The blink of an eye saw three days swiftly pass.
Under invisible pressure, Zhao Yuansong and the others remained immersed in their cultivation. Even Zhao Yuebai and Liao Qiming were urged to cultivate by Ji Yuan.
While their cultivation wouldn't see significant improvement in just a few days, at least their minds had settled.
Before this, after the turmoil in Qianyu City, their minds had become lax, savoring the hard-won peace.
If this state of affairs had lasted only a few days, it would have been fine. However, it had continued for over a month. If left unchecked, though it wouldn't cause major issues temporarily, it was ultimately not conducive to cultivation.
If this persisted for too long, a certain inertia might develop, making it difficult to rectify later.
Now, after three days of focused cultivation, they had regained their footing and shaken off the lingering laxity.
Even Ji Yuan, under the pressure of the current demon dynasty, found his Dao heart growing purer, and his cultivation progress was particularly evident.
However, Zhang Zhiya was left feeling rather bored. He spent his days sitting alone in the pavilion, either lost in thought about his past or engrossed in reading a dog-eared Taoist scripture.
It wasn't until three days later, with a deep, heavy roar, that a group of people awoke from their cultivation and hurried into the courtyard.
"Is that... Guo Tao?"
Zhao Yuansong looked at the room emanating a dense aura of qi and blood, his eyes filled with admiration and shock.
Who would have thought that a martial artist at the initial stage of the Skin and Muscle realm could cause such a phenomenon simply by breaking through a minor realm?
At this moment, the entire room was enveloped in a thick aura of qi and blood, with roars full of masculine energy emanating from within.
Setting aside other factors, the sheer density of this qi and blood was not inferior to that of a martial artist at the later stage of the Skin and Muscle realm, and in terms of purity and intensity, it was even superior.
Witnessing this scene, everyone couldn't help but sigh. This seemingly "common" Dragon Elephant Art indeed possessed its unique merits, and it was no wonder that before its omission and deletion, it was a core inheritance of a major sect!
However, Ji Yuan harbored a hint of doubt. While the Dragon Elephant Art was outstanding, it was likely related to his senior brother's physique. Otherwise, why hadn't others displayed such a spectacle?
A quarter of an hour later, the qi and blood enveloping the room surged back in, and soon a deep roar echoed!
Another half an hour passed, and under everyone's gaze, the door slowly opened, revealing a tall yet gaunt figure.
Seeing his senior brother looking like skin and bones, with glowing eyes, Ji Yuan quickly produced qi-replenishing pills and large chunks of spirit beast meat, allowing Guo Tao to quickly replenish the energy consumed during his breakthrough.
Watching his senior brother devour the food, Ji Yuan couldn't help but marvel inwardly at how outrageous the Dragon Elephant Art truly was, consuming so much energy with each cultivation session and breakthrough.
The countless vital energy and essence were deeply buried within the physique by this technique, only to be fully released upon reaching great mastery in the future.
However, very few could truly reach that day.
But once this technique was mastered and the immense vital energy and essence accumulated deep within the physique were unleashed, it would undoubtedly be a terrifying spectacle!
"The Nine Profound Sect's library also houses several different versions of the Dragon Elephant Art, and even some outer disciples practice it, but none have ever achieved what Brother Guo has."
Zhao Yuansong observed for a moment, then said with emotion.
Though Guo Tao's vital energy was currently weak, and his essence was but a wisp, he exuded a fierce aura.
Perhaps even a martial artist at the later stage of the Skin and Muscle realm would struggle to fight him to a standstill, relying solely on brute strength without any martial arts or combat skills.
"Once we reach the Nine Profound Sect, if he selects a few martial arts techniques from the library, Senior Brother might easily suppress late-stage Skin and Muscle realm martial artists!"
Ji Yuan also thought of this and subconsciously murmured.
Upon hearing this, Jiang He, standing nearby, couldn't help but ask, "You're not planning to save money on buying martial arts, are you?"
Many techniques, cultivation insights, and even spells and martial arts in the Nine Profound Sect's library were freely accessible to both inner and outer disciples.
As long as one had the ability, they could learn them; the problem was the lack of learning.
Ji Yuan nodded without thinking, his face displaying an expression of matter-of-factness. In his opinion, why spend money when they could freely browse a library of knowledge soon?
Seeing this, a few of them twitched their lips, realizing they were already accustomed to it.
"Young Master, the family head has sent someone to ask if you would like to attend the trade fair after noon."
Xia Dong gracefully approached and bowed slightly to everyone.
Glancing at the family servant outside the courtyard gate, Ji Yuan turned to the people around him and asked with a smile, "Would you like to go and broaden your horizons?"
Naturally, Zhao Yuansong and the others had no objections to this proposal. Without an invitation, they likely wouldn't even be able to enter the trade fair.
In previous years, the trade fair would always release a certain number of spots for unaffiliated cultivators, which could be purchased within the Vast Pavilion for a small fee.
However, this year's trade fair seemed somewhat unusual. The Vast Pavilion did not release any spots for general attendees, meaning one absolutely needed an invitation to participate.
As for how many people one invitation could bring, there were no strict limitations. Judging by the invitation Qian Nishang received, as long as the corresponding private room could accommodate them, it was fine.
After replying to the servant, the group sat down in the pavilion, their faces filled with a certain degree of anticipation.
Earlier, Ji Yuan had looked at the trade fair manifest sent by Qian Nishang via Xia Dong and then tossed it to Zhao Yuansong and the others.
The group, in their pursuit of some of the spiritual items listed, had gone to great lengths, selling off anything they didn't immediately need.
"Ji Yuan, is there anything you've taken a fancy to?"
Jiang He leaned in, asking with great curiosity.
Amongst them, Ji Yuan was the wealthiest. Apart from the items at the very end, he should be able to bid on everything else, so they were all curious if he had his eye on any particular spiritual item.
"Of course, I've got my eye on a few of the final treasures. Why don't you lend me some spirit coins?"
He replied with a hint of exasperation.
The manifest listed nearly a thousand types of spiritual items, but unfortunately, apart from a small portion at the beginning, all subsequent transactions required spirit coins, which were currencies used by cultivators.
These spirit coins were said to originate from the imperial dynasties of the Central Continent, with each coin typically worth a hundred taels of gold, and even a premium in actual exchange.
Yet, even Mingxin Pavilion had limited reserves of these coins. In the entire Luoxia Prefecture, very few factions engaged in transactions using them. Even those who possessed some spirit coins often kept them hidden.
This was because, in addition to their function as currency, spirit coins possessed extraordinary efficacy when used for cultivation, alchemy, Qi refinement, array formations, and so on.
Although the spiritual energy contained within a single spirit coin was pure, it was extremely limited, far less than a low-grade spirit stone. However, the trace of spiritual substance and incense wishes contained within it held various wonderful uses.
"A few final treasures!"
Jiang He sighed, "Those are truly precious items. If any cultivator can obtain one, their future path to the Dao will be incredibly smooth!"
Upon hearing this, everyone's faces revealed a sense of emotion. As Jiang He said, the final treasures to appear at this trade fair were all rare spiritual items that even a major sect would consider as a boon to their destiny.
Take one of the magical artifacts, for example. It contained twenty-four layers of innate restrictions. If fully refined and activated, and controlled by a Golden Core cultivator, it could temporarily empower them to the level of a Half-step Great Power.
And there were quite a few such treasures at today's auction!
"Cultivate diligently. In a few decades, perhaps you'll also wield such a magical artifact."
Ji Yuan said with a serious expression.
However, his feigned elder tone caused everyone present to chuckle, instantly lightening their mood.
Yet, no one truly took his words to heart. Although they all harbored hope of reaching the peak of their Dao, many things couldn't be taken seriously until that day arrived.
As they chatted in the pavilion, noon passed by unnoticed. Qian Nishang, usually busy, appeared in the courtyard with her maid.
In less than half an hour, several carriages departed from the Qian family, heading for the Vast Pavilion where the trade fair was to be held.
In addition to Zhao Yuansong and the others, Ji Yuan also brought his master, invited his senior brother Guo Tao, and his disciple Zhao Yuebai, planning to take them along to witness the spectacle.
Although the Vast Pavilion held a trade fair of this scale every eleven years, this year was different. Not only were the prepared treasures beyond imagination, but the scale was also the grandest in Lingyang Prefecture in decades.
Mingxin Pavilion, which usually occupied the best location, this time could only secure a somewhat remote spot, barely avoiding being relegated to the general seating hall.
It was rumored that even the prefectural city had sent representatives, and major powers from other prefectures had also dispatched elders to lead their teams.
According to intelligence obtained by Mingxin Pavilion, at least seven or eight Great Cultivators who had formed Golden Cores would participate in this trade fair, with even one or two Great Powers, rumored to be celestial beings, potentially in attendance.
"The Vast Pavilion is really playing the big game this time!"
Inside the carriage, Ji Yuan couldn't help but sigh.
Before the trade fair manifest was released, no one expected the Vast Pavilion to acquire so many treasures. The final few items alone were enough to make immortal sects abandon their pride and compete fiercely.
"I heard they spent countless favors and paid a great price to invite a Great Power to oversee it."
Qian Nishang's eyes flickered, but eventually, it turned into a sigh of helplessness.
The outside world claimed that Mingxin Pavilion and the Vast Pavilion were on par, the two most prosperous merchant guilds in Luoxia Prefecture. Especially the former, which had expanded its business to surrounding prefectures in recent years, showing a tendency to surpass the latter.
However, this trade fair made countless people realize that Mingxin Pavilion was far inferior to the Vast Pavilion.
The mere fact that they could expend favors to invite a celestial being to preside over it revealed the gap between the two. At least Qian Nishang knew that even if Mingxin Pavilion spared no expense, they could at most invite a Great Cultivator.
Half an hour later, upon arriving outside the Vast Pavilion, the group was led by two shop assistants to a rather secluded private room.
As soon as they arrived, the several second-realm martial artists accompanying Qian Nishang dispersed to guard the surroundings, while two second-realm cultivators took out array discs and quickly set up several layers of formations.
Beside her, besides the old woman who always remained by her side, even Old Chen, who usually guarded the Mingxin Pavilion's treasury, had accompanied them.