Chapter 438: Encounter with Huang Fugui

After cultivators advance to the Core Formation stage, the resources they require become increasingly abundant, and their prices remain consistently high. A single bottle of a third-tier elixir for enhancing spiritual power had a starting bid of 50,000 spirit stones.

The third highlight item was two bottles of Jade Whale Pills, a low-grade third-tier elixir designed to enhance spiritual power, which sold for high prices of 90,000 and 95,000 spirit stones, respectively.

"The fourth highlight item is three bottles each of Skyflame Fire Liquid and Profoundice Jade Water. When Foundation Establishment cultivators attempt to break through to the Core Formation stage, applying Skyflame Fire Liquid and Profoundice Jade Water to their entire bodies can increase their chances of forming a core by ten percent. The starting bid for one bottle of Skyflame Fire Liquid and one bottle of Profoundice Jade Water is 30,000 spirit stones, with each subsequent bid increment not less than 5,000 spirit stones."

"Thirty thousand!"

"Thirty-five thousand!"

"Forty thousand!"

Bids resounded continuously, and the competition was fierce.

"The South Sea truly lives up to its reputation as the origin of the cultivation world," Wang Changsheng exclaimed, "with such abundant cultivation resources and a constant emergence of spiritual treasures that aid in core formation." Wang Changsheng sighed, his tone tinged with a hint of envy.

Currently, no one in the Wang family had cultivated to the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, so they had no immediate need for Skyflame Fire Liquid or Profoundice Jade Water. Wang Changsheng also lacked the spare spirit stones to bid on them. A bottle of Skyflame Fire Liquid and a bottle of Profoundice Jade Water sold for high prices, ranging from 110,000 to 140,000 spirit stones.

"The fifth highlight item consists of three sets of low-grade third-tier array talismans: the Four Seas Tide Array, the Jade Waves Overturning Sea Array, and the Twin Dragons Playing with Water Array. The Four Seas Tide Array and Twin Dragons Playing with Water Array are offensive arrays, while the Jade Waves Overturning Sea Array is a defensive array. The starting bid is 40,000 spirit stones, with each increment not less than 5,000."

Array talismans are a combination of array formations and talismans. Although their power doesn't quite match arrays set up with array flags, their simple usage makes them very popular among cultivators. When used skillfully, a set of third-tier array talismans can be as powerful as a magic treasure.

Wang Changsheng participated in the bidding for the Jade Waves Overturning Sea Array, but other bidders drove the price too high, and he simply couldn't compete with the other cultivators. The three sets of array talismans sold for high prices of 130,000, 150,000, and 140,000 spirit stones, respectively. Wang Changsheng couldn't tell if it was his imagination, but he felt that the cultivator who won the Four Seas Tide Array sounded remarkably like Huang Fugui. Huang Fugui's tendency to bully the weak and fear the strong had left a deep impression on Wang Changsheng.

The sixth highlight item was an embryonic defensive magic treasure called the Frigid Moon Ring, which sold for a high price of 270,000 spirit stones.

The final highlight item was a first-tier offensive magic treasure, the Jade Whale Halberd, which sold for 620,000 spirit stones.

Wang Changsheng observed that while the cultivation resources in the South Sea were indeed abundant, the number of high-level cultivators was also considerable. The elixirs, talismans, and magic treasures used by high-level cultivators here were somewhat higher in price than in the East Barren, but naturally, their quality should also be superior.

The auction concluded, and the cultivators left one after another.

As they exited their private room, the door to a private room opposite them also opened, and a short, stout man in a yellow robe walked out. It was Huang Fugui. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan exchanged surprised glances, both astonished that Huang Fugui was also in the Purple Algae Sea region. On second thought, it made sense; given the abundant cultivation resources in the South Sea, it was not surprising for Huang Fugui to come here to develop. Huang Fugui was already at the third level of Core Formation; achieving this as a rogue cultivator was quite impressive.

Huang Fugui also noticed Wang Changsheng. He was momentarily startled upon seeing him, then forced a smile and said in a fawning tone, "Fellow Daoist Wang, what a coincidence! You're here too."

"Indeed! What a coincidence," Wang Changsheng replied, his tone relatively bland. He was only at the first level of Core Formation, while Huang Fugui was at the third, yet Huang Fugui was so courteous to him. Wang Changsheng felt there was something amiss.

Huang Fugui's dark eyes darted around, and he enthusiastically said, "Fellow Daoist Wang, meeting is fate. How about we find a place for a drink?"

Wang Changsheng did not refuse and agreed.

A short while later, Wang Changsheng, Wang Ruyan, and Huang Fugui were seated in a private room at a teahouse.

After some brief pleasantries, Huang Fugui, with a face full of smiles, asked, "Fellow Daoist Wang, I heard that your clan uncle and niece joined the Grand Unity Immortal Sect. Is that true?"

"That's right, it's true," Wang Changsheng replied. "Do you have any advice, Fellow Daoist Huang?"

Huang Fugui's smile deepened as he said, "What a coincidence! My grand-nephew also joined the Grand Unity Immortal Sect. And for us to meet again on Purple Night Island, it truly is fate!"

Wang Changsheng nodded, then changed his tone and asked with a smile, "Fellow Daoist Huang, where have you been making your fortune lately?" Huang Fugui had spent over a hundred thousand spirit stones to buy a set of array talismans. Could he also be hunting second-tier demonic beasts?

"Making a fortune? Fellow Daoist Wang, you jest," Huang Fugui chuckled awkwardly, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, "I'm as poor as a church mouse; I wish I could spend one spirit stone as two. How can I compare to Fellow Daoist Wang, who has a family and an enterprise? I truly envy you."

Huang Fugui chuckled awkwardly, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth, and looking somewhat shifty. Everyone has their own opportunities. Huang Fugui didn't want to elaborate, and Wang Changsheng didn't press him.

After chatting for a while, Huang Fugui stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "Fellow Daoist Wang, Madam Wang, I have other matters to attend to. The green mountains remain, and the green waters flow eternally; if fate allows, we shall meet again. Farewell." After saying this, Huang Fugui turned and left, having paid for the tea.

"Husband," Wang Ruyan said, "there are still sixteen years until the Heavenly Wolf Secret Realm opens. We should head back now, shouldn't we? It took you seven years just to cultivate the True Thunder of Kui Water, and cultivating a spirit art will certainly take even longer. If we delay any further, you might not successfully cultivate a spirit art before the Heavenly Wolf Secret Realm opens."

Wang Ruyan was a little worried; Wang Changsheng's current strength was too weak. If he could cultivate a spirit art, his chances of survival would significantly increase.

"But you are currently stuck at a bottleneck..." Wang Changsheng looked hesitant. If Wang Ruyan hadn't been stuck at a bottleneck, he naturally wouldn't hesitate.

"My bottleneck can be resolved a bit later," Wang Ruyan said, "it's only a dozen or so years; I can wait. Perhaps I'll even break through to the seventh level of Foundation Establishment after a few years of arduous cultivation! Let's still return to the East Barren. In another dozen years, Husband, you will enter the Heavenly Wolf Secret Realm, and not having a spirit art won't do." Wang Ruyan smiled sweetly and comforted him.

Wang Changsheng sighed, held Wang Ruyan's hands, and his eyes filled with affection. "Wife," he said, "the most correct thing I, Wang Changsheng, have ever done was to marry a virtuous helper like you." Wang Ruyan smiled slightly and leaned into Wang Changsheng's embrace.

The couple exchanged sweet nothings for a while, then left the teahouse.

Fifteen minutes later, they appeared before the entrance of a magnificent palace. A plaque above the entrance bore the three characters "Teleportation Hall." Every large market city had similar teleportation halls, capable of transporting cultivators to other major market cities.

Purple Night Island had a direct teleportation array to Spirit Turtle Island. Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan paid the spirit stones and stepped onto the teleportation array. A dazzling white glow emanated from beneath their feet, engulfing the figures of Wang Changsheng and his wife.

When they regained their senses, they found themselves inside the Teleportation Hall of Spirit Turtle Market. Wang Changsheng reluctantly glanced at Spirit Turtle Market, then he and Wang Ruyan stepped onto another teleportation array. He had already figured out the method for hunting demonic beasts in the South Sea and vowed to return once his cultivation had greatly advanced.

Enveloped in a flash of white light, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan vanished from sight.