Millions of spirit stones were now just a simple number for the three True Spirit scales. Everyone harbored the delusion of having their cultivation leap overnight.
After all, once one reaches the Spirit Transformation stage, each subsequent advancement is excruciatingly difficult. Most Spirit Transformation cultivators remain stuck at the initial stage for their entire lives.
Now that this dream was within reach, it was no wonder the cultivators were so frenzied without hesitation.
But no matter how maddening the temptation, there was always a limit where one had to sober up.
When the bidding price broke through 25 million spirit stones, only a handful of cultivators dared to continue.
Only three remained in the final struggle.
One of them was unmistakably the same cultivator who had previously purchased the True Toad Spirit Blood, his voice still languid.
The other two were an extremely aged voice and a cold yet melodious one, likely an elderly man and a young female cultivator, respectively.
The three of them raised the bid by a million each in rapid succession, quickly approaching the astronomical price of 30 million.
When the languid voice finally called out 30 million, the voices of the female cultivator and the old man abruptly ceased.
It seemed this price had exceeded their limits, leaving them no choice but to fall silent in unwillingness.
The cultivators watched the auction platform with varied expressions. There, the numbers on the massive Dharma Disk flickered, and when they turned completely crimson-gold, the ownership of the item would be settled.
“Thirty-one million.”
An exceptionally calm voice suddenly spoke.
The unfamiliar words stunned the hall, and soon, everyone reveled in schadenfreude.
It seemed even at this astronomical price, the True Spirit scales still hadn’t found their owner.
Many cultivators immediately turned their gazes toward another floating chamber in the air.
Inside that chamber, Han Li sat leisurely.
“Thirty-two million.”
The languid voice sounded slightly surprised.
“Thirty-three million.”
Han Li raised the bid without hesitation.
“Thirty-four million.”
The languid voice hesitated before speaking again.
“Thirty-five million.”
Many cultivators in the hall gasped.
Even for True Spirit scales, this price was bordering on madness. It was comparable to the lowest-ranked treasures on the Chaos Myriad Spirit Ranking.
“Thirty-five million? Hmph! Fellow Daoist Chi, I suspect this person doesn’t actually possess so many spirit stones and is merely causing trouble. Shouldn’t you verify whether he can truly afford this?” The languid voice suddenly turned cold.
“After the bidding concludes, I will personally verify this matter. But until then, I will not interrupt the auction. Please continue bidding, both of you.” Elder Chi remained unmoved, smiling faintly.
Clearly, without knowing the identities of the two bidders, he wouldn’t easily offend either.
“Since Brother Chi insists, I will withdraw. Let’s see if this fellow Daoist can truly produce 35 million in collateral.” The languid voice, now irritated, spoke sarcastically and ceased bidding.
Once the numbers on the Dharma Disk turned crimson-gold, the white-robed elder immediately declared the three True Spirit scales belonged to Han Li. He then personally flew toward Han Li’s floating chamber, accompanied by a woman holding a wooden box.
Pausing before the chamber, the elder flipped his hand, revealing a cyan token.
With a light wave toward the rune-covered chamber, he stepped inside, followed silently by the plainly dressed woman.
Upon entering, Elder Chi glanced at Han Li, enveloped in white light, and smiled before cupping his hands. “I’ve delivered the treasure. It’s time for you to pay. If you have collateral, Fellow Daoist He and I will assess its value. If you feel it’s undervalued, I can invite two other experts for a second opinion.”
The white-robed elder was exceedingly polite.
“I have no reason to doubt your judgment, Brother Chi and Fellow Daoist He. Please appraise this.”
Han Li’s gaze lingered on the wooden box in the woman’s hands before flicking his sleeve and producing a prepared half-foot-long brocade box. He chuckled.
As someone who had seen countless treasures, the white-robed elder nodded and took the box, opening it casually.
A refreshing fragrance wafted out. The elder’s body trembled violently, his eyes glued to the contents.
“Ten-thousand-year spirit herb!”
The elder inhaled sharply, finally tearing his gaze away, but his expression toward Han Li turned peculiar.
Hearing “ten-thousand-year spirit herb,” the woman’s heart also raced. She stepped forward and peered into the jade box.
Inside, bathed in milky-white light, lay a snow-white herb several inches long, its surface shimmering with rune-like patterns.
“Ten-thousand-year spirit patterns! It truly resembles a ten-thousand-year herb, but its authenticity requires further verification,” the woman said after a long look.
“I’m not as skilled as Fellow Daoist He in appraising herbs. Please examine it.” The white-robed elder spoke courteously.
The woman nodded, storing the brocade box. With a flip of her hand, she produced a slender green jade ruler, about a foot long, inscribed with over twenty spiral-like patterns.
She raised the ruler and gently tapped the herb in the jade box.
As soon as the ruler touched the herb’s milky-white glow, it emitted a low hum. The spiral patterns on the ruler lit up one after another.
A dazzling emerald radiance burst forth!
When the light stopped at the eleventh pattern, the woman’s impassive face finally showed surprise.
After re-examining the herb, she confirmed, “It is indeed a ten-thousand-year spirit herb—specifically, an 11,000-year-old Snow Flood Dragon Grass. This herb is already rare, and after ten thousand years, its value surpasses ordinary ten-thousand-year herbs by at least half. I estimate it’s worth around seven million spirit stones.”
“Seven million. That aligns with my estimate. Do you have any objections?” The white-robed elder turned to Han Li.
“I accept the price. Please take these as collateral for my bid.” Han Li’s wrist flashed with cyan light as he produced four more jade boxes, tossing them over calmly.
The white-robed elder caught them and opened each one.
Despite his efforts to remain composed, his eyelids twitched uncontrollably.
“All ten-thousand-year spirit herbs?” His voice was slightly hoarse.
“Does your auction house not accept such herbs?” Han Li chuckled.
“Fellow Daoist jests.” The elder laughed heartily, his gaze filled with undisguised astonishment.
The woman, too, was half-doubting.
She meticulously appraised each herb.
Her face soon mirrored disbelief.
While a single ten-thousand-year herb paled in rarity compared to True Spirit scales, its utility was unparalleled. It was a crucial ingredient or catalyst for all Spirit Transformation-level elixirs, perpetually in high demand among high-level cultivators.
Moreover, its inherent value made it the second-best currency after spirit stones. No shop would ever refuse it.
“Since Fellow Daoist He has verified them, these herbs are genuine. The three True Spirit scales are yours.” The white-robed elder retrieved the brocade box and handed it to Han Li with a smile.
“I won’t stand on ceremony. Hmm… yes, they’re genuine.” Han Li nonchalantly grabbed the box from the air, inspecting it briefly before nodding in satisfaction.
Though curious about Han Li’s abundance of ten-thousand-year herbs, the elder said nothing more. He collected the herbs and left with the woman, returning to the auction platform.
The cultivators outside had waited only as long as a meal. Given their patience for months-long meditation, this delay was trivial.
But as soon as Elder Chi and the woman emerged, all eyes turned to them, eager to know if the True Spirit scales had been successfully traded.
“Fellow Daoists, rest assured. The transaction is complete. Next, we auction an item even more valuable than the True Spirit scales—a Chaos Myriad Spirit Ranking treasure: the Heaven Connecting Treasure ‘Tranquil Sea Halberd.’ Starting bid: 20 million!” The white-robed elder wasted no time announcing the next item.
The ruddy-faced elder stepped forward, producing a short halberd radiating blue light.
The cultivators’ enthusiasm was no less fervent. After a brief demonstration of its miraculous powers, fierce bidding erupted.
Meanwhile, Han Li held a black-green scale, scrutinizing it intently, utterly indifferent to the Heaven Connecting Treasure outside.
The halberd eventually sold for 35 million to an unknown cultivator.
Finally, the auction’s last item was about to begin.
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