Arrogant! Overbearing! Disregardful of others!
These eight characters instantly appeared in everyone's minds!
Yet, they were still helpless. Yu Xian also revealed a faint smile, not offering any defense.
He had said that any method was acceptable.
And that naturally included leveraging influence!
Even Fu Yue, who was walking towards them, furrowed her brow. However, she quickly regained her composure, approached Yun Ze, placed the bottle of Earth Soul Liquid on the tray, and offered it with both hands.
"This esteemed guest is joking. No one dares to act at the Immortal Gathering. Please inspect the goods."
"Good, good, good. Inspect the goods, inspect the goods."
Yun Ze smiled and reached out, but did not take the jade bottle directly. Instead, he brushed past Fu Yue's hand as he placed the four spirit stones onto the tray and took the jade bottle.
This action was not concealed; in fact, it was quite obvious!
Everyone present were cultivators and naturally saw it clearly.
Those who harbored no ill will towards Yun Ze were now filled with righteous anger!
Who was this young master from? He was so utterly undisciplined!
Fu Yue also frowned, her smile vanishing completely.
This was precisely the effect Yun Ze desired!
By acting this way, he intended to cultivate an image similar to that of 'He Lai Chao'.
As long as they couldn't ascertain his backing, they wouldn't dare to act rashly.
It was certainly better than them realizing he was merely a rogue cultivator at the peak of the second level of Qi Refining!
Yun Ze casually opened the jade bottle, and a wisp of subtle fragrance drifted out!
As the fragrance entered his nose and throat, he felt his Qi Sea begin to churn!
This sensation was... a breakthrough!
Yun Ze hastily closed the lid, instinctively suppressing the condensation of his Qi vortex.
However, upon further thought, since he was within the Immortal Gathering, he was safe!
Rather than waiting to break through after leaving, it was better to do it here, where he would at least be protected!
Yun Ze released his suppression of the Qi vortex, and the surrounding spiritual energy began to converge towards him!
A flash of inspiration struck his mind, and he quickly reached out to take a spirit stone from Fu Yue's tray!
"I haven't properly inspected this item yet. I'll deal with it after my breakthrough!"
As soon as he spoke, he sat down cross-legged, his mind sinking into his Qi Sea, and began to condense the third Qi vortex.
Fu Yue was stunned, as were the people around them. Only Yu Xian let out a chuckle.
This fellow was quite shrewd. He was afraid that Yu Xian would leave while he was breaking through, and that the Immortal Mansion's personnel would also withdraw after the Immortal Gathering concluded. Hence, he pulled this stunt.
With the payment still in his hands, even after the Immortal Gathering ended, the Immortal Mansion would have no choice but to send someone to protect him.
To possess such foresight while on the verge of a breakthrough, it seemed he would be able to endure these past fifteen days without Yu Xian needing to worry.
Fu Yue was initially taken aback, but then, with no other recourse, she could only pocket the remaining three spirit stones and turn to the crowd.
"Everyone, this auction has concluded, and the Immortal Gathering is about to close. Esteemed guests who have purchased items, please proceed to the high platform. Other fellow cultivators, please leave the Immortal Gathering in an orderly fashion."
Upon hearing this, although the crowd still harbored thoughts about Yun Ze, they had no choice but to depart.
However, to their surprise, the figure riding the donkey also left the Immortal Gathering with them, not waiting for the young man.
Only a young girl remained standing in place, eyes closed in meditation, silent.
A quarter of an hour later.
Fu Yue, having handled the affairs of the other auctioned items, approached Yun Ze again.
She crouched down, looked at Bu Bu before her, and offered a smile: "Little sister, are you with him?"
Bu Bu did not reply, not even lifting an eyelid.
"Little sister?"
Fu Yue called out again, but Bu Bu remained unresponsive. Fu Yue had no choice but to give up, muttering to herself.
"Honestly! What a bunch of strange people!"
She took a deep breath, her tone changing, and called out to the surroundings: "Hey, Ji Shan? Where are you? Come out, come out!"
"Coming..."
The middle-aged man from before appeared from an unknown location, coming to Fu Yue's side, and continuously scanning the surroundings: "Did that person leave?"
"That person? Who?"
Fu Yue was unsure of whom he was referring to. "Never mind that for now! Are we throwing this kid out, or..."
"Throw him out? Are you crazy!"
Ji Shan looked at Fu Yue in shock: "Do you know who he was with just now?"
"Who?"
"Yu Xian."
"Who!"
Fu Yue's face was filled with shock and disbelief: "Yu Xian!? The legendary..."
"Yes!"
Ji Shan nodded, letting out a long sigh of relief. "I caught this kid earlier, right? It was that person who stepped in to resolve it."
"But why would that person be with a mere Qi Refining cultivator?"
Fu Yue frowned as she spoke. "And this kid said that person was his servant?"
"A servant is naturally impossible. But who knows what great figures are thinking?"
Ji Shan shrugged and turned to look at Yun Ze. "In any case, we just need to follow the rules. Within the rules, we should provide as much preferential treatment as possible."
"Alright."
Fu Yue said, casting a disdainful glance at Yun Ze.
Although she didn't speak, her expression clearly conveyed... why would Yu Xian be friends with someone like this?
However, Yun Ze was completely unaware of this at the moment. His mind was entirely immersed in his Qi Sea, his focus solely on the third, yet-to-be-formed Qi vortex!
This breakthrough was different from the previous two.
His Qi Sea was four times larger than before, so the difficulty in forming the third Qi vortex was naturally four times greater!
As the spiritual energy flowed and circulated, he could even feel every inch of muscle and every bone in his limbs trembling uncontrollably!
Yet, he was helpless. He could only continue to circulate his cultivation technique, constantly absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to aid in the formation of the third Qi vortex!
Another quarter of an hour or so passed.
Yun Ze felt that he had absorbed at least three times the amount of spiritual energy in his Qi Sea to completely forge this third Qi vortex!
He slowly exhaled a turbid breath and opened his eyes, looking forward. He saw the face of that middle-aged man!
Hiss!
Could it be that he had gotten into trouble again!
Yun Ze instinctively turned his head and found that only Bu Bu remained around him. Brother Yu and Brother Donkey were nowhere to be seen, and even Fu Yue had disappeared.
Oh well, no one to help him now.
"Hey, little brother, don't be nervous."
Ji Shan, seeing Yun Ze's predicament, smiled and said, "I'm not here to take you away this time. I'm here to collect the final payment. Have you finished inspecting the Earth Soul Liquid?"
"I have already inspected it."
Yun Ze was relieved upon hearing this. He stood up and took out the spirit stone he had hidden in his embrace, handing it over.
Fu Yue was no longer present. He had originally intended to apologize in person for his earlier actions, but since she was not here, he could only ask someone to convey his message.
"I apologize. I was indeed too hasty just now."
Yun Ze said with a wry smile. "Senior, please inform Fu Yue that my actions were out of necessity. If I have offended her, I beg for her forgiveness.
If there is an opportunity in the future, I will certainly offer my apologies in person."
"Hah, it's nothing, nothing!"
Ji Shan put the fourth spirit stone into his embrace and then smiled at Yun Ze. "Little brother, we've talked so much, but I still don't know your name."
"Yun... Qian."
Yun Ze instinctively wanted to say his real name, but considering his current situation, he casually uttered a false name.
This was something his parents had taught him.
As the saying goes, when you wander the martial world, you're bound to get hurt. When it's time to use a false name, you must do so!
"Yun Qian? That's a grand name!"
Ji Shan smiled. "My name is Ji Shan. If you don't mind, you can call me Brother Shan!"
"Brother Shan is joking. Please don't mind me."
Ji Shan, a Foundation Establishment cultivator, was being so friendly with him purely because of Yu Xian.
Yun Ze understood these things in his heart, but he still had to maintain appearances.
"Hey! Let's not talk about that!"
Ji Shan said with a hearty laugh, patting Yun Ze on the shoulder. "The Immortal Gathering is ending, and we're about to have a small gathering.
Brother Yun, you wanted to apologize to Fu Yue, right? Why not join us?"