24: Exploding flame beads!

"The first item of this auction, a Top-Grade Magical Artifact: the fire cloud fan!"

Upon the high stage, an elder with white hair and a youthful complexion spoke with a resonant voice, brimming with confidence.

The feather fan in his hand was entirely crimson and shimmering with flowing light. Its ribs were crafted from the bones of an unknown Yao Beast, and the surface was embroidered with a lifelike pattern of fierce flames. A wave of scorching heat radiated from its center, spreading out in all directions.

"This fan is refined from the feathers of a Rank 4 Yao Beast, the Fire Crow, supplemented with thousand-year fire copper wood. Once activated, it can release Red Sun Fire, capable of incinerating gold and melting iron with ease. It is a first-rate offensive Magical Artifact!"

As the elder's voice fell, a faint sound of collective gasps echoed through the venue.

A Top-Grade Magical Artifact!

To think the very first item would be a Top-Grade Magical Artifact!

As expected of the Star Dust Pavilion!

In a private booth on the third floor, Lu Qiu watched the scene below through a one-way crystal wall, a ripple of interest stirring in his heart.

This Star Dust Pavilion of the Tianxing Sect truly had a grand style.

It was indeed a shop opened by the Tianxing Sect itself.

Opening with a Top-Grade Magical Artifact was something simply unimaginable in other shops.

The fire cloud fan, an offensive Top-Grade Magical Artifact.

It actually suited him quite well.

Although he already had the qingming sword for offense and the golden origin bell for defense, no one ever complained about having too many good things like Top-Grade Magical Artifacts.

Especially since he was about to head into the peril-filled Blood-Colored Forbidden Land, having one more Top-Grade Magical Artifact would give Lu Qiu an extra measure of safety.

Moreover, the Fire Cloud Art he cultivated was a fire-attribute Cultivation Technique.

It was extremely compatible with this fire cloud fan.

Perhaps he could maximize the power of this Top-Grade Magical Artifact.

"The fire cloud fan starts at two hundred and fifty Low-Grade Spirit Stones, with each bid increasing by no less than ten. Let the bidding begin!"

Hardly had the elder's voice faded...

"Three hundred!"

In the main hall, a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator who looked quite wealthy immediately called out a bid.

For the vast majority of Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, a Top-Grade Magical Artifact held a fatal attraction.

"Three hundred and ten!"

"I bid three hundred and thirty!"

Bids rose one after another, and the atmosphere of the venue was instantly ignited.

Inside the booth, Lu Qiu watched it all quietly, not in a hurry to make a move.

It wasn't until the price climbed to three hundred and eighty Spirit Stones that the bidding in the hall gradually thinned out.

This price was already nearing the upper limit of the market value for a Top-Grade Magical Artifact; many Cultivators began to hesitate and stopped raising their bids.

"Four hundred Spirit Stones."

A flat, processed, and raspy voice emanated from a certain booth on the third floor, echoing clearly throughout the entire venue.

It was Lu Qiu.

Once this price was announced, the entire hall fell silent.

The few Cultivators who were still hesitating gave up on the idea of bidding one after another.

Four hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones for a Top-Grade Magical Artifact was already a bit on the high side.

To compete for this artifact against a Cultivator of unknown depth in a VIP booth was clearly not a wise move.

Seeing this, the smile on the elder's face on the stage grew even broader.

"Four hundred Spirit Stones once!"

"Four hundred Spirit Stones twice!"

"Four hundred Spirit Stones thrice!"

"Sold! Congratulations to this guest on winning the fire cloud fan!"

The elder's gavel sealed the deal, and a smile appeared on his face.

Lu Qiu didn't care about this slight premium.

Spirit Stones were just numbers in a Storage Pouch; exchanging them for Magical Artifacts that could improve his strength was the most practical choice.

Soon, the second item was brought up by a maidservant.

"The second item, a five-hundred-year-old purple jade ginseng. This is a primary ingredient for refining various Foundation Establishment Stage Medicinal Pills, with extraordinary medicinal effects. The starting price is two hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones!"

Once this Spirit Medicine appeared, it immediately triggered a new round of competition.

Lu Qiu had little interest in this; he still had many Spirit Medicines of several hundred years in his Storage Pouch, so there was no need to waste Spirit Stones here.

As item after item was brought onto the high stage, the originally restrained atmosphere in the hall became completely explosive.

Rare Materials, bottles of rare Medicinal Pills, and high-powered Talismans were all snatched up by the highly enthusiastic Cultivators.

During this time, the dragon pattern stone and mica iron core that Lu Qiu had consigned were also auctioned off.

The appearance of these two top-tier Artifact Refining Materials pushed the auction's atmosphere to a climax, eventually selling for high prices of several hundred Spirit Stones each.

After deducting the Star Dust Pavilion's ten percent commission, Lu Qiu's Spirit Stone reserves were significantly replenished.

However, his true goal for this trip—that Rank 2 Puppet containing a Divine Ability secret technique—had yet to appear.

Just as Lu Qiu was getting a bit impatient...

The elder on the stage cleared his throat, his expression becoming a bit more serious.

"The next item is somewhat special."

A maidservant carefully carried a jade box sealed with a Restriction Talisman onto the stage.

The elder peeled off the Talisman and opened the jade box. A round bead, entirely crimson and covered in strange patterns, lay quietly inside.

A violent and blazing wave of fire-attribute spiritual energy instantly radiated from it.

"This object is called an explosion flame pearl. It was meticulously refined from Earth Core Fire Fiend by a Senior proficient in fire-attribute techniques over decades of hard work."

The elder's introduction immediately caused everyone present to hold their breath.

"This bead is a one-time consumable. Once activated, it will cause a violent explosion. Its power is so great that even a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator would find it difficult to escape a heavy injury if hit directly!"

The announcement left the entire audience shocked.

Inside the booth, Lu Qiu couldn't help but sit up slightly straighter, a look of surprise appearing on his face.

explosion flame pearl.

The function of this thing was quite similar to his heavenly thunder seeds.

Both were one-time, immensely powerful weapons of slaughter.

A heavenly thunder seed could instantly kill a Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator. While this explosion flame pearl was slightly inferior, a direct hit could still heavily wound a Late Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivator.

Naturally, one could never have too many such good things.

In the Blood Colored Trial, no one knew what kind of dangers they would encounter.

One more trump card like this meant one more life.

At a critical moment, this was a killer move that could turn defeat into victory.

"explosion flame pearl, starting price four hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Let the bidding begin!"

The elder announced the price.

This price made ninety-nine percent of the Cultivators in the hall hesitate.

Spending four hundred Spirit Stones just to use it once?

Too extravagant.

"Five hundred Spirit Stones."

Lu Qiu didn't hesitate at all, directly raising the price by a hundred.

He originally thought that not many people would compete with him for a consumable item.

However.

Just as he thought he was about to get it...

From another VIP booth, a somewhat overbearing voice suddenly rang out.

"I bid five hundred and fifty Spirit Stones!"

Lu Qiu's movements paused.

Someone was actually competing with him?

He was going to participate in the Blood Colored Trial, and this explosion flame pearl could greatly increase his survival rate; it could be said he was determined to get it.

"Six hundred Spirit Stones."

Then, he calmly announced a new price.