"Are you satisfied with this auction, Young Master Li?" Manager Hua asked with a smile.
Li Sheng nodded in satisfaction, "Manager Hua, let's skip the pleasantries. I need some alchemical materials and martial arts manuals."
After some discussion, Li Sheng confirmed the transaction amounts.
Twenty seven-grade Bone Refining Pills, forty eight-grade Inner Breath Pills, fifty nine-grade Body Refining Pills, and twenty various detoxification and healing pills, totaling fifteen hundred spirit stones.
For martial arts manuals, three sixth-grade, seventeen seventh-grade, forty eighth-grade, and one hundred twenty ninth-grade, totaling three thousand one hundred spirit stones.
He also browsed the God Weapon Pavilion, selecting a full set of fifth-grade soft armor and a sixth-grade long sword for himself and his junior sister.
"Young Master Li, the total expense is seven thousand two hundred fifty spirit stones. With the gold-level VIP discount, it comes to five thousand eight hundred spirit stones. Do you need anything else?"
Throughout the walk, Manager Hua personally accompanied him, introducing treasures and maintaining a constant smile, occasionally brushing against Li Sheng's arm.
It wasn't until Bai Ye noticed and intervened that Manager Hua stopped.
"That’s all. Please have these resources delivered to Qingling Sect tomorrow, Manager Hua." Li Sheng cupped his hands, not pretending to be mysterious, as he understood that with the resources of the Treasure Pavilion, they had likely already checked his background.
"Rest assured, Sect Master Li. My young lady specifically instructed me to assist you. If there’s anything, you can send someone to inform us. The Treasure Pavilion will do its utmost." Manager Hua said sincerely, his smile fading.
"Thank you for your young lady's kindness. I wonder if I might have the fortune to express my thanks in person?"
"My young lady has already departed, but she mentioned that you will meet again soon."
"Meet again?" Li Sheng pondered the implications.
Manager Hua didn’t elaborate further and sent someone to deliver the armor and sword.
As the two left the Treasure Pavilion, night had fallen, and there were hardly any pedestrians on the streets.
"Junior sister, take this soft armor." Li Sheng handed over the armor, still thinking about how to persuade her to accept it.
Bai Ye took the armor without refusing, simply nodding gently.
Li Sheng secretly breathed a sigh of relief, unaware that a blush had crept onto Bai Ye's fair face.
After they returned to their respective rooms for the night, in another inn around the corner...
"Knock, knock..."
"Come in!" an elderly voice called from inside.
The door opened, and a burly young man walked in.
"Have you found out the details?" the old man asked, sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed.
"Reporting to Elder Feng, I couldn't get much out of that kid. I had to take him to a couple of brothels before he spilled anything, costing me..."
"Just tell me the news." Feng Lu threw a spirit stone and chided him.
The burly young man's eyes lit up as he caught the spirit stone and tucked it away.
"Three days ago, Qingling Sect hired several cart drivers to transport a batch of resources, including herbs and martial arts manuals. Elder Xiong should have gone for this matter."
"Oh?" Feng Lu stood up and began pacing, deep in thought.
"Where did Li kid get the spirit stones to buy resources... Could it be left by the Sect Master?"
"How long has Elder Xiong been gone?" Feng Lu paused to ask.
"Exactly a day has passed."
"A day... You take two people and watch outside the sect overnight. Report back if you see Elder Xiong."
"Overnight?" The young man's expression soured.
"You don’t want to go?"
"Of course not... I’ll go right away!" The young man quickly took his leave, turning to leave.
The night passed without incident.
As dawn broke, Li Sheng and the others set off.
After returning to the sect and having breakfast delivered by the kitchen, the convoy from the Treasure Pavilion arrived.
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He instructed to activate the formation, and several carts entered the mountain gate.
Li Sheng got up to welcome them, seeing off Manager Liu and his party. After the refresh, Li Sheng headed to the Hidden Techniques Pavilion.
Seeing the hundreds of martial arts manuals on the racks, a smile appeared on Li Sheng's face.
He tossed five seventh-grade martial arts manuals into the Ziwai Wu Ding and silently recited,
"Simulation!"
A familiar glow appeared, revealing a brand-new martial arts manual.
Once he obtained the secret technique, a line of text caught his eye:
"Seventh-grade spiritual-level martial art: Golden Ape Fist Technique."
"It still has dual spiritual forms: Golden and Ape."
After storing the technique, he began to use today's synthesis chances. Moments later, twenty-five eighth-grade martial arts manuals disappeared, replaced by five seventh-grade ones.
Leaving the Hidden Techniques Pavilion, Li Sheng went to the alchemy room, where a top-quality Inner Breath Pill was freshly produced.
He placed the pill into a jade bottle and went to the Spirit Gathering Room, feeling the abundant spiritual energy within. Nodding in satisfaction, he swallowed the pill and began practicing the eighth-grade martial art, Thunder Tiger Breathing Technique.
Days and nights blurred in his training, and as the dim stone room filled with light, Li Sheng opened his eyes and exhaled a mouthful of turbid air:
"I've comprehended the Thunder form; only the Tiger form remains..."
Previously, when his talent was exceptional, he had reached his limit after forming a single spiritual body.
After the transformation, comprehending the Thunder form seemed to take little toll on his body.
Li Sheng moved his limbs, confirming all was well before continuing his training.
"At this rate, I should be able to grasp the Tiger form by dawn and break through to the next realm. I hope it goes smoothly."
He sat cross-legged again, activating the Thunder Tiger Breathing Technique. A faint rumble resonated within him, like rolling thunder, strengthening his physique and thickening the true energy in his dantian.
Time passed slowly, and Li Sheng's aura began to fluctuate. In a daze, a sound like a tiger's roar echoed from within him.
As the dense night faded, a glimmer of light appeared on the eastern horizon. Just as Li Sheng was about to break through, a fierce battle quietly approached outside the mountain.
In the forest in front of the Qingling Sect's gate, three dark figures crouched in the grass; one was on watch while two others were sound asleep.
The watching young man yawned and nudged his companion awake: "I can't hold on anymore. You take over. This damn task is really exhausting."
"Uh... you sleep..."
"Clang, clash!"
The sounds of clashing weapons drew near, accompanied by shouts and threats.
"Wake up, there’s movement." The recently awakened black-clad man quickly shook his companion awake and hid their figures.
"Master Liu took a hit from the Wolf King and can still hold on for this long with our help. Truly, a sixth-grade refining realm warrior. But I advise you to give up struggling; it'll save you some pain."
"Third Brother, this woman is about to give in. Let's put some effort into subduing her. Having such a stunning mother-daughter pair at our mercy would be exciting to think about."
"Of course, we'll have a good time later."
"Make sure to leave some energy for the two of you. If you kill her, playing with the corpse won't be as fun."
"Haha..."
A dozen black-clad men surrounded Liu Hongfeng and her daughter, shamelessly taunting them with words.
Though they appeared extremely arrogant, they subtly began to retreat, cautious of the dying counterattack from a refining realm warrior.
In the scene, Liu Hongfeng leaned slightly against her daughter, her left arm drooping, while her right hand held a sword, coldly sweeping towards the crowd. The wounds on her chest and thigh from various weapons were painfully evident, blood soaking her clothes crimson.