Red Coral Island Grand Auction

Interestingly, a normal auction will usually give guests a list of important items before it begins.

This is intended to attract more cultivators to come from afar to participate.

However, for this large-scale auction on Red Coral Island, only half a list of items was presented until the day before the event.

The reason it was described as only half a portion was because when Xiao Chen received it, he discovered that it was actually divided into two parts.

The first half looked much like a typical auction.

However, the crucial second half consisted only of a timetable, which listed the order in which the various sects provided their auction items.

In other words, the list only reveals the provider of the auctioned items.

However, what exactly it was will only be revealed during the second half of the auction.

Um, is it really necessary to keep this a secret?

Xiao Chen was puzzled. Since the participants were all on the same side, why hide it?

However, this auction was by invitation only, so the number of participants was extremely limited.

Besides the fixed candidates selected at the Peace Conference, only a few spots were offered to outsiders at a small auction last month.

I heard that the last spot to participate sold for a whopping 300,000 Low-grade Spirit Stone.

Those who didn't get a spot wouldn't be eligible to participate even if they wanted to, so there's no need to consider promoting the event in advance to increase its appeal.

In this way, revealing the auction items later can actually preserve some mystery and surprise.

Of course, if Xiao Chen asked them one by one, he should be able to find out the situation in advance.

However, he felt it wasn't necessary, so he only chatted for a few minutes before returning to the garden to rest.

And you know what? This garden, which covers hundreds of acres, is not only exquisite on the outside, but also very well-built inside.

Although their overall styles differ slightly from those of the neighboring Gang Yuan True Monarch, they each have their own merits.

In fact, Xiao Chen felt that removing some of the Heavenly Dipper Sect's characteristics and emphasizing natural scenery made it more to his liking.

The only minor drawback is that, without his arrangement, this place currently only has a third-tier Defensive Formation.

It's not just that other sects are reluctant to part with their fourth-tier array plates; the key issue is that arrays are things that cultivators ultimately need to handle themselves to feel at ease.

"Master, there is a Cloud Cliff True Person outside requesting an audience."

A maid who looked only eighteen or nineteen years old, dressed in a light blue silk robe, walked briskly through the corridor.

Approaching Xiao Chen, she gracefully bowed and said, "He claims to be a disciple of the Azure Sea Immortal Sect, saying he has important clues to report."

"Seeing his serious tone, as if it were something important, I dared not delay and came to inform him."

Xiao Chen was admiring the scenery in the garden when he heard this, so he turned around and first looked at the unfamiliar maid.

The other person had delicate features and could be described as a beauty.

However, judging from her aura, she should only have the Qi Refining Layer Eight of Qi Refining. She was probably able to enter the garden thanks to the Jade Token tightly tied around her waist.

Curious, Xiao Chen asked, "Don't rush to talk about him, who are you...?"

Upon hearing this, the maid lowered her head immediately, her ears turning slightly red. "My humble name Qing He, and I was originally Outer Sect Disciple of the Ink Barrier Sect."

"I came here to be a candidate for the position half a year ago, following Outer Sect Elder of our sect. I was fortunate enough to be selected by the Sect Master and sent here to serve you, sir."

Oh, I understand.

No wonder the yard looks so clean and tidy; it seems Qing He is the one who takes care of it on a daily basis.

Since they were chosen by the Ink Barrier Sect, they should be quite reliable, saving him the trouble of looking for someone himself.

"Qing He, a good name, I'll remember it."

Xiao Chen thought for a moment and then instructed, "I won't be staying here permanently, so you will still be in charge of taking care of the flowers, plants, hills, and water in the garden."

As he spoke, he casually took out a box of Spirit Tea from his Storage Ring: "Take Yun Ya to the reception hall at the front, and while you're at it, brew her a cup of hot tea."

"Also, think about what other supplies the garden needs, make a list, and bring it back to me tomorrow morning."

Since someone else can help, he's too lazy to worry about it himself.

Upon hearing this, Qing He stepped forward, accepted the Spirit Tea with both hands, and then respectfully withdrew.

Soon, he led Cloud Cliff True Person to the reception hall.

"This junior pays respects to the True Lord!"

Although the two were actually acquaintances, the other party still greeted them formally from the start.

Following Xiao Chen's habit, he got straight to the point. "Half a month ago, I received a secret report that there were reliable clues about the Star Sand Wave Stabilizing Shield."

"The one who accepted the challenge was none other than my brother-in-law."

According to his confession, he had previously seen a special fragment in the possession of the Azure Wave Rogue.

"The other party even boasted to him that the thing was indestructible, and wouldn't be damaged even if it directly withstood Golden Core cultivator's Law Technique attack; it must be an extraordinary treasure."

"As long as we can find the right way to use it, we might be able to turn things around in the future."

"Alas, my brother-in-law is naturally dull-witted, and he even overlooked this matter at first."

"Until I heard that the Cheng Family had offered up the fragment and received a reward of a million Spirit Stone, rising to prominence overnight, and I even saw the latest promotional portrait."

"He suddenly remembered that the fragment he had seen earlier was remarkably similar in shape to the one presented by the Cheng Family."

At this point, Cloud Cliff True Person's tone turned serious. "After realizing this, this fool originally intended to search for the fragments on his own, thus secretly delaying for several months."

"Having found nothing in their search, they finally turned to me for help."

"Upon receiving the intelligence, I dared not be careless and immediately led men to verify the situation."

"According to the investigation of the sect's disciples and market vendors, there was indeed a rogue cultivator in the Early-stage Golden Core Azure Wave Rogue in Azure Sea Market a few years ago."

"However, they never appeared in the market again after the second year of the Sea Race Invasion."

"Upon further investigation, I learned that someone had seen Azure Wave Rogue on a spirit ship fleeing to the Storm Sea, so I estimate that he has probably already escaped there."

"This matter is of great importance, and I dared not delay any longer, so I came to report it immediately."

In fact, before Cloud Cliff True Person arrived, many clansmen, including his brother-in-law, had suggested that the news be kept secret for the time being.

They would secretly send people or go to the Storm Sea to find the Azure Wave Rogue, and then bring back the fragments to claim the reward.

However, Cloud Cliff True Person did not heed their advice.

They insisted on arriving at Red Coral Island as soon as they verified the situation.

"Has it been verified?"

Xiao Chen pressed further, "Since the other party enjoys showing off, has anyone else seen the fragments?"

Cloud Cliff True Person respectfully replied, "Reporting to Your True Lord, there are indeed two vendors and a shopkeeper in the market who claim to have personally heard Azure Wave Rogue boast about him."

"In addition, two other shop assistants and appraisers at the Law Artifact testified that they had personally witnessed him bringing a strange fragment to their shops, attempting to sell it at a high price, but it failed to pass the appraisal."

"This is a drawing meticulously produced by the painter in the building, based on their own descriptions. Please take a look, Your True Lord."

As he spoke, he took out two portraits from his sleeve and presented them with both hands.

As expected of the person in charge of the Azure Sea Pavilion, they were quite well prepared.

"In that case, there is indeed some truth to it."

Xiao Chen examined the portrait; it did indeed appear to be a fragment of the Star Sand Wave Stabilizing Shield. "Very good, this is indeed an important clue."

"If we do find the fragments from Azure Wave Rogue later, you should be credited with three-tenths of the credit."

Cloud Cliff True Person repeatedly said he dared not, indicating that he was only speculating and did not dare to be completely certain that the clues were true.

He then stood up and took his leave.

"Hey, where's my tea?"

Xiao Chen didn't see Qing He bring the Spirit Tea until he saw Cloud Cliff True Person to the gate.

Although he wasn't a tea connoisseur, it was still best to have something like this to serve guests.

With a sweep of his Divine Sense, he saw Qing He diligently urging the Spirit Fire to brew tea in the side hall.

The other person's face was now flushed red, and they were panting heavily.

However, the Spirit Tea inside the pot did not react to her weak Law Power.

Xiao Chen then suddenly realized that what he had just given the other party was the Six-Leaf Spirit Tea, which he had previously seized and was Fourth-Order Spiritual Item.

Um, that's alright then, I understand.

"Don't bother, it's pointless to keep cooking like this until next year."

Xiao Chen directly Divine Sense Transmission: "How about this, later you add a few spiritual items to the list that will help your cultivation, and try to reach the Foundation Establishment as soon as possible."

"By the way, forget about the Foundation Establishment. I can give you one that's even more effective."

"I'll go rest in the back garden first, and then deliver the order here after I've finished writing it."

Qing He was already extremely anxious, worried that she might mess things up and upset Xiao Chen.

Being kicked out would be a good outcome; if you offended a guest and caused them to lose face, they might kill you in a fit of rage, and you'd have nowhere to seek justice.

Upon suddenly hearing the telepathic message, he couldn't help but tremble slightly.

However, after hearing the contents clearly, she was immediately stunned, and then knelt down on the spot, kowtowing repeatedly towards the direction of the reception hall. "This servant thanks the True Lord for his generous gift!"

The ups and downs of her life came so quickly that she was so excited that she bumped her head on the ground.

However, Qing He could no longer feel the pain; only four words remained in her mind—"Foundation Establishment as soon as possible."

This matter is not only something that needs to be discussed outside, but even within the major sects, it is the lifelong wish of many Outer Sect Disciple.

However, on her very first day by Xiao Chen's side, she had already achieved more than half of what she wanted; it was almost like a dream.

The subsequent delivery list, including the extra 100,000 Spirit Stone reserved for garden expenses and the bestowal of the Clear Dew Foundation Establishment Pill, need no further explanation.

The next morning.

Xiao Chen arrived at the spacious Auction Hall in the center of Red Coral Island early in the morning.

This place was built in an extremely grand manner; just one floor was enough to accommodate tens of thousands of cultivators.

However, it was not open to the public today; only a few maids stood in front of the private rooms on the second floor.

Because the venue is large enough, even the individual cubicles are built to be very spacious.

Xiao Chen slowly walked into his private VIP Room A8, and was greeted by a layout that resembled a palace.

The middle section alone is tens of feet deep and more than ten feet wide.

There were screens separating the left and right sides, and one end was filled with fine wine and delicacies, with dancers and musicians waiting.

The other end was arranged like a palace, with a giant sandalwood bed that could comfortably fit a hundred people.

"Well, the place is quite spacious."

Xiao Chen suddenly thought of Chu Tianze: "It's a pity he hasn't returned from the Earth Dragon Relic yet, so I can't bring him to the auction."

There's nothing we can do about it. Since the other party couldn't come out before October, we can only wait until next time.

Before long, the other True Lord also arrived at the Auction Hall one after another.

It's worth mentioning that most of the Golden Core cultivator who qualified through the auction arrived early.

They all received tokens for VIP Room B, which were significantly inferior to Class A boxes in both location and size.

However, they didn't care about that. Instead, they all stood with the door open at the entrance of the private room, curiously looking outside.

They greeted each other to expand their network, while also hoping to become familiar to the True Lord.

Only in this way can we make better use of this opportunity and be worthy of the expensive ticket price.

However, there was one exception: VIP Room B12, which was also the last box.

With the agreed auction time fast approaching, a maid was still standing there, indicating that no one had arrived yet.

This is rather strange.

We spent so many Spirit Stone, surely we can't let them go to waste?

The sky was gradually approaching noon.

The members of Class B had all taken their seats, and the cultivators guarding the entrance to the Auction Hall were preparing to close the door.

Two figures entered the hall one after the other, just before the final deadline.

Leading the group was a young man in brocade robes, holding a bright yellow Formation Flag.

Xiao Chen looked down and saw that it was Zhang Shouquan.

Clearly, although he did not directly qualify to participate in the auction, he secured a spot through a smaller auction.

However, the other person accompanying him was wearing an exceptionally large black robe and a conical hat, completely concealing his face.

The black robe and bamboo hat were also not ordinary items.

Although the spiritual light is unlimited, it is enough to obscure the vision and Divine Sense of Nascent Soul Cultivator, preventing outsiders from probing.

In this way, no one can directly determine the other party's Cultivation Realm.

Nevertheless, one could still discern from the almost bursting black robe that the other person had a robust physique and must be a large man.

At the same time, he was walking almost side by side with Zhang Shouquan, so he should also be a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

This is very strange.

Although there are only a handful of Nascent Soul Cultivator in the Compassion Sea, how come there's one more?

At this moment, not only Xiao Chen, but also the gazes of the other True Lord all fell upon him.

However, Zhang Shouquan and the man in black robes paid no attention and went into VIP Room B12, closing the door behind them.

Soon, the array inside the private room lit up, completely blocking outside prying eyes.

"Tsk tsk tsk, I feel like they're bound to fight sooner or later if this keeps up."

Xiao Chen noticed that Zhang Shouquan did not greet any of the True Lord present after entering.

You see, everyone was on the second floor and the doors weren't closed, so theoretically everyone should be able to see each other.

Meanwhile, none of the other True Lord spoke up; they simply watched as the other person walked into the private room.

It seems that both sides are still holding a grudge about what happened before.

"Thump!"

Shortly after, a loud bell rang throughout the entire venue.

All the cultivators turned their attention to the auction stage in the center.

Immediately afterwards, a figure that Xiao Chen recognized very well stepped out; it was none other than Purified Dust Zen Master.

He was the one who presided over the Compassion Sea Peace Conference before, and it seems that he will also preside over the first Red Coral Island Auction Conference.

"Everyone should know this humble monk, so let's skip the self-introduction."

Purified Dust Zen Master slowly began, "It is an honor to continue to be in charge of this auction. I would also like to thank all of you for your recognition of this humble monk."

"Enough with the small talk, I wish you all the best in purchasing your desired items."

After he finished speaking, he paused deliberately for a moment.

He then announced loudly, "The auction is now officially open."

"The first item up for auction is a bottle containing three True Essence Convergence Pill."

"It has two rings of Pill Mark, which can provide cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Great Perfection..."

This item doesn't actually hold much appeal for the major sects.

Or rather, the entire first half was just a warm-up process to fill the auction list and incidentally exchange some low-level spiritual items.

On the contrary, the people in the Earth-grade VIP Room immediately became excited upon seeing this.

If the items are this good right from the start, you can imagine that even more precious treasures will appear later.

They made the right decision by paying a high price to secure a spot in this competition.

Xiao Chen had no need for the True Essence Convergence Pill; in fact, he had two more left over, though they lacked True Essence Convergence Pill Mark.

Therefore, he didn't bother to participate in the bidding and quietly sat in the private room watching the cultivators of the Earth rank compete for the prize.

Next, in order, were various battle Talisman, Portable Array Plate, Longevity Spirit Pill, and other Third-Order Spiritual Object.

There wasn't a single item below the third rank, and no item was priced below ten thousand Spirit Stone.

This continued for about half an hour.

Seeing too much of this kind of thing can easily become boring and tedious.

However, Xiao Chen was surprised to find that VIP Room B12 had participated in the bidding multiple times.

They acquired numerous Third-Order Spiritual Object that could help regulate qi and blood, recover from injuries, and strengthen the body—virtually everything related to Body Refining.

Um?

This is a bit strange, since Zhang Shouquan is not Body Cultivator.

Even stranger things were yet to come.

As more and more Fourth-Order Spiritual Item appeared in the latter half of the event, the bidding for VIP Room B12 became increasingly frequent.

They not only participated in everything related to Body Refining, but also competed for spiritual materials related to array formation.

What's even more outrageous is that they seem to be completely indiscriminate, bidding on anything related to Body Refining and array formation with all their might.

In just one hour, more than eight million Spirit Stone were spent.

They're about to break the ten million mark, but there's not the slightest sign of them slowing down.

Xiao Chen grew increasingly curious. What was going on?

Zhang Shouquan shouldn't be wealthy, so it's said that the black-robed Nascent Soul was the one who did the work?

Interesting, where did he find this helper?

Since the other party can produce so many Spirit Stone and also needs a fourth-tier Body Refining spiritual item, they are obviously not simple. There is a 99% chance that they are also a Nascent Soul True Lord.

However, since he was Nascent Soul True Lord, he bid on many third-tier Body Refining items.

A reasonable guess is that since they were already there and the things here were so good, they decided to take Spirit Awakening items back with them for the younger disciples.

In other words, he shouldn't be a lone cultivator, but someone with connections.

If that's the case, where does his background lie?

Is it over by the Storm Sea?

Or perhaps those isolated islands in the Outer Sea?

Xiao Chen was curious, but the other True Lord were even more curious than he was.

For them, the appearance of a cultivator who is highly suspected of being Nascent Soul cultivator is already a major event.

The bigger problem now is that this guy seems to have a foundation and doesn't seem like a rogue cultivator, which makes the situation even more complicated.

After all, not everyone is like Xiao Chen, who is almost indifferent to worldly affairs and can even be described as helpful.

The space in the Sea of the Compassion Sea is limited and cannot accommodate too many Nascent Soul cultivators.

They couldn't help but start speculating.

What is their purpose in coming here this time?

Is it simply about participating in auctions to obtain spiritual items?

Or are they planning to join forces with Zhang Shouquan to cause trouble?

Many True Lord even tentatively bid against VIP Room B12, deliberately driving up the price of a certain spiritual item.

To their surprise, the other party seemed to be very wealthy and willing to spend money.

Unless the premium exceeds 50% of the theoretical price, completely losing its cost-effectiveness, we will compete to the bitter end.

Some True Lord even instinctively glanced at the private room where Xiao Chen was.

It was confirmed that he was indeed in VIP Room A8.

The main reason was that the scene was so reminiscent of the large-scale auction held at the Listening Wave Sea last time.

Of course, this is mainly because they don't know Xiao Chen well enough.

If he really makes a move, a mere 50% premium won't stop him.

How could I possibly give up the auction over such a trivial matter?

"Daoist Xiao, do you recognize the black-robed Daoist who was following Fellow Daoist Zhang?"

Yunfeng True Monarch directly asked via telepathy, "If you're all friends, why don't you introduce yourselves to each other?"

He's completely asking the wrong person.

Xiao Chen immediately responded telepathically, "Unfortunately, I don't know the other party."

Fortunately, they all kept their private room doors open and didn't activate any formations, which allowed them to speak in private.

Soon, Xiao Chen noticed a rapid increase in Divine Sense fluctuations within the VIP Room A, with almost all True Lord or Zen Master inquiring about the situation among themselves.

However, it quieted down again after a short while.

It seems that after discussing it together, they didn't come to any conclusions.

This is quite normal; they may not have actually seen as many Nascent Soul True Lord as Xiao Chen.

Even excluding the New Cultivation World, the same is true just in the Storm Sea region.

After all, although the Nascent Soul Cultivator on both sides could obtain general information about the other side through intelligence, the Kunpeng Sea separated them, making it quite difficult for them to actually meet.

The key point is that normally there's no need for it.

Instead of spending several years making a trip back and forth, it would be better to use that time for Closed-door cultivation.

"Next item: Thousand Peaks Rock Marrow."

"This item requires a thousand years of earth pressure to form; it is a unique product of the Thousand Peaks Secret Realm within the Ink Barrier Sect."

"It can be added to the forging of almost all defensive magical Spirit Artifact, effectively improving Spirit Artifact quality."

"It is also a rare and precious spiritual material for setting up earth-type grand formations."

"The starting bid is one million Spirit Stone, and each bid should not be less than ten thousand Spirit Stone."

"Something good has arrived!" Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen's eyes lit up as he looked at the Thousand Peaks Rock Marrow in the center.

In the future, whenever he refines defensive Spirit Artifact, he will definitely be able to use this highly compatible earth-type magical object.