I am a Late Bloomer in the Immortal World

"3,500 spirit stones!"

Huang Shaoshan placed a bid, beginning his battle against Pill Master Shu for the talisman treasure.

Unlike talisman swords, talisman treasures were true foundational assets for a cultivation family.

As an elder of the Heshan Huang Clan, Huang Shaoshan naturally wouldn't let such a valuable artifact slip away.

Beyond that, a talisman treasure was a devastating weapon in the hands of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Possessing one meant an additional life-saving trump card and an immense advantage in battle.

Within half a cup of tea's time—

The price of the Fire Dragon Halberd talisman treasure was driven up by multiple high-ranking Foundation Establishment cultivators, surpassing 5,700 spirit stones.

"7,000 spirit stones!"

A deep, aged voice suddenly echoed through the auction hall, shaking the room.

"That's the cloaked cultivator who bought the Water Mist Shield?"

Wei Tu, along with the other cultivators, turned their heads toward the source of the bid.

It was the mysterious man in the black cloak.

Wei Tu raised an eyebrow.

Previously, when this cloaked man won the first auction item, the Water Mist Shield, everyone had assumed his cultivation was only early-to-mid Foundation Establishment at best.

But now, seeing him compete for a talisman treasure against high-level Foundation Establishment cultivators, his true power became evident.

"This level of confidence—he must be at least late-stage Foundation Establishment or higher," Wei Tu speculated.

A cultivator carrying vast amounts of wealth without sufficient strength was simply inviting disaster.

If this cloaked man had been weak, at least thirty percent of the cultivators here would have already considered robbing him.

Such murder-for-treasure incidents were commonplace in the cultivation world.

"Old Demon Jia?"

Hearing the aged voice, Pill Master Shu's expression subtly changed. His lips moved slightly as he whispered the identity of the cloaked man.

His voice was faint, barely above a breath—

But among Foundation Establishment cultivators, whose senses were razor-sharp, everyone in the hall clearly heard those three words.

Instantly, a wave of murmurs spread across the hall.

"Old Demon Jia? You mean Jia Yunqing, the strongest Foundation Establishment cultivator in Chisong Jia Clan, second only to their Golden Core ancestor?"

"He's actually attending this underground auction?"

Kou Hongying, sensing that Wei Tu was unfamiliar with the name, leaned slightly toward him and transmitted a quiet explanation via voice transmission.

"False Core True Lord?"

Wei Tu felt his heart tighten upon hearing the term.

Beyond Foundation Establishment lay the Golden Core Realm.

However, breaking through to the Golden Core stage was far from easy.

Cultivators who failed to form a proper Golden Core but survived the process, often gaining immense strength despite the setback, were called False Core True Lords.

Though they were not as strong as true Golden Core cultivators, within the Foundation Establishment realm, they were nearly invincible.

Had Old Demon Jia belonged to any other family, Wei Tu wouldn't have cared.

But the problem was—

Old Demon Jia was from Chisong Jia Clan.

Although the Heshan Huang Clan and the Chisong Jia Clan weren't direct enemies, the Huang Clan was allied with the Qiyue Zhao Clan.

As a Heshan Huang Clan guest elder, if Old Demon Jia discovered his affiliation, it could spell trouble.

After all, a Tier-Two talisman master like Wei Tu could influence the balance of power between Jia Clan and Zhao Clan.

"I've only been in Foundation Establishment for a few years—Old Demon Jia shouldn't even know I exist yet."

Wei Tu steadied his thoughts.

The Thousand Faces Phantom Art altered his physical structure and facial features at a fundamental level.

Even if Old Demon Jia considered him a threat, he wouldn't be able to see through the disguise.

Unless Old Demon Jia had met him in person before and memorized his aura, he had no way of identifying him.

To Old Demon Jia and his allies, Wei Tu was simply another nameless wandering cultivator.

Moreover—

There were plenty of other cultivators here with grudges against Chisong Jia Clan.

If anything, Wei Tu wasn't even a priority target for someone like Old Demon Jia.

"Since many of you already recognize me, I see no reason to hide anymore."

Old Demon Jia chuckled coldly and removed his cloak, revealing his true appearance.

To the surprise of the gathered cultivators—

Old Demon Jia was not the monstrous, bloodthirsty figure they had imagined.

He wore a black combat robe, his silver brows and white hair giving him a refined, almost scholarly demeanor. His complexion was ruddy and healthy, and he looked more like a kind old grandfather than a ruthless cultivator.

"7,000 spirit stones."

"Is there anyone else willing to raise the bid?"

Old Demon Jia's soft voice carried a casual confidence, as if mocking the idea that anyone would dare compete against him.

His mere presence was intimidating enough—forcing weaker cultivators to second-guess whether bidding further was worth the risk.

He had clearly planned this moment.

Even if Pill Master Shu hadn't accidentally revealed his name, Old Demon Jia would have exposed his identity anyway—

All to pressure the other bidders into backing down.

But, of course, he wouldn't admit this openly.

"7,000 spirit stones—any further bids?"

On the auction platform, Chai Ping sighed softly.

Seeing no immediate responses, she resumed the auction process.

Although she had expected a fierce bidding war, Old Demon Jia's sudden move had silenced most potential competitors.

The underground auction, on the surface, only invited rogue cultivators while excluding members of major factions for two reasons:

First, for secrecy.

Second, to prevent major forces from intimidating other bidders, making them afraid to compete.

However, the latter was difficult to strictly enforce, and could only be minimized to avoid direct conflicts.

Seeing no one respond, Chai Ping hesitated for a moment before gently reminding the cultivators present, "Fellow Daoists, if you win a valuable treasure but cannot transport it yourselves, Baibao Pavilion can escort it for you."

"Baibao Pavilion also guarantees your personal safety."

Baibao Pavilion was jointly established by several Foundation Establishment families. Though it was not as powerful as Chisong Jia Clan, it was still strong enough not to be easily intimidated.

However, after these words fell, the hall remained silent.

Talisman treasures were rare, but as long as one attended enough auctions, they would eventually appear. No one here was willing to provoke Old Demon Jia over this one artifact.

After a brief pause of nine breaths, Chai Ping struck the auction hammer, announcing that the Fire Dragon Halberd was sold to Old Demon Jia.

—This time, Old Demon Jia's participation did not violate the auction's rules. It was Pill Master Shu who exposed Old Demon Jia's identity, making the other cultivators hesitate to continue bidding.

Chai Ping could have encouraged the cultivators not to fear Old Demon Jia, but she could not deliberately force the auction to fail. Otherwise, Baibao Pavilion would be openly making an enemy of Chisong Jia Clan.

And for just one talisman treasure, such a move wasn't worth it.

However—

When the second major treasure of the auction was about to be presented—

Old Demon Jia was suddenly escorted out of the auction hall by Baibao Pavilion's own False Core True Lord, citing violation of the auction's anonymity rule.

With that—

The oppressive atmosphere in the auction instantly lifted.

Without Old Demon Jia's intimidating presence, the remaining bidders could finally participate freely.

As the final treasures were brought out, the bidding intensity skyrocketed.

The second-to-last item was a set of three high-tier Foundation Establishment-grade tiger-shaped puppets. These puppets could form a battle formation, capable of fighting against peak Foundation Establishment cultivators.

The final treasure was a rare spirit plant, the Heavenly Purity Flower, known for purifying a cultivator's True Qi.

Half a day later.

The auction officially ended.

The attending cultivators shifted into free trade mode.

At this moment, Wei Tu noticed something strange—

Old Demon Jia, who had been escorted out earlier, had now returned to his original seat.

Clearly, though Baibao Pavilion had removed him from official bidding, they hadn't outright banned him from participating in free trades afterward.

The first cultivator to step onto the stage for trading was Pill Master Shu.

Standing where Chai Ping had previously been, he pulled out multiple pill bottles from his sleeve, placing them on the jade table.

With a wave of his hand, he briefly explained the function of each pill.

Without exception—

Every single pill was a high-grade Foundation Establishment pill, the kind rarely found in the outside world.

As expected—

Seeing the pills, many rogue cultivators immediately surged forward to negotiate deals with Pill Master Shu.

After Pill Master Shu completed his transactions, several other cultivators stepped up, trading various spiritual materials and weapons.

Once the trading frenzy began to settle—

Kou Hongying stepped onto the auction platform and placed down Wei Fei's "One Qi Pouch Technique" for sale, clearly stating—

"Minimum price: 1,000 spirit stones."

To their lack of surprise, the reaction was lukewarm.

A few elderly cultivators approached, intending to negotiate a lower price, but upon seeing Kou Hongying's firm stance, they reluctantly backed off.

Neither Wei Tu nor Kou Hongying were particularly shocked at this outcome.

After all—

Methods for enhancing Qi Refinement cultivators' spiritual energy were not unique to the One Qi Pouch Technique. Some special medicinal pills could achieve the same effects.

Moreover—

Most of the cultivators present were already at the Foundation Establishment stage and had no need for such techniques.

In the end, it was Huang Shaoshan, a family cultivator from Heshan Huang Clan, who purchased the technique from Kou Hongying.

After completing the deal—

Kou Hongying stepped down from the stage.

For a brief moment, Wei Tu hesitated.

Then, under Kou Hongying's surprised gaze, he stepped onto the stage himself.

"Fellow Daoists, does anyone here possess Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood?"

"I am willing to purchase it at a generous price. If you do not have it on hand, I am also willing to pay for reliable information on where to find it."

Wei Tu's voice carried through the hall as he scanned the room, carefully gauging the reactions of those present.

Hearing his words, Kou Hongying suddenly realized something.

"Looks like Wei Shu already has Geomagnetic Yuan Light forming within him."

Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood wasn't an exceptionally rare material—

However, it only grew in specific environments, making it difficult to find in the cultivation world.

As for its primary function—

It was the only known catalyst that could refine Geomagnetic Yuan Light, transforming it into a powerful force known as "Yuan Heavy Law Restriction."

With this ability—

Wei Tu's combat strength would soar to the top tier among his peers.

"If I go to the Demon Wolf Mountain Range in the future, I'll need to keep an eye out for this material," Kou Hongying noted silently.

Suddenly—

A voice responded from the crowd.

"I happen to know the location of some Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood."

An elderly Foundation Establishment cultivator stepped forward, stroking his beard with a faint smile.

"But the question is…"

"What price is Fellow Daoist willing to offer for this information?"

What surprised Wei Tu was that the first cultivator to respond to his inquiry was none other than Master Yu Kui, someone he was familiar with.

"That makes sense," Wei Tu thought. Master Yu Kui was an expert in crafting puppets, so knowing where to find Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood was only natural.

Wei Tu and Master Yu Kui began communicating through transmitted voice messages.

Soon, the two settled on a price for the information.

Afterward, a few other cultivators also contacted Wei Tu, each providing different potential locations where Iron Magnetic Spirit Wood might be found.

Wei Tu bought all the information, paying a total of around 100 spirit stones.

Once the free trade session ended, Wei Tu and Kou Hongying proceeded one after another to pay their spirit stones and complete their transactions with Baibao Pavilion.

When leaving Canglong Mountain, both remained on high alert, even more cautious than when they had arrived, ready to activate their magical artifacts at any moment in case of a robbery attempt.

After traveling dozens of miles, the two still had not encountered any danger.

"It's probably because Old Demon Jia revealed his identity at the auction," Kou Hongying said with a slight smile as they arrived at a mundane city and met up at a tavern. "The presence of a False Core cultivator must have made those rogue cultivators hesitant to make a move."

Compared to Wei Tu's low-key disguise, her "Jade Rakshasa" identity was far more likely to attract robbers.

"That's likely the case," Wei Tu nodded.

Old Demon Jia had disrupted the sale of the Fire Dragon Halberd, but in doing so, he had also inadvertently protected the auction attendees from being targeted by bandits.

After all, who would dare provoke a False Core cultivator?

A few days later, the two returned to Baishi Lake Marketplace.

Kou Hongying handed over the 1,000 spirit stones earned from selling the One Qi Pouch Technique to Wei Fei.

She also returned the two mid-grade magical artifacts she had borrowed from him.

As it turned out, mid-grade Foundation Establishment artifacts were practically worthless at the underground auction, something Kou Hongying had not anticipated before attending.

"Thank you, Hongying!" Wei Fei was visibly emotional, eyes glistening with tears as he held the 1,000 spirit stones.

With this amount, along with his remaining savings, he was finally able to purchase a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Sensing the atmosphere, Kou Hongying quickly excused herself, leaving the private room so that Wei Fei and Wei Tu could speak alone.

Once Wei Fei calmed down, Wei Tu asked about his plans.

"Will you enter seclusion immediately to break through?" Wei Tu inquired. "Or will you wait until you reach Shuangjia Age before attempting Foundation Establishment?"

"This…"

Wei Fei smiled awkwardly. "I actually haven't thought that far ahead. I just felt anxious seeing you enter seclusion for your breakthrough, so I wanted to be prepared in advance."

Hearing this, Wei Tu secretly sighed—his guess had been right.

Among the four sworn brothers, Wei Fei had always had the weakest Dao Heart.

There was no way he had the same do-or-die determination as Fu Zhizhou when attempting to break through Foundation Establishment.

"I plan to go to Shenjing in a few days," Wei Fei finally revealed. "To get married and have children."

Wei Tu was slightly taken aback.

"There are still 15 years before I attempt my breakthrough," Wei Fei continued. "That should be enough time for me to have an heir."

A bitter smile appeared on his face.

"I know my chances of survival are slim if I fail my Foundation Establishment attempt."

Before stepping onto the cultivation path, Wei Fei had been adamant about not following in Wei Tu and the others' footsteps—he had refused to marry or have children, unwilling to suffer the pain of watching loved ones age and die while he remained unchanged.

On this matter, Wei Fei still believed he wasn't wrong.

What he regretted, however, was how he had squandered his time, wasting away years in aimless leisure instead of dedicating himself to cultivation or family.

He had neither advanced on the Dao nor built a family.

"Third Brother, I really envy you," Wei Fei sighed. "You're the only one among us four who managed to balance both cultivation and family."

"But I failed at both," he said bitterly. "And Fourth Brother… he only pursued cultivation, completely neglecting family."

Wei Fei's eyes reddened, and tears began to streak down his face.

"Establishing a family and legacy…"

"I refuse to lose to him in this as well!" Wei Fei gritted his teeth.

Ever since the Righteous Society was founded, his biggest obsession had been not losing to Fu Zhizhou.

Now, it was obvious to anyone—

Both of them would be attempting Foundation Establishment without the aid of a Foundation Establishment Pill.

Yet everyone knew—

Fu Zhizhou's chances of success were far greater than his own.

And if Wei Fei failed—

His fate would be complete annihilation.

"My name… Wei Fei, 'False Flight'… I've always felt like this name has cursed me."

"It's like no matter how many opportunities I get, I can never truly grasp them."

"Clearly… I was the one with the best fortune among us four," Wei Fei murmured.

With a self-deprecating laugh, he wiped his tears away.

"When I have a son, I'll give him a good name."

"I won't let him end up like me—a failure on the cultivation path."