After a fleeting hush, the hall erupted into boiling fervor.
How could one person be allowed to monopolize all the world's good fortune!
The moment the Soul Nourishing Wood appeared on the auction catalog, several factions had quietly shifted their priorities, redirecting as much capital as possible toward this treasure.
Thus, even though Luo Chen had laid down his bid with an imposing, high-profile momentum, competitors immediately snapped at his heels.
"My Qian family bids two million three hundred thousand! Fellow Daoist, I observed your earlier bids were all for earth- and water-aligned ores; you are likely forging a magic treasure aligned with earth and water. This Soul Nourishing Wood is an Yin-soul and wood-attribute treasure, which hardly matches the properties of what you wish to forge. Why not grant my Qian family some face?"
Luo Chen merely glanced at the private box the voice had come from. Without deigning to offer a real response, he called out coldly, "Two million five hundred thousand."
"You!"
The Qian family cultivator evidently had not expected Luo Chen to disregard them so utterly.
Yet before any threats could be voiced, a third bidder thrust into this smokeless war.
"Two million seven hundred thousand!"
Following the bid, a melodious woman's voice drifted across the hall, laden with mockery. "Qian Ting, having lorded over Lengguang Island for so long, do you truly believe everyone owes your Qian family face?"
Inside the Qian family's private box, Qian Ting, clad in a resplendent golden robe, looked exceedingly grim.
He recognized the voice.
She was the master of another immortal island, commanding a sect that had been passed down for a thousand years.
Though not overwhelmingly vast, her faction held its own territory as a self-sufficient sovereign power—unlike the Qian family, who had to survive by currying favor with True Person Feileng.
With an ashen face, Qian Ting said coldly, "Luo Yuqing, I don't care how much you offer. My Qian family will have this Soul Nourishing Wood at all costs."
With that, he shouted another exorbitant bid. "Three million!"
In mere moments, an opening price of one million had tripled.
Such fierce bidding shook the hearts of all the spectating cultivators.
Those who had harbored hopes of competing but lacked the financial clout were shut out entirely below this threshold.
The room froze for a breath, but under Leng Ruolan's light chuckle, the rhythm resumed.
"The Lengguang Qian family bids three million. Does anyone wish to follow?"
"Three million five hundred thousand!"
It was the second-floor box again—the same rogue cultivator of unknown background!
Feeling as though he had been slapped across the face, Qian Ting replied through gritted teeth, "Three million six hundred thousand!"
Unmoved, Luo Chen countered, "Four million!"
Bid after bid rose, advancing by four or five hundred thousand at the least, and a full million at a stroke.
Such boundless confidence and the sheer depth of wealth he displayed left the gathered cultivators awestruck.
After attempting to follow a few more times, Luo Yuqing, representing the Hanli Sect, was forced to bow out of the contest.
"This auction was meant to procure large batches of cultivation resources for the sect's disciples. Sinking all our spirit stones into an optional piece of Soul Nourishing Wood would truly be unwise."
Luo Yuqing shook her head. "Never mind, let them fight it out!"
Such was the nature of sects: while formidable and wealthy, their resources did not belong to a single individual. For any specific treasure, unless the entire sect reached a consensus, it was difficult to throw caution to the wind and bid without restraint.
By the same token, cultivation clans operated under similar constraints.
Even though Qian Ting stood as the head of the Qian family, facing Luo Chen's relentless escalation left him caught in an agonizing dilemma.
Several million was simply too expensive.
With that sum, he could easily pull strings to purchase one or two high-grade magic treasures, which would bolster the family's martial strength while serving as heritage for future generations.
To sink it all into a piece of Soul Nourishing Wood...
After a spell of hesitation, he fell silent, making his earlier vow of claiming it at all costs ring like an empty threat.
A clansman beside him could not resist speaking up: "Patriarch, the young master possesses a unique aptitude. As long as his soul's deficiency is mended, he has a very high chance of ascending to the Nascent Soul stage in the future. Now that the Soul Nourishing Wood is right before us, paying a steeper price is acceptable—how can we just give up?"
"Nonsense! Everyone boasts shamelessly about having hope for the Nascent Soul stage, but how many ever achieve it? How could I disregard the family solely for my son's future?"
Qian Ting snapped in reprimand before gritting his teeth. "Besides, who said I've given up?"
The clansman blinked in surprise.
Qian Ting beckoned, and the cultivator stepped closer.
"Go investigate that rogue cultivator's background and where he is staying."
The clansman's eyes flickered, grasping the implication.
"Go!" Qian Ting waved him off, a scheme already forming in his mind. "That man is only in a standard VIP box of Tianyuan Tower; he likely has no formidable backing. If we handle things properly afterward, not only will we save this fortune in spirit stones and gain a piece of Soul Nourishing Wood for nothing, but we might even reap unexpected gains."
***
Inside his private box, Luo Chen watched as Deputy City Master Leng Ruolan called for higher bids twice in succession without anyone following, and he inwardly breathed a sigh of relief.
As expected, within a given set of rules, spending power was also a form of strength!
At the very least, once he threw down five million spirit stones, so long as no Nascent Soul cultivator stepped in, he was the brightest star in the entire auction.
When Nascent Soul masters hold back, who could stand against him!
Still, spending five million just for a piece of Soul Nourishing Wood that he could not even use himself brought a twinge of heartache.
*However, compared to the Origin Core Art and the complete Nascent Soul Formation Pill recipe, this expense is trivial.*
Luo Chen was clear on his priorities.
Yet!
Just as Luo Chen's mind settled, an unexpected challenger emerged.
"Five million one hundred thousand!"
Luo Chen's eyes narrowed, his gaze slanting upward.
The voice came from a third-floor private box.
From that vantage, it was obviously a Golden Core cultivator of the Canghai Alliance.
Five million was already Luo Chen's bottom line.
If he did not hire a master-tier weapon artisan to forge that defensive magic treasure and relied entirely on himself, the material wastage would inevitably be substantial.
Just preparing the raw materials would cost him one to two million spirit stones, and if he suffered multiple failures, there would be even further losses.
Because of that, Luo Chen had intended to keep several million in reserve for contingencies.
Yet now...
As Luo Chen hesitated, Han Zhan's urgent voice reached him.
"Luo Chen, you promised me!"
Luo Chen drew a deep breath and called out in a resonant voice, "Five million five hundred thousand!"
A domineering bid, as forceful as ever!
Up on the platform, Leng Ruolan was beaming from ear to ear.
"This fellow Daoist has bid five million five hundred thousand. Does our fellow Daoist from the Canghai Alliance wish to follow?"
Without much hesitation, the Golden Core cultivator from the Canghai Alliance declared directly, "I also offer five million five hundred thousand!"
Leng Ruolan's expression stiffened, and she said displeased, "Fellow Daoist, any subsequent bid must exceed the prior one. Surely you are not unaware of this customary rule?"
The Canghai Alliance Golden Core chuckled. "I naturally understand. However, the catalog states that if one can satisfy the owner's special conditions, terms may be negotiated at discretion. Since this rogue fellow Daoist and I have offered the same price, why not arrange for us to meet the owner of the Soul Nourishing Wood and discuss the matter in private?"
Leng Ruolan paused, clearly irritated.
If they reached an agreement in private, unless the deal involved an increase in spirit stones, Feileng City would hardly reap much of a commission.
Yet since this provision had been laid down beforehand, she could not readily refuse.
After asking Luo Chen once more whether he wished to raise his bid and receiving a negative reply, she promptly dispatched attendants to arrange the private meeting, allowing the auction proceedings to continue in the meantime.
***
Guided by the maid Ah Qing, Luo Chen arrived at a side hall.
The moment he stepped through the doors, he felt a sharp, piercing gaze fixed intently upon him.
With an unruffled expression, he walked straight to a seat.
The owner of that gaze scrutinized Luo Chen repeatedly before speaking: "I am Shang Junshu, young master of the Four Seas Business Alliance. May I ask for your esteemed name, fellow Daoist?"
The Four Seas Business Alliance!
This was an illustrious powerhouse within the Northern Sea cultivation world, overseen by a Nascent Soul True Person. Having recently joined the Canghai Righteous Alliance, its influence was grander than ever, making it second only to the Tianyuan Business Alliance among merchant powers in the Northern Sea.
If Shang Junshu claimed to be the alliance's young master, did that not mean True Person Sihai was his father?
Luo Chen frowned slightly. "A nameless rogue cultivator, hardly worth mentioning."
Shang Junshu did not take offense; rogue cultivators were always like this, skulking about in secrecy, afraid to reveal even their names and origins.
He said solemnly, "This Soul Nourishing Wood is an acquisition I am making on behalf of a close friend of my father's. I hope you might accommodate us. If you merely desire Soul Nourishing Wood, my alliance possesses some that are eight to nine hundred years old; treated with special methods, their efficacy is no less than that of a millennial specimen."
Luo Chen countered, "Then why don't you use that method yourselves?"
Suppressing his irritation, Shang Junshu explained patiently, "A millennial Soul Nourishing Wood stimulated by such methods can only serve Golden Core cultivators like us. My father's friend, however, is a Nascent Soul True Person; nothing short of genuine millennial Soul Nourishing Wood will suffice. Fellow Daoist, can you truly not accommodate us?"
Luo Chen shook his head. "Let us wait until we meet the owner of the Soul Nourishing Wood."
Shang Junshu clenched his fists, glaring at Luo Chen for several moments.
"Fine. Then we shall each rely on our own means when the time comes!"
The two did not have to wait long.
Shortly after, heavy footfalls sounded outside the hall.
Looking up, both men saw a paunchy, flesh-laden Golden Core cultivator stride inside.
With a single glance, Luo Chen and Shang Junshu were taken aback.
It was him!
Their reaction stemmed from the fact that many people already 'knew' this owner.
He was none other than the rogue Golden Core cultivator who had claimed the third-tier Dark Cyan Treasure Basin Fish at the exorbitant price of seven million spirit stones early in the auction.
This man was remarkably obese, resembling a greasy ball of flesh from afar.
Strangely enough, his facial features were entirely normal—even somewhat lean due to a prominent aquiline nose.
A gaunt face atop an enormous, fleshy frame was a combination that left an indelible impression on anyone who laid eyes upon him.
The moment he entered, the man smiled. "I am Ding Yi. You two wished to see me?"
Shang Junshu was the first to introduce himself. "Shang Junshu, young master of the Four Seas Business Alliance."
To observe basic etiquette, Luo Chen offered an alias. "Rogue cultivator Luo Hai. Greetings, Daoist Ding."
Ding Yi grunted in acknowledgment. "Since you sought this meeting, does that mean you are confident in fulfilling my special conditions?"
Shang Junshu was brimming with confidence. "I believe I can. Not only do I manage the Four Seas Business Alliance, but I also hold considerable authority within the Canghai Alliance founded by Senior Almighty Li. With the collective foundations of my alliance and the Canghai Alliance, meeting your requirements should pose no problem."
"Quite confident, aren't you!" Ding Yi chuckled, then stated his terms.
"In my early years, I strayed into a certain secret realm and mistakenly consumed an unknown earthly spirit herb. Though it vastly increased my cultivation, it left me with this severe obesity as an aftereffect. Thus, my conditions are not complicated—just two. The first is to lose weight."
*Uh...*
Hearing this condition, both Luo Chen and Shang Junshu were stunned for a moment.
Lose weight?
What difficulty could there be in that?
For a cultivator, refining essence into qi was the most basic of methods. A layer of fat could easily be shed by running a cultivation technique for a few circulation cycles, couldn't it?
Though they thought as much, neither questioned him.
After a brief deliberation, Shang Junshu withdrew a jade slip from the jade storage belt around his waist.
"Recorded upon this is an exquisite third-tier technique. Cultivating it will dissolve your essence, qi, and flesh."
Ding Yi took it with a beaming smile and glanced at the opening lines.
"Blood Transforming Demonic Art? A technique from a demonic sect?"
Shang Junshu nodded. "Indeed, this technique is linked to demonic sects."
Ding Yi did not immediately accept it, turning his gaze toward Luo Chen instead.
After a slight pause, Luo Chen produced a pill and a manual from his storage ring.
Ding Yi took them, skimmed the contents, and frowned slightly. "A pill recipe?"
Luo Chen explained, "Daoist Ding's eyes do not deceive him; it is indeed a recipe. It is called the Dust Descending Pill, acquired by me in my early years from an alchemy sect. The recipe is crude and carries no prohibition against external transmission. Consuming it consumes one's physical essence and blood, transmuting them into pure magic power. As for that sample pill, it was also refined by me in my earlier days; you may test its efficacy."
Ding Yi remained noncommittal, though inwardly he leaned more toward the Blood Transforming Demonic Art offered by Shang Junshu.
After all, once mastered, the flesh and blood dissolved by that demonic technique could be turned into offensive strikes against foes.
Seeing his reaction, Shang Junshu felt a surge of joy. As long as he satisfied the second condition, the three-thousand-year-old Soul Nourishing Wood would be his.
What could a rogue cultivator like Luo Hai possibly muster to compete against him?
"May I ask what Daoist Ding's second condition is?"
Ding Yi tapped his head. "In my younger days, I obtained that Soul Nourishing Wood. Coveting its rumored powers, I attempted to nurture my soul with it, only to be contaminated by the foul taint clinging to it, which damaged my divine soul instead. Consequently, though my cultivation realm progressed, my soul's foundation has barely advanced an inch over all these years. Therefore, I need relevant resources to enhance my soul foundation!"
Soul Nourishing Trees predominantly grew where lonely souls and wild ghosts amassed.
As such, the heartwood of a tree that had reached a thousand years naturally carried the special trait of nurturing the soul, an item ordinary cultivators treasured beyond measure.
That Ding Yi had been blinded by a supreme treasure in his carelessness and suffered harm from the foul taint was understandable.
Shang Junshu, however, found himself in a bind. Resources capable of expanding one's soul foundation were extraordinarily rare and precious anywhere.
He possessed a corresponding method on hand, but giving it away to an outsider...
While he hesitated, the black-robed Daoist beside him directly handed over a jade bottle.
Ding Yi took the bottle and took a light sniff; an instant refreshment washed over his spirit.
Coupled with Luo Chen's voice transmission, Ding Yi nodded without hesitation.
"Give me nine more bottles of these top-grade Nether-Passage Pills, and the Soul Nourishing Wood is yours!"
Luo Chen felt a sharp pang of reluctance.
Refining Nether-Passage Pills was no simple matter, particularly since his were of the second tier after his personal modifications.
With the manpower and resources of the Flying Swallow Archipelago, he had only managed to gather a small batch of raw materials.
After his refinement, he had set aside a portion for Cheng Haixin and Xu Muxian, leaving him with only a dozen or so bottles on hand.
He had not expected this cultivator to be so insatiable.
Yet with Han Zhan's promises backing him, he gritted his teeth and handed over his entire remaining stock.
When Shang Junshu blankly watched Ding Yi return the jade slip containing the Blood Transforming Demonic Art, he knew he had been eliminated.
"Fellow Daoist, we can still discuss this!"
Ding Yi chuckled. "Do you have better terms to offer?"
Shang Junshu opened his mouth, but found himself speechless.
In the end, he glared venomously at Luo Chen, hurled a parting threat, and stormed off.
"Luo Hai, it is not just me you have offended!"
Luo Chen's expression turned slightly grim.
Clearly, Shang Junshu was backed by a Nascent Soul father, and the senior who was a close friend of his father was bound to be an expert of at least the Nascent Soul stage as well.
Inside the Hunyuan Cauldron, however, Han Zhan was filled with gratification.
"Do not dwell on it. Once I obtain the Soul Nourishing Wood and recover a modest portion of my strength, I cannot claim to match Nascent Soul True Persons, but ensuring your safety across the Northern Sea cultivation world will pose little problem."
Luo Chen forced a faint smile; he had to leave it at that.
Seeing Luo Chen's shifting expression, Ding Yi guessed roughly what he was thinking.
"Brother, don't think too much of it. That is simply how it is for us rogue cultivators. Gathering resources is an uphill battle, and one misstep offends those with pedigrees and backing. In the future, simply keep a low profile and steer clear of them. In the vast Northern Sea, there is nothing they can do to you."
Luo Chen nodded stiffly. "My thanks for your comfort, Daoist Ding."
Ding Yi laughed heartily, a hint of fawning creeping onto his gaunt face.
"Daoist Luo, you must be an alchemist!"
Luo Chen's heart stirred; this was evidently the real reason Ding Yi had agreed to part with the Soul Nourishing Wood so readily.
Ten bottles of Nether-Passage Pills were merely water without a source; once consumed, they would be gone.
Only by cozying up to Luo Chen could he secure an endless supply of medicinal pills for his cultivation.
Luo Chen replied in a low voice, "I possess some minor attainment in the alchemical arts, but nothing extraordinary. Fellow Daoist, please do not think too highly of me."
Ding Yi said with a beaming smile, "An alchemist capable of producing second-tier top-grade pills can hardly be called ordinary! At the very least, standard third-tier low-grade pills should be well within your grasp!"
Luo Chen did not say much in response.
Ding Yi did not press for confirmation either, instead steering the conversation elsewhere.
"While we still have time, why don't you instruct me on the key points of refining that Dust Descending Pill? Though I have dabbled in alchemy, I can only craft crude first- and second-tier pills of low grade. Even with the recipe in hand, refining top-grade Dust Descending Pills sufficient for my needs would likely prove exceedingly difficult."
Teaching a man to fish was better than giving him a fish.
Evidently, this was his true intention.
If it was merely a single pill recipe, Luo Chen had no intention of jealously hoarding it.
Right then, he began orally explaining the finer details and critical nuances involved in concocting the Dust Descending Pill.
Truth be told, the pill was genuinely not difficult to brew.
Back during Azure Pill Valley's Dao Seed competition, it had been chosen as an examination subject precisely because of its low barrier to entry.
Moreover, it had virtually no positive effect on a cultivator's progression.
Luo Chen had only used it in tandem with the Blood Augmentation Pill to aid his cultivation.
Still, if it was purely to lose weight, it would likely suit this gaunt-faced fat man splendidly!
***
Instructing Ding Yi in the method of refining the Dust Descending Pill occupied nearly half a day of Luo Chen's time.
There was no helping it; the fat man was exceedingly chummy, actively currying favor with Luo Chen while absorbing the instructions.
Considering that the Soul Nourishing Wood was not yet firmly in his hands, Luo Chen could only engage in polite pleasantries.
Half a day later, using the excuse that he still had resources to bid on, he broke free from the man's badgering and hurried back to his private box.
By then, the auction was still underway!
For an auction of this scale, running continuously day and night for three full days was commonplace.
To cultivators at the Foundation Establishment or Golden Core stages, going without sleep for a few days meant nothing at all.
Yet the moment Luo Chen returned, a cacophony of clamor washed over his ears, leaving him temporarily bewildered.
What had happened?
Sweeping his divine sense outward, he heard murmurs echoing across the hall, constantly revolving around words like "spirit treasure," "sword spirit," and "chance at Soul Formation."
After listening for mere moments, Luo Chen formed a vague guess.
Sure enough, when he saw Leng Ruolan solemnly holding up a crimson blood sword, all his suspicions were confirmed.
Inside the Hunyuan Cauldron, Han Zhan blurted out in shock:
"A spirit treasure!"
Chapter 580