Chapter 620: Spirit Wood in Hand (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Votes)
Chapter 620: Spirit Wood in Hand (Bonus Chapter for Monthly Votes)
The furnishings within the stone chamber were exceedingly simple, consisting only of a set of table, chairs, and meditation mats.
However, directly in front of the stone chamber was a completely transparent crystal, inscribed with unknown forbidden spells, allowing a clear view of every movement on the auction platform.
Fang Xi settled down calmly and discovered a jade slip on the wooden table.
Inside the jade slip was an introduction to some of the items to be auctioned today.
His Divine Consciousness swept across it, revealing a dazzling array of pills: in addition to those suitable for Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation cultivators to augment their magic power, there were also those for healing, detoxification, and even body cultivation, among myriad other effects, an overwhelming display that almost left one unable to take it all in.
According to the auction rules Fang Xi had inquired about, items listed on this auction roster were guaranteed to be auctioned.
Beyond that, there might be some surprises, such as sellers adding a few temporary treasures—many cultivators held valuable artifacts but dared not reveal them publicly, never exposing them until the very last moment.
He scanned through the rows of the catalog, his gaze settling on the final few highlight items.
Fang Xi's eyes brightened slightly.
This 'Huangquan wood' was precisely one of the spiritual materials he had judged most suitable as a flagpole, based on the characteristics of the 'Nine Serenities Netherworld River Sand Grand Array'!
"Huangquan wood is inherently suitable for refining array flags. . . I must not let it slip away if I encounter it."
His gaze shifted downwards, and his expression suddenly changed slightly.
In the final entry of the highlight items, it was clearly written—'Six-rank Return to Void Treasure—Hunyuan Heavenly Luo Umbrella, incomplete, possesses the effect of "lightning nullification"! '
"A Six-rank Return to Void Treasure? !"
Fang Xi's eyes shone brightly; he had seen a treasure of this caliber before.
Back when the Fang Xian Daoist had ascended to Soul Transformation, the 'Fang Xian Dao Palace' had been unsealed, its power far surpassing ordinary Numinous Treasures. It had even been able to momentarily confront another perfected Soul Transformation demonic venerable, even while sealing one.
Although part of this was due to the Fang Xian Daoist's own astonishing talent, allowing him to fight beyond his realm, the Fang Xian Dao Palace was undoubtedly one of the key factors!
Such was the might of a Six-rank Return to Void Treasure!
What's more. . .
"It even has the effect of 'lightning nullification'," Fang Xi murmured.
For cultivators, transcending tribulations was the greatest hurdle in their cultivation journey.
From breaking through to Nascent Soul, to the Soul Transformation heavenly tribulation, and then the great heavenly tribulation when breaking through to Return to Void. . .
As for after Return to Void, a minor heavenly tribulation would descend with every minor realm breakthrough, and a major heavenly tribulation for every major realm!
It could be said that even formidable figures like the Human Race Five Sons, who were Void Amalgamation great experts, or even Great Ascension Rogue Immortals, who could still calmly observe the chaos during a race war, had a high possibility of perishing under a heavenly tribulation.
Therefore, in the Earthly Immortal World, various tribulation-nullifying treasures and tribulation-transcending secret arts. . . their value even surpassed that of ordinary realm-breaking pills!
After all, even if one broke through, perishing under a great heavenly tribulation would result in a huge loss of blood and effort!
That was why he had valued the 'Myriad Demon Armor' secret art so much back then.
However, the 'Myriad Demon Armor' had only refined the essence blood of four fifth-stage demon beasts, so its effectiveness against the lightning tribulation when breaking through to Return to Void was indeed hard to say.
But that 'Hunyuan Heavenly Luo Umbrella' was different; given its rank, it was bound to shine brilliantly during the Return to Void lightning tribulation!
'No wonder even Return to Void cultivators like Zi Feng Lingjun were drawn here; they trigger minor heavenly tribulations with every small realm breakthrough, so such lightning-nullifying treasures are naturally the more the better. . . '
A doubt in Fang Xi's mind was dispelled.
Several hours later, the stone hall's great doors rumbled shut, followed by streams of restrictive light rising, making the auction platform shimmer with colorful radiance.
An old man with silver hair, clad in a black robe, suddenly appeared. His magic power was formidable, indicating he had reached the perfected Soul Transformation realm.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Mo Yinjiao, Sect Master of the Ink Gate. Thank you, fellow Daoists, for gracing us with your presence. . ."
Mo Yinjiao's face was covered in wrinkles, carrying an air of decay, clearly indicating his advanced age.
According to Fang Xi's estimation, he had likely lived for over four thousand years. . . precisely the kind of opponent his main body liked best!
'If I were to take this person down, how much would I gain? After all, he's a perfected Soul Transformation cultivator and the Sect Master of the Ink Gate. . . '
'Wait, I'm here to conduct legitimate business, not to be a rogue cultivator. . . getting used to quick money will eventually lead to my downfall. . . '
His External Avatar meditated for a while, and after feeling calm, his state of mind seemed to subtly improve quite a bit.
At this moment, Mo Yinjiao finished his pleasantries and clapped his hand.
Kacha! Kacha!
One by one, stone puppets, seemingly crafted from solid rock, came onto the auction platform, holding trays.
Their magic power fluctuations were faintly around the fourth-stage level!
"Mo Yinjiao. . . your puppet techniques have advanced again. To be able to create such small-scale giant divine soldiers, stone puppets comparable to Nascent Soul cultivators. . . It seems that within the Ink Gate, you are truly the foremost in puppet arts. I wonder when you'll be able to craft genuine fifth-stage puppets. . ."
A young voice rang out.
"Senior Zi Feng, you flatter me. These meager tricks of mine are hardly worthy of praise!"
Mo Yinjiao seemed to recognize the speaker, quickly bowing in salute. Clearly, the one who had spoken earlier was none other than 'Zi Feng Lingjun'!
"Heh heh, Fellow Daoist Mo is too modest. Just from this Organ City, one can tell that the Ink Gate's mechanism and puppet arts have long reached the pinnacle of perfection. I'm afraid even the hurdle of 'puppet spirit infusion' won't stop you. . ."
A raucous voice, raspy and unpleasant, rang out, subtly hinting at exposing the Ink Gate's origins.
Mo Yinjiao's expression remained unchanged as he ordered the stone puppets to open the restrictive jade boxes.
Weng weng weng!
Streams of multicolored light instantly drew the full attention of all the cultivators present.
They cared not what troubles the Ink Gate had, only whether they could bid on truly desirable items at the auction.
"The first item of this auction is the Numinous Treasure 'Water Dividing Ruler', crafted primarily from 'Ten Thousand Year Deep Sea Cold Sand'. . . "Mo Yinjiao smiled slightly, beginning to introduce a shimmering jade ruler, its surface covered with countless flickering blue runes.
This Numinous Treasure was immensely powerful and possessed several water-controlling divine abilities. It was fervently sought after by many Nascent Soul cultivators, fetching a high price and effectively warming up the atmosphere.
Following this came bottles of spiritual pills for enhancing cultivation, rare and formidable cultivation techniques and secret arts, and even precious spiritual herbs and mineral materials. . .
Fang Xi sat motionless, like a stone statue.
Finally, after about several hours, Mo Yinjiao had a puppet bring forward a long, rectangular jade box.
A hazy white glow emanated from the jade box, transforming into chains of runes.
"Next, we have the first highlight treasure of this auction—Ten Thousand Year Huangquan wood! This spiritual wood is most suitable for refining array flags, and also for crafting several wood-attribute Numinous Treasures. With sufficient effort, it's even possible to refine a fifth-stage Numinous Treasure from it. The starting bid for this item is—thirty supreme-grade spirit stones!"
Mo Yinjiao opened the jade box, revealing a section of yellowish, turbid spiritual wood to the crowd, and said with a smile.
"Thirty-five!"
"Forty!"
This piece of Ten Thousand Year Huangquan wood was already considered a fifth-stage material, and immediately many Soul Transformation cultivators began to bid.
Fang Xi had remained seated quietly throughout, and only when the price gradually stalled at sixty supreme-grade spirit stones did he calmly speak: "Sixty-one!"
The bidder who had seemed certain of victory hesitated immediately, then tried to add one more: "Sixty-two!"
"Sixty-three supreme-grade spirit stones!"
Fang Xi followed up without hesitation, and this kind of resolve immediately made that person back down.
The key was that aside from refining array flags, Huangquan wood was primarily favored by ghost cultivators, and its uses were relatively singular. It was already quite overpriced now.
For cultivators who reached higher realms, weighing pros and cons had become an instinct.
Not long after Fang Xi successfully bid for the item, a knock on the door sounded: "This concubine is Mo Yinling of the Ink Gate. Esteemed guest, please open the door."
Fang Xi's heart stirred slightly. He opened the restriction and saw a middle-aged woman leading two stone puppets enter the stone chamber.
"This is the Ten Thousand Year Huangquan wood that Fellow Daoist bid for. Please inspect it. " Mo Yinling also possessed Soul Transformation cultivation, and at this moment, she appeared very courteous.
Fang Xi, however, was not courteous at all. He picked up the Huangquan wood—its several thousand jin weight was like nothing to him—and with a light touch of his finger, a soybean-sized flame, emitting a chilling aura, appeared in his hand.
"Huangquan Ghost Fire? !"
The middle-aged woman was slightly startled, then said: "Fellow Daoist has actually refined such a spiritual fire. No wonder you were determined to obtain the Huangquan wood. . ."
The wisp of Huangquan Ghost Fire moved onto the Huangquan wood, and the flame suddenly flared, growing to the size of an egg.
"Indeed, with such a concentrated aura of Huangquan, it is certainly Ten Thousand Year Huangquan wood. . ."
Fang Xi counted out sixty-three supreme-grade spirit stones and placed them on the table, allowing the middle-aged woman to inspect them.
Supreme-grade spirit stones were not numerous in the Human World; most were in the hands of old monsters at the Nascent Soul and Soul Transformation realms.
Even after he plundered the Southern Desolate and Western Desert. . . and later exterminated the Saint Fire Cult, he still didn't have many.
At this moment, many of these were profits from operating the Kungsang Market.
Soon, the middle-aged woman finished checking the spirit stones and left with the puppets.
Fang Xi's gaze also returned to the auction platform.
Currently being auctioned was a fifth-stage Numinous Treasure—the 'Golden Scale Boat', a large Numinous Treasure that contained its own void space within and possessed astonishing defensive power, causing a lively struggle among the Soul Transformation cultivators.
"Two hundred supreme-grade spirit stones!"
A melodious female voice rang out. Fang Xi recognized it; it should be Luan Bingxianzi, the Elder of the 'Clear Tone Workshop'.
'Could this woman be trying to steal my business in the Xuanming Abyss? '
Fang Xi's heart stirred, and his expression turned somewhat unkind.
But soon, another teasing voice rang out: "The Clear Tone Workshop is truly wealthy. I wonder if their offerings are sufficient. . . I will bid two hundred and one supreme-grade spirit stones!"
"That voice. . . Qin Longzi."
Fang Xi shook his head.
Although this Soul Transformation cultivator from the Dragon Taming Sect was only at the early stage, he possessed a fifth-stage 'Red Blood Flood Dragon' as his life-bound spirit beast, so even ordinary mid-stage Soul Transformation cultivators were unwilling to easily provoke him.
Luan Bingxianzi, for some unknown reason, did not continue bidding. Instead, she said softly: "So it is Elder Qin Longzi. . . this treasure, this concubine will yield to Fellow Daoist."
This woman was skilled in social maneuvering. This seemingly yielding statement was, in fact, an open and blatant act of subtly setting up Qin Longzi for future trouble.
Indeed, after the auction concluded, Mo Yinjiao's expression became somewhat displeased. . .
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