Fifth-Tier Magical Beast Egg, Fire-Scaled Crocodile Dragon (First Update, Please Add to Favorites)

"Everyone, this Earth Tier Cultivation Method is the legacy technique of a first-rate faction in the Chu Yun Empire. However, that faction has fallen into decline, and its successor came to our Jia Ma Empire to seek refuge. In the end, he entrusted the Mittel Family with putting this technique up for auction..."

"This technique has a legitimate origin and won't bring any trouble. You can bid with peace of mind!" Ya Fei lifted the yellow scroll and introduced it to the crowd with a radiant smile.

"Miss Ya Fei, enough with the small talk. Just hurry up and announce the price!" Someone below shouted impatiently.

"Everyone, please be patient!" Her beautiful cheeks still wore a charming smile. Ya Fei waved her hand, signaling for the crowd not to rush. "I'm sure you all know how precious an Earth Tier Cultivation Method is, so there's no need for me to say more."

"But to obtain this auction item, you'll need to meet three conditions set by the consignor!"

At those words, many people present furrowed their brows.

What was the most annoying thing at an auction?

When the consignor had conditions!

Normally, everyone could simply compete by offering higher prices. Now they also had to consider what outrageous demands the consignor might make. What had been a contest of wealth had turned into a contest of influence.

For independent cultivators with high cultivation levels, this was undoubtedly a heavy blow.

"Miss Ya Fei, what are the consignor's conditions?" asked a powerful expert whose Dou Ling pressure filled the air.

Ya Fei smiled as she faced the crowd and held up three slender, pale fingers. Then she spoke sweetly. "First: you must give the consignor one million gold coins!"

"Second: you must protect the consignor for one year."

"Third: you must escort the consignor to the Black Corner Region."

As soon as these three conditions were announced,

everyone in the venue drew a sharp breath.

One million gold coins?

A year as a bodyguard.

An escort to the Black Corner Region...

None of the three conditions sounded simple.

[One million gold coins] was an astronomical sum to many people.

Take the Xiao Clan of the past as an example. The Xiao Clan's annual profits had once been only one hundred thousand gold coins. One million gold coins was worth a full ten years' profits!

[Protecting the consignor for a year] meant that the consignor couldn't remain in the Chu Yun Empire and had fled to the Jia Ma Empire for refuge. It went without saying that the forces pursuing him were no ordinary ones. To fulfill this condition, one would need to belong to at least a second- or first-rate faction.

If the first two conditions could still be accepted with some reluctance,

then the third was downright unreasonable.

[Escort the consignor to the Black Corner Region]...

Just listen to that. Was that any way to talk?

What sort of place was the Black Corner Region?

It lay along the borders of three empires and was an utterly lawless land, rife with killing and violence.

Even ordinary Dou Ling experts wouldn't dare venture there alone, yet the consignor wanted someone to take him to a place like that?

That one condition alone would be enough to deter more than ninety-nine percent of the people in the Jia Ma Empire. Only a first-rate faction, or someone with a Dou Wang expert as a bodyguard, could manage it.

"Alas..."

After hearing the consignor's three conditions, most of the people in the venue gave up on competing for the item.

An Earth Tier Cultivation Method was tempting, but not tempting enough to risk their lives.

After some negotiation, the Earth Tier Cultivation Method was eventually won by a Dou Ling expert affiliated with a first-rate faction in the Jia Ma Empire. With the Mittel Family acting as guarantor, he would also have to fulfill his agreement with the consignor.

With the auction of the Earth Tier Cultivation Method over,

the venue once again erupted into fierce competition.

That is, until... the final auction items appeared.

"Everyone, we've reached the final, most crucial moment of this auction!"

"There are only two items left!"

"I assure you that these final two items will satisfy everyone!" Ya Fei said with a smile. With a wave of her hand, several burly men carried in a heavy chest.

"Now, let's welcome the final auction item: the egg of a fifth-tier magical beast, the Fire-Scaled Crocodile Dragon!"

The chest opened, revealing a half-meter-long magical beast egg glowing with five-colored radiance. Mysterious patterns were etched across its surface, and an exceptionally pure aura of energy surged from it, invigorating everyone present.

"A fifth-tier magical beast egg? And a Fire-Scaled Crocodile Dragon, at that?" Many people cried out in unison, their eyes fixed on the egg with undisguised determination.

Once successfully hatched, a fifth-tier magical beast egg would yield a beast born with the cultivation of a Da Dou Shi. Upon reaching adulthood, it could attain strength comparable to a Dou Ling. If properly raised, it could even become a fifth-tier magical beast on par with a Dou Wang expert!

And this was no ordinary fifth-tier beast. The Fire-Scaled Crocodile Dragon was renowned for its formidable strength even among fifth-tier magical beasts!

Whoever obtained this Fire-Scaled Crocodile Dragon egg would, given time, possess a magical beast guardian comparable to a Dou Ling. For some clans, it would even ensure the foundation of their family's prosperity.

As the fifth-tier magical beast egg was carried onto the auction stage, everyone in the venue began rubbing their hands in anticipation.

Before long, under countless eager gazes, Ya Fei announced the starting price for the item. "The egg of a fifth-tier Fire-Scaled Crocodile Dragon. Starting bid: one million gold coins!"

"Each bid must be at least one hundred thousand gold coins higher!"

"I now declare the bidding open!"

At her announcement, the entire venue erupted.

"One million, one hundred thousand gold coins!" Someone called out almost the instant her voice fell.

"I'll offer one million, three hundred thousand!" someone else immediately joined the bidding.

"One million, five hundred thousand!"

"Two million!"

"..."

Those competing for the fifth-tier magical beast egg included not only first-rate factions from the Jia Ma Empire, but also some second-rate factions and prominent clans.

For a time, the auction hall was ablaze with excitement.

Everyone was competing for the fifth-tier magical beast egg.

After all, a magical beast guaranteed to be comparable to a Dou Ling was the dream of many factions.

As the bids kept climbing, the price of the fifth-tier magical beast egg continued to soar. Soon, it reached the astonishing sum of three million gold coins!

Three million gold coins!

Hearing that price, Xiao Zhan couldn't help gaping. That was the equivalent of thirty years of profits for the Xiao Clan!

Were there really so many wealthy people in the Jia Ma Empire?

He had originally thought that after annexing the Jalie Clan and making the Xiao Clan the greatest clan in Wutan City,

they might not be able to rival those first- and second-rate factions, but surely they could at least claim a place in the Jia Ma Empire.

But now, looking at the old-established factions, the Xiao Clan was still little more than a fallen household!

He felt dejected, even a little inferior.

As he wondered when the Xiao Clan might finally rise to prominence in the Jia Ma Empire, the auction in the venue had reached its final crescendo.

The original price of three million gold coins could no longer curb some people's enthusiasm.

They even brought out all manner of precious treasures, hoping to trade them for the fifth-tier magical beast egg.

Fourth-tier medicinal ingredients, fifth-tier medicinal ingredients, divine weapons, Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills—people brought out all sorts of things to trade.

Even a sixth-tier medicinal ingredient appeared.

After a fierce contest, the fifth-tier magical beast egg was successfully won by a fourth-tier alchemist affiliated with the Alchemist Guild.

He had paid only one fifth-tier medicinal ingredient and a few fourth-tier pills.

Of course, the fundamental reason he obtained the fifth-tier magical beast egg was that the consignor wanted to earn the friendship of a fourth-tier alchemist.

After all, in certain respects, a fourth-tier alchemist could be even more powerful than a Dou Wang expert.

There was an unwritten rule in the Jia Ma Empire: one could offend a powerful expert, but never an alchemist. After all, you never knew when you might need to ask one for help.

And if you happened to be on bad terms with them...

Wouldn't that be awkward?