326: Chapter 326 The First Appearance of a Spiritual Treasure

Ye Jing hid in the crowd, concealing his aura, leaving only a faint ripple of a Peak Qi Refining stage. He secretly scanned the surrounding Cultivators.

The group was a mixed bag: Disciples in outer Sect robes of the Guijian Immortal Sect, solemn Buddhist Cultivator in kasayas, and many plainly dressed Loose Cultivators like himself.

There were even a few Cultivators in black robes with hidden auras who clearly weren't ordinary. They likely came with a purpose, just like him.

He noticed several Cultivators from the Qianji Pavilion maintaining order at the front. Each was at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, holding a lustrous white Jade Token. After verifying a Cultivator's spiritual power, they issued a wooden plaque with a number—likely the bidding Command Token.

Some Cultivators were secretly using their Divine Sense to probe the people in line, clearly checking for threats. However, the screening wasn't strict, likely because the Qianji Pavilion relied on its own foundation and didn't fear anyone causing trouble at the auction.

The wait wasn't long; after half an hour, it was Ye Jing's turn.

The Qianji Pavilion Cultivator checking the line glanced up at him and said indifferently, "To enter the auction, you must pay a hundred Spirit Stones as a deposit. The auction officially begins tomorrow at the Hour of Chen. The preview ends at sunset today. If you want to go, hurry up."

Ye Jing nodded, paid the Spirit Stones, and followed the other Cultivators inside to see the preview.

However, Ye Jing was greatly disappointed once inside. It was filled with ordinary spiritual materials and Low Grade Spiritual Artifacts; there wasn't much of value.

But that made sense; how could true treasures be displayed so openly for anyone to see?

He lost interest after a few glances and prepared to leave.

Suddenly, Ye Jing felt a chill run through his body. He stopped in his tracks and immediately used his spiritual power to sense his surroundings.

It felt as if something was watching him, but when he swept the area with his Divine Sense, he couldn't detect anything.

Who exactly was watching him from the shadows?

Ye Jing narrowed his eyes, then pretended to be oblivious and left.

Meanwhile, above the pavilion.

A young girl in a long red gauze robe was giggling. Her eyes were crimson, and she looked like a seven-year-old child. She was barefoot, her small white feet adorned with two gold rings on her ankles that jingled softly as she moved.

Standing respectfully beside the child were two Cultivators like her. Terrifyingly, they were both Early Stage Golden Core Cultivators.

"How interesting. A tiny human old man actually has a trace of flame power on him."

The girl swung her feet and giggled, her voice incredibly shrill.

On the other side, a Cultivator guard said respectfully, "Your Highness Huo Huang, do you need your subordinate to capture him for a thorough interrogation?"

The girl giggled, "No need. This is the territory of those bald donkeys. Father said not to cause trouble. We'll take the li huo fan first, then wait for that old man to be alone before catching him to eat as a snack!"

The girl displayed a face of innocent cruelty, her crimson pupils contracting in a non-human manner.

The next day, the Qianji Pavilion's Xingsu Auction officially began.

The auction hall on the first ten floors of the Qianji Pavilion was already packed.

Ye Jing rushed to enter and sat in a corner. Under his lowered brows, he calmly scanned the entire hall.

The layout of the hall was strictly hierarchical. The bottom floor was for Loose Cultivators and low-level Sect Disciples, with simple tables and chairs and a noisy atmosphere.

The middle floor held representatives from various small and medium-sized Sects, dressed in fine clothes, whispering to each other and secretly trying to gauge their opponents' cards.

The top floor consisted of several private rooms. Their carved windows were open, and a faint, powerful spiritual energy seeped out. These were clearly the seats for top powers like the Buddha Realm and the Guijian Immortal Sect.

In one of those private rooms was Du Hua, the Golden Core Middle Stage Cultivator Ye Jing had seen before.

In two other private rooms stood a cold-faced middle-aged man. Ye Jing heard the Cultivators below say he was Qi Wei, an Elder of the Guijian Sect and a Golden Core Middle Stage Cultivator.

In another private seat was a petite young girl of unknown origin.

These two had their spiritual energy restrained; they were likely both Golden Core Cultivators.

But what startled Ye Jing was that the young girl had two Golden Core Stage Cultivators standing by her side like guards.

When Ye Jing looked, the girl happened to meet his gaze. An innocent, naive smile appeared on her delicate face, making Ye Jing's skin crawl.

That spine-chilling feeling of being watched from yesterday returned.

Ye Jing suppressed his internal unease and looked calmly at the auction stage.

"Clang—"

A crisp chime of a bell rang out, and the hall instantly fell silent.

A handsome middle-aged Cultivator in a brocade robe stepped onto the auction stage, holding a gilded auction gavel. His smile was warm yet carried an unquestionable authority.

"I am Su Ming, a manager of the Qianji Pavilion. I am honored by your presence at this Xingsu Auction.

There are thirty-six treasures in this auction, ranging from spiritual materials and Magical Artifacts to Cultivation Techniques and Medicinal Pills. The rules remain the same: the highest bidder wins. If anyone maliciously inflates prices or causes trouble, the Qianji Pavilion and the Buddha Realm will not tolerate it!"

As he finished, the Cultivators below immediately grew restless.

The auction officially began.

The first few items were First-Tier spiritual materials and Low Grade Spiritual Artifacts. Although the quality was decent, they weren't what Ye Jing wanted.

He pretended to be drowsy while actually listening to everything around him.

After several items were sold, Su Ming suddenly called out, "The next item to be auctioned is a Spirit Treasure called the li huo fan! The starting price is one thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the noisy Cultivators fell silent, not daring to speak as they looked toward the stage.

Until a Cultivator beside Ye Jing suddenly spoke up, "A Spirit Treasure?! Is it real? That's even rarer than a talisman treasure!"

Hearing this unfamiliar name, Ye Jing suddenly became interested. "A Spirit Treasure? What's that?"

The Cultivator beside him glanced at him. Seeing his plain clothes and weak aura, a trace of disdain flashed in his eyes.

Yet he couldn't help but lower his voice boastfully, "Old man, did you just come from the Mortal World? You don't even know what a Spirit Treasure is?"

As he spoke, he leaned closer to Ye Jing, his tone carrying a hint of secret pride. "A Spirit Treasure is a treasure that surpasses Spiritual Artifacts and talisman treasures. They even possess intelligence and must be refined to recognize a master.

Ordinary Foundation Establishment Cultivators can't even catch a glimpse of them. They are extremely rare; even a Golden Core Cultivator might not necessarily own one!"

Ye Jing's heart stirred. "So precious? Then what can this li huo fan be used for?"

"Used for?" The Cultivator sneered, lowering his voice even further. "Didn't you hear the name 'Li Huo'?"

This fan is a fire-attribute Spirit Treasure. It can draw upon the power of all fires in heaven and earth, and its power is boundless!

A Foundation Establishment Cultivator holding it can withstand an attack from an Early Stage Golden Core. If used by a Golden Core Cultivator, it can even ignite a prairie fire that Cultivators of the same stage cannot block!"

At this point, the Cultivator sighed. "However, a Spirit Treasure like this requires someone who practices a fire-attribute Cultivation Technique to unleash its full potential. Such a precious item is beyond the reach of people like us."

At those words, Ye Jing's fingertips curled imperceptibly.

A fire-attribute Cultivation Technique? It just so happened that the Thunderbolt Flame Art he practiced was a fire-attribute Cultivation Technique!

If he could obtain this li huo fan, not only would it significantly boost his combat power, but it would also serve as another trump card when dealing with Cultivators from the Buddha Realm in the future.

More importantly, he vaguely sensed that the young girl in the top private room had her gaze fixed on the auction stage, her greed unconcealed. It seemed this li huo fan was her target.