Second Bloom

After the farce just now, Yun Leng's expression remained ugly, his aged face filled with sinister malice. Even Nalan Yanran beside him felt her nerves tighten slightly.

Wasting an extra Five Hundred Thousand Gold Coins for nothing would be hard for any faction in the Jia Ma Empire to stomach. After all, that money could have formed a mercenary corps of more than a hundred people.

This chilly atmosphere lasted for nearly an hour. It was not until Ya Fei personally brought out the second-to-last item of the night that Yun Leng's expression finally gained a trace of fiery anticipation.

He had come tonight for this!

"Everyone, let me introduce tonight's second-to-last treasure." Ya Fei smiled faintly, radiating charm.

She elegantly lifted the red brocade cloth, revealing its true contents—two earth-yellow bone arms!

"Strong individuals reach ever greater heights only through constant tempering. Their strength is unparalleled, and their bodies are exceptionally powerful as well. These bone arms were left behind after a senior at the Peak Dou Zong stage passed away.

"During his lifetime, he cultivated earth-attribute Dou Qi and mainly fought with his hands. Therefore, these bone arms contain an extraordinarily powerful earth-attribute Dou Qi energy. If they are refined, not only will one's strength increase greatly, but one will also be able to wield the earth-attribute energy between heaven and earth with far greater ease."

As Ya Fei slowly introduced the item, people below had already begun identifying this Peak Dou Zong expert.

"I remember him. He was a renowned expert active on the continent a hundred years ago. His pair of Thousand Rock Arms dominated the Northwest Region. His name was Chong Li!"

"That's right! During the Sect Convention held once every thirty years, there was also the Strongest Ranking. That senior ranked among the top ten back then!"

"What a pity. Time is the most terrifying enemy. Such a glorious expert of the past was ultimately crushed by the years. What a pity..."

Yun Leng stared fixedly at the pair of bone arms, his eyes filled with greed.

He was already a Seven Stars Dou Wang, but he was past seventy, and the Dou Emperor realm remained far beyond his reach. Yet he cultivated earth-attribute Dou Qi. If he refined and fused with these bone arms, his strength would undoubtedly rise by an entire level. Breaking through to the Dou Emperor realm might not be impossible!

His status would rise accordingly as well. Yun Yun, the Sect Master of the Misty Cloud Sect, was poor at administration, so he handled all matters large and small within the sect. Yet she had always held the final decision-making power firmly in her grasp. But if he broke through to Dou Emperor, this balance would be shattered. He might truly obtain real authority over the Misty Cloud Sect and lead it down the bright path he envisioned!

"These bone arms were entrusted by that senior to his family for auction before his death. This time, the auction method will no longer be limited to one kind. Everyone present may offer Gold Coins, or hand over pills, cultivation methods, Dou Skills, and Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures of greater value. Value for value!" Ya Fei gently placed the bone arms on the auction platform, then picked up the auction hammer and lightly tapped the base. "The starting price is Five Million Gold Coins. There is no limit on the minimum increment. Bidding begins now."

Yet after Ya Fei called out those words, no one made a bid for a short while.

Because it was too expensive! Five Million Gold Coins was equivalent to the entire assets of a medium-sized family, or several years of output from a large city.

Even an Earth-tier Low Grade Dou Skill was worth only around that much.

Aside from massive powers such as the Three Great Families of the Imperial Capital, the Jia Ma Imperial Family, and the Misty Cloud Sect, who else could produce such a sum all at once?

After another stretch of silence, someone finally lost patience. Gritting his teeth and stomping his foot, he raised his placard and shouted, "Five Million and Ten Thousand Gold Coins!"

Ya Fei looked at him, then said with a smile, "Very well. No. 23 bids Five Million and Ten Thousand Gold Coins."

"I offer three Spirit Dou Pills!" A cool female voice came from private room No. 1.

The entire hall was shocked. Spirit Dou Pills were Fifth-grade Pills that could allow a Dou Wang-level expert to quickly increase by one star! Whenever one appeared, it could usually sell for a sky-high price of around Two Million Gold Coins!

"Who is that? What an extravagant bid," someone whispered.

"Idiot! Those seated in private room No. 1 are generally people with close ties to the Mite'er Family and immense power. And it's a woman's voice—I'd say there's an eighty percent chance it's Princess Yao Yue."

"Someone from the Jia Ma Imperial Family? Then it's no surprise. Jia Xingtian, Old Jia, has now reached the Peak Dou Huang realm and is only one step away from Dou Zong. He is also an earth-attribute Dou Qi cultivator. If he refines these bone arms, he may really be able to break through!"

"Three Spirit Dou Pills, plus a Profound Tier High Grade cultivation method and matching Dou Skill." Yun Leng called out his bid.

Everyone turned toward VIP No. 5. They already knew that it housed an elder of the Misty Cloud Sect. The situation had now turned into a covert contest between the Jia Ma Imperial Family and the Misty Cloud Sect.

"Elder Yun Leng, my great-grandfather is currently at the Peak Dou Huang realm and needs something to help him explore the threshold of Dou Zong. Please show mercy and give this item to our Jia Ma Imperial Family?" Yao Ye's cool voice came again from private room No. 1.

"Hehe, Princess Yao Yue, you jest. Old Jia's strength is exceptional, and he has explored the Peak Dou Huang realm for many years, accumulating abundant experience. I believe he will break through his shackles before long.

"Yet this old man's talent has already been exhausted. I have remained at the Seven Stars Dou Wang level for seven years. Without these bone arms, I may have no hope of breaking through to Dou Emperor. Therefore, it should be this old man asking you instead. The Misty Cloud Sect will certainly repay you generously afterward!"

Both their words carried hidden implications, and for a moment they were deadlocked. Then an abrupt voice rang out. "Isn't it just raising the bid? Raise it! Three Spirit Dou Pills, a Mysterious Rank cultivation method and Dou Skill, plus One Million Eight Hundred Thousand Gold Coins!"

Both were startled and turned toward private room No. 3 at the same time.

"Damn it..." Yun Leng wanted to kill someone. What was going on? Wasn't that fellow's bid simply his previous bid, plus the One Million Eight Hundred Thousand Gold Coins wasted earlier?

"Little girl, you'd better think carefully about who you're opposing." Yun Leng gritted his teeth. The icy killing intent in his voice could no longer be concealed. If this were not the Mittel Auction House, he might have already lunged at her and killed her.

"Can't afford it? Is that all your Misty Cloud Sect is capable of? One Million Eight Hundred Thousand means nothing to me." Liuli feigned smugness, her tone dripping with mockery. As she spoke, she proudly winked at Xiao Yan.

"Two Spirit Dou Pills, plus one Imperial Pill!" Yun Leng's eyes were bloodshot. Earth-yellow Dou Qi condensed around his clenched fists.

"An Imperial Pill! That's a Sixth-grade Pill! One pill can raise a Dou Emperor's strength by at least one star without side effects. The Misty Cloud Sect truly is lavish." The people below cried out in shock.

Yun Leng's face was grim. He had painstakingly gathered the materials for this Imperial Pill and begged Pill King Gu He to refine it for him. He had intended to take it after breaking through to Dou Emperor. With it, he could reach at least the Two-star Dou Huang realm in one leap.

But now, he could only use it in the bidding. As the Great Elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, he had received countless benefits and embezzled an untold amount of public funds over the years. But finding, on short notice, items that could rival Liuli's bid of at least Eight Million Gold Coins was still quite difficult.

As long as he could break through to Dou Emperor, every sacrifice would be worthwhile.

Though he said that, he was certain that if the person opposite him dared raise the bid again, he would disregard the Mite'er Family and attack directly.

"Elder Yun Leng, what a generous bid. Fine! It's yours. Then you probably won't have a share in the final item either." Liuli sighed in feigned regret again, looking exceptionally punchable.

"We'll see about that!" Yun Leng left behind those words and immediately rose, heading out of the private room.

"Then, if no one raises the bid, this pair of bone arms shall go to VIP No. 5!" Ya Fei lightly tapped the base, finalizing the sale with one strike.

"Phew..." Liuli leaned back against the soft seat and let out a long breath.

Playing such little tricks was quite tiring, but that idiot Yun Leng had fallen for it anyway.

"Haha, you're incredible! You're the first woman I've ever seen who dared to go head-to-head with the Misty Cloud Sect like that." Xiao Yan watched the scene with glee and gave Liuli a thumbs-up.

He had never gotten along with the Misty Cloud Sect to begin with, and seeing them bleed so heavily put him in a good mood.

"I'm tough, right?" Liuli happily made a gesture when she heard Xiao Yan praise her.

"Tough! Miss Gongsun is tall and tough!" Xiao Yan was in rare high spirits and joked with her.

The air was filled with joy~