Black-Mark Auction

Black Seal City!

This was a large city in the Black-Corner Region, and one of its most prosperous. Beneath its towering walls, crowds of pedestrians packed the area, all waiting to enter or leave through the city gates.

Not far away, Xu Haoyu, dressed in a black robe and wearing a simple disguise, took in the scene and said with a smile, "It's truly bustling. We haven't even entered the city yet, and there are already so many people. I'd imagine most of them were drawn here by the Black-Mark Auction."

Hu Qian, likewise disguised in rough hemp clothes, was powerful, but he still feared that word of his presence might leak out and attract a group of Black Ranking experts to surround and kill him. After all, he was the Vice-Dean of Jia Nan Academy. He smiled in reply, "Naturally. The Black-Mark Auction is hosted by Yuan Yi of the Eight Gates Sect. He is also a renowned expert on the Black Ranking. A person like him stands at the very peak of the Black-Corner Region. The treasures he can acquire are not something small cities or minor factions could ever get their hands on."

Xu Haoyu nodded. A High-Level Storage Stone the size of a fist was an exceptionally rare treasure. If it contained a Spirit Receptacle, then this trip would have been more than worthwhile.

Then he turned to Hu Qian and spoke sincerely, "Thank you, Vice-Dean, for helping me resolve so many problems during this trip. Black Seal City is my final stop. Once I buy what I need, we can return to the academy."

Hu Qian laughed heartily. "It's nothing. Fire Elder and I both think highly of you as a talent. We certainly won't hold back when it comes to helping you. Besides, didn't you give my granddaughter a Qi Gathering Powder?"

After finishing their conversation, the two followed the crowd at the city gate. After paying the entrance fee, they entered the city.

Once inside, they first found the location of the Black Seal Auction House. It was an immensely grand building that covered a vast area and exuded splendor and luxury.

The flow of people at its entrance was terrifying. Large numbers of pedestrians were constantly entering and leaving.

They soon learned that the official auction would not begin for another two days, so Xu Haoyu and Hu Qian found an inn and settled in.

To ensure that he had enough funds to bid on the High-Level Storage Stone at the auction, Xu Haoyu spent the next two days using the medicinal ingredients he had on hand to refine Rank 4 Pills.

The three million Gold Coins his grandfather had originally given him had nearly been exhausted during this period, all of it spent on purchasing medicinal ingredients.

Fortunately, an outstanding alchemist might occasionally lack money, but they would never lack ways to make it.

With Xu Haoyu's alchemy skills, two days were more than enough for him to refine a large batch of pills. Together with his existing stockpile, he could easily sell them for over three million.

On the day the Black-Mark Auction began!

Xu Haoyu and Hu Qian headed to the Black Seal Auction House. Hu Qian did not reveal his identity, following silently at Xu Haoyu's side while playing the role of a guard.

As for Xu Haoyu, he openly revealed his identity as a Fourth-Rank Alchemist and handed a large number of Rank 4 Pills to the Black Seal Auction House for auction that day.

A Fourth-Rank Alchemist already possessed considerable status. Although Yuan Yi, the sect master of the Eight Gates Sect, was not alerted, the manager of the Black Seal Auction House personally came out and led Xu Haoyu and Hu Qian to the front rows of the venue.

Those seated in the front rows were either people with fortunes exceeding a million or representatives sent by major factions of the Black-Corner Region. Only they could be arranged in the best seats by the Black Seal Auction House.

Before long, the entire venue was packed. Both the front and back rows were filled to capacity, and the auction officially began.

An elderly man dressed in luxurious robes, his hair combed impeccably neat, strode onto the stage. His gaze swept over the audience before he said with a smile, "Welcome, everyone. I trust that this Black-Mark Auction will not leave any of you empty-handed..."

He spoke at length, but his words successfully ignited the passion of the entire audience. Seeing that his goal had been achieved, the old man laughed and announced the official start of the auction.

The first item brought forth was a set of gleaming golden Golden Silk Armor. It looked like only a thin layer, yet its defensive capabilities were exceptional. Even a Da Dou Shi would be unable to break through it without a high-powered Dou Technique.

In the chaotic Black-Corner Region, such a set of Golden Silk Armor was incredibly sought after. Though few of the guests in the front rows spoke up, the guests in the back rows went completely mad with bidding.

In the end, the Golden Silk Armor sold for the high price of 240,000, leaving the old man hosting the auction grinning from ear to ear.

Very soon, one auction item after another was brought up and sold for high prices after frenzied bidding.

Among them were the pills provided by Xu Haoyu: Qi Gathering Powder that could help someone at the ninth stage of Dou Qi break through to become a 1-Star Dou Zhe, Beast Strength Pills that enhanced strength, Wind Riding Pills that increased speed, and Purple Heart Breaking Barrier Pills that could directly raise a Da Dou Shi's cultivation. Every one of them sparked a bidding frenzy.

Even the guests seated in the front rows repeatedly shouted out high prices. Among them was Fan Ling, the young sect master of the Blood Sect. He was currently a Da Dou Shi and directly spent a high price to purchase two Purple Heart Breaking Barrier Pills, clearly intending to use the pills to achieve a rapid breakthrough.

This was naturally good news for Xu Haoyu. A smile rested on his lips. In that short span of time alone, the pills he had supplied had likely sold for at least 3.5 million Gold Coins.

This was why alchemists found making money ridiculously easy. Of course, the prerequisite was that the alchemist had superb alchemy skills. An alchemist who only succeeded once out of every ten attempts would lose even the clothes off his back.

Back at the auction, another item was brought onto the stage. The old man lifted the red cloth covering it, revealing its true appearance: a pitch-black stone that glimmered with tiny specks of silvery-white light.

The old man hosting the auction announced loudly, "Everyone, this is a High-Level Storage Stone, the raw material used to forge a High-Level Storage Ring. I need not say more about how precious it is. As long as you can find a skilled enough master to forge it into a High-Level Storage Ring—"

"Not only will it possess an enormous interior space, allowing you to store as much as you wish, but only a High-Level Storage Ring can be inscribed with a Soul Seal. Other than its owner, no one will be able to open it. Treasures like this are normally impossible to come by. Today, our Black Seal Auction House will be putting it up for auction. The starting bid is 800,000, and each raise must be no less than 50,000."

As soon as his words fell, the entire venue erupted into an uproar. The starting bid alone was 800,000. The final price was simply unimaginable—this was an astronomical sum.

However, there was no shortage of people who could afford such a price. Guests in the front rows had already begun bidding repeatedly. For those important figures, a High-Level Storage Ring that could be inscribed with a Soul Seal and prevent outsiders from stealing their treasures was worth any amount of money.

"800,000!"

"850,000!"

"900,000!"

"1,000,000!"

"1,800,000!"

After a fierce round of bidding, the High-Level Storage Stone was eventually pushed to the astronomical price of 1.8 million. By then, however, very few people remained willing to continue.

It was then that Xu Haoyu finally made his first bid. "2,000,000!"

At last, he was about to obtain everything he needed.