Chapter 43: The Ambush
However, throughout the entire auction, Su Qingyu's maid had only bid on the Spirit Nourishing Pills. It seemed she had come specifically for the Profound Water Flower.
"Forty thousand spirit stones."
As Li Changsheng expected, Lu He's voice reached his ears.
She had directly raised the bid by ten thousand spirit stones.
"Forty-five thousand spirit stones."
"Forty-eight thousand spirit stones!"
"Fifty-three thousand…"
In the end, the Profound Water Flower was secured by Su Qingyu for ninety thousand spirit stones. Li Changsheng didn't bid, partly because Su Qingyu had helped him a lot in the simulations, and partly because the Aqua Essence Pill was a fourth-tier pill.
In the entire Southern Domain, there were no more than a handful of fourth-tier alchemists, and Li Changsheng was one of them. A single Profound Water Flower could yield three Aqua Essence Pills.
Furthermore, even if Su Qingyu didn't ask him to refine the Aqua Essence Pill, he could always refine Marrow Cleansing Pills to improve his aptitude once he became a fifth-tier alchemist.
After the auction ended, the Golden Mountain Auction House delivered the over seventy thousand spirit stones Li Changsheng had earned from selling his pills.
"Let's go," Li Changsheng said as he stored the spirit stones and headed out of the auction house.
As the three of them walked through the market, they hadn't gone far when the surroundings suddenly changed. The bustling crowd vanished, replaced by gray mist that seemed to envelop them in an isolated world.
"Young Master, someone is ambushing us!" Qin Yi's face turned serious as he cautiously observed the surrounding mist.
Bai Qing'er also looked around with a grave expression.
"It's nothing. Just a few rats," Li Changsheng said indifferently, standing with his hands behind his back.
"What arrogance!"
Eleven figures emerged from the mist. Aside from the three members of the Wan family and two independent cultivators accompanying Zhou Qi, there were three other Foundation Establishment cultivators, one of whom was the manager Li Changsheng had seen at the Golden Mountain Auction House.
"The Golden Mountain Auction House certainly knows how to do business. No sooner had I handed my items over for auction than you're already trying to steal the money back?"
Li Changsheng looked at the manager with a faint smile.
The manager's face changed slightly, and he whispered to Zhou Qi, "Brother Zhou, this person must die today. He has the backing of a third-tier alchemist. If he escapes, I'm as good as dead."
"Also, I'll need a copy of the alchemist's legacy he possesses."
The manager sighed as he looked at Li Changsheng. Ambushing an auction house customer midway was something that would undoubtedly lead to his being hunted down by the Golden Mountain Auction House. However, as a first-tier peak alchemist himself, the legacy of a third-tier alchemist was worth the risk.
That's why he had approached Zhou Qi, with whom he had some connections, before the auction even ended. What he hadn't expected was that this young man before him also had a grudge against the Sunset Sect.
A perfect match!
"Deal!" Zhou Qi slowly stepped forward, sneering at Li Changsheng. "Kid, did you ever think this day would come after killing my martial uncle in the mortal realm a few days ago?"
"Did the Sunset Sect send only you few small fries? Seems a bit disrespectful, don't you think?" Li Changsheng's expression remained indifferent, as if the eleven Foundation Establishment cultivators surrounding him were of no consequence.
"You're asking for death!"
Zhou Qi could no longer suppress his rage. As the top inner sect disciple of the Sunset Sect, when had anyone in Qi State ever dared to look down on him like this?
Boom!
A flash of lightning seemed to appear out of thin air—a cold gleam from Zhou Qi's flying sword. Like a bolt of lightning piercing through the mist, it shot toward Li Changsheng's face.
"Heh."
Just as the flying sword was about to strike Li Changsheng, the others showed expressions of disdain. Dealing with such an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator, Zhou Qi had still called them all here. It seemed overly cautious!
Clang!
The moment the flying sword was about to pierce Li Changsheng's forehead, two fingers appeared right in front of it, accurately clamping down on the high-grade magical weapon.
"How is this possible?"
Wan Chongshan exclaimed in shock. Among those present, only he and Zhou Qi were at the Foundation Establishment peak. He had thought Li Changsheng would die from Zhou Qi's sword strike, but now he couldn't even see Li Changsheng's movements clearly. The high-grade magical weapon had been caught by Li Changsheng!
"Didn't any of you bother to investigate my strength before trying to deal with me?"
Li Changsheng sighed lightly. "Your strength is even weaker than your martial uncle, Qi Mingsi. He couldn't even withstand a single sword strike from me. What gave you the courage to bring these few things to attack me?"
What?
The group was stunned. Qi Mingsi was a senior who was just one step away from reaching the Golden Core stage. Although he was nearing the end of his lifespan, he could still unleash terrifying power in a desperate fight. Yet this young man before them was saying Qi Mingsi couldn't even withstand a single sword strike from him?
Could it be that this young man was a Golden Core cultivator?
Many in the group began to entertain this absurd thought.
"Well, I won't play with you anymore," Li Changsheng said, taking a step forward. "I've been here all along, waiting for you to make a move. Otherwise, how could I legitimately take over Misty Valley?"
Wan Chongshan's heart tightened. This young man was after his family's base in Misty Valley?
Rumble!
Like an ancient beast awakening, a powerful aura erupted from Li Changsheng, instantly filling the entire area within the formation. The terrifying pressure enveloped the eleven Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
In an instant, the Golden Mountain Auction House manager and others were forced to their knees by the overwhelming pressure. Blood gushed from their knees as they smashed into the stone pavement.
Only Zhou Qi and Wan Chongshan, leaning on their weapons, managed to remain standing. However, their trembling legs and sweat-soaked clothes showed they wouldn't last much longer!
'How is this possible?'
'A Golden Core cultivator so young? How have I never heard of him?'
Zhou Qi's mind was in turmoil. He had thought this young man was just a dangerous wolf that could be dealt with using some tricks. But now it was clear that this wasn't a wolf—it was a primordial tyrannosaurus!
"Senior… please spare…" Wan Chongshan raised his head slightly, looking at the approaching young man, trying to beg for mercy. He had thought the several second-tier formations in the market would be enough to hold off a Golden Core expert, but now he realized that under the pressure of a Golden Core cultivator, he couldn't even control the formations!
"Die!"
Li Changsheng shook his head slightly. He'd waited so long in Tunmen Market precisely for this moment—when those with ill intentions would make their move. How could he show mercy now?
Holding Zhou Qi's high-grade magical weapon, Li Changsheng made a casual slash. Several sword beams shot out, instantly reducing the eleven to dust. Only the storage bags and bloodstains on the ground were proof that people had been killed here moments before!
"Killing the Wan family's Foundation Establishment cultivators is just removing a potential future threat."
The surrounding mist dissipated. Li Changsheng sighed as he collected the eleven storage bags and then disappeared.
The Wan family's estate was built on the spiritual eye with the densest spiritual energy in Misty Valley's spiritual vein. When Li Changsheng appeared at the Wan family's main gate, two disciples guarding the entrance immediately noticed him.
"Who are you?"
Upon seeing Li Changsheng, the two disciples immediately began casting spells. A wind blade and a fireball hurtled toward Li Changsheng.
"Die!"
Li Changsheng extended his fingers like a sword and made a light slash.
Two heads soared into the sky.
"Who is it?"
"Who dares cause trouble at the Wan family?"
"You're seeking death!"
Several angry shouts rang out from within the inner courtyard.
More than a dozen streaks of light flew out from the Wan family's buildings, arriving at the main gate in an instant. Seeing the two gatekeepers now headless, the two Qi Refining peak cultivators at the front turned pale.
"Quick! Go invite the Patriarch!"