The Yi Auction House, a mysterious business that sprung up in Jinyang City hundreds of years ago. Even though it monopolized a large portion of the city's business none of the three clans stopped them. If anything, they were longtime customers of the Yi Auction House.
There was a rumor that the Yi Auction House's backer originated from the Central Heaven Region.
"It's probably not a first-rate clan or sect, but a personal venture of some elder." Tianyi speculated to himself. If the backer was something that originated in the Central Heaven Region that is, he didn't exactly trust the information that Elder Peng had gathered, especially if it concerned the Central Heaven Region.
Tianyi didn't particularly care as he stared down at the auction platform from the private booth with the rest of the Fleeting Mist Sect, as the de facto lords of the region they were naturally given a private booth from the Yi Auction House.
The auctioneer was a beautiful woman seemingly in her early twenties, her vibrant red robes were conformed to her body giving the impression of a voluptuous beauty and her smiles were like a blossoming flower, in other words a perfect honey trap.
"Hello, today's auction will be directed by me, Yi Meiran!" The woman said, causing those on the first floor to roar with excitement, unable to confirm whether they came to buy items or to see the beauty. "To be honest, there's a special item that's going to be auctioned today! It's rare to the point that after this we do not know how long until we will hear news of another one appearing, the Yi Auction House could put only this item up and we would still make a massive profit!"
Yi Meiran said, whetting the crowd's appetite. Tianyi looked to the side to see Elder Peng, especially serious.
"Now with that said, let's start the auction!" After successfully raising the crowd's appetite, Yi Meiran directed their attention to the first item that had been brought out. "Although it cannot be considered too rare, today we have ten bottles of top tier qi condensation pills."
Yi Meiran picked up one of the bottles on the tray. "Each bottle contains ten pills. I'm sure you know the effects of the qi condensation pills, but a top tier one has a ninety percent effectiveness! The alchemist who refined these pills I can guarantee is at least rank 3!"
Alchemists like pills were divided into ranks too, from rank one to rank ten. Beyond rank ten were the immortal level categorizations, something that cultivators who were not near should not contemplate. Each rank of pill will be further divided into the low, middle, high, and top tier. Naturally, top tier were the best but most alchemists would only be able to refine middle-tier pills of the same rank as them.
"We will be auctioning each pill bottle separately at 500 low quality spirit stones each!"
Before the others downstairs could even make a bid, Elder Peng had already spoken. "The Fleeting Mist Sect will bid 800 low quality spirits for one bottle."
At the mention of the Fleeting Mist Sect, the ones on the first and second floor of the auction house sucked in a cold breath. They looked at each other. Would it really be worth it to fight the Fleeting Mist Sect for a bunch of top tier rank 1 qi condensation pills?
The answer was no. And thus, the first item of the day was bought anticlimactically. But luckily for those below, Elder Peng didn't bid anymore for the qi condensation pills, allowing other cultivators to have a piece of the pie. The customers were extremely excited after the qi condensation pills appeared. That was just the first item. What about the rest?
Next were nine talismans, split into three bundles. Each talisman could unleash an attack at the level of a Spiritual Altar Foundation Establishment realm cultivator. A few mortal artifacts at the level of the Foundation Establishment realm were revealed, but most of them were middle or low tier artifacts unlike the jade fan in Tianyi's hand.
"And up next we have three middle-tier Foundation Establishment Pills." At those words, Tianyi once more paid attention to the auction.
"5,000 spirit stones!"
"5,200 spirit stones!"
"6,000 spirit stones!"
Tianyi took a glance at Lanyue, who didn't seem too surprised at the fight below. "Big sister, are Foundation Establishment Pills really that important?"
Lanyue looked at Tianyi in surprise. "Little brother, you don't know about the Foundation Establishment Pills?" Some of the other disciples also perked their ears to listen in.
Tianyi shook his head. "I only heard about it today."
Lanyue didn't know what to say. "Foundation Establishment Pills are necessary for Qi Gathering realm cultivators to ascend to Foundation Establishment realm. They strengthen the meridians and purify the circulation flow within. It's practically impossible to ascend from Qi Gathering to Foundation Establishment without one."
"What about the first Foundation Establishment realm cultivator? How did he ascend?" Tianyi asked, his eyes full of sincerity.
Lanyue opened her mouth, but no sounds came out. "… the cultivation methods back then were different, I'm sure there was a different method."
Seeing the flushed cheeks on the girl's face, Tianyi only smiled and nodded like he accepted it before giving Lanyue a look that spoke of admiration, causing her face to redden even further in shame.
But Tianyi was thinking even further. "I didn't use a Foundation Establishment Pill when I broke through from Qi Gathering to Foundation Establishment. Did I do something wrong? No, mother was there to oversee me and she didn't tell me to use a Foundation Establishment Pill so there must be some reason. Maybe as long as you are talented enough you don't need a Foundation Establishment Pill?"
Putting it in the back of his mind, Tianyi continued to watch the auction. Sometimes Fleeting Mist Sect would put a bid up for an item. Sometimes people would fight for it other times not, but Fleeting Mist Sect outbid them.
"Next we have this mysterious fragment obtained from a loose cultivator." Yi Meiran gestured towards a near black fragment of some sort. It was small enough to fit in the palm of her hand. "We had our experts inspect but we do not know this fragment is made of. Even our Core Formation realm expert couldn't do a thing to it. As we do not know what this is, we set the price at only 500 low quality spirit stones!"
Tianyi felt his body pulse at the sight of the fragment, like something within him was calling to it. There was a strange sense of familiarity that he had never felt before.
"500 spirit stones!"
Before Tianyi could voice out his bid, someone else from the lower floor did instead. Tianyi looked down at the owner of the young voice. It was a very familiar voice that he could not pinpoint where he had heard it from. Just from the back of the head, Tianyi felt a strange sensation similar to when he had laid eyes upon the fragment.
Tianyi focused his attention away from the youth as he laid his eyes back on the fragment. Making up his mind, he spoke. "5000 spirit stones."
There was a sudden silence at the high price for such an unknown object, but once they saw where the voice originated from they quieted down. Although the voice sounded young, it was from the Fleeting Mist Sect.
"6000 spirit stones."
There was a sudden silence as the people observed the young man, who seemed to be about fifteen to sixteen, yet continued bidding.
"10,000 spirit stones."
The youth gritted his teeth and started to raise his hand to raise the bid, but someone stopped him. "Little friend, that's the Fleeting Rain Sect. No good will come out of offending them."
The youth removed his hand and cupped it towards the person who spoke to him. "Thank you, but I know what I'm doing." At this, he raised his hand and spoke. "10,010 spirit stones."
The person who spoke to convince the youth only shook his head in pity, no longer attempting to convince the youth. Unseen by the man, the youth's eyes flashed with hatred. "I didn't expect to meet you here of all places," he muttered.
Tianyi quirked his eyebrow up. "I didn't expect a Qi Gathering realm fellow to have this many spirit stones."
"Little brother, isn't it too expensive?" Lanyue asked, her fellow disciples were already dazed from the sky-high price for the seemingly useless fragment.
Tianyi shook his head. "Big sister, I want that. I feel that it will be very beneficial for my cultivation." He glanced at the first floor where the youth was. "Besides, the more people fight me for it, the more I want it."
"100 mid quality spirit stones."
Although 100 low quality spirit stones could be used to exchange for a single mid quality spirit stone, hardly anyone would make such a trade. Not speaking of the rarity of a mid quality spirit stone in comparison to low quality spirit, the mid quality spirit stone had far more beneficial uses.
Even Elder Peng couldn't help but look at Tianyi, who could bring out such wealth.
As expected, there were no more bids from the bottom as Yi Meiran smiled. "Sold to the fellow daoist on the third floor."
After this little incident, the auction returned to normal with no more similar incident coming up.
"And next the second to last item of the day is the Core Formation Pill."
Tianyi felt his lips twitch at the name. "Don't tell me there are Nascent Soul Pills, Unity Pills, and Transcending Mortality Pills? Perhaps even an Immortal Ascension Pill?"
In the end, the Fleeting Mist Sect, Elder Peng, purchased the Core Formation Pill.
"And last, the item you all were waiting for." At these words, the atmosphere seemed to have tensed and silence reigned. Not even a single breath could be heard.
Yi Meiran gave the most beautiful smile of the night as a servant brought out a small box. Yi Meiran took the box and opened it before everyone's eyes. A dense medicinal fragrance assaulted them. Those of the Qi Gathering realm even felt their mind clear and their circulation grow smoother.
Inside the box was a withered purple herb. But soon after, the box was closed and only the remnant medicinal aura was left.
"As you have all seen, this is the real deal. We have here a Violet Cloud Fern. It has many uses, but the most well known use is that it's a core component for the Nascent Soul Pill.f I won't say anymore except that the bidding price will start at 100 mid quality spirit stones!"
Finally, even those that didn't know finally understood the implications. Their Fleeting Mist Region may finally birth a Nascent Soul Cultivators. Overall for the region, this increase in strength would be a good development for them as it would improve their strength above the Green Scorpion Region and Unseen Whale Region.
Tianyi finally realized what Elder Shan came here for. As a Rank 7 Alchemist, Elder Shan should be fully capable of refining a Nascent Soul Pill. Of course, for Tianyi who was not knowledgeable concerning pills of this category, he might be wrong. But Tianyi didn't think so.
"120 spirit stones!"
"150 spirit stones!"
"200 spirit stones!"
"205 spirit stones!"
Just like that, many people from the second and third floors began to bid, which each bid higher than the last. Finally, when the price reached 300 middle quality spirit stones, Elder Peng spoke. "500 spirit stones!"
A whole 200 jump from 300 middle quality spirit stones. There was a sudden silence at the sudden increase in price.
"The honored guests on the third floor have bid 500 middle quality spirit stones. Is there anyone else? If not, then this-"
"510 spirit stones!" After a while, someone yelled out another bid from the second floor. But he was doomed to be disappointed because
"600 spirit stones" Another massive increase in price. It caused all others who wanted to purchase it to despair at the determination of the Fleeting Mist Sect.
"600 going once! 600 going twice! Sold, to our friends from the Fleeting Mist Sect!"
At those words, Elder Peng smiled. Although his mission wasn't a hundred percent complete, it was halfway done with the acquisition of the Violet Cloud Fern. Soon the servants of the Yi Auction House came for the payment, Elder Peng naturally paid. And Tianyi did so as well under the amazement of the Fleeting Mist Sect members' eyes he grabbed 100 mid quality spirit stones from his shrinking pouch and gave it to the servant.
Even the servant was surprised that the youngest one would suddenly take out 100 mid quality spirit stones, but upon observing Tianyi some more he didn't say anything and backed out to retrieve the items.
"Senior brother Tianyi is very… wealthy." One disciple of the Fleeting Mist Sect said, but Tianyi only smiled, saying nothing.
Soon the servants returned with the items the group had bought from the auction. Elder Peng directly took the box containing the Violet Cloud Fern. Opening the box to verify the contents, he quickly closed it once more.
Tianyi however didn't care as he held the black fragment in his hand. There was a pulsing sensation that was extremely warm and pleasing that ran through his arm to his heart. The pulsing turned into a beat that began to match his own heartbeat. Tianyi frowned and made a motion to put it in his shrinking pouch, but secretly stored in his spatial ring.
Although it felt safe, there was also an uncertain feeling coming from it. Tianyi dared not to carelessly interact with it anymore. Best to ask his mother once he returned to the sect.
"Everyone, our business here is done, we should return to the sect as soon as possible. Is that fine with little friend Tianyi?" Although Elder Peng posed it as a question, there was no doubt he was in a hurry and should Tianyi say no, he would likely find a reason to change Tianyi's mind.
Tianyi nodded, it wasn't like there was a reason for him to stay. Just thinking about meeting the Yan Clan members was already awkward enough.
Soon the group exited out of the Yi Auction House, heading towards the exit to Jinyang City. But a voice called out to them. "Fellow daoists, please wait!"
Elder Peng heightened his guard as he turned around only to relax as he saw a youth in the Qi Gathering realm, but he frowned as he noticed the youth's tenth stage Qi Gathering realm cultivation.
Tianyi however was thinking of another matter. The youth was the same youth who fought him for the fragment. Wearing black robes, and a sword by his waist, the youth seemed especially valiant with his calm and confident demeanor.
But Tianyi couldn't help but feel that he had seen the youth's face somewhere before. Not only Tianyi, but Lanyue also felt the same as she stared at the handsome youth coming closer.
Just as he was a meter away he suddenly drew his sword and with hatred in his eyes, he stabbed towards Tianyi.
"Surnamed Xi, go to hell!"