Chapter 124: Wood-Ether Divine Thunder and Divine Sense Rivaling a False Core

Inside the quiet chamber, foundation-level cultivators had gathered, their conversations lively and intense. Though some exchanged fierce glares, everyone restrained themselves, knowing this was no place for settling scores.

Shen Lian listened intently for over half an hour.

At the front of the chamber, shrouded in mist, a series of runes flickered with cracking sounds as a door slowly opened. Through the fog, Qian Dai stepped out with measured pace.

“Thank you all for waiting,” he said.

His stout frame, layered with folds of flesh, immediately marked him as the auction’s host.

“Fellow Daoist Qian.”

“Young Master Qian.”

The cultivators present greeted him respectfully.

This auction, hosted by Qian Dai, was markedly different from others outside; the atmosphere was notably pleasant.

“Thank you all for honoring me with your presence at this auction,” Qian Dai said, bowing politely.

“This event differs from ordinary auctions, so let me clarify the rules first.”

“I believe many of you have come for the Golden Core technique scroll. Our first item is a cultivation method at the Golden Core level.”

“The auction will not proceed by bidding wars. Instead, those interested will inscribe their proposed price onto jade slips, then submit them to me.”

“In the end, I will select the highest offer for the transaction.”

At this, a smile crept across Qian Dai’s plump face.

“Don’t think you can get a bargain; I have a reserve price in mind. If no one reaches it, the technique will be withdrawn.”

“Also, as the auctioneer of spiritual items, I dislike seeing cultivators engage in life-or-death struggles afterward.”

“Therefore, after each item is sold, the auction will pause for one hour.”

“Those who successfully obtain an item may leave early.”

“If multiple cultivators acquire suitable items simultaneously and wish to depart, they must stagger their departures by an hour.”

“Those who fail to secure items are not permitted to leave.”

“The Sea Wind Thunderclap Spirit Vessel began sailing toward remote waters the moment you boarded.”

“So, I grant you an hour to leave, trusting that many of you have means to avoid one another.”

“A thoughtful plan, Daoist Qian,” several cultivators nodded in approval.

Most present had come with their entire family fortunes. Even if they bore no grudge, knowing others possessed immense spiritual stones and resources could breed ill intent.

Not openly announcing bids also helped conceal each person’s wealth.

Seated on the wooden bed, Shen Lian nodded as well. Qian Dai was indeed clever.

Many of the families had come specifically for the Golden Core technique. In other auctions, such a technique would be reserved for the grand finale.

Yet Qian Dai chose to auction it first.

The buyer could leave early, and those who missed out would not need to fret over spending all their spiritual stones before the auction ended.

This allowed families to stake everything immediately on the first item. If successful, they could board the spirit vessel and flee; if not, they could wait for subsequent items.

With a top-tier Golden Core technique, later items lost some significance—it was the foundation of the family.

A shrewd, fat man.

“*Ahem*,” Qian Dai cleared his throat, interrupting the whispers below. A flash of spiritual light appeared in his pudgy palm, revealing an ancient scroll.

“This is today’s auction item: the ‘Celestial Water and Mysterious Wood Technique.’ It grants access to the early Golden Core stage but has some missing components at that level.”

“It is accessible to practitioners with single Water or Wood spiritual roots, dual Water-Wood roots, and even those with Metal, Water, and Wood triple roots.”

As Qian Dai introduced the technique, Shen Lian sensed a sudden surge of excitement in the room.

It was as if cultivators who had just taken a happiness pill were seeing a celestial maiden in the Red Beauty Pavilion.

Eyes gleamed greedily, almost ready to howl with desire.

“*Buzz!*”

Qian Dai waved his hand, sending streams of spiritual light raining through the chamber, landing in each cultivator’s palm. Shen Lian received one as well.

“Those wishing to bid for this technique, please write your offer on the jade slip. You have fifteen minutes to decide.”

For a quarter of an hour, the foundation cultivators furrowed their brows, as if suffering from constipation.

Shen Lian, however, showed a flicker of intrigue—the jade slip in his hand differed from the others’.

While everyone else’s slips were blank, his detailed the entire catalog of spiritual items to be auctioned.

“Superior defensive spiritual treasure: Black Water Mysterious Armor Turtle Shield.”

“A small spirit ship.”

“Second-tier spell: Heavenly Cloud Sea Sprint.”

“Second-tier mid-grade Sea Tribe Puppet.”

...

“Yimu Divine Thunder Technique.”

“Seven-Star Moon Snatching Secret Technique.”

“Quasi-spiritual treasure: Sea Pacifying Hall Refinement Method.”

...

The quality of items Qian Dai prepared was indeed high. Any one of them could serve as a highlight in a second-tier celestial city auction.

For Shen Lian, most held no interest except the Yimu Divine Thunder Technique.

Yimu Divine Thunder was one of the five-element thunder techniques, alongside Kui Water Divine Thunder, Bing Fire Divine Thunder, Wu Earth Divine Thunder, and Geng Metal Divine Thunder.

When combined, they formed the Lesser Five-Element Primordial Thunder, and further, the Greater Five-Element Extinction Thunder.

Thunder techniques surpassed fire arts in power, famed for annihilating all manner of evil spirits and demons, making them the bane of demonic cultivators.

These five thunder techniques were relatively easier for non-thunder-root cultivators to master.

Techniques like Purple Cloud Divine Thunder or Supreme Clarity Divine Thunder were difficult even for thunder-root cultivators and nearly impossible for others.

Moreover, cultivating thunder arts was challenging. Except for thunder-root cultivators, others treated thunder spells as temporary forbidden techniques, borrowing the power fleetingly.

After each duel, a lengthy period was needed to replenish thunder energy.

Additionally, the first step in thunder cultivation was withstanding the entry of thunder energy into the body and choosing where within to store it.

The five-element thunder techniques were comparatively manageable, corresponding to the five zang organs.

For example, Yimu Divine Thunder stored its power in the liver.

Shen Lian already possessed five-element concealment techniques; adding a five-element thunder art would be advantageous.

Over years of inheritance and tireless efforts by predecessors, innovations had emerged in thunder cultivation.

Upon realizing the danger of using one’s organs as thunder reservoirs, they developed specialized talismans as substitutes.

But to achieve basic potency, the talisman serving as a thunder energy attractor had to be at least second-tier superior, or it wouldn’t withstand the thunder’s force.

A slightly better talisman needed to be third-tier.

Ordinary cultivators could not afford such luxuries.

In the cultivation world, these were high-end practices.

While Shen Lian pondered acquiring the Yimu Divine Thunder Technique, many foundation cultivators had already submitted their offers to Qian Dai.

After reviewing over fifty jade slips, Qian Dai selected one.

The chamber was once again enveloped in thick mist.

This time, the mist did not block divine sense but obscured the cultivators’ sight.

Simultaneously, an immense divine sense surged within the chamber, causing those preparing to probe with divine sense to recoil in fear.

“Do not panic. This is Qian Family’s False Core True Immortal, specially present to oversee this auction,” a clear voice announced.

To foundation cultivators, the False Core was still a pill, and they could not match it.

“Any further use of pupil arts, and I shall show no mercy.”

The chilling voice echoed, direction indistinct.

“That’s True Immortal Qian Shi,” whispered voices spread.

Immediately, those whose eyes glowed green or bled shut their eyes hastily.

Neither sight nor divine sense dared to probe.

Though it was known someone had obtained the Golden Core technique, no one knew which family.

One hour was enough to avoid spying; by then, they would have no recourse and must await the next auction item.

Once the cultivator returned home with the technique, any attempt at sabotage would be nearly impossible.

Shen Lian felt the subtle tremble of the divine sense talisman on his body, his expression cool but contemplative.

This was not his first encounter with a False Core practitioner. Back on the Qingyang vessel, he had interacted closely with True Immortal Wan Yan for months.

At that time, his divine sense was weak, and he dared not spy on the True Immortal.

Now, sensing True Immortal Qian Shi’s divine sense at close range, Shen Lian found it weaker than expected.

It seemed...

False Core True Immortals derived their power from refining demon pills, forming an external core.

In the refining process, they absorbed the pill’s essence, cleansing their body and soul.

This cleansing granted them power surpassing the foundation stage.

Compared to genuine Golden Core True Immortals who condensed internal cores, the False Core’s strength depended on the grade of demon pill and how much energy they could inherit.

But third-tier demon pills were external objects, imbued with brutal demonic aura.

It was nearly impossible for cultivators to fully refine and assimilate them; inheriting half the power was considered good.

Most False Core cultivators in the Wanxing Sea had advanced by refining early third-tier demon pills, thus their combat power equaled about half that of early Golden Core cultivators.

Currently, Shen Lian sensed that True Immortal Qian Shi’s divine sense was not much stronger than his own.

Releasing his divine sense three feet outward, he carefully observed Qian Shi’s emanations.

After thorough confirmation, Qian Shi’s divine sense had not detected him.

“It should be stronger than Qian Dai’s, ranging between 150 to 600 zhang,” Shen Lian estimated inwardly, retracting his divine sense with satisfaction.

Qian Shi’s divine sense level likely represented the overall standard of False Core True Immortals in Wanxing Sea.

Still, Shen Lian did not grow arrogant.

Not all False Core True Immortals were alike; even among those refining early third-tier demon pills, some could assimilate seventy to eighty percent of the pill’s power, greatly enhancing their divine sense.

This meant Qian Shi represented the baseline; above that, it depended on the individual.

The white mist lingered for a full hour, with the False Core True Immortal’s divine sense sweeping continuously. The foundation cultivators behaved obediently.

Only after the hour passed and the mist dispersed could everyone see clearly again.

Due to the wide wooden beds blocking lateral and rear views, only the backs of other beds were visible ahead.

No one dared to stand or peer out under so many watchful eyes.

Divine sense was similarly restrained, wary of Qian Shi’s presence.

Only a few nearby cultivators guessed which family had secured the Golden Core technique.

“The next item is a low-grade foundation pill,” Qian Dai announced.

“Please write your bids on the jade slips.”

Streams of spiritual light again descended into the cultivators’ hands.

Foundation pill prices were transparent in the cultivation world, varying slightly by region.

In Wanxing Sea, low-grade foundation pills sold for twenty thousand spiritual stones, fluctuating by about two thousand.

Now, the family cultivators faced a dilemma: with no transparency, they could not gauge others’ bids. If they bid too high, they might lose out.

For a moment, they were troubled.

Each auction ended with a one-hour pause, slowing the event’s pace considerably.

By the time the Yimu Divine Thunder Technique appeared, it was already the next day.

Shen Lian boldly spent one hundred thousand spiritual stones to claim the secret method.

Techniques like the five-element thunder arts could not be simply classified by tiers; first through fourth tiers could all cultivate them, though mastery and power varied.

After securing the Yimu Divine Thunder, Shen Lian did not linger.

His primary focus was to search for body-forging spiritual items to strengthen his physical form.

He had lingered long enough at the fourth foundation layer.

...

“Alchemist Lu, this is the communication jade talisman the young master asked me to give you,” Mo’er, the maid, appeared again before the spirit vessel departed, handing over a cyan jade talisman.

“This talisman has extended transmission range, covering the entire Wanxing Sea.”

Hearing this, Shen Lian raised an eyebrow.

A talisman capable of communicating across Wanxing Sea had to be high-grade, at least mid-second tier.

As a talisman master, he recognized it immediately: this was a third-tier Azure Light Jade.

A spiritual artifact one rank higher than the Mysterious Spirit Jade.

“Alchemist Lu, the young master asked me to inform you that the herbs we sought in the Wind and Thunder Pavilion have been located. You may collect them at the Wind and Thunder Pavilion in Yuanyan Celestial City within two months.”

“Please convey my thanks to Brother Qian.”

Shen Lian cupped his hands politely to the maid. A flash of spiritual light surged from his body as he released his spirit boat, heading toward the distance.

Though called a maid, she was also a foundation-level cultivator.

With the thorny fruit now in sight, he could prepare to refine body-forging pills and enhance his physical strength.

He had stayed long enough at the fourth foundation stage.

(End of chapter)