Blood Essence

"Blood Essence!" The auction was drawing to a close. Mister Kan held his hands high, cradling a spherical mass as crimson as fresh blood, shaped like the heart of some demon beast. The object appeared remarkably soft, squirming like a beating heart and trembling in Mister Kan's palms. It exuded a greasy, bloody sheen that turned the stomach. Yet the moment Mister Kan announced its name, the gazes of many in the room flared with burning desire, and hushed whispers broke out across the hall. "There really is Blood Essence!" "The rumor was leaked by Kan himself—how could it be fake? Not only is there Blood Essence, but there are even greater treasures waiting behind it!" "I heard Blood Essence is a peerless medicine for healing wounds..." ... Mister Kan allowed the guests to murmur among themselves, a faint smile in his eyes. After waiting a short while, he raised his voice. "Blood Essence is the core quintessence of the Dragon-Transforming Bloodwood. Among ten thousand Dragon-Transforming Bloodwood trees, it is possible that only a single one will ever birth Blood Essence at the heart of its trunk. It is an absolute wonder of the world! This medicine is a supreme healing treasure that takes effect as soon as it is refined directly into the body. I trust this Kan does not need to belabor the point..." At this point, Mister Kan's voice paused almost imperceptibly. He had noticed that the mysterious late Foundation Establishment expert seated in the corner of the hall had finally moved. The man suddenly sat bolt upright, and beneath the black cowl, a pair of eyes seemed to fixate unblinkingly upon the Blood Essence! From the start of the auction until now, dozens of treasures had been hammered off in succession, yet this person had remained utterly indifferent, never once moving an inch. Mister Kan had nearly given up hope on him, never expecting such a sudden turn of events. *Does this man have injuries?* *Was he drawn here specifically by the Blood Essence?* Mister Kan mused inwardly, recalling the items in his private collection. He had several other rare healing medicines stashed away, but whether it was worth producing them to curry favor with this expert required weighing the gains against the risks. "The reserve price is one thousand low-grade spirit stones! Each increment must be no less than one hundred low-grade spirit stones!" No sooner had Mister Kan's voice fallen than a hoarse, clipped, yet resounding voice cut through the hall. "Four thousand!" Everyone preparing to bid froze, heads snapping around to cast probing glances toward the corner of the hall. The black-robed man sat tall in his chair. Under the weight of countless gazes, his frame did not waver in the slightest, revealing an exceptionally steady disposition. His very first bid had quadrupled the price. Was it mere bluster, or was he determined to claim it at all costs? A gleam flashed across Mister Kan's eyes in surprise. He had not expected this man to remain silent until now only to stun the crowd in a single breath. By all appearances, he was truly bent on obtaining the Blood Essence. Seeing that the man's intervention had plunged the once-fervent atmosphere to freezing point, Mister Kan was just about to employ a few minor tricks to guide the room back into the fray when another voice unexpectedly piped up with a bid. "Six thousand low-grade spirit stones." The speaker's voice sounded rather refined and far gentler than the previous man's, yet the shock it delivered to the crowd was not a whit less. Again! A direct jump of two thousand spirit stones! The audience's gazes darted across the hall in search of the source. They found that the bidder wore a long silver robe with a cowl over his head, similarly concealing his features. Mister Kan was quite surprised. He had kept a watchful eye over the entire hall from the start and had a clear sense of all the guests present. This silver-robed man had been thoroughly unremarkable before now, bidding only a few times on items of modest value. Who would have guessed he possessed such deep pockets? Mister Kan realized he had misjudged yet another person, but he was overjoyed. An auction house feared such patrons least of all; the more, the merrier. If the two of them proved evenly matched and clashed head-on, it would be a tremendous windfall! Mister Kan's wish was granted soon enough. The black-robed man seated in the corner turned his head to glare at the silver-robed man. After a brief pause, he declared in a heavy voice, "Seven thousand!" "Eight thousand!" The silver-robed man leaned back against his chair, not even turning his head as he matched the bid without the slightest hesitation. From his calm, unhurried tone, one could readily guess that the face beneath the cowl wore an expression of effortless ease. "Nine thousand!" "Ten thousand!" ... A pin-drop silence descended upon the grand hall. Even in the private boxes on the upper level, not a single person entered the fray; all were simply watching the spectacle unfold. Ten thousand spirit stones for the Blood Essence was already an exorbitant price. Both men appeared determined to win at all costs, meaning the price was bound to climb even higher. The others had no desire to plunge into the mire and play the fool. With every bid met and pressed hard by the silver-robed man, the black-robed man seemed provoked. He let out a sinister, chilling sneer. "With a mere early Foundation Establishment stage cultivation, can you truly produce ten thousand spirit stones, Fellow Daoist? Mister Kan, this old man believes it would be best to verify this person's qualifications first!" Mister Kan had indeed harbored a similar doubt, only he had not found an opportune moment to raise it. Now that the black-robed man had spearheaded the challenge, he seized the chance and turned toward the silver-robed man, his tone inquiring. "Fellow Daoist, what say you to this...?" The silver-robed man chuckled, taking no offense. He fished out a mustard seed bag and tossed it carelessly to Mister Kan, crossing his arms as he said blandly, "Though my cultivation is meager, I do possess some modest savings. Please inspect it, Mister Kan. However, examining only me hardly seems fair. Shouldn't Mister Kan treat everyone equally?" The black-robed man sneered. "A summer insect cannot fathom ice! At my realm, what does a mere ten thousand spirit stones amount to?" Mister Kan was taken aback. His brow knit almost imperceptibly, and he quietly shot a sidelong glance at the black-robed man, wondering whether this person was merely arrogant and relying on his strength, or deliberately flaunting his cultivation to suppress others through sheer intimidation. Thoughts racing, Mister Kan returned the mustard seed bag to the silver-robed man and explained, "This Kan has inspected it. Fellow Daoist has ample spirit stones! Fellow Daoist may not be aware, but Senior is a late Foundation Establishment cultivator who holds a token of passage; he indeed possesses sufficient spirit stones, which I verified earlier. If neither of you has any further concerns, please proceed." "So you are a Senior of late Foundation Establishment! My apologies, my apologies!" Though his words sounded courteous, there was not a shred of genuine respect in the silver-robed man's tone. He did not even bother turning his head to look at the black-robed man, continuing flatly, "Regrettably, I am in urgent need of the Blood Essence to save a life, and I am determined to have it. I cannot yield it to Senior..." The black-robed man spat in fury, "Courting death! Does this old man need you to yield anything to me? Eleven thousand!" "Eleven thousand five hundred!" Though their subsequent increments grew somewhat smaller, it did not take long before the price skyrocketed to the staggering height of fourteen thousand spirit stones. A few guests who had initially harbored thoughts of joining in gave up completely upon seeing this display, leaving the two of them to trade blows alone. "Fourteen thousand five hundred!" Clearly, even the black-robed man felt the sting of this price. His breathing turned exceptionally ragged, and his voice sounded as though it were being squeezed through gritted teeth. Several people seated near him drew back one after another, terrified that his volatile temper might lead to something unpredictable. The silver-robed man spoke unhurriedly, "Fifteen thousand low-grade spirit stones!" "You seek death!" Driven to pure fury, the black-robed man unleashed the formidable aura unique to late Foundation Establishment, sending it crashing violently toward the silver-robed man. The onlookers caught in its path suffered collateral damage. In particular, several Qi Refinement stage cultivators were scared senseless, collapsing straight onto the floor on their backsides. In an instant, pandemonium erupted throughout the hall amid cries of alarm. Mister Kan's expression changed drastically. He had never expected this man to lack the bearing of an expert so entirely—unable even to accept defeat gracefully, striking out on a whim. He yelled out in panic, "Quickly, activate the array!"