The clear chime of the bell slowly echoed through the auction house, and with its sound, the extremely noisy chatter in the venue gradually diminished. Countless gazes turned to the crystal platform, their eyes filled with eager anticipation.
“Haha, I suppose everyone has been waiting rather impatiently. In that case, I won’t waste any more time with pleasantries,” the white-haired elder, dressed in splendid attire, smiled at the crowd, his gaze subtly sweeping over the powerful forces seated in the front row. His resonant voice reverberated through the hall. As an experienced auctioneer, he knew exactly what the audience wanted to see and what they didn’t. Thus, the opening remarks were directly dispensed with.
Indeed, the old man’s move was well-received, as even the cold, ice-like Young Sect Leader of the Blood Sect nodded slightly.
“As the annual grand auction, I believe that the one hosted by our Eight-Fan Gate will not disappoint you,” the elder said, clapping his hands. “I declare the Black Seal City Auction to begin now!”
As the elder’s voice rang out, the massive crystal platform suddenly burst into blinding light. After a while, the intense light dimmed, revealing a sapphire blue longsword on the auction table in front of the white-haired elder. Under the spotlight, it reflected a cold, eerie luster. The energy traces flowing along the sword indicated it was a carefully forged magical core weapon by a master blacksmith.
“This sword is named Frost Edge, forged from cold iron. It can cut through steel like butter and is perfectly embedded with a third-grade ice elemental magical core. For those who practice water or ice attributes, wielding this sword would significantly enhance their power. A divine weapon like this is essential for any journey. If anyone is interested, don’t hesitate to spend your money. Money is valuable, but only if you live to enjoy it. Haha.”
The elder held the sapphire blue sword, and a faint chill rose from the blade, forming a barely visible mist. He turned to the crowd, his eyes squinting. “The starting bid is 100,000 gold. Your bids, please.”
“Magical core weapon, huh…” Xiao Yan muttered, but he wasn’t particularly interested. He had grown fond of using the heavy, imposing Xuan Heavy Ruler, and switching to a slender, elegant longsword would feel somewhat awkward.
Therefore, he didn’t intend to participate in the bidding. After all, he knew that the truly good items were yet to come.
Though Xiao Yan wasn’t interested, it didn’t mean others weren’t. For fighters, a suitable weapon was as essential as a refining cauldron for alchemists—it was their bread and butter. Thus, after the elder’s words, many bidders eagerly called out their offers.
The first round of bidding lasted for several minutes before a thin man excitedly secured the sword for 150,000 gold.
After the first successful auction, more dazzling treasures, armors, battle techniques, cultivation methods, and medicinal herbs began to appear on the auction table. At one point, Xiao Yan was surprised to see a young beauty being pushed onto the stage. She appeared to be only around twelve or thirteen years old, but her figure was surprisingly developed, embodying the perfect combination of a youthful face and a mature body. Her small, frightened face instantly ignited the primal desires of the men in the crowd, transforming them into wolves. The final bid reached nearly 130,000 gold, causing the white-haired auctioneer to grin widely.
Xiao Yan sat on a soft chair, calmly observing the frenzy, his eyes closed, waiting for something that would pique his interest.
The early stages of the auction did not see anything too extraordinary, and the bidders were mostly from the back rows. The powerful forces in the front row, with their vast wealth, had yet to make a single bid.
*Ding…* Another crisp bell chimed from the crystal platform. The white-haired auctioneer, smiling, took a small silver tray from a servant girl. On the tray were two transparent small jade bottles, each containing a pale green pill. These pills immediately caught the attention of many.
In the world of Dou Qi, medicinal pills were as highly valued as cultivation methods and battle techniques. Some pills that could directly boost one’s strength were especially sought after.
“Haha, these are known as ‘Green Spirit Pills.’ Many of you have likely heard of them. They help those stuck at the peak of the Dou Shi realm break through their barriers. Moreover, these Green Spirit Pills are of the Two-Line Grade. With a bit of luck, they might even boost one’s strength by two stars.”
The auctioneer pointed to the pills in the bottles, smiling. As soon as he finished, the auction house erupted in excitement. Countless pairs of eager eyes fixed on the jade bottles. Such pills that could break class barriers were extremely rare, even in the Black-Corner Region. The difference between a Dou Shi and a Da Dou Shi was significant, as the latter was a true milestone in Dou Qi cultivation. This transition was almost a qualitative leap, and many people were stuck at the peak of the Dou Shi realm, unable to make the next step.
However, a Green Spirit Pill could easily solve this problem. Therefore, the front-row forces showed some interest. After all, a single pill could cultivate a Da Dou Shi, making it a worthwhile investment. Although peak experts dominated the Black-Corner Region, Da Dou Shis were the backbone of many forces, and having more of them was always better.
“Of course, if you’ve heard of the Green Spirit Pill, you must also know of its side effects,” the auctioneer said with a cunning smile. He didn’t elaborate on the backlash, merely glossing over it. Then, with a wave of his hand, he announced, “Starting bid, 330,000 gold!”
“340,000!” Someone in the back row shouted as soon as the auctioneer spoke.
“350,000!” There was clearly a lot of interest in the Two-Line Green Spirit Pill, and within a minute, the price had already surpassed the initial bid.
Xiao Yan sat quietly, fingers interlaced, listening to the rising bids. A faint smile crossed his face under the shadow of his black robe. The popularity of the Green Spirit Pill in the Black-Corner Region far exceeded his expectations. Judging from this, the ingredients for the Reversed Purple Spirit Pill should be affordable.
The bidding continued, and within ten minutes, the price of the Green Spirit Pill climbed to 480,000 gold. When the price reached this level, the bidding noticeably slowed down. After all, 480,000 for one pill meant nearly a million for two, which was a hefty sum for many.
“550,000.” Just as the price hit 490,000, a slightly cold, lazy voice sounded from the front row. Hearing the sudden jump, Xiao Yan raised his head, his gaze landing on the Young Sect Leader of the Blood Sect. *He’s interested in the Green Spirit Pill?*
The Blood Sect leader’s bid immediately quieted the auction house. Those who had intended to raise the bid looked at each other and reluctantly sat down. Although they had some funds, they couldn’t compete with the Blood Sect. Thus, they gave up.
“560,000.” Suddenly, another voice broke the silence. Xiao Yan followed the voice, his gaze landing on a middle-aged man in a skull gray robe in the front row. His eyebrows rose, *Someone from the Black Skeleton Tomb…*
The Black Skeleton Tomb was a formidable force in the Black-Corner Region, practicing a peculiar cultivation method and possessing a rare dark attribute. Despite their small numbers, they were all elite. They often clashed with the Blood Sect, but no serious conflicts had erupted due to the leaders’ restraint.
The Blood Sect leader’s expression turned colder, and he glanced at the middle-aged man. “580,000.”
“590,000.” The middle-aged man remained expressionless, calling out calmly.
Everyone’s attention was on the two, and the front-row forces watched curiously to see how high the price would go.
“Young Sect Leader, 500,000 for a Two-Line Green Spirit Pill is already high. Any higher, and it would be a loss. We need to save our funds for the final bid,” the elder beside the Blood Sect leader whispered.
“600,000.” The Blood Sect leader frowned, deliberating for a moment before announcing the final bid. He was determined to give up if the other party countered.
Unexpectedly, after the Blood Sect leader’s bid, the middle-aged man remained silent, retreating to his seat with a sneer on his face.
The Blood Sect leader, Fan Ling, was stunned. Realizing something, he smirked, “Good. If Father takes action, I’ll deal with Moerhan. I’ll make him suffer the pain of blood loss.”
“Haha, Young Sect Leader Fan Ling has bid 600,000 gold. Is there anyone else who wants to bid? If not, these two Two-Line Green Spirit Pills belong to him!” The white-haired auctioneer, pleased with the price, asked. Seeing no response, he finally hammered the sale.
“1,200,000… quite a price, these fools,” Xiao Yan thought, a playful smile on his lips. 1,200,000 gold was about to flow into his empty wallet.
After selling the two Green Spirit Pills, the subsequent items didn’t fetch much. Some were sold after just one bid, causing the auctioneer some pain—his performance and income depended on it.
Fortunately, the low point was quickly lifted when an item caused Xiao Yan to stare in shock.
On the crystal platform, the auctioneer carefully held up an ancient jade scroll, his face mysterious. “Next, we have something very rare. It’s a flying battle technique, but due to the lost manufacturing method, it’s extremely rare.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan sensed something familiar.
“Flight Battle Technique: Thunder Bat Celestial Wings!” The auctioneer shook the scroll, revealing a pair of miniature, ghostly black bat wings.
*As expected…* Xiao Yan gazed at the exquisite bat wings, exhaling deeply.
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