---
With the last nail driven and the final stone placed, the newly constructed auction house stood tall and elegant at the heart of Green Mountain City. Crafted with black marble and engraved jade, its exterior shimmered beneath the sunlight, a mixture of mystique and authority. A massive plaque above the grand entrance read:
> **"Tian shuan Auction Pavilion"**
Tianzun, standing in front of it with arms folded, admired the architecture. 800,000 gold coins had been poured into its creation, and the result was nothing short of majestic. He chose not to interfere in the broader auctioning ecosystem of the region, especially avoiding clashing with Xiao Yan's future fate and his pivotal meetings with Ya Fei. No, this house would carve a new path—one that complemented the old while rewriting what it meant to auction in this part of the continent.
Inside the Pavilion, preparations for the grand opening were underway. Tianzun paced through the halls, checking the artifacts, decorations, and seating arrangements. Everything exuded elegance. This would be no minor merchant's corner but a symbol of high-class prestige.
He had sorted dozens of pills he had made, choosing only a refined collection for auctioning. Tier 2 High Grade to Tier 4 Low Grade, each inscribed with the mark of authenticity from his own hand. Alongside those, the loot obtained from the Wolf Head Mercenary Company—rare scrolls, ancient blades, elemental stones, and even cursed trinkets—were polished, verified, and added as featured items.
---
**The Grand Opening**
When the day arrived, the auction house brimmed with anticipation. Nobles, merchants, rogue cultivators, and curious townsfolk gathered. Security was tight. Tianzun observed from the highest balcony in a private chamber.
Everything ran smoothly. The auctioneer, masked and elegant, was trained by Tianzun himself in the art of enticing bids without pushing desperation.
Tier 3 pills sold for staggering amounts. Even the lesser items sparked bidding wars. By day's end, profits soared well into the millions.
Tianzun took only a sliver of the earnings from his own pill sales, diverting the majority back into Qinghe Village.
> "They need funds more than I need gold."
Additionally, he commanded that ten percent of the Pavilion's total profit would be invested into city development: rebuilding homes, constructing training ground, and offering medicinal supplies.
It wasn't charity. It was foresight.
---
**A Price Worth Paying**
Later that night, back at Yian's house, Tianzun sat in silence, fingers tapping against a jade box. Ling Yuan appeared in spirit form.
"You seem restless."
"I want to help her," Tianzun said, gaze sharp. "That poison body... she's breaking. I can see it."
Ling Yuan raised an eyebrow. "You realize the price?"
"Say it."
"700 million celestial shards."
Tianzun didn't flinch. "Done."
Ling Yuan chuckled, and with a flick of his fingers, summoned an ancient scroll wrapped in golden silk.
"This technique belonged to someone I once knew. It's an inheritance, it is not just a method."
Tianzun narrowed his eyes. "He died?"
"Unjustly. Betrayed. He was one of the few people who grown beyond the worlds. Where Dou Di are just!, this technique was their breath."
Tianzun trembled slightly. A truth long suspected now whispered.
> *There is more beyond this world.*
He took the scroll.
---
**The Unspoken Bond**
When he handed the scroll to Yian later that night, she was in the kitchen, preparing a light stew.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Your salvation," he said. "Don't let me down. I paid dearly for it."
The moment grew still. The scent of herbs faded. Even time seemed to hold its breath.
Then Yian dropped the ladle, rushed forward, and hugged him tightly. Her arms trembling.
"Why would you..."
"Because you're my friend," Tianzun whispered. "And I protect my people."
She didn't speak, only held on longer.
After some time, he added, "We leave for the Medicine Valley tomorrow. I need a peaceful place to cultivate... and so do you."
She nodded. "Then we go together."
They packed that night.
A new chapter waited on the horizon.
---
**End of Chapter 49: Flames of Foundation, Bonds of Trust**