The burly man radiating black light was none other than the Xuanwu Tyrant. The other demonic figure, known as Lihuo, was naturally the Flood Dragon King Lihuo, one of the Seven Great Demon Kings.
For this auction to be announced by these two figures was truly unexpected for many.
However, once the Xuanwu Tyrant and the Flood Dragon King Lihuo descended from the high platform, a silver-haired elder in white robes stepped forward.
Following him were two rows of attendants carrying trays, each covered tightly with golden cloth.
“I, Tianyanzi, am responsible for presiding over this auction. I hope all fellow Daoists will lend their support!” The elder clasped his hands slightly toward the crowd in the hall and chuckled.
“Haha, with Fellow Daoist Tianyan overseeing this auction, we can rest assured!”
“Indeed! Brother Tianyan’s discerning eye is renowned among both races!”
As soon as the elder spoke, many cultivators below responded enthusiastically. Clearly, this mid-stage Void Refinement cultivator, Tianyanzi, held considerable prestige.
The white-robed elder smiled again, bowed once more to the surroundings, and then said directly, “Since all fellow Daoists have traveled far to be here, I won’t waste time with idle words. Let the auction begin! Attendants, bring out the first item.”
With a wave of his hand, the foremost attendant stepped forward carefully, raising the tray above his head and presenting it respectfully to the elder.
The elder flicked his finger, lifting the golden cloth to reveal a shimmering silver crystal.
The crystal was only the size of a fist, but its surface bore intricate natural patterns, with silver light flickering within as if countless silver threads were embedded inside, making it extraordinarily beautiful.
“A top-tier metal-attribute forging material—Silverthread Crystal. This crystal is only found in the White Jade Gorge in the far east of the human race’s territory. The annual yield is typically less than half of what you see here, highlighting its rarity. Adding even half an ounce of this to a flying sword can drastically enhance its sharpness, surpassing other treasures of the same tier. If an entire artifact is forged from this material, it could even evolve into a spirit treasure. The starting bid is three million spirit stones, with increments of no less than one hundred thousand. Begin!” Tianyanzi briefly introduced the item before announcing the start of bidding.
While this Silverthread Crystal held little interest for Body Integration cultivators like Han Li, it was highly coveted by Nascent Soul and Void Refinement cultivators.
After all, the White Jade Gorge was directly controlled by Xuanwu City, and its meager output was usually consumed internally. The appearance of such a large piece immediately drew countless eager gazes.
“Four million!”
“Four and a half million!”
“Five million!”
A flurry of bids quickly appeared on the luminous screen above the platform via the auction disks.
In the end, an unknown demonic cultivator covered in black fur secured it for a staggering seven million three hundred thousand spirit stones.
This outcome left many human cultivators frustrated.
It was common knowledge that demons were not particularly skilled in artifact forging, so for one to spend such an exorbitant amount on the Silverthread Crystal was unexpected.
Since the auction began with forging materials, the subsequent items were also rare treasures of the same category—either rare materials for crafting demonic armor or essential components for other magical artifacts.
However, after several rounds, the expressions of most in the hall shifted subtly.
Seven or eight consecutive items were all won by the same black-furred demon at astonishingly high prices, as if he cared nothing for the cost, flaunting his immense wealth.
Clad in a hazy yellow robe that obscured his features except for his exposed arms, the demon’s appearance was vaguely menacing but indistinct.
Of course, this concealment only worked against Nascent Soul and Void Refinement cultivators. For a Body Integration cultivator like Han Li, a slight exertion of divine sense could pierce through the robe’s obscuring effect.
“A Black Wolf Demon, and only at the early Void Refinement stage. How can he be so extravagant? Could he be someone of importance in the wolf tribe?” Han Li murmured, his eyes flashing with blue light as he frowned.
Though Qilingzi and Haidashao heard him clearly, they dared not interject, having no insight into the matter.
Then, when a piece of fiery-red silk, woven as if from flames, was presented by an attendant, the crowd below erupted in excitement.
“Crystalflame Silk! It’s fabric woven from Crystalflame Silk!”
“Incredible!”
“Such extravagance!”
Many stared at the red silk in shock, while others openly displayed greed, as if itching to snatch it from the platform.
“Master, what is Crystalflame Silk? Why does everyone seem to covet it?” Haidashao couldn’t help but ask.
“No wonder you don’t know. Crystalflame Silk isn’t a human product—it’s a unique material from the Black Phoenix tribe. It’s said to be spun from the silk of fire-dwelling insects that can only produce a single strand in their lifetime. Moreover, these insects are only found in a specific volcanic region controlled by the Black Phoenixes, making it even rarer than the Silverthread Crystal. Fire-attribute artifacts crafted from this silk, when worn by cultivators practicing fire-attribute techniques, can slightly boost cultivation speed. Additionally, such artifacts greatly enhance fire-attribute abilities. Many here likely specialize in fire techniques, hence their excitement.” Han Li smiled and patiently explained.
“I see. No wonder they’re so worked up,” Qilingzi chimed in with a grin.
By then, Tianyanzi had announced the starting bid for the Crystalflame Silk, sparking a frenzy of offers far surpassing previous items.
Within moments, the price had doubled, reaching astronomical figures.
Naturally, the fervor cooled, leaving only five or six bidders locked in a stalemate—including the black-furred demon.
Unsurprisingly, the Black Wolf Demon secured it with another sky-high bid, drawing even more attention—and hostile glares—from both races.
Just then, the white-robed elder’s voice redirected the crowd’s focus.
“Many fellow Daoists are no strangers to the Wanbao Auction’s unique structure. Unlike conventional auctions, we distribute our most prized items across the early, middle, and late stages. What we present now is one such treasure, guaranteed not to disappoint.”
With two claps, a stunningly beautiful young maid ascended the platform, carrying a half-foot-long emeraldwood box. She handed it to Tianyanzi with a charming smile.
The elder’s expression turned solemn as he carefully accepted the box and addressed the crowd.
“While some may have heard of it, few have seen the legendary Weeping Spirit Bloodwood. This box contains a small segment. Its uses are vast—it serves as an auxiliary material for several supreme divine abilities, can directly craft second avatars or substitute puppets, and is the primary ingredient for the famed ‘Bloodtear Spirit Pearl.’”
At his words, most looked bewildered, but a handful erupted in joy.
“Weeping Spirit Bloodwood? Isn’t that a sacred relic of the Spirit Race? How could it appear in an auction between our two races?”
Those familiar with its origins couldn’t help exclaiming in shock.
Han Li’s expression flickered slightly as he sensed divine fluctuations from the third-floor private rooms—clearly, many Body Integration cultivators were intrigued.
“As for its origins, I cannot say. But I assure you, this segment is genuine.” The elder opened the box, releasing a surge of bloody mist that coiled like a crimson serpent in the air.
Taking a deep breath, Tianyanzi’s eyes flashed gold as he reached into the box and retrieved a twisted, black-red wood segment, half a foot long and thumb-thick.
Dull yet exuding continuous strands of blood mist, the wood seemed almost alive as the mist writhed upward.
“A Substitute Puppet…” Han Li narrowed his eyes.
He had heard of the Weeping Spirit Bloodwood—a mutated remnant of a wood-attribute Spirit Race being, exceedingly rare even among spirits.
While the second avatar and Bloodtear Spirit Pearl were renowned, what truly interested him was the Substitute Puppet.
Though he could craft Substitute Talismans, their efficacy had diminished as his cultivation advanced. No matter how long he nurtured them, their substitution effects were now limited.
The Substitute Puppet, however, was a legendary treasure among humans, capable of warding off calamities even for Body Integration cultivators.
Yet, it was a one-time consumable, requiring precise timing to activate—too early or too late, and it would be wasted.
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