Chapter 87 - 86: Nourishing Spirit Pill
Chapter 87: Chapter 86: Nourishing Spirit Pill
Lu Zhao’s heart tightened. For a Foundation Establishment Cultivator to personally host the auction was a clear sign of how much importance the Jade Brocade Tower placed on this event.
"I am Liu Qingyi, and it is my humble honor to be your host for this auction." The beautiful woman in palace attire, Liu Qingyi, spoke in a low voice, yet it carried clearly to the ears of everyone present, imbued with a convincing power. "Welcome, fellow Cultivators, to the Jade Brocade Tower. The auction is about to begin, but first, there are a few rules that I must ask you all to be aware of and abide by."
Her gaze swept across the entire hall as she slowly said:
"First, the highest bidder wins, and all sales are final once the hammer falls. Anyone who engages in malicious bidding or disrupts the proceedings will be expelled by the Jade Brocade Tower, and we reserve the right to hold them accountable."
"Second, during the auction, threatening or interfering with other bidders in any form is strictly forbidden. Any violation will be treated as a provocation against the Jade Brocade Tower."
"Third, all transactions are final. Once goods and payment have been exchanged, any grievances or disputes that occur after leaving the premises are your own responsibility. The Jade Brocade Tower will not involve itself in such matters."
"Fourth, all auction items have been strictly appraised by our tower’s experts. However, the Cultivation Realm is filled with countless strange and wondrous things. Should there be any oversight, our tower will only buy back the item at its starting bid price and will not assume any additional liability. Please consider this carefully before bidding."
"Fifth, after the auction concludes, winning bidders should proceed to the back hall with their number plates to exchange Spirit Stones and collect their items. Those who fail to complete the transaction by the deadline will be considered to have forfeited their bid. The deposit will not be refunded, and the item will be auctioned again."
The five rules were simple and clear, yet they carried an unquestionable authority. After speaking, Liu Qingyi gave a slight nod. "If no fellow Cultivators have any objections, then the auction will now begin."
As her voice fell, a pretty-faced handmaiden, holding a Jade Disc covered by a red silk cloth, gracefully walked onto the high stage.
Liu Qingyi raised a delicate hand and lifted the red silk. Upon the Jade Disc lay a longsword, approximately three feet in length, that seemed to flow with a watery blue halo. The blade was long and narrow, shimmering as if with rippling light, and a deep blue gem was embedded in the guard, emitting waves of cool, moist air.
"The first auction item is the ’Jade Wave Sword’." Liu Qingyi’s voice held a perfectly measured note of admiration. "This Sword is a Tier One Top-Grade artifact!"
"Top Grade?" A wave of low gasps swept through the audience below. As everyone knew, the best a Qi Cultivator could typically use was a Tier One High-Grade Spiritual Artifact.
Liu Qingyi seemed to have anticipated the crowd’s reaction and explained, "As you all know, ’High-Grade’ is considered the pinnacle for Qi Cultivators. This so-called ’Top Grade’ is actually the result of a failed attempt at refining a Tier Two Spiritual Artifact. For various reasons, the refinement was not completed, but the Artifact Embryo’s material and spirituality remained intact. It was then skillfully modified by an Artifact Refining Master. Its power far exceeds that of an ordinary Tier One High-Grade Spiritual Artifact. However, it is not a true Tier Two Spiritual Artifact, meaning a Qi Cultivator can still unleash its full potential. That is why it is called ’Top Grade’."
She paused, her fingertips gently brushing across the blade, causing the watery blue halo to ripple. "This Jade Wave Sword is one such item. Its main material is the Tier Two Spiritual Material, Cold Pool Profound Iron, and it has been fused with ’Jade Water Pure Gold.’ Furthermore, a Tier One High-Grade Water Soul Stone has been embedded in its guard. Whoever wields this sword will find the power of their Water Sword Technique increased by thirty percent. The blade itself possesses the ’Jade Wave Slash’ Divine Ability, which is swift to activate and incomparably sharp. The starting bid is five hundred Spirit Stones!"
Lu Zhao’s heart leaped as he listened. ’Tier One Top-Grade! Its power far surpasses High-Grade! This is the kind of ultimate defensive weapon a Qi Cultivator dreams of.’ He subconsciously clenched his fists, his gaze burning as he stared at the longsword. However, when he heard the words "Sword Technique," his excitement cooled just as quickly as it had flared.
It was true he had a Water Spirit Root, but his Main Cultivation Method, the Little Spirit Rain Technique, was more geared toward technique cultivation and Spiritual Power control; he was not a Sword Cultivator. The sword was excellent, but it wasn’t a perfect match for his primary path. And the price... He shook his head inwardly, forcefully suppressing his desire.
"Five hundred and twenty!"
"Five hundred and fifty!"
"Five hundred and eighty!"
The bids rose one after another, quickly breaking the six hundred mark. Finally, a somewhat young and arrogant voice called out from a private room on the third floor, "Six hundred and thirty Spirit Stones!"
This price was clearly beyond most people’s expectations, and the main hall fell silent for a moment. Liu Qingyi scanned the crowd, and seeing no further bids, she brought down the hammer. "Congratulations to the fellow Cultivator in private room C-3 for winning the ’Jade Wave Autumn Water Sword’!" ’That’s probably a direct descendant or a Direct Disciple of some Foundation Establishment Cultivator,’ Lu Zhao sighed to himself.
The auction continued. One by one, Magical Artifacts, Spiritual Materials, and Pills were brought to the high stage, sparking waves of heated bidding. The astonishingly defensive Profound Turtle Shield, a "Red Flame Bead" that could temporarily boost the power of Fire Magic, a bottle of "Clearing Miasma Pills" that could neutralize a hundred poisons... the dazzling array of items was almost overwhelming. Lu Zhao remained as still as a mountain, not making a single bid, though he occasionally marveled silently at a particularly rare treasure.
Another quarter of an hour passed, and a handmaiden walked onto the stage carrying an exquisite Cold Jade Bottle. Liu Qingyi took the Jade Bottle, uncorked it, and a peculiar fragrance that could clear one’s very Spiritual Soul instantly filled the air, invigorating the spirit of every Cultivator present.
"The next item is a Tier One High-Grade Nourishing God Pill." Liu Qingyi’s voice carried a hint of solemnity. "This Pill is refined using ’Soul Condensing Grass’ as the main ingredient, supplemented with various Spiritual Materials that nourish the Spiritual Soul. Its effect is singular, yet critically important—it strengthens the Divine Sense and nourishes the Spiritual Soul! It has miraculous effects for those cultivating Divine Sense Secret Skills, for stabilizing one’s Heart Spirit when breaking through bottlenecks, and even for recovering from Spiritual Soul damage. There are seven pills in this bottle, and taking them separately will yield better results. The starting bid is one hundred and eighty Spirit Stones!"
"Nourishing Spirit Pill!"
Lu Zhao’s pupils contracted, and he subconsciously leaned forward slightly. He was all too familiar with this Pill! Back then, in the Zhou Family Marketplace, it was thanks to this very Pill that his Thousand Threads Technique had been able to break through, allowing him to condense a fourth Divine Sense Thread! For a Puppet Master, the strength of one’s Divine Sense was no less important than their Cultivation level! Whether it was simultaneously controlling multiple Puppets or performing more intricate and complex Puppet Core engravings, a powerful Divine Sense was the necessary foundation.
He made his decision in an instant. ’I must have this Pill!’
"One hundred and eighty-five!"
"One hundred and ninety!"
"Two hundred!"
At first, the bids came mainly from the main hall, and the price climbed steadily. Once it broke two hundred and fifty Spirit Stones, the main bidders became the guests in the second-floor private rooms.
"Two hundred and eighty!" a hoarse voice called out from a private room on the left side of the second floor.
"Two hundred and eighty-five!" The private room on the right immediately followed.
"Two hundred and ninety!" the hoarse voice bit back, refusing to let go.
"Two hundred and ninety-five!" The person in the right-hand private room seemed determined to win.
The two went back and forth, and the price quickly approached the three-hundred-Spirit-Stone mark. Just as the person in the right-hand private room seemed about to open their mouth again to call out "three hundred and five"...
"Three hundred and fifty Spirit Stones!" A calm but exceptionally clear voice abruptly rang out from Section C of the main hall, instantly drowning out all other sounds!
The entire auction hall fell silent! Everyone’s gaze, including those in the two private rooms on the second floor, followed the sound and landed on a blue-robed Cultivator with a reserved aura. This person was none other than Lu Zhao!