“Hehe, who would have thought that even half a Xuantian treasure would attract so many fellow Daoists to compete for it. Do you all have the confidence to find the matching Yang Banner? Aren’t you afraid that instead of bringing fortune, it might bring calamity to your clans?” A hoarse female voice suddenly sneered, echoing across the square.
“In that case, Fairy Gu, why bother bidding for it? Just hand it over to us,” a sharp voice retorted rudely.
“Hand it over to you? Does the Stone Ogre Clan have the stomach to swallow a Xuantian treasure? Aren’t you afraid of bursting your belly?” The hoarse woman replied dismissively.
“If the Stone Ogre Clan doesn’t have the appetite, I wonder if the Ephemera Clan, in Fairy Gu’s eyes, can handle this treasure,” a sinister elderly voice suddenly rang out from one of the floating pavilions.
“Ephemera Clan!”
Upon hearing this, the expressions of most Grand Ascension elders changed drastically.
“The Ephemera Clan is indeed a first-rate power on the Tianyuan Continent, but our Tianming Clan is no small fry either. If it were any other item, we might concede to your esteemed clan, but as for this Xuantian treasure, this old woman is determined to have it today,” the hoarse woman replied coldly after a moment of silence.
“Good, very good. Since none of you are willing to back down, let’s see who can offer the highest price. After all, this is the Helian Trade Alliance’s auction, and victory is determined by wealth. I’ve already bid the current price. If no one raises it further, this half of the Heaven-Overturning Banner will remain in my hands,” the old man chuckled.
“One and a half billion spirit stones!”
This time, the hoarse woman called out an astonishing price without hesitation.
“One and a half billion? Fellow Daoist Gu, do you even have that many spirit stones? Or have you already converted your treasures into the bid?” the Ephemera Clan elder said darkly.
“What’s wrong with converting treasures? This old woman may not have many spirit stones, but she has plenty of useless treasures that can be put to good use,” the hoarse woman sneered.
“In that case, I’ll join in as well—one point eight billion spirit stones,” the Stone Ogre Clan Grand Ascension elder spoke up again.
“One point eight five billion!”
“One point nine billion!”
Such exorbitant prices caused the other interested Grand Ascension elders to frown and fall silent. Some wealthy old monsters, realizing they couldn’t truly keep the half Xuantian treasure even if they won it, reluctantly withdrew as well.
For a time, only these three formidable Grand Ascension elders continued to bid relentlessly.
On the stone platform, Hu Yushuang stood smiling, patiently waiting for the final outcome.
“Senior Han, don’t you want this Heaven-Overturning Banner?” Xue Po couldn’t help but ask.
Since his initial bid, Han Li had remained silent, which surprised both women.
“While this treasure is indeed valuable, spending such a fortune to bring it back might not be wise. After all, an incomplete Xuantian treasure won’t immediately boost our human race’s strength. Instead, it would draw unwanted attention from major powers. Our human and demon races lack the foundation to bear such risks. It’s best not to stick our necks out,” Han Li replied leisurely, showing no sign of tension. To him, the treasure seemed truly optional.
“You’re right. If our human race were to acquire such a prestigious but impractical treasure, it would be more trouble than it’s worth. It’s a pity the Heaven-Overturning Banner isn’t complete—otherwise, Senior might have competed for it,” Xue Po said regretfully.
“Hehe, if it were a complete Xuantian treasure, it could directly summon an ancient true spirit to guard our race. The human race would instantly rise to a mid-tier power, expanding both population and territory without fear. With such benefits, I wouldn’t mind taking some risks. But as it stands, it’s not worth it,” Han Li added before falling silent.
Knowing Han Li wouldn’t compete for the half Xuantian treasure, Xue Po and Zhu Guo’er lost much of their interest in the ongoing bidding.
In the end, the half Xuantian treasure was won by the Ephemera Clan elder for a staggering two and a half billion spirit stones. The other Grand Ascension elders could only watch helplessly as a Trade Alliance elder delivered the Heaven-Overturning Banner to the Ephemera Clan’s pavilion.
After a full tea’s time, the Trade Alliance elder emerged with a satisfied expression, indicating the Ephemera Clan elder had indeed exhausted most of his wealth to secure the treasure, forcing him to withdraw from further auctions. Moreover, his journey home would likely be fraught with danger.
Meanwhile, on the platform, the woman removed the restrictions from another silver tray held by a palace-robed maiden, revealing a palm-sized jade box.
With a flick of her wrist, the box opened, and a thick golden beam shot into the sky, revealing a shimmering golden page covered in faintly glowing runes—each exuding a soul-shaking aura. It was unmistakably a page from the Golden Jade Book of the Immortal Realm, inscribed with the unique golden seal script of the heavens.
“This is one of the thirty-six original inner pages of the Golden Jade Book. Our alliance guarantees its authenticity—not a replica—and that the immortal technique recorded within is fully cultivatable. However, we will not disclose its name or specific effects. Whether you wish to purchase it is entirely up to you,” Hu Yushuang announced.
The crowd buzzed with excitement, though the commotion was less intense than for the Heaven-Overturning Banner. Still, far more people seemed interested.
“Fairy Hu, your refusal to name the technique suggests it has flaws or restrictions, doesn’t it? Otherwise, why be so vague?” the Tianming Clan Grand Ascension elder remarked coolly, dampening the enthusiasm of many.
“Senior, please understand. We withhold the name to protect the eventual owner’s interests. As for flaws, aside from requiring longer cultivation time, there are no other restrictions,” Hu Yushuang replied firmly.
“With your alliance’s reputation, I suppose we can trust that,” the elder chuckled before falling silent.
After a few more questions, Hu Yushuang announced the bidding would start at one hundred million spirit stones.
“One hundred fifty million!”
“One hundred seventy million!”
“Two hundred million!”
This time, even before the Grand Ascension elders joined, the crowd erupted with bids.
“Hmph, such paltry sums won’t secure a Golden Jade Book page. Three hundred million!” a Grand Ascension elder from a pavilion declared, sharply raising the price.
“What a coincidence. I, too, am quite interested in this Golden Jade Book. Six hundred million! If anyone bids even one spirit stone more, they can have it. But let me remind you all—since Fairy Hu mentioned this immortal technique requires extensive time to cultivate, it’s likely we’d only use it for reference. Consider carefully whether it’s worth such a fortune,” the Stone Ogre Clan elder said, doubling the price and casting doubt on its practicality.
This gave the other interested Grand Ascension elders pause. Such a price for an uncertain technique was indeed steep.
“In that case, I’ll bid six hundred ten million,” a male voice rang out—Han Li’s.
Xue Po and Zhu Guo’er exchanged surprised glances.
“Hmph, since you’re willing to pay such a price, I’ll honor my word and concede,” the Stone Ogre Clan elder said tersely, withdrawing.
“Thank you for yielding,” Han Li replied calmly.
“Excellent! This senior has bid six hundred ten million. If no one raises the price by the count of three, the item is his. One…” Hu Yushuang beamed. The Golden Jade Book page had far exceeded expectations.
No further bids came, and the page was delivered to Han Li by a Trade Alliance elder. After paying, Han Li stored it without a glance and settled back to await the final auction item—the true highlight of the event.
As tradition dictated, the last item would be the most valuable, which was why some Grand Ascension elders had conserved their resources, unwilling to miss the chance.
At the center of the square, the beautiful woman took a deep breath and approached the third palace-robed maiden. With a flick of her finger, the silver light screen split open, revealing the final treasure.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage