid farewell to Lin Hongjin...

  "Yu Hu, are you really leaving?" To be honest, Lin Hongjin hadn't known Lu Chen for a long time, but it wasn't short either. He acknowledged that everything he had now was thanks to Lu Chen, and no matter what the reason was, Lin Hongjin still worried about Lu Chen's safety.

  Lu Chen nodded and gathered everything, his tone extremely calm: "En, can't stay here forever, the environment is good, but if it's any longer, I'm afraid I'll go crazy."

  "Uh..." Lin Hongjin was somewhat stunned, and the reason for this was that this kid had always had an invincible mentality of not taking anything to heart.

  Lin Hongjin said with some worry: "Recently, Li Yuan has been looking for you urgently. He has even issued a wanted notice at the Xianmeng Auction House, offering a reward of 1,000 pieces of spiritual stone to anyone who knows about Yu Hu's whereabouts and reports it accurately."

  "1000?" Lu Chen raised his head, clearly very angry, pointing to his own nose and saying to Lin Hongjin: "Li Yuan this idiot, does he think I'm worth only 1000 spirit stones? Blind his dog eyes. You go tell him, if he offers 10,000, I'll sell my information to him, and we'll split the spirit stones between us two brothers."

  Lin Hongjin's sweat dripped down, thinking to himself: "You little scoundrel's idea is too outrageous! If it were 10,000, you think I wouldn't go and say something? Anyway, you little rascal has the Symbolic Arrow, it's not easy to catch you, this Spirit Stone isn't earned for nothing!"

  Lin Hongjin thought to himself, but unexpectedly Lu Chenhui had sharp eyes and suddenly leaned in, teasingly saying: "What's wrong? Got a crush?"

  "Uh, no, no." Lin Hongjin's face turned red as Lu Chen saw through his little thoughts.

  Lu Chen laughed and said: "Lin brother, I knew you wouldn't betray me. Let's go."

  As he spoke, Lu Chen took big strides, without any sign of fear, towards the entrance of the Xianmeng Auction House. As he brushed past Lin Hongjin, he slightly paused and put his hand on Lin's shoulder, leaning in to whisper: "Brother Lin, 10,000 is too little, 50,000, when it reaches 50,000, you transmit a sound to me, I'll let you know my whereabouts, at that time we can make a deal, haha~"

  Lin Hongjin only felt the sweat on his forehead flowing non-stop, no matter how he wiped it, he couldn't wipe it clean. He thought to himself: Such a bold idea can probably only be thought of by Yuhu, selling oneself to get a reward, truly greedy to the bone.

  Lin Hongjin was thinking, suddenly stunned, turned his head and exclaimed: "Yu Hu, little brother, are you leaving just like that?"

  Lu Chen slightly turned his body and smiled slyly: "If we don't leave like this, are you thinking of sending me off with your sword, Lin brother? Isn't flying prohibited in Xianmeng City?"

  Lin Hongjin hastily said: "But if you go out like this, you'll definitely be seen by the Youxian team's people. Once you leave the city gate, won't it...?"

  "Haha." Lu Chen smiled and gave Lin Hongjin a reassuring look, saying: "Won't you be killed by someone?"

  First, he continued what Lin Hongjin didn't say, then Lu Chen mysteriously said: "Don't worry, they're not ripe enough to catch me. Today, I'll leave through this door and see how they can deal with me?"

  With that, Lu Chen ignored Lin Hongjin and swaggered out of the Immortal Alliance auction house.

  Lin Hongjin was at a loss for what to do, and secretly stomped his foot, thinking: "I don't know if this kid has no guts or what, how can he not be afraid?"

  Lin Hongjin hastily followed him out while thinking about it.

  ……

  Outside the Xianmeng auction house, people were surging forward, as bustling and noisy as ever. Of course, the recent actions of the Youxian team in Xianmeng had also shocked the entire city's cultivators. Those with high strength did not deign to participate, waiting in the dark to observe coldly, they wanted to see what kind of person dared to shout at the Youxian team, this old-brand cultivator organization that had been in Xianmeng City for many years. There were also masters with strengths hovering around the 7th or 8th layer of Qi Refining, thinking about whether they should intervene. However, when they thought of the powerful master behind the Youxian team, they dispelled this not-so-profitable idea.

  Everyone is watching...

  Yu Hu's origin is very mysterious, and no one will count it, but everything he has done in Xianmeng City is no longer a secret. Everyone knows that except for being friends with the Xue family brothers, the only place where he can safely hide is the Xianmeng Auction House.

  So everyone is staring at Xianmeng Auction House, especially Youxian Team.

  "Step..."

  Lu Chen swaggered out of the Xianmeng Auction House's gate, and as soon as his left foot stepped out, someone had already recognized him.

  In an instant, the crowd of people flowing through the streets seemed to have pressed the pause button on a video recording, and suddenly froze in place.

  Innumerable complex gazes simultaneously fell on the door of the Xianmeng Auction House, landing on Lu Chen's body...

  "Wow, when did I become so popular? There are really a lot of people."

  As a party involved, Lu Chen was apparently unaffected and walked out with a relaxed and happy face.

  "Step... step... step..."

  Only three layers of bluestone steps in front of the gate, emitting a heavy footsteps that made everyone seem to have experienced a long wait, and just as Lu Chen stood on the street at that moment...

  "Hu la!" With a loud shout, more than ten cultivators with strength no weaker than the seventh layer of Qi Refining, carrying long swords and filled with rage, surrounded him in the middle.

  The crowd dispersed like a tide in an instant, and the dusty streets were blown up by the autumn wind from the sky during this brief process.

  The main road on Xianmeng City's east-west thoroughfare, which connects the eastern and western city gates, was eerily silent...

  ……

  Across from the Xianmeng Auction House, on the second floor of a corner building called the Xianxiang Teahouse, two elderly men sat facing each other. A wooden square table held a teapot and two tea cups. The aroma of the tea wafted through the air, and the only visible signs of life were the wisps of steam rising from the mouths of the tea cups. Perhaps it was only these two tendrils of steam that could tell everyone that at this moment, there was no real stagnation on the scene...

  At least one thing is still moving, and time is still marching forward...

  Among those seated on the east side, an old man was none other than Qi Xianghai. He supported himself with one hand on the table and held his teacup in the other, but his eyes were scanning the entrance of the Xianmeng Auction House below. A hint of a smile played on his lips, a subtle yet harmless expression that seemed to hold great interest...

  "It's him..."

  Zi Xiang Hai spoke in a very low voice, almost inaudible, his eyes slightly raised, looking deeply at the elderly man with grey hair sitting across from him.

  "Interesting little kid..."

  The old man didn't look down, he slightly closed his eyes, his nostrils flared in and out, as if sniffing the fragrance of the incense in front of him.

  "The single earth spirit root, cultivated to six layers of Qi, his progress has been very rapid in these past six months." the old man said.

  Qī Xiàng Hǎi's face showed a hint of surprise, but he was even more respectful, saying: "Master, how can you say that? Going from the fifth level to the sixth in half a year is actually normal."

  This is a query...

  The old man smiled faintly and finally opened his eyes, which were sharp as a hawk's; yet wise, seeming to see through everything. He still didn't look at Lu Chen, but muttered to himself: "His breath is long, a sign of true yuan's prolonged refinement; his magical power is pure, representing his understanding of the earth system's Dao law has taken shape, although he has six layers of realm, but his true yuan's magical power is incredibly rich... Ah, so I said, he's an interesting little guy."

  Zi Xianghai was slightly surprised, but he forced himself to control it, apparently not wanting to show too much in front of the old man that didn't fit his identity.

  His gaze wandered between the old man and Lu Chen, back and forth like this for three breaths. Suddenly, Hai couldn't help but burst out laughing and said: "Boss seems to be in a particularly good mood today, he wouldn't normally talk so much."

  The old man finally looked at Qi Xianghai, making the latter feel honored. He said, "Really? Maybe it's true, I haven't seen someone so interesting in a long time."

  The old man first said something ambiguous, then turned to Hai Dao and said, "Hai Dao, let's make a bet."

  Zi Xianghai was taken aback and laughed, asking: "What kind of bet?"

  The old man slapped out a pill and placed it on the table, pressed it with his hand, lightly lifted his index finger, revealing a small part of the pill's appearance to Qi Xianghai.

  Zi Xianghai's eyes darted a glance, and he suddenly inhaled a breath of cool air. Then, he began to tremble with excitement. Even though he was trying to control himself, he couldn't help but reveal his excited expression.

  The old man said: "I bet he dares to walk out of Xicheng Gate with a swagger, and Li Yuan will definitely not catch him."

  "What?" Zhi Xianghai was shocked upon hearing this, and immediately became overjoyed: "Really?"

  The old man nodded, his smile still affable: "Alright, if I lose, this Foundation Establishment Pill will be yours. If you lose, hehe, you'll just have to obediently stay in Tongzhou and never mention the transfer again."

  "It's a bet."