Stephen Crain exhaled mist escaping his mouth in a plume filling his training room. A satisfied smile filled his face at achieving the second stage of the mist shroud technique. His manual said that the forth or fifty stage of foundational realm was usually required and that was for those who had at least cultivated middle grade materials. After obtaining the miraculous alchemic blood treatment method handed to them by the verdant path Stephen Crain and transformed from a lowly carp into the proverbial dragon.
After having the black rock auction house's alchemist retainer refine the method on a few of the house guards he'd taken steps to undergo his own cultivation session. Using all of his wealth, connections and pull as the acting manager of the black rocks auction house he'd acquired two peak foundational realm materials. One air lotus of exceptional quality and a deep water pearl the latter item having to be acquired from the black turtle sects personal vault.
Such extravagant materials were usually only used by nobles who were already in the upper foundational realm not only for the price but the fact that most of the energy would be wasted. One advantage nobles had being desended from imperial citizens was a body better able to incorporate cultivation materials yet with this method Stephen had transcended the natural ability of the average noble.
"Third stage of the foundational realm huh?" With a grin Stephen blurred through the mist his technique had created testing the limits of his body. Palm strikes, kicks and the flash of daggers flew through the mist in a confusing dance that would have astonished any onlookers. After twenty minutes the mist had cleared leaving Stephen standing there with a slight sheen of sweat trickling down his brow and a fire in his eyes.
Just as he started to contemplate his miraculous new power and urgent knocking came on the door to his training room. "manager Crain it's an emergency" a frantic voice called from outside. Opening the door and stepping out Stephen was met with a slightly panicked employee. " Sir it's complete chaos, all the tellers and associates are swamped and they guards have already had to stop two fights that have broken out" Stephen had to put a hand on the shoulder of the slightly hyperventilating man to steady him. "What's happened" Stephen demanded "something about a tournament Sir, everyone's gone mad".
Rounding the corner Stephen was greeted with a scene of pure madness, mercenaries and merchants shoving, shouting and trying to get the attention of his staff. If that was all his guardsman could easily handle it but that was just the beginning, black turtles, half a dozen cultivators from the local newly formed independent alliance, wondering cultivators from the badlands which weren't much better from bandits in Stephen's opinion. It was obvious multiple scuffles had taken place already and if it hadn't been for the newfound power in his guards cultivation helping to suppress the worst of the trouble makers it would have already devolved into an all out brawl.
Just as he thought that one of the wandering cultivators from the badlands pulled a blade out making to stab the back of a guard trying to separate the multiple hostile factions. Launching himself over the heads of the crowd Stephen took a deep breath activating the little free-flowing energy in his body and focusing it in his lungs. Landing in a crouch next to the surprised man he sharply exhaled a cloud of mist limiting his visibility and further disorienting him. Lashing out with a low kick Stephen swiftly sweept his legs out from under the man before slamming his dagger through the wrist of the knife welding cultivators. Standing in a fluid motion he took a deep breath vacuuming the mist revealing his actions for everyone to witness. A stunned silence fell over the rowdy hall "no violence will be tolerated in my auction house, do I make myself clear?!" Punctuated with a kick knocking the stunned cultivator unconscious.
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Hours later Stephen sat down with a sigh of exhaustion, after quelling the riot before it could truly get started he'd organized everything into proper lines. He'd had to use his new found power to suppress a few others who tried to skip the line the worst offenders being alliance members and black turtle sect member representatives demanding special treatment for their status. Normally he would have let them as both those groups had multiple core realm cultivators and it was rumored that the Black turtle sect master was half step submerged realm. Unfortunately for the honor of his auction house and to prevent the start of another riot Stephen had to firmly rebuke and even trade blows with a sixth step foundational cultivator from the black turtle sect. Wincing at the throbbing in his hands at having to pummel thought his body reinforcing technique he shock his head.
"First such a profound technique and now holding a once in a generation tournament, What's your motivation?!" Frowning Stephen Crain thought long and hard about the actions of the verdant path corporation. They were obviously pursuing some hidden agenda and he couldn't figure out why include his family's auction house. They purposefully shared such a powerful cultivation that could easily be worth dozens of core realm coins if not more to the right sect or clan but they practically gave it away for free.
"I wish I could ask my father about this" knowing that his father was in closed door cultivation building his cultivators core and disturbing him now could cripple him. He was initially somewhat bored at the idea of managing the auction house while his father had his breakthrough but now he was anything but. Hundreds of customers had come through selling, trading but mostly buying anything that could get them an edge in this 'foundational champion's tournament' as he'd learned it was called. Fighters as far as the badlands had flooded Blackrock ports streets and more just kept arriving. He knew not all would compete but the sheer amount of cultivators brought wealth and opportunities and being the only auction house in Blackrock they are set to be the main beneficiary.
Hector Vale could barley walk the streets they were so packed, he's more than happy he'd brought along two of his freshly minted cultivators for protection as they'd already had to stop an attempt to steal the foundational coins Hector carried on him. From the gossip he'd overheard hundreds of cultivators had gathered to participate in expert Pryor's tournament. "Is a little tournament really worth all this?" Hector asked one of his guards as they made their way to the Blackrock auction house. "I don't really know Sir, my village only had two cultivators and they weren't the tournament type" he said with a shrug "they mostly just helped everyone farm and build a bit faster ". "Come to think of it I guess I'm probably the first person from my village compete in a tournament" he replied in an upbeat tone. Thinking on the cheerful man's tone Hector though on the fact of how the man must be feeling, going from farmer to slave only to end up being transformed into a cultivator and having resources that cost more than the village you grow up in used for your development.
"We're here" shaken out of his thoughts Hector Vale looked at the bustling auction house in front of with surprise.