Rakshasa Sect? A Golden Core power from neighboring Nether Luo Prefecture? It had actually drawn even an outside prefecture's Golden Core power here?
Clearly, the Azurewood Sect man's words had not affected Rakshasa Sect's bid.
"Ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones," he said, following up, "Your Azurewood Sect has the means, so keep bidding if you like. Why flaunt your name here to pressure me?"
Yao ZhengSheng's expression remained unchanged. He clearly understood that his words had not achieved the slightest effect and had instead provoked the other party's hostility.
Watching the two sides argue, Shan Qin, the female cultivator in a gauze dress onstage, said:
"If First Disciple Yao can produce what our commerce association needs, this pill may be gifted to the First Disciple outright. Furthermore, we have more treasures for the divine soul that we can trade with Azurewood Sect."
Only then did Wei Zhong learn that the Azurewood Sect bidder was Yao ZhengSheng, the newly formed Core Formation First Disciple and protagonist of this Core Formation Grand Ceremony.
At those words, Yao ZhengSheng's expression changed inside the private room, and he turned to look at Lu Yibin beside him.
Cloud Gathering Commerce was not letting go of grudges at all. It had been waiting here for Azurewood Sect.
Could something that interested even a force like Cloud Gathering Commerce possibly be insignificant?
The cultivators present all wore varying expressions. The Rakshasa Sect bidder in particular had flushed bright red, seemingly enraged.
Yet he could not vent it. Cloud Gathering Commerce was a Core Formation Power, far beyond what Rakshasa Sect could afford to provoke. Besides, it had stated its own demand, and Azurewood Sect using that to offset the price of an auction item was perfectly within the rules.
But what sort of treasure was it, to make her willing to exchange this Soul Nurturing Pill without a moment's hesitation?
"Fellow Daoist Shan, you jest. My Azurewood Sect truly does not possess that item. If we had the real thing, why would we not bring it out to trade with your commerce association? Climbing onto the branch of a Core Formation Power like Cloud Gathering Commerce would be a stroke of fortune for Golden Core sects like ours."
Yao ZhengSheng answered calmly.
Shan Qin gave a soft, tinkling laugh.
"Since you do not have it, then let us pretend I never said such a thing. Please, you two, continue bidding."
"Ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
Yao ZhengSheng continued his bid, a trace of worry appearing on his face.
The seed that Azurewood Sect possessed a great treasure had already been planted. In the future, there would be no shortage of evil cultivators concealing their identities and coming to probe them.
"Eleven thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
The Rakshasa Sect bidder looked pained, clearly unable to hold out much longer.
The two bid one after another. In the end, the Azurewood Sect First Disciple claimed it for thirteen thousand Spirit Stones.
Such a sky-high price undoubtedly stunned Wei Zhong, a Rogue Cultivator who had never seen the world.
One pill could be so outrageously expensive? But this female cultivator surnamed Shan was truly ruthless. With just a few words, she had set Azurewood Sect atop a blazing fire. Could Azurewood Sect have offended her before?
"The next auction item is a Second-Order array, the Azure Water Green Lotus Array. Azure water for defense, green lotus for attack—suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators guarding their cave abodes..."
An array?
Wei Zhong was delighted. Was this not precisely what he needed?
"The opening bid is two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Each increase must be no less than one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
The moment those words fell, cultivators immediately began bidding.
"Two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
"Two thousand two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
Listening to the cries of bids, Wei Zhong joined in as well. The final price climbed all the way to four thousand Spirit Stones before Wei Zhong secured it.
This Second-Order array was more than a tier pricier than a second-order magic item. Of course, that was also because the Dao of arrays was not flourishing in Mangyuan Prefecture.
Luo Mingyan, inside a private room in the pavilion, glanced at Wei Zhong. He had clearly recognized him as well.
"What, Junior Brother Luo? You know this man?" Yao ZhengSheng asked.
Luo Mingyan nodded.
"He is the descendant of a friend of mine. A few days ago, he successfully established his foundation as a spirit farmer...
"Not only do I know him, but the Spirit Wine recipe in Senior Brother Shen's hands also came from him."
As Yao ZhengSheng's gaze shifted over, Shen Yuqi nodded.
"With such a craft, why has he not entered our Azurewood Sect to seek a position as a Guest Elder?"
"This..."
Luo Mingyan rose and cupped his hands.
"Though this man successfully established his foundation, his potential has already been exhausted. He intends to spend his remaining years in peace and manage his Lineage."
"His potential is exhausted? Then forget it. A mere First-Order skill cannot stir up any great waves."
Luo Mingyan secretly wiped away a cold sweat. Fortunately, his senior brother had not pursued the matter, and it ended there. At the same time, he quietly regretted speaking up for Wei Zhong. Later, he would definitely use this matter to swindle several jars of Spirit Wine from him.
The auction continued, and several more rare spirit treasures appeared, leaving Wei Zhong dazzled.
After buying several spirit materials that might be useful for brewing wine, Wei Zhong did not bid again.
"Finally, the finale item of this auction: one Dustfall Pill. Depending on the constitution of the cultivator who consumes it, it can increase the chance of forming a core by ten to thirty percent.
"The opening bid is ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Each increase must be no less than one hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
The moment this item appeared, Yao ZhengSheng swiftly rose to his feet.
Cloud Gathering Commerce was digging up Azurewood Sect's roots.
"Dustfall Pill?"
This was also Wei Zhong's first time seeing the actual pill. It was one of the precious pills required for cultivators to form a core.
Just as Qi Refining cultivators needed Foundation Establishment Pills when establishing their foundations, Foundation Establishment cultivators likewise needed to take Dustfall Pills when forming cores. This pill's status surpassed that of a Foundation Establishment Pill by who knew how much. The appearance of this single pill instantly ignited the enthusiasm of the cultivators throughout the venue.
"Eleven thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
"Eleven thousand five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
A bid that directly added one thousand Spirit Stones was immediately crushed. Several Foundation Establishment cultivators in the hall, along with the Golden Core powers behind them, bid one after another as if their eyes had turned red.
"We must obtain this pill," Yao ZhengSheng said firmly.
Very quickly, the price of the Dustfall Pill rose past twenty thousand, then even thirty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones amid the cultivators' frenzied pursuit.
"Thirty-three thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
The bidder was precisely the Rakshasa Sect cultivator who had competed with Yao ZhengSheng for the Soul Nurturing Pill earlier.
"Thirty-four thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
This bid came from someone from Hanzhu City. According to the cultivators' discussion, his name was Qingzhu, and he was a disciple of Bitter Bamboo Honored One, the Hanzhu City Lord.
"Thirty-five thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
Yet this voice did not come from overhead, but from among the Foundation Establishment seats. The bidder wore a black robe that concealed his face.
Wei Zhong guessed that he was either a Rogue Cultivator bold enough to rely on his skill, or someone from a Foundation Establishment Lineage.
The price continued to climb, swiftly breaking forty thousand. This time, even Rakshasa Sect and Hanzhu City stopped bidding.
Only Azurewood Sect and that mysterious Foundation Establishment cultivator continued to compete.
"Forty-two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones."
Hearing that bid, Yao ZhengSheng finally hesitated.
He tried several times to speak, but ultimately chose to give up. Azurewood Sect had now gained a firm foothold in the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range and had gathered enough spirit herbs to refine a Dustfall Pill. Where there was one, there would be a second. Fighting for this pill at an even higher price was no longer worth it.
Seeing Azurewood Sect extinguish its fire, Shan Qin struck the wooden hammer in her hand.
"Forty-two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones, once... twice... three times. Congratulations to this fellow Daoist for obtaining the Dustfall Pill.
"This auction has come to a successful conclusion..."
Afterward, the man completed the exchange for his auction item and swiftly departed.
Yao ZhengSheng said to his fellow sect members beside him, "Inform Martial Uncle and Martial Ancestor..."
Before he could finish, Shan Qin's voice rang out from below the stage.
"First Disciple Yao, please stay. I still have a business matter to discuss with you!"
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