Volume One, Chapter 18: Clouds of Suspicion Surround the Genuine and Counterfeit Elixir

Three days passed in the blink of an eye, and the auction commenced as scheduled.

Yun Qianbai tightly gripped the pass given to him by Ye Dong, a swirl of emotions stirring within. He knew this pass was only the beginning; the real challenge lay ahead.

Stepping into the auction hall, he was greeted by a dazzling spectacle: gilded and resplendent, filled with the clamor of voices. Nobles adorned in luxurious attire, formidable psychics exuding overwhelming presence, and shrewd merchants—all converged here, the air thick with the scent of wealth and power.

Yun Qianbai found a discreet corner to sit, yet his gaze swept the room like a hawk’s. He was unsure of Ye Dong’s true intentions, but he was certain of one thing: those three spiritual herbs were his to claim.

“Ye Dong wouldn’t really ask me to seize them by force, would he?” Yun Qianbai muttered inwardly. “This is the Human City—acting rashly here would be courting death.”

He surveyed the surroundings, calculating silently. At the fourth level of the Innate Realm, he might still count for something in Qingshi City, but in this gathering of masters, he was unlikely to even make a ripple.

“Time to take a gamble.” Gritting his teeth, a resolute glint flashed in his eyes. “I refuse to believe Ye Dong would watch me walk to my demise. If he dares to betray me, I’ll expose everything about him and drag them all down with me!”

Just then, the auction officially began.

A well-dressed auctioneer ascended the stage, his voice booming and impassioned, swiftly igniting the crowd’s fervor.

One rare treasure after another was presented, each bidding round eliciting gasps and commotion.

Yun Qianbai remained calm, knowing these were mere appetizers; the true spectacle was yet to come.

“Next up is the highlight of this auction!” The auctioneer’s tone rose sharply. “Three millennium-old spiritual herbs! These are treasures beyond reach—capable of greatly enhancing a psychic’s aptitude, even transforming one’s very essence!”

Yun Qianbai’s heart leapt. His chance had arrived.

The three herbs were carefully placed upon a crystal tray, emanating a faint glow. A refreshing medicinal fragrance permeated the air, invigorating all who inhaled.

“Starting bid: one hundred thousand Qingshi coins!” The auctioneer’s words sparked an immediate uproar.

“One hundred fifty thousand!”
“Two hundred thousand!”
“Two hundred fifty thousand!”
...

The price soared rapidly, soon surpassing three hundred thousand.

Yun Qianbai watched quietly but grew increasingly anxious. He knew he didn’t have that kind of money; he had to find a way to stop this auction.

“Eight hundred thousand!” A deep, commanding voice echoed from a private box.

Instantly, the hall fell silent. Everyone knew the owner of that voice—someone not to be trifled with.

“Anyone willing to outbid?” The auctioneer’s voice trembled slightly, aware these herbs might soon belong to that box.

Yun Qianbai clenched his fist tightly, nails digging into his palm.

He knew he couldn’t wait any longer. He had to act!

“Wait!” Yun Qianbai suddenly stood, his voice ringing out sharply.

In the sudden hush, all eyes turned to him.

“Who is this brat? Has he lost his mind?”
“What’s he planning? Seeking death?”
...

Whispers erupted, but Yun Qianbai paid them no heed.

He strode toward the auction stage, his gaze unwavering.

“Sir, do you have a question?” the auctioneer frowned, irritation creeping into his tone.

Yun Qianbai didn’t answer directly but instead challenged, “May I ask—are these three herbs truly millennium-old spiritual herbs?”

The auctioneer paused, then sneered, “Sir, are you questioning the credibility of our auction house? Everything we sell undergoes rigorous authentication—how could there be fakes?”

“Oh? Then how about verifying right here, right now?” Yun Qianbai pressed on.

“You!” The auctioneer’s face darkened. This young man was clearly looking for trouble! Taking a deep breath to suppress his anger, he said coldly, “Very well. Since you have doubts, I’ll prove it to your satisfaction!”

He signaled the staff to fetch a jade pestle and mortar.

Both were crafted from superior jade, designed to preserve the medicinal properties of herbs to the greatest extent.

Carefully, the auctioneer took one herb and placed it in the mortar, gently grinding it with the pestle.

Immediately, an even richer fragrance spread, surpassing the previous scent in intensity. Everyone present felt invigorated, greed flickering in their eyes.

“Now, what do you say?” the auctioneer asked triumphantly, staring at Yun Qianbai.

Yun Qianbai shook his head. “This only proves it’s a genuine spiritual herb, but how can you prove it’s a millennium-old one? Couldn’t it be a hundred or five hundred years old instead?”

“You’re twisting logic!” the auctioneer snapped. “The medicinal properties of a millennium-old herb are incomparable to a hundred-year one. With such a potent fragrance, what else could it be?”

“That’s not necessarily so.” Yun Qianbai said calmly. “To my knowledge, there is a secret method of fusing several hundred-year herbs to simulate the fragrance and effects of a millennium-old herb. In reality, it’s just a patchwork of younger herbs, which naturally diminishes its value.”

His words caused an uproar.

Whispers spread, and suspicious glances were cast at the three herbs.

The auctioneer’s face turned ashen; he hadn’t expected Yun Qianbai to know such details.

He forced calm and said, “Sir, I’ve never heard of such a method. Even if it exists, it requires extraordinary alchemical skill and has an extremely low success rate—hardly worth the risk. Who would be foolish enough to fake like that?”

“Whether anyone is foolish, I don’t know,” Yun Qianbai smirked with scorn. “But I do know you’re not fools. If I’m right, these three herbs were ‘ripened’ using that very secret technique, weren’t they?”

“You’re slandering us!” the auctioneer bellowed in fury. “Guards! Throw him out!”

No sooner had he spoken than several burly men emerged from the shadows, advancing menacingly on Yun Qianbai.

“Want to make a move?” Yun Qianbai sneered, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes. “Come and try!”

With a sudden stomp, a powerful aura exploded from him, forcing the men to stagger back several steps.

“Fourth level of the Innate Realm?!”
“This kid is actually a fourth-level Innate Realm expert!”
“No wonder he dares to cause trouble here—he must have some backing!”
...

Gasps filled the hall once more. No one had expected this seemingly ordinary youth to be such a formidable master.

Inside the private box, Ye Dong’s expression grew grave.

He had thought Yun Qianbai was just a reckless fool, but it turned out he concealed profound strength.

What was this kid truly after? Was he really just here to seize the herbs?

Suddenly, Yun Qianbai moved! In a blink, he appeared before one of the burly men and threw a punch.

“Bang!”

Before the man could react, Yun Qianbai’s fist sent him flying, crashing heavily against the wall and losing consciousness.

“Gasp!”

The crowd sucked in their breath, stunned by the youth’s strength.

“Attack together!”

The remaining men exchanged glances and lunged simultaneously.

Yun Qianbai laughed coldly, moving like a phantom among them. His fists and feet struck with overwhelming power.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!”

After a few muffled sounds, all the men lay groaning in pain on the floor.

“Anyone else?” Yun Qianbai scanned the room coldly.

Silence reigned; everyone was cowed by his might.

No one had imagined this young man to be so strong—like a fearsome beast in human form!

“Is this kid... a monster?” a middle-aged noble muttered fearfully.

“So terrifying... is he even human?” a trembling young psychic asked, clearly shaken.

“Ye Dong, where did you find this madman?” a mocking voice came from a private box.

Ye Dong, eyes narrowed, smiled silently, watching quietly.