24: Auction (Part 1)
Li Haotian was unaware of what had transpired at the Li Family. At this moment, he had transformed into the appearance of a middle-aged man and walked into the Wanbao Pavilion auction.
At this time, the aura radiating from Li Haotian had reached the Golden Core Stage, and coupled with his sinister appearance, one could tell at a glance that he was not a good person.
As soon as he entered the auction, the people around him became cautious.
Of course, those who were wary of him were basically Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators. As for Golden Core Stage Cultivators, it was not certain who would fear whom.
Li Haotian went to a corner to sit down, waiting for the auction to begin.
Half an hour later, the auction officially began. A woman in red with a charming appearance and a graceful figure walked onto the auction stage.
"It is the Fairy in Red. I did not expect this auction to be hosted by the Fairy in Red."
"The Fairy in Red is truly beautiful. If I could spend a night with the Fairy in Red, this Young Master would die without regrets."
"Such a woman should only exist in the heavens; how often can one see her in the human world?"
"Coming to this auction was worth it. Spending ten thousand Spirit Stones was worth it."
Li Haotian curled his lips in disdain. What kind of nonsense was this? These Cultivators all had unstable Heart-Nature; it would be a wonder if they could Cultivate anything significant.
Look at those old Golden Core monsters sitting there as steady as Mount Tai.
For them, what kind of beauty could they not have? With just a beckoning of their fingers, those small Families would absolutely deliver their daughters to their doorsteps.
For them, cultivation base and long life were the most important things. As for that so-called Fairy in Red, she was nothing more than a pink skeleton with some flirtatious techniques.
The Fairy in Red was very satisfied with this situation. She said with a smile, "This is not the first time the auction has been held, so I will not waste words. Let us first look at the first treasure of today's auction."
"The Xuanyin Shield is a top-grade Magical Artifact with very strong defensive capabilities. Many top-grade Magical Artifacts cannot break through its defense. The starting price is two thousand Spirit Stones, with each increment not less than one hundred Spirit Stones."
Li Haotian glanced at the Xuanyin Shield and shook his head. It was far inferior to the defensive Magic Treasure in his hands.
Especially now, Li Haotian had a Golden Bell Magic Treasure that combined offense and defense, which he had just augmented.
The Xuanyin Shield was of little use to Li Haotian, but there were quite a few Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators here.
The Xuanyin Shield was still a very good top-grade Magical Artifact. As soon as the Fairy in Red finished speaking, many Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators started bidding.
"2,200 Spirit Stones!"
"2,500 Spirit Stones!"
"2,800 Spirit Stones!"
"3,000 Spirit Stones!"
"With an item passing through the hands of the Fairy in Red, you only bid that little? I bid 3,500 Spirit Stones!"
"Hmph, you want to compare who has more Spirit Stones with this Young Master? I bid 4,000 Spirit Stones."
"4,100 Spirit Stones!"
"4,200 Spirit Stones!"
"This Young Master bids 4,500 Spirit Stones. This is this Young Master's final bottom line. If anyone bids higher than this Young Master, this Young Master will not want this Magical Artifact."
Once these words were spoken, those who were still bidding fell silent.
On the auction stage, the Fairy in Red smiled and said, "Many thanks to all Fellow Daoists for giving me Face. Is there anyone else bidding? Since there is no one, then so be it. 4,500 Spirit Stones, going once."
"4,500 Spirit Stones, going twice!"
"4,500 Spirit Stones, going three times!"
"Sold!"
"Congratulations to the Young Master for obtaining the top-grade Magical Artifact, the Xuanyin Shield. Please proceed to the backstage to collect it later."
The Young Master below had a look of pleasant surprise on his Face and laughed out loud, "This Young Master got it, hahaha."
Li Haotian curled his lips in disdain. Even if the Xuanyin Shield was a top-grade defensive Magical Artifact, its highest price should not exceed three thousand Spirit Stones. For four thousand five hundred Spirit Stones, besides a defensive method, one could buy a regular top-grade offensive Magical Artifact.
He had plenty of Magical Artifacts like the Xuanyin Shield in his hands; this thing was nothing special.
The Fairy in Red continued, "The second auction item, I presume everyone has been looking forward to it for a long time, right?"
"That is right, it is our Foundation Establishment Pill. Three pills per set, three sets in total. The starting price is 50,000 Spirit Stones, and each increment must not be less than 1,000 Spirit Stones. The auction begins."
Li Haotian shook his head. He only needed the Quenching Yuan Pill. Who would be willing to spend so many Spirit Stones to buy this Foundation Establishment Pill?
"55,000 Spirit Stones!"
"I bid 60,000 Spirit Stones!"
"80,000 Spirit Stones. This set of Foundation Establishment Pills, my Wang Family wants it. Everyone, please give me some Face, how about it?"
"Heh, your Wang Family really has a lot of Face. You want to buy the Foundation Establishment Pill for a mere 80,000 Spirit Stones. I really do not know who gave you the nerve. My Huang Family bids 90,000 Spirit Stones."
"Hmph, just two small Families, yet you dare to be rampant here? 100,000 Spirit Stones, my Zhoutian Island wants it."
Once these words were spoken, the Cultivators in the auction venue could not help but cast side-glances and began to discuss among themselves.
"Zhoutian Island? This is a Nascent Soul power. It is said that their Old Ancestor has already reached the Nascent Soul Realm. No wonder they dare to call the Huang Family and the Wang Family small Families."
"105,000 Spirit Stones!"
The Wang Family members did not retort, just silently added five thousand Spirit Stones.
"110,000 Spirit Stones!"
The Huang Family members did the same.
"120,000 Spirit Stones!"
The Zhoutian Island Cultivator glared at them fiercely and directly increased the price to 120,000 Spirit Stones.
This was already a very high price. The Wang Family and the Huang Family did not say much more. It was just a Foundation Establishment Pill; spending more Spirit Stones would not be cost-effective.
Li Haotian could not help but click his tongue. He had originally thought his net worth was very high, but compared to these people, he was just like an upstart.
Not to mention Zhoutian Island, even the Huang Family and the Wang Family, two Families with only one or two Golden Core Cultivators, could casually take out over a hundred thousand Spirit Stones. This was definitely not all the Spirit Stones their Families possessed.
Come to think of it, Golden Core powers basically all possessed their own Spirit Stone mines; their net worth must be stronger than Li Haotian's.
The Spirit Stones on Li Haotian were all spoils of war or obtained by accident; once consumed, they were gone.
At this moment, he was even more determined to strengthen his Family. Once the Family became powerful, he could sit in the Family and harvest Spirit Stones without doing anything, and he could still improve his cultivation base.
The first set of Foundation Establishment Pills was auctioned off and bought by Zhoutian Island for 120,000 Spirit Stones.
The second set of Foundation Establishment Pills came out. The Wang Family and the Huang Family started competing again, but unfortunately, a dark horse emerged this time and bought it for 125,000 Spirit Stones.
For the third set, the Huang Family and the Wang Family learned their lesson. They did not compete; instead, they joined forces to compete, and finally obtained it for a price of 150,000 Spirit Stones. As for how to distribute it in the end, that would be up to them.
The subsequent auctions were not important, and Li Haotian did not find anything that moved him.
Just as the auction reached the middle, the Fairy in Red smiled and took out three jade bottles, saying, "These are the Gathering Yuan Pills for Golden Core Stage Seniors to improve their cultivation base. There are three bottles in total, thirty pills, to be auctioned together. The starting price is 10,000 Spirit Stones, and each increment must not be less than 1,000 Spirit Stones."
Li Haotian immediately sat up straight. These Gathering Yuan Pills were Medicinal Pills for Golden Core Early Stage and Middle Stage to improve their cultivation base. One Gathering Yuan Pill was worth about five hundred; if auctioned, the price would be a bit more expensive, but this was exactly what he wanted.
Thirty Gathering Yuan Pills, if all augmented into top-grade Medicinal Pills, could at least allow his cultivation base to improve to the Golden Core Middle Stage.
"Must obtain it!"
Li Haotian made a decision in his heart; he must obtain these three bottles of Gathering Yuan Pills.
"12,000 Spirit Stones!"
"13,000 Spirit Stones!"
"15,000 Spirit Stones!"
In terms of price, reaching 15,000 Spirit Stones was already quite acceptable, but the price continued to rise.
There was no help for it; Golden Core Stage Medicinal Pills were too precious. Except for those powers that possessed Advanced Alchemists, it was very difficult for ordinary Loose Cultivators to obtain these Medicinal Pills.