Chapter Ninety-Three: The Ownerless Island

After leaving Azure Glow Island, Qin Ming and Wu Jiang mounted a streaking vessel of spiritual light and headed toward the Celestial River Market.

Along the way, Wu Jiang said with some frustration, “Daoist Qin, I really don’t know what that Azure Glow Immortal was thinking. It was quite unexpected.”

Qin Ming merely smiled faintly. “It’s all right. Perhaps Fairy Mo had her own reasons.”

“After all, I arrived unannounced. It’s only natural for her to be guarded.”

With that, Qin Ming took a small pouch of spirit stones from his storage bag and handed it to Wu Jiang. “I’ve troubled Daoist Wu these past few days to introduce me to the local situation, and you even made a special trip for me. Please accept this small token of my appreciation.”

“Uh... this... the matter didn’t work out in the end. How could I possibly accept Brother Qin’s gift?” Wu Jiang’s eyes were fixed on the pouch. He knew very well what could be taken and what could not.

At the same time, his favorable impression of Qin Ming grew a little stronger.

Qin Ming pressed the spirit stones into Wu Jiang’s hands. “Please don’t stand on ceremony, Daoist Wu. These stones aren’t being handed to you for nothing.”

“Though this matter on Azure Glow Island didn’t pan out, that doesn’t mean there isn’t another stretch of spiritual land to be found among these great island chains.”

“Help me keep an ear out. If there’s any news, let me know. I intend to remain here a little longer.”

Only then did Wu Jiang break into a grin. He quickly accepted the pouch and, upon opening it, found a full thirty spirit stones inside.

“In that case, I won’t be polite anymore. Daoist Qin, rest assured—I’ll look into this thoroughly for you.”

The two returned to the Celestial River Market.

Qin Ming planned to gather more information in the market. After all, this was a place where countless cultivators from the island chains gathered; there might well be an unexpected harvest.

Wu Jiang took his leave and, through his own channels, went to inquire about other islands for him.

Another half month passed.

Qin Ming still had found nothing.

He was currently studying a book titled Geography of the Feathered Spirit Island Chains.

Then a piece of good news came from Wu Jiang.

“No wonder he’s so well-connected locally. He’s already found information on another spirit island so quickly,” Qin Ming thought to himself.

Wu Jiang entered the room at the inn where Qin Ming was staying, excitement written all over his face. “Daoist Qin, I have good news!”

“Two days ago, the Seventy-Two Island Loose Alliance of the island chains discovered another small ownerless island in the far north. It contains a mid-grade second-rank spirit vein.”

“So far, aside from members of the Loose Alliance, the news hasn’t spread.”

“The Seventy-Two Island Loose Alliance plans to make it public and auction it off soon to determine ownership.”

At this, Qin Ming’s eyes lit up. “Is that true?”

“It is indeed true. I’ve not failed you,” Wu Jiang said with a grin, clearly convinced the news was absolutely authentic.

Qin Ming frowned slightly and asked, “What kind of force is this Seventy-Two Island Loose Alliance?”

“It isn’t really a major power. It’s an impromptu alliance formed voluntarily by loose cultivator factions and Qi Refining family clans who occupy a small portion of the spirit islands in the chains. Its structure is rather loose.”

“My Wu family is also part of it.”

“It mainly stands in opposition to the Zhao family among the Seven Great Aristocratic Clans, so as to prevent them from picking us off and annexing us one by one.”

“Fortunately, over the past several decades, both sides have remained at peace. There has never been war, and the situation has been fairly stable.”

“Within the Seventy-Two Island Loose Alliance, there are even members who bear grudges against one another, and mutual strife is quite common.”

“But as long as we don’t clash with the Zhao family, everything is fine.”

Qin Ming nodded.

In plain terms, the alliance was nothing more than a makeshift coalition of small powers in the island chains, formed to keep the Zhao family in check.

“Daoist Qin, the auction for the spirit island begins at noon tomorrow, and any loose cultivator may attend.”

“The auction will be held on that very island.”

“I’ll take Daoist Qin there tomorrow.”

Qin Ming smiled in satisfaction and nodded. “You’ve worked hard, Daoist Wu.”

Though Wu Jiang’s cultivation was only middling, he possessed a certain sharp vitality.

Qin Ming’s opinion of him had improved somewhat.

“Heh heh, it’s nothing. Since I’ve accepted Daoist Qin’s spirit stones, this little errand hardly counts for much,” Wu Jiang replied with a laugh.

The next day.

Led by Wu Jiang, Qin Ming left the Celestial River Market and flew toward the far north.

Two hours later.

A yellow earthen island appeared in their sight.

All around in the sky, many cultivators were also riding flying artifacts, streaking past them.

It seemed they were all headed for the spirit island as well.

The island stood like a lone yellow jewel embedded in the azure waves of Moonview Lake.

The lake’s waters spread in endless green-blue expanse, sky and water blending into one. The scenery was lush and beautiful, like a painting.

On the island itself, strange peaks and unusual rocks gave it a distinctive charm.

By the time Qin Ming and Wu Jiang arrived, several thousand cultivators had already gathered on a clearing on the island, waiting for the auction to begin.

Most of them, however, were merely there to watch the excitement.

After all, there were only a handful of loose cultivators truly capable of affording a spirit island.

Once on the island, Qin Ming noticed that its vegetation was much sparser than on other islands.

Perhaps because it lay too far to the north, the climate was also colder.

Even on the highest peak in the north, a small glacier had formed.

The island’s total area was slightly smaller than Azure Glow Island.

Its rocks and mountains were all a dull earthen yellow, the ridges steep and rugged.

And the so-called mid-grade second-rank spirit vein was concentrated only within a few dozen mu around the main peak.

The rest consisted merely of branches from first-rank and lower-grade second-rank spirit veins.

There were no other islands around it at all.

If someone attacked, the other families in the island chains would likely be unable to send aid in time.

It was the very definition of isolated and helpless.

Given such geography, along with the scattered distribution of its spirit veins, it was no wonder the Seventy-Two Island Loose Alliance wanted to auction it off.

Otherwise, with the simple fact that it was a second-rank spirit vein island, the loose cultivators below would never have had a chance at it.

In truth, the island was not as impressive as advertised. In fact, it was not even as good as some first-rank spirit islands in the central regions of the island chains.

Its value was greatly diminished.

And yet, the moment Qin Ming stepped onto the island, he first scooped up a handful of spiritual soil to examine it. Then, in an instant, dozens of second-rank spirit plants suited to this climate and soil surfaced in his mind.

At the first moment of noon, an elderly man in a golden robe with crane-white hair and a youthful face appeared before the crowd, his body exuding the fluctuations of Foundation Establishment cultivation.

“Cough!”

“Fellow daoists, this old man is Li Yuanqing, deputy leader of the Seventy-Two Island Loose Alliance. Please quiet down; the auction officially begins now.”

“All daoists interested in participating may come forward and take a seat in the chairs up front.”

As he spoke, Li Yuanqing circulated his spiritual power to the fullest, and his sonorous voice rang across the entire island.

With the pressure of a Foundation Establishment expert added to it, the thousands of Qi Refining cultivators present fell silent in an instant.

No one dared to make a sound.

Qin Ming looked over and saw several hundred chairs arranged near the front center of the clearing.

He glanced back at Wu Jiang, then leapt lightly and landed at random in one of the chairs.

Soon after, many more cultivators interested in the island arrived one after another and took their seats.

The auction organized by the Seventy-Two Island Loose Alliance did not have many rules.

When Li Yuanqing saw no more cultivators joining, he immediately announced, “The auction for the spirit island begins!”

“Whoever wins this auction will gain ownership of the island.”

“The starting price is eight thousand spirit stones, and each bid must be no less than one thousand!”

As soon as he said this, many cultivators hesitated.

After all, among loose cultivators, very few individuals or families possessed such wealth.

Still, some families began to bid.

“I offer eight thousand spirit stones!”

“Old man bids nine thousand!”

“Ten thousand spirit stones!”

“...”

“Twelve thousand!”

“...”

“Fifteen thousand spirit stones.”

“...”

The auction atmosphere grew tense and heated.

The crowd’s excitement reached a fever pitch.

The onlookers could not help but gasp inwardly; these bids were numbers many of them would have to struggle for over a long time.

“Eighteen thousand.”

“Eighteen thousand once!”

“Eighteen thousand twice!”

Just as everyone thought the island’s ownership was about to be settled, a thin old man in the crowd leisurely called out, “Twenty thousand!”

Boom!

The hall erupted in uproar.

Everyone turned to stare at him.

Qin Ming was also somewhat helpless. He had not expected the bidding for the spirit island to be so fierce.

He was considering whether to raise the price.

Then, at that moment, a mocking voice drifted down from the sky.

“Well now, this is lively.”

“Why didn’t anyone notify my Zhao family?”