Translator: AnubisTL
"Legend has it that a Heavenly Spirit Tree grows within the Imperial Palace of the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty. This spirit tree requires extremely harsh conditions to survive; even the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty managed to cultivate only one such tree in the past two thousand years!"
"Could this spirit wood actually be from that Heavenly Spirit Tree?"
"It certainly looks like it. The vitality within this spirit wood is exceptionally strong—it must have been freshly cut!"
Upon hearing this last remark, many in the audience fell silent.
Heavenly Spirit Trees are notoriously difficult to cultivate. Once established, their value increases exponentially with age. A two-thousand-year-old specimen would be considered a treasure trove, with even a single spirit leaf fetching a considerable price.
Yet this priceless, ancient tree had been felled so casually!
It was a truly regrettable act.
According to legend, a mature Heavenly Spirit Tree bears only a few Heavenly Spirit Fruits every hundred years. Even in a bountiful year, the yield rarely exceeds ten fruits.
These Spirit Fruits possess the extraordinary ability to aid enlightenment. Even a nascent soul realm cultivator who obtains one might experience a sudden breakthrough, gaining a profound new understanding of the Dao of Heaven and Earth, potentially advancing their cultivation realm.
After all, at such advanced stages of cultivation, simply meditating in seclusion often yields minimal progress!
Beyond its other benefits, the Heavenly Spirit Fruit possesses a remarkable ability: it can accelerate the cultivation of divine abilities!
High-level cultivators often learn one or two divine abilities to protect themselves, but mastering these abilities requires significant effort and time.
Obtaining a Heavenly Spirit Fruit could dramatically accelerate the cultivation of many divine abilities, making even instant mastery a possibility.
Hearing the murmurs from the crowd, Old Daoist Qingwei's benevolent face broke into a warm smile. He announced:
"Hehe, your speculations are correct. This spirit wood is indeed from the Heavenly Spirit Tree of the Imperial Palace, a tree that has lived for over two thousand years!"
The crowd erupted in gasps at this confirmation:
"Hiss!"
"The Heavenly Spirit Tree?!"
"If it's the Heavenly Spirit Tree, why was it cut down? What a waste!"
"Such a treasure! If they'd preserved it, they could have harvested Spirit Fruits every century."
"Is this the only piece of spirit wood? What happened to the rest?"
Hearing these regretful comments, Old Daoist Qingwei shook his head.
"There's no need for further speculation. The Heavenly Spirit Tree was indeed felled. This piece of spirit wood was generously offered by our fellow Daoists from the Blood Spirit Sect. Without their sacrifice, you wouldn't have this opportunity to bid here today!"
"Enough with the idle chatter! This spirit tree accepts spirit stone transactions, but only mid-grade spirit stones will be accepted!"
"Furthermore, if you have other precious spiritual objects, you may bid with them. I will announce the auction winner immediately!"
"..."
It turned out that the Heavenly Spirit Tree planted in the Imperial Palace had been divided among the cultivation sects of the righteous and demonic paths. Likely due to unequal distribution of spoils, they had no choice but to fell the tree, and several immortal dao factions had taken portions of it.
In the private room, Li Qing listened to the rising bids from below, feeling a pang of regret.
If he had obtained a living Heavenly Spirit Tree, he would never have considered cutting it down. Such an act was akin to killing the goose that laid the golden eggs—utterly short-sighted and self-defeating.
"Those in power are contemptible," Li Qing murmured, shaking his head. He decided against further commentary.
After all, not everyone possessed his extended lifespan, allowing them to harvest successive crops of Heavenly Spirit Fruit.
Moreover, the Heavenly Spirit Tree in the Imperial Palace had been a spoils of war jointly discovered by the righteous and demonic paths. With the spoils divided unevenly, felling the tree for division was the only recourse.
Furthermore, Heavenly Spirit Trees were notoriously difficult to cultivate and even harder to transplant. Even spirit plant cultivators with years of experience couldn't guarantee success.
It was only natural that this section of the Heavenly Spirit Tree had been chopped into pieces.
"I offer sixteen thousand spirit stones, including one high-grade spirit stone!"
A vigorous, aged voice suddenly boomed from one of the private rooms.
Instantly, the bidding in the hall ceased, and the Imperial Sky Pavilion fell silent.
A high-grade spirit stone!
One high-grade spirit stone was equivalent to one hundred mid-grade spirit stones, or ten thousand low-grade spirit stones!
Even in the Great Wilderness Domain today, spirit stones of this caliber were exceedingly rare.
Countless gazes turned toward the private room from which the bid had come, wondering which eminent figure could afford such a high-grade spirit stone.
A typical rogue cultivator without substantial resources might be able to scrape together sixteen thousand spirit stones, but acquiring a high-grade spirit stone was no easy feat.
Soon, a mocking voice echoed from another private room.
"Heh heh, Old Daoist Wood Dragon, where did you suddenly strike it rich? You've actually managed to acquire a high-grade spirit stone!"
It turned out that this person's daoist name was Wood Dragon, and he was known as True Lord Wood Dragon. While those in the central Great Wilderness Domain might not recognize the name, cultivators in the southern region would certainly be familiar with it.
This man, True Lord Wood Dragon, was a renowned figure in the southern region of the Great Wilderness Domain. He had single-handedly claimed a high-grade spiritual vein and was known for his passion for cultivating rare and precious spirit herbs.
True Lord Wood Dragon's medicinal garden boasted a diversity of spirit herb species rivaling even some cultivation sects!
Hearing the jest, Old Daoist Wood Dragon snorted coldly.
"Hmph, Old Bastard Guangyuan, what business is it of yours how I spend my spirit stones?"
"Are you trying to compete with me?"
True Lord Guangyuan remained unfazed. Seated in his private room, he chuckled softly, stroking his beard. "I won't compete with you. A gentleman doesn't covet another's treasures. Heh heh."
His objective was clear: the dragon marrow!
No matter how tempting the other auction items might be, he wouldn't waver.
Wasting his resources on lesser items could jeopardize his chances of securing the dragon marrow.
After all, this peerless spiritual object not only prolonged life and enhanced vitality but also amplified mana and advanced cultivation. The demand for such a treasure would undoubtedly be fierce.
With this in mind, True Lord Guangyuan glanced around the hall. The number of core formation realm cultivators present was truly remarkable.
A casual survey revealed over a dozen individuals, including supreme elders from various cultivation sects and several rogue cultivators.
"Sixteen thousand spirit stones for the first time!"
"Sixteen thousand spirit stones for the second time!"
"Heh, it seems no one else is bidding. Then I, this old man, shall declare Fellow Daoist Wood Dragon the winner of the Heaven-Piercing Spirit Tree auction!"
As True Lord Qingwei's voice faded, the two-thousand-year-old spirit wood landed in True Lord Wood Dragon's hands.
True Lord Wood Dragon, seated grandly in his private room, wore a satisfied smile, radiating smugness.
In the hall below, many rogue cultivators who practiced wood attribute cultivation manuals showed regretful expressions.
There was no help for it. Such supreme treasures were beyond their reach. Even if they could afford it, they wouldn't dare flaunt such wealth.
Against core formation realm True Lords, foundation establishment realm cultivators stood little chance.
If someone harbored malicious intent, they could lose both their wealth and their lives—a very real possibility.
"Alright, next item up for auction: the Dragon Talisman!" True Lord Qingwei announced with a cheerful smile.
Dragon Talisman!
The military command artifact of the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty?
Many cultivators' first thought was disbelief. Would such a treasure truly be put up for auction?
As the military talisman of the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty, it was no ordinary object. Beyond symbolizing military authority, it was also a potent magical artifact with diverse functions!
"Legend has it that under the Dragon Talisman's command, cultivators can form a humanoid Grand Formation, uniting their minds to unleash power far beyond their individual capabilities!"
"Impossible! Would these sects really part with such a functional magic treasure at auction?"
Many rogue cultivators understood that the Dragon Talisman's true potential could only be unlocked by major powers. For lone wolves like themselves, even obtaining it would be of little practical use.
True Lord Qingwei slowly announced, "Ahem, let me clarify beforehand: this Dragon Talisman is incomplete. The other half remains missing."
"However, I guarantee that this fragment still retains some functionality, though its original potency is diminished."
So it's a broken Dragon Talisman, many realized, their expressions shifting to understanding. No wonder the righteous and demonic sects would dare auction off such a rare treasure.
Even in its incomplete state, the Dragon Talisman still piqued the interest of certain individuals.
The Clan Heads of several cultivation clans, for instance, now displayed clear signs of interest.
Obtaining such a Dragon Talisman could significantly enhance their clan's overall strength!
Moreover, since it was incomplete, there might be a future opportunity to restore it to its full glory.
"One thousand high-grade spirit stones!"
The bidding for the Dragon Talisman began swiftly, with Clan Heads from cultivation clans across the Great Wilderness Domain raising the price rapidly.
The saying that the Ancient Hua Immortal Dynasty possessed treasures as numerous as grains of sand was no exaggeration.
Keep in mind, the items being auctioned were merely the leftovers discarded by the righteous and demonic paths after their initial selection!
One could only imagine the immense spoils the righteous and demonic paths had reaped during this immortal dao war!
"This old man bids four thousand three hundred spirit stones!" a Clan Head from a great cultivation clan declared in a deep voice, his determination to acquire the Dragon Talisman unwavering.
Ultimately, at the substantial price of four thousand three hundred spirit stones, no further bids were made.
"Congratulations, Fellow Daoist!" True Lord Qingwei said with a smile, the ownership of the Dragon Talisman now settled.
"Alright, the next item up for auction is..."
One after another, valuable auction items were brought forth.
Even the lowest-quality items were top-grade magical artifacts!
Several rare spiritual materials suitable for refining natal magic treasures also appeared, stirring Li Qing's heart.
Alas, he lacked sufficient spirit stones to compete in the bidding and could only watch helplessly as these precious items slipped into the hands of others.
"Heh heh heh, everyone, the items available for bidding with spirit stones are nearly exhausted. From this point forward, all remaining items will only accept spiritual objects as bids!"
"Of course, the owners of these items also have specific desires. If anyone can offer what they seek, they may claim the item immediately!"
"However, if no one can provide the desired object, then you may freely offer your own stakes. If the item's owner is moved by your offer, the transaction will be considered complete!"
True Lord Qingwei patiently explained the revised auction rules.
No one objected. Everyone understood that while spirit stones served as the currency of the cultivation world, they couldn't truly buy everything.
Some treasures simply couldn't be acquired with mere spirit stones!
For example, the yin-yang spirit liquid that Li Qing had been seeking finally appeared at this moment!
"Ladies and gentlemen, the first item is a portion of yin-yang spirit liquid!"
"What is yin-yang spirit liquid? I trust no further explanation is necessary?"
Yin-yang spirit liquid!
It had finally arrived!
Li Qing's breathing quickened instantly, his ears perked up, determined not to miss a single word True Lord Qingwei spoke next!
The guests in the private rooms remained composed, but the majority of foundation establishment cultivators below were now visibly agitated.
Yin-yang spirit liquid! One of the most renowned core formation spiritual materials in the cultivation world!
(End of the Chapter)
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