Chapter 196 - 137: Plot, Ji Wujin Pays a Visit

Chapter 196: Chapter 137: Plot, Ji Wujin Pays a Visit

Upon returning to Qingping Lane, Chen Jianghe ran into Chen Ping, the Second-Floor Steward of the Hundred Treasures Tower. It looked like Chen Ping had just come from his house.

"Were you looking for me, Fellow Daoist Chen?"

Seeing Chen Ping striding toward him, he asked.

"I saw you were out, Fellow Daoist. I thought you wouldn’t be back for a while, so I left a message."

Chen Ping smiled, nodded, and said, "You should attend this year’s New Year’s Eve auction, Fellow Daoist. You might find something you’re looking for."

"Thank you, Fellow Daoist."

Hearing this, Chen Jianghe knew exactly what he meant.

’There must be a Nourishing Spirit Pill or a Tier One High-Grade Spirit-Enriching Spirit Liquid at this auction.’

This was precisely what he had asked Chen Ping to keep an eye out for.

"Oh, right. I need to remind you of one more thing, Fellow Daoist," Chen Ping said seriously. "For the time being, it’s best not to leave Qinghe Marketplace unless it’s absolutely necessary."

"Thank you."

Chen Jianghe cupped his fists in thanks.

Everyone in Qinghe Marketplace knew he possessed a Low-Quality Foundation Establishment Pill. Chen Ping’s words were a warning for him to be careful.

Inside Qinghe Marketplace, no one would dare to make a move against him.

But outside of Qinghe Marketplace, the allure of even a Low-Quality Foundation Establishment Pill was simply unimaginable.

After bidding farewell to Chen Ping, Chen Jianghe returned to his small courtyard.

He swept his Divine Sense over the post box and found two letters inside, both of them messages.

One was from Chen Ping.

He opened it. Just as Chen Ping had said, the New Year’s Eve auction would have what he needed.

Both the Nourishing Spirit Pill and the Spirit-Encompassing Spirit Liquid would be available.

The message also warned him not to leave Qinghe Marketplace, stating that numerous Tribulation Cultivators had begun to gather outside its walls.

Clearly, Chen Jianghe was a prime target for many of these Tribulation Cultivators.

Then, he picked up the other message.

’Why would this scoundrel leave me a message?!’

Chen Jianghe frowned, his eyes fixed on the signature. It was from Ji Wujin.

He had only just seen the man.

If it weren’t for Ji Wujin, he wouldn’t be getting harassed by so many Ninth-Layer Qi Refining Cultivators.

He opened it and took a look.

’This scoundrel is insane, playing such a high-stakes game!’

Staring at the contents of the message, Chen Jianghe was left completely stunned. Ji Wujin had not only invited him to go "fishing" outside Qinghe Marketplace together, but had also explained the entire plan.

In fact, more than eighty percent of the Tribulation Cultivators outside Qinghe Marketplace had been lured there by rumors that Ji Wujin himself had spread.

Ji Wujin had gone to the Demon Hunter Trading Market to spread a rumor:

He was heading to the Immortal Sect Marketplace to purchase Spirit-Encompassing Spirit Liquid and Nourishing Spirit Pills, where he would then consume a Foundation Establishment Pill and attempt to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage.

’No wonder so many Tribulation Cultivators have gathered. If they miss this chance, Ji Wujin will just stay in the Immortal Sect Marketplace.’

Chen Jianghe knew this was the bait Ji Wujin had set.

Those Tribulation Cultivators and others with ill intentions would definitely take the bait.

The Immortal Sect Marketplace was not like Qinghe Marketplace.

It was the property of the Celestial South Sect and arguably the safest of all marketplaces; no Tribulation Cultivators would dare operate there.

There would be no incidents of robbery or murder.

However, for Chen Jianghe, the Immortal Sect Marketplace was not as good as Qinghe Marketplace, because in the Immortal Sect Marketplace, there were no secrets.

Residences there not only lacked Defense Arrays, but they didn’t even have Avoidance Arrays.

Perhaps this was a sign of the Immortal Sect Marketplace’s arrogance.

As long as one resided within the Immortal Sect Marketplace, they wouldn’t have to worry about their safety.

’A forty-sixty split on the profits... this scoundrel is hooked on fishing, and it seems he doesn’t plan on letting me off the hook either!’

Ji Wujin had stated clearly in the message that he wanted to conspire with Chen Jianghe, which would attract even more Tribulation Cultivators.

He was absolutely confident he could ensure it was a one-way trip for all of them.

The spoils from the "fish" they caught would be split forty-sixty.

But Chen Jianghe was no naive Cultivator. He saw right through Ji Wujin’s wicked intentions.

If he agreed to cooperate with Ji Wujin and left Qinghe Marketplace, he was afraid he wouldn’t be coming back either.

In Chen Jianghe’s opinion, Ji Wujin must have gone "fishing" for the first time and gotten a taste for it.

This "fishing" was extremely risky.

Even with a Tier Two Spirit Beast and a Tier Two Puppet, there was no guarantee things wouldn’t go disastrously wrong.

What if the bait attracted a Great Power of the Core Formation realm? That would mean utter annihilation.

With a flick of his will, a surge of Magical Power turned Ji Wujin’s message to ash.

He thought to himself that from now on, he had to draw a clear line with Ji Wujin and keep his distance.

The scoundrel’s motives were impure; he was even thinking of using Chen Jianghe himself as bait.

「The next day.」

At 7:10 AM, Chen Jianghe arrived at the Hundred Treasures Tower and went directly to the fourth floor, where he saw that the auction site was already filling up with Cultivators.

This was a regular auction, so no invitation was required.

The auctions featuring truly rare treasures were always held at night and were invitation-only.

This time, he sat directly in the back row.

However, with his current reputation, even sitting in a corner made him the center of attention.

His possession of the Foundation Establishment Pill had been exposed, and the fact that he still hadn’t used it made him a walking Foundation Establishment Opportunity.

Only the strict rules of Qinghe Marketplace kept these Ninth-Layer Qi Refining Cultivators from getting too out of line.

Otherwise, they would have swarmed him long ago.

Chen Jianghe felt dozens of gazes land on him. He knew they were all after his Foundation Establishment Pill.

’I wonder if the Hundred Treasures Tower sells masks like the one Ji Wujin wears.’

He wasn’t sure if it could block Divine Sense, but the mask had illusionary and obscuring properties.

It kept others from seeing one’s true appearance.

That function alone was excellent and would be perfect for him.

A few moments later, the doors to the fourth-floor auction hall closed, and the auction officially began.

The auctioneer this time was a beautiful female Cultivator, not the old man from before.