Chapter 450

Chapter 450: Uncaring Great Dao

Zhou Luo’s bid indeed brought a small shock to everyone present. Even those Immortal Sect disciples also showed a flicker of surprise on their faces.

What was this guy thinking in his head?

Was he a shill invited by the auction house?

They couldn’t believe that an Immortal Sect disciple would throw away a fortune for something like this.

Some even started suspecting if this was all a show put on by the auction house.

The Foundation Establishment strong persons in the hall had complex expressions too, not knowing what to do in the moment.

"Esteemed guest has bid one hundred superior-quality spiritual stones. Is there anyone wishing to continue?"

Although the old man on the high platform was somewhat surprised, he paid it no mind and still wore a slight smile.

His goal was to auction off this Xuanming Jade Essence at the highest price possible, so he didn’t care at all what the buyer intended to use it for.

"I bid one hundred and ten superior-quality spiritual stones."

At that moment, finally, a Foundation Establishment strong person couldn’t hold back and stood up to shout.

It was an elderly man with a time-worn face. As he spoke these words, his body trembled all over.

He had no choice; with his lifespan nearly exhausted, his only hope for survival lay in breaking through to Golden Core.

Though one hundred and ten superior-quality spiritual stones could be called an exorbitant sum, compared to several hundred years of life, it really wasn’t much.

Moreover, after making the bid, he looked toward the booth symbolizing the Biquan True Sect, clasped his fists in salute, and said with utmost sincerity, "Friend, this Xuanming Jade Essence is life-saving treasure for me."

"I imagine your sect surely doesn’t lack such things. Kind friend, please show mercy today and yield this item to me."

This old man named Zhu Zhi Feng was a loose cultivator dwelling in Jinyun Immortal City.

In the city, he was quite famed, having amassed a good deal of wealth over the years by relying on his alchemy skill.

Now, with his lifespan depleted, choosing to advance was his sole means to prolong his life.

He was even ready to empty all he owned for the sake of this Xuanming Jade Essence.

But even all his possessions could never stack up against those of an Immortal Sect.

He knew not whether the other party was an Immortal Sect disciple or represented the Biquan True Sect. If it was the former, he might still stand a chance to vie. But if the latter, then spending all he owned would be in vain.

Facing such stakes, he dared not gamble. So he cast aside pride to beseech their generosity.

After all, for an Immortal Sect, this Xuanming Jade Essence wasn’t truly precious—not even on par with the Heavenly Demon Spear.

Before death’s shadow, dignity was the littlest thing to fret over.

The longer one lived, the more they dreaded dying.

Zhu Zhi Feng’s voice wasn’t loud, yet every cultivator there heard it with crisp clarity.

Most knew him, and it stirred genuine amazement—given his status—to see him baring heartfelt honesty, shedding dignity to implore others.

This seemed to be the first time such a thing had ever occurred.

For a spell, some looked toward the old man above.

The old man wore a tranquil expression and spoke lightly, "Esteemed guest has bid one hundred and ten superior-quality spiritual stones. Does anyone wish to raise the bid?"

His words implied tacit approval of such behavior.

After all, begging someone and threatening someone could not be compared at all.

Following his words, dozens of eyes shifted toward the private room.

"Sorry, I need it too. One hundred and twenty superior-quality spiritual stones."

A moment later, a rich voice came from the private room.

Zhou Luo sat up straight, silently gazing at the Xuanming Jade Essence on the stage.

He was not a disciple of the Biquan True Sect and could not rely on the sect to provide materials.

If he wanted to advance, he had to rely on himself to obtain every material that could help him progress.

The Great Dao was ruthless; before the path of cultivation, if he yielded, it would be unfair to himself.

Even among relatives, they might fight fiercely over opportunities for cultivation, brothers killing brothers; the other party and he were not related, so if the other person was really dying, what did it have to do with him?

Therefore, he stated his price without hesitation.

As these words were spoken, Zhu Zhi Feng froze, collapsed weakly backward, sat heavily on that nanmu wood large chair, and a hint of despair emerged on his face.

"I bid one hundred and thirty." He had to make another bid.

And Zhou Luo continued to raise the bid.

He had prepared exceptionally thoroughly this time; before arriving, he had roughly understood the auction prices of the Xuanming Jade Essence in past years, and the price was entirely within his acceptable range.

Over the years, relying on his own industries and the profits from Tian Xia Pavilion, he had accumulated an unknown amount of wealth, and that was without counting the industries of the Lin Family.

So facing a loose cultivator Pill Master, he could win easily.

Finally, for a price of two hundred superior-quality spiritual stones, he obtained the Xuanming Jade Essence.

This price set a new high for the auction, causing bystanders to glance sideways repeatedly.

Zhu Zhi Feng watched despairingly as the exquisite wooden box was delivered to the private room; his turbid eyes flashed with a fierce glimmer of light, his aged hands abruptly clenched, he snorted coldly, and directly brushed his sleeves to leave.

Others shook their heads slightly.

Without this Xuanming Jade Essence, it was too difficult for Zhu Zhi Feng to form the Golden Core before his lifespan ran out.

As if his Fate had been sentenced to death at this moment.

Inside the private room, the beautiful waitress brought over the exquisite wooden box and placed it on the large table.

Zhou Luo opened it; inside was a vessel, radiating cold air, with an ice-blue liquid flowing within—precisely the Xuanming Jade Essence.

The Xuanming Jade Essence in the vessel looked about the size of a hand, sufficient for both him and Ye Qian to use.

Upon seeing it, Ye Qian breathed rapidly and showed a pleased expression.

Although it was still far short of the materials for forming the Golden Core, it was nonetheless progress and not a complete loss.

Outside, the appearance of the Xuanming Jade Essence was just a minor episode.

Shortly after, the beautiful waitress brought up another item.

It was a black figurine about a fist high; its composition was unknown, with no sheen, extremely dull, seemingly nothing special.

But the faintly emitted ancient aura made people feel somewhat curious.

In the world of cultivation, the older an item, the rarer and more valuable.

"What is this?" Someone couldn’t help but ask.

This time, the old man did not speak; instead, the beauty beside him smiled gently and slowly said, "This is a puppet, speculated to be from ancient times; though incomplete, it can unleash peak Foundation Establishment strength; if repaired, it might reach the Golden Core stage."

The puppet belonged to the category of puppets.

As one of the hundred skills of cultivation, puppet art, like Gu techniques, was mysterious and powerful, but not many cultivated it.

Mainly because it highly depended on talent and the inheritance was secret; ordinary people could not access it at all.

Back when Zhou Luo refined Foundation Establishment Dan, because his mental strength had not reached the Foundation Establishment stage and he couldn’t refine it alone, he specifically went to Hundred Treasures Pavilion to rent a puppet that contained Golden Core mental strength.

Of course, that puppet was relatively the lowest level.

Truly high-level puppets might even possess personal consciousness.

Facing this puppet, it was essentially a puppet but was called as such because its material was cast from what made combat puppets.

A puppet capable of unleashing peak Foundation Establishment strength had no low value.

Following her introduction, many cultivators suddenly grew eager to obtain this treasure.

The woman’s gaze swept over everyone, and her soft voice slowly arose.

"The starting price is five thousand medium-quality spiritual stones; each raise in bid must be at least five hundred; the auction begins."