Chapter 16

For the next few days, Lin Xuan was in seclusion, fully immersed in comprehending the Soul Nourishing Technique given to him by Lin Yan.

It must be said that the Soul Nourishing Technique provided by Lin Yan was indeed quite effective. Even without the aid of rare medicinal materials, Lin Xuan felt that his soul power had improved by about ten percent over the past few days. This made his reaction speed more acute.

Vital energy flowed through his meridians into Lin Xuan’s body, bringing a refreshing sensation.

After a while, Lin Xuan slowly opened his eyes. In his gaze, there was a faint silver flame that revealed a suffocating chill, but it quickly extinguished once he opened his eyes.

“Phew, to break through to the Eighth Layer of the True Element Realm will take at least another month. Cultivating in the True Element Realm is indeed much more difficult,” Lin Xuan sighed, taking a deep breath as he assessed the energy within his body and made a rough judgment. Cultivating was indeed becoming increasingly challenging. Over these days, he had consumed most of the medicinal pills he had refined, which was why he had reached this level. Without the aid of pills, his cultivation speed would be unimaginable.

No wonder his grandfather had been stuck at the Sixth Layer of the True Element Realm for ten years without progress; the pillars of the major families in Tai’an City were only around the Sixth or Seventh Layer of the True Element Realm.

This was truly too difficult!

If Lin Xuan did not have a spiritual body, did not possess one of the best cultivation qualifications in the Dahan Dynasty, and had not learned to refine pills, it would probably take him about five years to break through to the Seventh Layer of the True Element Realm.

“Today happens to be the day of the Wanbao Merchant Association’s auction. I might as well go take a look and see if I can collect some precious medicinal materials,” Lin Xuan said to himself.

He glanced at the date on the sign; he had consumed nearly all his pills and it was time to stock up again. Without the aid of medicinal pills, his cultivation speed, which was as slow as a snail, made him somewhat irritated.

However, if the others in the Lin family knew Lin Xuan’s thoughts, they would surely be so furious they would spit blood, angrily scolding him for not knowing how to appreciate his luck.

Even without the aid of medicinal pills, Lin Xuan could break through to the Eighth Layer of the True Element Realm within three months. His cultivation speed was enough to make the elders of the Lin family envy him to madness; they might not even be able to break through a minor realm in ten years. Even with some insight, there was still a risk of failing the breakthrough. Meanwhile, Lin Xuan’s cultivation was as easy as drinking water or eating; there was not a hint of bottleneck, yet he still complained about slow progress.

It was truly infuriating to compare oneself to others.

Lin Xuan tidied up his belongings briefly and set off for the Wanbao Auction House.

…

Not long after Lin Xuan left, a graceful figure arrived at the courtyard entrance, full of joy. However, when she entered the room, it was already empty.

“Hmph, Lin Xuan brother is actually hiding from Yan’er!”

The young girl couldn’t help but stomp her foot, her delicate nose sniffing the air. Her cyan dress hugged her curves, perfectly outlining her enticing figure.

But her little face was adorned with shyness and anger, adding a few more charms to the scenery.

Lin Xuan probably did not expect that just after he left, Lin Yanran would come knocking, creating a delightful misunderstanding.

“Hmph, Lin Xuan brother, Yan’er has decided to ignore you for a whole day!”

“But… is one day too long…?”

“Then let’s make it half a day.”

“Lin Yanran, you must have ambition; you can’t get lost in the charm of men!”

“Half a day is still long; how about one hour…?”

“…”

The young girl looked at the empty courtyard, finding a corner to sit quietly. Her beautiful eyes gazed into the distance outside the door, lost in thought.

…

Lin Xuan soon arrived at a deserted alley. He put on the mysterious cloak and mask once more and then headed straight to the Wanbao Auction House.

At the entrance of the Wanbao Auction House, several burly guards stood. When they saw the VIP card Lin Xuan presented, their originally solemn expressions suddenly became respectful, and their straight bodies involuntarily bent slightly.

Before long, a stunning maid emerged from the auction house and respectfully approached Lin Xuan.

Not far away, there was also a figure in a black robe.

“Xiao Yanzi, look quickly; is that white-robed figure your cousin Lin Xuan?”

An elderly voice rang out in the black-robed figure’s mind, and the person in the black robe turned to look towards the auction house.

“Teacher, could you stop being so surprised? That person is holding a limited edition VIP card from the Wanbao Merchant Association, which is extremely rare. Only the city lord has the qualification to possess such a card in all of Tai’an City.”

“I’ve heard rumors that the city lord of Tai’an City spent several years and countless resources to obtain the VIP card from the Wanbao Merchant Association. It is a symbol of status, identity, and wealth!”

Under the black robe, Lin Yan could not help but roll his eyes. Although he admired his cousin Lin Xuan and believed he had a promising future, no matter how impressive Lin Xuan was, he couldn’t possibly sneak around and get a VIP card while hiding from so many people. Moreover, he had never heard of anyone else in Tai’an City having a VIP card.

“Perhaps I’m overthinking this,” Lin Yan mused. He felt that he was being overly suspicious; perhaps the first time he misjudged that young man left an indelible impression on him, making him overly sensitive.

“Teacher, don’t overthink it. I heard from my father that this auction is showcasing a rare item that has caused quite a storm; even a royal prince’s legitimate son has come to attend this auction.”

“Perhaps this person is here for that reason.”

Lin Yan smiled faintly, a hint of anticipation appearing in his eyes. It was a young man’s nature to seek excitement, especially with so many big figures present this time. He believed the second-grade medicinal pills he had sent for auction would fetch a very high price.

“However… why do I feel that figure looks somewhat familiar?”

“Forget it; I must be overthinking. My eyes have been a bit blurry from cultivation lately, so maybe I’m seeing illusions.”

Lin Yan shook his head; how could that broad figure be the same as his cousin’s skinny frame? There were many people in the world who wore white robes.

As for the white-robed person not showing his face like him, that could simply be a personal quirk. After all, there are all kinds of people in this vast world, and those of noble status often wish to conceal their true identities. Isn’t it common to do so?

Lin Yan tried to convince himself, then stepped into the auction hall.