Chapter 422: Doppelgangers

Li Gen sneered as he watched the auction continue. He was a tall man with valiant features: dragon brows, sharp eyes, and a chiseled chin. Even sitting at the lowest level of the seats, he exuded a confident air that made him stand out. His Acupoint Opening Realm cultivation base only enhanced his aura among the body transformation acolytes, qi gathering pupils, and foundation establishment disciples around him.

The reason he sneered was because someone had purchased the Foundation Establishment Pill at a high price. People who relied on pills to ascend to the next realm are second-rate, or even third-rate cultivators, in his opinion.

He was a loose cultivator, someone who had not joined any forces like the Bountiful Coin Consortium. Despite this, Li Gen had made a name for himself. He was a step above even compared to the rising stars of the Bountiful Coin Consortium.

Throughout his growth, Li Gen had made enemies out of many forces. The only one he hadn’t offended was the Bountiful Coin Consortium, and even then, he earned the ire of many of their geniuses. As a loose cultivator, he had many miraculous encounters, and of course, he wasn’t the only one to find them. To secure them, Li Gen had defeated and even killed his competition.

This was why the Sky Coral Sect had started to hunt him down. Although he had already killed the sect master of the Sky Coral Sect years ago after entering the Acupoint Opening Realm.

Many cultivators and forces hypothesized which cultivation method Li Gen used because he always showed power beyond what his realm suggested. They came to the conclusion that he received a powerful inheritance from an immortal from higher realms. As a result, many forces, openly and secretly, wanted to capture him and force him to give up his cultivation method.

In truth, Li Gen hadn’t stumbled upon an immortal’s inheritance. No, the cultivation method he practiced, the Dragon Emperor Fist, had appeared in his mind when he turned ten out of nowhere. At first, Li Gen thought a powerful cultivator wanted to take him as a disciple and gave it to him as a test, but as time passed, he discovered that it wasn’t the case.

Especially when he saw a look-alike of himself. The look-alike was just an ordinary mortal, yet killing intent overflowed from Li Gen’s heart. He couldn’t resist and killed the look-alike. Once he did so, he discovered that his soul had become stronger, and a new technique appeared in his mind, the One Clawed Dragon Sword Art.

A few years later, he met another look-alike. Only this time, the look-alike possessed a cultivation base, and by the resonance, the look-alike could sense him as well. Li Gen killed his look-alike, and although he never got confirmation, he suspected his look-alike practiced the Dragon Emperor Fist. Not only that, his soul became stronger, and another technique appeared in his mind. The Dragon Emperor Fist that appeared in his mind became more perfect.

Dragon Emperor Fist.

One Clawed Dragon Sword Art.

Li Gen could no longer deny it. There was a huge secret behind his existence, and he aimed to uncover it.

Since then, Li Gen only met two more look-alikes. Each time, massive killing intent would fill his mind, and the same went for his look-alike. The look-alike would never survive past a week. With each look-alike killed, Li Gen’s foundation and talent would increase. Geniuses that he could only look up to now had to chase his back.

Just earlier in the day, Li Gen thought he discovered another look-alike, but he wasn’t quite sure.

The possible look-alike had all the traits except his eyes. And killing intent didn’t fill his entire body. Still, Li Gen felt an annoyance he never felt with any of his previous look-alikes. It was more personal despite never having met the possible look-alike before.

Was it possible that the look-alike knew the secret to his existence?

“What’s wrong?”

Li Gen looked to his right and saw a beautiful woman clad in a pastel yellow dress. Her name was Kuihua, and her former identity was the saintess of the Sun Blossom Sect. As for why former, it was because the Sun Blossom Sect exiled her for falling in love with him.

He encountered many women. Kuihua was not the first, nor would she be the last, but Li Gen felt guilty toward her. Among all the women he had, she was the one who lost the most. Not only was her saintess title stripped from her, but she lost everything. Her parents no longer communicated with her. She turned from a pampered princess to a penniless pauper.

Li Gen swore to prove to them that Kuihua did not make the wrong choice by following him. He would show all those who looked down on him that he would not stumble or fail his path. He would reach the peak of the Cai Realm and stomp all those who offended him under his heels.

The auction continued on. Along with the Foundation Establishment Pill, a Core Formation Pill also appeared. After a few more miscellaneous items, mostly materials and artifacts, were auctioned off, Li Gen’s target appeared.

The attractive assistant brought out a small wooden box. Upon opening it, there was a red fern that exuded a red haze. Li Gen could feel his blood boil and his body call out for the fern.

The auctioneer pounded his gavel down. “Some of you may not recognize this plant, because even we took a long time to identify it. This here, is none other than the Dragon Blood Herb. The Dragon Blood Herb doesn’t necessarily have to be a fern like this one. For an herb to become a Dragon Blood Herb, it must be bathed in dragon blood. And I’m sure you know that dragons have never appeared again since time immemorial. It would not be an exaggeration to say that this Dragon Blood Herb is the only of its kind in the entire world, making it priceless!”

The bidders became heated at the auctioneer’s words. Only then did the auctioneer announce the starting price. “The starting price of this herb is one thousand mid-quality spirit stones!”

At the price, many of the bidders sitting on the same level as Li Gen turned quiet. Their wild fantasy of getting lucky and purchasing the Dragon Blood Herb disappeared. Li Gen sneered, but he didn’t rush to bid.

“One thousand mid-quality spirit stones,” an aged voice called out from the top-most private box. All the bidders glanced up at that box. They wondered which force the person inside was part of.

Only Li Gen’s face darkened. Before his killing intent could leak out, he suppressed it in his body. He knew exactly who was in that private box.

Soon, another bid came out from a private box on the same level as the first bidder. “One thousand two hundred mid-quality spirit stones.”

That was just the start.

“One thousand four hundred mid-quality spirit stones!”

“One thousand five hundred mid-quality spirit stones!”

“One thousand seven hundred mid-quality spirit stones!”

“Two thousand mid-quality spirit stones!”

“Two thousand five hundred mid-quality spirit stones!”

When no one continued, the auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Two thousand five hundred mid-quality spirit stones going once! Two thousand five hundred mid-quality spirit stones going twice! Two thousand five hundred mid-quality spirit stones going—!”

“Five thousand mid-quality spirit stones!” Li Gen called out before the auctioneer could seal it.

All the bidders looked at Li Gen in surprise. They weren’t shocked that the bidders in the private boxes could afford such a vast amount of wealth, but when it came to their level? Five thousand mid-quality spirit stones accounted for half of the wealth accumulated by everyone on the third and lowest level.

“Five thousand mid-quality spirit stones going once—!”

“Ten thousand mid-quality spirit stones,” a calm voice from a private box on the second level called out.

Li Gen stiffened. Not because of the price, but also because of the voice.

“Brother Li, that voice sounds like yours,” Kuihua said.

Li Gen didn’t answer. He had ascertained the man he met was a look-alike and not a possible one. Although his eyes were different, the voice was too similar. Not to mention that both of them wanted to buy the Dragon Blood Herb. Before the look-alike could kill him, he had to strike first.

He wasn’t blind. The look-alike was trailed behind by three core formation masters. Obviously, he was born with the highest status among all the look-alikes.

While Li Gen was embroiled in his own thoughts, the auctioneer had already started the countdown. He gritted his teeth. Six thousand mid-quality spirit stones were the most he expected to spend on the Dragon Blood Herb. He wanted to give up, but it was too important for his cultivation.

Finally, he gritted his teeth and shouted, “Ten thousand one hundred mid-quality spirit stones!”

Ecstasy spilled forth from the auctioneer’s face. He started the countdown. Li Gen half expected his look-alike to raise the price, but thankfully, no more bids appeared.

Although he won, Li Gen felt both joy and anger at the victory.

After winning the Dragon Blood Herb, the Nascent Soul Pill appeared. In the entire Cai Realm, only the Pill Enterprise of the Bountiful Coin Consortium could successfully concoct the pill.

While the bidders went crazy, Li Gen sneered. The only reason the Nascent Soul Pill was so rare was because the Bountiful Coin Consortium restricted its supply to the outside world. Yet, the other forces lowered their heads and bent their backs for the pittance the consortium allowed to slip through the fingers.

Spineless sheep, the lot of them.

After the pill was auctioned off at fifteen thousand and six hundred mid-quality spirit stones, the auction ended. Li Gen left the auction hall, but not the auction house.

“Big Brother Li,” a sweet voice called out.

Li Gen smiled at the newcomer, while Kuihua cooled her expression. The newcomer was Liang Biya, the daughter of one of the auction house’s elders.

“Miss Liang, can you do me a favor?” Li Gen asked. “I need a private room to absorb the Dragon Blood Herb.”

After Li Gen revealed his wealth, he raised his guard. He knew that people had already eyed him. If he left, he was likely to be targeted by his look-alike. So, he wanted to hide in the auction house. Even if his look-alike had three core formation masters guarding him, they couldn’t barge into the auction house at will.

The auction house was guarded by a nascent soul grandmaster, after all.

“Of course,” Liang Biya said as she smiled, dimples showing.

“Actually,” Li Gen hesitated before asking his request. “Can you find the identities of a guest on the second level?”

Liang Biya visibly hesitated. “It’s against the auction house’s rules to expose our guest’s identities. But, I can do it for you just this once. However, I don’t want to hear the news spreading.”

“Thank you, Miss Liang, you’re the best,” Li Gen said, showing a roguish smile.

A blush appeared on Liang Biya’s face. “How many times do I have to tell you to call me Biya?”

“Miss Biya then.”

After that brief interaction, Li Gen started his secluded cultivation. He absorbed the dragon blood in the Dragon Blood Fern, advancing from the late Acupoint Opening Realm to the peak Acupoint Opening Realm. With but a thought, he could commence his Soul Nourishing Heavenly Tribulation at any time.

When Li Gen exited his secluded cultivation, Liang Biya personally delivered the information on his look-alike. It didn’t include just his look-alike’s information, but his companion’s as well. To his surprise, it was as if his look-alike appeared out of thin air with no concrete information on what force was behind him.

Li Gen paid extra attention to his look-alike’s companion. No one knew her given name, and they all knew her as Madam Xi. She was the most beautiful woman Li Gen had ever encountered, be it looks or temperament. Even Kuihua, one of the publicly acclaimed four beauties of the world, was like a dim firefly in the face of the radiant moon.

What surprised him the most was that his look-alike didn’t attempt to inquire about him? Was he wrong?

Li Gen shook his head. No look-alike could resist the killing intent. As long as he acted as a bait, his look-alike would bite, hook, line and sinker.

He had Kuihua stay at the auction house while he walked toward the last seen location of his look-alike. Once he caught sight of his look-alike, he made sure to walk past arbitrarily. From there, he walked out of the city. Once out of the gate, he started to dash at his fastest speed.

After around ten kilometers, he stopped and turned around. He looked up and asked, “Why are you following me?”

His look-alike was standing ten meters away from him, without a hair out of place. Not just him, but Madam Xi and the three core formation masters were standing there, unperturbed. Li Gen frowned. From his senses, he only detected his look-alike. Why were there four more people?

The look-alike smiled. “I just wanted to see what you planned. After all, did you think you could hide your killing intent from me?”