Chapter 54: Chapter 50: Cold Rhinoceros Dragon Elephant and Auction
Can the Power Seal assist in breaking through to the Foundation Establishment?
Gu Yuan couldnāt help but frown.
This was the first time he had heard of such news.
But since things have reached this point, thereās no use thinking too much; all he can do is wait for tomorrowās auction.
After exchanging a few pleasantries with the steward, Gu Yuan left the South Mountain Pavilion.
He then asked the guiding lady to lead him around the market, visiting several other shops, but couldnāt find the three kinds of spirit plants. Left with no option, Gu Yuan could only give up and wait for tomorrowās auction.
"Sir, this is the quietest chamber in the market. It only costs one spirit stone per night. Although the Spiritual Qi here is not very dense, privacy is ensured."
"I will come to escort you tomorrow before the auction,"
The lady led Gu Yuan into an extremely tranquil bamboo courtyard, bowed to him, and then slowly departed.
Gu Yuan nodded slightly, then stepped into the courtyard without any delay.
The bamboo courtyard was serene, protected by an array, ensuring both safety and privacy.
Gu Yuan exhaled slowly, then took a golden jade scroll out of the storage bag.
His spiritual sense surged into it as he began to practice the "Soul Signing Technique".
To be precise, this method is called the "Soul Signing Grand Seal Technique".
This is a unique technique, requiring no refining of Dharma Seals; all thatās needed is to cultivate spiritual sense, prepare essence blood, and arrange the ritual.
This technique acts on the soul, possessing a unique binding power.
Gu Yuan closed his eyes and meticulously studied the method five times before slowly opening them again.
"A star spirit is essentially a living Dharma Seal, so one only needs to refine the star spirit, no wonder."
After five rounds of study, he had firmly memorized the method with no omissions.
"Since thatās the case, letās get started!"
Gu Yuan expelled a murky breath, then took out the star spirit from the spirit beast bag.
The star spirit was still small, with its eyes tightly closed, emitting faint snores as if it were sleeping.
When the star spirit is weak, it is extremely drowsy, spending most of its time sleeping apart from eating.
However, the ritual requires the star spirit to be awake.
Gu Yuan did not wake the star spirit immediately but instead continued to take cinnabar, golden sand, and jade powder out of the storage bag.
"Woosh!"
Gu Yuan blew a breath, scattering the cinnabar, golden sand, and jade powder all over, covering the entire quiet chamber. He then cut his fingertip, letting a large amount of essence blood drip out.
"Buzz buzz buzz!"
As the cinnabar, golden sand, and jade powder met the essence blood, they immediately melded together, forming a unique viscous liquid.
Gu Yuan then directed his spiritual sense onto this liquid, manipulating it to flow continuously, slowly drawing a peculiar dao pattern in the void.
The dao pattern emitted a scarlet hue, standing in the void, but it seemed incomplete, missing a corner, with no fluctuation of spiritual Qi in the air.
Unable to mobilize spiritual Qi, no matter how profound the dao pattern is, itās useless.
But Gu Yuan wasnāt anxious; he flicked his finger, propelling the snoring star spirit to the center of the dao pattern.
"Buzz!"
In an instant, the dao pattern seemed complete, and a sudden breeze arose in the void, accompanied by brilliant glow.
Gu Yuan felt as if a small segment of his soul had been cut loose, spontaneously flowing into the dao pattern before him.
"Clang!"
The dao pattern instantly gleamed brightly, emitting dazzling radiance, as dazzling as the bright moon.
The star spirit also awoke in fright, opening its tiny eyes, looking around in terror.
It seemed to want to escape, but the giant dao pattern descended like a blood moon, enveloping it tightly like a large cocoon.
"Buzz buzz!"
In the quiet chamber, the blood-colored cocoon trembled incessantly but bore no hint of bloodiness. On the contrary, a faint fragrance emanated.
Gu Yuan sensed a new presence in his heart and spirit.
He could perceive this beingās emotions and everything it desired.
It felt like an additional pair of hands.
"Cold Rhinoceros Dragon Elephant Star Spirit!"
"It loves to eat āCold Honey Datesā and āDragon Tooth Jadeā, carrying the āCold Rhinoceros Dragon Elephant Sealā, capable of immense size growth, strength like a mountain, and breath as icy as frost, possessing unmatched strength and extreme cold that penetrates the heavens and earth."
"A small growth every thirty years, a major growth every three hundred years, reaching full maturity in three thousand years."
"Consuming āIce Soul Cold Rhinoceros Jadeā and āDragon Elephant Fruitā can shorten growth time."
The Soul Signing Technique is formidable not only because it allows commanding the star spirit like an arm but also because it enables the understanding and exploration of the star spiritās habits and growth patterns.
This is invaluable knowledge.
As he absorbed the information flooding his mind, Gu Yuan felt both joy and helplessness.
The joy was due to the star spiritās incredible strength, equivalent to an extremely powerful body seal and cold element seal combined.
Even now, mastering the star spirit grants him a body height of a zhang, strength of tens of thousands of pounds, and frosty breath, enough to kill an ordinary Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator.
The helplessness was due to the exceedingly slow growth of the star spirit.
The one he currently held was only thirty years old, with the star pattern having completed one turn.
It could only contend with a Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator.
To advance further, it must grow another thirty years, reaching the second turn of the star pattern. By then, it would transform into a three-zhang giant, with two hundred thousand pounds of strength and chilling icy presence, able to confront a Qi Refining Ninth Layer cultivator.
But to reach the third turn, possessing Foundation Establishment Power, it must grow for three hundred years!
Such a number could outlive Gu Yuan.
To this, Gu Yuan could only sigh with a helpless smile.
"Smooch!"
Yet the star spirit was oblivious to Gu Yuanās thoughts. It only felt that the human before it suddenly became close, exuding a delightful aroma.
It wobbled into flight, landing on Gu Yuanās shoulder, gently rubbing his cheek with its tiny nose.
"Alright, little one, Iāll just have to find a way to raise you!"
"Hopefully, in my lifetime, I can make you my ally!"
Gu Yuan extended a finger, lightly stroking the star spirit, smiling wryly.
āIce Soul Cold Rhinoceros Jadeā and āDragon Elephant Fruitā were mythical treasures he had never heard of, not easily obtainable.
As for the star spiritās favored āCold Honey Datesā and āDragon Tooth Jadeā, they were just snacks, not capable of enhancing strength.
...
...
"Senior, the auction is about to begin!"
After an uneventful night, Gu Yuan opened his eyes during respiration practice, only to hear the soft call of the lady.
"Letās go!"
He stepped out of the quiet chamber, guided by the lady toward a massive hall.
The path was crowded with cultivators, all heading in the same direction.
After the fall of the True Dragon, nearby sects and forces began moving, intensifying open and covert struggles, first affecting Qi Refining Stage cultivators.
As conflicts intensified, the market became bustling.
In the center of the grand hall was a massive jade platform, with numerous secluded cubicles atop it.
Cultivators possess great power, even at the Qi Refining Stage, the grand hall was magnificent, with countless cubicles, avoiding open-air auction scenes. Each cubicle was luxuriously elegant.
Gu Yuan dismissed the guide and sat inside his cubicle.
The auction didnāt keep people waiting long. Soon, a middle-aged Daoist at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer walked onto the stage with a smile.
"Thank you, fellow cultivators, for attending. Without further ado, letās start with a humble offering!"
"A share of Cyan Crane Spirit Water, starting bid, two hundred spirit stones!"