“One thousand high-grade spirit stones!”
The moment this earth-shattering price was announced, the entire Wanbao Merchant House fell into a dead silence.
The red-bearded elder of the Chiyang Sect tugged at his beard and sat back down in his chair, feeling somewhat helpless. Elder Zhao of the Blue Moon Sect also shook his head. Although they possessed immense wealth, spending one thousand high-grade spirit stones on an incomplete fragment of an immortal divine ability was truly not worth the cost.
Seeing this, Elder Han of the Cangyun Sect immediately wore a proud look on his face.
The withered old man also slowly closed his eyes, his tense body relaxing. He felt that this divine object was already in their bag.
On the high platform, the gold-grade auctioneer raised the golden gavel high, his voice trembling slightly:
“One thousand high-grade spirit stones, going once!”
“One thousand high-grade spirit stones, going twice!”
The disciples of the Cangyun Sect had even begun to congratulate one another, their faces filled with the arrogance of having victory in their grasp.
Just as the golden gavel was about to fall, a number flashed on the light screen of VIP Room Number Eight.
Beep—
“VIP Room Number Eight bids one thousand and fifty high-grade spirit stones!”
Before the auctioneer could even finish his sentence, the smiles on the faces of the Cangyun Sect members instantly froze.
The withered old man, who had been resting with his eyes closed, snapped them open. He stared at the plaque of Room Number Eight, completely dumbfounded.
A wave of hushed whispers immediately swept through the hall.
“Just who is the sacred figure sitting in VIP Room Number Eight? They didn't say a word earlier, yet they chose to butt in right when the gavel was about to fall. This is clearly showing no face to the Cangyun Sect.”
“Hehehe, it looks like the Cangyun Sect has kicked a steel plate this time. How satisfying!”
On the balcony of the Blue Moon Sect, several elders watched coldly with their arms crossed.
The white-haired Elder Zhao stroked his beard and couldn't help but laugh. “Interesting. This is truly going to be a good show.”
Meanwhile, inside the Cangyun Sect's VIP room, the atmosphere was incredibly gloomy.
Elder Han's face was ash-pale. He rapidly went over all the intelligence regarding anyone their sect might have offended recently, but he couldn't think of when they could have provoked such a wealthy and mysterious figure in Tianyuan City.
Unable to hold back, he took a step forward to the edge of the balcony railing, cupped his hands toward the light screen of Room Number Eight, and spoke in a deep voice:
“I am Han Fei of the Cangyun Sect. This item is of great use for our Grand Supreme Elder's breakthrough. I wonder which fellow Daoist is in Room Number Eight? Could you give the Cangyun Sect some face today? If fate permits in the future, the Cangyun Sect will surely repay you handsomely.”
Though these words sounded polite, anyone in the hall could hear the underlying pressure of using his sect's foundation to intimidate the other party.
A moment later, an indistinguishable voice, neither clearly male nor female, drifted out of VIP Room Number Eight:
“The rules of the Wanbao Merchant House have always been that the highest bidder wins. If the Cangyun Sect wants it, just raise the bid. Why waste your breath here?”
As soon as these words were spoken, Elder Han's face turned blue and white, looking extremely unsightly.
“Is Your Excellency determined to go against my Cangyun Sect?” A vicious glint flashed in his eyes, and the threat in his words was no longer concealed.
A threat?
Su Yueli sneered in her heart.
This True Spirit Dharma-Image Jade Fragment held a nearly instinctive, powerful attraction for the Ji Dao blood qi within her body. This was a heaven-defying opportunity that concerned whether she could step into the Eleventh Realm.
Let alone the Cangyun Sect, even if a mighty expert of the Blue Moon Sect came today, she would absolutely not yield a single step.
“Are you going to bid or not? If not, I will take this item,” Su Yueli replied indifferently.
“You!”
Elder Han gritted his teeth and turned to look at the gloomy, withered old man.
The old man's eyelids drooped slightly as he let out a cold snort. Elder Han had no choice but to brace himself and press the numbers on the light screen again:
“One thousand one hundred high-grade spirit stones!”
“One thousand one hundred and fifty,” Su Yueli followed up almost the very instant the other party placed their bid.
“One thousand two hundred!”
“One thousand two hundred and fifty.”
It was another two full rounds of probing and aggressive bidding.
On the Cangyun Sect's balcony, the air was deathly silent.
Elder Han and several inner disciples were sweating profusely from anxiety. A significant portion of the high-grade spirit stones they had brought this time had already been consumed when Su Yueli maliciously drove up the price for the Sky Blue Silver Spot Grass earlier.
Adding the money they had spent before, their funds were truly about to run dry.
Somewhat anxious, Elder Han shouted at the gold-grade auctioneer on the stage, “Auctioneer, our Cangyun Sect didn't bring enough cash at the moment. Can we use our sect's mid-grade spirit stones, or perhaps a few high-grade protective magic treasures to offset the cost?”
The auctioneer was slightly startled. He lowered his head and transmitted a few words to the backstage, then shook his head helplessly:
“My apologies, Elder Han. The owner of this stone fragment was extremely rigid before leaving. He only wants high-grade spirit stones to use for his breakthrough in seclusion and nothing else. The Wanbao Merchant House has no way to offset it for you.”
As soon as these words were spoken, the loose cultivators below burst into waves of gloating laughter.
The high and mighty Cangyun Sect actually had a time when they were embarrassed to such an extent over spirit stones.
However, Su Yueli, sitting in Room Number Eight at this moment, was actually quite worried in her heart as well.
She only had a total of one thousand six hundred high-grade spirit stones in her hands.
If those guys from the Cangyun Sect continued to fight to the bitter end for a few more rounds, the front she was desperately putting up would be exposed on the spot.
This was a silent, high-stakes gamble, and it all depended on who would break first.
“One thousand three hundred and fifty high-grade spirit stones!”
The withered old man of the Cangyun Sect stared intently at Room Number Eight. He finally couldn't help but speak up himself, his hoarse voice carrying a thick, bloody aura.
This was already the very last high-grade spirit stone he could scrape together from his entire body.
However, before he could even catch his breath, a brand-new red number flashed on the light screen of Room Number Eight:
“One thousand four hundred high-grade spirit stones.”
This astronomical price completely became the last straw that broke the Cangyun Sect's back.
Elder Han's legs went weak, and he slumped back into his chair helplessly.
The withered old man's face twitched a few times. A fierce light erupted in his eyes, and he clenched his fists, speaking in a chilling voice:
“Forget it. Since he wants to die, let him have it. Han Fei, take some men and keep a close eye on Room Number Eight. The merchant house can protect him inside Tianyuan City, but the moment he dares to take half a step out of the city gates, I will make him spit everything out with interest!”
“Yes, Martial Uncle!” the Cangyun Sect disciples replied in unison, every single one of them gritting their teeth.
Seeing that the Cangyun Sect had completely backed down, the auctioneer on the stage finally struck his golden gavel.
“One thousand four hundred high-grade spirit stones! Sold! Congratulations to the fellow Daoist in VIP Room Number Eight!”
Amidst the clamor of discussions, this earth-shaking auction finally drew to a close.
A quarter of an hour later, the door to VIP Room Number Eight was pushed open once more.
The chief appraiser old man and the female receptionist personally walked in carrying several exquisite trays, the smiles on their faces incredibly bright.
“Guest, these are all the treasures you won today. Please inspect them.”
Su Yueli nodded. After the merchant house's formation deducted the funds, the number of one thousand six hundred high-grade spirit stones on her black token instantly dwindled to a mere two hundred.
However, looking at the items neatly arranged on the table, she felt that all of this was worth it.
Mountain-Shaking Heaven-Shattering Force, True Spirit Dharma-Image Jade Fragment, and the Divine Vitality Blood-Generating Pill.
Rate on N.U.
