C18 Then to the South Wind Auction.

Time flew by, and before he knew it, half a month had passed.

At the Chen family estate.

Since his return to the clan half a month ago, Chen Yi hadn't stepped foot outside the Chen Mansion. More specifically, he hadn't even ventured out of his own courtyard.

His meals were brought to him by either Chen Yue or the family's steward.

What had he been up to?

The answer was clear as day.

Healing, concocting medicines, and cultivating...

He spent the first two days after his return recuperating due to his weakened state. Once he had recovered, he dove into medicine refinement and cultivation, which had occupied him up to the present moment.

"Boom!"

With the explosive release of an astonishing aura, Chen Yi's eyes, shut for so long, snapped open. A flash of brilliance streaked from them as the formidable aura dispersed, causing the room's furnishings to emit a humming vibration.

But this only lasted a moment before the aura, as if drawn by a magnet, spiraled back into Chen Yi's body.

With the final wisp of aura absorbed, Chen Yi's energy reached a zenith.

"Whew—"

It was only after he exhaled a long breath of stale air that tranquility was restored.

"Just one more step, and I can begin to condense my Qi into essence!"

Feeling the abundant power within him, a slight smile played across Chen Yi's lips.

In just half a month, he had ascended from the seventh level to the tenth level of the Meditation Stage.

Indeed, he had achieved the pinnacle of the tenth level. Just one more step, and he could break through to the Spirit Essence Stage!

Such a rapid advancement, if known in Wood County City, would surely drop jaws in astonishment.

Yet, Chen Yi found nothing unusual about it. His realm had been elevated through the use of medicinal pills. If not for the time needed to transition to the Spirit Essence Stage, he could have directly ascended to that level.

Some might argue that his rapid progression was akin to forcing the growth of a seedling, risking an unstable foundation prone to issues.

But as an elite Pharmacist, Chen Yi was well aware of the risks.

He wasn't concerned, though, thanks to the Blood Holy Bead!

A treasure coveted by emperors for its miraculous powers, the Blood Holy Bead's capabilities were beyond imagination. With the first level unsealed, it could analyze all varieties of blood. Upon unsealing the second level, it not only aided the host in swiftly enhancing strength but also fortified the host's foundation simultaneously.

In essence, while the host's power surged, the foundation remained robust, even surpassing that of peers at the same level!

Therefore, Chen Yi never fretted over an unstable foundation.

His goal was straightforward: to swiftly bolster his strength and unlock the second seal of the Blood Holy Bead.

"I just need the blood of cultivators with seven distinct constitutions."

Inspecting the Blood Holy Bead in his dantian, now more lustrous than before, Chen Yi breathed a sigh of relief.

Three days prior, the South Wind Auction had delivered the last ninety drops of seventh-grade Spirit Beast blood.

With one thousand drops of eighth-grade and one hundred drops of seventh-grade Spirit Beast blood absorbed by the Blood Holy Bead, he still had some reserves—not of the Spirit Violent Bear blood, but a few drops from various eighth-grade Spirit Beasts, kept as a contingency.

Once absorbed, the Blood Holy Bead transformed the blood into a unique innate ability for the host. However, each type of blood could only bestow its ability once. After that, no matter how much more of the same blood was infused, the Blood Holy Bead would not yield new powers.

Yet, when deploying these innate abilities, the Blood Holy Bead could absorb more blood from the same Spirit Beast, allowing for a short-term burst of that ability.

Take the Spirit Violent Bear's blood, for instance, which granted him a berserk strength talent. Activating it could instantly amplify Chen Yi's strength tenfold. But if the Blood Holy Bead absorbed more Spirit Violent Bear blood at the same time, the enhancement would multiply based on the amount absorbed—one drop could mean a twentyfold increase, ten drops a hundredfold.

Naturally, such a surge required the host to possess sufficient physical resilience; otherwise, forcing it could lead to severe consequences.

Yet, against formidable foes, this was an ace up his sleeve!

Hence, keeping a supply of blood was always prudent.

Besides, the Blood Holy Bead required a fresh infusion of blood every seven days, and as its host, he needed to maintain a ready supply.

"The time has come to make my departure."

Stepping out of the house and surveying the familiar courtyard, Chen Yi exhaled softly.

Seeking seven cultivators with unique physiques meant he could no longer remain in Wood County City. His preparations to leave were underway.

But first, there were matters to attend to.

Donning a black robe, he left the Chen Mansion.

This was his first excursion in half a month, and his destination was, once again, the South Wind Auction.

Wood County City may be small, but it has everything one would expect in a city. Yet, the only establishment with any real clout is the South Wind Auction—at least, that's how Chen Yi sees it.

...

Inside a grand room at the South Wind Auction, Elder Weng was pleasantly surprised by Chen Yi's arrival, but that didn't stop him from beaming with joy. "I kept hearing magpies chirping today and wondered why. It must be a sign of good fortune. Master Chen, your presence truly graces our establishment!"

Chen Yi, faced with Elder Weng's excessive enthusiasm, was at a loss for words. He recalled that Elder Weng hadn't been quite so effusive during his last visit.

Elder Weng's eagerness wasn't without reason. The pills that had been auctioned off at the South Wind Auction's capital headquarters a few days earlier had fetched an astonishingly high price. The success had earned Elder Weng accolades from his superiors, and a promotion seemed imminent. Seeing Chen Yi again, how could he contain his excitement?

Without much preamble, Chen Yi got straight to the point after settling onto the sofa. "I need your establishment's assistance once more to gather some items. Here's the list." He handed over a pre-prepared inventory.

Elder Weng skimmed the list, his brow furrowing slightly. "Is there a problem?" Chen Yi inquired.

"No, not at all," Elder Weng replied, shaking his head. "It's just that gathering these items will take some time. And as for the cost..."

"The price is of no concern. Just tell me how long it will take," Chen Yi interjected calmly.

Elder Weng considered for a moment before responding, "Half a month."

"That's too long," Chen Yi countered without hesitation. He had calculated that in about ten days, he would need to leave Wood County City, so time was of the essence.

"Ten days?" Elder Weng asked, seeking confirmation.

Chen Yi shook his head again. "Still too long. Can you manage it in five days?"

"Master, five days is incredibly short," Elder Weng protested, then after a pause, offered, "The very least I can promise is around seven days."

"Then let's settle on seven days," Chen Yi agreed, finding the timeframe acceptable.

Elder Weng, with a hint of uncertainty, ventured, "Master, will the transaction be the same as before?"

"Yes," Chen Yi confirmed, then queried, "How many pills will you need this time?"

Elder Weng hesitated, then cautiously suggested, "Would ten be acceptable?"

"Agreed," Chen Yi nodded, surprising Elder Weng, who had expected some negotiation.

Chen Yi added, "However, I have one more condition."

Elder Weng knew there had to be a catch. He smiled and urged, "Please, Master Chen, go ahead."

"I expect that if the Chen family faces any difficulties in the coming year, the South Wind Auction will offer unconditional assistance within its capabilities," Chen Yi stated plainly.

"Just that?" Elder Weng was taken aback.

Chen Yi nodded firmly. "That's all I ask."

"Absolutely," Elder Weng agreed without hesitation. The South Wind Auction would have offered such support to the Chen family regardless.

"Do we need to draft a formal agreement?" Elder Weng inquired.

Chen Yi shook his head dismissively. "Unnecessary."

In the South Wind Empire, official agreements were binding, and violations were punishable. However, Chen Yi found them pointless. Given the South Wind Auction's influence, the empire was unlikely to enforce any penalties against them. They were, after all, an asset to the empire, which wouldn't harm its own interests.

Chen Yi's request was simple: support within their means. Forcing assistance in situations beyond the South Wind Auction's control was futile. He had added this stipulation, anticipating at least a year away from Wood County City. Despite his knowledge from a past life, he couldn't be certain of the future. Previously, the Chen family had suffered under the economic onslaught of the Wang family due to the curse of the Life Devouring Blood Insect. Now, with the tables turned, he wanted to be prepared for any eventuality.

With the South Wind Auction's backing, any potential retaliation from the Wang family wouldn't leave the Chen family in dire straits.

Chen Yi turned to Elder Weng, "Regarding the pills you're planning to refine, is there a need to report back to me?"

"No need, it's the same ones as before!"

Elder Weng quickly waved off the suggestion.

Just a few days prior, the auction at the Empire's headquarters had been a roaring success, prompting the higher-ups to issue him a directive. Should Chen Yi return, he was to be compensated with the same types of medicinal pills as before. Since the auction, numerous high-ranking officials within the Empire had been clamoring for these pills, leading to a supply and demand crunch!

Chen Yi inquired, "And the medicinal herbs?"

Elder Weng shook his head, his smile beaming, "Master Chen, the herbs are all ready to go. I'll fetch them right now, if you could kindly wait a moment!"

"Mm-hmm."

Chen Yi nodded, watching Elder Weng's hurried departure and slightly shaking his head.

It didn't surprise him that the South Wind Auction had the medicinal ingredients prepped in advance. He might drop by for a trade at any moment, and it was a given that the auction house would still be in need of the pills. He didn't need to give it a second thought; top-quality medicinal pills were, after all, a rare commodity in the South Wind Empire!

…