281: Auction begins

Half an hour passed in the blink of an eye.

The area around the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce's auction stage was already packed several layers deep with Cultivators, numbering in the thousands.

Suddenly, a clear and resonant chime of bells and lithophones rang out from the high stage, sounding like ice pearls falling onto a jade plate, instantly drowning out the clamor of the scene.

The sound did not come from mundane instruments, but from Magical Artifact bells driven by the spiritual power of two beautiful female Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators. Wherever the sound waves reached, the originally restless air suddenly grew still, and even the surging spiritual power within the Cultivators' bodies became a bit more docile.

Everyone's gaze focused on the stage in unison.

Midst the flickering spiritual light, several figures quietly appeared on the high stage.

Leading them was Mo Chenggui, dressed in a black brocade robe with dark gold cloud patterns, his face elegant yet his gaze deep.

He wore his usual smile that felt like a spring breeze as he cupped his hands slightly toward all directions. His voice spread gently through an amplification Formation, carrying a strange, heart-soothing power:

"I, Mo, thank you all, Fellow Daoists, for gracing us with your presence at this small exchange meet held by our Qingyun Chamber of Commerce in the Southern Border. In these chaotic times where opportunities remain unclear, it is also fate that allows us to gather here with heroes from all over the world."

He spoke at a steady pace, his gaze seemingly sweeping across the venue at random, yet it paused imperceptibly for a moment where Situ Jun was located. His smile seemed to deepen slightly before he naturally looked away.

"Without further ado, so as not to waste your precious time, every item in this auction has been meticulously selected by our chamber, and there are also treasures consigned by several Fellow Daoists; their quality is guaranteed. The rules are as always: the highest bidder wins. Payments can be made in Spirit Stones, or by using equivalent spiritual materials and treasures as collateral. Now, let us present the first auction item!"

As his voice fell, a beautiful female Cultivator dressed in moon-white chamber attire walked onto the stage with light steps, carrying a tray covered with a red cloth.

Her figure was graceful, and every step she took was accompanied by subtle ripples of spiritual power. Clearly, she had cultivated some kind of auxiliary Light Body Technique, which allowed her to show off the chamber's style without overshadowing the auction item.

Mo Chenggui stepped forward, his slender fingers gently lifting the red cloth to reveal a palm-sized black stone inside.

The stone's surface was rough, carved with several twisted patterns. Deep within these patterns, dim spiritual power flowed faintly, as if a sleeping giant beast was breathing.

"The first auction item is a Guiding Stone, something that is hard to find for any amount of money in the cultivation world."

Mo Chenggui's smile remained unchanged as his voice continued with a hint of suggestive magnetism:

"As you all know, Fellow Daoists, the Nether Crow Cave Mansion is the place where the ancient Void Refining Stage powerhouse, 'Venerable Ming Ya,' passed away. The periphery of the cave mansion is laid with the 'Nine-Bends Soul-Bewildering Formation.' Even if we break through the cave mansion's defensive Formation, without a Guiding Stone to guide them, even a Golden Core Cultivator would find it difficult to enter. Whoever holds this item can easily pass through the Formations and Restrictions on the periphery of the cave mansion. The starting price is ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone below the stage immediately shouted:

"Fifteen thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

"Twenty thousand!"

Another gruff voice followed closely. The speaker was a burly man with a fleshy face and a giant spiked club hanging from his waist; he was the leader of a tribe in the Southern Border.

"Thirty thousand!"

Another voice rang out, this time from a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Loose Cultivator, whose hand was trembling slightly as he gripped his Storage Pouch.

"Fifty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

A steady voice spoke up from a small Sect's group on the left. The leader was an old man with white hair and beard—the Sect Master of the Tianshui Sect in the Southern Border.

After he spoke, the venue suddenly fell silent—fifty thousand Spirit Stones was already a significant burden for a small Sect, and bidding any higher would not be worth the cost.

Situ Jun took a small sip of spiritual tea, his gaze calmly fixed on the stage.

This item was of little use to him; a mere peripheral illusory Formation could not stop his advance.

Seeing that no one else was bidding, Mo Chenggui finally announced that the Guiding Stone was won by the old man from the Tianshui Sect.

The maidservant handed the Guiding Stone to a Disciple of the Tianshui Sect, and the sounds of discussion rose again from below the stage.

Hua Hanxiang clicked her tongue in secret amazement, her small hand tightly clutching Situ Jun's sleeve as she whispered:

"Husband, these things are so expensive... Even a broken stone costs fifty thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones. That's enough for us ordinary Cultivators to Cultivate for several years."

Situ Jun turned his head to look at her, a hint of a smile in his eyes as he said:

"The Nether Crow Cave Mansion hides the Legacy of a Void Refining Stage powerhouse. Even just a tiny clue is an Opportunity for these small factions to reach the heavens in a single bound, so it's naturally worth them spending a fortune."

Hua Hanxiang nodded, only half-understanding, and her gaze was drawn back to the stage.

The second auction item had already appeared. It was a piece of translucent white warm jade carved into the shape of a water lily. As soon as it appeared, it emitted a gentle warmth.

"The second auction item: the Warm Jade Lotus."

Mo Chenggui introduced:

"This item comes from the Far North Ice Plains of the Great Zhou Kingdom. It can resist yin-cold energy and is particularly effective against the miasma inside the Nether Crow Cave Mansion. If a Golden Core Stage Cultivator wears it, it can protect their internal organs from being eroded by the miasma. The starting price is five thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

After another round of intense bidding, the Warm Jade Lotus was eventually bought by a female Cultivator for sixty-five thousand Spirit Stones.

Immediately following was the third auction item.

A "Green-Patterned Compass" that could identify poisons appeared. Its needle was made from the core of a thousand-year-old poison vine and would emit a red light when it encountered poison. For Cultivators who explored the Southern Border year-round, it was practically a life-saving item. Its price soared all the way to forty thousand Spirit Stones.

The fourth auction item was a yellowed ancient book recording the anecdotes of Daoist Ming Ya's life. Although it contained no direct Cultivation Techniques, it mentioned some opportunities he had obtained in his early years, leading many Cultivators to scramble for it. It eventually sold for sixty thousand Spirit Stones.

Every auction item that appeared caused a significant stir.

Mo Chenggui always maintained a smile, hosting with composure. Occasionally, he would aptly add a comment about an item's wonderful uses or use a few humorous words to stir the atmosphere, gradually pushing the heat of the scene toward a climax.

Just then, a maidservant hurried onto the stage carrying an exquisite white jade box. The box was carved with intricate cloud patterns and inlaid with several tiny sapphires along its edges; one look was enough to tell that its contents were no ordinary object.

Mo Chenggui took the jade box, the smile on his face growing even richer, even carrying a trace of imperceptible anticipation:

"The next auction item is one of today's finales! Fellow Daoists, please look closely."

He slowly opened the jade box, and immediately, a rich vitality mixed with a biting chill gushed out from within, like spring's warm sun colliding with winter's cold ice.

The Cultivators in the first few rows near the stage felt their spirits lift. Their minds, which had become somewhat groggy from sitting for a long time, instantly cleared, and even the circulation of spiritual power within their bodies sped up a bit!