Chapter 250: Tingtao Seaauction

Chapter 250: Tingtao Seaauction

Before long, an elderly man returned to the private chamber.

Dressed in a simple gray robe, his snow-white hair was neatly combed back, and his sharp eyes radiated profound experience. Most crucially, his cultivation realm had reached the Golden Core Late Stage.

He sat across from Xiao Chen, flicked his sleeve, and the soundproof formation around them flared to life.

Then he introduced himself, "Esteemed fellow cultivator, I apologize for the wait. I am Kuang Ruihong. I will be appraising your auction items today."

"If you don't mind, shall I begin?"

Xiao Chen naturally agreed, gesturing toward the jade box, "Esteemed fellow cultivator, please proceed."

"Ah, a clouds-and-mists relief white jade box?"

Kuang Ruihong immediately noticed the jade box on the table, "Judging by the craftsmanship, this seems to have originated from the western regions."

Indeed, his observation was spot-on. Xiao Chen inwardly raised his estimation of the elder—this item had indeed come from the Darkness Sea, which lay west of the Mercy Sea.

After a brief comment, Kuang Ruihong opened the jade box with a wave of his hand. Without any obvious movement, faint mana ripples emanated from his eyes as he scrutinized its contents.

Closing the lid, he faced Xiao Chen, "Esteemed fellow cultivator, this item is Fourth Stage spirit soil—'Dual-Origin Spirit Earth.' It significantly enhances the planting of spirit herbs and the cultivation of spirit medicines."

"This type of Spirit Herb typically grows in areas with stagnant earth qi. Unfortunately, its total quantity is extremely limited..."

After his explanation, he concluded, "If you wish to auction this item, I recommend starting at 300,000 spirit stones. What do you think?"

This price aligned closely with Xiao Chen's initial expectations. While Dual-Origin Spirit Earth was valuable, a single box could only cultivate one spirit medicine at a time.

"I have a few more items", Xiao Chen said, placing four additional jade boxes on the table.

Kuang Ruihong's gaze sharpened as he ignored the first three Spirit-Containing Treasure Boxes and focused on the fourth, "So it's truly a Zichen Starlight Box."

He meticulously examined the entire jade box, his expression growing more solemn, "The silver-thread star-sand glaze technique is exceptionally rare."

After a sigh, he inspected the Spirit Herb inside, "If I'm not mistaken, this is a piece of 'Dragon Turtle Moon-Embracing Jade.' Since the disappearance of the Longgui, this unique Fourth Stage Spirit Herb has long been considered extinct."

"Today, seeing it in person, it indeed contains the essence of moonlight as legends describe."

He stroked his beard thoughtfully, "I suggest pricing it at 250,000 spirit stones."

This valuation far exceeded Xiao Chen's expectations. He had initially anticipated a price of around 200,000 spirit stones, even considering its potential use in special formations.

As if reading his mind, Kuang Ruihong explained, "Esteemed fellow cultivator, this jade box itself is a rare treasure. If it meets the right buyer, an additional 50,000 spirit stones for the box alone wouldn't be unreasonable."

"If you auction them separately, you can sell the Spirit Earth at a lower price while maximizing the box's value."

Xiao Chen nodded in understanding. He hadn't expected the Tianxing Sect to be so generous—the reward container itself had a prestigious origin.

"Your suggestion is sound. Let's proceed as you advised."

Kuang Ruihong continued appraising the remaining items, "A standard Flowing Gold Xuan Jade Pearl, worth around 50,000 spirit stones. High-grade Silver Thread Spirit Soil, approximately 30,000 spirit stones. Fresh Moonlight Frost, slightly cheaper at about 10,000 spirit stones."

These Third Stage Spirit Herbs naturally commanded lower prices.

"Both the Spirit Herb and Spirit Soil could fetch higher bids", Kuang Ruihong concluded, "Which items will you auction, and at what starting prices?"

Xiao Chen decided, "I have no use for these. Sell them all at the prices you suggested."

Kuang Ruihong's face brightened—securing a client like this would earn him a commission upon successful auction.

"Understood!" He retrieved six Spirit Contracts, writing the item names and starting prices before handing them to Xiao Chen, "Please sign these legacy inscriptions. The rest is my responsibility."

Xiao Chen skimmed the standard contracts—prewritten templates with only the item names, prices, and signatures left blank. Each item required a separate contract. These documents held no binding power over cultivators but served as proof of Feiye Merchant Guild's possession of the items and as vouchers for retrieving them or collecting payments post-auction.

The contracts bore handwritten signatures from Feiye Merchant Guild's senior merchants and elders of Yun Tao Sword Hut, acting as a guarantee of integrity.

After signing, Xiao Chen received a purple token from Kuang Ruihong, "Esteemed fellow cultivator, your Golden Core Late Stage cultivation and generous auction contributions earn you this private auction chamber token as a gift."

Xiao Chen accepted it. The token shimmered with spiritual light, engraved with a "Listening to the Sea's Roar" pattern on its front and three large characters on its back—"Yi Er Shi Si." A faint sealing formation within confirmed it was the key to accessing the private chamber.

"The auction begins in three days", Kuang Ruihong explained, "Present this token at the second-floor private chamber. Additionally, you'll receive a spirit stone credit line guaranteed by our guild. As long as your total bids don't exceed 3,000,000 spirit stones, settlement can wait until the auction concludes."

To prevent unruly solitary cultivators from disrupting auctions with reckless bids, some houses required immediate payment. However, this policy often caused disputes, leading to a compromise: offering credit lines based on private chamber tiers.

As a Golden Core Late Stage cultivator with valuable items, Xiao Chen received a second-tier private chamber (Yi class). The highest tier (Jia class) was reserved for Golden Core True Sovereigns or sect masters.

After a brief farewell, Kuang Ruihong examined the Zichen Starlight Box, "Containing the Celestial Constellations Formation—unheard of in any known sect."

For veteran appraisers like him, deducing a client's origins from their items was second nature. Upon entering, he'd noticed Xiao Chen's Storage Ring, a forging style uncommon in the Mercy Sea. Combined with the two Fourth Stage Spirit Herbs—one of unknown origin and the other likely from the west—he speculated, "Could this cultivator be from the western regions?"

Reviewing wanted lists, he found no match for "Xiao Chen." Though the physique resembled some fugitives, the cultivation realm didn't align.

"His identity seems clean, and the items appear legitimate", Kuang Ruihong concluded, though he prepared two reports—one for auction records and another for the guild's second-in-command. He knew their sect leader, the Canye True Sovereign, had a penchant for ancient relics.

Leaving Jubao Pavilion, Xiao Chen relaxed amidst the bustling street. With his auction preparations complete and the private chamber token secured, he mused, "Three days remain. Time to find lodging."

Though he often slept on deserted islands, drawing attention by sleeping in public was unwise.

"Five hundred spirit stones per night? Is this place built of gold?" Xiao Chen frowned at the exorbitant inn price.

The manager smiled, "Esteemed senior, this is our premium courtyard with triple-layer defense formations. It blocks attacks, sound, and spiritual sense. Even a Golden Core True Sovereign couldn't pierce it with their perception."

He presented a hand-drawn formation diagram, "I guarantee absolute privacy."

"If you're not satisfied, there are also standard rooms available for just fifty spirit stones per night."

Xiao Chen accepted the simple formation diagram. It described how the entire row of small courtyards had been uniformly equipped with a medium-sized Fourth Stage shielding formation.

This was rather intriguing. Such a grand auction would inevitably attract multiple Golden Core True Sovereigns. With the auction about to begin, everyone would certainly need some sense of security. No one wanted to be constantly exposed under the watchful eyes of True Sovereigns. Besides, this place wasn't meant for permanent residence anyway - the total cost wouldn't be excessive.

From the diagram, it seemed many cultivators had the same idea. Out of twelve courtyards, ten had already been rented. Only the two at the far left and right remained vacant.

Xiao Chen didn't hesitate. "Fine, I'll take the one on the right."

He booked it for four days and received a small formation flag in return. After securing his accommodation, Xiao Chen didn't immediately retreat to his courtyard for cultivation. This was a rare outing, and Tinglang Island was already bustling with activity. He decided to explore the streets, hoping to stumble upon something useful.

Though the chances were slim, there was always the possibility. His recent luck had been decent - perhaps he could find an ancient Divine Artifact abandoned at an open-air stall.

Tinglang Island had reserved a large central plaza specifically for cultivators to set up open-air stalls. Of course, setting up required paying spirit stones - one thousand spirit stones per day for a stall license. Each stall space measured only ten feet long and six feet wide. Those wanting more space had to pay proportionally more.

Despite this, the plaza's stalls were always rented out early, packed with countless small vendors and waves of solitary cultivators.

For the next three days, Xiao Chen rose before dawn and scoured the plaza's stalls one by one, determined to find a hidden treasure. Unfortunately, after three consecutive days of searching, he only uncovered a bunch of fraudulent merchants selling fakes. Not even a shadow of a Divine Artifact appeared.

Still, Xiao Chen wasn't completely empty-handed. Through conversations in the plaza, he gathered valuable intelligence. Setting aside the more outlandish rumors, he now had a rough understanding of the power dynamics in Tingtao Sea.

First was Yun Tao Sword Hut, an undisputed hegemon. Below them were the Hu, Jiang, and Mo Three Great Clans, along with the Feiye Merchant Guild. Tracing the Three Great Clans' origins, all had deep connections to Yun Tao Sword Hut. Only Feiye Merchant Guild, protected by a Golden Core True Sovereign, maintained relative independence while cooperating.

Further down were smaller families, most possessing only one or two Golden Core cultivators without comparable background influence. In other words, these posed little threat to Xiao Chen.

Notably, since Die Lang True Sovereign's recent emergence, many Yun Tao Sword Hut disciples had moved to Nan Ze Sea's border regions in recent years. Some older Golden Core disciples had even established branch families there.

Thus, in these three days, Xiao Chen heard of several duels, most ending with sword hut disciples victorious. However, with Chong Zhen Sect's sudden appearance this year, the situation had become delicate.

Under normal circumstances, the two major powers should naturally divide their territories along existing boundaries. Yet according to recent rumors Xiao Chen overheard, Yun Tao Sword Hut seemed completely uninterested in restraining their disciples. If not outright approval, this was tacit permission. Some bold solitary cultivators even predicted an inevitable clash between the two sects. Defensive spiritual artifacts would inevitably skyrocket in price - better to buy his fire-refined yellow sand now before it was too late.

...

March 18th.

Dawn had barely broken when Tinglang Island became lively. Countless cultivators rushed out early, heading toward the auction hall to secure prime front-row seats. Some had even camped outside the hall's entrance two days in advance, standing right at the edge of what the patrolling guards would tolerate.

"Pop!"

As the formation's light curtain retracted, Xiao Chen stepped out. Immediately, he saw many cultivators emerging from their residences along the streets. Some had already donned wide-brimmed straw hats or veils, completely concealing their faces. Others remained unconcerned, openly displaying their true appearances.

Observing as he walked, Xiao Chen noticed nearly thirty percent of cultivators wore facial coverings. This suggested Tingtao Sea's bandit cultivators were particularly rampant - otherwise, people wouldn't be this fearful. Xiao Chen himself had no such concerns. If a Golden Core cultivator dared provoke him, they'd be the ones suffering. Against a shameless Golden Core True Sovereign, even a veil wouldn't help - better to just flee.

"Welcome, Senior Cultivator!"

Today, many young, beautiful Foundation Building female cultivators stood at the auction hall entrance. Upon seeing someone present their token, they immediately rushed forward, bypassing queues to guide them directly to the second floor.

"This is Yi Er Shi Si, Senior. Please enter."

The female guide stood at the door, her eyes sending flirtatious glances toward Xiao Chen. "Would Senior like someone to stay and attend to you?"

"I'd be honored..."

Before she could finish, Xiao Chen waved his hand. "No need. Just close the door when you leave."

He clearly saw the seductive charm in her expression - likely trained in some alluring arts. "Attending" was just an excuse; she clearly coveted his essence to enhance her cultivation.

Hearing this, the female cultivator's eyes flickered with regret. Such a young Golden Core Zhenren would surely surpass those old men. But she dared not overstep, obediently retreating.

The private room contained tea and fruits, two sets of tables and chairs, and a large bed. Whether sitting or lying down, one could clearly see the first floor's scattered seats and the central semi-circular platform.

Xiao Chen fearlessly picked up a spirit fruit to taste while waiting for the auction to begin.

"Clang!"

Unknown how much time had passed when, as he reached for the last spirit fruit, a loud gong sound suddenly echoed below.

Looking down, Xiao Chen saw a white-robed youth standing in the center of the auction platform. His sharp eyebrows and bright eyes surveyed the crowd. Every cultivator meeting his gaze felt an involuntary chill.

"It's Die Lang True Sovereign!"

"Unexpected! He looks even younger than in the portraits."

"Of course! He's only sixty this year - equivalent to a six-year-old child in human terms. Better than any youth-preserving pill."

"Why is he standing in the center? Could he be hosting the auction?"

"Impossible, I think..."

The hall erupted in whispers as cultivators excitedly discussed in hushed tones. Simply seeing a Golden Core True Sovereign in person was thrilling.

"This auction will be maintained by me", Die Lang True Sovereign spoke slowly. "I hope everyone grants me this face and avoids any unpleasantness."

His voice sounded somewhat gentle, even soft, like a timid person afraid to fight back when bullied. Yet not a single cultivator dared underestimate him, even without a flying sword at his waist.

"Begin!"

With Die Lang's command, a water droplet fell, and his figure vanished. From the platform's rear, two lines of female attendants emerged from left and right, each carrying a large tray covered with red cloth.

This grand auction had not released a complete list of auction items, maintaining mystery throughout.

A graceful female cultivator stood in the center. Her elaborate hairstyle and jeweled attire radiated wealth and elegance.

"Welcome, Senior Cultivators and fellow cultivators! I am Luo Hanxiang, your auctioneer for today."

"The first item is a Five-Color Jade Coral!"

As she spoke, the leftmost attendant lifted the red cloth, revealing a jade coral radiating five-colored light.

"Since everyone recognizes this, I won't waste words. Starting bid: ten thousand spirit stones! Minimum increment: one hundred. We begin now!"

The price was clearly low, intentionally set to liven the atmosphere. Predictably, hearing such a bargain, a cultivator immediately shouted, "Twelve thousand spirit stones!"

Hmm?

Xiao Chen glanced, suspecting this was a shill from Feiye Merchant Guild. Bidding intensified below, quickly pushing the price past one hundred thousand spirit stones. Ultimately, Yi Liu private room secured it for one hundred twenty-six thousand, eight hundred spirit stones - a successful opening.

Though most cultivators present were already Golden Core, Golden Core formation Spirit Herbs remained scarce treasures for any faction.

Following this, over a dozen Spirit Herbs took turns appearing. Pills, formations, talismans, and artifacts all made appearances - rare treasures seldom seen outside, each selling for over ten thousand spirit stones.

For Xiao Chen, this segment was somewhat dull. At his current stage, these items were practically junk, only valuable for their spirit stones.

However, the organizers clearly anticipated this. After the initial attendants exited, two new ones carried a large tray.

"Among Third Stage Spirit Herbs, many are rare flowers."

"But the most unique among them is definitely this!"

Luo Hanxiang deliberately paused, building anticipation. Then she lifted the red cloth, revealing golden-glowing spirit flowers.

"This item is a Nine-Petaled Golden Stamen cultivated for nine hundred years, its medicinal properties at peak potency!"

"As everyone knows, this flower is already extremely rare... particularly valuable for golden spirit root cultivators."

"Starting bid: fifty thousand spirit stones!"

Hearing this high price, many solitary cultivators shook their heads. For them, this was clearly unaffordable.

"Excellent! I never expected to encounter Nine-Petaled Golden Stamen here."

A voice called from the second floor, "I bid seventy thousand spirit stones!"

He immediately added twenty thousand, clearly smitten.

"One hundred thousand spirit stones!"

Before his words finished, Xiao Chen doubled the starting price. Finally encountering one of his target Spirit Herbs, he wouldn't be polite.

Since the auction began, no one had ever increased the bid by thirty thousand at once. Everyone turned their gaze toward the second floor, though they couldn't see inside the private rooms. Still, they remembered the number Yi Er Shi Si, speculating which major faction it belonged to.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end