Chapter 612: A Little Bird Told Me

In the Idle Cloud Mountains, time flowed leisurely, like a white colt passing through a crack, and in the blink of an eye, over two hundred years had slipped by.

For over two centuries, the various 'free spirits' dwelling in seclusion within the Idle Cloud Mountains still spent their days composing poems and painting, indulging in romantic pursuits, living each year as if it were a single day, passing their 'immortal days' in the ways they favored. Most of them paid little heed to matters of cultivation and seclusion.

As for whether a few more people had joined the mountains or some had left, naturally, no one cared much. After all, to have the fortune to come to the Idle Cloud Mountains in one's lifetime and share a brief acquaintance was fate itself. Since they cared not for the past, why bother inquiring about the future?

The True Immortal Realm remained the True Immortal Realm, but in the mortal world, perhaps several generations had already passed, countless cycles of enmity and slaughter had unfolded, and even dynasties might have changed.

As the saying goes, 'A single day in the Immortal Realm, a thousand years of toil in the mortal world.'

Ever since Han Li had settled Mo Guang and acquired a 'new identity,' he still made the long journey to the inner city of Jukun every so often, searching for 'Xuanzhi Crystal Stones.'

Over time, many shopkeepers in the inner city had done business with him for elixirs a few times, and through repeated interactions, they had become familiar with his face. They all came to know that the Fire Leaf Sect had an outer sect elder who was single-mindedly searching for 'Flower Heart Stones.'

However, during his last few visits to the city, Han Li noticed that many places were under renovation. Some main streets were already decorated with lanterns and bunting, spruced up to welcome merchants from all directions for the grand city foundation celebration held once every millennium in Jukun City.

Especially in recent months, ferries from other parts of the Black Mountain Immortal Domain and even from neighboring domains had been flying into the city in dense streams, making the various ports within the city increasingly busy.

In front of shops all over the city, all kinds of banners and notice boards had been hung, inscribed with gold powder in phrases like 'Genuine goods at fair prices' and 'Fair dealings with immortals and mortals alike' to attract customers. Some merchants, breaking from convention, had taken a different approach, writing things like 'Buy one, get one free,' 'Discounted giveaways,' and 'Once in three thousand years.'

Compared to ordinary times, the crowds in Jukun City had grown denser. The immortal inns run by various merchant guilds were already in short supply, packed to capacity with visiting merchants and cultivators. Many sects within the city had also begun temporarily renting out their inner courtyards and guest rooms to earn some rental income.

Even the Floating Cloud Mountain Range, far outside the city, had its usual tranquility shattered. Many reclusive cultivators who had long resided in the mountains were also stirring restlessly, planning to enter Jukun City during the celebration to trade for items that caught their fancy.

One might think that, being close to the source, they would not have such intense enthusiasm for the Jukun City celebration, but in fact, they were just as eagerly anticipating the arrival of the celebration day as the cultivators who had traveled thousands of miles.

The reason was simple: during the seven days of the Jukun City celebration, the boundary between the inner and outer cities would be broken. At that time, the four gates of the inner city would be thrown open, with no restrictions, allowing anyone to enter the inner city.

Moreover, during the opening of the inner city, hundreds of auctions of various scales would be held under the auspices of different powers. The most eye-catching among them was naturally the Yukun Tower Grand Auction, jointly organized by the Northern Branch Palace of the Black Mountain Immortal Palace and the Baizao Mountain branch.

The reason this event attracted the attention of nearly half the Black Mountain Immortal Domain was not only its powerful official backing but also because almost every auction featured several top-tier treasures that would make even Taiyi Jade Immortals salivate.

Whenever such treasures appeared, they would spark fierce competition among various powers, each relying on their own foundations and strength to vie for them. No matter who ultimately won, it would become a celebrated tale for a time.

Seven days before the celebration began, Han Li had already followed Elder Jingyang to take up residence in Yuku Tower.

Beneath the tower lay an underground palace, equipped with various intricate formations and mechanisms, guarded day and night by three Golden Immortal elders. The auction items transported from the Black Mountain Immortal Domain and other places were stored there.

Han Li, along with two other alchemy appraisers, accompanied by Elder Jingyang, appraised the elixirs and spiritual medicine treasures among them. After confirming their authenticity, they registered and cataloged them all, adding them to the auction list.

It was not until the evening before the celebration day that all auction items had been delivered to Yuku Tower, cataloged, and stored.

Elder Jingyang, long accustomed to a leisurely life, found the nuisance unbearable. After finally finishing these trivial matters, he took advantage of the moonlit night to visit the separate courtyard arranged for Han Li.

When he reached the door of the room, before he could speak, Han Li had already swept open the door with a flick of his sleeve and invited him inside.

"So, how does it feel to handle everything personally? Haha..." Han Li invited Elder Jingyang to sit down, poured him a cup of clear tea, and teased with a smile.

"It's been a long time since I've been involved in such detailed affairs; indeed, it's a bit unfamiliar... Don't you mock me, young man..." Elder Jingyang waved his hand and said with a wry smile.

After speaking, he glanced disdainfully at the tea Han Li had poured and said, "Do you still have any of that Fire Saliva Wine?"

"Didn't I give you the recipe? Why are you still asking me for wine?" Han Li chuckled lightly and asked.

"Don't be so stingy! Your wine has a longer vintage! The ones I brewed are less than a hundred and fifty years old; the taste is far inferior. Besides, I'm not drinking your wine for free. I have a little tidbit to share with you." Elder Jingyang lowered his voice and said mysteriously.

Hearing this, Han Li smiled helplessly. With a wave of his hand, a dark gray wine jar appeared on the table.

"This is the last jar I've kept privately. Its vintage is even older than the one I brought out last time. Your little tidbit had better be worth my wine." Han Li slapped open the clay seal on the jar's mouth and said.

As the rich aroma of wine filled the entire room, Elder Jingyang's craving was immediately aroused. He eagerly filled his teacup to the brim with wine and downed it in one gulp.

The fine wine slid down his throat. He tilted his head back, smacking his lips, savoring the lingering aftertaste, his face full of intoxication.

Han Li watched from the side, almost wanting to laugh, but he did not urge him.

"Truly fine wine..." Jingyang Shangren raised his thumb in praise.

No sooner had he spoken than he grabbed the wine jar to pour himself another drink, but Han Li stopped him.

"Aren't you going to tell me the news?" Han Li asked.

"Heh heh... can't you let me have a few more sips first?" Jingyang Shangren said with a dry laugh.

"Out with it," Han Li said directly, ignoring him.

"Fine... I'll tell you. The Xuanzhi crystal you wanted has arrived. It was in the last batch of goods that came in this afternoon." Jingyang Shangren withdrew his hand and said, shaking his head.

"Is that true?" Han Li was overjoyed and pressed for confirmation.

"Don't get too excited yet. The price for this item is not low. The starting bid is a thousand immortal spirit stones, and the final price could easily double or triple. Is your purse deep enough?" Jingyang Shangren deliberately looked him up and down and asked.

Han Li laughed inwardly. Doubling or tripling meant only a few thousand immortal spirit stones. While that was a huge sum for ordinary Golden Immortal cultivators, it was nothing to him now.

"Don't forget, Fellow Daoist Jingyang, I am an alchemist. Though I spend money like water, I earn it just as fast. I've been planning this for a long time, so naturally I am prepared," Han Li said with a smile.

Seeing Han Li's confident demeanor, Jingyang Shangren thought to himself that Han Li was new here and didn't know the 'dangers' of the auction. One careless move and he could end up broke.

"If you don't have enough spirit stones, you can pawn some pills to our Hundred Creations Mountain. I'll give you a fair price. If you want to redeem them later, you can buy them back at the original price. How about that? Generous enough, right?" He didn't pour cold water on Han Li directly but said this instead.

Han Li pushed the entire jar of Fire Saliva Wine to Jingyang Shangren and said crisply:

"Generous."

...

The next morning, a resonant bell toll echoed through the entire city of Jukun.

The four gates of the inner city—east, south, west, and north—which had long been sealed, were all thrown open. All the verification cultivators stationed there withdrew, while the number of patrol cultivators on the city walls increased severalfold.

As the light of the runic restrictions on the gates faded, the cultivators who had been waiting outside the gates eagerly passed through the archways and surged into the inner city.

The usually quiet streets and alleys of the inner city suddenly became bustling. The chaotic crowd dispersed along the roads to various parts of the inner city. Some headed to shops selling magical artifacts and immortal tools, while others went directly to auction venues.

The entire inner city became even livelier than the outer city.

By nightfall, the inner city of Jukun was lit up with lanterns. Red lanterns glowed everywhere, illuminating every place. Fireworks rose from the city walls to add to the excitement, and the lively atmosphere showed no sign of waning.

After six days like this, the most anticipated Yukun Tower auction finally began.

As organizers, Han Li and Jingyang Shangren naturally entered the Yunkun Tower auction venue first.

Upon entering, he discovered that the Yunkun Tower, which from the outside looked like a mere pagoda, had such a vast interior space.

In the center of the building stood a wide circular stone platform, clearly used for displaying auction items. Around it were arranged small, closely connected VIP rooms, forming a neat circle.

After the first floor was filled, the second and third floors each formed another circle, totaling several hundred rooms.

Each VIP room contained a low table and a cushion. On the upper right corner of the table burned a stick of sandalwood incense, while in the center were placed immortal vegetables, spirit fruits, and a pot of fine wine.

Han Li and Jingyang Shangren chose a VIP room on the second floor and entered first.

Inside stood a young woman dressed like a palace maid, who immediately added a cushion for the two and poured them wine.

Han Li glanced sideways and was somewhat surprised to find that the palace maid was not a real person but a puppet. Her aura was faint, equivalent only to a Core Formation cultivator, making her easy to overlook.

"Fellow Daoist Jingyang, aren't you really going to host the assembly?" Han Li withdrew his gaze and asked.