After leaving the valley in the back mountain, Gu He didn't linger even for a moment—he headed straight for the imperial capital.
Before long, he arrived at the Miteer Auction House.
Upon receiving news of Gu He's arrival, the manager of the auction house immediately sent word to Miteer Tengshan.
Ever since Gu He had helped Miteer Tengshan refine the Deep Green Longevity Pill, the latter held him in extremely high regard.
Inside the VIP room, after exchanging brief pleasantries, Miteer Tengshan cut straight to the point.
"Pill King Gu He, may I ask the purpose of your visit this time?"
Gu He picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and calmly stated his intention.
"I wish to see Old Hai."
Miteer Tengshan's heart jolted in shock, but his expression remained unchanged.
"Pill King, you must be joking. As everyone knows, Elder Hai has been missing for over a decade. Despite our relentless efforts, the Miteer family has found no trace of him."
At the end of his words, he even let out a sigh, his face etched with sorrow.
Had Gu He not already spread his soul power upon arriving in the capital and sensed Hai Bodong's aura within the Miteer family, he might have truly been fooled by Miteer Tengshan's act.
"Patriarch Tengshan, if I weren't certain, why would I rashly ask to see Old Hai? Please inform him that Gu He has come specifically to meet him."
Gu He's tone was calm but firm.
'Could he really know that Elder Hai has returned?'
Seeing Gu He's unwavering expression, Miteer Tengshan hesitated.
After all, it had been less than three days since Hai Bodong's return, and strict orders had been given to keep his presence a secret.
'How did Gu He find out?'
'Did someone leak the information?'
Countless thoughts raced through Miteer Tengshan's mind, but in the end, he still tried to evade the request.
"Pill King, I must apologize. If our Miteer family had any news of Elder Hai, we would certainly inform you."
Seeing Miteer Tengshan repeatedly deny him, Gu He's expression turned cold.
After a moment of silence, he set down his teacup with a heavy thud and spoke in a frosty tone.
"Patriarch Tengshan, did Old Hai not tell you? If not for me, Gu He, he would never have been able to return in this lifetime."
"Whether he has returned or not—I know far better than you." His piercing gaze locked onto Miteer Tengshan.
"T-This…"
Gu He's words struck like thunder. Miteer Tengshan studied his demeanor, suspicion creeping into his mind.
'Was it truly because of Gu He's help that Elder Hai returned safely?'
He suddenly recalled that Gu He had left the Misty Cloud Sect for about a month.
Not long after his return, Hai Bodong had reappeared.
The timing was too close to be a coincidence.
'Could Gu He be telling the truth?'
After a brief internal struggle, Miteer Tengshan finally made up his mind.
"Pill King, my sincerest apologies. I will report to Elder Hai at once."
This time, he no longer denied Hai Bodong's return.
Gu He gave a slight nod, lifting his teacup once more.
"Go then. Inform Old Hai that I, Gu He, have important matters to discuss with him."
"Please wait a moment, Pill King."
Miteer Tengshan bowed slightly before summoning a steward to attend to Gu He. After a few brief instructions, he hurriedly left the auction house.
Now, only Gu He and the steward remained in the VIP room.
"When is the next auction?" Taking a sip of tea, Gu He casually inquired.
The steward replied respectfully, "Pill King, there will be an Earth-rank auction in half a month."
The Miteer Auction House classified its auctions into four tiers—Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow—mirroring the ranking system for cultivation techniques.
The Heaven-rank auction, the highest level, was rarely held, sometimes not even once in a year or two. But when it did occur, it attracted the most powerful figures and faction leaders across the Jia Ma Empire.
The Earth-rank auction was also infrequent, the Black-rank more common, while the Yellow-rank ran daily.
Gu He's interest was piqued. An Earth-rank auction would surely have some valuable items.
Not that he needed them for himself—but with more and more disciples under his wing, he needed suitable treasures for them.
'Perhaps this auction will have something worthwhile.'
Last time, he had acquired a fifth-tier magic-core soft armor, the Frost Heart Armor, which he had gifted to the Little Doctor Fairy. It had later evolved into the Black Ice Sacred Armor, proving invaluable in the Tagore Desert.
"Bring me the auction catalog for the next event."
The steward hesitated briefly before retrieving a list from his storage ring and handing it over.
Gu He skimmed through it.
Most of the items were unremarkable to him, but a few stood out as potential gifts for his disciples.
One was a batch of Shadow Poison Insect eggs—venomous insects from the Chu Yun Empire, comparable to fourth-tier magical beasts. They excelled in stealth and could deliver lethal strikes without warning.
'Perfect for the Little Doctor Fairy, given her affinity for poison.'
The Ten Thousand Poison Sutra even contained a secret technique for insect control, which he could pass on to her.
Another was a fifth-tier magic-core sword, imbued with wind attributes—an ideal weapon for Nalan Yanran.
After reviewing the list, Gu He returned it to the steward and waited quietly.
Before long, he sensed a presence approaching.
The door to the VIP room opened, and an elderly man in gray robes stepped inside.
Gu He's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Old Hai… we meet again."
...
"Gu He, what do you want from me, kid?" As soon as Hai Bodong entered, he took a seat beside Gu He, his expression calm but his demeanor firm.
"Leave us first," Hai Bodong said to the steward the moment he sat down.
"Yes, Elder Hai." The steward bowed respectfully and promptly exited the VIP room.
Gu He studied Hai Bodong, sensing the aura radiating from him, and remarked lightly,
"Congratulations, Old Hai, on returning to your peak."
During this meeting, Gu He could clearly perceive the change in Hai Bodong. It seemed the once high-spirited Ice Emperor had fully regained his former vigor.
Thus, Gu He surmised that Hai Bodong must have taken the Spirit Fusion Pill, restoring his strength and, with it, his confidence.
After all, every strong individual carried their own pride.
"Your eyes are as sharp as ever, boy."
Seeing that Gu He had instantly discerned his condition, Hai Bodong couldn't help but feel slightly taken aback, a trace of helplessness flashing across his aged face.
Then, he added, "I've already instructed Tengshan regarding your previous request. However, I doubt there will be any significant updates in the near future."
Hai Bodong assumed Gu He's visit was about the earlier list of materials, so he offered an explanation upfront.
The ingredients required for the Sect-Breaking Pill were exceedingly rare.
Even within the Jia Ma Empire, where the Miteer family wielded immense wealth, gathering them in a short time would be impossible.
Gu He naturally understood this. He wasn't in a hurry—after all, the Sect-Breaking Pill was intended for Yun Yun. Given her current strength, reaching the Nine-Star Dou Empeor level was still a distant goal.
His visit this time had a different purpose: to acquire sixth-tier medicinal ingredients in preparation for establishing a medicinal garden in the back mountain valley.
With that in mind, Gu He smiled faintly and said, "Old Hai, you misunderstand. I've come today to propose another deal."
"Another deal?"
Hai Bodong's eyebrows rose in surprise. He scrutinized Gu He skeptically, his tone laced with suspicion, "What scheme are you plotting now?"
Ever since their first encounter in the Great Tagore Desert, Hai Bodong had felt as though he were constantly being led by the nose. It seemed Gu He knew everything about him, which naturally made Hai Bodong wary.
Thus, when Gu He proposed another transaction, Hai Bodong instinctively resisted.
'Dealing with this kid always ends with me getting the short end of the stick—he's too cunning.'
Noticing Hai Bodong's guarded expression, Gu He nearly rolled his eyes.
'Am I really such a villain in his eyes? Without me, this old man would still be rotting away in the Tagore Desert as a washed-up has-been!'
Though inwardly grumbling, Gu He's expression remained composed. A faint smile played on his lips as he regarded Hai Bodong.
'No matter how defensive you are, you won't be able to resist this offer.'
After a brief pause, Gu He feigned mystery and said, "Old Hai, have you ever heard of the Longevity Pearl?"
"Longevity Pearl?"
The name alone sent a jolt through Hai Bodong's heart. Though he had never heard of such a treasure before, anything bearing the word Longevity had to be extraordinary.
After a long moment of contemplation, Hai Bodong confirmed he had no knowledge of such an item.
His curiosity piqued, he asked, "What kind of treasure is this Longevity Pearl? Does consuming it grant immortality?"
The Longevity Pearl Gu He referred to was the green, life-condensed bead formed by Cai'er.
That emerald orb contained an overwhelming surge of life force—so potent that even a Dou Ancestor like himself could extend his lifespan by a hundred years upon consuming it.
Gu He estimated that for a Dou Emperor, the effects would be even greater, potentially adding two hundred years to one's life.
Since the bead had no official name, Gu He christened it the Longevity Pearl based on its life-extending properties.
Now, seeing Hai Bodong's intrigue, Gu He explained, "The Longevity Pearl is an eighth-tier pill, formed from a millennium's worth of condensed life essence."
It contains an immense concentration of life energy. For a Dou Emperor, consuming it can extend one's lifespan by two hundred years. Even a Dou Ancestor would gain an extra century of life."
"Two hundred years?!"
Hai Bodong could no longer maintain his composure. His aged face twisted in shock, his clouded eyes widening in disbelief.
For a moment, his breathing grew ragged. 'If I obtain this Longevity Pearl… with two hundred more years, I could break through to Dou Ancestor—perhaps even reach the legendary Dou Venerable realm!'
"But does such a treasure truly exist?"
After the initial shock, Hai Bodong's skepticism resurfaced. He had never heard of the Longevity Pearl before, and Gu He's smirk only deepened his doubts.
Seeing his hesitation, Gu He nodded. "Of course it exists. In fact, I currently possess two Longevity Pearls. The eighth-tier pill is already in my hands."
"You have them?!"
Hai Bodong's expression shifted once more, but he quickly suppressed his excitement. Narrowing his eyes, he asked in a measured tone, "Why are you telling me this? What do you want?"
Though tempted, Hai Bodong refused to let greed cloud his judgment. Without confirmation of the Longevity Pearl's authenticity, he wouldn't recklessly commit.
"Old Hai truly sees through everything."
Gu He inwardly marveled at the old man's shrewdness. Age truly brings wisdom. Outwardly, he smiled and said, "The deal I wish to propose is simple: I'm willing to trade a Longevity Pearl. Are you interested?"
There was a teasing lilt to his voice, but Gu He was certain—Hai Bodong would bite.
The allure of the Longevity Pearl was irresistible, even to a Dou Ancestor. A mere Dou Emperor like Hai Bodong stood no chance.
"A trade for the Longevity Pearl?!"
Just as Gu He predicted, despite Hai Bodong's efforts to remain composed, the faint fluctuations in his aura betrayed his inner turmoil.
After a long silence, Hai Bodong's breathing steadied. Fixing Gu He with a piercing gaze, he said solemnly,
"Speak. What are your terms?"
A satisfied smile curled at Gu He's lips. Meeting Hai Bodong's stern gaze, he stated plainly,
"Twenty sixth-tier medicinal ingredients. In exchange, one Longevity Pearl."
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