An opening bid of one million spirit stones meant that the hammer price would multiply several times over on top of that base.
As for going unsold?
That was out of the question.
Even Golden Core factions that already possessed their own third-tier spirit vein would hardly refuse an additional one.
Especially when it was a mobile spirit vein one could carry anywhere!
Sure enough.
The moment Leng Ruolan announced the start of bidding, the hall erupted into a frenzy.
Right out of the gate, someone raised the bid by a full million, driving it up to two million.
After that, the offers climbed in increments of five hundred thousand.
A sum of tens of thousands of spirit stones was an enormous fortune under normal circumstances, yet here it was tossed around as if it meant nothing.
Luo Chen felt with increasing clarity that as a cultivator's realm rose, their means of gathering wealth grew by leaps and bounds as well.
Or rather, the wealth of the world was naturally and perpetually flowing toward the upper echelons.
While keeping an eye on the final sale price of the Dark Cyan Treasure Basin Fish, he was also curious about how this beast had been nurtured into a third-tier spirit vein.
To this, Han Zhan offered a thorough explanation.
"This kind of spirit vein is man-made. As long as one is willing to invest the resources, it isn't actually that complex."
A man-made spirit vein?
Luo Chen reflexively thought back to the various immortal cities back in the Eastern Desolation's Jade Cauldron Domain.
The third-tier spirit veins within them were also referred to as man-made spirit veins.
Still, that didn't seem right.
Those man-made spirit veins were fundamentally based on an existing spirit vein, which was then elevated in grade using specialized techniques.
"What is so hard about that?" Han Zhan replied. "You simply transplant a second-tier spirit vein into this beast, and then raise its grade afterward."
Luo Chen was stunned. "It's that simple?"
Han Zhan said calmly, "It sounds simple, but the investment required is staggering. Moreover, such a spirit vein inevitably has flaws. This old man does not know what method True Person Feileng employed, but the shortcomings certainly include a single elemental attribute in the spiritual energy, exorbitant upkeep costs, and an absolute time limit."
"A time limit?" Luo Chen asked, baffled.
"Indeed, a time limit." Han Zhan grunted in affirmation and elaborated, "A natural spirit vein, provided it is not overexploited and is properly maintained, will flow endlessly, enduring as long as heaven and earth. But with this spirit vein lodged within a demon fish, its lifespan is tethered to the lifespan of that fish."
The Dark Cyan Treasure Basin Fish was immensely valuable, coveted by all.
Yet among demonic beasts, this fish was notoriously short-lived!
An ordinary demonic beast generally enjoyed about twice the lifespan of a human cultivator of the same rank, a consequence of having its entire body suffused with spiritual energy rather than concentrating it in a dantian or qi sea to force breakthroughs.
There were pros and cons.
A sturdier constitution granted a longer lifespan, but cultivation speed slowed accordingly.
Some beasts possessing the bloodline of ancient desolate beasts even lived several times longer than peer cultivators!
The Dark Cyan Treasure Basin Fish, however, not only lacked such longevity, but its lifespan was actually twenty to thirty percent shorter than that of a human cultivator of the same rank.
The reason for their fleeting existence was tied directly to their fondness for devouring spiritual objects.
They swallowed anything laden with spiritual qi without the slightest discernment.
Over time, the spiritual energy within their bodies grew excessively impure and chaotic, inevitably reducing them to a short-lived species.
Judging by Luo Chen's own discerning eye, the fish offered by True Person Feileng had at most a few decades of life remaining.
When the hammer finally fell at seven million spirit stones, the fish went to an aquiline-nosed Golden Core cultivator seated in the rogue cultivator section.
Watching this, Luo Chen marveled inwardly, filled with sentiment.
"Seven million in exchange for several decades' use of a third-tier low-grade spirit vein—I suppose there are pros and cons to that too!"
Doing the math, back on Tianlan Peak he had rented a third-tier cave abode at a rate of one million spirit stones a year.
Seven million was merely seven years' rent there.
This deal was far more cost-effective than renting a dwelling in a major city back then.
Of course, this also stemmed from the differing environments and price levels between the two regions.
Prices in the Northern Sea had risen somewhat following the fall of the demon sect and the turbulent times that ensued.
Yet the Northern Sea was vast, its spiritual grounds scattered across the sea domains like stars in the sky, meaning that spiritual grounds below the fourth tier were not exceptionally scarce.
As his thoughts wandered, Luo Chen finally understood why high-realm rogue cultivators were so rare in the Eastern Desolation.
In the Northern Sea, not to mention Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators, even Nascent Soul rogue cultivators emerged in steady numbers.
At the very top stood the Three Vagrants of the Myriad Immortals Association as prime examples!
Much of the reason lay in the abundance of spiritual lands.
As long as a rogue cultivator had sufficient guts to venture deep into the demon seas, they could almost always discover a spirit vein of decent grade.
Whether they could survive to enjoy it was another matter entirely.
After a third-tier Dark Cyan Treasure Basin Fish sold for seven million, the atmosphere within the Cold Palace was thoroughly stoked.
As item after item appeared afterward, even those that were not particularly rare drew enthusiastic bids from eager buyers.
And Luo Chen was among them!
***
"A fourth-tier dual water-and-earth material: one jin of Origin-Tracing Clay."
"There is surely no need for Ruolan to extol the wonders of Origin-Tracing Clay. Adding just a tiny amount into a magic treasure grants it a restorative memory function. So long as it is not thoroughly destroyed, the treasure can restore itself to pristine condition. It is truly an indispensable treasure among smithing minerals."
"Opening bid: thirty thousand spirit stones. Minimum raise: one thousand. Fellow Daoists, please begin!"
No sooner had Leng Ruolan finished speaking than numerous cultivators called out their bids.
From his booth, Luo Chen called out as well: "Forty thousand!"
Whenever someone matched or exceeded him, he yielded not an inch.
"Forty-two thousand!"
"Forty-five thousand!"
"Fifty thousand!"
"One hundred thousand!"
Once Luo Chen drove the bid up to one hundred thousand, virtually no one followed.
Add a bit more to this price, and one could purchase a decent low-grade magic treasure.
Dumping all that onto a single jin of raw material was pure madness.
When the last competing bidder cautiously took a gamble and called out a hundred and one thousand spirit stones, Luo Chen did not hesitate to raise it to an astronomical hundred and five thousand.
That cultivator shot a fierce glare toward Luo Chen's booth, muttered a curse or two under his breath, and abandoned the bidding.
Luo Chen smiled faintly. Another material for forging his defensive magic treasure was in hand.
He used to possess plenty of Origin-Tracing Clay.
He had obtained it by trading Century Thunder Cores with Elder Fei Ming, a Golden Core elder of Mount Ailao.
Later on, however, he had incorporated every last bit into his Hunyuan Cauldron, leaving him with no spare stock.
Now, having spent a hefty sum to secure it once more, he felt a bit more confident about forging his defensive magic treasure.
The maidservant A-Qing entered once more, recording the winning lot for Luo Chen before asking cautiously, "Exalted Master, you have already secured seven materials. Would you like to proceed backstage to complete the exchange?"
Luo Chen waved a hand. "No rush. There are other items I require. I will settle them all together when the time comes."
A-Qing nodded, secretly clicking her tongue in astonishment.
This Golden Core master was truly wealthy.
In just half an hour, hundreds of thousands of spirit stones had flowed from his hands like water.
He hadn't so much as batted an eyelash!
Indeed, Luo Chen was in no hurry. First, he had come thoroughly prepared; second, he truly lacked confidence in his smithing skills. To prepare for frequent failures during the forging process, he had to secure redundant sets of minerals.
The principle was identical to his pill refinement.
Besides, he also intended to broaden his horizons.
This was his first time attending a major Northern Sea auction, and many of the fine items appearing here were things he had never even heard of.
Learning more about them would only benefit his cultivation.
The auction continued.
Whenever minerals related to defensive magic treasures appeared, Luo Chen made frequent bids.
As for other intriguing lots, he suppressed the desire in his heart, refusing to squander his spirit stones recklessly.
The auction was undeniably grand in scale, and the lots presented were wonderfully diverse.
Starting from special anomalies like the Dark Cyan Treasure Basin Fish, to an endless stream of low- and mid-grade magic treasures, Luo Chen even caught sight of the legendary "merfolk"!
They were a demonic race with a human upper body and a fish tail below.
Though only at the second tier, one fetched a sky-high price of hundreds of thousands amid ferocious bidding.
And once merfolk appeared, the emergence of a certain other commodity followed as a matter of course.
Female cultivators!
Commonly referred to as cauldrons!
These were lots brought forward by the Moluo Stream.
Trained meticulously from childhood, they practiced specialized cultivation arts tailored for high-ranking cultivators to harvest their essence.
They offered both earthly pleasures and cultivation gains.
A full ten prime cauldrons were auctioned off one by one.
Hammer prices varied, but the buyers were universally delighted.
Certain high-realm female cultivators attending the auction looked decidedly displeased at the sight.
Yet with the Moluo Stream's banner hanging overhead, none dared raise a fuss.
At this, Luo Chen could only marvel inwardly. As expected of the Moluo Stream, renowned as the largest gathering of demonic sect remnants, even their conduct retained much of the old style.
No!
It should be called brazen and unrestrained.
In the past, when the Yuan Demon Sect held sway, human cauldrons were traded in the Northern Sea as well, but it was almost always conducted in secret; rarely was it brought so brazenly into the open.
Especially at a high-profile grand auction like this, which gathered the elite powers of the southeastern Northern Sea!
"If the Moluo Stream truly takes over the Northern Sea, whether they surpass the Yuan Demon Sect in strength remains to be seen, but when it comes to their style of conduct, it is certainly the authentic flavor."
Luo Chen muttered under his breath.
Then his spirits lifted as he looked toward the next lot.
"Woven gold, a third-tier metal-attribute mineral. Renowned for its superb ductility, it is an exquisite supplementary material for crafting Daoist robes, vestments, and defensive magic treasures."
"When forging, integrating a sufficient quantity of woven gold alongside a Ruyi Formation allows the artifact to shift infinitely and adjust in size at will."
"Seventy-two jin in total. Opening bid: fifty thousand spirit stones. Minimum raise: one thousand."
"Those interested..."
Luo Chen made his move.
This batch of woven gold was lower in grade than the Origin-Tracing Clay, but superior in sheer quantity.
Consequently, the price was steep.
Many of the competing bidders were smithing factions; if taken back and properly utilized, there was no telling how many magical artifacts and treasures could be forged from it.
Such factions usually possessed deep pockets.
Competing against them forced Luo Chen to pay a steeper price.
Yet facing the lingering dread of his earlier consecutive bids, where he had hardly lost a single lot, even those smithing factions groaned in dismay.
"Forget it! Just forget it!"
"Who knows where that fellow came from, throwing around spirit stones so lavishly on materials that look precious but are actually quite common."
"Let's not fight him, lest we fail to recoup our costs later."
"One hundred and seventy thousand—he's a lunatic!"
In the end, Luo Chen secured the batch of woven gold for one hundred and seventy thousand spirit stones.
The auction proceeded.
Seeing Luo Chen preparing to bid again with such brazen abandon, Han Zhan, hiding within the Hunyuan Cauldron, could sit still no longer.
"Luo Chen..."
"Rest easy, Elder Han. I know what I'm doing. Haven't you noticed that I haven't bidden once on any spiritual herbs or medicinal ingredients? With the Origin Core Art and the Nascent Soul Formation Pill on the line, I will definitely help you secure that piece of Soul Nourishing Wood!"
Helpless, Han Zhan could only suppress the urgency in his heart.
Meanwhile, Luo Chen's frequent bids had drawn the attention of many across the auction.
On the third floor.
Wu Qi, Eagle Demon, and several others were seated in a large private booth, discussing the spectacle among themselves.
"That fellow is the one you were paying close attention to earlier, isn't he? Hard to gauge his strength, but his wealth is undeniably staggering."
"If you ask me, his strength probably isn't much. Purchasing so many minerals suggests he's preparing to forge a lifebound magic treasure. How strong could a Golden Core cultivator without a lifebound magic treasure possibly be?"
"I only wonder where he got so many spirit stones. Isn't he supposedly just a rogue cultivator?"
Wu Qi remained impassive amid his companions' discussion.
However, his gaze shifted toward a man sitting quietly in the corner.
Suddenly, Wu Qi spoke up:
"Fellow Daoist He Yuan, speaking of which, that man arrived in Feileng City aboard the same merchant ship as you. You ought to know him, right?"
In the corner, He Yuan calmly raised his head.
"Is that so?"
Wu Qi smiled faintly. "There should be no mistake. I looked into him yesterday and happened to learn that he disembarked from the Bai clan's merchant vessel."
Still smiling, Wu Qi asked curiously, "Don't tell me you didn't notice him back then?"
He Yuan's brow furrowed slightly. He gave no answer, as though lost in thought.
Meanwhile.
On the fourth floor.
A man clad in robes red as blood was conversing with someone across the distance.
"Feileng, are you truly offering that item?"
A response came swiftly:
"To catch fish, one must use bait. Nothing good ever comes from trying to snare a white wolf empty-handed. Blood Nightmare, once this succeeds, you won't renege on the other matter you promised me, will you?"
The blood-robed man's lips curled into a faint smile. "It seems you are quite willing to place your bets. Still, with your guarantee, it looks like this pledge of allegiance can indeed be secured. As for the other matter you mentioned..."
Just then, his expression flickered slightly, and his gaze cast downward.
His divine sense swept outward, penetrating Luo Chen's private booth on the second floor.
"A contradictory entity... interesting..."
"What is it?" came a woman's cool, quizzical voice.
Blood Nightmare quirked his lips. "Nothing, just spotted an interesting little fellow. Back to business—has Ji Yuan agreed?"
True Person Feileng replied coldly, "When I've gone so far as to offer that treasure, how could Senior Brother Ji Yuan hesitate? When the time comes, the three of us will strike together!"
The blood-robed man gave a slight nod, yet still cautioned:
"Putting aside the other Nascent Soul cultivators, you must give Elder Fu advance notice, lest he disrupt our plan."
True Person Feileng paused before responding, "Your foresight is indeed sharp. I nearly forgot—Elder Fu possesses immense wealth. If he steps in to bid, it truly could ruin our plans."
***
Leaving aside how the others gossiped about the high-profile Luo Chen, the man himself rallied every ounce of focus when faced with the new lot Leng Ruolan brought forth.
Not only he, but within the Hunyuan Cauldron, Han Zhan's soul trembled with excitement.
"Soul Nourishing Wood, just over an inch long, three thousand years of age. Retrieved from the Sunken Sea, tainted by foul qi."
"Its precise value is difficult to appraise, but our appraisal confirms that so long as the foul qi is purged, this item can still be utilized."
"As for how to make use of it, that will depend entirely upon your own methods, fellow Daoists."
"Opening bid: one million spirit stones. Minimum raise: one hundred thousand!"
It was here!
Luo Chen's eyes narrowed, and without the slightest hesitation, he called out:
"Two million spirit stones! This Luo is determined to have it!"
After all the groundwork he had laid earlier, Luo Chen's bid commanded everyone's attention in an instant.
Everyone now knew that this man was extraordinarily wealthy, and whenever he made a move, he rarely walked away empty-handed.
Now, he had doubled the opening bid right off the bat, a testament to his immense wealth and formidable resolve!
For a moment, silence fell across the auction hall.
Chapter 579