The auction house had indeed prepared well. Among the subsequent items appeared a fire-attribute magic artifact, the Flameblade Saber, and even a few main ingredients for Rejuvenation Pills. These, however, were quickly snapped up by other Foundation Establishment cultivators. Leo calculated the spirit stones in his boundary space—though his wealth might rival some Foundation seniors, he dared not compete with one here, hundreds of miles from the Palace.

  The remaining items held little interest for him. The final, grand prize, however, was a Foundation Establishment Pill. The announcement electrified the hall. Even the Foundation seniors in their private booths joined the bidding frenzy.

  Leo watched the price rocket like a flying sword, from ten thousand low-grade stones to over thirty thousand. He smiled wryly and slipped out before the auction ended. Securing a fourth-grade talisman was satisfaction enough.

  He hadn't gone far from the courtyard before his brow furrowed. He abandoned the idea of taking a spirit crane back. Cranes weren't the fastest spirit birds, and if trouble arose in the air, even his wits wouldn't save him from the fall.

  Leaving town, he chose terrain that offered cover.

  Several figures trailed him.

  "Damn, he's fast. We can't catch him on foot." The hawk-nosed elder's expression shifted. "Second Sister, Third Brother, take the spirit bird and cut him off."

  The old woman tapped her spirit beast pouch. A massive black vulture, with a wingspan of over ten meters, emerged. She and the green-robed man leaped aboard and soared away.

  Leo paled at the sight of the ferocious vulture. He was glad he hadn't taken a crane.

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  Vultures were fierce predators. Tamed, they ranked among the most formidable low-grade spirit birds.

  "There he is! He won't escape." The old woman cackled, spotting the figure below. "His spells are formidable—he outran the boss and Fourth Brother by miles. Without the bird, he might have slipped away."

  "Hand over your storage pouch, and we'll spare you." The stocky man, confident, jumped down with the old woman as the vulture descended.

  Two Great Perfection cultivators and two late-stage—no wonder they dared pursue. Leo snorted. "Ice Soul Mystic Sound."

  The stocky man froze, then shook it off. He drew his spirit sword, barely blocking the barrage of spells. Seeing the old woman still dazed, he shouted, "Second Sister, wake up!"

  Golden spears pierced her before she could react. She screamed, flying back, pinned to a thick tree.

  "Second Sister!" The hawk-nosed elder arrived to find her dead. The stocky man struggled under Leo's spells. "I'll tear you apart!"

  The green-robed man stared, shocked. In moments, the old woman was dead, and the stronger Fourth Brother was losing.

  Leo didn't bother replying. They had come to kill him; he had a right to fight back.

  The hawk-nosed elder reached into his storage pouch. Four flying swords emerged, identical, gleaming coldly. They hovered around him, humming in unison.

  A sword formation! Leo had never heard of a Qi Refining cultivator mastering one. The spiritual sense required was immense. At his level, he could barely control two weapons. This man controlled four—he must have had some extraordinary encounter. No wonder they were so reckless.

  "Dying under my Lesser Four Symbols Sword Formation is a blessing from your past life." The hawk-nosed elder, face dark with rage, gestured. The four swords lined up and shot at Leo.

  The stocky man, freed from Leo's focus, retreated. He knew the formation's power. Dozens had died under it, many powerful.

  The swords' aura made Leo's scalp tingle. The pressure far exceeded Lowell's. Lowell was fierce but lacked killing intent. This elder was a seasoned killer. Even with his dharma seals, his low-grade spells couldn't stop four flying swords.

  Leo hesitated no longer. His right hand extended, and a blood-red rope, over ten meters long, materialized—the Demon Binding Rope, a magic artifact. He flicked his wrist; it cracked through the air, striking the first sword.

  The blow deflected it, but the shockwave jarred Leo. The swords were top-grade spirit artifacts. They had clashed with his artifact and survived.

  "A magic artifact!" The hawk-nosed elder's shock matched Leo's, then greed took over. "Third Brother, Fourth Brother, together! Kill him! A magic artifact means he's richer than anyone we've killed!"

  The stocky man and the green-robed man closed in, weapons ready.

  Leo lashed out, driving back the swords. His heart sank. The artifact let him match the elder, but the sword formation's attacks were relentless.

  The other two, normally negligible, would overwhelm him now. He had to break their encirclement.

  He released the leopard from its pouch, sending it at the stocky man. Hundreds of Shadow Ants swarmed the green-robed man. Without his direct command, they'd be less effective, but their numbers might delay him.