“.” Getai Hao spoke slowly. "The Ye family—the imperial Ye family?" Lin Yinpeng showed surprise. "Does Lin friend know who sent this person? It's actually a senior named Han from the Ye family, and this Han senior bears a striking resemblance—about seven or eight parts—to the person we're currently pursuing." Getai Hao's face revealed a look of bewilderment. "Is it possible they are the same person? How could this person be connected to the Ye family at all?" Lin Yinpeng asked, momentarily stunned. "This isn't entirely clear yet. The soul-searching practitioner I summoned is a wandering cultivator recruited by the Ye family. However, if they aren't the same person, then there must be a significant connection—otherwise, why would they send someone to track us without any apparent reason? If indeed this person is a senior of the Ye family, that's quite a challenge." Getai Hao's expression grew more serious. "Indeed, the imperial family's influence is that vast! I remember the Ye family was merely a prominent family elevated by your various sects. How could Getai brother be so cautious about them?" Lin Yinpeng smiled lightly. "The Ye family is no ordinary immortal cultivation clan. Beyond the fact that he belongs to the imperial lineage of the Great Jin Dynasty and is renowned as the foremost family, there are already six or seven Yuan-Ying-level elders within the clan alone. Not to mention the numerous independent cultivators they've quietly recruited and the emerging, less-known power blocs they've nurtured. Their true strength undoubtedly rivals that of any major immortal sect. Take, for instance, the cultivator tracking us—though his cultivation level isn't particularly high, the banner and flag he wields are remarkably effective. Without Lin's Miraculous Sound Mirror, we would have found it difficult to notice him lingering behind so discreetly." Ge Tianhao sighed as he spoke. "Nothing remarkable. My cultivation technique emphasizes refined sensory awareness and perception. As soon as we left the marketplace, I instinctively sensed something amiss, so I naturally turned to the mirror for inspection. It's rather unfortunate for him—he happened to be tracking us precisely when I had the Miraculous Sound Mirror at hand. Ge brother, how will you handle this matter? Does your sect still intend to uphold the agreement with our Hall?" The Tianlan Saint Maiden gazed steadily at Ge Tianhao, asking calmly. "Hehe! The Ye family may indeed be powerful, but our sect will not hesitate against anyone. Moreover, the matter involves our sect's foundational treasure and the life of one of our senior enforcers. Even if that person is truly a senior elder of the Ye family, we will still demand that the Ye family hand him over. Friend Lin, please rest assured. It's already late—we should head off to the fair now." Ge Tianhao raised his gaze toward the distant horizon, speaking calmly. "The grudge from that time of pursuit, the Master has never forgotten," the young man murmured, and with a slight shift in posture, vanished once more. Han Li's curiosity was piqued. After casually sitting down in a corner, he gently extended his spiritual awareness toward a nearby person, hoping to see if he could penetrate the shimmering aura surrounding them. To his astonishment, however, these auras seemed tangible—no matter how strong his spiritual awareness pressed against them, they were effortlessly repelled. Although he hadn't fully unleashed his maximum spiritual intensity, he judged that even if he did, the effect would likely remain the same. Han Li then shifted his focus, instinctively scanning the entire hall. What he discovered was that the entire hall appeared to be under the influence of an unusual magical array. This array, though not accompanied by any particularly powerful seals, subtly resonated with the auras emanating from every individual present. As someone well-versed in both sealwork and array magic, Han Li quickly grasped the underlying principle, and quietly marvelled at the phenomenon. Clearly, these talismans are specifically effective in conjunction with this peculiar spell array. Once the talismans are affixed, as soon as the practitioners enter the array's influence range, their protective effects automatically activate. As a result, even a master with an exceptionally strong consciousness will inevitably be overwhelmed by the entire array. This naturally alleviates the concerns of the elder attendees at the exchange gathering, allowing them to freely trade goods without fear of encountering rivals or being targeted during the event. Han Li narrowed his eyes, gazing silently ahead. Not long afterward, a flash of luminous light appeared near the white jade table, and a figure enveloped in white mist suddenly materialized behind it. "The time has come. All the guests who were supposed to arrive have now come. The exchange begins now," the figure said, glancing calmly around the hall. "This precious treasure is only exchanged for several things hard to find in the world. Should no one actually possess these materials, then a spiritual stone bidding would be held. Whether or not each of you will succeed in bringing the treasure back home depends entirely on your own fortune." The figure in the beam of light spoke slowly. "Precious treasure? What exactly is it—materials, elixirs, or divine artifacts? Could the esteemed friend kindly elaborate? Otherwise, should the required items have already been traded away beforehand, we might regret it." Someone suddenly interjected. "Heh! I can only describe this treasure as exceedingly rare. The specific nature of the treasure will become clear to all of you by the end. As for this friend's concern, it's entirely unnecessary. For ordinary cultivators, the things obtained in exchange for this treasure would be cherished and never willingly traded away." The figure smiled gently. These words were so grand in tone that they naturally stirred a wave of excitement among the cultivators in the hall, sparking curiosity in each of them, yet no one dared to ask further questions. At that moment, the figure behind the jade table casually reached out and grasped a storage sack before him. With a flash of black light, a fruit resembling a date but dark and luminous appeared in his hands. "This is the Yin Date—grown accidentally on the graves of those born under Yin years, Yin months, and Yin days. It takes three centuries to mature, and then must be refined for forty-nine days using the spirits of the deceased and their lingering grievances through a secret technique. It can be consumed directly or used as an ingredient in pill-making. Starting price: ten thousand spiritual stones. Each increment: five thousand." As soon as the figure spoke, Han Li was struck speechless. "Twelve thousand." "Fourteen thousand." "Fourteen thousand five hundred spiritual stones." In a matter of moments, the Yin Date—completely unfamiliar to Han Li—had fetched an astonishingly high price. All bidders were cultivators radiating a blend of dark and gray glimmers, suggesting that such figures were highly valued within the magical realm. The final bid for the shadow persimmon was secured at 190,000 spiritual stones. As the figure in the bright glow paid the stones and took the item, a rectangular block, half a foot in size, appeared instantly in their hands—uniformly blood-red, exuding a strong heat. "180,000 spiritual stones," "200,000..." This rare material, which Han Li had heard of before, though not many bidders participated, saw each of the few contenders demonstrate strong financial strength and unwillingness to yield. Ultimately, it was purchased for a remarkable price of 250,000 spiritual stones. "The Ghost-Li Grass... " One after another, items with names that sounded profoundly eerie were presented—each one so precious that the people who needed them had to pay large sums of spiritual stones to secure them, a stark contrast to the usual large-scale auction. Han Li ran a hand along his waist, where his storage pouch hung, and could only shake his head with a quiet smile of concern. For the first time, he began to wonder whether the spiritual stones he had gathered were not quite sufficient. Though he knew that before any item was exchanged, a certain number of materials could be purchased directly with stones, he hadn't expected the items to be so exceptionally valuable—each one commanding a price that surpassed even the final, most prized items of the grand auctions. "Jade Rubber—this is a product of the Jade Oak Tree, a celestial and terrestrial spirit tree, harvested once every thousand years. It is the finest material for crafting extraordinary gate-based talismans and mechanical automata." Starting price of twelve0,000灵stones, with increments of no less than 5,000 each...” “Fifteen0,000” When the figure in the beam of light produced a translucent, gel-like object, Han Li, who had been previously distracted, suddenly became alert and immediately made his bid without hesitation.