Soon after, Master Withered Wood held a solemn expression as he personally brought out a tray, with a fabric shimmering in spirit light slightly undulating, as if concealing two pulsating stars.
"Creak—"
The lock on the tray's restriction clicked softly, and at the moment Master Withered Wood's finger infused with spiritual power flicked the fabric open, two distinctly different halos exploded forth.
The jade bottle on the left was entirely white, its body covered in a thin layer of frost, hinting at an icy-clear liquid inside, none other than Snow Spirit Water.
The jade bottle on the right was crimson like flames, with sparks seemingly flowing over its surface. A wave of heat rushed forth upon approaching, revealing it as Celestial Fire Liquid.
"One set each of Snow Spirit Water and Celestial Fire Liquid..."
Master Withered Wood's voice, amplified with mana, pierced through the noisy auction hall:
"The starting bid is fifty thousand middle-grade spirit stones, and each increment must not be less than one thousand!"
Before he finished speaking, a gasp ran through the audience, as all the Foundation Establishment cultivators' eyes were fixed on a few of their peers in the front row.
One among them couldn't help but exclaim:
"Such spiritual objects!"
Inside the private box.
Chen Sheng's gaze burned passionately as he looked at the red and white bottles, his throat moving slightly.
Since coming to Yue Country, he truly realized how impoverished Chu Country really was!
De parasieten verlaten het lichaam! Doe het voor het slapen gaanOpen
To put it like this, Profound Water True Crystals, things that only exist in the Secret Realms of the Three Sects, monopolized by the main branches of the Three Sects of Chu Country, and almost never released.
They frequently appear in the affiliated commerce associations of the major Nascent Soul influences in Yue Country. While they aren't always in stock, they aren't considered too rare and are almost a standard commodity!
Now, at an auction in just a Market, Chen Sheng even saw Snow Spirit Water and Celestial Fire Liquid.
These spiritual objects are legendary in Chu Country, only documented in records—the acknowledged best solution among all the Core Formation spiritual objects.
Now they were grandly appearing at a Market auction!
Chen Sheng sighed inwardly, a hint of complexity in his eyes. He was too aware of the value of these two items:
"No wonder there are so many Golden Core cultivators in Yue Country!"
"Water and Fire Refining Golden Core, these two items can almost perfectly harmonize the dragon and tiger, solidifying mana!"
"If I had these two items when I achieved Foundation Establishment Perfection, forming a Golden Core would have been almost guaranteed. Why would I need to refine an Evil Pill?"
On the high platform.
Master Withered Wood stroked his long beard, his voice steady yet enticing:
"As you all know, the Water and Fire Refining Golden Core is among the top-tier aids. Apart from the legendary Five Elements Golden Core Pill, it is the best."
"For Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivators, regardless of the quality of their spiritual root, the probability of forming a Golden Core can at least rise to fifty percent."
He paused, sweeping his gaze over the private boxes, then added:
"With the aid of a Dust-Reduction Pill, this probability can reach seventy to eighty percent!"
Chen Sheng raised his brow slightly:
"Dust-Reduction Pill?"
He had never heard of this name and immediately etched these three characters into the jade scroll he carried.
He nodded slightly; it seemed he had to thoroughly research the pill formula collections of Yue Country upon returning.
...
By now, the auction hall had become a boiling cauldron, with an incredibly heated atmosphere.
"Fifty-one thousand!"
"Fifty-two thousand!"
The bids rose and fell, initially with Foundation Establishment cultivators competing fiercely. But after three rounds, a cold voice suddenly came from Box Three: "Sixty thousand!"
This voice carried the pressure of a Golden Core cultivator, and the hall fell silent.
The Foundation Establishment cultivators who were just bidding looked at each other; even if they pooled all their wealth together, they probably couldn't gather sixty thousand middle-grade spirit stones.
Without the need for coercion from the Golden Core cultivator, their ample financial resources alone crushed any thoughts of resistance, leaving them with helpless expressions as they dejectedly sat down.
But the contest inside the private boxes had only just begun.
"Seventy thousand, Fellow Daoist Zhang, you're a loose cultivator and a lone soul, what use have you for these two items? Why compete with us family men?"
"Eighty thousand, bah, who is a lone soul? I just took a beautiful disciple a few days ago who will accompany me for centuries, naturally preparing these for her."
The price soared rapidly, quickly surpassing one hundred thousand middle-grade spirit stones!
Listening to the ever-changing numbers, Chen Sheng felt the urge to join in the bid.
The spirit stones in his storage ring were naturally insufficient, but if he sold the demon beast core, body, Tier Three spirit armor, and the items he just bought...
He could pool some together, perhaps even make a bid.
If he managed to win them and send them back to Chu Country, leave them in the Secret Mansion, even if he perished in this life, he would have almost guaranteed himself a Golden Core in the next life with these two items.
Yet as soon as the thought arose, he suppressed it.
After such a hard journey to Yue Country, why gamble everything on two spiritual objects he couldn't use immediately?
Once he joined a Nascent Soul Sect, such spiritual objects would probably be within reach.
He had no need to risk everything for temporarily unusable items!
"One hundred twenty thousand!"
Upon hearing this price come from a private box, Chen Sheng shook his head completely, settling down entirely. Even if he exhausted everything, he couldn't rival such a price.
He couldn't possibly sell his Lifebound Flying Sword, could he?
Moreover, seeing the current trend, even selling it wouldn't rally enough.
Chen Sheng looked at the Core Formation cultivators in the arena, now red-faced from shouting, and understood their plight.
The top families and sects in Yue Country needed at least one Tier Three master to preside, whether a Golden Core or a Fake Pill.
Once that line broke, disaster would ensue!
These people were competing not just for spiritual objects, but for the survival of their families and sects.
Chen Sheng glanced at the Foundation Establishment cultivators below who wore helpless expressions, recalling those from Chu Country. He sighed softly:
"These Foundation Establishment cultivators in Yue Country, though they can't outbid Core Formation cultivators at auctions, are far more fortunate than the cultivators of Chu Country."
"Even if the Water and Fire Refining Golden Core isn't available, they can purchase other Core Formation spiritual objects through commerce channels, with even spiritual objects like the Profound Water True Crystal."
"Unlike the cultivators of Chu Country, the Profound Water True Crystal is only enjoyed by the core and most talented true inheritors of the Three Sects, and even the lowest quality Core Formation Spiritual Objects have to be fought over at auction and often fail to win!"
Chen Sheng couldn't help but recall the last life when he and Senior Brother Li Yuan attended the Cyan Wood Commerce Association's auction, that "Celestial Cyan Profound Water" which could increase the chance of Half-Formed Core Formation, and the intense looks from all the Foundation Establishment cultivators present.
This is the only chance in their lifetime for ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators of Chu Country to see a Core Formation Spiritual Object!
Chen Sheng sighed to himself:
"Being born in Yue Country means winning over ninety-nine percent of Chu Country's cultivators!"
A dog raised by Yang Jian would be a Sun-devouring Divine Monarch in the mortal world.
...
The auction for these two types of Core Formation Spiritual Objects finally came to an end.
In the end, the Snow Spirit Water and Celestial Fire Liquid were bought for a price of one hundred and fifty thousand spirit stones by a cultivator of indistinguishable gender in box number nine.
The entire venue paused for a moment, but Master Withered Wood instead took a deep breath, his gaze sweeping over the entire venue:
"Next, is the last item of this auction!"
With the last word, three deep and abyssal auras suddenly emerged from the backstage, pressing down the venue's spiritual qi into a pause.
Three figures slowly stepped out, they were unexpectedly three old men with crane-white hair and youthful faces, with features marked by ravines, but their eyes shone like cold stars, and the spiritual power waves around them far surpassed ordinary Golden Core cultivators, all were late-stage Golden Core cultivators!
People in the boxes recognized them one after another.
Artsen zijn verbijsterd: deze groente verbrandt vet terwijl je slaapt!Open
"The Black Water Three Elders, these are figures from the elder generation, and they haven't passed on yet!"
"By estimation, the three of them should be over five hundred years old, it seems they have taken Longevity Elixirs!"
"Understandable, these three, when teamed up, are the top tier combat force below the Nascent Soul stage."
In the boxes with the smallest number plates, the figures who were either sipping spirit tea or resting with eyes closed, now sat up straight.
In box number one, Venerable Profound Fire's hand stopped mid-air as he stroked his beard, a sharp light flashing in his eyes as he thought to himself:
"It's finally here... I'm just not sure what kind of Nascent Soul Spiritual Object it is."
"It probably isn't anything good, otherwise the Black Water Profound Mansion wouldn't let it out."
By now, the Black Water Three Elders were protecting a purple-gold tray as they walked onto the platform.
Seeing this, Master Withered Wood hurriedly bowed in salute:
"Greetings to the three martial uncles."
The three elders just nodded lightly, their gazes sweeping like eagle and falcon across the boxes, bringing an invisible pressure.
Master Withered Wood then turned to the crowd, his voice carrying unprecedented solemnity:
"Everyone knows, Nascent Soul cultivators are called Great Divine Power Users, and when seeking a breakthrough, the heavens will cast down many tribulations, and those that can have even a slight effect in them are supreme opportunities, known as Nascent Soul Spiritual Objects."
He slowly uncovered the red cloth on the tray.
A palm-sized reishi appeared in full view, jade green all over, the margins of its cap glistening with a faint golden light, and dots of spirit light flowing on each petal.
Master Withered Wood pointed at the reishi to introduce:
"This is the Celestial Spirit Green Cloud Reishi!"
"It is the main material for refining the Celestial Spirit Infant Pill. After breaking the Golden Core and condensing the Nascent Soul, cultivators can use this pill to quickly stabilize the Nascent Soul, which is also beneficial to the subsequent Heart Demon Tribulation and Celestial Thunder Tribulation!"
The boxes suddenly erupted in an uproar, the faces of many Golden Core cultivators changed dramatically:
"Nascent Soul Spiritual Object!"
"Has the Black Water Commerce Association gone mad? They're even auctioning such things?"
Several powerful spiritual power fluctuations spread uncontrollably, one mid-stage Golden Core figure carried a hint of anger:
"If I'd known such a treasure was here, I wouldn't have bid on those magical treasures earlier!"
Chen Sheng sat in the box, clearly feeling the tension in the surrounding air.
The pressure from each Golden Core cultivator unconsciously emitted, the mana almost bursting out of the body.
To break through a minor bottleneck, cultivators could still go mad, let alone for such a major gateway like Nascent Soul Formation?
Some hands had already pressed on the magical treasures at their waists, ready to join forces and grab at the slightest disagreement.
The Foundation Establishment cultivators below were already drenched in sweat, their legs heavy as if filled with lead after being swept by those Golden Core auras, many regretting so much that their intestines turned green.
If they had known such a treasure was the finale, they should have left as soon as the Snow Spirit Water auction ended; why stay and suffer here?
"Humph!"
At this moment, the Black Water Three Elders simultaneously let out a cold snort, a sound like ice spikes piercing through the air.
Countless runes suddenly lit up around the high platform, and a translucent barrier instantly enveloped the entire venue, the buzzing of the restriction's operation was clearly audible.
This protective barrier bore the spiritual power of late-stage Golden Core, forcibly suppressing the rampant pressure.
Only then did the Golden Core cultivators in the boxes regain some sense, sheepishly withdrawing their pressure, but their eyes remained fixed on the Celestial Spirit Green Cloud Reishi, as if they wanted to swallow it whole.
Chen Sheng gently shook his head, how similar was this scene to the cultivators of Chu Country facing a Core Formation Spiritual Object?
"A mirror image of Yue Country, only changing the challenge from Core Formation to Nascent Soul Formation!"
As far as he knew, there were three tribulations for Nascent Soul—Pill Shattering, Heart Demon, and Celestial Thunder!
Pill Shattering is foundational, Heart Demon tests the Dao Heart, Celestial Thunder is the tribulation to cross!
This Solid Infant Pill seems glorious, yet it has no direct auxiliary effect on the three tribulations, the assistance is probably negligible.
But the Golden Core cultivators here reacted so intensely, as if possessed.
It goes to show the difficulty of Nascent Soul Formation in this cultivation realm!
...
In box number one, Venerable Profound Fire's eyes also burned with heat, he was almost of the same era as the Black Water Three Elders, and had naturally also consumed Longevity Pills long ago.
If he could not condense a Nascent Soul soon, he would have no choice but to pass on!
"The Celestial Spirit Infant Pill is decent, although not against direct tribulations, it's still better than that foolish Heart Demon Pill! My Dao Heart is solid, why fear Heart Demons?"
Although in the cultivation world, it was always said that the Heart Demon Tribulation was the hardest barrier for a cultivator.
But Venerable Profound Fire, having cultivated up to now with merely a Middle Grade Spiritual Root, was most proud of his steadfast Dao Heart, fearing no Heart Demon at all!
In a nearby box, Master Celestial Puppet was also filled with excitement, saying to his Junior Brother Master Qianji:
"How much spirit stones can be used from the market warehouse?"
Master Qianji calculated with his fingers, then whispered:
"About forty thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones, plus a few Tier Three Magical Treasures, we can at most gather eighty thousand."
Master Celestial Puppet frowned deeply:
"Not enough, send a message back, and also mortgage the mining rights of those Tier Three Spirit Vein ores from the sect, to gather at least a hundred and fifty thousand Middle Grade Spirit Stones, no matter what, we must obtain this item!"
...
On the high platform.
Once the venue slightly settled, Master Withered Wood spoke again:
"Considering the great value of this item, some fellow daoists may not have been able to prepare enough spirit stones, so we will adopt a dark bidding model!"
He directly ignored the Foundation Establishment cultivators below and spoke to the cultivators in the boxes:
"Everyone can input their bids using the box tokens, spirit stones, magical treasures, spiritual objects, and cultivation techniques can all be converted, and we will contact the bidder later."
Inside the boxes.
Chen Sheng had no interest in inputting anything, not believing he could match up to the late-stage, Golden Core Perfection cultivators with substantial wealth.
Besides the Hundred Generations Book, the only thing he could think of with enough value was his own seed.
He had no qualms about entering the high-end market.
But it had to be under his control, if he were to be captured, made to breed without freedom, just to exchange for some spiritual object that did not significantly benefit him, he was unwilling!
Moreover, the atmosphere of the venue had reached an extreme tension, the air seemed filled with gunpowder, one misstep and it could ignite a conflict.
Chen Sheng glanced outside the window, seeing that some Foundation Establishment cultivators were already quietly leaving during the dark bidding interval, he decided to imitate them, slipping away early.
He tapped on the token with his fingertip, unlocking the box restriction, and preemptively paid the spirit stones and the items he had won, placing the acquired spiritual objects into his storage ring.
Chen Sheng exited the auction house doors, then concealed his aura to the Foundation Establishment Stage, transforming into a rather ordinary cyan-gray escape light, blending into the departing crowd.
After a few ups and downs, he disappeared into the depths of the market's intersecting streets, heading toward his own cave abode.