"This is a Flight Talisman. An ancient Flight Talisman."

...

"What? A Flight Talisman?"

"A spirit talisman capable of flight?"

"Heavens, this is simply inconceivable!"

"To think such a wondrous spirit talisman exists in this world. It defies all logic."

"As expected of a primordial relic!"

Hearing that it was a Flight Talisman, the crowd could no longer suppress their agitation.

Xu Changshou, however, remained calm as an ancient well. He had long since identified the item; it was a Flight Talisman identical to the ones housed within his Bloodline Jade Talisman.

"There is no need for suspicion. Our Ten Thousand Immortals Pavilion has thoroughly appraised it," He Shuixiu announced, her words shocking the heavens. "This is an ancient Flight Talisman, boasting a speed of five thousand li a day."

"What? Five thousand li?"

"Unbelievable."

"Too fast. The heritage of ancient spirit talismans is truly extraordinary."

The revelation of a five thousand li daily speed sent another wave of shock through the venue.

Five thousand li a day—what kind of terrifying concept was that?

It outpaced the Purple Dragon Cloud Boat, rivaling the cruising speed of long-distance, high-tier flying vessels.

For bottom-tier cultivators, possessing such a Flight Talisman equated to a second life.

Even an early-stage Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator utilizing Sword Riding would be left eating dust in its wake.

He Shuixiu arched a delicate brow and smiled. "In my opinion, the true value of this Flight Talisman lies not in its use, but in its profound heritage. Imagine—if one could comprehend the ancient talisman-crafting methods through this relic, the returns would be immeasurable."

Her words instantly stoked the flames of greed in countless cultivators. Even the mighty Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivators seated in the private booths could no longer maintain their lofty composure.

If He Shuixiu's words held true, and the lost art of ancient Flight Talismans could be reverse-engineered, it represented a boundless fortune.

Forget mere rogue cultivators; even the Five Great Immortal Sects would slaughter for such wealth.

Xu Changshou curled his lips in silent disdain.

To deduce an ancient crafting method from a single Flight Talisman? Absolute nonsense.

If given a random Pill, could one replicate its alchemy?

If given a Magical Artifact, could one forge its exact replica?

If handed a puppet beast, could one reverse-engineer its core formations?

If it were truly so easy to comprehend, the Ten Thousand Immortals Pavilion would never allow it to grace the auction block. He Shuixiu was merely spinning a seductive web to inflate the talisman's value.

"Very well, Fellow Daoists. The bidding shall now commence," He Shuixiu declared smoothly.

"Starting bid: one Spirit Stone."

He Shuixiu intentionally set the base price at rock bottom.

Under normal market conditions, if one possessed a large stockpile of such Flight Talismans, they could fetch roughly ten Spirit Stones apiece.

While steep, these talismans were life-saving trump cards. At the critical juncture of life and death, even bottom-tier cultivators would eagerly bleed ten Spirit Stones for a chance to survive.

Yet this Flight Talisman was presented as a unique antiquity, naturally commanding a premium.

He Shuixiu’s meager starting price was a calculated move; she held absolute certainty that this lot would ignite a frenzy.

"Two!"

"I bid three!"

"This Daoist offers five Spirit Stones!"

"Ten!"

"Thirty!"

"Fifty Spirit Stones!"

"..."

"One hundred!"

In the blink of an eye, the price of the Flight Talisman surged to one hundred Spirit Stones.

This crushing bid originated from a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator concealed within a private booth.

The moment a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator exerted their spiritual pressure, the Qi Condensation cultivators in the main hall immediately abandoned their bids in trembling reverence.

"One hundred and one."

Another voice echoed from a separate booth, carrying the distinct spiritual resonance of a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator.

"One hundred and three."

"One hundred and five."

"One hundred and ten."

The two mighty figures engaged in a relentless tug-of-war.

"One hundred and twenty."

"One hundred and twenty Spirit Stones! This Fellow Daoist bids one hundred and twenty. Are there any higher?" He Shuixiu called out.

"If there are no further bids, this Flight Talisman belongs to this Fellow Daoist."

"Congratulations on obtaining the ancient Flight Talisman."

Beaming with a radiant smile, He Shuixiu dispatched a maidservant to deliver the Flight Talisman to the winning booth. Moments later, the maidservant returned, bearing exactly one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones.

This was the Ten Thousand Immortals Pavilion. Even a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator dared not renege on a debt here.

One hundred and twenty Spirit Stones. A single, palm-sized Flight Talisman had actually fetched such a terrifying sum.

Xu Changshou's heart pounded with fierce temptation.

At this very moment, twelve identical Flight Talismans rested quietly within his Bloodline Jade Talisman's spatial domain.

If each could command one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones, he would possess wealth capable of shaking the heavens.

No, I must devise a method to safely fence my Flight Talismans.

Xu Changshou plunged into deep contemplation...

His talismans were inscribed upon the hide of a single-horned green wolf. The wind-attribute hide of such a beast was an ideal vessel for both Windwalk Talismans and Flight Talismans.

In the past, he had expended eight Spirit Stones to acquire a complete single-horned green wolf hide, carving it into thirty-six blank talisman canvases.

He had devoted twenty-four of those pieces to drafting Windwalk Talismans, and the remaining twelve to Flight Talismans.

His Flight Talismans were virtually indistinguishable from the one auctioned today.

The fatal flaw was the aura of time. The auctioned talisman was weathered, steeped in the desolate essence of passing eras.

His talismans were freshly drawn.

This was a lethal complication. Presenting brand-new Flight Talismans to the open market was tantamount to courting death.

Their pristine condition would act as a beacon in the night. Once a powerful entity locked onto him, they would stop at nothing to capture the talisman master.

If the Flight Talismans bore the heavy scars of time, the danger would evaporate. No one sought the creator of a primordial relic.

How could he artificially age the Flight Talismans to mimic the passage of eons?

Xu Changshou's eyes flickered with resolve: I must find a way.

The auction swept forward relentlessly.

In the blink of an eye, dozens of lots were claimed. Every item had been meticulously curated by the Ten Thousand Immortals Pavilion, ensuring virtually nothing went unsold.

During this flurry of bidding, Su Miaomiao finally struck, claiming a bottle of Beauty Preservation Pills.

A single bottle of these Pills actually commanded a staggering one hundred Spirit Stones, placing the value of each Pill at ten Spirit Stones.

Witnessing her casually toss away such wealth, Li Linhao and Yang Jieyuan were visibly startled by her financial foundation.

Xu Changshou teased, "Fellow Daoist Su, this poor Daoist views these Beauty Preservation Pills as utterly devoid of Daoist value. Squandering such a mountain of Spirit Stones is a grave loss."

Su Miaomiao shot him a withering glare. "What does a blockhead like you understand? The pursuit of beauty is etched into a woman's very soul."

"Uh..."

Xu Changshou was rendered speechless. Truly, men and women operated on fundamentally incompatible Heavenly Daos.

They would defy the heavens themselves merely to stall the withering of their mortal shells.

Precisely because of this obsession, the spiritual herbs required to refine Beauty Preservation Pills were ruthlessly monopolized by the upper echelons of the major Sects, serving as a lucrative river of wealth for high-ranking elders.

Do not be fooled by the inherent cheapness of the raw materials; they were simply impossible to procure on the open market.

To acquire a Beauty Preservation Pill, one had no choice but to submit to extortionate prices.

Yang Jieyuan sneered irritably, "Fellow Daoist Su, I was wondering how you maintained such a youthful visage. It seems you sustain yourself on Beauty Preservation Pills."

Su Miaomiao's expression darkened with glacial displeasure. "My wealth is mine to squander. It is not your place to dictate my Dao."

"Heh!"

Yang Jieyuan let out a cold, mocking laugh, shifting his gaze to Xu Changshou. "Fellow Daoist Wang, Fellow Daoist Su's true age is shrouded in fog. She may appear as a maiden, but perhaps her mortal time is already drawing to a close."

Su Miaomiao erupted with killing intent. "Shut your mouth! Do not dare speak of my age! It matters not how many years I have cultivated, as long as the rot of time does not stain my face!"

"If you possess the courage, why not test your bone age upon the testing stele?"

"You court death!"

"Enough, enough, let us preserve our breath and maintain the peace," Li Linhao hastily intervened, smoothing the volatile atmosphere.