Chapter 463: Chapter 448: Dual Cultivation Cauldron
In the valley, there was no distinction between day and night. Dense mist covered the sky over the valley, and the brightness within the valley relied entirely on a fist-sized Treasure Pearl.
This Treasure Pearl hung high above the valley, emitting white light that illuminated the valley like daylight.
Since there was no difference between day and night, Zhouyang could only rely on himself to estimate the time.
He reckoned that approximately a day and night had passed. When the number of cultivators in the valley reached one hundred and twenty-three, the Earth-Drilling Mountain-Piercing Beast brought the last batch of people before disappearing.
At this moment, from within the mist outside the valley, three Golden Core Stage cultivators with powerful auras suddenly flew over, descending directly onto the stone platform in the center of the valley.
These three Golden Core Stage cultivators also wore masks to prevent Divine Sense detection, and all wore uniform black hooded robes, clearly intending to conceal their true identities.
Zhouyang was even certain that their current magical power auras must have been altered by some Secret Technique or Secret Treasure; anyone trying to find them based on these auras would surely find the wrong person.
While Zhouyang was observing these three black-clad Golden Core cultivators, the one in the middle, with the highest cultivation, suddenly spoke to the crowd below:
"This underground auction will be hosted by the three of us. You can refer to us as Mr. Jia, Mr. Jia Er, and Mr. Jia San."
"I, Mr. Jia, will now explain the rules for this underground auction."
"For this auction, we have prepared thirty-seven treasures. Each treasure will be auctioned individually, and bidding is unrestricted with no minimum increase limit. If you lack Spirit Stones, you may offset with personal treasures, which will be appraised and valued onsite by the three of us."
"During the auction, any attempts to threaten or intimidate competitors are strictly forbidden. Otherwise, the three of us will intervene directly, so please remember this!"
"No one may leave the valley until the auction concludes; violators will bear the consequences themselves!"
"Lastly, all items purchased at the auction are non-returnable, and any resulting consequences will be the responsibility of the purchasing Dao friends!"
No one responded.
Including Zhouyang, everyone simply listened quietly to Mr. Jia’s remarks, and it was unclear if they truly absorbed the information.
Mr. Jia seemed unconcerned with this, and after a brief pause, he nodded slightly to Mr. Jia Er on his left and Mr. Jia San on his right, then waved his hand saying, "The auction officially begins now."
"The first auction item is the cultivation method for the Divine Technique ’Seven Evils Poison Fire’. I need not elaborate on the origins of this Divine Technique; those who understand, understand."
"The starting bid for this item is fifty thousand Low-grade Spirit Stones; Dao friends may begin bidding now."
Although participants had known beforehand that the items at this underground auction would be of dubious origin, Zhouyang’s heart still jumped sharply upon seeing the first auction item was the cultivation method for the Divine Technique ’Seven Evils Poison Fire’.
Even an outsider cultivator like him, who had not been in the Land of the Far West for long, had heard of the fame of this Divine Technique.
Among the Thirty-Six Middle Gates of the Anti-Light Alliance, the top ten sects each have Nascent Soul Stage cultivators, and the Seven Evils Sect is one of them.
’Seven Evils Poison Fire’ is a unique Divine Technique cultivation method belonging to the Seven Evils Sect, and it is almost synonymous with the distinctive Divine Techniques of the sect.
Now, seeing this unique Divine Technique cultivation method of the Seven Evils Sect appear at an underground auction, how could Zhouyang’s heart not be shocked?
For a sect, the transmission of cultivation techniques and Divine Techniques is of utmost importance. If these techniques and Divine Techniques were to be leaked and obtained by enemies, it would be catastrophic for the sect.
Therefore, in the Cultivation Realm, regardless of which sect, discovering outsiders cultivating its unique techniques and Divine Techniques will mark them as life-and-death enemies, and they will spare no effort to eradicate them!
Thus, even though Zhouyang was curious about the cultivation method for ’Seven Evils Poison Fire’, he had no thoughts of bidding at all.
"Five years ago, the Seven Evils Sect’s Golden Core Elder, Luo Bing, accidentally perished in the Wulan Marsh. The Seven Evils Sect offered a reward of twenty Top-grade Spirit Stones for information on the perpetrator’s whereabouts, but nothing was ever found."
"Mr. Jia’s possession of this ’Seven Evils Poison Fire’ cultivation method must have been acquired from Elder Luo Bing by the culprit, no?"
Just as Zhouyang prepared to coldly watch to see who dared bid on the troublesome ’Seven Evils Poison Fire’, a cultivator shrouded in a mass of cyan Spiritual Light suddenly spoke up and revealed the origin of the ’Seven Evils Poison Fire’ cultivation method.
Instantly, Mr. Jia’s gaze turned cold.
"Are you here deliberately to cause trouble?"
The speaker was not the chillingly-eyed Mr. Jia, but Mr. Jia Er beside him.
Moreover, as Mr. Jia Er spoke, the three Golden Core Stage cultivators on the platform immediately locked onto the speaking cultivator, appearing ready to act at any moment.
"Dao friends, please calm yourselves. I speak merely out of my connection with a certain Elder of the Seven Evils Sect, having met Fairy Luo Bing a few times, and consider myself somewhat acquainted, hence failing to control my emotions temporarily and speaking from my heart, with no intention of provocation."
"I apologize for any offense caused and hereby extend my apologies to the Dao friends!"
The person who spoke also appeared to be a Golden Core Cultivator. Despite being pressured by three peers, he remained calm and composed, clasping his hands in apology to the three on stage.
"Let me reiterate, anything appearing at the auction, even if obtained from your closest friends or family, must be won back according to the auction rules if you wish to reclaim it!"
"Anyone who speaks out again with irrelevant nonsense will find themselves at risk of being seized by us!"
"Mr. Jia Da" stared coldly at the cultivator who spoke for a long moment before retracting his gaze. His icy eyes scanned all the individuals in the valley as he reiterated the rules of the underground auction.
Silence prevailed, indicating everyone’s tacit acceptance of these rules, allowing the auction to proceed.
Clearly, not everyone shared Zhouyang’s indifference towards the origin of the "Seven Evils Poison Fire" and the allure of its Divine Techniques.
Bidding continued turbulently, reaching a peak before the item finally sold for 170,000 Low-grade Spirit Stones.
Such a price for a powerful Divine Technique like "Seven Evils Poison Fire" was undoubtedly very low.
But this is the allure of the underground auction.
Here, if you’re not afraid of complications, you can buy desired items at extremely low prices.
For example, a Tier Five Spiritual Artifact that would cost at least 600,000-700,000 Low-grade Spirit Stones at an outside auction was bought here for half the price.
The origin of such artifacts at this underground auction was clearly evident, as they were mostly used by cultivators from various sects within the Anti-Light Alliance before their demise.
Purchasing this kind of item is fine if kept unused; however, once utilized and its origins are recognized, it would surely lead to relentless trouble, potentially resulting in death.
Zhouyang, despite his boldness, preferred not to get entangled in such troubles.
He already possessed several Tier Five Spiritual Artifacts, and post Core Formation, he was confident he’d have appropriate artifacts to use without needing to take such risks.
"A Top-grade Dual Cultivation Cauldron, First-Layer of the Purple Mansion cultivation, practicing the renowned"Taiyin Cold Moon Technique"from the Great Brightness Immortal Palace, refining her full Primordial Yin essence would save a Golden Core Cultivator decades of arduous cultivation!"
Mid-auction, Mr. Jia Da made a gesture, causing a transparent Ice Coffin to suddenly fly over from the mist outside the valley, inside which lay a sleeping Ice Beauty. The auction item was none other than this Ice Beauty.
"I’ve heard that underground auctions frequented by high-tier cultivators occasionally auction off Dual Cultivation Cauldrons like slaves, but never expected to witness it firsthand today!"
Zhouyang’s gaze was surprised upon seeing the Ice Beauty within the Ice Coffin, and his emotions were incredibly mixed.
The Dual Cultivation Technique is not considered a Forbidden Technique within the Cultivation Realm, and many cultivators and their Dao Companions practice such Secret Techniques to enhance each other’s cultivation.
The orthodox Dual Cultivation Technique adheres to the principle of Yin-Yang harmony, benefiting both parties without harming anyone physically.
However, aside from significant benefits during its first practice, the orthodox technique only slightly accelerates cultivation speed afterward or serves as a means of enhancing intimate pleasure.
Yet alongside the orthodox technique exists a non-orthodox Dual Cultivation Technique, often reviled by orthodox cultivators, commonly known as the Absorption Skill.
The Absorption Skill focuses on harvesting Yin to replenish Yang or Yang to replenish Yin, where during dual cultivation, it destructively absorbs one party’s Essence Yang or Primordial Essence.
The cultivators being harvested may experience severe setbacks in cultivation and a drastic reduction in lifespan, or even be absorbed to death!
Meanwhile, those performing the absorption can refine the harvested Essence Yang and Primordial Essence using the Absorption Skill to significantly advance their cultivation without fearing injury from "Erysipelas."
Due to the advantages of the Absorption Skill, some high-tier cultivators resort to this method when their cultivation advances slowly.
They avoid harming their Dao Companions and fellow sect female cultivators, so unscrupulous cultivators created "Dual Cultivation Cauldrons" specifically for these high-tier cultivators.
Typically, these "Dual Cultivation Cauldrons" intended for high-tier cultivators consist of young male and female cultivators with mediocre Spirit Root Talent, who due to various reasons, either voluntarily or involuntarily sell themselves to certain organizations. They then practice a cultivation technique that drastically enhances the quality of their Primordial Yang and Primordial Yin, albeit with significant flaws that impede advancement to higher tiers.
These organizations usually cultivate "Dual Cultivation Cauldrons" to the Foundation Establishment Stage, then auction them off in such clandestine places as underground auctions.
It’s said that a Foundation Establishment Stage Early-stage "Dual Cultivation Cauldron" can fetch over 200,000 Low-grade Spirit Stones!
In the Cultivation Realm, "Dual Cultivation Cauldrons" are also referred to as "Human Pills!"
Upon learning of such practices in the Cultivation Realm, Zhouyang harbored extreme disdain for this behavior, equating it with Demon Dao tactics.
Because even if the cultivators being harvested are spared from death, their future cultivation would stagnate, and their lifespan greatly diminishes.
However, now, as he gazed at the Ice Beauty within the Ice Coffin, he remained silent.