Unbeatable Martial Emperor

C18 – Broken Leather

For most, the task of condensing a Martial Spirit is a daunting one, but for Min Zhenkang, it was as simple as breathing. Before his seventh birthday, Min Zhenkang had already successfully condensed a Martial Spirit, and in his past life, he was the supreme ruler of an entire realm.

The following day, Min Zhenkang arrived early at the auction house. Though the auction had yet to commence, the place was already teeming with eager attendees. He secured a decent spot and settled in, content to observe the proceedings in silence.

“Hey, brother, are you here to make a purchase too?” A gruff voice interrupted Min Zhenkang’s calm as he waited for the event to start.

Opening his eyes, Min Zhenkang was met with the sight of a man whose sheer size was anything but ordinary. The man’s muscles were like rolling hills, suggesting immense strength. Clearly a practitioner of physical cultivation, his prowess had reached the seventh level of the Martial Spirit—a prodigy in his own right.

“I’m just browsing. If something catches my eye, I’ll bid. If not, it’s still a good opportunity to experience the world. What about you? Are you looking to bid on something?”

“Heh, I won’t lie to you, brother. There’s a particular item here today that caught my eye, so I made it a point to come.”

“Oh? And what might that item be?”

“What’s it to you? You planning on competing with me for it?” The burly man’s gaze sharpened, his eyes like those of a tiger, wary that Min Zhenkang might covet the same prize.

“If the item you’re interested in doesn’t appeal to me, then there’s no conflict. But if it turns out I’m also keen on it, well, may the best man win.”

“Ha! I like your spirit. I’ve got my eye on the Overlord Spear among today’s lots. But looking at you, I’d say you might as well give up on that one.”

Min Zhenkang couldn’t help but feel a bit slighted. What was so wrong with his physique? Sure, he wasn’t as imposing, but that was no reason to count him out. Nevertheless, he let it slide for the moment, all for the sake of the Overlord Spear.

Seeing Min Zhenkang fall silent, the burly man worried he might have spoken out of turn and quickly flashed a conciliatory grin. “Bro, don’t take offense. I’m just a rough guy, not too good with words.”

“No, it’s not that,” Min Zhenkang replied. “I’m just intrigued by what this Overlord Spear looks like. Given it suits your stature, it must be quite remarkable.” He gave the man a taste of his own medicine.

“Haha, you got that right,” the big man laughed, oblivious to the subtle dig in Min Zhenkang’s words.

“Thank you all for attending the Heaven and Earth Auction House today. I trust you’re familiar with the auction’s rules and procedures, so I’ll spare you the rundown. Without further ado, let’s commence today’s auction.”

While Min Zhenkang and the big man were exchanging words, the auction had imperceptibly kicked off.

“Our first lot is a Level-2 Barrier Breaking Pill, essential for those advancing from the Martial Spirit Stage to the Martial Warrior Stage. This pill can boost your chances of a successful breakthrough by at least 30%. We start the bidding at 1,000 Mysterious Stones.”

A maid stepped up beside the auctioneer, holding a tray with a jade bottle on it, which contained a shimmering golden pill.

Initially, the auction items served as mere appetizers, with only the attendees in the lower hall engaging in the bidding. Those in the VIP room observed with a detached composure, as if watching the stormy seas from the safety of their fishing boat.

After several lots had set the tone, the auctioneer had successfully whipped up the crowd’s fervor.

“Our next lot features six martial arts techniques: two low-level Yellow Grade martial skills, one low-level Yellow Grade formation, one mid-level Yellow Grade formation, one mid-level Yellow Grade martial skill, and one mid-level Yellow Grade Body Tempering Technique. They are the Heavenly Wind Palm, Inferno Kick, Beast Trapping Formation, Flowing Clouds and Water Formation, Thousand Ant Heart Devouring Technique, and the Vajra Technique. Bidding begins at 1,500 Mysterious Stones.”

A considerable pause followed, with no bids placed. Given the modest levels of these martial skills and formations, the starting price was deemed somewhat steep.

“1,550 Mysterious Stones.” After a considerable wait, just when the auctioneer was about to proceed with the default protocol, a bid finally broke the silence.

“Bro, what do you need these martial skills for?” The muscular man beside him was curious. Such martial skills were typically snapped up by clans for their disciples’ training.

To everyone’s surprise, the first bidder was none other than Min Zhenkang. Zhenkang was inwardly agonizing; a failed auction meant he’d have to surrender all the techniques to the auction house. Hence, even with no other bidders, the owner would have to place a bid to avoid this outcome.

This scenario was exceedingly rare, and Zhenkang had the misfortune of encountering it. Luckily, the auction house had decided to auction off the high-level yellow-tier cultivation technique separately.

“One thousand and six hundred Mysterious Stones.” Someone else, seemingly more desperate than Zhenkang, entered the fray with a bid.

But that lone bid was it—no further offers were made.

This auction was shaping up to be the most dismal in years, narrowly avoiding the first failure to sell in recent memory.

The auctioneer, clearly uncomfortable, quickly moved on to the next item. “Up next, we have a high-level yellow-tier sword technique, ‘Myriad Swords Return to Origin.’ The opening bid is two thousand Mysterious Stones. Let the bidding commence.”

“Two thousand one hundred.” No sooner had the auctioneer spoken than a bid was placed, highlighting the significant gap between high-level and middle-level yellow-tier martial skills.

Ultimately, the high-level yellow-tier sword technique was snapped up by someone in the VIP room for a hefty sum of three thousand two hundred Mysterious Stones.

The auction rolled on, yet nothing had caught Zhenkang’s eye. He had considered bidding on a few items, but his limited funds forced him to hold back.

“The next lot is quite unique. It’s neither a cultivation technique nor a rare natural treasure, but rather a piece of cowhide paper. Our auction house’s appraisers believe it to be a fragment of a treasure map. Should you be fortunate enough to assemble all the pieces, you might uncover a treasure of unimaginable value. The opening bid for this piece is five hundred Mysterious Stones. Let’s begin the bidding.”

“A starting bid of 500 Mysterious Stones for this tattered piece of paper? That’s practically highway robbery.”

“Right? If you never manage to collect the whole set, it’s just a colossal waste of time and money. Whoever put this up for auction must be out of their mind.”

The chatter filled the auction hall, yet the auctioneer remained stoic and unaffected.

Up in the VIP room, the elite attendees were busy employing various techniques to decipher the enigma of the cowhide paper, to no avail. No matter their methods, they couldn’t extract a shred of useful information.

From the moment the cowhide paper was presented, Min Zhenkang had been fixated on it, his eyes squinted, as if trying to unravel its secrets.

“Five hundred and fifty Mysterious Stones,” Min Zhenkang bid.

“Hey, buddy, have you lost your mind? You just bid on a few low to mid-level Yellow Rank martial skills, and now you’re after this worthless scrap of cowhide? Don’t let the auctioneer’s pitch sway you. This is no treasure map; it’s just a piece of junk,” the burly man couldn’t fathom Min Zhenkang’s thought process.

“Well, I’ve got nothing better to do. Might as well buy it and give it a good look-over to kill some time,” Min Zhenkang reasoned. He had reluctantly bid on the martial skills, but he was resolute about acquiring this piece of paper.

After Min Zhenkang’s bid, the room fell silent—no further bids were made. The auctioneer didn’t seem surprised, as if he had anticipated this very outcome.

Ultimately, Min Zhenkang won the battered piece of cowhide for five hundred and fifty Mysterious Stones.

The auction rolled on, but Min Zhenkang refrained from any further bidding. The Overlord Spear was joyfully claimed by the big man next to him for three thousand Mysterious Stones.

“Bro, you keep bidding. I’m gonna head out,” Min Zhenkang said after the Overlord Spear was auctioned. He planned to collect his items and head back to the inn.

“Hold up, I’ll come with you,” the big man decided to tag along.

Min Zhenkang went to the back to claim his winnings—the Mysterious Stones and the cowhide paper—and then exited the auction house.

“I’m called Iron Bull. What’s your name?”

Min Zhenkang glanced at Iron Bull and couldn’t help but think how fitting the man’s name was. “Your name suits you to a T. I’m Min Zhenkang.”

“Brother, from now on you’re my good brother, Iron Bull. I live on the east side of Steelgrave. Why don’t you come back with me and we’ll have a few drinks?”

“Brother Bull, I’ll have to pass today. I’ve got some things to take care of. Maybe some other time.”

“Alright, I won’t keep you then. But remember, if you ever need anything, come find Iron Bull.”

Iron Bull sure had a way of making himself at home quickly.

Min Zhenkang headed straight for the apothecary, purchased the medicines he needed, and then made his way back to the inn.

“Zhenkang, where have you been?” Min Qi called out as Min Zhenkang walked past his room.

“Father, I just went out for a walk.”

“Come here, I need to talk to you.”

“Yes, Father?”

“Zhenkang, I’ve just received word that Guo’s mansion has somehow gotten the idea that Guo Tao was murdered by someone from our Min’s mansion. They’re gearing up to take action against us.”

“And what’s the Jee family’s stance?”

“Apparently, the Jee family hasn’t taken a position yet. Guo’s mansion is only resorting to underhanded tactics because the Jee family hasn’t made a move.”

“I understand.”

“Zhenkang, regarding the bandit situation, do you have a plan?” The state of affairs at Min’s mansion weighed heavily on Min Qi.

“Father, I’ll do everything I can to expedite the process.”

“Alright. The future of our Min’s mansion is in your hands now!”

“I’ll get back to my cultivation then.”

“Good.”

The weight of his father’s words added to the pressure Min Zhenkang was already feeling.

He took out the Nine Dragons Cauldron and the freshly purchased herbs, ready to start refining pills. This time, Min Zhenkang intended to concoct a second-grade pill, the Profound Essence Pill.

Over the next several days, Min Zhenkang secluded himself in his room to focus on his cultivation. It wasn’t until the seventh day, with the aid of the Profound Essence Pill, that he was able to solidify the foundation of his rapidly increased cultivation level.

On the eighth day, as Min Zhenkang was deep in his cultivation practice, he found himself enveloped in a mystical state. It was this very state that, seven years prior, had left him vulnerable to a stealthy attack, stripping him of his ability to cultivate and reducing a once-thriving genius to nothingness overnight.

He was surrounded by an expansive starry expanse, and before him stretched a colossal nebula, claiming at least half of the celestial dome. Upon closer inspection, the nebula was revealed to be composed of Profound Qi, rendering Min Zhenkang as insignificant as a mote of dust in its presence.

At the heart of the nebula, something seemed to be propelling it into a relentless spin. Min Zhenkang strained to discern what lay at its core, but the sheer magnitude of the nebula obscured any clear view.

“In the dawn of creation, all laws converge to their essence. The primordial nebula, the wellspring of myriad realms.”

As Min Zhenkang focused intently on the swirling vortex, phrases began to materialize across the nebula’s surface. Despite his utmost efforts, he could only make out the first four lines.

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