11: Mandate from Heaven

Brother Quan stared intently at the live ganoderma lucidum in the constant temperature box.

It was as if he was admiring Tang Ming's authentic calligraphy.

That was a peerless treasure worth at least a billion.

Brother Quan acted very quickly, packing all the medicinal herbs he had recently collected and sending them to Cloud Deer Garden, where the transaction was completed.

Next came the overwhelming publicity.

"Mysterious Collector Discovers Complete Authentic calligraphy of Tang Dynasty calligraphy Master Tang Ming!"

"Rumored to be a rare treasure returned from overseas, remarkably well-preserved, potentially setting a new record for Chinese painting and calligraphy auctions."

Headlines such as these dominated all art magazines and high-end financial media.

The largest auction house in Modu—Zhenyi Auction.

It utilized the highest level of security and promotional resources, making this major event world-renowned.

On the day of the auction, the auction hall was filled with stars.

Top collectors, representatives of art funds, multinational corporate giants from around the world, and discreet but unfathomably powerful private buyers from China filled almost all the seats.

Whispers rose and fell, various languages intertwined.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the empty display stand on the stage, awaiting the item destined to go down in history.

"Next, we will welcome the highlight of this auction, a masterpiece that has recently shaken the global collecting world!"

The auctioneer paused, looked around, and struck the gavel.

"The authentic calligraphy of Tang Dynasty master Tang Ming!"

Spotlights instantly focused on the display stand, and staff members wearing white gloves carefully presented the scroll of calligraphy, imbued with a thousand years of ancient charm.

A huge high-definition screen simultaneously magnified every detail.

The vigorous and ancient brushwork, the ink that penetrated the paper, the seals of past collectors, and the unique luster of the silk that had settled through the years.

A wave of uncontrollable gasps and exclamations rose from the audience.

Many elderly collectors even stood up excitedly, craning their necks, wishing they could get closer to see it.

"Our expert team, along with several authoritative scholars from home and abroad, has repeatedly authenticated it and unanimously confirmed it to be an authentic work by Tang Ming without a doubt."

"Starting bid: 480 million!"

As soon as the words fell, bidding paddles rose like bamboo shoots after rain.

"500 million!"

"530 million!"

"580 million!"

"650 million!"

The price soared at an astonishing speed.

The competition was mainly concentrated among a few expressionless top collectors in the front row and anonymous buyers bidding via phone.

Each raise of the paddle signified the flow of astronomical wealth.

He Ming quietly watched the numbers on the screen jump, his face devoid of any expression, as if it were just a string of game scores unrelated to him.

After the price broke 800 million, the bidding speed slowed slightly.

When it surpassed 1.2 billion, only three bidders remained.

When it surpassed 1.3 billion, only two bidders remained.

Brother Quan's team sat backstage, watching the bidding price displayed on the electronic screen, already excitedly embracing each other.

After deducting the sky-high reward of 500 million, the auction house's commission, and a portion of promotional expenses, etc... they would earn at least 700 million!

Finally, the auctioneer shouted, his emotions high.

"1.32 billion, first call!"

"1.32 billion, second call!"

"1.32 billion, third call!"

The gavel fell, and a burst of enthusiastic applause erupted throughout the hall.

The final price was set at 1.32 billion!

A new world record for Chinese painting and calligraphy auctions was born.

This auction, like a grand advertisement, announced to the entire world the authenticity and immense profit of exchanging medicinal kings for sky-high antiques.

Brother Quan's team made a fortune.

Cloud Deer Garden.

Watching the live broadcast, a thought suddenly arose in He Ming's mind, a thought stemming from the prehistoric novels he had read in his previous life.

Some treasures can bless one's luck, so can luck accelerate cultivation speed?

He quickly entered the quiet room and took out the omniscient notebook from the secret compartment.

"Can luck accelerate cultivation?"

"Yes."

He Ming's heart skipped a beat, and his eyes instantly brightened.

"Are there any treasures on Blue Star that can bless luck, and which one has the best effect?"

"imperial seal of china."

The text appeared instantly.

He Ming's pupils suddenly contracted, and his breathing hitched.

The imperial seal of china.

Mandated by Heaven, forever prosperous.

It had long surpassed the value of the object itself.

It was the supreme symbol of the orthodox dynasty of Huaxia.

It was the ultimate physical evidence of the Mandate of Heaven.

It ran through the history of imperial rise and fall, and was the deepest belief in destiny and orthodoxy in the souls of the Dragon Kingdom people.

He Ming took a deep breath and immediately pressed on.

"Where is the imperial seal of china specifically located?"

"Ailao Mountains, three hundred meters underground, specific coordinates..."

"What level of life essence is required to safely enter the Ailao Mountains and retrieve the imperial seal of china?"

This time, the notebook delayed for about a second.

"43000."

"Given my current condition, how many days will it take to reach 43000 points?"

"396.754 days."

He Ming murmured softly, his gaze becoming incredibly profound, and he pondered to himself.

The location of the imperial seal of china was an absolute forbidden zone of life.

To obtain the imperial seal of china, one must be strong oneself.

Worldly wealth and treasures were merely stepping stones to a higher level.

With absolute power, anything could be easily obtained.

Thinking of this, He Ming chuckled softly.

He sat cross-legged on the meditation cushion, held his breath, and entered a state of cultivation.

He Ming's chest rose and fell slightly, as if an invisible airflow was guiding it.

The entire process lasted for about an hour, and when he opened his eyes and finished his practice, fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead.

After getting up, he poured the ink-like thick medicinal soup from the pot into a bowl and drank it all in one gulp.

The medicinal liquid entered his abdomen, quickly permeating his limbs and bones.

He quickly walked into the adjacent bathroom.

In the huge bathtub, dregs of several rare medicinal herbs floated, steam was rising, and the scent of medicine filled the air.

He Ming stepped into the bathtub, and the hot water instantly covered his chest.

He closed his eyes and once again activated his breathing technique, cooperating with the scalding medicinal power, fully catalyzing it.

If taken orally like ordinary people, about ninety percent of the medicinal power would be lost.

If the medicinal herbs were refined into pills, thirty percent of the medicinal power could be retained.

However, the Star Guidance Technique, which was perfectly suited for He Ming, was among the top-tier even in the vast universe, capable of locking in about ninety percent of the medicinal power.

This was like He Ming only needing to take one dose of medicine to achieve nine times the effect of an ordinary person.

Compared to cultivators on Blue Star, the effect could reach three times.

This didn't even account for the bonuses from the breathing technique and external martial arts.

If He Ming's cultivation speed were compared to the top cultivators on Blue Star, it would be about twenty times faster.

For ordinary cultivators, the difference would be more than thirty times.