Modern World's Martial Dao Human Immortal

800,000.

After deducting the Flame Demon Heart they had purchased earlier and the Flowing Void Crystal which had finally sold for 200,000, they ended up with 460,000 Pure Yang Great Pills in hand.

In a flurry of dissipating clouds and mist, Wang Que, the Maritime State Defense Envoy, personally made his appearance on the mountain peak where Alkaid resided.

"Fellow Daoist, here are 460,000 Pure Yang Great Pills, please keep them safe."

Wang Que directly handed over a storage treasure.

Though this storage treasure was not amongst the top treasures and was worth hundreds of Pure Yang Great Pills, the Hollow Void handed it over casually.

"Thank you."

Li Hanqiu nodded his head.

"With the auction concluded, I will be presiding over a small gathering of Hollow Void cultivators to discuss the Dao. Would you be interested in joining us?"

Wang Que invited with a smile.

"I am currently cultivating a Dao Technique and don't have much spare time. Should the Eastern Sea Immortal Market offer any more valuable items in the future, I will visit again. There will be plenty of time to sit and discuss the Dao then."

Li Hanqiu gave the excuse he had prepared earlier.

Seeing this, Wang Que didn't insist further, "That's alright, then. I shall await your esteemed visit here."

At this moment, it seemed a Divine Sense hurriedly approached.

Upon sensing it, Wang Que's brows furrowed immediately, "Such audacity, there has been a slight complication. Please excuse me."

Without waiting for Li Hanqiu's response, ripples of space emanated from him, and the next moment, his figure disappeared from the mountain created by compressed space.

This was…

He had utilized the power of the Void for Void Shuttle, leaving the place.

It appeared that the matter was urgent, given his hasty departure.

Because of the rush, the ripples from his Void Shuttle spread to Li Hanqiu, seemingly causing a resonance with the spatial forces within him.

However, with a slight wave of his hand, the spatial resonance and the ripples were all dissipated.

Just like dust being brushed away.

Yet this scene caused Alkaid's pupils to constrict slightly.

This was…

A probe!?

If these spatial ripples had swept across a Hollow Void War Immortal, they would have caused a slight tremor in the "Chaos Void" of the Hollow Void War Immortal.

While it would only be a slight quiver, it would have been enough to prove the true power of that being.

Fortunately, due to the stabilizing effect provided by the Domain Stabilizing Ring, Li Hanqiu's "Chaos Void" did not reveal the slightest anomaly, and such probing was casually resolved.

"Let's go."

Li Hanqiu, without revealing any emotion, spoke, and with Zhi Yun and Zhi Xue bowing down to see him off, left the auction.

Once outside the auction, the two summoned the Void Disk, disguised as a Spiritual Treasure, and flew out of the Eastern Sea Immortal Market.

After leaving the Eastern Sea Immortal Market, Li Hanqiu fully activated the Dao Artifact while preventing the Dao charm from dissipating, completed the Void Shuttle, and disappeared amidst ripples of space outside the Eastern Sea Immortal Market.

After Alkaid and Li Hanqiu's figures vanished, Wang Que, who had previously been laughing and talking with Li Hanqiu at the high tower of the auction, withdrew his prying Divine Skills.

"A Hollow Void of unknown origin conceals itself so thoroughly that I couldn't see even a hint of weakness?"

He reflected on the other's composure exhibited during the Void Shuttle…

This level of skillful manipulation of space might make them quite adept even among those in the Nascent Soul Realm.

To probe further over 460,000 Pure Yang Great Pills and risk offending such a powerful individual…

The gains do not make up for the losses.

Immediately, he turned his attention back to the auction, continuing to act as the Sea-Calming Divine Needle for this grand auction event.

...

The Void Disk shuttled through space at high speed.

After just a few shuttles, it had already flown out a million miles.

Considering the "Chaos Void" state and not yet certain if anyone was pursuing him, Li Hanqiu stored the Void Disk, found a medium to large city with tens of thousands of cultivators, landed, and rented a temporary dwelling as a place to stay.

"Now it's just a matter of waiting patiently."

After reinforcing the dwelling's Formation, Alkaid breathed a sigh of relief.

Li Hanqiu nodded. His "Chaos Void" no matter how stable was ultimately just a Hollow Void War Immortal.

Hollow Void War Immortals cultivate only their qi and neglect their physique and Divine Sense. As a result, his Divine Sense was somewhat inferior to Alkaid's, not to mention determining whether there were any Hollow Void pursuers behind him.

In such a situation, he naturally could only wait patiently using a simpler method.

"After all, the gain is only 800,000 Pure Yang Great Pills, and it's a Hollow Void that has acquired this wealth. The likelihood of being targeted should not be high."

Alkaid said.

"That's true. While 800,000 Pure Yang Great Pills may seem astronomical to us, for those true Hollow Vooids, as long as they have some assets, earning this amount in a year or two isn't difficult."

Li Hanqiu smiled and nodded.

Their temporary stay in this city was also just to be on the safe side.

"Speaking of which, I would have been content if that Supreme Divine Power sold for 600,000. I thought of letting the True Monarch agree to it, but to my surprise, the True Monarch actually quoted 800,000 and the Eastern Sea Immortal Market agreed. It was a pleasant surprise indeed."

Alkaid said laughingly.

"We couldn't accept, if we had, we probably would have encountered trouble."

Li Hanqiu replied a bit more seriously.

"Hmm?"

Alkaid's expression became serious.

"This is the Northern Sea Star, not the Cangwu Great World. In any environment, the moment you show the slightest hint of weakness, they won't think of you as generous and righteous. Instead, they'll see you as easy to bully, someone they can easily manipulate. Then, without any issues, trouble will come looking for you."

Li Hanqiu emphasized his point.

Upon hearing this, Alkaid slowly realized.

To the Eastern Sea Immortal Market, whether it was 600,000 or 800,000 wasn't the main point.

Regardless of the price they agreed upon, they had to hand over the Supreme Divine Power to the Eastern Sea Immortal Market.

If the power ended up being useless in their hands, that was one thing, but if not…

The Eastern Sea Immortal Market would effectively score a Supreme Divine Power for free.

An absolutely profitable deal.

If Li Hanqiu did not show a firm stance at that moment, he would certainly be labeled by the Eastern Sea Immortal Market as timid, weak, and easily bullied.

Once your weakness is exposed, regardless of whether you are actually from the Hollow Void Realm, they will pressure and squeeze you first.

Should the squeeze fail, you were weak to begin with, and they have the backing of the Dashang Immortal Dynasty, as long as they give you a way out, there shouldn't be any loss.

But if the squeeze succeeds...

Several hundred thousand Pure Yang Great Pills!

Maybe even more!

Whose Pure Yang Pills are just blown in by the wind, to gain an extra year or two's worth of wealth for nothing, why not?

Upon this thought, Alkaid couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.

He had thought too highly of others after all.

In a transaction that seemed to go off without a hitch, there were actually so many undercurrents hidden within.

"Wang Que personally delivered the Pure Yang Great Pills and tested me, he already had some idea, didn't he?"

Alkaid said.
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"Right, you are kind, you are compassionate, you are generous, who else would they take advantage of if not you? But this was also within our expectations, a Supreme Divine Power suddenly put up for auction, anyone would think there's something fishy,"

Li Hanqiu nodded.

Alkaid fell silent for a moment.

The environment of the Northern Sea Star...

It truly made one tread on thin ice.

One careless move could potentially bring about unexpected disaster.

...

In the following month, both Li Hanqiu and Alkaid stayed put in this city belonging to the Dashang Immortal Dynasty without making any rash moves.

During this time, they witnessed lower-level cultivators squeezing mortals, gangs squeezing lower-level cultivators, great clans squeezing lower-level cultivators, and the City Lord's Mansion squeezing local families.

All forces, all cultivators, were almost at a critical point of either squeezing others or being squeezed by another power.

Mortals, lower-level cultivators, gang cultivators, family cultivators, official cultivators...

No one was lax.

No one was immune.

In such a terrifying high-pressure environment, if someone's life suffered even the slightest problem, it could lead to failure on their path, the collapse of their life.

And quite often, the cultivators were those who held martial power.

Eventually, they expressed their resentment and dissatisfaction through violence.

A few brave souls perished alongside their oppressors.

But the majority simply turned their swords upon the weaker.

Just in one month, and merely when Alkaid's Divine Sense swept through the area, he detected six cultivator clans wiped out, two gang wars, and two family conflicts over scarce resources that resulted in brutal, bloody confrontations.

To this, the ruling class of the city—the City Lord's Mansion—barely paid any attention.

As long as the annual taxes were collected, as long as it wasn't widespread slaughter, the death of ten or so cultivators a month was not considered a big deal.

As for those below the Foundation Establishment level...

They were never part of the many powers' accounting.

...

"It's been a month, if they could have caught up, they would have done so by now, let's return to the sect,"

Li Hanqiu said.

As he spoke, he seemed to notice Alkaid's scatter-brained Divine Sense: "What are you looking at?"

"A Unity Realm cultivator took out a loan of eighty Mysterious Element Precious Pills from the Money Gang to save on the annual rent of five for his cave dwelling. He picked out one of the cave dwellings currently under construction, but the contractor ran off before completion. When the Money Gang pressed for debt repayment, the cultivator sought justice from the officialdom, only to be imprisoned and fined by the City Guards for disturbing the city's order. Now the guards are in the process of arresting people and confiscating property..."

Alkaid gave a sigh.

Li Hanqiu glanced over: "Treading beyond one's abilities inevitably leads to a misstep. Placing hope in others compounds the error. Little do they realize, in this world, the only true reliance is oneself."

After saying this, he sighed: "Let's go. Survival of the fittest is the rule here in the Northern Sea Star; we can't really change anything."

Alkaid nodded and retracted his Divine Sense.

The two of them then set off once again, heading towards the Nine Heavens Sect.

Along the way, they continued to be cautious and vigilant.

By the time they saw the Nine Heavens Sect, half a month had passed.

Although they were away for nearly two months, because they had made all necessary arrangements before leaving, all matters were taken care of. Hence, the Nine Heavens Sect was calm and peaceful during those two months they were absent.

"Good."

Li Hanqiu breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now, the time has come for the Nine Heavens Sect to soar."

Alkaid smiled at this thought.

Li Hanqiu nodded.

The two quickly entered the Nine Heavens Sect secretly and summoned Li Qingshan and a few others.

Apart from them, no one else even knew they had left.

Seeing Li Hanqiu and Alkaid return, the family guardian Li Qingshan also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Alright, the arrangements for the Pure Yang Great Pills have been discussed by Alkaid and me on the way back."

Li Hanqiu said: "This Divine Skill was contributed by Alkaid, so of the 400,000, Alkaid keeps 40,000. Of the remaining 60,000, 30,000 will supply the sect's higher-ups to hasten their advancement to Nascent Soul Realm or even to the Heavenly Fire Realm. Another 20,000 will nurture the twenty-four True Disciple seeds we have selected! The last 10,000 will be exchanged in batches for 12 million Mysterious Element Precious Pills, to be distributed evenly."

"We'll do as Uncle-Master and True Person Alkaid say,"

Li Qingshan immediately agreed.

These higher-ups of the Sect dividing 30,000 Pure Yang Great Pills among themselves!

30,000!

The annual income of the Cloudsoar Sword Sect was a little over 60 Pills.

Even though this was because they had recently expelled the Mystical Light Sect and were still maintaining the power level of a Sunburst Golden Core force without fully transforming into a Blazing White Golden Core one, it still showed how precious the Pure Yang Great Pills were.

30,000 pills...

The entire Cloudsoar Sword Sect would have to save for 500 years without spending a cent.

Now, these resources equivalent to 500 years were all invested in these cultivators, who at best were at the Nascent Soul Realm...

The kind of change this would bring to the entire Nine Heavens Sect was already imaginable.

"You should go as well,"

Li Hanqiu said to Alkaid: "Now that we have the resources, I am looking forward to the surprise you will bring us after this period of seclusion."

Alkaid smiled and clasped his hands: "True Monarch better prepare your heart then."