A Xuan-level martial skill was incredibly valuable even among the great families of large cities.
Acquiring one would dramatically elevate an entire clan’s combat power.
Every faction, large or small, bid relentlessly.
“One hundred thousand gold!”
In just a short time, the price had soared to a hundred thousand gold — an astronomical figure.
The smaller factions could only sigh and give up.
“One hundred twenty thousand gold!”
Feng Lie, the current Feng family patriarch, stood up to bid again.
This time, he increased the bid by twenty thousand in one go.
More than a hundred thousand gold was already pushing the limits for a family like the Fengs.
After all, the clan still needed funds to operate; they couldn’t pour everything into one bid.
“One hundred thirty thousand gold!”
Yang Chong, the Yang family head, gritted his teeth and added ten thousand.
The four family heads and the leaders from other cities had been battling fiercely.
But the four great families of Yulan held the advantage — they had prepared more funds.
Once the bidding passed a hundred thousand, only the four Yulan families remained locked in conflict.
“One hundred thirty-five thousand!”
Hu Li, the Hu family head, called out a bid.
His expression was grim.
“One hundred thirty-six thousand!”
“One hundred fifty thousand!”
Wan Shuo stood up to bid for the second time.
He sneered inwardly as he looked at the ashen-faced family heads around him.
The Wan family had latched onto a powerful backer this time.
When the matter was brought up, Yun Ying’s family had lent him a hundred thousand gold without a second word.
None of the other families could compete with that.
“The Wan family has bid one hundred fifty thousand.
Anyone higher?”
The old auctioneer’s face was flushed with excitement — this was likely the highest bid he had ever presided over.
Three calls.
No one raised the bid.
The Drifting Sand Palm was sold for one hundred fifty thousand gold.
Watching Wan Shuo’s triumphant expression, the other family heads’ eyes flickered uneasily.
Ever since the incident at the Wan estate, many smaller factions in Yulan had begun gravitating toward the Wan family.
If this continued, the Wan family might eventually absorb the entire city.
As the auction concluded, Feng Hao stood up.
His casual movement immediately drew everyone’s attention.
Everyone knew that the Xuan-level martial skill had come from this man.
Sweeping his gaze around, Feng Hao spotted his father, who looked somewhat dejected.
Frowning slightly, he walked toward where Feng Chen was seated.
Ouyang Peng was startled, then quickly followed.
“You’re the former Feng family head?”
Feng Chen was surprised, wondering why this person was approaching him.
“That’s right.”
Though his mind was full of questions, he replied with great courtesy.
“One hundred thousand gold.
Do you want these?”
Without saying much, Feng Hao produced two scrolls — the Earth-Shattering Fist and the Cloud Movement Art — and held them out.
“A Xuan-level low-tier martial skill!
And a Yellow-grade high-tier essence art!”
The moment he saw the scrolls, Feng Chen exclaimed in shock.
“What?!”
The entire hall erupted.
Everyone’s pupils dilated as they stared at the cloaked figure in disbelief.
A Xuan-level martial skill went without saying, but an essence art — that was the foundation of a family’s survival.
In Yulan City, even obtaining a Yellow-grade low-tier essence art would make any faction the fifth great family.
Its value was even higher than a martial skill’s, and essence arts were rarely available even for gold.
Ouyang Peng also drew a sharp breath.
One hundred thousand gold for two such items was practically giving them away.
But more than that, he wondered — why was this mysterious medicine refiner doing this?
“Do you want them?”
Seeing Feng Chen hesitate, the hoarse voice came again, tinged with impatience.
“Then I thank you sincerely, sir.”
Whatever the reason, Feng Chen reached out and accepted them.
He didn’t notice that as he bowed, the cloaked figure subtly shifted to avoid being directly faced.
Holding the scrolls in his hands, Feng Chen felt as if he were dreaming.
The Feng family elders and Feng Lie were all trembling with excitement.
Could fortune really just fall from the sky?
Everyone else watched the Feng family with envy, jealousy, and hatred.
Feng Lie quickly produced the gold.
After the transaction was complete, Feng Hao and Ouyang Peng swiftly left the auction hall.
No one dared to say a word.
They all understood that this cloaked figure was someone they could not afford to provoke.
Anyone who could casually give away Xuan-level martial skills was a rarity even in the entire Xilan Kingdom.
Holding the two scrolls, Feng Chen slowly calmed down.
He pondered why the cloaked figure had done this.
“Could it be…”
A thought sparked in his mind, and he hurriedly left the auction house.
After collecting his herbs, Feng Hao rushed back to his courtyard.
He barely had time to assume his training posture before Feng Chen came hurrying into the yard.
*Whoosh…
whoosh…*
He didn’t stop.
Waves of pain coursed through his body like electric current, making him tremble. Enjoying the story? Read on at g.com.
Even as a fourth-stage Martial Apprentice, the second posture was still extremely difficult.
But the benefits far exceeded those of the first.
After barely fourteen cycles, Feng Hao collapsed from exhaustion, lying there and panting heavily.
“Hao’er.”
Feng Chen finally stepped forward.
“Father.”
Feng Hao sat up.
He knew what his father wanted to ask.
*Whoosh.*
Feng Chen let out a soft breath, looking at the boy before him with complicated feelings.
“The person who taught you this technique — was he a man in a black cloak?”
“How did you know?”
Feng Hao looked at him with feigned surprise.
Seeing the boy’s reaction, Feng Chen finally felt at ease.
At the same time, he was ecstatic.
This was a true stroke of fortune!
The cloaked figure’s actions finally made sense.
“Good!
Good!
Excellent!”
He exclaimed repeatedly, his face full of joy.
Then his expression turned serious.
“Hao’er, you must not let that esteemed person down.”
“Rest assured, Father.”
Feng Hao barely kept a straight face as he made the promise.
Once Feng Chen left, Feng Hao activated the ‘false pellet’ above the Divine Farmer’s Canon.
The medicinal effect spread, washing away his fatigue and filling him with energy.
Without hesitation, he arched his body and resumed training.
The appearance of the mysterious cloaked figure had undoubtedly brought tremendous change to Yulan City’s four great families.
The Feng family, which had been in decline, had its fate reversed by a single act from that cloaked figure.
A Xuan-level martial skill and a Yellow-grade high-tier essence art were enough to change a family’s destiny.
No one knew why the cloaked figure had done it.
After that day, he never appeared again.
But the balance among the four great families had been fundamentally shaken.
Three days later, the Yang and Hu families announced an alliance, vowing to stand together through thick and thin.
They immediately began absorbing the smaller factions in the city.
In terms of raw power, they now surpassed the Wan and Feng families.
But anyone could see they were merely thrashing about in desperation.
The Wan and Feng families made no move — they simply held their ground.
After all, a mad dog could bite at any moment.
[END OF CHAPTER 14]