txolops Chapter 117 The Opening Bombshell: Auction Items
Chapter 117 The Opening Bombshell: Auction Items
The main venue of the Starry Sea Auction, which was originally as noisy as boiling water, fell into a deathly silence in an instant.
Without any warning, a terrifying pressure belonging to a Nascent Soul stage cultivator descended like an invisible waterfall cascading down from the heavens.
This aura was as deep and cold as the starry sky and the ocean, as if the surrounding air had been instantly sucked away. Whether they were usually arrogant Core Formation stage monsters or unruly demonic giants, they all felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave, their faces pale and their heads lowered. They even had to suppress their breathing, for fear of displeasing the high and mighty one.
A slight ripple appeared in the void, and an old man dressed in a dark gold star robe materialized out of thin air.
His face was withered, but his eyes seemed to contain a miniature starry sea as he coldly looked down at the crowd below, who looked like ants.
"I am the Fifth Elder of the Star Palace, in charge of all matters related to this auction."
The old man spoke slowly, his voice not loud, but it was filled with powerful spiritual energy, which resonated deep within the souls of everyone present.
He casually suppressed his outward aura, but the absolute sense of suppression stemming from his bloodline and realm only made the atmosphere in the entire arena even more oppressive.
"Since you've entered the territory of my Star Palace, you must abide by its rules." The Fifth Elder's gaze swept across the entire hall, his eyes revealing undisguised arrogance and prejudice, as if he were looking at a group of insects that could be crushed at any moment. "First, private duels, telepathic communication, and divine sense probing are strictly prohibited within the venue. Anyone who oversteps these rules, regardless of their cultivation level, will be instantly killed by the Star Palace, their soul and spirit annihilated! Second, the highest bidder wins the auctioned items. If anyone dares to bully others or maliciously disrupt the bidding... Hmph, my Star Palace's 'Immortal Extinction Array' doesn't care whether you're a direct disciple of any sect or a vicious rogue cultivator."
He paused, his tone growing increasingly cold and domineering: "In my Heavenly Star City, rules are ironclad. You all had better put away your underhanded schemes and behave yourselves as spectators. Anyone who thinks their life is tougher than the rules of the Star Palace is welcome to step forward and try!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the entire room fell silent, and no one dared to voice the slightest objection.
In this chaotic sea of stars, the Star Palace is the heaven, and Nascent Soul cultivators are the most ruthless laws of this world.
The Fifth Elder looked with satisfaction at the subjugated masses below, flicked his withered finger, and coldly uttered a few words:
"The Starry Sea Auction now officially begins!"
As he finished speaking, the heavy iron gates around the venue groaned and slowly closed inwards.
At the same time, thousands of dark blue array patterns lit up on the dome, instantly covering the entire space like a giant spider web.
"Buzz—"
With the low tremors of the array activating, a visible light curtain rose from all directions, completely sealing off the entire auction house.
The sunlight from the outside world was completely blocked out, leaving only the luminous pearl floating on the auction stage emitting a cool glow.
The venue had now become an impregnable prison, where not only humans, but even a fly or a wisp of consciousness could not enter or leave!
As the Fifth Elder announced the official start of the auction, the spirit-gathering array on the auction stage shone brightly, illuminating the high platform like a fairyland.
A female cultivator in the Core Formation stage, dressed in the Star Palace's standard palace attire, gracefully walked onto the stage. With a professional smile on her face, she gently lifted a delicate jade box with a sealing talisman, and it floated in mid-air.
"Thank you all for your presence. The first item up for auction at this Star Sea Auction is our Star Palace's secret 'Breakthrough Pill'!" The female cultivator's clear voice, imbued with spiritual energy, resounded throughout the hall.
"This pill is made from a ten-thousand-year-old spiritual herb, supplemented with a variety of rare auxiliary materials. For cultivators stuck at the mid-stage of Core Formation, it can increase the chance of breaking through by three levels; if their cultivation reaches the late stage of Core Formation, it can also increase the chance by one level, allowing them to break through the Core Formation stage and form the Nascent Soul!"
Upon hearing this, the cultivators who had been trying to calm themselves down instantly erupted in excitement.
In the world of cultivation, reaching the Nascent Soul stage has always been an insurmountable hurdle with a slim chance of survival!
Many exceptionally talented cultivators in the Core Formation stage have spent their entire lives and exhausted their lifespans, yet they still cannot cross that threshold.
The elixir that can directly increase the success rate of Nascent Soul formation is so rare that it is practically heaven-defying. It is often a life-saving herb that is priceless and hard to find.
After a brief silence, a murmur of discussion erupted from the audience, as if a pot had been boiled over.
Especially the bigwigs sitting in the front row, section A, couldn't contain their excitement and expressed their opinions one after another:
"Hmph, this Breakthrough Pill is just right for me! I've been stuck at the late Core Formation stage for eighty years. Today, I'll give up everything I have to get my hands on it!" The speaker was a burly man with a thick beard and a face full of scars. He wore a crimson python robe, and his beard stood up like steel needles. His large, copper-bell-shaped eyes were filled with a fierce determination to get what he wanted.
"Nonsense from a brute," a flamboyant old man sitting diagonally opposite him sneered.
The old man's face was powdered, and he had a goatee. He held a black-bone folding fan in his hand, and his eyes revealed a cold, calculating glint in his eyes: "Such a secret medicine is naturally reserved for those with deep reserves. My 'Ghost Yin Sect' has prepared plenty of top-grade spirit stones for this breakthrough. You should all consider the value of your storage bags."
"That old monster from the Ghost Yin Sect is far too arrogant!" On the other side, a female cultivator clad in silver soft armor, exuding a heroic aura, shouted defiantly.
Her brows furrowed with the chilling aura of a seasoned warrior, a short sword at her waist. She coldly declared, "We rogue cultivators also desperately need this. Today, no one will take this Breakthrough Pill from me!"
Watching these usually aloof big shots in Zone A arguing heatedly over pills, Han Xiaoliu, sitting in the back corner, felt no annoyance. Instead, a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.
"This auction was worth it!" he thought to himself.
Although he knew he was still far from reaching the Nascent Soul stage, he was well aware of the true value of this Breakthrough Pill—his master, True Person Hong Fu, had already reached the Perfected Core Formation stage and was at the crucial moment of preparing to break through to the Nascent Soul stage!
In this cruel world of cultivation, having a Nascent Soul stage cultivator as a backer is worlds apart from not having one.
As long as his master can successfully form his Nascent Soul, Han Xiaoliu will finally have a reliable backer in this Chaotic Star Sea.
With that thought in mind, Han Xiaoliu no longer hesitated.
He remained calm and silently channeled a wisp of his divine consciousness into his body, skillfully summoning his character card.
He opened his friends list, found that familiar ID, and quickly typed a line of text:
"Master, the first item up for auction, the Breakthrough Pill, is quite good. It will greatly benefit your Nascent Soul formation. You must bid for it!"
On the second floor, in the private sandalwood room reserved for the Miaoyin Sect, the fragrance of sandalwood filled the air, isolating the noise and heat of the lobby downstairs.
Zhou Yuan and Hong Fu sat facing each other across an octagonal table, on which sat a set of warm white porcelain teaware.
Zhou Yuan gently lifted her hand, took up the teapot, and poured the clear and bright tea into the cup. The aroma of the tea filled the air, refreshing and delightful.
To the left of the two, Zi Ling sat upright with her hands folded on her knees and her eyes fixed straight ahead. Despite her young age, she possessed a maturity and composure far beyond her years, and her every move exuded the grace and prudence of a well-bred young lady.
"Sister Hongfu, please take a look." Zhou Yuan put down the teapot and looked at the jade box floating on the auction stage below. She explained softly, "This Breakthrough Pill is a secret item of the Star Palace. Even the direct elders of the Star Palace rarely see it. It is usually only given as a reward to Core Formation disciples who have made great contributions. I didn't expect that they would be willing to use it as the opening item for the auction today in order to create hype."
At this point, Zhou Yuan turned her head and looked intently at Hong Fu: "Sister, you have now reached the peak of Core Formation, and you are only one step away from that next step. It is time to prepare for Nascent Soul Formation."
Upon hearing this, Hong Fu paused slightly in her hand holding the teacup, a complex emotion flashing in her eyes. She lowered her gaze, watching the tea leaves swaying in the cup, her heart filled with ripples.
The concept of "Natal Bound"... a term that was once unattainable for her, one she dared not even dream of, is now truly within reach.
Since entering the Dreamlike Minor Realm, her cultivation has advanced by leaps and bounds over the past few decades, so fast that even she herself finds it somewhat unbelievable.
The more advanced her cultivation became, the clearer the heavy responsibility in her heart became.
She was not alone.
Her own disciples, the disciples left behind by Li Huayuan, and the hundreds of cultivators in the Miaoyin Sect who now rely on her... countless eyes are watching her, and countless fates are closely intertwined with hers.
In this chaotic Star Sea, where the strong prey on the weak and life is precarious, without a Nascent Soul stage cultivator to oversee things, even the most powerful force is nothing more than a castle on the beach, which will be wiped out by a single wave.
She must break through!
It wasn't for any path to immortality, nor for any supreme glory, but so that the whole family behind him could continue to live peacefully.
If she stops here, these people will eventually become fish on someone else's chopping board; only when she steps into the Nascent Soul realm can she truly create a safe haven for these people.
Just then, a familiar fluctuation of divine sense quietly entered her mind—it was a private message from Han Xiaoliu.
After reading those few words, the hesitation in Hong Fu's eyes vanished instantly, replaced by an unprecedented determination.
She nodded gently, downed the cup of spiritual tea in one gulp, and spoke calmly yet with unwavering conviction:
"You're right. Now that we've come across this, we absolutely cannot let it pass us by."
She knew very well that she was no longer the rogue cultivator who could only focus on her own cultivation.
She carried the lives and fortunes of too many people on her shoulders. The matter of forming a nascent soul was not a choice, but a mission that she had to complete.