Bidding for a Cultivation Technique

With only a simple announcement of the item's name and no detailed explanation, the entire auction hall erupted.

The atmosphere of the auction instantly reached a new peak.

Compared to the weapons and other items auctioned earlier, an Advanced Profound Rank Dou Qi cultivation technique was not only the most valuable item in this auction, but could also be used for a lifetime and passed down continuously. Compared with other items, it was far more capable of driving people mad.

Even weapons forged from Magic Cores would suffer damage with constant use. But as long as one possessed a high-level cultivation technique, it could be continuously passed down. With many people cultivating it together, it would eventually form a powerful force.

Without a high-level cultivation technique, possessing only weapons was like a child playing with a sharp blade—the one likely to be hurt would be oneself.

"Sacred Sun Technique..." Xiao Yan murmured, excitement flashing in his dark eyes.

When Yao Lao had produced the Flame Mantra, he had also taken out an Earth Tier cultivation technique. Thus, ordinary people believed that the highest-grade technique a Dou Zhe could cultivate was a low-grade Earth Tier technique. They often overlooked the fact that the cultivator in question had fallen from the Dou Zhe realm, spent three years at the third stage of Dou Qi, and then successfully advanced again.

By repeatedly using Dou Qi to nourish his meridians, his physical constitution had become far stronger than that of ordinary people. Without such an experience, the highest-grade technique an ordinary person could cultivate was only Advanced Profound Rank.

Xiao Yan was determined to obtain the Sacred Sun Technique. Having only recently broken through to become a Dou Zhe, he would soon be able to cultivate the highest-grade technique he could currently use. He was far more excited than when he had first heard the news.

Taking in everyone's reactions, Ya Fei smiled charmingly. "Everyone, this Sacred Sun Technique was created by a senior expert. It has been passed down to this day and has an orthodox origin, so you may bid without concern."

After hearing Ya Fei clearly explain the scroll's origins and confirm that it would not affect the bidding, Xiao Yan impatiently urged, "Hurry up and announce the price."

This was, after all, the cultivation technique he intended to practice. Naturally, he did not want others to understand its advantages. If they fought in the future, they could prepare against it in advance.

Although there might not be many people this perceptive in Wutan City, he was definitely going to spend the money today. It was always best to get more than his money's worth.

Why had he come secretly? Xiao Zhan frowned slightly. The voice had sounded somewhat familiar—it was his son, whom he had told to rest at home.

Maintaining the seductive smile on her beautiful face, Ya Fei, who had dealt with the owner of that voice before, thought, What an impatient man.

However, the current situation did not require her to say much. Smiling, she announced, "Sacred Sun Technique, starting bid: two hundred thousand gold coins!"

Quite a few people present had received word that an Advanced Profound Rank cultivation technique would be auctioned, and they had already made some estimates of the price. They had thought their estimates were already extremely high, yet once the real price was announced, it was far higher than they had imagined.

For a moment, faced with the sky-high price of two hundred thousand, the previously fervent atmosphere cooled somewhat.

Before Xiao Zhan could think about the reason, he called out, "Two hundred and fifty thousand gold coins!"

"Three hundred thousand gold coins!" Xiao Yan immediately raised the bid, increasing it by a whole tier at once.

The auction hall immediately filled with sharp intakes of breath. Two hundred thousand had already been a high price; three hundred thousand was enough to make many who had wanted to try give up entirely.

At this point, only the patriarchs of the other two great families, who stood on equal footing with the Xiao Family, had the ability to compete.

Hearing the bid of three hundred thousand gold coins, Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa, who had originally intended to raise the price and prevent Xiao Zhan from having an easy time, were both somewhat surprised.

Someone in Wutan City actually dared to bid against members of the three great families?

After their momentary shock, both revealed smiles of delight.

Upon learning that this Advanced Profound Rank cultivation technique was fire-attributed and completely unsuitable for them to cultivate, they had been deeply frustrated.

But after learning that this fire-attributed cultivation technique was remarkably suitable for the Xiao Family's genius, Xiao Yan, the two had independently made up their minds. Even if they allowed Xiao Zhan to win it, they had to make him bleed heavily first.

Now that someone else was bidding against Xiao Zhan, they were naturally happy to see it.

After all, raising the price carried risks. If the item ended up in their hands, it would truly be a case of trying to outsmart others only to outsmart themselves.

Xiao Zhan took in the changes in the expressions of the two old foxes beside him. Father and son understood each other perfectly, and he immediately grasped his son's intentions. Gritting his teeth, he said, "Three hundred and ten thousand gold coins!"

"Three hundred and fifty thousand gold coins." Xiao Yan's voice was hoarse, but his tone remained calm and indifferent, as though he did not care about the extra tens of thousands of gold coins at all.

Xiao Zhan clenched his fists tightly and shouted in fury, "Three hundred and sixty thousand gold coins!"

"Four hundred thousand gold coins." Xiao Yan followed immediately, looking utterly determined to win.

As they listened to the two bid against each other, raising the price by sums equivalent to one or even several years of a family's profits, everyone in the hall was left dumbfounded.

Watching the two compete so fiercely, Ya Fei's seductive smile became even more alluring.

Xiao Zhan's brows were tightly furrowed. He did not raise the bid immediately. Four hundred thousand gold coins was roughly four years of the Xiao Family's profits. At this point, even as the patriarch of one of the three great families, he had to proceed cautiously.

The smiles on Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa's faces grew wider. Xiao Zhan had assumed his position while still young and lacked authority, so his actions were often constrained by the clan elders. It seemed that any sum above four hundred thousand gold coins was no longer money he could command.

Given the situation, perhaps they could try adding some gold coins and attempt to purchase this Advanced Profound Rank cultivation technique. As long as the price was right, even if they themselves were unsuited to cultivate it, passing it down for their clan members to cultivate would still be worthwhile.

Just as they settled on a price and were about to call it out, Xiao Zhan said with extreme difficulty, "Four hundred and ten thousand gold coins."

Only an increase of ten thousand gold coins... The bids Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa had not yet called out turned into laughter. With the financial resources of the bidder behind them, surpassing that price would be easy. Xiao Zhan had held out for so long only to raise it by ten thousand; it was clear he had exposed his limit.

Yet the two waiting to enjoy the show did not immediately hear a response, and they could not help feeling surprised.

Standing on the stage, Ya Fei was also somewhat puzzled, though she quickly understood the reason.

He left? Gazing at the black-robed man who had risen and departed directly, Ya Fei's peach-blossom eyes flashed with astonishment. That confident appearance from the other day was still vivid in her mind. He was leaving just like that?

Four hundred and ten thousand gold coins was absolutely a very cheap price for an Advanced Profound Rank cultivation technique. It should not have been enough to scare someone away.

Xiao Zhan knew it was time to end the act and urged, "Miss Ya Fei, shouldn't you announce the conclusion now?"

Ya Fei had originally been waiting for the two men to drive the price even higher, so she was quite disappointed with this outcome. However, she had received orders from her family to befriend the Xiao Family, which had produced a peerless genius. Thus, she did not say anything to provoke the others and began the usual countdown.

The smiles on Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa's faces stiffened. Listening to Ya Fei's calls, they became as anxious as ants on a hot pan.

If they did not raise the bid, Xiao Zhan would obtain that Advanced Profound Rank cultivation technique for the bargain price of four hundred and ten thousand. But if they did raise it... that price was truly difficult to increase.

If they added too little, they would easily become locked in a stalemate with Xiao Zhan, who was certain to buy the technique. They might fail to gain anything and instead suffer a loss. If they added too much, nearly five hundred thousand gold coins would be enough to plunge their families into a financial crisis.

Both hoped the other would speak first and compete with Xiao Zhan. Their thoughts were anxious, conflicted, and impossible to settle. In the span of a few breaths, dense beads of sweat appeared on their foreheads.

Still hearing no new bid, the two had just resolved to call out a middling increase when the small hammer in Ya Fei's hand came down.

"The Sacred Sun Technique has been successfully purchased by Patriarch Xiao."

Jia Lie Bi and Ao Ba Pa stood there with their mouths open, unable to utter the bids they had prepared. After a moment of stunned silence, they glared darkly and resentfully at Xiao Zhan, who had gotten such a bargain.

Ignoring the looks from his two rivals, Xiao Zhan was delighted both outwardly and inwardly. Buying an Advanced Profound Rank cultivation technique for four hundred and ten thousand gold coins was such an incredible bargain that it was hard to believe it had happened at an auction.

Normally, that price could only purchase an excellent Intermediate Profound Rank cultivation technique. It was still quite a distance from an Advanced Profound Rank one.

Xiao Zhan knew very well that if his son had not appeared mysteriously and diverted the attention of those two old foxes, they would have watched him like hawks. He would have had to pay an enormous price to obtain this Advanced Profound Rank cultivation technique.

Now, he had bought an Advanced Profound Rank cultivation technique for only four hundred and ten thousand gold coins, nearly one-third less than the six hundred thousand he had expected.