Auctioneers usually chose a valuable item to kick off the bidding and build excitement, but they always saved the most important lots for later.
The Purple Jade Branch was rare and prestigious, and sounded precious, but wasn't something many people actually needed. It had been placed right at the start.
Yue Wen hadn't expected his target to come up first. He straightened slightly in his seat as the big screen above the auction stage displayed a translucent purple branch of an Immortal Plant.
Even through the screen, he could sense the spiritual energy flowing within it.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" The auctioneer pointed to the screen behind her. "As you can see, this is the finest material in the world for Refining Gang—the Purple Jade Branch!"
"Everyone knows that the branches of the Futuo Jade Treasure Tree are gold. Only when the tree undergoes a mutation do purple branches appear. They're the finest material in the world for Refining Gang. The Treasure Forest at Cicada Temple produces at most a dozen or so Purple Jade Branches a year, which isn't enough even to supply the Five Great Immortal Sects. If you need more, you have to search the Wasteland Zone for wild specimens. This branch was obtained there by an expedition team, and it's completely natural."
"People say only top-tier Cultivation Methods need Purple Jade Branches for Refining Gang. But even if you practice an ordinary Cultivation Method, using top-tier Immortal Material will surely bring some benefit. Whether you use it yourself or save it for the next generation, it's an excellent choice."
"Our Purple Jade Branch has a starting price of eight hundred thousand, with minimum bids of ten thousand. Raise your paddle, and call out your price once I acknowledge you." The auctioneer paused, then raised her voice. "The