The Centennial Auction finally came to an end, and the moment the host announced the conclusion of the event, the Heavenly Dragon Auction Pavilion descended into a fresh wave of activity as the countless cultivators who had gathered for the occasion began making their way towards the exits. Some departed at a leisurely pace, stopping to discuss the treasures they had witnessed or exchange information with acquaintances, while others hurried away almost immediately, clearly unwilling to remain in one place after displaying their wealth before so many strangers.
The auction had brought together cultivators from across the Eastern Region, and although the Myriad Dao Pavilion had maintained order throughout the event, the same could not be guaranteed once everyone stepped outside. Several valuable treasures had changed hands, the identities and interests of certain bidders had become matters of speculation, and the appearance of the two Rank 4 Yao Beast Cores had undoubtedly attracted the attention of people who had failed to obtain them. For cultivators who lacked sufficient strength to protect their purchases, leaving early was often the wisest decision.
Lin Sheng, however, showed no particular urgency.
He had already stored the Five Elements Fruit and the incomplete Rank 4 formation plate inside his storage treasure, and with his current strength, the possibility of someone attempting to rob him over those two items was hardly worth worrying about. Even if a few reckless Golden Core cultivators decided to test their luck, he was confident that he could deal with them without exposing too much of his true foundation.
As he approached the pavilion's entrance, a middle-aged man in the Myriad Dao Pavilion's uniform stepped forward and bowed respectfully.
"Senior, I have been instructed to escort you to the private trading banquet. Please follow me."
Lin Sheng glanced at him before nodding.
"Lead the way."
The manager immediately turned around, guiding him away from the main thoroughfare and towards the inner part of Zhenyuan City, where the concentration of spiritual Qi was markedly higher than in the surrounding districts. The difference became apparent after they had travelled only a short distance, as the spiritual energy drifting through the streets gradually grew denser until every breath seemed to carry a faint coolness into Lin Sheng's lungs.
His pores opened almost instinctively, and the spiritual Qi surrounding him began entering his body, flowing through his meridians before being absorbed into his cultivation. His internal cultivation had already reached the middle stage of the Astral Gang Realm, and although this small increase in environmental energy was nowhere near enough to trigger a breakthrough, the efficiency with which he could replenish and refine his Gang essence had nevertheless improved.
The difference was slight, but it was unmistakable.
Even a small increase in cultivation efficiency could become significant when accumulated over years, and the fact that the Myriad Dao Pavilion possessed an area where the spiritual Qi was so concentrated, right in the heart of Zhenyuan City, was itself an indication of the resources at its disposal.
Lin Sheng casually examined his surroundings.
The buildings here were considerably more imposing than those in the outer districts, their walls constructed from specially treated spiritual materials, while faint formations covered the streets and courtyards. There were no crowds of ordinary cultivators, nor were there merchants loudly advertising their goods, and the few people they encountered were mostly attendants guiding other Golden Core experts towards their respective destinations.
After walking for a while, Lin Sheng finally saw their destination.
It was a tall pavilion standing within a spacious courtyard, its dark exterior decorated with intricate golden patterns that resembled intertwined clouds and flowing rivers. The structure possessed an understated elegance, but what caught Lin Sheng's attention was not its appearance. From the moment he approached, his awareness had already detected numerous formation runes hidden deep within the surrounding space.
His steps slowed slightly.
These were not ordinary formation runes engraved upon walls, pillars or spiritual materials. They had been imprinted directly into the void, their traces so subtle that even a cultivator with considerable mental strength might overlook them unless they knew precisely what to search for.
Lin Sheng's eyes narrowed as his awareness swept through the pavilion.
The runes were arranged in an extraordinarily complex structure, overlapping one another without interfering with their respective functions, while several deeper layers appeared to be connected to the surrounding spiritual veins. Each individual rune was already sufficiently sophisticated to demand the attention of a skilled formation master, yet the true difficulty lay in how they had been integrated into the void itself.
This was the work of an immensely experienced Formation Grandmaster.
Even Lin Sheng could only barely achieve something similar, and that was after receiving extensive formation knowledge and experience from the Formation Spirit Elder, combined with the unusual characteristics of his own mental strength that made it easier for him to perceive the structure of space. To imprint formation runes directly into the void required far more than a simple understanding of formation patterns, as the slightest error could cause the runes to become unstable or disrupt the surrounding space, potentially destroying the formation before it could function properly.
Yet the Myriad Dao Pavilion had accomplished it on a massive scale.
Lin Sheng continued examining the hidden runes as he followed the manager inside, and the more he perceived, the more serious his expression became.
The defensive capabilities of this pavilion might already be approaching those of a Rank 5 formation.
That did not mean the entire structure was necessarily a genuine Rank 5 formation, since its offensive capabilities, energy requirements and overall operating principles would need to be examined before such a judgement could be made. Nevertheless, its defensive foundation was extraordinary, and anyone attempting to forcibly seize treasures from within the pavilion would be placing themselves in grave danger.
For most Golden Core cultivators, such an attempt would be little different from courting death.
Even if someone possessed sufficient combat power to defeat an ordinary Golden Core expert, breaking through the layers of concealed formations while surrounded by the pavilion's attendants and defenders would be an entirely different matter. The moment an intruder triggered the formation, the entire structure could turn into a cage, suppressing their movements and preventing them from escaping while the Myriad Dao Pavilion's experts arrived to deal with them.
Lin Sheng could not help but feel a little impressed.
The Myriad Dao Pavilion's foundation was considerably deeper than its public reputation suggested.
This also raised an interesting question.
The Eastern Region possessed three major powers whose influence extended across vast territories, and they were generally regarded as the strongest factions in the region. Yet organisations such as the Myriad Dao Pavilion clearly possessed resources, formations and experts that were far from ordinary, so why had they not established themselves as one of those three powers?
It was unlikely that the Myriad Dao Pavilion lacked the financial resources to compete, and judging from the formation protecting this pavilion alone, its technical foundation was equally formidable. Even if it did not possess as many Nascent Soul cultivators as the three major powers, it was difficult to believe that such an organisation could have survived for so long without some means of protecting its interests.
There had to be a reason.
Perhaps the three major powers possessed hidden foundations that ordinary Rank 4 cultivators knew nothing about, or perhaps the Myriad Dao Pavilion deliberately maintained a lower profile because its true purpose differed from that of the conventional cultivation factions. Lin Sheng could not determine the answer from the information available to him, but he made a mental note to remain attentive to any clues that might emerge.
In the cultivation world, a faction's public strength was rarely the full measure of its power.
The manager soon led him into the pavilion, where a spacious hall opened before them. The interior was elegantly furnished, with several private rooms arranged around the central area, and the formations separating each room were sufficiently sophisticated to isolate both sound and spiritual perception.
Lin Sheng entered the room assigned to him and took a moment to examine the surroundings.
The furnishings were simple but luxurious, and the spiritual Qi within was even denser than that outside. A small tea table stood beside a set of comfortable chairs, while a faint formation covered the walls, creating an invisible barrier that prevented anyone outside from casually probing the occupants.
More importantly, the hall was already occupied.
Several Golden Core-level experts had arrived before him, each accompanied by a manager from the Myriad Dao Pavilion, and although everyone was separated by private rooms, the barriers did not prevent them from exchanging greetings or observing the people who entered.
Lin Sheng could sense the presence of several powerful divine senses moving through the hall, each one carefully assessing the newcomers without intruding too deeply into their private spaces.
The other cultivators were doing much the same.
Everyone here had reached the Golden Core Realm, or possessed the equivalent combat power, and none of them had survived long enough to reach this stage by being careless. Their eyes might appear calm, their expressions relaxed, but beneath that composure, each person was quietly judging the strengths, temperaments and possible intentions of the others.
Lin Sheng recognised a few familiar auras.
One of them belonged to the First Elder of the Lin Family, which was hardly surprising considering that she had only recently broken through into the Golden Core Realm compared with many of the other experts present. Her cultivation was still relatively new, and attending a private gathering of this kind would provide her with an opportunity to acquire resources that were difficult to obtain through ordinary channels.
He briefly considered whether he should greet her, but before he could decide, another voice sounded from a shadowed corner of the hall.
"Good day, fellow Daoists. It seems that the Myriad Dao Pavilion has once again gathered quite a number of familiar faces."
The voice was calm and measured, carrying a faint warmth that made it easy to listen to. At the same time, the darkness surrounding the speaker gradually receded, revealing an elderly man dressed in a simple grey robe.
His hair had turned almost entirely white, and his face bore the marks of age, yet his eyes remained clear and lively, while the aura surrounding him was restrained to an unusual degree. He did not appear particularly imposing, but the moment several of the other Golden Core cultivators recognised him, their expressions changed subtly.
A few immediately returned his greeting with greater respect.
"Fellow Daoist Lou, it has been some time."
"To think that you would attend this year's Centennial Auction as well."
The elderly man smiled and cupped his hands.
"Indeed. I happened to have some free time, so I decided to come and see whether the Myriad Dao Pavilion had anything interesting to offer."
Lin Sheng observed the exchange before turning his attention towards the manager standing beside him.
"Who is that fellow Daoist?"
The manager lowered his voice and replied respectfully, "Senior, that is Lou Guyang, a Grandmaster Alchemist. He is one of the very few Grandmaster-level alchemists in the Eastern Region who is not affiliated with any of the three major powers."
Lin Sheng's expression changed slightly.
A Grandmaster Alchemist was no ordinary figure.
Among the four major hundred arts of cultivation, alchemy was particularly important because it directly affected the progress of cultivators at every stage. Formations could protect a faction's territory, artefact refinement could produce powerful weapons and defensive treasures, while talisman-making offered a wide range of offensive and supportive methods, but pills remained one of the most direct means of improving cultivation, healing injuries and overcoming bottlenecks.
A Grandmaster Alchemist capable of refining Rank 4 pills was therefore an exceptionally valuable individual, and the fact that Lou Guyang had reached this level without being attached to one of the three major powers suggested that his talent and experience were extraordinary.
After all, the major forces possessed the resources to nurture countless talented alchemists, providing them with rare medicinal ingredients, ancient recipes and opportunities to practise techniques that ordinary cultivators could scarcely imagine. Even with such advantages, however, only a handful could eventually become Grandmaster Alchemists.
For someone like Lou Guyang to reach the same level without the backing of one of those powers was a remarkable achievement.
Lin Sheng cupped his hands towards the elderly man.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist Lou."
Lou Guyang turned his gaze towards him and returned the greeting with a polite smile.
"Greetings, Fellow Daoist."
The exchange appeared ordinary, but Lin Sheng caught a fleeting change in the elderly man's eyes. It was only a momentary flash, so subtle that an ordinary observer would have dismissed it as a trick of the light, yet Lin Sheng's perception was sharp enough to notice.
He immediately understood the reason.
Lou Guyang had also participated in the bidding for the Five Elements Fruit.
Although the elderly alchemist had ultimately failed to obtain it, he had clearly been interested in the treasure, and seeing the person who had won it standing before him had naturally drawn his attention. He did not openly question Lin Sheng about the purchase, nor did he allow his expression to change for more than an instant, but that brief reaction was enough to confirm Lin Sheng's suspicion.
Lin Sheng remained calm.
The Five Elements Fruit was already in his possession, and there was no reason to explain his plans to anyone. If Lou Guyang was merely curious, then the matter was inconsequential, but if the alchemist had some particular use for the fruit, Lin Sheng would still have no obligation to surrender it.
He simply smiled and returned to his seat.
A few minutes passed as the remaining Golden Core experts arrived, and the hall gradually became livelier with quiet exchanges between people who had known one another for years. Some spoke about recent developments in the Eastern Region, while others exchanged vague remarks about rare medicinal ingredients, ancient ruins and the increasing difficulty of obtaining certain Rank 4 resources.
Nobody revealed anything too important.
The private trading banquet had not officially begun, and even among fellow Golden Core cultivators, information was not something one handed over freely.
Eventually, a figure appeared in the central area of the hall.
He was dressed in the Myriad Dao Pavilion's formal robes, and his expression was calm as he looked around at the gathered experts. Although he was not a Golden Core cultivator himself, he did not show the slightest nervousness in front of so many powerful individuals, clearly relying on the pavilion's standing and the protection of its formations.
"Fellow Daoists, the preparations are complete. The private trading banquet may now begin."
The moment his words fell, the conversations throughout the hall gradually subsided.
The man continued, explaining the rules in a clear and steady voice.
"Each fellow Daoist may offer an item for exchange and state precisely what they wish to obtain in return. Those who are interested may communicate with the owner through their divine senses, whether to propose an alternative item or begin negotiating the terms of the exchange. The owner will then decide which interested party they wish to trade with, and our managers will handle the transaction on their behalf."
He paused briefly before adding, "To protect everyone's privacy, the identities of the participants in each exchange will remain concealed. Our managers will collect the offered items and deliver the agreed-upon goods through the pavilion's internal channels, while the formations will prevent the divine senses of other participants from tracing the negotiations to their source."
The arrangement was straightforward, but its purpose was clear.
The Golden Core cultivators gathered here possessed valuable treasures, and revealing who owned a particular item could sometimes be just as dangerous as revealing where it was stored. Someone who learned that a certain cultivator possessed a rare spiritual material might remember the information for years, waiting for a suitable opportunity to obtain it through less peaceful means.
By concealing the identities of those who traded, the Myriad Dao Pavilion reduced the risk of its guests being targeted after leaving the premises.
It was an effective system.
Lin Sheng could already see how the procedure would work. Each participant would announce their item and the resources they wanted, then the interested parties would send their proposals through divine sense. Once the owner chose a trading partner, the managers would collect the items, verify the agreed exchange and complete the transaction without revealing which rooms had been involved.
Even if someone attempted to monitor the process with divine sense, the formations would prevent them from identifying the participants.
The pavilion had clearly considered the risks involved in hosting so many powerful cultivators.
Not long after the rules were explained, a voice came from one of the private rooms.
"Fellow Daoists, I have a Dragon Turtle Egg obtained during a journey to the Southern Archipelagos. The egg originated from a Rank 4 Dragon Turtle, and I wish to exchange it for a genuine Water-attribute divine ability."
The announcement immediately attracted attention.
Even Lin Sheng raised his eyebrows slightly.
A Dragon Turtle was a rare Yao Beast, and a Rank 4 specimen could possess extraordinary longevity, defensive strength and control over Water-attribute spiritual energy. If the egg had been preserved properly, the creature inside might still be capable of hatching, allowing its owner to nurture a powerful spirit beast over many years.
For a Rank 4 force, such a beast could eventually become a valuable guardian, especially if it grew alongside the faction and developed a strong bond with its members.
However, the value of the egg depended heavily on its condition.
A moment later, another cultivator asked, "Fellow Daoist, what is the current state of the egg? Has the life within it weakened, or does it still possess a stable aura?"
The owner of the Dragon Turtle Egg paused before answering.
"The egg is in relatively good condition. Its aura remains stable, and I have preserved it carefully since obtaining it. Provided that it is hatched correctly and receives sufficient nourishment, the young Dragon Turtle should have a good chance of growing into a guardian spirit beast for a Rank 4 force."
Several divine senses immediately moved through the hall.
Lin Sheng could feel them passing between the private rooms, each carrying a different intention as the interested cultivators began considering the offer. Some were likely assessing the egg's condition, while others were trying to determine whether they possessed a suitable Water-attribute divine ability or an inheritance that could satisfy the owner's requirements.
The negotiations had begun.
Lin Sheng considered the offer for a moment before losing interest.
Beast taming was not particularly suited to his current plans. Raising a Rank 4 spirit beast required a substantial investment of time and resources, and although the eventual reward could be considerable, he had no intention of diverting his attention towards nurturing a creature that might take centuries to reach its full potential.
More importantly, the owner wanted a genuine Water-attribute divine ability.
Such abilities were not ordinary techniques that could be exchanged casually, and Lin Sheng had no reason to part with a valuable inheritance merely to acquire a spirit beast. Unless the Dragon Turtle Egg offered some extraordinary advantage that had not been mentioned, the exchange held little appeal for him.
He settled back in his chair and allowed his awareness to drift across the hall.
The negotiations continued for several breaths, and although nobody spoke aloud, Lin Sheng could sense the constant movement of spiritual awareness between the private rooms. Some of the divine senses approached the owner of the egg, only to withdraw shortly afterwards, while others lingered for longer periods, suggesting that their owners were discussing alternative terms or attempting to reach an agreement.
Eventually, the owner spoke again.
"Thank you for your interest, fellow Daoists. I have found someone with whom I can complete the exchange, so I will trouble the Myriad Dao Pavilion to handle the transaction."
The announcement ended the discussion.
A manager immediately entered the room where the Dragon Turtle Egg was being held, carefully collected the sealed container and carried it away. Somewhere else in the pavilion, another manager would be preparing the agreed-upon divine ability inheritance, and once both sides had verified the exchange, the transaction would be completed without the participants needing to meet face to face.
Lin Sheng watched the process with growing appreciation.
The managers were not merely attendants responsible for carrying goods. They served as intermediaries, collecting the items and ensuring that the terms agreed upon through divine sense were fulfilled, while the pavilion's formations prevented other Golden Core cultivators from identifying the parties involved.
The system was simple, but its implications were significant.
A cultivator could offer a rare treasure without revealing that it belonged to them, obtain something they needed without exposing their own weaknesses, and leave the pavilion without giving potential enemies a clear target. Even if someone later heard rumours about the transaction, they would have no reliable way to determine who had exchanged what with whom.
This was especially important for those who possessed treasures capable of attracting greed.
Lin Sheng's gaze briefly passed over the room's concealed formation patterns.
The Myriad Dao Pavilion had built its reputation on trade, but it understood that trade could not flourish among powerful cultivators without a reasonable degree of security. Wealth attracted competition, competition created grudges, and grudges often ended in bloodshed, so a trading platform that could protect its participants' identities possessed an advantage that ordinary markets could never match.
He was beginning to understand why the pavilion had been able to maintain its position for so long.
As the first transaction was completed, another cultivator prepared to announce an item for exchange, and the quiet hall gradually returned to life, its concealed formations separating the divine senses of dozens of Golden Core experts as negotiations began to unfold behind closed doors.
Lin Sheng adjusted his posture and waited for the next offer.