Don't Cause Trouble Chapter 111: The Five Great Sects

"Lian Lian and Cheng Huai’an are personal disciples of the Wuxing Sect, right?"

"That’s right. Among the younger generation of talisman masters, those two are the most talented."

"Wendong Materials actually got a talisman from the Wuxing Sect?"

"The Hehuan Sect also just bid for a sword earlier."

As soon as this talisman was presented, the entire auction house was abuzz with discussion. Everyone began looking at Huang Erqian differently, how long had it been, and Wendong Materials had already built ties with two of the Five Great Sects?

Before the chatter died down, Zhou Yun on the third floor stepped to the window and called out a bid: "Ten thousand top-grade spirit stones."

Whoa!

Another major sect joined the fray.

Excitement surged through every floor again.

Wendong Materials was clearly no ordinary business, this early in the auction, they had already drawn in three of the Five Great Sects.

"If Sword Sect is bidding too, maybe we’ll even see Wanfo Sect or Kunlun Sect later."

"Not impossible. One of the disciples from Qianji Sect is also part of Sword Sect. It makes sense for the two to have a good relationship."

"With how aggressive Qianji Sect and Wendong Materials are, the Zhanjin Sect might be in trouble."

A group of cultivators seated at a large table on the first floor grew more sullen as they listened to the conversations going on behind them.

In the adjacent room, Lian Lian leaned halfway out the window and looked at Zhou Yun next door. "You're giving that much face?"

Ten talismans drawn by a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator for ten thousand top-grade spirit stones that was a bit steep

"Just supporting Ye Su." Zhou Yun snorted. "You think I’m buying *your* talismans?"

Lian Lian rested her arm on the window ledge. "If you’re not buying, I’ll gift you a few next time."

"You sure?" Zhou Yun looked at her, somewhat doubtful.

"Positive." Lian Lian sat back down. "As long as you’re willing to accept them."

Huang Erqian was getting visibly more excited. He had thought getting a talisman from the Wuxing Sect was already impressive. He hadn’t expected the Hehuan Sect and Sword Sect to jump in too.

Even if it was just bidding, to everyone else, this meant that three out of the Five Great Sects were open to trading with Wendong Materials.

"Ten thousand top-grade spirit stones! Any higher bids?" Huang Erqian scanned the room.

"Ten thousand and one top-grade spirit stones," someone on the second floor raised the bid.

"Ten thousand one hundred top-grade spirit stones," Zhou Yun followed up.

When it came to wealth, no one could compete with the disciples of the Five Great Sects. Soon enough, Zhou Yun won the bid for the talisman.

From that point onward, the auction house came alive. Every item received bids, and the shills originally planted in the crowd were no longer needed.

Ye Su leaned against a window, quietly watching the seven or eight tables on the first floor. From the beginning, those people hadn’t said a word, but now with all the items being successfully auctioned off, their faces looked like they’d just swallowed something rotten.

"If they auction Yamata next and Wanfo Sect and Kunlun bid…" Xia Er looked toward the two windows on the west side of the third floor, "wouldn’t that mean all five major sects are now linked with Wendong Materials?"

"Your senior sister doesn’t get along with them," Ye Su replied, watching the auction stage. "Three great sects are enough."

With three major sects already on board, at least the rest of the cultivators would feel safe doing business with Wendong Materials.

This sect tournament wasn’t a loss after all.

Once all the other items had been auctioned, Huang Erqian clapped his hands and said, "Everyone, I’m sure many of you came here today just to see the legendary artifact that ranked number one on the Baiqing Ranking—— Yamata!"

"Hurry and bring it out! Let us witness its power!" Mei Chouren shouted. "The Hehuan Sect doesn’t lack spirit stones, I’m taking that thing home!"

"Sword Sect doesn’t lack spirit stones either!" Ma Congqiu chimed in playfully. "Yamata belongs to us!"

Lian Lian scoffed, "You say that like the Wuxing Sect lacks spirit stones."

The item hadn’t even been brought out yet, and already the three major sects were competing for it. This sent yet another wave of speculation through the crowd.

Huang Erqian couldn’t help but grin and gave a respectful gesture. "Please be patient, everyone. Yamata was crafted by Ye Su of the Qianji Sect and Quan Jiaying of the Poyuan Sect. As the name implies, it can transform into eight different forms. We will demonstrate each one so that you all understand exactly why it was ranked number one on the Baiqing Ranking."

The entire auction house erupted.

"Bring it out already!"

"Does it really have eight forms?"

"What’s the starting bid?"

Huang Erqian turned and nodded to someone nearby. Soon, a person came forward carrying a long tray.

Gripping the red silk covering the item, Huang Erqian gave it a dramatic tug in front of the entire crowd. "This is Yamata!"

Everyone leaned in to get a look at the item on the tray, a plain-looking firewood stick?

"This is it?" someone blurted out in disbelief, clearly disappointed. "It just looks like a stick."

"Maybe it turns into a sword when drawn."

"Hahahahaha!"

The whole building burst into laughter.

Huang Erqian waited for them to finish chuckling before speaking again. "Don’t be impatient, everyone. We’ll demonstrate each form."

He clapped his hands, and someone wheeled in rows of trial stones, twenty-four in total, neatly arranged in a line.

"Everyone, these trial stones were purchased at a high price. Starting from the left, every eight stones can withstand one full-strength attack from a peak Nascent Soul, a peak Soul Transformation, and a peak Body Integration cultivator," Huang Erqian said, patting the stones on the rightmost end, looking almost pained. "If not for the need to showcase Yamata’s true power, we wouldn’t be using such high-grade trial stones."

As soon as he said this, someone in the crowd gossiped, "I heard about this!"

"Heard what?"

"When they sent Yamata to the Baiqing Ranking evaluation center, no one paid much attention at first. Someone casually tried it out and it ended up smashing all the test stones on site."

"No way? I heard the Baiqing Ranking team has trial stones that can take hits from Soul Transformation cultivators."

"They used those too. Eventually, they switched to Body Integration-level stones, and right then and there decided to rank Yamata number one."

"We’d like to invite a cultivator in the early Nascent Soul stage to come up and test Yamata," Huang Erqian said, looking at the item on the tray.

Immediately, many people across the auction hall raised their hands.

"We only need someone at early Nascent Soul," Huang Erqian walked around the venue, deliberately avoiding anyone who might’ve been planted by Quan Dianxing or Zhanjin Sect. He finally selected a female cultivator on the second floor who had previously won a bid for a magical artifact. "Daoist friend, please come down."

The female cultivator jumped down from the second floor immediately. "How do I use it?"

"Before using it, let me ask you something first," Huang Erqian said. "Fellow cultivator, what’s your specialty?"

"Hidden weapons. I don’t usually use large magical artifacts," the female cultivator replied.

"Perfect. Let’s try the Yamata today." Huang Erqian took out the Yamata from the long tray and handed it to her. "It has eight transformation forms, which you can switch between at will. You just need to channel in spiritual energy and give it a swing toward the trial stone like this."

The female cultivator took the Yamata and channeled a stream of spiritual energy into it. The fire poker suddenly changed, the bottom ends curled up to meet her hands, forming a sword hilt, and the sword extended downward.

"The Yamata’s form changes require different levels of spiritual energy. Try it out and get a feel for it," Huang Erqian said with a cheerful smile, standing beside her.

So everyone watched as the fire poker in the middle of the platform constantly changed form in the female cultivator’s hand, switching back and forth through all eight transformation modes.

"I think I’ve got the hang of it," the female cultivator said.

"Please try it on the trial stone," Huang Erqian gestured toward the far-left side.

The female cultivator gave the Yamata a light twist, the poker turned into a sword. She stood in front of the leftmost trial stone, swung the sword somewhat awkwardly, and gave it a firm chop.

There was no sword aura, just regular spiritual energy. But even so, the trial stone actually split right down the middle.

"It’s that powerful?"

Next, she tested all seven remaining forms one by one, and each time, the trial stones were split apart.

When she was about to put the Yamata down, the female cultivator looked clearly reluctant. "What’s the starting price for this?"

"We’ll announce that shortly," Huang Erqian replied in a formal tone.

After the participant stepped down, Huang Erqian said excitedly, "I think everyone noticed something: that cultivator wasn’t familiar with the eight forms of this tool, yet she could unleash power well beyond her current level. That’s the wonder of the Yamata, it allows a cultivator at early Nascent Soul stage to exhibit peak Nascent Soul strength."

"I don’t buy it. She’s just a plant," someone in the front row on the first floor shouted.

"Let’s wait until all the trial stones have been tested before drawing conclusions," Huang Erqian smiled. "Also, for this Yamata auction, after discussions between our Wendong and Poyuan Sect, we’ve decided to give the winning bidder a chance to revoke their bid."

"What does that mean?"

"Revoke? How?"

Huang Erqian raised the Yamata in his hand. "The auction winner may come up and test it again. If they’re not satisfied, they can cancel their bid."

That statement shocked the entire room.

To make such a promise meant they had immense confidence in the Yamata.

"Next, do we have any early Soul Formation cultivators willing to give it a try?" Huang Erqian looked up and asked.

"You’re not seriously planning to let someone at early Body Integration stage try it too, are you?" someone jeered.

"Of course," Huang Erqian nodded. "We’ve prepared trial stones strong enough to withstand a full-force strike from a Body Integration cultivator."

"Any early Soul Formation cultivators here?" Huang Erqian asked again.

Someone on the first floor sneered, "What kind of powerful cultivators would come to a place like this?"

"Isn’t that guy from Kunlun early Soul Formation?"

"Oh, come on. Like he’d actually step up."

After waiting for a while with no response, Huang Erqian decided to lower the bar: "Late Nascent Soul cultivators may try as well."

"Mid-stage okay?" Yan Hao asked, pushing open a window.

"Well…" Huang Erqian hesitated.

Suddenly, Guyang Tian from the Wanfo Sect opened a door and stepped out barefoot, walking through the corridor and down the stairs. "I’ll give it a try."

"That’s the Buddha disciple!"

"Too bad he failed to advance to Soul Formation."

"Still, he’s stronger than most late Nascent Soul cultivators."

Just as Huang Erqian was about to agree, a window on the west side of the third floor swung open. Lu Chenhan from Kunlun leapt out and landed on the platform. "Since it’s meant for early Soul Formation…"

He turned to Guyang Tian on the staircase and said, "Then there’s no need for someone at the Nascent Soul stage to come down."

The room suddenly fell silent. Kunlun’s Lu Chenhan had just confronted the Buddha disciple!

Guyang Tian stopped walking, twirled his prayer beads silently, gave Lu Chenhan a slight nod, wearing his usual look of sorrow and compassion.

He turned around and walked back upstairs as if nothing had happened.

"He actually let it go just like that," Yan Hao said, disappointed. "I thought they were going to fight."

"That would be in round three," Mei Chouren shook his head. "Guyang Tian doesn’t strike easily."

"Let’s see if we can win the bid for the Yamata later," Yan Hao said. "Anything made by Ye Su has to be good."

On stage, Lu Chenhan looked down at the Yamata in his hand. This was the first time he had used a magical weapon other than his sword.

"Please, Fellow Daoist Lu," Huang Erqian said while internally marveling.

It hadn’t been that long, but somehow he had gone from a shady trickster to someone speaking directly to Kunlun’s top disciple.

Lu Chenhan tested the different transformation modes of the Yamata. As expected, it was exceptional, holding it felt almost like it was part of his body.

He gave it a small twist, the weapon turned into a sword, and he lightly swung it toward the trial stone, without even making contact.

No reaction?

Everyone looked puzzled at the unbroken trial stone, until they saw the Yamata in Lu Chenhan’s hand change into a crossbow. He summoned spiritual energy into an arrow and fired at the stone.

This time there was a change, a hole was pierced through the trial stone.

Lu Chenhan tested all the remaining forms. Every one of them succeeded, and the crowd started to believe in the Yamata’s power.

However… the first trial stone didn’t seem to have been affected at all.

Just as everyone was feeling uncertain, Huang Erqian walked up and gently touched the first stone and the next moment, it cracked cleanly in two.

Lu Chenhan looked down at the Yamata in his hand. Just like they said, it truly let a cultivator unleash their full potential.

"100,000 high-grade spirit stones. Sell it to Kunlun," Lu Chenhan said, gripping the Yamata.

He already had his own sword and wouldn’t use the Yamata but he couldn’t let anyone else use it in the competition either.