328: Chapter 328 Three-Party Competition

Ye Jing sat in the corner, his heart also filled with intense longing.

The Thunderbolt Flame Art he cultivated had already filled his body with flames; he was a fire-attribute Body Cultivator, and though his physical strength far exceeded that of Cultivators at the same level...

...no one would mind becoming even stronger. If he could also harness lightning power, it would allow his Physical Body to possess the fierce might of both fire and lightning, and his combat power would surely skyrocket.

But at this moment, he only had a few thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. Forget bidding for the golden purple thunder essence; he probably couldn't even afford the starting price.

Moreover, the Buddha Realm would certainly need this treasure, and other powers didn't want to miss out either.

"Everyone, please calm down."

Su Ming tapped the auction gavel lightly, his voice suddenly rising.

"golden purple thunder essence, starting price: five thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! Each increment must be no less than five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!"

Five thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!

The starting price for the li huo fan earlier was only one thousand, but now the golden purple thunder essence had quintupled that. The clamor of the crowd was instantly stifled.

The fervor on the faces of many Loose Cultivators vanished in an instant, replaced by helplessness and resentment—at this price, even some small Sects would have to exhaust their entire resources just to scrape it together.

But the competition in the top-floor private booths had only just begun.

"Six thousand!"

Qi Wei's voice was the first to ring out, carrying a hint of gritted teeth. Losing out on the li huo fan earlier had already left him feeling resentful.

This golden purple thunder essence concerned the future of the Guijian Immortal Sect. If it could be refined and given to a Genius Disciple of the Sect, it would be enough to Cultivate a top-tier lightning-attribute Sword Cultivator. He could not afford to fail again.

"Seven thousand!"

A shrill girl's voice followed immediately, carrying blatant disdain.

"Old Man Qi, you again? This golden purple thunder essence is mine, Your Highness has decided. If you keep competing with me, I won't just tear down your Guijian Immortal Sect—I'll refine your old bones too!"

As she spoke, within the girl's private booth, besides the scorching and sinister fire spiritual power, a faint yet overbearing lightning power actually appeared.

This resonated from afar with the aura of the golden purple thunder essence.

Ye Jing was startled. This girl not only possessed a strange fire-attribute power but could actually harness lightning power as well?

It seemed her identity was even more extraordinary than he had imagined.

"Eight thousand!" Qi Wei's aura grew colder; he was clearly provoked by the girl.

"Your Excellency, do not push things too far! The Guijian Immortal Sect is not to be trifled with! Today, I am determined to obtain this golden purple thunder essence!"

"Ten thousand!"

The girl's voice held a hint of impatience, as if she were brushing off an insignificant ant.

"Is that enough? If not, Your Highness can add more! Old Man Qi, if you know what's good for you, get lost. Don't force me to get serious!"

Ten thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! The entire hall fell deathly silent; even the sound of breathing grew faint.

Such an amount was equivalent to nearly a hundred years of income for a Golden Core Sect. Even a powerhouse with deep foundations like the Guijian Immortal Sect had to weigh the cost.

At this moment, Du Hua of the Buddha Realm, a Golden Core Middle Stage Cultivator who had been silent, pressed his palms together and said, "Ten thousand five hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!"

His voice wasn't loud, but it added fuel to the fire of this confrontational atmosphere.

The girl's shrill voice instantly exploded with towering rage: "You bald donkey! You dare to compete with Your Highness for something?"

Qi Wei's face sank to rock bottom. He glanced at the monk and gritted his teeth. "Eleven thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!"

Du Hua didn't seem to care, simply saying, "Eleven thousand five hundred."

Seeing this, Qi Wei and the girl naturally refused to be outdone. They all belonged to the Five Great Powers of the Canggu Realm; if the treasure were auctioned off to someone else just like that, it would be a huge loss of face.

Thus, the three of them began a fierce bidding war, pushing the price from ten thousand all the way up to thirty thousand.

Everyone below the stage couldn't help but hold their breath as they watched the three of them fight.

They were just waiting to see who would ultimately take home this thunder essence.

"Thirty thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!" Qi Wei's voice carried extreme restraint. Veins popped on his forehead, and the sword spiritual power around him almost broke through the booth's Restriction.

Although the Guijian Immortal Sect had deep foundations, thirty thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones was nearly ten years' worth of the Sect's reserves. Any further increase would cut to the bone; even if they won the golden purple thunder essence, the Sect's subsequent cultivation resources would become scarce.

The girl's shrill voice didn't pause for a second. Instead, it carried a hint of playful arrogance. "Thirty-one thousand! Old Man Qi, any more bids?"

Before her voice had even faded, the sinister fire spiritual power and the faint yet overbearing lightning power within the girl's booth intertwined, forming a violent aura that swept downward. The Loose Cultivators on the ground floor clutched their chests, their faces turning pale, not even daring to look up.

The auras of the two Golden Core guards grew increasingly chilling, as if they were about to strike, clearly carrying out the girl's threat.

On the stage, Su Ming maintained his gentle smile, but the auction gavel in his hand had yet to fall. His gaze shifted between the booths of the three major powers, a trace of an indiscernible glint hidden in his eyes.

The Qianji Pavilion was inherently neutral. The more fiercely the various powers bid, the more they benefited, so they were naturally happy to sit back and watch the tigers fight.

After a moment of silence, Qi Wei's calm voice rang out again. It was still neither high nor low, yet it carried an unshakable confidence. "Thirty-two thousand."

This time, Du Hua completely froze. He clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles turning white, and the spiritual power around him became restless, but in the end, he did not bid again.

However, a trace of resentment flashed in his eyes.

He was merely the City Lord of Jinshan City and could not afford any more expenditure. Moreover, the Guijian Immortal Sect's foundations were far deeper than theirs; if it really came to a head-on clash, his Jinshan City would only lose more than it gained.

He gritted his teeth and said in a low voice, "Forget it. I withdraw."

The eyes of the entire hall instantly focused on the girl and Du Hua; even the air seemed to have solidified.

The girl's aura clearly became impatient, her shrill voice filled with towering rage: "Old Man Qi! You're looking for death! Your Highness said this golden purple thunder essence is mine, stop competing with me!"

Seeing her throw a tantrum, Qi Wei remained unmoved, his tone flat. "Little friend, your hostility is too heavy. The golden purple thunder essence is an Innate spiritual item; it belongs to whoever is destined for it."

"Thirty-two thousand five hundred!"

The girl almost shrieked, her voice shrill and piercing.

"This is the last time! Old Man Qi, if you dare to add more, I'll have a proper battle with you today!"

Inside the booth, the violent spiritual power erupted completely, and a sinister fire spirit appeared, showing signs of breaking through the booth's Restriction. Below the stage, the Qianji Pavilion Disciples went on alert, holding Talismans in their hands, ready to respond to any sudden situation.

Su Ming's smile finally faded a bit. He gave a light cough and said, "Young Miss, please calm down. The auction has its rules, and private fighting is prohibited. Please exercise restraint."

Qi Wei merely smiled slightly, appearing to be quite dismissive. He said loudly, "Little friend, why resort to violence? If your skills are inferior, you can withdraw. Don't let it spoil the harmony!"

He could see that the girl had reached her limit and could no longer compete with him, so he was full of confidence.

Seeing this, the girl was instantly enraged. Her guard noticed and whispered in her ear, which forced her to suppress her anger.

Her red eyes glowed as she looked at Qi Wei with resentment, gritting her teeth. "Old Man Qi, you just wait!"

Ultimately, the auction concluded with Du Hua's thirty-three thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones taking the purple gold thunder essence.

"Sold! Congratulations to Lord Qi Wei of the Wanjian Immortal Sect for obtaining the purple gold thunder essence!"

As the sound of the final gavel strike echoed, the surrounding atmosphere suddenly relaxed. Some Cultivators below even began to flatteringly congratulate Qi Wei on obtaining the treasure.