Chương 1233: Chapter24: Treasures Unveiled

Elder Sun seemed to know exactly who occupied that particular VIP booth. Instead of taking offense at the brusque interruption, he maintained a jovial expression and bowed slightly.

"Since Senior has spoken, I naturally wouldn't dare to delay. Thus, I declare this grand auction officially open."

"Hmph!" A cold snort echoed from the booth. The hidden elder clearly didn't care for the pleasantries, though he refrained from further disruption.

"To begin, we have our opening item of the day." Elder Sun clapped his hands. A stunning female cultivator soon emerged, carrying a tray draped in crimson silk. She moved with practiced grace, setting the tray down and offering a respectful salute before retreating into the wings. Elder Sun reached out and whipped away the silk. Resting on the tray were three slender, bone-white arrows.

They appeared to be carved from the skeletal remains of a powerful demon beast, their surfaces flickering with eerie spots of white phosphorus that radiated a bone-chilling aura. Reyn's eyes narrowed, a flicker of recognition passing through them. He hadn't expected the very first item to be something so familiar. These were Yin-Fiend Arrows! During the brutal sect war between the Xuanxiao Sect and the Qingyan Sect, the disciple Li Fang had used these exact weapons to instantly cripple Zi Quanxin.

Their piercing power was comparable to the divine abilities of a peak Early Foundation Establishment cultivator. Worse yet, they were coated in Yin-Phosphorus Bone-Fire; once it latched onto a victim, it was notoriously difficult to extinguish.

"Heh, I imagine many of you are well-acquainted with these," Elder Sun said with a beaming smile, picking up one of the arrows.

"These were forged by a certain ghost-path rogue cultivator. Their potency is several grades higher than standard Yin-Fiend Arrows, which is why the starting price is a bit steeper."

"Three specialized Yin-Fiend Arrows. We shall open the bidding at one thousand low-grade spirit stones." Hardly had the words left his mouth when a middle-aged man in the common seating area stood up.

"One thousand one hundred stones!"

"One thousand three hundred!"

"One thousand four hundred!" For Qi Condensation cultivators, these three arrows were essentially three life-saving trump cards. With them in hand, one could potentially stand their ground even against an Early Foundation Establishment opponent. Consequently, the bidding was fierce, though mostly confined to the common seats. A few Foundation Establishment cultivators in the front rows threw in a couple of bids but quickly shook their heads and withdrew. To them, the utility of such items was limited.

As for the VIP booths, they remained silent. Such low-tier items were clearly beneath their notice. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Reyn watched the spectacle with genuine interest. It was his first time attending an auction of this scale, and the fervor of the crowd was infectious. Eventually, after a heated exchange, the arrows were claimed by a grim-faced man for two thousand one hundred spirit stones.

With the first sale concluded, Elder Sun looked satisfied. He clapped again, and another tray was brought forth.

"The second item is a treasure for the ladies: the Yuqiong Silk!" Elder Sun unveiled the item, revealing a shimmering, translucent sash that glowed with a soft, ethereal light.

"This treasure serves both offense and defense. It barely qualifies as a top-grade Spiritual Artifact. Crafted by a master, it is embedded with a Lightness Array and a Ripple Array. When worn, one's movements become as light as a swallow's. Imagine, fellow Daoists—drifting through the air with your robes fluttering and hair dancing in the wind. You would look like a celestial fairy descended to the mortal realm!" At his words, the eyes of many female cultivators in the hall lit up.

They stared at the Yuqiong Silk with predatory hunger, their hands reaching out to pinch or nudge the men beside them.

"The wonders of this silk are best discovered by the one who owns it," Elder Sun added, sensing the atmosphere was ripe.

"Top-grade Spiritual Artifact, Yuqiong Silk. Starting at five thousand low-grade spirit stones." It was a low starting price, even cheaper than some high-grade artifacts, but Elder Sun was confident. He stepped back with a knowing smile.

"Five thousand five hundred!"

"Five thousand seven hundred!"

"Six thousand!"

"You old fossil! If you don't win that Yuqiong Silk for me, don't even think about stepping into my bedchamber again!"...

"No! I want it! If you don't buy it, I'll go to your house and make a scene in front of your first wife. Let's see how you handle that!"...

"Are you even a man? You can't even buy your wife something she likes? You useless coward!"... The hall descended into a chaotic domestic battlefield. The men, wincing from pinches and verbal lashings, pounded their chests in desperate promises. However, as the price skyrocketed, their faces turned increasingly pale.

"Twenty-one thousand stones!" A portly middle-aged man shouted, wiping cold sweat from his brow. He stole a glance at the woman beside him; seeing her murderous expression, he suppressed his heartache and raised the bid again. A silence followed. No matter how much the other women nagged, no one could match that price. Elder Sun asked three times before smiling at the portly man.

"Congratulations to this Daoist for securing the Yuqiong Silk for his lovely wife. Truly, a match made in heaven." The man looked like he wanted to cry as he handed over the stones. He slumped back as he gave the delicate silk to a woman who possessed a waist like a water barrel and a face like a washbasin. The contrast was so jarring that many in the crowd couldn't help but chuckle, and even Elder Sun looked slightly regretful.

"The third item is the inner core of a Pangolin Demon Beast." Elder Sun held up a tawny orb that pulsed with thick elemental energy. A heavy, earthy scent filled the hall.

"This beast reached the peak of Level 2 but failed its breakthrough to Level 3. By a stroke of luck, the core remained intact."

"Though the breakthrough failed, this core underwent a mutation, granting it several characteristics of a Level 3 core."

"Starting price: one thousand five hundred low-grade spirit stones. Bidding is open." Level 2 corresponded to Foundation Establishment, while Level 3 was the realm of Golden Core. A true Level 3 core would have sparked a war among Golden Core experts. This mutated core, however, was somewhat of a 'chicken rib'—useless to Golden Core masters but highly coveted by Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"One thousand six hundred!"

"One thousand eight hundred!"

"Two thousand!" The price climbed rapidly. Reyn, sitting in his booth, frowned slightly. Many cultivators were interested, and the final price would likely be exorbitant. He shook his head, prepared to let it go. However, just then, a familiar voice drifted down from a booth on the second floor.

"Four thousand spirit stones!"