met free Chapter 202 Buying the Golden Lotus
Chapter 202 Buying the Golden Lotus
Fighting and killing of any kind are strictly prohibited on Tianji Island.
Anyone who violates this rule, regardless of their identity or background, will be directly eliminated by Wanbao Palace, their soul and spirit annihilated.
Those who possess the Wanbao Token can activate its power to form a layer of illusory light film on their body, blurring their appearance and concealing their aura.
This is to protect the privacy of participants and prevent them from being accused of possessing valuable information.
In addition, the token will provide spatial guidance for important areas of Tianji Island.
After receiving the information, Chen Xu felt that the rules of Wanbao Palace were quite similar to those of the Dark Pavilion.
Its specifications are much larger than those of the Dark Pavilion.
With a slight thought, Chen Xu was enveloped in a hazy halo.
To outsiders, he was just an ordinary white-robed cultivator with a slightly taller stature and an obscure aura.
"As expected of Wanbao Palace, their achievements are truly extraordinary," Chen Xu thought to himself.
The richness of the spiritual energy, the stability of the space, and the magnificence of the architecture here far exceeded his expectations.
He composed himself and, following the guidance from the token, stepped toward the nearest wide bridge of light.
Stepping on the light bridge feels like stepping on solid ground, with a bottomless sea of clouds below.
Along the way, he saw some small platforms suspended in mid-air, with stalls set up on them or people sitting cross-legged on them, with several radiant items floating in front of them.
These are all monks who arrived early and are conducting private transactions or demonstrations.
Chen Xu glanced at the items on display in these private transactions. Most of them were between the second and third tiers, which were indeed not worthy of his attention, so he did not linger.
The closer you get to the core palace, the denser the crowds become.
The air was filled with powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, as well as the unique aura emanating from various rare and precious herbs and elixirs, all mixed together.
The sounds of conversation, bargaining, and the low growls of spirit beasts mingled together, yet were restrained by some invisible force, preventing them from becoming noisy or jarring.
Chen Xu's illusory light membrane rippled slightly, isolating him from external detection. He walked steadily with the flow of people, but his eyes were secretly scanning the area.
Many cultivators did not conceal their aura or appearance, with Core Formation cultivators being the majority.
Occasionally, one could sense a few obscure and incomprehensible pressures far exceeding the Core Formation realm flashing by, clearly indicating that there were also Nascent Soul level monsters lurking within.
A huge circular auction house appeared in the very center of the core palace complex, like a bright pearl embedded in the Cloud Sea Fairy Palace.
It is carved from a kind of warm white jade, with a faint glow flowing on its surface.
Countless mysterious runes appeared and disappeared, forming a powerful spatial stability and protective array.
At the entrance, eight guards, dressed in identical silver armor, stood solemnly.
Their armor was inscribed with the words "Wanbao" (meaning "Ten Thousand Treasures"), and their sharp eyes scrutinized each cultivator who entered with a token.
As Chen Xu's VIP token approached the entrance, it automatically emitted a soft golden halo, and the guards nodded slightly and made way for him.
Stepping inside the auction hall, the space suddenly opened up, far exceeding the scale seen from the outside, clearly indicating the use of some kind of spatial design.
Surrounding the auction stage was a tiered, circular seating area, densely packed with enough people to accommodate thousands.
Above the seating area, surrounding the auction stage, were dozens of private boxes shrouded in a hazy light screen.
Like stars surrounding the moon, that is the VIP box.
The VIP token in Chen Xu's hand vibrated again, and a golden light guided him directly onto an automatically extending light bridge, which steadily transported him into one of the suspended private rooms.
The private room was not large, but it was extremely elegant and comfortable.
The ground was covered with soft, unidentified animal hides, and a jade table was set with spiritual fruits and delicacies.
The most eye-catching feature is the enormous one-way crystal wall directly in front, which displays the scene on the auction stage with crystal clarity, showing every detail.
The private room is completely isolated from all outside scrutiny and noise; only the voices of the auctioneer and bidders can be clearly heard.
Chen Xu sat in the soft chair, calmed his mind, and waited quietly for the auction to begin.
Time passed by, and the number of people in the auction hall increased, with the regular seating area below almost completely full.
Finally, as the last few streaks of light disappeared into the private room, the crystal on the central auction stage suddenly lit up, and the soft light dispelled the last trace of noise in the room.
A middle-aged cultivator dressed in a golden brocade robe and with a refined appearance appeared out of thin air on the auction stage. His aura was harmonious and powerful, clearly indicating that he was a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.
Upon seeing this, Chen Xu's pupils contracted, marveling at the profound heritage of Wanbao Palace.
"The time has come, fellow cultivators, you have been waiting for a long time." The middle-aged cultivator's voice was gentle and clear, yet it clearly reached every corner of the room.
"I am Jin Ming, and I am honored to host this Wanbao Palace Auction. I am deeply grateful to all the fellow Daoists for their kindness in traveling so far to gather at Tianji Island."
"I'm sure you all are already familiar with the rules of my Wanbao Palace, so I won't go into detail here."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the seats below and the floating private boxes above. His smile remained unchanged, but his eyes sharpened.
"If any fellow Daoist, relying on their cultivation or background, tries to break the rules on Tianji Island... hehe, the Wanbao Palace's millennia-old foundation will surely make them regret their actions."
"Alright, enough chit-chat, let's get straight to today's auction!"
With a gentle wave of his hand, Jin Ming caused a white jade tray to slowly rise from the crystal platform in the center of the auction stage.
On the tray, a small sword, no more than three inches long, floated.
The sword is crystal clear, with countless tiny silver specks of light flickering within it, exuding a lively yet sharp aura.
"The first item up for auction, the Firefly Flying Sword!" Jin Ming's voice carried a hint of admiration.
"A top-grade third-tier weapon, made from the essence of meteorites from the heavens and supplemented with millennium-old cold jade marrow, forged by our palace's master craftsman over seven years."
"This sword is light and swift, especially good at breaking through armor and restrictions. It also has the supernatural power of Starburst. When activated, the sword light splits into fireflies, confusing and injuring the enemy. Its uses are endless."
"Starting bid: 20,000 low-grade spirit stones; each bid must increase by at least 5,000!"
"Twenty-five thousand!"
"Thirty thousand!"
"forty thousand!"
"Forty-five thousand!"
As soon as Jin Ming finished speaking, a chorus of bidding sounds erupted from the seating area below.
The firefly flying sword was of excellent quality, instantly igniting the atmosphere in the arena.
In the end, the flying sword was acquired by a Core Formation stage early cultivator sitting in the front row for 60,000 low-grade spirit stones.
The atmosphere at the auction quickly heated up under the guidance of Jin Ming, the experienced host.
One by one, treasures were presented, including rare refining materials and rare high-grade spiritual herbs.
There are also various elixirs with different effects and powerful magical artifacts.
From jade slips containing secret techniques to rare spirit beast cubs... the dazzling array of items is overwhelming.
The bidding was fierce, with one wave of bids after another. Occasionally, bids were also placed in the VIP boxes, often resulting in a decisive victory and demonstrating substantial financial resources.
Chen Xu remained seated in the private room, keeping his eyes closed and showing no interest in the items up for auction.
The auction proceeded smoothly, and halfway through had already passed.
When a fourth-grade low-level defensive magic weapon, the Xuan Turtle Shield, was auctioned off for nearly 300,000 spirit stones to a VIP box, Jin Ming's smile became even brighter.
He cleared his throat, infusing his voice with a trace of magic, instantly silencing the discussions in the room.
"Fellow Daoists, the next item is one of the highlights of this auction's public session! Its value is enough to move even Nascent Soul cultivators!"
As his voice faded, the crystal platform in the center of the auction stage lit up again.
This time, what rose was a lotus platform carved from warm jade.
A lotus flower floats silently atop the lotus platform.
This lotus has only six and a half golden lotus leaves.
Each lotus leaf is as if it were cast from the purest gold and the softest morning light.
The veins of the leaves are clearly visible, flowing with a liquid-like golden sheen.
The edges of the half-lotus leaf are slightly blurred, as if it is still growing, but the vitality and creative power it contains have already spread out as if they were real.
The entire auction hall fell silent instantly, all eyes fixed on the golden lotus.
A powerful and vast life force instantly filled the entire space.
Most cultivators felt a surge of energy and their spiritual power circulated faster after just a few breaths of this dissipated vitality.
"Seven-Leaf Golden Lotus!" Jin Ming's voice was filled with utmost solemnity as he clearly pronounced its name.
"Growing in the legendary forbidden land where extreme yin and yang meet, absorbing the creative energy of yin and yang from heaven and earth."
"Its inherent life-giving energy is the most primal healing power in the universe!"
"It has a miraculous effect of reversing the cosmic order in the face of all injuries to the origin, damage to the foundation of one's Dao, and wounds to the soul!"
"Although this golden lotus only has six and a half petals, it is enough to heal all the injuries of a Core Formation cultivator."
"The value of this item is self-evident," Jin Ming said, surveying the room.
"Starting bid: 300,000 low-grade spirit stones! Each bid must be at least 10,000 spirit stones higher!"
Jin Ming's voice was like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a huge wave in the auction hall.
"Three hundred and fifty thousand!"
"Four hundred thousand!"
"Four hundred and fifty thousand!"
The price surged like a runaway horse, breaking the 500,000 mark in just a few breaths.
Chen Xu, inside the private room, was already highly focused.
He knew that the real competition had not yet begun.
The bidding in the seating area below was just an appetizer.
"Six hundred thousand!" A calm and authoritative voice came from a VIP box on the left.
As soon as this sound came out, the bidding noise in the seating area below immediately became much quieter.
Many monks showed resentment and helplessness in their eyes, clearly indicating that the price had exceeded their tolerance limit or psychological expectations.
"Six hundred and fifty thousand." From another private room on the right, a slightly aged voice calmly followed, revealing no emotion.
"Seven hundred thousand."
"Seven hundred and fifty thousand."
"Eight hundred thousand!"
The auction hall was silent, with only Jin Ming's professional smile and countless intersecting gazes on his face.
Eight hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones! This is a number that can cripple even a small or medium-sized sect.
The private room on the right remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing their options.
The private room on the right remained silent for a moment, seemingly weighing their options.
Finally, the aged voice rang out with a hint of regret: "So be it. This item is good, but at 800,000... this old man withdraws."
Jin Ming spoke up at the opportune moment: "Eight hundred thousand! VIP number seven from Class A has bid eight hundred thousand!"
"Are there any fellow cultivators willing to offer a higher price? Such a divine treasure, if we miss this opportunity, will be hard to find again!"
His gaze swept over the other VIP boxes, which had not yet spoken, with a hint of anticipation.
Just as Jin Ming was about to bring down the hammer, Chen Xu's voice, amplified by the sound-amplifying array, resounded clearly throughout the entire arena:
One million.
The entire auction hall instantly erupted in excitement.
"One million! My God!"
"A direct price increase of 200,000! Who is this big shot?"
Countless gazes, including Jin Ming's, instantly focused on the private room where Chen Xu was.
That hazy membrane of light blocked all detection, adding to the mystery.
Inside VIP box number seven, a subtle yet powerful aura rippled, clearly enraged by the price increase.
A cold voice, laced with suppressed rage, rang out: "One million one hundred thousand!"
Chen Xu's voice didn't pause at all: "One million two hundred thousand."
This bidding sparked another round of discussion among the crowd.
"hiss……"
"One million two hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones! That's an astronomical price!"
"That guy, number seven in the 'A' series, exudes the aura of a Nascent Soul cultivator! How dare this person defy him so stubbornly?"
"One million five hundred thousand!" The voice from VIP box number seven rang out again, each word seemingly squeezed out from between clenched teeth, containing suppressed anger and fury.
Jin Ming's smile widened, his eyes gleaming. This level of bidding was exactly what Wanbao Palace wanted to see.
His gaze returned to Chen Xu's private room, filled with intense anticipation.
The astronomical figure of 1.5 million was enough to bankrupt a medium-sized sect, but Chen Xu remained unmoved and made another offer:
"One million five hundred and fifty thousand."
Jin Ming smiled broadly. One million five hundred and fifty thousand—this price far exceeded his expectations for the six-and-a-half-petaled golden lotus.
His gaze locked onto Chen Xu's private room, and his voice rose a few decibels with excitement:
"One million five hundred and fifty thousand! VIP number eight has bid one million five hundred and fifty thousand low-grade spirit stones! Is there any higher bid?"
The entire auction hall was deathly silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Countless eyes scanned back and forth between VIP room number 7 and VIP room number 8.
Soon, Jin Ming raised the auction gavel high and brought it down heavily!
"One million five hundred and fifty thousand for the third time!"
"Sold! Congratulations to customer number 8 (甲字八品), this six-and-a-half-seven-leaf golden lotus is now yours!"
As the dust settled, on the massive crystal platform, the jade lotus pedestal, supporting the six-and-a-half-petaled golden lotus flowing with golden light, slowly flew towards the No. 8 VIP box where Chen Xu was located.
When the light membrane of the private room rippled slightly, it took the golden lotus into its embrace, isolating it from the outside and completely cutting off any chance of being spied on by cultivators.
Inside VIP box number seven, a man covered in fine scales chuckled in a low, chilling voice.
"Heh... I'd like to see just who you really are..."
Inside the private room, Chen Xu accepted the six-and-a-half-petaled golden lotus and breathed a sigh of relief.
After a long wait, the public auction ended, but for the VIPs, the real highlight was just beginning...
Jin Ming's voice rang out again: "Fellow Daoists, the public session of this year's Wanbao Palace Auction has successfully concluded! Thank you all for your enthusiastic participation!"
"Next, it's time exclusively for those holding my VIP token. Three rare and precious treasures, not for public display, are about to be unveiled. Please prepare yourselves!"
The cultivators in the seating area below the auction hall could only look at the floating VIP boxes with envy or curiosity.