The Auction Officially Begins

Whether in terms of atmosphere or architecture, it was among the finest under heaven. Even Dou Huang experts who had weathered countless battles could not help but marvel at the buildings here.

Especially the auction platform standing proudly at the very center, which was crafted entirely from natural crystal, displaying both luxury and strength! Pill King Gu He asked, "May I ask, Senior, where will we be seated?"

As the Jia Ma Empire's only Sixth-Rank Alchemist, his status was second only to that of a Dou Huang expert. Some Dou Huangs even owed him favors. If he had to sit with people of lower status, it would truly damage his image.

Linglong said coldly, "Anyone may sit on the first floor, but the second floor is reserved for those with assets of at least twenty million. As for the third floor, you need at least three hundred million Gold Coins."

At that, Pill King Gu He frowned slightly. He had not expected Ascending Heaven Pavilion to have such rules. He had assumed the private rooms would be assigned based on status, but they were actually determined by one's assets. Even all his assets combined amounted to no more than sixty million, nowhere near those imperial clans.

Still, he followed Senior Linglong to a private room somewhere on the second floor. Looking at the luxurious room and the continuous flow of Dou Qi pouring in from all around, he became even more certain that cultivating here would be five times as effective as outside.

If the third floor was like this, wouldn't it be thirty times as effective? Pill King Gu He's eyes burned with desire. As expected of an Auction House that used even a Sixth Rank Magical Beast as a doorkeeper—it truly lived up to its reputation.

The other experts had also arrived. They used their Spiritual Power to investigate, but the instant it touched the walls, they felt as though they had been struck by a carriage, immediately growing dizzy and disoriented.

"I never expected every item here to have its own unique seal. What a terrifying ability."

Yan Shi was utterly shocked.

"This differs somewhat from what we had imagined, but it does not matter. Let us see what Ascending Heaven Pavilion's first auction item will be."

Gu He slowly fanned himself with the bone fan in his hand and smiled.

Because of their wealth, some Dou Lings could only sit in the hall on the first floor. Some Dou Shis had even come specifically to investigate after learning that there was an Auction House in the Beast Mountain Range.

However, after seeing the magical beasts outside Ascending Heaven Pavilion, they all abandoned any thoughts of picking up bargains.

Golden light flickered.

Linglong suddenly appeared before everyone.

As her slender jade finger rose, an exquisite box slowly appeared on the display stand.

When the box was opened, an irregular, sharp purple spirit stone the size of a fist was revealed.

Upon seeing that it was merely an ordinary crystal, everyone began complaining. Such a massive Auction House was actually auctioning off a single purple crystal?

Are they kidding me?

Naturally, these short-sighted people did not know what it was. Only in the private rooms on the second floor had those experts already revealed traces of surprise.

The crystal hanging at Yun Yun's chest grew increasingly hot, burning her pretty face slightly red. She could only press it lightly with her hand.

She stared in amazement at the strange crystal in the box. As a Dou Huang expert, she naturally knew what it was.

Not only that, Jia Xingtian, President Fa Ma, and the others had recognized it as well.

"It is actually an Amethyst Spirit Crystal that the Amethyst Winged Lion King sheds only once every twenty years?!"

Although the Amethyst Spirit Crystal was merely a stone, it could be used to make pills that increased one's strength. It was also a precious medicinal ingredient. Other than the Amethyst Winged Lion King, no other magical beast in the world was capable of producing Amethyst Spirit Crystals.

That was why so few people possessed them.

Pill King Gu He licked his lips. "Good stuff. It should belong to the Sixth Rank Magical Beast, the Amethyst Winged Lion King, at the entrance. Even that has become Ascending Heaven Pavilion's property. Hehehe."

"Old Gu, you're interested too?" Yan Shi asked bluntly.

"Of course." Gu He nodded and said with a gentlemanly smile, "Amethyst Spirit Crystals are treasures one can only encounter by chance. Only the Amethyst Winged Lion King can produce them in the entire world. Their rarity cannot be measured in Gold Coins."

"If no one tries to compete with me, this Amethyst Spirit Crystal will be mine. I imagine those people understand that offending a Sixth-Rank Alchemist is not a wise choice."

Yan Shi and Feng Li exchanged glances, then laughed heartily together.

Exactly.

The influence brought by a Sixth-Rank Alchemist was not something ordinary people could bear. Even Dou Huangs had to show him some respect.

Linglong slowly said, "I imagine some of you have already recognized what this is. That is right—it is an Amethyst Spirit Crystal that falls from the Amethyst Winged Lion King only once every twenty years. Carrying it can accelerate cultivation, and it can also be refined into pills. It is an indispensable ingredient in a certain Pill Formula."

As soon as she said this, the entire venue fell much quieter before cries of surprise rang out one after another.

So this was an Amethyst Spirit Crystal. No wonder it had seemed somewhat familiar at first glance.

They could not help feeling shocked. The very first auction item was already such a treasure. This was interesting.

Wouldn't the items to come be of even higher quality?

Seeing everyone discussing it fervently, Linglong spoke again. "Since everyone now understands the value of this Amethyst Spirit Crystal, the starting price is two hundred thousand Gold Coins."

The moment those words were spoken, the experts on the first floor all waved their hands.

They clearly had not expected the opening bid for this Amethyst Spirit Crystal to be so expensive. If the bidding continued, wouldn't it exceed one million?

"Three hundred thousand." Pill King Gu He was the first to raise his right hand and increase the bid.

Gu He naturally knew that if he wanted something, who else would dare to compete for it?

Sure enough, after the Sixth-Rank Alchemist made his bid, everyone aside from the Dou Huang experts chose to give up. There was no need to offend Pill King Gu He over an Amethyst Spirit Crystal.

Just as Pill King Gu He believed victory was assured, President Fa Ma of the Alchemist Association suddenly raised his numbered plaque. "Three hundred and fifty thousand."

Hearing this, Gu He immediately turned to glare at President Fa Ma, fury filling his eyes. A mere Fifth-Rank Alchemist actually dared to compete with him—was that not courting death?!

The old master of the Nalan Family, Nalan Jie, smiled. As expected, alchemists were deeply interested in rare heavenly treasures, and naturally did not wish to miss them.

"Four hundred thousand!" Gu He waved his hand and directly offered a price far beyond President Fa Ma's.

Jia Xingtian adjusted his glasses and held back Fa Ma beside him, frowning. "There is no need to keep raising the price. The Alchemist Association does not need to offend a Sixth-Rank Alchemist."

President Fa Ma sighed. "All right. I'll listen to you."

Although he also wanted this Amethyst Spirit Crystal, there was no need to offend Pill King Gu He, a Sixth-Rank Alchemist. Moreover, behind Gu He stood the massive Misty Cloud Sect.