It was difficult to fathom what kind of insect in this world could possibly aid one's cultivation.
Sikong Ran could not help but sigh in wonder.
"In a world as vast and strange as this, nothing is truly impossible. Even magical beasts are capable of cultivation—why not insects? In fact, some higher forms among them may well surpass the power of magical beasts."
Gu Qingli spoke with quiet conviction, recalling how, back on the Huaxia continent, those who practiced Gu arts were among the most feared individuals—people no one dared provoke lightly.
"It is said that this tribe refers to themselves as the Cult of Gu."
Elder Shui's words confirmed what Gu Qingli had already suspected: the mysterious being within Mr. Tian's body was indeed a Gu worm.
But the far western reaches of the Xihai Kingdom were a world away—countless miles separated them from Loulan City in the north of the Eastern Sacred Kingdom.
Could it be that Mr. Tian had come from Xihai?
The landmass of the Shen Gu Continent was unimaginably vast—many times larger than Earth itself. Each individual kingdom covered more territory than the combined continents of Earth, with treacherous natural barriers lying between them.
A bitter, hollow laugh escaped Mr. Tian's lips—its sound as aged and desolate as the man himself.
"That woman was indeed from the Xihai Kingdom. I truly cannot comprehend it… I treated her with nothing but kindness, and still, she poisoned me. What a cruel joke."
He lifted his head, and murky tears traced silently down his withered cheeks—a portrait of unspoken anguish.
No one spoke. Indeed, Mr. Tian's plight was a tragic one.
"Young girl," he said after a pause, steadying his voice, "since you could see through this and identify it as a Gu worm, is there any hope that you might help remove it?"
Despite the sorrow etched into his face, the strength in his eyes revealed the will of a man tempered by suffering. Even if he had once lacked resilience, these years—watching his youth wither away before his very eyes—had forged him into one who could endure anything. It was only the unexpected confession today that had momentarily shaken him.
"Now that we know the nature of the affliction, we can begin to counter it. I cannot promise a cure, but I'm confident I can help ease your condition. Mr. Tian, come to the Gu household tomorrow to collect a medicine that will suppress the symptoms for the time being. As for a true solution… I'll need more time to study it."
Gu Qingli's tone was calm and measured.
Mr. Tian truly was pitiable, and Gu Qingli was not one to withhold aid when she could offer it. But this was her first encounter with a creature as enigmatic as a Gu worm, and she could not pretend she had full confidence in handling it.
Mr. Tian nodded. Though he remained composed on the surface, deep within, he was overwhelmed—almost incredulous that he would place his hopes in a mere twelve-year-old girl. Yet facts left him no room for pride.
After all, the girl had diagnosed the affliction within moments, while he had spent over a decade grasping at shadows.
While they conversed, the latest weapon had already been sold at auction. The group had paid it little mind, but as the transaction concluded, they finally saw the item clearly—a massive battle axe, brimming with murderous intent. Embedded within it, a monster core shimmered with ominous light.
Its killing aura surpassed even that of Vice Captain Qi's weapon—clearly a tool forged for destruction.
No wonder it had been so hotly contested.
"The next item should be the highlight of today's auction," Sikong Ran remarked. "Typically, there are five items in a standard auction. Sometimes there may be six or seven if sellers make last-minute submissions, but those cases are rare."
He gestured subtly toward the private boxes across from them.
"The guests in those booths are all here for this final item. What it actually is, though—we'll soon find out."
Mr. Tian, who had fallen silent after revealing his story, now sat shrouded in shadow, lost in thought. Elder Shui, calm and composed as always, seemed interested in the final item, but not anxious—so long as it didn't fall into the Li family's hands, he had no reason to worry.
Without that cultivation-enhancing pill, who could say how furious Li Ke'er must be?
And indeed, she sat stiffly in her private booth, her face pale with rage, trembling with suppressed fury.
Had it not been for the last shred of reason restraining her, she might have charged out to confront Gu Qingli head-on.
"Ke'er, calm yourself. Let's see what the final item is before we act."
Even the Li family's patriarch was simmering with anger, though he hid it well. Internally, he vowed to crush the Gu family once and for all—to rid their family's path of any further obstacles.
"We now come to the final item of today's auction," Chen Yihan announced with a composed smile. He deliberately paused, heightening the tension in the room.
"This is a rare treasure indeed."
Gu Qingli noticed figures shifting about restlessly in the VIP booths across the hall—clearly anticipating something significant.
As the room's excitement peaked, Chen Yihan signaled once more. The alluring auction assistant returned, her hips swaying gracefully, bearing a tray upon which rested a single scroll—deep violet in hue, exuding an air of mystique and grandeur.
Gu Qingli's eyes narrowed, fixed upon the scroll.
"What could it be, to be the finale of the auction?"
Judging by the crowd's breathless attention and wide eyes, this item was highly coveted. Yet Gu Qingli could not discern what it was.
"You're kidding, Li'er—you don't even recognize a spirit technique scroll?"
Sikong Ran looked utterly dumbfounded.
"If I've never encountered one, how would I know what it is?" Gu Qingli replied with a roll of her eyes.
Just then, Chen Yihan addressed the room again. Though many present already knew, he took time to explain for the younger or less-informed attendees—such as Gu Qingli, a noble daughter of a major clan, surprisingly unfamiliar with spirit technique scrolls.
"For those unaware, allow me to elaborate. What you see is a battle technique known as the 'Eighteen Tiger Strikes'—a signature martial art crafted and perfected over many years by a Saint-level expert. This scroll contains the essence of that technique, etched with soul force and capable of being revealed three times in total. Only one activation remains."
After Chen Yihan's explanation, Gu Qingli understood the general concept of spirit technique scrolls.
They were essentially martial techniques embodied through spiritual force. However, only those who had reached the level of Martial King or higher could train in them—explaining why she had yet to encounter one before.
"This technique is exceptionally powerful, divided into three stages. Once fully mastered, it may not render one invincible among peers, but it would certainly place them among the elite—capable even of challenging opponents at higher levels. It is among the most formidable King-rank battle techniques, both domineering and rare. The starting bid: 300,000 gold coins!"