Chapter 320: "Do you know the VIP in that box?"

Chapter 320: "Do you know the VIP in that box?"

"This auction really has some good stuff."

Sitting in the box, Jiang Buying glanced at the multicolored entry talisman on the tray below, his face filled with emotion as he muttered.

Indeed, this was a decent early-stage multicolored entry.

Unfortunately, this entry was not suitable for the Lower Rank Immortal World.

The best place to plant the 'World Tree' was the Void, without exception. Three million years ago, several top-tier forces had planted the World Tree in the Void, and every half a year, the entire group's cultivation would increase at an astonishing rate.

But those from the Lower Rank Immortal World didn't have the qualifications or the ability to enter the Void, so the effectiveness of this entry would be greatly reduced.

Although the effect was still good.

The maturity time, fruit quality, and quantity would be significantly reduced, and the strength of the multicolored entry would decrease from its original level to the golden, red, or even purple level, depending on the density of the spiritual energy.

Wait...

Jiang Buying suddenly turned his head towards the neighboring box, and indeed, there was someone who had the opportunity to enter the Void—Chen Qiu, and no one else.

If Chen Qiu could escape from that place, there was a chance that he could return and re-enter the Void using this method.

If there was anyone else from the Lower Rank Immortal World who could enter the Void, it would probably be only Chen Qiu.

Anyway, with his current strength, Jiang Buying couldn't enter.

He lowered his head in thought, not speaking. He was considering whether to reveal his whereabouts or not. As a kidnapper, he felt incompetent when the hostage's family didn't come looking for him for half a day.

He had clearly stated that he was at the Ascension Assembly.

But when you came to the assembly, instead of looking for him first to rescue the hostage, you went shopping and even ended up attending an auction?

What's the meaning of this?

At this moment, the auctioneer on stage was raising the price according to the flashing red light from a box.

"7.8 million!"

"7.9 million!"

"8 million!"

Soon, the price reached 300 million medium-grade spirit stones and continued to rise rapidly. Only a few boxes had turned off their red lights, while most were still flashing, indicating their determination to win the bid.

At this rate, the price seemed to be soaring towards at least 500 million spirit stones.

Jiang Buying furrowed his brows slightly, watching this slightly crazy scene without saying a word. He could afford 500 million spirit stones, but he felt a bit regretful. If it weren't for the 1.7 billion spirit stones he had obtained, how long would it take him to save up 500 million?

He would have to repeatedly plunder nearly a quarter of the spirit stone resources from a First Rank Continent five times to accumulate 500 million spirit stones.

He could understand how the Artifact Spirit Clan's senior had obtained 1.7 billion spirit stones.

After all, with so many Artifact Spirits and the spirit stone entry fees collected from the secret realm, it wouldn't take long to accumulate that amount, especially since the entry fees for high-level secret realms were often quite expensive. But where did other forces get so many spirit stones to compete?

At this moment, the crowd in the hall was also stunned by the spectacle of the flashing red lights from the boxes.

The red lights from the boxes created an impressive sight!

Especially for the young master sitting in the hall, who glanced at Box 18, which was still flashing red. A complex and indescribable expression flashed in his eyes. At this moment, Box 18 hadn't turned off its light, and the price had already reached over 300 million, indicating that the person in that box had at least 300 million spirit stones in reserve.

When the red lights flashed, especially when the price reached a certain level, the auction house would send someone to verify the bidder's funds.

In other words, the auction house would send someone to check if the bidder had more than 300 million spirit stones on hand. Otherwise, if the bidder didn't have enough spirit stones, flashing the red light to raise the price would be considered malicious price gouging, which could lead to a failed auction, damaging the auction house's reputation and interests.

This was definitely unacceptable.

Flashing red lights didn't necessarily require a re-verification of funds, but if a high bid was made, a re-verification would be mandatory.

All the bidders with flashing red lights had already been re-verified, and their spirit stone reserves were sufficient.

Suddenly, he felt a bit of regret.

This VIP was so wealthy that his gesture of goodwill, offering over 10 million spirit stones, might not impress him. Whether he spent that amount or not might not make any difference, and he felt like he had gone too far in trying to curry favor.

"How foolish."

A young girl sitting below the stage watched this scene with a calm expression and sighed softly. She could guess why the Heaven and Earth Auction House had put this multicolored entry talisman up for sale—to enhance its reputation.

But

The loss of interests was too great.

If a multicolored entry talisman could be sold in a Sixth Rank Immortal World or even a Seventh Rank Immortal World, it could easily fetch 1.5 billion or even 2 billion spirit stones.

But in a Fifth Rank Immortal World.

The maximum price might only be 500 to 600 million spirit stones.

After all, the rank of the Immortal World was a factor, and there were still wealth gaps between different forces. It wasn't that the forces in the Tide Immortal Plane weren't willing to pay more; they simply couldn't afford to go any higher, no matter how hard they tried.

Their pockets were empty.

The price of 500 million spirit stones was not the upper limit for a multicolored entry talisman, but it was the maximum that all forces in the Tide Immortal Plane could offer. In this situation, they would lose a significant amount of spirit stones. Compared to this loss, she didn't think the fame gained could make up for it.

She was the second daughter of the current head of the Tide Auction, and she had come here after hearing that the Heaven and Earth Auction House was preparing to auction a multicolored entry talisman. She never expected that there would indeed be a multicolored entry talisman.

The Tide Auction and the Heaven and Earth Auction House were the top auction houses in the Tide Immortal Plane, and there had always been strong competition between them.

The Heaven and Earth Auction House's sudden grand move would undoubtedly attract the attention of other top-tier auction houses.

At this moment, many of the private boxes in the hall had already stopped flashing red lights.

The current bid had reached a staggering 560 million spirit stones.

Numerous boxes had ceased their flashing, and the bidders were manually pressing buttons to increase their bids, adding a mere 100,000 spirit stones at a time. It was evident that they were feeling the strain, and with the minimum bid increment set at 100,000 spirit stones, the auction resembled a hair-pulling fight among women, with each bidder cautiously adding a small amount.

Only one box remained illuminated by the red light—Box 18.

This price was still within Chen Qiu's expectations, and he had no reason to turn off the light. His anticipated price was around 800 million spirit stones, and if it exceeded that amount, he wouldn't pursue the Rainbow Entry Talisman through legitimate means. He feared that the other party might have overly robust protective measures, making it difficult for him to locate them.

For instance, if he were to win the bid for the Rainbow Entry Talisman, he could easily hide himself within the Tide Immortal Plane for a lifetime, if not longer. He had countless places to remain concealed.

At that moment, in Heaven 1st Box, a young man sat in the main seat, with a group of elders standing behind him. Each of their faces was flushed with excitement as they witnessed the spectacular scene unfolding before them.

Dozens of boxes flashed red lights simultaneously, a sight never seen before!

These people were none other than the young man, the head of the Heaven and Earth Auction House, and the elders behind him, the senior members of the auction house.

The Heaven and Earth Auction House was one of the top auction houses in the entire Tide Immortal Plane, but it was just one among several equals. There were several other auction houses on par with them, but after today's events, the Heaven and Earth Auction House would stand alone as the pinnacle auction house in the Tide Immortal Plane!

The remaining auction houses would have to settle for second place.

The Rainbow Entry Talisman!

This was the first time in the history of the Tide Immortal Plane that such a talisman had ever appeared at an auction. The honor of acquiring it would belong solely to the Heaven and Earth Auction House!

"That's enough," the young man, seated in the main seat, exclaimed with excitement in his eyes as he watched the auctioneer calling out the bids. His target price was 500 million spirit stones, and he was satisfied with reaching that amount.

After all, the Tide Immortal Plane's factions had limited spirit stone reserves, and they couldn't afford to bid too high.

This was more than enough!

Especially now, as the price had already climbed close to 600 million!

The young man had obtained this Rainbow Entry Talisman decades ago in a secret realm, and it had sparked intense discussions within his family. Some advocated using it to enhance the family's overall strength, allowing them to sell excess Cultivation Fruits at auctions.

However, he firmly believed that the talisman should be auctioned off.

He had just become the head of the Heaven and Earth Auction House, and the elders had advised him for a long time. They suggested that if he wanted to exchange it for a large number of spirit stones, he should take it to a Sixth Rank or Seventh Rank Immortal World auction instead, where he could fetch a higher price.

Auctioning a Rainbow Entry Talisman in a Fifth Rank Immortal World was like giving a treasure to a country bumpkin.

In the past, Fifth Rank Immortal Worlds had indeed produced Rainbow Entry Talismans, and there had been transactions involving them, but none had ever appeared at auctions. Instead, they were usually sent to Sixth Rank or Seventh Rank Immortal World auctions.

When they realized they couldn't change his mind, they tried another approach. They argued that a Cultivation Fruit that directly increased cultivation progress by 10% was also very powerful, and selling these fruits would still bring in substantial profits.

Furthermore, these fruits could be continuously produced, ensuring the longevity of the Heaven and Earth Auction House for tens of thousands of years!

But he rejected all these suggestions, determined to go his own way.

His idea was simple.

At this stage, seeking stability and taking a slow approach had no meaning. They needed a bold move, a powerful medicine that would instantly propel the Heaven and Earth Auction House to the top of the Tide Immortal Plane's auction houses.

That move was to auction off the Rainbow Entry Talisman!

If things unfolded as he envisioned, the businesses of the other top-tier auction houses would be eroded by his own, and the few hundred million spirit stones lost in the auction would be easily recouped.

The Tide Immortal Plane needed only one top-tier auction house!

Monopoly was the most profitable!

He aimed not only to be the first but also the only one. He didn't want to hear about the Heaven and Earth Auction House's long-lasting legacy, as he wouldn't live to see it. He desired to witness the auction house reaching its zenith under his leadership.

"It's over," he thought to himself.

Although the auction wasn't officially over, in the young man's heart, it had concluded. The final price was of no consequence.

The next step was to publicize this auction to the world.

The reason he hadn't officially announced the auction of the Rainbow Entry Talisman beforehand was to maximize the impact and heighten the climax.

In his understanding, a series of smaller climaxes couldn't compare to the powerful impression left by an unexpected, sudden peak.

Imagine the surprise and disbelief of the bidders when, at the climax of the auction, they suddenly discovered the Rainbow Entry Talisman among the lots. This emotional impact would subconsciously prompt them to spread the word!

Most importantly, he had obtained the Rainbow Entry Talisman decades ago but waited until now to auction it. He had been waiting for this day—the Ascension Assembly, a grand event in the Tide Immortal Plane that many could only attend once in their lifetime, if at all.

He had been waiting for this Ascension Assembly.

Those who could attend the Assembly were essentially the strongest cultivators from various regions of the Tide Immortal Plane. After all, the entry requirement for the Assembly was to have a Celestial Immortal leading the team, a rather high threshold.

Those who met this requirement were typically the high-end clients of the Heaven and Earth Auction House.

The perfect timing, location, and people!

There was no better day than today.

Of course, he had informed some of his previous major clients in advance, allowing them to prepare their Spirit Stones. Otherwise, it would be embarrassing if the item was sold at a low price or if the auction failed to attract any bids.

He could always use his connections to buy it back at a higher price.

But the effect would be significantly diminished, and there were many discerning eyes watching.

The bidding process was slowing down, and it was almost time to determine the winner. The young man looked curiously at the 18th box, which was still glowing red, and waved his hand to summon a subordinate before asking, "Which force is in that box?"

"Not sure."

The elder behind him pondered for a while and shook his head. "They all look unfamiliar. I haven't seen them before, and they don't seem to be from the Tide Immortal Plane. However, at the city gate, I saw someone from this box talking to the Maan Clan Chief. The Maan Clan Chief was quite respectful, and the person in the box seemed to be a big shot from a Sixth or Seventh Rank Immortal World."

"The Maan Clan Chief?"

The young man, the head of the Heaven and Earth Auction House, nodded thoughtfully. With this information, he had a good idea of who was in box 18.

Although it had been several years.

The story of Badan killing the Beast Tribe Chief and the Maan Clan Chief, and then becoming the new Maan Clan Chief, was still a popular tale in the Tide Immortal Plane, often recounted even now. It was quite an inspiring story.

One who was distrusted and harmed by his own clan.

One who was hated and considered a thorn in the side by his enemies.

One who was despised by the Heavenly Dao, suffering from Immortal Cancer due to his terrible luck.

Everyone believed that this once-strongest member of the Maan Clan would completely fall, and indeed, for a long time, no one had heard of Badan again. It was as if the strongest Maan Clan member had fallen into obscurity.

Even the Maan Clan and the Beast Tribe seemed to be preparing to join forces.

But at that moment—

Badan emerged from the Fourth Rank Continent, ready for one last battle before his death. Naturally, being afflicted with Immortal Cancer, he couldn't win. Just as everyone thought all was lost, Badan suddenly looked to the east and made a vow to a senior, all for a strand of Yin Emperor's Fortune!

And just as everyone was stunned—

A strand of Yin Emperor's Fortune flew over from the east!

Badan, having cured his Immortal Cancer and regained some of his peak strength, immediately demonstrated his abilities. With the help of his friends, he successfully eliminated the Beast Tribe Chief and the old Maan Clan Chief, ascending to the position himself.

The Maan Clan was one of the top powers in the Tide Immortal Plane.

Few people were respected by the Maan Clan Chief.

But who was this senior Badan had mentioned?

"What a pity."

The young man in charge of the auction, dressed in a luxurious robe and playing with a paper fan, sighed with regret. He had guessed the identity of the person in box 18; with their strength, they could keep the red light on indefinitely.

He had no doubts about this.

He hadn't expected to attract such a big shot, and he felt fortunate.

It was just a shame that this big shot's identity couldn't be used for promotion. Otherwise, phrases like "Senior Badan" and "The Miracle that Saved Badan" could have been used to greatly boost the reputation of the Heaven and Earth Auction House.

What a waste.

But it was enough; his goals had been achieved. One shouldn't be too greedy.

"Bang!!!"

As the auctioneer's hammer came down, the elderly man with white temples pointed the hammer directly at box 18, his face flushed and his voice trembling with excitement. "Let's congratulate the guest in box 18 for winning the auction with a bid of 618 million Spirit Stones for this Multicolored Entry Talisman!"

"This is the most expensive item ever sold in the history of the Tide Immortal Plane!"

"It's also the first Multicolored Entry Talisman to ever appear at an auction in the Tide Immortal Plane!"

"This auction is hosted and organized by the Heaven and Earth Auction House. Let's witness this historic moment together!"

"Boom!!"

A chorus of cheers, applause, and screams erupted.

Countless guests in the hall stood up and clapped, sharing in the excitement of witnessing this historic moment. It was a valuable topic for post-meal conversations.

"618 million Spirit Stones."

At that moment, Chen Qiu sat in the box, gazing at the Multicolored Entry Talisman in his hand with a sigh of emotion. It felt a bit expensive. Speaking of which, he still had an Immortal Radiance. If he could find a codex entry about summoning plants, could he upgrade this Multicolored Entry Talisman with the Immortal Radiance?

Well,

It probably wouldn't work.

After all, the Immortal Radiance could only upgrade entries to their highest corresponding level. The fact that his Absolute Concealment Multicolored Entry had been upgraded was pure luck, like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse.

He immediately prepared to leave, no longer interested in wandering around Zhongzhou City. He planned to return to the Cao Tian Palace first and plant his World Tree as soon as possible. The earlier it was planted, the sooner it would mature.

As he pushed open the door of the box, intending to leave, he was surprised to find a young man standing outside, his eyes filled with obsequious and ingratiating smiles.

An old acquaintance.

It was none other than the young man who had mocked him upon entering the city, claiming that his father was the Patriarch of Chao Zong, along with the woman by his side.

When they saw Chen Qiu, the young man's obsequiousness froze, and he stared at Chen Qiu in disbelief, "How...how are you here?"

"Do you know the big shot in this box?"

He never expected that.

This country bumpkin had somehow gained access to this exclusive box, and for a moment, he regretted his actions. What if this bumpkin had some connection to the big shot? He might speak ill of him in front of the important figure.

All his efforts would be in vain!

However, Chen Qiu couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the young man's wild thoughts. He glanced at him casually and, surrounded by Bear and the others, walked straight out, completely ignoring the young master and his female companion.

Only Fat Dragon, with his kind heart, was willing to engage with the young master when everyone else ignored him, trying to ease the awkward atmosphere.

Fat Dragon patted the young master's shoulder with a sigh, "Brother Qiu sent you a fruit platter as a joke, like feeding a dog, but it seems you misunderstood."

"But thank you for sending those three Essence Entry Slips."

"To be honest, I never expected you to actually deliver them. You may not have a sense of propriety, but you're quite generous when it comes to flattering others. It's just that your method is quite foolish. I wonder who taught you that."

"But..."

"You should consider yourself lucky. If you hadn't delivered those Essence Entry Slips, Brother Qiu would have had to come and get them himself."

"Be more careful in the future."

"Don't call everyone a country bumpkin. This thing, it made my mouth water. Do you know how long it's been since I've had a country bumpkin? I really miss the taste."

". . ."

The young master stood frozen in place, his eyes vacant, before finally reacting. He had mistaken the people he met upon entering the city for the big shot, and what he thought was a reward was actually their mockery.

Suddenly, he realized something.

He found his personal attendant, grabbed him by the collar, and said, "When the message was sent from Box 18, did you alter the content without my permission?"

"I..."

The attendant whispered fearfully, "The message said it was a reward for you, but I thought it sounded inappropriate, so I changed it to 'bestow.' I thought adding a word wouldn't change the meaning much, so I didn't think it would be a problem."

"Good, good, good! It's inappropriate!"

The young master lowered his head with a bitter smile. If he had known earlier that they were rewarding him, he would have realized they were mocking him from the start, instead of thinking they were showing him favor.

But now, it was too late to say anything. It was all in the past.

"Then..."

His childhood friend, standing beside him, whispered, "Should we inform your uncle?"

"No."

After a moment, the young master shook his head in dejection. "Even if my father finds out, what's the point? If one of my father's children offended someone who could afford 600 million spirit stones, they're most likely a big shot from a high-rank immortal realm."

"Do you think he'll avenge me?"

"Don't be silly. He'll probably disown me, first restoring my status as a free man, and then announcing that he has no son."

"Even though we lost over ten million spirit stones."

"But from his words before leaving, it seems he intends to let bygones be bygones. It's better this way; we spent over ten million spirit stones to eliminate a potential threat."

"Let's go home."

"Won't you attend the Ascension Assembly?" His female companion asked, a bit lost.

"No, I want to stay home for a while. The outside world seems dull; home is more comfortable."

"Okay, I'll go with you."

"Mhm."

At that moment—

Chen Qiu and his group had arrived at Cao Tian Palace. With full access to the palace, he could freely activate the teleportation array, although each activation required at least one million spirit stones.

The price was not cheap.

Although it pained him, it was still much cheaper than the 600 million spirit stones he had just spent.

Meanwhile, the disciples of Mock Heaven Sect were standing at the very bottom of Cao Tian Palace, on the former sixth-level Qing Shi Square, their faces filled with awe as they took in their surroundings and the dense spiritual energy in the air.

"This is the World Tree?"

At this moment, Chen Qiu had already activated the entry and thrown the World Tree seedling into the void.

Outside the protective membrane of Cao Tian Palace, a seedling about the size of a palm hovered in mid-air. Although it wasn't swallowed by the void, it looked extremely fragile. How many years would it take for this thing to grow?

It would probably take at least a few decades.

It's worth mentioning that.

Chen Qiu discovered that when Cao Tian Palace was designed, they might have anticipated the need to plant spiritual plants in the void. When he threw the World Tree seedling, he found that it had a subtle connection to the palace. In other words, he could freely pluck the fruits using his will, without worrying about how to retrieve them from the void.

This World Tree was under his mental control.

When Cao Tian Palace moved, the World Tree could move with it, greatly increasing safety without the need to keep it fixed in one place.

"Not bad."

Chen Qiu exhaled lightly. Now, he just had to wait for the World Tree to mature and see how many fruits it would bear in the first batch, to determine when he could recoup his 600 million spirit stones.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end