A hushed whisper moved through the crowd like a chill wind. "That must be Lao Mii. Seems like he's nearing the end of his lifespan."
"Indeed," another voice confirmed, low and grim. "His sect suffered some terrible upheaval years ago. Most of their cultivators were wiped out in a single battle, leaving him as their sole Divine Transformation expert. But his years are running out, and his sect has no worthy successors. If he falls, they lose their anchor. They'd be easy prey for the Fallen Ones... or anyone else with a grudge."
"I see..." The understanding in the room was palpable. Under such desperate circumstances, gambling his life for a Divine Transformation Pill wasn't just understandable; it was his only move. Some even wondered if this entire auction had been staged with him in mind. After all, the Frostveil Pavilion was flush with talent, boasting five or six Divine Transformation experts. They had the luxury to spare a pill like this.
"Interesting." Su Min's sharp perception caught all these undercurrents. A faint, knowing smirk touched her lips, but she kept her silence.
She waited calmly while the Divine Transformation Pill was formally handed over to Lao Mii. No sect would dare renege on a transaction like this in front of everyone. The pill's value had already transcended its original purpose; it was a lifeline for an entire sect. Under any other circumstances, a late Divine Transformation expert would never risk his life for it. Desperation made for strange bargains.
"With that concluded," the auctioneer's voice cut through the lingering tension, "we present our final treasure: the Netherfrost Soul Crystal, harvested from the very deepest reaches of the Tianhan Snow Plains!" He gestured, and a crystal was unveiled, shimmering with a cold, internal light. Unique energy patterns and fragments of natural law seemed to swirl just beneath its glassy surface. The moment it was revealed, every Divine Transformation expert in the hall, Su Min included, felt a distinct tremor in their spirit. Very few things could stir them so profoundly, but this crystal was undoubtedly one of them.
"For me," Su Min's mind raced, "this could unlock the vast reserves of energy I haven't fully absorbed." She remembered the Black Tortoise trials, the potent bath of Tortoise and Dragon blood. Not all of that power had settled into her bones; much of it still slept within her, waiting for a key. This crystal was that key. It could complete the process and activate the residual bloodline power thrumming in her veins.
Moreover, the frost crystal seemed to hum with a peculiar allure that called directly to her constitution. The only catch was its exclusivity; it was utterly useless to anyone who wasn't aligned with ice. But for Su Min, it was perfect. Ice and water shared the same origin, and her unique Five Elements Holy Body could assimilate it without a problem. That was the source of the resonance she felt.
"I have to have it."
She had concealed her identity to avoid trouble, but that didn't matter anymore. This crystal's value far outweighed any need for secrecy. A mere Golden Core cultivator had no place in the bidding war that was about to unfold. If exposure was the price, then so be it. At worst, she'd face some unforeseen hassles, and she wasn't exactly defenseless.
"All present have sensed its worth," the auctioneer continued. "However, it only benefits ice-aligned cultivators. Our sect has only two such individuals, hence this surplus. But its value remains immense—we seek no spirit stones. Instead, we'll evaluate offers privately. Interested parties may enter for negotiations."
A silent, understanding nod passed through the powerful figures in the room, Su Min among them. Publicly flaunting your wealth was a good way to get a knife in your back on the way home. Unwanted attention always followed those who possessed treasures they couldn't protect.
Even Su Min faced this dilemma. As an alchemist, she had a small fortune in high-grade pills on her, but only an amount that stayed within the bounds of what her true strength could safeguard. Anyone desperate enough to covet her wares would still find they couldn't overpower her.
As expected, private chambers shielded by powerful anti-detection arrays opened at the side of the hall. Not even Su Min's senses could pierce their veils; these were specialized formations designed to thwart all probing, unless she wanted to launch a full-scale spiritual assault.
"No rush," she murmured to herself. She watched as several Divine Transformation experts entered the chambers, only to exit moments later with deep frowns of frustration. The Frostveil Pavilion was clearly weighing their options, but their visible dissatisfaction suggested the offers were falling short. They seemed to want something very specific, but they weren't spelling it out. This ambiguity was clearly frustrating the bidders. If not for the half-step Dao Comprehension expert overseeing everything, some of them might have been tempted to skip the negotiations and just take the crystal.
Meanwhile, inside the negotiation room...
"Young lady, what brings you here?"
The Frostveil Pavilion's half-step Dao Comprehension elder, Yue Ningzi, regarded Su Min with pure bemusement. Her Golden Core peak cultivation was pathetically insignificant in his eyes, hardly worth a second of his attention. A Golden Core cultivator meddling in an affair of this level was preposterous. A flick of his finger could reduce her to dust. That he remained courteous at all was a testament to his self-restraint. A more temperamental expert would have swatted her out the door the moment she stepped in.
But then—
"Two Divine Transformation Pills," Su Min said, her voice flat and matter-of-fact. "If that's insufficient, I can add more. Alternatively, if you're willing to wait a century, I can provide a seventh-tier pill."
A sharp hiss of indrawn breath. Yue Ningzi trembled. His hand, which had been resting idly on the table, shot out to touch the two pills Su Min had just tossed down as if he needed to confirm they were real. His half-lidded eyes widened comically. He stared at the pills, then at Su Min, his mind momentarily short-circuiting. The cognitive dissonance was overwhelming.
Yet, as a half-step Dao Comprehension expert, his mental reboot took under a second.
He rose to his feet so swiftly his robes rustled, abandoning all pretense of aloofness. He bowed deeply, his expression one of newfound respect. "So it's Grandmaster Su! Forgive this humble one for failing to recognize you earlier! This old man is Yue Ningzi, Frostveil Pavilion's Grand Elder. We're eternally grateful for the Divine Transformation Pill you provided for Han Shuangzi."
In moments, the dynamic had completely flipped. Yue Ningzi was now pouring tea with his own hands and ushering Su Min to the seat of honor. Behind him, the auctioneer stood gaping, his tray nearly slipping from his numb fingers.
There was only one person in this world who could produce two Divine Transformation Pills so casually—and then promise a seventh-tier one within a century. While sixth-tier pills were impressive, they left a man like Yue Ningzi interested but not awed. But a seventh-tier pill... that made his ancient heart race. Among them was the legendary Dao Comprehension Pill—the holy grail for all half-step Dao Comprehension experts like himself. Su Min's promise might be speculative, but its allure was undeniable. The Dao Comprehension Pill's effects were undisputed. And as for the materials, he knew Su Min's cauldron currently held enough for two attempts. Once she reached late Divine Transformation, she'd inevitably try to refine them. What cultivator wouldn't leap at a shortcut that could save them millennia of bitter effort?
"Grandmaster Su..." Yue Ningzi began, his voice cautious. "Might that seventh-tier pill you mentioned be... a Dao Comprehension Pill?"
"If you provide the materials," Su Min replied, her gaze steady and direct. "Especially the core ingredients, which I currently lack. It may take over a century. At my current level, I'd likely only succeed once I've reached late Divine Transformation..." Her meaningful glance finished the sentence for her: Your call.
Yue Ningzi didn't need to think for long. "Since Grandmaster Su desires the crystal, we're honored to oblige. But seventh-tier pills require patience, whereas our current needs are more pressing. Moreover, I recall Grandmaster specializes in fire attributes? This frost crystal..."
"My physique is unique," Su Min interrupted smoothly. "The Five Elements Holy Body accommodates all."
"Ah... I see. Very well." The final piece of the puzzle clicked into place for Yue Ningzi. "We'll relinquish the crystal if Grandmaster can provide three things."
"Name them."
"First, one Divine Transformation Pill now. Second, a life-saving pill for a critical moment. Third, a custom earth-grade magical artifact. And finally, a promise: once Grandmaster reaches late Divine Transformation, a Dao Comprehension Pill—with all materials provided by us."
"Deal."
Su Min agreed without a heartbeat of hesitation. With a wave of her hand, one of the Divine Transformation pills vanished back into her storage ring, while a different pill, glowing with a soft, vital energy, appeared on the table. "This is a Phoenix Renewal Pill. It ensures rapid recovery from near-fatal injuries for anyone at the Divine Transformation stage or below—and that includes a half-step Dao Comprehension expert. As for the artifact, provide the blueprints and the materials, and I will forge it."
Unlike expendable pills, most high-grade artifacts were meant to be heirlooms, passed down for generations. Hence, their scarcity wasn't as acute. In the current era, crafting an earth-grade artifact typically required the skill of a late Dao Comprehension or even a Unity Stage master—unless one wielded a special flame, as Su Min did. Fortunately, artifact forging lacked alchemy's insane precision demands. At her level, with the right schematics and materials, she could manage it.
"Bring the frost crystal for Grandmaster Su!" Yue Ningzi ordered, convinced by Su Min's decisiveness. There was no further haggling. In their world, Su Min's reputation was her bond, and it was stronger than any written contract.
"Marvelous..." Su Min breathed as the crystal was placed in her hands. It was cool and impossibly smooth, a perfect insulator containing a boundless ocean of cold energy. She could feel the bloodline power within her tremble in response, a deep thrum of recognition that confirmed its potency.
"Regarding your identity, Grandmaster Su..." Yue Ningzi ventured.
"Remains confidential," she stated firmly.
"Understood." He turned to the auctioneer. "Announce the auction's conclusion. Say the frost crystal has been acquired by a private bidder. The recipient's identity shall remain undisclosed."
As the auctioneer departed to make the announcement, both occupants faintly heard the wave of murmurs that followed. This theatrical closure was a necessary fiction to protect Su Min's anonymity.
The abrupt ending surprised many, but most approved—such treasures were best transported with discretion. Even if some suspected foul play, a little mystery was far safer than transparency when it came to safeguarding a prize of this magnitude.
"That woman in the common area never came out..." someone muttered in the dispersing crowd. "Did she trade herself for patronage?"
"Who knows? Not that it matters. At most, she secured a Nascent Soul opportunity—well within the Frostveil Pavilion's means to provide."
"Enough speculation. Return and await news. We need to monitor Lao Mii's movements closely."
As the crowd filtered out, already forgetting the anonymous Golden Core woman, Su Min exited through a concealed rear passage, escorted directly into the Frostveil Pavilion's local headquarters. Only a very select few would ever know she had been there at all.