Since obtaining the powerful Rank 3 Sky Origin Sword Gu, Liu Chen's frequency of competing in the martial arts arena had decreased significantly. Where he used to battle almost every day to hone his skills and harvest boxes, he now only descended to the ring once a month.
This shift gave him more time to enjoy a leisurely life within the metropolis. However, due to his outstanding performance and rising fame, he had naturally attracted the attention and co optation of various factions. Several young masters of the Shang Clan had already extended olive branches, hoping to recruit the Flying Swordsman to their side.
Liu Chen, true to his pragmatic nature, despised everyone equally, he met with almost all of them to maintain social ties but refused to join any specific team.
Shang Clan City was home to countless famous families of the Southern Border, and the sheer density of Gu Masters meant the streets were paved with treasure boxes. By this point, Liu Chen had harvested an immense amount: over 500 Bronze boxes, 30 Red Iron boxes, and countless Wooden boxes. His system inventory had even been expanded once to accommodate the haul.
Furthermore, he had received an additional reward for opening a cumulative total of one thousand treasure boxes: a Remote Retrieval ability. Once per day, he could unlock and claim a treasure box within his line of sight without having to physically touch the target.
It was a pity that Shang Yan Fei, the Clan Leader of the Shang family, rarely appeared in public; otherwise, Liu Chen might have had the chance to obtain a legendary purple or even a Golden box from a Rank 5 peak expert.
In his spare time, Liu Chen also researched a curious phenomenon: boxes obtained from people generally seemed less rich than those retrieved from ancient inheritances. While people yielded useful items, they lacked the comprehensive True Meaning found in the legacies of the Wood God or the Flower Wine Monk.
His thoughts drifted to a specific reward he had recently claimed from a young Gu Master named Xiao Yan, the Burning Gu. Generally speaking, Rank 1 Gu did not interest Liu Chen now that he held Rank 3 status, but this fire path Gu had a unique advantage: it could devour fire path materials to improve the Gu Master's own strength through a specialized cultivation method. This unique ability made it stand out even among his current arsenal.
Compared to the repetitive battles of the arena, Liu Chen found much more profit in wandering the alleys of the city, searching for hidden boxes. However, the Shang Clan City
Auction House, which held its grand annual event, now became his primary objective.
The auction gathered countless precious lots, the lowest of which were Rank 4 Gu worms or materials for refining Rank 5 Gu. Naturally, this attracted the elite: family elders from every major clan, all possessing extraordinary strength.
For Liu Chen, this auction was a once in a lifetime opportunity. He arrived early and waited patiently, secretly wondering if he could use his remote retrieval ability to claim an purple Treasure Box from one of the heavyweights in attendance.
Finally, his patience was rewarded. A woman dressed in pure white robes appeared in his line of sight. Liu Chen's heart leaped floating directly in front of her was a radiant purple Treasure Box!
Without a moment's hesitation, Liu Chen activated his daily ability. A purple light flashed in his vision, and the purple chest instantly vanished from its location near the woman and materialized within his inventory.
From the whispers of the surrounding crowd, Liu Chen quickly learned the woman's identity. She was Doctor Su Shou, one of the four legendary doctors of the Southern Border and a renowned Rank 5 healing Gu Master.
Hearing this, Liu Chen couldn't help but think of the Killer Ghost Doctor Chou Jiu and the story involving the Poison Vow Gu. A cold smile touched his lips as he realized the magnitude of the luck he had just stolen.
The theft also meant he had exhausted his remote ability for the day. Furthermore, the Gu Masters entering the auction house were either immensely wealthy or high-ranking experts; even as a Rank 3 Master, Liu Chen knew he couldn't approach them physically to loot boxes without risking discovery.
Deciding to play it safe, he paid the staggering one thousand Primeval Stone entrance fee a threshold designed to keep out troublemakers and entered the auction hall.
He was assigned to Private Box No. 33. Though somewhat remote, it suited his needs perfectly. Since arriving in Shang Clan City, his profits from selling the Wood Path recipes and his arena winnings had made him wealthy enough that a thousand stone ticket was a trivial expense.
After a short wait, the auction officially kicked off. The first lot was announced, immediately capturing the attention of the entire audience: a Rank 4 Water Path Water Cannon Gu.
The starting price was 60,000 Primeval Stones, a testament to its value.
The Water Path was currently very popular, and the bidding was fierce. The price soared rapidly, eventually being claimed by an elder from the Zheng Clan for a high price of 100,000 Primeval Stones.
Liu Chen watched the proceedings with a sharp gaze. He was waiting for two things: the materials he needed for his sword embryo's next evolution, and the perfect moment to open the Doctor's purple prize.
The next few lots were equally anticipated, with each item fetching a high price of at least 100,000 Primeval Stones. The atmosphere in the hall remained heated as the sounds of bidding echoed through the air one after another.
Just when the audience thought the climax of the event had passed, the auctioneer suddenly announced in a loud, clear voice: "The next item up for bid is the recipe for a legendary Gu worm,the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus Recipe! The starting price is 200,000 Primeval Stones!"
The news was like a bombshell, instantly detonating the entire audience. The value of a Gu recipe is far greater than the Gu insect itself, because mastering a recipe means one can continuously produce that legendary Gu.
"Does this refinement require specific prerequisite Gu insects as a foundation?" A cautious voice called out from a private box below, reflecting the suspicion and doubt felt by many; they were afraid such a valuable recipe might contain an unknown trap.
The auctioneer smiled confidently. "Everyone, do not worry. This recipe does not require any prerequisite Gu insects. As long as you can collect the necessary materials, you can refine this Gu smoothly. Furthermore, it is worth mentioning that the Heavenly Essence Treasure Lotus is the primary material for the rank advancement into the Rank 4 Heavenly Essence Treasure Monarch Lotus!"
As soon as he finished speaking, his words were like a stone tossed into a pond, stirring up a thousand waves. A massive uproar broke out among the private boxes. The guests were clearly shocked by this revelation and immediately began a fierce round of bidding.
"I bid 300,000!" an eager voice shouted. "310,000!" another countered without a moment's hesitation. "320,000!" yet another bidder called out an even higher price, refusing to be outdone.