Chapter 31: Chapter 31: Innate Spiritual Treasure, Scram
Treasure Auction, the seventieth item.
On the display stand before Elder Shen was a Pill Formula and a dilapidated gourd.
The gourd was entirely cyan, covered in strange patterns. However, it was also covered in a dense network of cracks, like a spider’s web, looking worn and ancient.
No one paid any mind to the gourd; their eyes were all on the Pill Formula.
Everyone was curious. What kind of Pill Formula was this?
Seeing the curious gazes from the crowd, Elder Shen smiled slightly, his voice echoing throughout the hall. "This Pill Formula records a type of Elixir called the Enlightenment Pill. After taking this Elixir, a Martial Artist will feel refreshed and clear-headed for an entire day, their comprehension greatly enhanced. With this pill’s aid, many cultivation difficulties can be easily overcome. The only drawback is that it cannot be taken frequently. The effect diminishes with each use, and after the third time, it becomes completely ineffective."
WHOOSH!
The entire hall was instantly in an uproar.
For any Martial Artist, comprehension was extremely important.
Someone with high comprehension could master a Martial Technique in just a few days, while someone with poor comprehension might take several dozen.
This was especially true for advancing some Martial Techniques from the Great Success stage to the Perfection stage, which highlighted the importance of comprehension even more.
If one could obtain an Enlightenment Pill, it would surely allow many people to achieve a breakthrough.
"What a pity. It’s not the Elixir, just the Pill Formula. And a Pill Formula is only useful to an Alchemist." Some people shook their heads in regret.
They would much rather have the refined Elixir itself; otherwise, the Pill Formula was useless to them.
"Some Alchemists have come to this auction. They definitely won’t miss this Pill Formula. Alchemists are all incredibly wealthy and bid lavishly. The competition this time will surely be fierce." People began to whisper amongst themselves.
"Everyone, the Treasure Auction can guarantee that this Pill Formula is authentic. When the formula was first discovered inside the gourd, there were also three Elixirs. We personally tested the Elixirs and confirmed that they were indeed Enlightenment Pills."
Elder Shen said, "Enough with the chatter. The starting bid for the Enlightenment Pill formula is thirty thousand Primordial Stones!"
"Thirty-one thousand." A voice immediately came from a private room on the third floor.
Most Alchemists were of high status, so it was not surprising they could enter the third floor.
"Elder Li, since when did you become so stingy? Thirty-five thousand." An aged voice immediately rang out from the adjacent private room.
"My apologies, you two seniors, but I want this Pill Formula as well. Forty thousand Primordial Stones." A deep, middle-aged voice followed close behind.
"Hmph. Forty-five thousand Primordial Stones," the Alchemist called Elder Li snorted coldly.
"Forty-eight thousand."
Following that, a total of eight Alchemists joined the competition for the Pill Formula.
"Tsk, tsk. These Alchemists are truly rolling in money," many people lamented inwardly.
"Seventy thousand Primordial Stones!"
Shortly after, once the price for the Pill Formula reached seventy thousand Primordial Stones, four Alchemists had already withdrawn. The remaining four were no longer as lavish with their bids.
’This Pill Formula is worth eighty thousand at most. If I can’t get it for that price, I’ll give up,’ the Alchemist known as Elder Li thought to himself.
After a short while, the price slowly climbed, finally reaching eighty thousand Primordial Stones.
At this point, both Elder Li and another Alchemist withdrew, leaving only two still competing.
"One hundred thousand Primordial Stones!"
Suddenly, a cold, clear voice emerged from one of the private rooms.
It was Wei Yanran!
Wei Yanran either didn’t act, or when she did, it was with an extravagant flourish.
"That sounds like Wei Yanran, Du Wanqing’s Direct Disciple."
"Dammit, a dark horse has appeared out of nowhere. Du Wanqing is Luoyang’s number one Alchemist. His wealth is no less than that of an Innate Limit Strong Person. As his disciple, Wei Yanran must be carrying a huge amount of Primordial Stones."
After the bid of one hundred thousand Primordial Stones was announced, the two remaining Alchemists finally shook their heads and gave up.
In their eyes, Wei Yanran was just a junior, but they couldn’t compete with the fact that she had a good master.
"If there are no other bids, I will begin the countdown from three," Elder Shen said slowly, seeing the room had fallen silent.
"Congratulations on winning the Pill Formula, Senior Sister," Sun Yan was already celebrating.
"Three."
"One hundred and ten thousand Primordial Stones."
Just as Elder Shen called out the number, a new bid rang out almost simultaneously, immediately causing a stir of shocked suspicion.
"Who on earth is that person? He just bought the Golden Summit Silver Snake Grass and the Middle Grade Treasure Armor, and he still has so many Primordial Stones?" Shocked gazes turned toward a private room on the third floor.
That was where Ning Jiang was.
"Little brother, you want to buy that Pill Formula?" Ning Yu’an hadn’t expected Ning Jiang to bid at this moment.
"Sister An, I don’t want the Pill Formula. That Enlightenment Pill is nothing but trash. The truly valuable thing is the gourd!"
Ning Jiang said slowly. In his eyes, the gourd’s value wasn’t just a hundred thousand-odd Primordial Stones; even if it were over a million, he would find a way to buy it.
’How ridiculous. Everyone’s eyes are on the Pill Formula for the Enlightenment Pill, yet they’ve missed the real Treasure...’
"The gourd?" Ning Yu’an was taken aback. The gourd was covered in cracks; no one would think it had any value. But she knew Ning Jiang didn’t speak carelessly, so she said no more.
"One hundred and twenty thousand Primordial Stones."
Wei Yanran’s voice remained steady as she refused to give up.
"One hundred and thirty thousand Primordial Stones."
Ning Jiang was determined to win. In truth, he only had thirty-seven thousand Primordial Stones on him right now, but he estimated that his Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique would definitely fetch a price over one hundred and fifty thousand.
"One hundred and forty thousand Primordial Stones." Wei Yanran’s elegant brows furrowed. She wasn’t a fool. The Pill Formula for the Enlightenment Pill was worth around eighty thousand Primordial Stones; one hundred and forty thousand was already an astronomical price.
"One hundred and fifty thousand Primordial Stones!" Ning Jiang’s voice was steady, giving no hint as to what his limit was.
Wei Yanran’s eyes showed hesitation. After a moment of silence, she shook her head, not intending to continue the competition.
’Spending one hundred and fifty thousand Primordial Stones on such a Pill Formula isn’t generous, it’s foolish.’
"I’ll go see him later. If I offer half the Primordial Stones, perhaps he’ll be willing to share the Pill Formula," Wei Yanran said.
In the end, both the Pill Formula and the gourd fell into Ning Jiang’s hands, delivered by a Maid.
The auction house staff also knew Ning Jiang had a Secret Technique as a finale item, so they agreed to let him pay the one hundred and fifty thousand Primordial Stones after the auction concluded.
’I was right! This is... an Innate Spiritual Treasure!’
Upon getting the gourd, even with Ning Jiang’s steady disposition, he couldn’t help but feel a pleasant surprise.
This item was priceless!
The price of one hundred and fifty thousand Primordial Stones seemed to have stimulated the entire auction’s atmosphere. The mood grew fiery, and the subsequent items were all valued above ten thousand Primordial Stones, with no shortage of people vying for them.
As for the following items, Ning Jiang had little interest.
His mind was now completely focused on the gourd.
’This item is severely damaged, but with my methods, I can certainly repair it.’
Ning Jiang mused to himself. The gourd was so badly damaged it was practically a piece of junk, which was why others couldn’t see its true value.
"The eightieth item for auction is a Secret Technique called the Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique!"
When the auction reached the eightieth item, Ning Jiang’s attention was pulled back.
"This Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique is Profound Level Middle Grade. Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, it can increase a Postnatal Realm Martial Artist’s combat power by fifty percent, and an Innate Realm Martial Artist’s by thirty percent. Afterward, it only takes one or two days of recuperation to fully recover, with almost no side effects."
Once Elder Shen finished his introduction of the Secret Technique, the entire hall erupted.
Compared to the earlier Pill Formula, the Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique was far more favored by the crowd.
Something like a Pill Formula was only useful to the group of Alchemists, and even after obtaining it, an Alchemist might not necessarily be able to successfully refine the Elixir.
A Secret Technique was different. Any Martial Artist could cultivate it. The key was that not only could you cultivate it yourself, but you could also pass it on to the members of your family.
A Profound Level Middle Grade Secret Technique like this, one that could boost one’s strength, was of paramount importance to a family. Whichever family obtained it would treat it as an ancestral secret.
Furthermore, the timing of this Secret Technique’s appearance was excellent. The Luoyang Annual Gathering was set to take place in just over a month, and the younger generation was desperately trying to increase their strength.
Having one more Secret Technique like this was like having an extra trump card, giving them more confidence at the Annual Gathering.
"I must win this Secret Technique!"
"Quick, go report to Father! Have him send over more Primordial Stones immediately!"
"This Secret Technique will cost at least one hundred thousand Primordial Stones. I don’t stand a chance."
"Only those major families are qualified to compete for this Secret Technique."
Sensing the atmosphere in the room rapidly heating up, a smile touched the corners of Elder Shen’s mouth as he announced loudly, "The starting bid for this Secret Technique is fifty thousand Primordial Stones. Let the bidding begin!"
"Sixty thousand!"
"Sixty-five thousand!"
"Seventy thousand!"
The price of the Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique climbed rapidly.
「At the same time.」
A guest arrived at Ning Jiang’s private room.
It was Wei Yanran, requesting an audience.
"Most likely for that Pill Formula. Let her in." With Ning Jiang’s intelligence, it wasn’t hard to guess Wei Yanran’s intentions.
The attending Maid nodded, opened the door, and let Wei Yanran enter.
"Huh? It’s you."
Upon entering, Sun Yan, who was beside Wei Yanran, was stunned. Who would have thought that the person sitting here, spending money like water, was actually Ning Jiang!
"What is it? Do you know him?" Wei Yanran asked.
"Of course I know him. And speaking of which, Senior Sister, you should have heard his name too." Sun Yan shot a glance at Ning Jiang, a look of disdain on his face. "He’s the one who overestimated himself and challenged Zhou Wenhao to a life-or-death battle."
"Challenging Zhou Wenhao as someone in the Qi Cultivation Realm... that is indeed a bit unwise."
Wei Yanran also shook her head, then said, "Forget it, there’s no point in discussing this. I came here because I want to buy that Pill Formula from you. You spent one hundred and fifty thousand Primordial Stones. I’ll give you seventy-five thousand, and you give me a copy. How about it?"
"It’s a good deal. A pity you didn’t come with the attitude of a merchant."
Ning Jiang flicked his fingernails, which made a crisp sound like metal striking metal. "Your junior brother comes in here and immediately insults me for overestimating myself. And you, instead of reprimanding him, say that I’m unwise. Your words may seem tactful, but they’re essentially the same as your junior brother’s. Someone who genuinely wants to do business first shows respect, then deals with sincerity. You have shown neither courtesy nor sincerity. I will not make this deal."
"What did you say? Kid, don’t be so ungrateful! Do you know who Senior Sister Wei is? For Senior Sister Wei to condescend to buy the Pill Formula from you is already giving you face. Don’t be so shameless!" Sun Yan flew into a rage.
He and Wei Yanran were disciples of Du Wanqing. Everywhere they went, people would fawn over and flatter them. Who would ever act like Ning Jiang, giving them no face at all and even lecturing them?
Wei Yanran’s pretty face also turned ugly, as if coated in frost.
"You two probably think that just because you have a master backing you, your status is superior. You think that even if you’re arrogant and bossy, others have to give you face. For people like you, I have only one word."
Ning Jiang’s gaze suddenly became as sharp as a blade. He spat out a word like thunder: "Out!"
The room... fell silent!
