Tian Yuan War Chronicles: The Path of Artifacts to Ascension – Chapter 18

Ch 18: Mid-Cultivation Realm

After Lin Lan returned from the Spirit Stone Mine, Old Ancestor Lin Lian began to arrange for her to enter secluded cultivation to break through to the Mid-Cultivation realm.

It wasn’t that she was so anxious to improve her cultivation, but rather that the Seven Sun Sect Secret Realm trial, which occurs once every ten years, would be opening next May, and only those whose strength had reached the Mid-Cultivation realm could participate in the competition for the main ingredient of the Foundation Establishment Pill, the Seven Yang Grass.

Lin Lan entered secluded cultivation in the meditation room of the main house. In order to break through to the Mid-Cultivation realm, Lin Lan had already begun Bigu. Old Ancestor Lin Lian brought her several bottles of Bigu Pills, so there was no need to cook for her.

Lin Yu and Hua Kong, who originally thought they could relax a little, were also arranged to practice the Combined Attack Technique.

From then on, the three of them became busy. Lin Lan entered secluded cultivation to break through to the Mid-Cultivation realm, while Lin Yu and Hua Kong practiced the Combined Attack Technique during the day and meditated to improve their cultivation at night.

Ten months later, Lin Lan finally emerged from her secluded cultivation, already at the Eleventh Level of Qi Refining, in the Mid-Cultivation realm. Her talent could not be said to be weak!

Meanwhile, Lin Yu and Hua Kong, who were busy practicing the Combined Attack Technique all day long, had reached the Early Stage of the Seventh Level of Qi Refining and the Late Stage of the Fifth Level of Qi Refining, respectively.

This result made Hua Kong a little frustrated, but he still composed himself and devoted himself to practicing the Combined Attack Technique.

Old Ancestor Lin Lian originally thought that Lin Lan would not be able to emerge from her secluded cultivation until mid-April at the earliest, but she emerged at the end of January.

Therefore, in order to stabilize her cultivation and state of mind, she arranged for one of her disciples, Li Mei, a female Mid-Cultivation cultivator at the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining with a Earth Spiritual Root, to take her on a tour of the towns near the Tian Yuan Sect.

For this kind of private tour, Lin Yu and Hua Kong, as servants, naturally had to follow. So Old Ancestor Lin Lian bestowed a Flying Boat and several Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, and the group left the Tian Yuan Sect on the Flying Boat.

“Senior Sister Li is also going to the Seven Sun Sect Secret Realm?”, Li Mei was manipulating the Flying Boat, and Lin Lan chatted with her casually.

“Yes! I am already at the Great Perfection of the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining. As long as I can get three Seven Yang Grasses, the Sect will give me a spot for a Foundation Establishment Pill.

I already got one last time, so I only need to get two this time. If I can get more, the Sect will have rewards!”, Li Mei said happily.

“Then I wish Senior Sister success soon! And attain the Great Dao of Foundation Establishment!”, Lin Lan said obediently.

“Thank you for your kind words, Junior Sister! Junior Sister must also work hard! I was also at the Eleventh Level of Qi Refining when I participated in the Seven Sun Sect Secret Realm trial last time!”, Li Mei encouraged.

“Will Senior Brother He Jin participate?”, Lin Lan asked with some anticipation.

“Senior Brother He Jin? Of course not! He is already at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment! The Seven Sun Sect Secret Realm will reject cultivators with cultivation higher than the Qi Refining Stage!”, Li Mei shook her head and said.

“Okay!”, Lin Lan replied somewhat disappointedly.

“Let’s go to Red Maple City first! It’s a place where cultivators and mortals live together! It’s very fun! There are many local specialties, delicacies, and small objects!”, Li Mei quickly changed the subject.

“Okay!”, Lin Lan replied indifferently.

The Flying Boat shuttled through the mountains for half an hour before leaving the territory of the Tian Yuan Sect, and after flying in the air for about an hour, the outline of a city appeared in the valley.

The Small Boat descended in altitude and came to the city gate. At the city gate, there were Mortal City Defense Army soldiers led by Tian Yuan Sect disciples checking the crowds coming and going. The group got off the Small Boat and walked to the city gate to wait for inspection.

“Li Mei, Inner Sect Disciple under Elder Lin Lian of the Tian Yuan Sect!”, When it was their turn to be inspected, Li Mei announced her family and handed over her Identity Token.

“Greetings, Senior Sister Li! I am Sima Zhong, Outer Sect Disciple under Elder Wang Zhilin!”, The Tian Yuan Sect disciple leading the team quickly came over to greet her after verifying her identity.

“Greetings, Junior Brother Sima! We are entering the city for a tour! You can continue with your work!”, Li Mei also greeted him.

“Okay! Senior Sister, take care!”, The Outer Sect disciple named Sima Zhong replied respectfully, watching the group leave.

As soon as the group entered the city, the atmosphere of mortal life rushed towards them, and everyone’s mood immediately relaxed.

Cultivation is the Great Dao, but sometimes it is indeed too boring and hard.

The group abandoned the various shackles of cultivators and transformed into ordinary young people in their teens and twenties, wandering and shuttling through the city.

“You must try the buns and sesame cakes from this shop, they are especially delicious! My treat! I have silver! Granny Zhang!”, Li Mei jumped and walked to a small shop.

“Immortal Elder Li is here! Old man, quickly bring three baskets of venison buns, four sesame cakes, two plates of venison in sauce, and two plates of side dishes!”, The old woman at the door called towards the door as soon as she saw Li Mei.

“Okay!”

“Immortal Elder Li, please sit down! I’ll get you some soup!”, The old woman greeted the group.

“Let’s go! Let’s go in!”, Li Mei greeted the group to go in.

This is a very small shop with only four tables, but it is very clean. The group casually picked a table and sat down.

Lin Yu and Hua Kong were originally going to wait outside, but Lin Lan called them in as well. The two of them were not pretentious, as it had indeed been a long time since they had such a relaxed life.

“The buns are here!”, With a shout, the buns, sesame cakes, and side dishes were all brought up.

Lin Lan, as a princess of the Royal Family, was not used to this kind of commoner food, but four years of cultivation had made her leave her past life behind. She picked up a bun and devoured it without any regard for her image.

The group had a pleasant meal in the small shop, and then continued to stroll around the streets.

“Let’s go! Let’s buy some headdresses and fragrant powder!”, Li Mei pulled Lin Lan towards a fragrant powder shop.

The grease and powder in the shop were too strong, and Lin Yu and Hua Kong couldn’t stand it, so they waited outside. The two women lingered in the shop for half an hour before coming out.

Then the two went to a shop selling clothes and fabrics, and another hour passed.

They strolled around the city until dinner time, and then found an inn in the city to stay.

Dinner was eaten in a slightly larger restaurant in the city. This time, Lin Lan took the initiative to ask to treat, because she and Lin Yu both had some silver with them, and they didn’t have many opportunities to use it.

This time, Lin Yu and Hua Kong did not go in and waited downstairs for the two of them. Lin Yu bought some snacks, and the two of them had their dinner.

The next day, Li Mei took Lin Lan to stroll around the shops of the Tian Yuan Commerce. This Tian Yuan Commerce was controlled behind the scenes by Tian Yuan, and was one of the core forces of the Tian Yuan Sect.

To Lin Lan’s surprise, the shops of this Tian Yuan Commerce were more like a large market than shops!

The market not only sold elixirs, Magical Artifacts, and Cultivation Methods for cultivators, but also some daily necessities and utensils for mortals.

In the afternoon and evening, different levels of auctions would be arranged to auction off Cultivation Methods, medicinal herbs, elixirs, and Magical Artifacts needed by cultivators.

In a corner of the market, there were even stalls selling slaves and servants. Lin Yu and Hua Kong’s expressions suddenly became a little strange.

“Fairy? Fairy? Do you want Spirit Beasts and Spirit Servants captured from the Three Yang Realm?”, The Shop Assistant at the stall greeted the two of them at the door.

“Three Yang Realm?”, Lin Lan was puzzled.

“It’s a world with slightly weaker Spiritual Power. Isn’t Junior Sister Lan from the One Yang Realm like Master?”, Li Mei explained.

“Oh! Which world is Senior Sister from?”, Lin Lan asked.

“I am a native Mortal from the Tian Yuan World!”, Li Mei said with some pride.

“I see!”, Lin Lan suddenly understood.

“No! No! We’re just browsing.”, Li Mei waved her hand and said to the Shop Assistant.

“Come again in the evening! There is a Mid-Cultivation auction in the evening! Master gave me several Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! You can buy a lot of good things!”, Li Mei said happily.

“Okay!”, Lin Lan didn’t know much about this auction, so she wasn’t very excited.

In the evening, the two took Lin Yu and Hua Kong into the Mid-Cultivation auction. Because they were Inner Sect Disciples of the Tian Yuan Sect,

the auction specially arranged a box on the second floor, with wine, side dishes, and fruit platters all prepared, and even arranged a beautiful Maid.

Soon the auction began, and a handsome Shop Assistant walked onto the stage to warm up the atmosphere.

“Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters of the Sect, this auction has a total of thirteen auction items, including Qi Refining Stage and Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivation Methods, Magical Artifacts, elixirs, and beautiful female Spirit Servants from the Spirit Fox Clan of the Three Yang Realm.

The finale auction is five Seven Yang Grasses and two Foundation Establishment Pills! Now, please welcome Senior Sister Yan Shiwen to host the auction!”

The Shop Assistant stepped down, and a beautiful and graceful green-shirted female cultivator walked onto the stage, with a cultivation at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment.

“Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters, the auction begins now! The first auction item is one hundred Qi Gathering Pills, produced by the Sect’s Pill Hall, elixirs for the Qi Refining Stage!

The starting bid is two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones! The increase in price shall not be less than ten Low-Grade Spirit Stones!”, After the female cultivator introduced the item, the cultivators below began to bid one after another. This price was indeed favorable.

“Three hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones!”

“Three hundred and fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones!”

“Three hundred and eighty Low-Grade Spirit Stones!”

“Junior Sister Lan, do you want to bid? This price is very cheap!”, Seeing the heated bidding below, Li Mei was also a little eager to try.

“If Senior Sister wants to bid, then bid!”, Lin Lan said.

“Okay! Xiao Zi, bid four hundred and fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones!”, Li Mei gave the quote to the Maid behind her, and the Maid stretched out a bidding sign in front of the small window.

“Four hundred and fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones once!”

“Four hundred and fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones twice!”

“Four hundred and fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones three times!”

“The elixirs are sold to Box Number Two!”

Soon, a Maid brought the elixirs, which were packed in several Jade Bottles. Lin Lan took two Jade Bottles, thirty Qi Gathering Pills.

Li Mei then put away the remaining Jade Bottles into her Storage Bracelet, and took out a Mid-Grade Spirit Stone. The Maid then took out five hundred and fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones and gave them to Li Mei.

The auction continued on stage, and the two of them each auctioned off a Defensive Magical Artifact and an Offensive Magical Artifact for the upcoming trial.

Several Mid-Grade Spirit Stones had been exhausted, leaving only dozens of Low-Grade Spirit Stones. They could only join in the fun for the following auctions.

“The next auction is a Spirit Fox Clan Spirit Servant from the Three Yang Realm!”

Following the female cultivator’s voice, a huge cage was pushed up, containing a female wearing revealing clothes, with long tails, red hair, and blue eyes, and a charming appearance.

“Wow! So beautiful!”

Everyone under the stage, regardless of gender, exclaimed. She was indeed as beautiful as a flower, and a burst of exotic fragrance came from time to time.

“A female Spirit Servant from the Spirit Fox Clan of the Three Yang Realm, beautiful and charming, with an exotic fragrance on her body, can help you have fun! The starting bid is three Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! The increase in price shall not be less than two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones!”

The auction of the Spirit Fox Clan Spirit Servant set off a small climax. Everyone bid fiercely, and finally it was auctioned off to an Inner Sect Disciple in a box for eight Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.

The last real trump cards were the Seven Yang Grass and the Foundation Establishment Pill.

“The Seven Yang Grass and Foundation Establishment Pill below don’t need me to introduce them, right?

These were collected from the Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters in the Sect who successfully broke through to the Foundation Establishment realm. It’s a rare opportunity!

The starting bid for one Seven Yang Grass is five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! The increase in price shall not be less than five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones!

The starting bid for a Foundation Establishment Pill is twenty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! The increase in price shall not be less than one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone! The first Seven Yang Grass auction begins now!”

Although it had nothing to do with them anymore, Li Mei and Lin Lan still waited until the entire auction was over before returning to the inn. They hadn’t experienced such a lively atmosphere in a long time.