Chapter 391: Greed Haunts Wang Mingjiang

At Taiyi Market, inside Taiyi Tower, a large auction was underway.

A tall, thin middle-aged man stood on a four-legged raised platform, surrounded by thousands of wooden chairs, all occupied. Many cultivators stood, and there were also private rooms upstairs.

Wang Changfeng and Wang Mingjiang sat in the front row. Wang Mingjiang’s brows were deeply furrowed.

The auction had been going on for a quarter of an hour, and many valuable items had appeared: complete sets of magical artifacts, second-tier elixirs, second-tier spiritual herbs, and so on.

After a bottle of second-tier elixir was sold, the middle-aged man produced a green porcelain bottle and announced loudly, "One bottle of premium second-tier spiritual liquid, Vitality-Boosting Fluid. This liquid can be consumed directly. Cultivators below Foundation Establishment Layer Six who take this fluid can increase their spiritual sense by one-third. Its effect is much better than a Spirit-Nourishing Elixir. The starting price is one thousand spirit stones, and each bid must not be less than two hundred."

As soon as the middle-aged man finished speaking, Wang Mingjiang eagerly called out, "Three thousand!"

He didn't have many spirit stones, so he could only try to raise the price to deter other bidders.

"I bid three thousand two hundred."

The stronger a cultivator's spiritual sense, the more magical artifacts they can control, gaining a significant advantage in combat.

"Three thousand four hundred."

Wang Mingjiang frowned and sent a telepathic message to Wang Changfeng, "Changfeng, how many spirit stones do you have left? Lend them all to me; I'll definitely repay you later."

Wang Changfeng thought for a moment and replied, "I have over three hundred spirit stones. If I sell the demonic beast materials, I'll have fifteen hundred spirit stones. I'll lend them all to you."

"Five thousand."

"Five thousand two hundred!"

"Five thousand four hundred!"

The combined spirit stones of Wang Mingjiang and Wang Changfeng didn't even reach five thousand. Their premium second-tier puppet beast was severely damaged and rendered useless. Unless they sold all the magical artifacts they used, it was clear from the opponent's stance that they weren't lacking spirit stones.

Wang Mingjiang gritted his teeth, pondered for a moment, and then let out a long sigh.

The bottle of Vitality-Boosting Fluid was ultimately purchased for a high price of six thousand spirit stones by a female cultivator in a green dress.

A cold glint quickly flashed through Wang Mingjiang’s eyes. He had been stuck at Foundation Establishment Layer Three for over thirty years. For the sake of cultivation, he had abandoned his young son and hadn't returned to his family for over two decades. He was unwilling to return, unwilling to give up. Wang Changfeng was already at Foundation Establishment Layer Five; it was shameful for him, his uncle, to still be at Foundation Establishment Layer Three.

Desperation breeds audacity. Wang Mingjiang had been stuck at Foundation Establishment Layer Three for over thirty years. Due to his insufficient spiritual sense, he had even considered changing his cultivation technique. Now that he finally saw hope for a breakthrough, he naturally wouldn't let it slip away.

"Wang Mingjiang, you cannot do this. Once you start killing and seizing treasures, there will be a second time, and it will eventually drag you into a bottomless abyss."

Wang Mingjiang struggled internally. He admitted he wasn't a righteous gentleman, nor was he an evil cultivator who indiscriminately killed innocents.

He could still live without killing and seizing treasures, but it would mean changing his cultivation technique. It would take him seven or eight years to cultivate to the corresponding level. Adding the time he spent cultivating the *Kuei Water True Scripture*, it had been over fifty years. This meant he would have wasted fifty years for nothing. Changing cultivation techniques halfway was a major taboo in the cultivation world; he couldn't bear that fact.

"If I kill her, the Vitality-Boosting Fluid will be mine, and I won't have to change my cultivation technique."

Once this thought appeared in his mind, it refused to disappear.

Wang Mingjiang took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He intended to kill the woman, but he needed to plan carefully.

The auction continued, but Wang Mingjiang's mind was entirely focused on the female cultivator who had purchased the Vitality-Boosting Fluid. He didn't realize the auction had ended until the cultivators began leaving the venue.

"Uncle Twenty-One, the auction is over. Let's go!"

Wang Changfeng shook Wang Mingjiang's shoulder and said.

Wang Mingjiang acknowledged with a sound, then subtly followed the female cultivator in the green dress.

Wang Changfeng seemed to sense something. He frowned but said nothing.

After leaving the auction house, the female cultivator in the green dress went to a teahouse and entered a private room on the second floor.

Wang Mingjiang and Wang Changfeng sat by the window on the second floor. Wang Mingjiang's gaze was fixed on the private room where the female cultivator was.

"Uncle Twenty-One, what are you trying to do? Don't do anything foolish!"

Wang Changfeng warned telepathically. Killing someone right under the nose of the Taiyi Immortal Sect was utterly foolish.

"Changfeng, since you call me uncle, help me with this. You know I've been stuck at Foundation Establishment Layer Three for over thirty years. Do you know how much pain I'm in?"

Wang Mingjiang’s expression was serious as he replied telepathically.

Wang Changfeng hesitated. Even if they succeeded, once they committed such an act, they wouldn't be able to stay in Taiyuan Market. He didn't want to leave Taiyuan Market; he still hoped to cultivate to Foundation Establishment Layer Nine there!

"Changfeng, if you're unwilling to help, then forget it. I'm determined to kill this person. I've been stuck at Foundation Establishment Layer Three for over thirty years. If I change my cultivation technique, I'll have wasted fifty years for nothing. I will not change my cultivation technique!"

Wang Mingjiang's tone was heavy, and his eyes were filled with determination.

Wang Changfeng looked hesitant. Over the years, he and Wang Mingjiang had hunted demonic beasts together, supporting each other. Though uncle and nephew, their bond was stronger than that of father and son. Since Wang Mingjiang had said so much, if he didn't help, he wouldn't be able to face Wang Mingjiang in the future.

"Alright! I'll help you, but only this once, never again. Suppress your killing intent; don't let her discover it."

Wang Changfeng agreed.

The female cultivator in the green dress was at Foundation Establishment Layer Four. With the two of them working together, their chances were quite good.

Not long after, two female cultivators from the Taiyi Immortal Sect walked up and entered the private room where the female cultivator in the green dress was.

Seeing this, Wang Mingjiang and Wang Changfeng exchanged glances.

If disciples of the Taiyi Immortal Sect were accompanying her, they truly wouldn't dare to act.

"Let's observe for now. Perhaps they're just having tea and chatting."

Wang Mingjiang consoled himself.

"What if they are accompanying her?"

Wang Mingjiang pondered for a moment, then his eyes turned cold. He transmitted, "Kill them anyway. At most, they are Foundation Establishment Layer Four."

He had been blinded by greed and couldn't stop halfway.

Upon hearing this, Wang Changfeng sighed inwardly. Wang Mingjiang was determined to kill and seize the treasure. If he didn't help him, Wang Mingjiang would likely face a grim fate.

"Never mind. We're family; let's help Uncle Twenty-One this once!"

Soon after, the woman in the green dress and her two companions emerged from the private room, their faces beaming with joy. They walked downstairs together.

Wang Changfeng stood up and followed them.

"Excuse me, please move aside."

Wang Changfeng walked quickly, calling out loudly as he hastened forward.

Hearing this, the three female cultivators moved to the left. The staircase was somewhat narrow, and Wang Changfeng brushed past the woman in the green dress. Unseen by anyone, his left hand, hanging by his side, flicked, and some pale white powder sprinkled onto the hem of the green-robed cultivator's trousers.

He quickly descended the stairs and headed straight outside, appearing to be in a great hurry.

The woman in the green dress and her two companions noticed nothing unusual and walked out, chatting and laughing.