Chapter 76

At the Pingchuan Central Hospital, outside the intensive care unit, Du Qian stood by the floor-to-ceiling glass window, looking at Yao Jing lying inside, hooked up to various tubes. After two days, Yao Jing's face was pale with a hint of green, and anyone could see that her time was short.

Yao Jing's condition was not due to illness but to the invasion of spiritual energy that was eroding her internal organs. This kind of condition was almost untreatable, at least with modern medical methods. However, solving it wasn't difficult; if the bald man were to act, it would take less than half a minute to resolve. After all, the spiritual energy that had invaded her body was his, and it shared the same origin as the energy within him, so there was no rejection. He just needed to withdraw it.

Without the invasion of foreign spiritual energy, Yao Jing was a War King-level martial cultivator with an extremely strong self-recovery ability. Normally, it would be impossible for her to fall ill.

Apart from the bald man withdrawing the invading spiritual energy, the only other solution was the True Spirit Talisman. Unfortunately, Du Qian knew very little about spirit talismans. He had only just started learning about their history, which was mostly about their development and had no practical use.

Du Qian, of course, wanted to learn it all at once, but that was impossible. Just learning the history of spirit talismans would take a considerable amount of time, and even with a book like the Holy Talisman Divine Dao, it would take a long time. If he were to learn it in school, it might take several years.

This kind of knowledge, if you say it's useless, it really is. But if you say it's useful, it absolutely is. Knowing the history of spirit talismans can prevent you from taking detours. On the path of a spirit talisman master, even a small deviation can cost a lot of time and effort.

Du Qian couldn't afford to waste time. He needed to use most of his time for cultivation. He was well aware that his foundation was weak. Others could improve through cultivation, but even if he continuously absorbed spirit horns, his progress would still be extremely slow.

In his spare time from cultivation, Du Qian could learn other things. Spirit talismans were quite attractive to him, but he could only try to find time to study them. Even if he avoided all detours, Du Qian didn't know how high he could reach in the future.

In fact, he didn't have much hope for it. Learning more was always good, just like in the orphanage school, where he knew his talent was poor, but he still worked hard every day and never gave up.

He was originally a war orphan, with no family support or social connections. If he gave up, he wouldn't just be giving up on cultivation, but on his future.

Footsteps came from behind: "Get ready, the car is waiting outside. The equipment will be removed in three minutes. Pay attention to the high-oxygen stabilizer and use wireless monitoring devices."

Du Qian turned around and saw a tired-looking Fei Xue.

"Captain Fei."

"Uh, you came to see Yao Jing. It's good timing, we're taking her back."

"Back?" Du Qian looked at Fei Xue in confusion. The Central Hospital couldn't solve Yao Jing's problem, but they could ensure that her bodily functions wouldn't worsen. The nutritional fluids and stabilizers they provided were clearly better than those of the Flying Tiger Team, and the doctors here were more experienced.

"Uh."

"True Spirit Talisman." Du Qian felt a glimmer of hope, but he quickly realized he was overthinking it. If they had the True Spirit Talisman, Fei Xue's expression wouldn't be so grim.

"We didn't get it, but we did get a Sealing Talisman. Yao Jing will be fine for half a year," Fei Xue said.

Du Qian understood only the last part: Yao Jing would be fine for half a year. He had never heard of True Spirit Talismans or Sealing Talismans before, but he understood that Yao Jing had only half a year left.

"Half a year, only half a year. Everyone, do your best. If we can't get the True Spirit Talisman, Yao Jing is still doomed," Fei Xue said, then directed his subordinates to move Yao Jing's bed. With the Sealing Talisman, there was no point in her staying in the hospital; it would be safer for her to return to the Flying Tiger Team.

No one paid attention to Du Qian. Under the watch of a group of Flying Tiger Team members, Yao Jing was moved out of the ward and onto the car waiting outside.

Yao Jing had been in the Flying Tiger Team for a short time, but she had proven herself through her strength and actions, quickly earning the recognition of the team members.

Du Qian was far from that. He had joined the Flying Tiger Team through connections and was just a freeloader. To save him, Yao Jing had been severely injured, and it was uncertain whether she could be cured.

As a Flying Tiger Team member, he knew that a True Spirit Talisman was extremely rare. Even the city lords might not have one. Such a precious healing talisman, if they had it, would not be given to a mere Flying Tiger Team member like Yao Jing.

In other words, getting a True Spirit Talisman from the city lord's residence was almost impossible. As for other means, they were practically nonexistent. Even the few venerables in the Flying Tiger Team had no chance of accessing a True Spirit Talisman, let alone anyone else.

Without even a chance to access it, how could they possibly obtain it?

When Fei Xue left the city lord's residence with the Sealing Talisman, it was like a death sentence for Yao Jing, only delaying her death by half a year.

The Flying Tiger Team members naturally felt bad about this result and wouldn't give Du Qian a good face.

Du Qian ran to catch up with Fei Xue. He had limited connections with important people, and even fewer who would listen to him.

"Captain Fei, where can we get a True Spirit Talisman?"

Fei Xue glanced at Du Qian. "True Spirit Talismans are rare. If you can contact Sir Sikong, there might be a chance."

"Besides Sir Sikong?" Du Qian asked. He knew his own situation; he had no real connection with Sikong Yi. In the assassination incident, he had only been somewhat proactive, and saving people was just talk, not to be taken seriously.

Afterward, Sikong Yi had given him five hundred spirit horns, and that favor had been repaid. Sikong Yi was quite generous, not only compensating Du Qian with spirit horns but also giving Yao Jing the position of bodyguard. In every way, Du Qian owed him.

"The Heavenly Auction in Shangjing might have it." Fei Xue understood Du Qian's feelings and explained a bit more, though he didn't think Du Qian could get a True Spirit Talisman.

Regarding Sir Sikong, Fei Xue was clearer than Du Qian. He had already reported Yao Jing's injury, and the city lord's residence had provided a Sealing Talisman, which was a sign of sincerity. It wouldn't be long before the news reached Sir Sikong's ears, and what his reaction would be, they could only wait and see.

In Fei Xue's view, the most likely outcome was no reaction. Yao Jing, as a bodyguard, was just a nominal position. For her, Sir Sikong wouldn't waste a True Spirit Talisman.

"Heavenly Auction in Shangjing?" What was that?

"The Heavenly Auction in Shangjing, held in Zhou Mountain, has twelve large auctions each year, on the 15th of each month. It features items from the empire and other regions, and is one of the three major auctions."

Du Qian finally remembered. He knew about it, but it was so far removed from his life that he hadn't thought of it.

The three major auctions—Zhou Mountain Heavenly Auction, Zhenhai Treasure Auction, and Butian Cloud Auction—were known as the three great auctions in the world.

These three auctions were supported by national power, with a history of only about ninety years, and were not well-known among ordinary people. The reason was simple: the items there were not affordable for ordinary people.

It was said that the three auctions didn't even use gold coins. To enter and see the items, one needed a huge deposit.

As for what the three auctions used for payment, Du Qian had no idea.

"Are there any other methods?" Du Qian asked, running alongside Fei Xue.

"None." Fei Xue said without turning his head. He, like the other members of the Flying Tiger Team, was quite hostile toward Du Qian. Yao Jing was someone he had personally recruited, and he had great hopes for her. It was a real pity.

In fact, there were many ways to obtain a True Spirit Talisman, but each was more difficult than the last. Even Fei Xue couldn't manage it, so what could Du Qian do?

Fortunately, Du Qian's attitude was good. At least he was trying. If he had been indifferent, Fei Xue would have had ways to deal with him.

Of course, it all depended on Sir Sikong's attitude. If he had a good impression of Du Qian, he might grant a True Spirit Talisman, and everything would be fine. If there was no reaction, Yao Jing was doomed, and it would also mean that Du Qian wasn't taken seriously.

Fei Xue left, taking the Flying Tiger Team members to escort Yao Jing back to the Flying Tiger Team. Du Qian stood at the hospital entrance, looking up at the sky, his mind racing.

There was too little information about the Heavenly Auction, and Du Qian didn't know where to start. Ten minutes later, he had an idea and hailed a taxi.

"Driver, do you know where I can get information?" Du Qian asked. Although he had lived in Pingchuan City for over a decade, he rarely left the orphanage school and knew much less about the city than the taxi driver.

Information brokers, though not well-regarded, were the most informed people at the bottom of society.

"Of course." The driver glanced at Du Qian through the rearview mirror.

Du Qian understood immediately, took out his ID card, and swiped ten yuan on the card reader in front of him. Pingchuan City wasn't small, but it was impossible to spend ten yuan no matter where he went.

Seeing the ten yuan credited, the driver's face lit up. "Little brother, what kind of information are you looking for?"

"Heavenly Auction." Du Qian didn't mince words since he had already paid.

"Heavenly Auction, the Heavenly Auction in Shangjing?"

"Yes, the Heavenly Auction in Shangjing."

"Two places: the Information Bureau of the Pingchuan City Lord's Residence and the Spirit Snake Information Company." The driver answered immediately. He had thought Du Qian was asking about local information, but it turned out to be the Heavenly Auction.

The full name of the Heavenly Auction was the Heavenly Auction in Shangjing, located in the capital of the Zhou Mountain Empire, far from Pingchuan City. Ordinary information companies could only get limited information.

The Information Bureau of the Pingchuan City Lord's Residence was an official institution. Without a certain status, one couldn't even enter, and even with money, one couldn't buy the information inside. Of course, if one did some underhanded things, it would be a different story.

As for the Spirit Snake Information Company, it was quite powerful, reportedly spread throughout the empire, even having information from Zhenhai and Butian. No one knew who was behind it, but even the authorities gave it some respect.

"Go to the Information Bureau." Du Qian said. He was a section chief of the Flying Tiger Team, so it would be a waste not to use his position.

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