511: Chapter 511 It's so good to be rich!

After a few more rounds of bidding, a maid brought out a sandalwood tray. Lined with dark green velvet, a hairpin lay silently on the surface.

The hairpin was a calm, dark cyan throughout, straight and slender, with the end slightly tapering into a leaf shape. The veins were as fine as silk, and under the spirit lamp, a faint emerald light shimmered.

The surface of the hairpin wasn't smooth; it had a warm, woody texture, as if it had been held and rubbed in someone's palm for years, permeated with an indescribable, gentle aura.

As the angle changed, tiny specks of light would appear on the dark cyan body, like dew on leaves in the early morning refracting the rising sun, or dappled light and shadow filtering through layers of branches onto the ground.

The spiritual energy fluctuations emitted by the entire hairpin were extremely weak; at best, it was just a Spiritual Artifact.

Mu Qinglan cleared her throat and said loudly:

"This hairpin is named the 'Green Wood Longevity Hairpin.' Its material is suspected to be ancient Fusang wood. According to our Chamber of Commerce's appraisal, it should be a relic from the ancient era. The hairpin body is engraved with a faint wood-attribute defensive inscription. When activated with spiritual energy, it can generate a layer of Wood Spirit barrier, barely capable of blocking a full-strength strike from a Soul Transformation Stage Cultivator."

"Although its rank is not high, the luster flowing on the hairpin contains hidden wood grain. Every angle reveals a new scene, as if it were alive. The starting bid is thirty million Low-Grade Spirit Stones."

The venue was quiet for a moment, then erupted into low whispers.

"A Spiritual Artifact? Did I hear that right? Thirty million Low-Grade Spirit Stones for a Spiritual Artifact?"

"Is the East Sea Chamber of Commerce treating us like fools? A Spiritual Artifact is worth a few million Spirit Stones at most. This starting bid is how many times higher than that?"

"Barely block a Soul Transformation strike? That's just a Spiritual Artifact, maybe touching the edge of a Low Grade Treasure Artifact at best. Isn't it just a bit pretty?"

"A Spiritual Artifact is a Spiritual Artifact, something for Golden Core or Nascent Soul Cultivators to use. Even if it's old, it's not worth thirty million. This starting price is enough to buy a High Grade Treasure Artifact. The Magic Treasure used by a Body Integration Stage Cultivator doesn't even cost that much."

Someone lowered their voice, their tone filled with disdain:

"As for that so-called Fusang wood material and aura, anyone with clear eyes can tell the East Sea Chamber of Commerce is just gilding the lily for their auction item. What is Fusang wood? It's the Spiritual Root of the Fusang Supreme. Unless the Fusang Supreme does it herself, who could get Fusang wood to make a Magic Treasure?"

"Even if an ordinary person obtained Fusang wood, they couldn't refine it without the cultivation of the Tribulation Transcendence Stage. If it were truly a Magic Treasure refined from Fusang wood, how could it only be at the Spiritual Artifact level?"

"Exactly. Anything with even a hint of Fusang wood aura should at least be a Medium Grade Treasure Artifact. Is the East Sea Chamber of Commerce trying to fool people with a Spiritual Artifact?"

"Just watch, this thing will definitely fail to sell."

Although the discussion in the general seating area was hushed, it clearly reached the fifth floor.

In the private box, Yue Xinlan was originally leaning back in her chair, swinging her feet, looking nonchalantly toward the auction stage. Suddenly, her brows furrowed slightly. Her gaze fixed on the Green Wood Longevity Hairpin. After watching for a few breaths, she turned to look at Ling Hao. Her lips moved slightly, and a sound transmission went directly into his ears:

"Bid for it."

Ling Hao, who had been holding a teacup, paused for a moment and sent a sound transmission back: "What's wrong?"

"That hairpin has the aura of the Fusang Supreme. It's something she personally refined."

Ling Hao's heart stirred. His Divine Sense silently reached toward the hairpin.

The power of Chaos brushed lightly over the hairpin. The leaf patterns at the end suddenly brightened, then quickly dimmed. That aura, carrying the vitality of vegetation, was of the same origin as the Fusang Supreme's heart within Saintess Yan Xueyuan.

He withdrew his Divine Sense, and the corners of his mouth hooked up slightly.

In the general seating area, some people were still muttering things like "whoever bids is a fool."

"Three hundred million."

The voice from Heaven-Class Box No. 1 drifted out unhurriedly.

"What did you just say?"

"...Whoever bids is a badass."

The person who spoke turned pale, and cold sweat instantly broke out. He quickly shrank his neck and hid two steps back into the crowd.

The trend of discussion in the hall shifted immediately.

"Why is this young master of the Liu family bidding on even a Spiritual Artifact?"

"You don't think about what he bid on before. Every item was at least a Dao Artifact. Does he care if this hairpin can block a Soul Transformation strike? It's enough if it looks good."

"And looking at his style of bidding, Spirit Stones flow like water for him. To him, there's probably no difference between thirty million and three billion."

"It's so good to be rich."

Someone sighed. Then, this sigh spread through the general seating area as if it had grown wings.

"It's so good to be rich."

"It's so good to be rich."

"It's so good to be rich."

"Yeah, it's so good to be rich T﹏T (muttering)..."

In Heaven-Class Box No. 1, Mu Xiyao put down the teapot in her hand and tentatively asked:

"Moon Shadow Sect Master, did you see anything special about that hairpin?"

"This item was sent to our Chamber of Commerce for appraisal before, and none of our appraisers could figure out what it was."

Ling Hao withdrew his gaze from the auction stage, his expression calm:

"No, I just thought it looked good."

Mu Xiyao looked at him, her eyes filled with a hint of disbelief:

"...Really?"

"Really."

Mu Xiyao opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn't pursue the question. She just pushed the teacup gently to his hand and changed the subject:

"Then, is this also being bid on for the Golden Crow Saintess?"

Ling Hao thought for a moment and nodded: "Mm, it's a gift for her."

Since she and the Fusang Supreme have the deepest connection, giving it to her is most appropriate.

Mu Xiyao didn't ask again, just lowered her eyes and filled his cup again.

Only then did Ling Hao remember the few items he had consigned — the Sheng-Sheng Creation Spring, the Chaos Azure Lotus Pool water, and the Ninth-Grade Red Crow Pill. Why hadn't any of them been brought out?

He looked at Mu Xiyao: "Those items I consigned earlier..."

Mu Xiyao quickly explained: "Moon Shadow Sect Master, please rest assured. Our Mu Family has already privately purchased those three items of yours. We settled the payment at ten times the original valuation, and we are not taking any commission."

"Ten times?" Ling Hao raised an eyebrow.

"You all aren't afraid of losing money?"

"Not at all." Mu Xiyao smiled.

"Those three items, you can't buy any of them anywhere else."

Ling Hao didn't ask any more questions, just waved his hand casually: "Whatever, I don't care."

These things aren't worth anything in the Sect anyway.

On the auction stage, Mu Qinglan's voice suddenly rose a few degrees.

"Distinguished guests, next is the final auction item of this auction. I presume everyone has been waiting for a long time —"

Two attendants worked together to lift a tray covered with dark blue brocade and slowly placed it on the display stand in the center of the auction stage.

Mu Qinglan reached out and uncovered the brocade, and a water-blue square cauldron appeared before everyone.

The cauldron was about a foot square. A clear Kan trigram symbol was carved on the water-blue surface, surrounded by dense wave patterns, spreading from the mouth of the cauldron to its feet, layer upon layer, like the endless tide of the sea.

The sound of tides faintly emanated from the cauldron's belly, sometimes far and sometimes near, as if someone had sealed an entire ocean inside this cauldron.

The cauldron's handles were shaped like two crescents, with soft lines that revealed an ancient simplicity. The cauldron's feet were in the posture of being supported by three water columns, as if seawater would gush out from the bottom at any moment.

The water-attribute Spiritual Qi emitted by the entire cauldron was so thick it almost condensed into substance. The Cultivators in the front row of the general seating could even feel the water vapor rushing towards them.

With the support of spiritual energy, Mu Qinglan's voice spread to every private box:

"One of the eight sub-cauldrons paired with the main cauldron of Fusang Province, the xi tripod — the kan cauldron."

"The starting bid is thirty billion Low-Grade Spirit Stones, and each increment must be no less than one billion."