Dragon Crocodile

"Indeed, it is a Ginseng Baby. This Ginseng Baby stands three inches tall with a thousand whiskers. It's already five hundred years old and a top-tier spiritual medicine. If it hadn't been discovered, another five hundred years might have allowed it to cultivate and take human form. Of course, its discovery means its fate was insufficient; being refined into medicine is also destiny."

The silver-robed elder picked up the Ginseng Baby and showed it to the crowd. He continued, "Esteemed guests, you are all people of great insight. There's no need for me to say more; you all know that this Ginseng Baby is a top-tier medicine for healing and extending life. As long as there's a breath left, no matter how severe the injury, snipping off some whiskers and chewing them raw can keep one alive. You are all cultivators of Martial Arts, and you know that we martial artists are constantly threatened by conflict, with too many opportunities for injury. Having this spiritual medicine on hand is like having an extra life. Alright, enough idle talk. Such a spiritual medicine is rare and hard to find. The starting bid is five hundred gold, and each subsequent bid must be no less than ten gold. Please, make your offers."

This time, Xu Yi was truly astonished. A Ginseng Baby, something from legend, was actually on display.

While Xu Yi was still gaping in shock, the Ginseng Baby was quickly bid up to an exorbitant price.

"Six hundred and eighty gold! Guest VIP number twenty-four bids six hundred and eighty gold. Are there any higher bids?"

"Seven hundred gold!"

"Seven hundred gold! Guest VIP number three bids seven hundred gold! Seven hundred gold, going once!"

"Seven hundred and twenty gold!"

"Seven hundred and twenty gold! Guest VIP number seventeen bids seven hundred and twenty gold!"

"Eight hundred gold! This old man is Qi Ming from the Pill Cauldron Sect. I am acquiring this thousand-year-old Ginseng Baby to refine pills. As everyone knows, a thousand-year-old Ginseng Baby, when consumed raw, only has the effect of extending life and healing injuries. There are already pills on the market with the same effects. Why would you all compete with this old man!"

As soon as Qi Ming revealed his identity, a wave of murmurs swept through the crowd.

"It's actually Elder Qi, one of the Pill Cauldron Sect's three Great Pill Kings! I heard he can even refine Grain Abstinence Pills that Body Tempering realm cultivators can consume. He's truly a top-tier master of the Way of Alchemy."

"Grain Abstinence Pills are nothing. I heard Elder Qi is experimenting with Divine Essence Pills. Could this purchase of the Ginseng Baby be for refining Divine Essence Pills?"

"If that's truly the case, I implore everyone not to compete with Elder Qi. As we all know, Divine Essence Pills are essential divine pills for us Body Tempering realm cultivators to open our Dantians and advance to the Qi Sea Realm. However, such divine pills are monopolized by the Royal Court, major sects, and powerful aristocratic families. We rogue cultivators may never obtain even one pill in our lifetime. If Elder Qi truly succeeds in refining Divine Essence Pills, no matter where they are eventually sold, it will at least increase the luck and opportunities for us Body Tempering realm cultivators."

As soon as these words were spoken, everyone agreed with a roar, and in the end, the Ginseng Baby was successfully acquired by Qi Ming.

Qi Ming clasped his hands in a fist and bowed, "Thank you all, fellow Daoists, for your righteousness. I came here only seeking this Ginseng Baby, and my wish has been granted. I shall take my leave now. If I truly succeed in refining the divine pill, I will definitely allocate a quota and sell it openly here at Linglong Pavilion." With that, he moved towards a small door and vanished.

As soon as Qi Ming left, three people actually chased after him out the door. Clearly, the Divine Essence Pill was incredibly tempting. Even though Qi Ming hadn't refined it yet, as long as there was a sliver of hope, many people were willing to make an early investment.

Even Xu Yi couldn't help but feel his blood boil. Breaking through the Body Tempering realm and advancing to the Qi Sea Realm was, for him, no less than a monumental temptation. To suddenly learn today that the Divine Essence Pill was the key to his advancement to the Qi Sea Realm, if he hadn't maintained his reason and understood the priorities, he might have also chased after them.

The excitement stirred up by Qi Ming didn't last long. Soon, the attention of the entire venue was once again drawn to the latest item on the high platform.

An hour later, thirteen items had been successfully auctioned. There were divine weapons, precious medicines, and even a three-eyed demon monkey, but the item Xu Yi wanted had yet to appear.

Just as Xu Yi was starting to feel anxious, the silver-robed elder held up a piece of hide about the size of his palm. "The next item is a piece of Dragon Crocodile hide. The Dragon Crocodile, according to historical records, has existed since ancient times. It has a lifespan of over a thousand years and is rumored to have true dragon blood. Its temperament is violent; it prefers cold during the day and heat at night, which is why it mostly grows at the bottom of volcanoes in extremely cold regions, swallowing ice and spitting fire, possessing extraordinary power. Its entire body is a treasure, but the small patch of skin on its head is the most wondrous. It's as thin as a cicada's wing yet incredibly tough, impervious to blades and swords, and unaffected by water and fire. Furthermore, when the Dragon Crocodile becomes enraged, its body swells, and this small patch on its head undergoes a miraculous transformation, able to change size at will, expanding and contracting freely."

As he spoke, the silver-robed elder beckoned a attendant and displayed the palm-sized, dark leather.

First, four attendants each grabbed a corner of the hide and pulled outwards. The hide stretched to cover nearly half the room without showing any signs of tearing.

Then, an attendant drew a treasured sword and tried to stab and drill into it, while another used an iron hammer to strike it forcefully. The hide remained unwrinkled and un-dented, not even a white mark was left.

Afterward, the hide was thrown into a bonfire and burned for a long time. When it was taken out, it was still dark and shiny, showing no signs of scorching.

Just as Xu Yi was watching, mesmerized, someone shouted, "Fireproof and waterproof, resistant to knives and guns. While it's extraordinary, it can't be considered top-grade. Everyone here is a martial artist, and I assume whoever buys this hide intends to make a piece of armor. For martial artists in combat, the most crucial thing is to be able to withstand attacks from the strong. The attendants just now had low martial arts cultivation, and their swords were soft. If a martial arts expert were to attack with a blade, who knows if the hide would remain undamaged?"

"Furthermore, when we martial artists fight, besides facing attacks from blades and spears, we also frequently engage in hand-to-hand combat. Good armor should not only evade blades and spears but also have shock-absorbing and anti-collision properties. Does this hide possess such capabilities? If not, it cannot be called miraculous, and even if purchased, it would only be suitable for a blacksmith."

Faced with this challenge, the silver-robed elder was neither hasty nor angry. He stroked his beard and smiled, "Do items from Linglong Pavilion ever turn out to be duds? Since a distinguished guest has doubts, this old man will verify it on the spot! I know there are several Qi Sea realm lords present. I wonder if any lord would be willing to step forward and test it?"

"I'll do it!"

The person in the black robe, in the third column of the first row, stood up.

The silver-robed elder said, "To show fairness, would you mind removing your mask, so that others won't assume I'm a shill planted by Linglong Pavilion? Furthermore, since you are a Qi Sea realm expert, you must be a well-known figure in Guang'an. Even if you acquire a treasure, no one would dare to covet it, so why not be more open about it?"

The black-robed man laughed heartily, "Well said! Old Li, I'm not afraid of revealing my identity. I just wanted to come to Linglong Pavilion to try something new."

As soon as he finished speaking, the black-robed man removed his mask, revealing a square face with a powerful aura. His sword-like eyebrows reached his temples, and his eyes gleamed with sharp light.

Instantly, the venue erupted in another wave of commotion.

"Gao Junmo!"

"Director Gao!"

"Gao the Black Robe!"

"Gao the Seven Swords!"

For a moment, the cacophony of voices filled the air, with these four names being the most frequent.