Chapter 85: Chapter 85: Nether Void Demon Blood
Next, Lin Changheng cast three more Rocket Talismans, then used his Fire Manipulation Divine Power True Intent to forcibly fuse and stack their power—which, in theory, was equivalent to the minimum power of an Upper Grade Technique.
He unleashed it.
"Exorcism!"
Lin Changheng locked onto the attack and suddenly activated his Fire Extinguishing Demon Technique. With a PFFT, the triple-stacked power of the Rocket Talismans buzzed once and was annihilated in mid-air.
Lin Changheng’s eyes immediately lit up.
But then, a wave of emptiness and fatigue washed over him.
It was caused by excessive consumption of Magical Power and a moment of intense mental focus.
From this, he drew a basic conclusion:
’The Fire Extinguishing Demon Technique can directly exorcise Upper Grade Fire Magic, but it’s quite draining on my Magical Power and spirit. With my current strength, I can exorcise two Upper Grade Fire Magic spells in a row at most.’
’Any more than that, and my Magical Power would be depleted, leaving me unable to protect myself.’
’As for exorcising Middle Grade Fire Element Techniques, it’s much easier. I could probably handle double the amount without issue.’
After this initial phase of testing concluded, the faint sound of voices drifted over from the distance.
Lin Changheng’s figure flickered, his body transforming into a streak of earthy yellow light as he tunneled away through the ground.
He then emerged in a deserted spot and headed straight for the Ruins District.
Walking through the district, he found the crowds were even denser than before. It was visibly packed and noisy, all because the long-awaited grand auction was approaching.
「In just three days.」
Lin Changheng also bought a seat, planning to go broaden his horizons. After all, a Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object was slated to make an appearance.
...
「Time passed.」
The auction lasted for a full two days.
The auction venue was unchanged—it was the same grand hall as last time. However, the number of seats inside had doubled. Many more chairs had been squeezed in, making it extremely crowded.
Lin Changheng was truly getting a taste of what a spectacle it was.
It was a feast of competitive bidding.
The Female Cultivator who had hosted the last auction was replaced by a more experienced old man, who stirred up the atmosphere of the entire hall with just a few opening words.
Driven by this atmosphere, almost no items went unsold, and many lots fetched jaw-dropping prices.
’People are getting carried away...’
The influence of the environment on people was undeniable. Lin Changheng, however, did his best to restrain himself. He made a small move, acquiring a Wood Element Middle Grade Pill Formula and a Fire Element Upper Grade Pill Formula, and then refrained from bidding any further.
Besides, he truly had no pressing needs.
The only exception was Demon Blood, but he just hadn’t come across any yet.
「But on the second day...」
As the final lots—including the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object—were about to be presented, the atmosphere in the hall grew somewhat suppressed.
Lin Changheng leaned back in his chair like an outsider, watching the clearly restrained ebb and flow of the bids.
Many people and various influences were clearly saving their strength for the finale.
This continued until the old man took out a brocade box.
Only then did Lin Changheng suddenly sit up straight, his eyes narrowing as he gazed ahead.
Inside was a single cyan feather, its left side slightly damaged. Beside it lay a drop of pale cyan Essence Blood, as perfectly round as a bead of mercury, sealed within a piece of an Ice Crystal.
’What’s this?’
Having dealt with Essence Blood for years, Lin Changheng could sense that these two items were extraordinary.
’No, I should say their original owner was extraordinary.’
Then, the old man chuckled and began to explain, "Fellow Daoists, as you can all see, this is a Lost Feather and a drop of Essence Blood! They belong to a rather rare, unknown Demon Bird from the depths of the Wilderness. They were obtained by chance by a trailblazing Fellow Daoist and consigned here for auction."
"Even our auction house’s professional appraisers couldn’t identify it. However, in the spirit of responsibility to all you Fellow Daoists, the owner went to great expense and called in a favor, inviting a senior from the Beast Taming Sun Family to help with the identification..."
Hearing this, many people in the audience chuckled softly. It was obvious that the old man’s speech was both an explanation and a carefully crafted attempt to build up their image—to show that their auction house was professional, responsible, and diligent.
Still, this kind of perfectly timed self-promotion was something the crowd happily accepted; they found it palatable, not at all offensive, which spoke to the old man’s profound skill.
"After extensive research, although we still could not determine its name, we have confirmed that this Feather and Essence Blood belong to a Late Stage Tier Two, or perhaps even a Muddy Core Demon Bird. It possesses a Nether Void Bloodline and is of the Wind Element."
"If any of you intend to refine fan-shaped Spiritual Artifacts, incorporating this feather will significantly increase their power. As for the Essence Blood, it is exceptionally potent and can be used in the refining of Tier Two and Above Elixirs."
As soon as the old auctioneer’s voice fell, a few people in the crowd showed expressions of mild interest.
’A Muddy Core Demon Bird? A Nether Void Bloodline?’
The gaze from under Lin Changheng’s bamboo hat flickered.
He had recently gained a much deeper understanding of Demon Beasts by reading the *Study of the Wild Demonic Spirit Beasts*.
The Nether Void Bloodline was a Tier Four Bloodline, one tier higher than the Profound Spirit Bloodline.
Mortal Filth, Muddy Evil, Profound Spirit, Nether Void...
The Nether Void Bloodline was something he could hardly hope to encounter at his current level. Because its tier was so high, none of the shops in the Ruins District that specialized in Beast Taming or Demon Beast Materials ever had it in stock.
Lin Changheng suddenly felt the urge to win the bid, just to get a closer look.
As for "Muddy Core Demon Bird," the "Core" in its name referred to a "Demon Pill."
This was equivalent to the realm of a Fake Core Cultivator from the Human Race.
In the Tier One and Tier Two stages, Demon Beasts do not have a Demon Pill in their bodies, only a Demon Core.
This is the seat of all their Demonic Power.
Essence Blood, on the other hand, is a condensation of the essence of their flesh, the origin of the Demon Race, their ancestral bloodline, and other factors.
However, the two also influence and promote each other in an extremely complex relationship.
When a Demon Beast approaches Tier Three, its Demon Core begins to transform into a Demon Pill.
In truth, Demon Pills have no inherent high or low ranks; they were simply categorized by Human Race Cultivators, who drew parallels to the distinctions in their own Core Formation.
The Core Formation of the Human Race is divided into the Fake Core, True Core, and Golden Core.
Demon Pills are correspondingly divided into the Muddy Pill, Clear Pill, and Celestial Pill.
Each one corresponds to its human equivalent.
Among these, Demon Beasts that had a fortunate encounter, were forcibly elevated in power, or broke through by a fluke without sufficient accumulation would form a Demon Pill of impure and flawed quality. They are known as Muddy Core Demon Beasts.
Their strength can still crush a Late Stage Tier Two Demon Beast.
However, they would in turn be suppressed by a Clear Core Demon Beast, which they are unable to match.
’If the price is right, I could try bidding for it.’
Lin Changheng made his decision.
...
"As requested by the Fellow Daoist who consigned these items, they will be auctioned off together. The Essence Blood and the Feather will not be sold separately."
"The starting price is two hundred Lower Grade Spirit Stones, and each bid increment must be no less than ten."
"You may now begin bidding,"
the old man announced with a smile, his gaze sweeping across the entire hall.
But the guests seated below hesitated.
No one was a fool; this was a classic bundled auction tactic.
When one item is popular and has broad appeal while another is of little interest, this bundling method is often used to ensure the less desirable item gets sold.
After all, the feather was suitable for Artifact Refining, while the Essence Blood was for Alchemy. Of course, Essence Blood could also be used for Body Refining, but a single drop was far from enough for that purpose.
It was safe to say their uses were vastly different.
Bidding on one item only to be saddled with the other meant the unwanted item would likely just sit and gather dust.
Moreover, with the finale lots, headlined by the Foundation Establishment Spiritual Object, yet to appear, was it truly wise to spend Spirit Stones on a partially useless bundle? This was the sharp question that now confronted everyone.
