Firmament Sword

"So expensive!"

Xu Luo was speechless. One had to understand... one thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones was just the starting bid for this attack Talisman.

The final price would definitely be many times higher than the starting bid!

A single Top-level Immortal Spirit Stone was worth five Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones. In other words, the starting bid for this attack Talisman was already equivalent to two hundred Top-level Immortal Spirit Stones!

Enough Immortal Spirit Stones to fully restore a Saint's stamina two hundred times was just the starting price...

"It's not that expensive."

Monkey glanced at Xu Luo and said softly, "Xi Hezhou is vast and boundless, with countless powerful and influential families. The wealth these great families have accumulated over the years... is staggering! For many, an attack Talisman like this, capable of unleashing the full-power strike of a Great Saint, is a Life-saving Talisman! Not to mention, in the eyes of a Talisman Maker... its value is even higher!"

Xu Luo nodded. "That's true. Compared to one's life, wealth and all that... really is just fleeting clouds."

At that moment, a low buzz of conversation rose from the first-floor auction hall. No one placed a bid. Many people were looking up at the private boxes on the second floor.

The second floor was silent, without the slightest movement.

But everyone knew it was impossible for no one to be tempted by such an attack Talisman. They were all waiting for the first person to bid. This... was also a test of patience.

The first price called out would inevitably be drowned by higher bids.

On the auction stage, the middle-aged Auctioneer, Lu Ping, wore a calm smile, not at all worried by the temporary lull. After sweeping his gaze across the room, he announced in a clear voice, "Attack Talismans are inherently rare. Generally, when a master creates Talismans, they mostly produce ones that enhance strength, agility, or Spiritual Power. This is related to the Talisman Maker's own situation."

"Attack and defense Talismans have extremely strict requirements for the Talisman Maker's own strength. Take this one in my hand, which stores the full-power strike of a Great Saint expert. The person who made it... must have been at least at the Great Saint Peak realm, and possibly even... a Venerable!"

A wave of low gasps spread through the auction hall.

Lu Ping's face bore a confident smile as he continued, "Experts in Xi Hezhou are as numerous as clouds, but those who can cultivate to the Venerable Realm are as rare as a phoenix feather or a qilin's horn. And those who reach the Venerable Realm... and also become a Talisman Master are even rarer!"

"Therefore, this attack Talisman is not just a chance to save your life. It represents... the once-glorious life of a powerful Talisman Maker!"

"Unfortunately, we don't know the identity of this Talisman Maker. The person who brought this Talisman also requested confidentiality. I suspect... it may be a descendant of that master."

"However, once you obtain this Talisman, in the eyes of someone who understands talisman crafting, this... is an immeasurably valuable treasure!"

Lu Ping's tone grew passionate. Looking at the people in the hall whose breathing had quickened, he said loudly, "It's like an Unparalleled Technique! In the hands of a genius, it will surely blossom with even greater vitality!"

"It's only one thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones. While not cheap, for an attack Talisman imbued with so much significance... I believe it is worth owning!"

A sharp glint flashed in Lu Ping's eyes as he scanned the crowd. "Now, does anyone want to bid on it?"

"Five thousand!"

A rough and boisterous voice suddenly rang out from the first-floor auction hall.

People turned toward the voice and saw a burly, bearded, middle-aged man sitting in the middle of the hall. Beside him, a lovely young woman snuggled against him; they appeared to be husband and wife.

"I quite like this attack Talisman, but I know it'll be difficult for me to win it with my financial means. So, allow me... to cast a brick to attract jade and get things started for everyone."

As the middle-aged man spoke, he stood up and clasped his fists to the crowd. "Please, don't mind me!"

"It's Li Dahai!"

"That's right, it's him! I never thought this auction would attract even him."

"The youngest Elder of the great Li Family, an expert with a Great Saint Cultivation!"

"I heard his strength has already reached Great Saint Peak, but I don't know if that's true."

"Li Dahai is known for being righteous and forthright. He has a great reputation in Xi Hezhou!"

Low murmurs of discussion spread through the auction hall.

Inside Xu Luo and Monkey's private box, the Maid remained. They had changed their strategy and no longer needed to dismiss her.

The moment the middle-aged man made his bid, the Maid began to give Xu Luo and Monkey a detailed introduction to him.

"The Li Family is an ancient and powerful family in Xi Hezhou. This Li Dahai is their youngest Elder. His strength has already reached the high-tier of the Great Saint realm, just one step away from the peak."

"The woman beside him is his wife. Li Dahai and his wife are deeply in love. When he was younger, he once flew into a rage for her sake and fought a bloody battle."

Xu Luo and Monkey nodded but didn't rush to bid.

As the chief Auctioneer of the Baihua Auction House, Lu Ping's knowledge of Xi Hezhou was clearly no less than that of the Maid in the private box.

He smiled faintly, looked at the bearded man below, and said, "The youngest Elder of the great Li Family has made a bid! Five thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones! It's clear that Elder Li is very fond of this attack Talisman, starting with a bid five times the opening price! Are there any higher bids?"

On the first floor, many people once again looked up to the second floor. They felt uneasy as long as the people up there remained silent.

After all, the ones seated on the second floor were the truly top-tier great families!

Although Li Dahai's Li Family could be considered a great family in Xi Hezhou, they were still some distance from being top-tier.

"I bid... five thousand and one." A man's voice, flat and emotionless, suddenly came from one of the boxes near the front of the second floor.

But this price... was clearly meant to be insulting.

Li Dahai, who had just sat down, frowned slightly. In the past, he had offended quite a few people in Xi Hezhou for his wife's sake, including some disciples from top-tier great families.

While it wasn't a deep-seated hatred, it was perfectly normal for someone to try and disgust him on an occasion like this.

Therefore, his brow quickly smoothed out, and he laughed. "Ten thousand!"

From the box at the front of the second floor, the flat voice sounded again: "Ten thousand and one."

"Fifty thousand." Li Dahai grinned, as if he were shouting out a bid of mere Spirit Stones... and not priceless Immortal Spirit Stones!

A gasp rippled through the first-floor hall. This price... had far exceeded most people's expectations.

Fifty thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones were equivalent to ten thousand Top-level Immortal Spirit Stones—enough to restore the stamina of a Saint Realm expert ten thousand times!

This was already a staggering fortune!

The fact that a single Elder could so easily call out a price of fifty thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones was a testament to the Li Family's deep resources.

Of course, in the eyes of a Talisman Maker, this Talisman containing the full-power strike of a Great Saint was priceless.

But in the eyes of most, fifty thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones were definitely worth more!

"Elder Li is truly bold. This little brother admits defeat." A soft chuckle came from the box at the front of the second floor. The laugh carried a faint trace of disdain, but he did not bid again.

Lu Ping was also excited. He had presided over many auctions with prices like this, but they didn't happen every time. Even when they did... they were usually for the finale item.

Today, in order to build the Baihua Auction House's reputation and to complement the Nether Flower Seed, the auction house... had truly brought out a masterpiece.

They were striving to set a new record in one fell swoop!

And with that, allow the Baihua Auction House's fame to soar!

Lu Ping said excitedly, "Elder Li is as generous as expected! Fifty thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones! This is a huge fortune! Honored guests, is there anyone else who wishes to compete for this attack Talisman?"

"A long history... rare properties... a precious..."

Before Lu Ping could finish, he was interrupted by a voice from the central box on the second floor.

"One hundred thousand."

The moment this voice sounded, the entire hall fell silent!

Because that voice... came from the private box of Celestial Brilliance!

There were quite a few private boxes on the second floor of the Baihua Auction House. They wrapped more than halfway around the edge of the second floor, numbering over thirty in total.

But there were only two boxes that everyone could recognize at a glance.

They were the two boxes in the best locations, directly facing the auction stage. No matter who occupied the other boxes, these two had always belonged exclusively to Celestial Brilliance and Piaomiao Palace!

As for the Piaomiao Palace box, it wasn't that their influence was the second greatest in Xi Hezhou, but rather that the wife of the Piaomiao Palace Master was the Baihua Auction House's most loyal customer!

Furthermore, there were rumors that the owner behind the Baihua Auction House had some connection to Piaomiao Palace.

That was why a box in the best location was always reserved for Piaomiao Palace.

But the one for Celestial Brilliance... was purely due to Celestial Brilliance's status in Xi Hezhou!

At any major auction house, the box in the best location almost always belonged to Celestial Brilliance!

This... was the might of Celestial Brilliance... as dazzling as the heavenly sun!

Therefore, after the bid came from that box, Li Dahai gave a bitter smile, shook his head helplessly, and stopped bidding.

It wasn't that he couldn't afford it, but that he didn't want to offend someone from Celestial Brilliance.

Even if only a low-level disciple from Celestial Brilliance were sitting in that box, no one would be willing to provoke them.

Lu Ping was so excited his face flushed red. Although the auction house reserved a special box for Celestial Brilliance, their people rarely came. On the rare occasion they did, it was usually just some low-level disciples coming to watch the excitement.

A situation like this, where an Advanced Disciple came and opened with a bid of one hundred thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones, was virtually unheard of!

"One hundred thousand... The honored guest from Celestial Brilliance has bid one hundred thousand! As expected of the strongest great sect in Xi Hezhou, their resources and their insight are both admirable! To be able to see the value contained within this Talisman, and to be able to offer such an astonishing price..."

Lu Ping took a deep breath. "Are there any bids higher than this?"

In truth, this was just a perfunctory line, spoken out of habit as a veteran Auctioneer.

Including him, almost everyone in the hall believed this attack Talisman would undoubtedly belong to Celestial Brilliance.

In the face of Celestial Brilliance...

Who could compete?

Who would compete?

Who would dare compete?

Inside Piaomiao Palace's private box, the red-dressed young lady, Xie Yurou, looked pitiably at her older sister, pouting unhappily.

It wasn't that her sister couldn't afford one hundred thousand Upper-grade Immortal Spirit Stones; it was that the price... was simply too outrageous!

"Sister... forget it," Xie Yurou said.

Just then, a calm voice came from another one of the boxes on the second floor: "I bid two hundred thousand."

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