Longevity: Start by refreshing your entries through farming.

Chapter 973 Snake Princess
At the Hanhai Auction.

As Fairy Qianmo took out a sixth-grade top-quality spiritual fruit, the atmosphere of the auction was instantly ignited.

Countless cultivators gazed at the Lingxi projection, their expressions revealing intense longing.

"It's actually the Golden Sand Worm Spirit Fruit, unique to the depths of the Vast Desert. It's said that this fruit is formed from the essence of a metallic sand sea worm after its death, combined with a precious herb from heaven and earth. After absorbing the essence of the sun and moon for thousands of years, it can finally bear mature fruit. It has incredible benefits for demonic beasts and alien races."

Qin Ming had also seen this rare and exotic fruit, unique to the vast desert region, in the books collected by the Dizang Pavilion.

Upon hearing his words, the Devouring Rat immediately drooled, gazing at the golden spiritual fruit in the Lingxi projection, then looking at Qin Ming with anticipation in its heart.

Qin Ming smiled faintly, not immediately making a bid, which whetted its appetite.

Xiao Qing in the small spiritual realm also seemed to sense the existence of the spiritual fruit, and tried her best to convey her longing to Qin Ming.

soon.

The bidding for the Golden Sand Spirit Insect Fruit began, and many hidden forces joined the competition.

Seeing that the time was almost right, Fairy Qianmo continued her introduction:
“Such rare treasures are naturally guarded by high-level demonic beasts. In order to obtain these three sixth-grade top-quality spiritual fruits, even seniors in the Void Refinement stage have perished in the jaws of beasts. It can be said that the dangers are extremely great and the price is quite high.”

"Moreover, this fruit does not appear very often in the Vast Desert, and we don't know when it will appear again."

"I hope all fellow Daoists will seize this opportunity."

Her explanation of the origin of these spiritual fruits made the cultivators below even more excited.

Even cultivators at the Void Refinement stage perished while trying to obtain spiritual fruits, which is enough to show how hard-won they are.

"We, the Crimson Scale Clan, will take these three spirit fruits. I will offer three hundred mid-grade immortal jades."

But then a rough-looking man from another race, with a face covered in blue scales, stood up from the crowd and immediately offered an exorbitant price.

Mid-grade immortal jade is an important cultivation resource for cultivators at the Void Refinement stage and above. It even has a great effect on cultivators in the mid-to-late stages and is a universal currency.

As for top-grade immortal jade, it is even rarer, and only a small amount circulates among powerful beings in the Integration stage.

It was only because Qin Ming, by successively killing several Nascent Soul stage demons and the assets of his successor, the Spirit Origin Ancestor, that he acquired some top-grade immortal jade.

Being able to afford three hundred mid-grade immortal jades is already extremely extravagant for the cultivators present.

"I didn't expect it to be the Flying Fire Old Monster of the Crimson Scale Clan. Even he came. He is quite famous among the demon-hunting cultivators in the Sand Region. It is said that decades ago, he single-handedly killed a late-stage sixth-tier Dark Moon Wolf King."

But no sooner had the burly man of the Crimson Scale Clan finished speaking than another bid rang out from not far away:
"I will offer four hundred mid-grade immortal jades."

The burly man from the Crimson Scale Clan frowned slightly upon hearing this, surprised that someone in this venue would dare to compete with him.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be emanating from the VIP box upstairs, and the aura of cultivation was unfathomable.

"A combined powerhouse!"

Startled, the burly man quickly shut his mouth and dared not continue the struggle.

He had heard rumors that two powerful alien beings had recently arrived in Tiansha City, and even Deputy City Lord Huang had personally come out to entertain them. It was highly likely that this was the one.

The person who ultimately won the bid for the spiritual fruit was none other than Yun Gu Zi.

Not long after.

Then a servant respectfully brought in the jade box containing the Golden Sand Worm Spirit Fruit and completed the handover with Yun Gu Zi.

After obtaining the spiritual fruit, Yun Gu Zi did not put it away. Instead, he came to Qin Ming and handed it to him, saying:
"I was fortunate enough to survive last time thanks to Fellow Daoist Qin's help. As this fruit is a unique spiritual object of the Vast Sea Sand Region, I would like to offer it to Fellow Daoist Qin as a token of my gratitude."

Qin Ming had been thinking of bidding for the fruit, but when he saw Yun Gu Zi make an offer, he decided to wait and see. He didn't expect the other party to be so shrewd.

The Devouring Rat had been eagerly anticipating the jade box, and Xiao Qing's excitement was also gradually rising.

After thinking it over, Qin Ming didn't stand on ceremony and accepted Yun Gu Zi's favor.

"Then thank you very much, Fellow Daoist Yun Gu Zi."

The auction continued, and then the people from the Nine Spirits Merchant Guild brought out another item, a palm-sized black iron block.

At first glance, it looked extremely ordinary, but Qin Ming could tell at a glance that it contained the essence of a spiritual treasure and was extremely heavy. It was even brought up personally by Elder Fengqi, who was at the Void Refinement stage.

"Next up is one of the highlight items of this auction."

"Seventh-grade low-grade Vast Ocean Gold Sand Divine Iron is a rare material for forging divine weapons. Just a little bit can greatly improve the toughness of spiritual treasures. This divine iron is only produced in small quantities in the deep abyss of the sand domain and is not found in other places in the spirit world."

"Starting bid: 1,000 mid-grade immortal jades."

As Fairy Qianmo finished speaking, several hidden alien monsters in the scene could no longer sit still and began to bid.

"I will offer 1,500 pieces of mid-grade immortal jade."

A hoarse, aged voice fell to the ground.

A hunched old man in a green robe stood up from the back of the auction hall to place a bid, and the aura he exuded shocked everyone.

"A combined power!"

Some people recognized the man's origins: "He is the Heavenly Silkworm Monster of the Hundred-Eyed Clan."

Once this big shot made his offer, the other lower-level cultivators didn't dare to provoke the Nascent Soul cultivator and all obediently shut their mouths.

"Golden Sand Divine Iron from the Vast Ocean is a rare find, even once in ten thousand years, and is the best material for enhancing one's natal spiritual treasure."

"Heavenly Silkworm Old Ghost, I'll also join in the fun. I'll offer two thousand mid-grade immortal jades."

In a corner of the auction, a boy in red robes stood up. He was also at the Integration Stage, and was in no way inferior to the Heavenly Silkworm Old Monster.

"It's actually the Firehound Child of the Molten Fire Clan," Yun Gu Zi said with slight surprise.

Qin Ming asked him, "Fellow Daoist Yun Gu Zi, do you recognize this person?"

"Indeed, Firehound Boy is also a well-known old monster of the Fusion Realm. It is said that he has a Fusion Realm level Molten Fire Giant Dog, which is equivalent to having an extra powerful combat force out of thin air, comparable to the mid-stage of the Fusion Realm. He once killed a cultivator of the same level. His methods are extremely sharp!" Yun Gu Zi had a high opinion of this person.

Upon seeing that it was the Fire Dog Child, the Heavenly Silkworm Old Monster of the Hundred-Eyed Clan's expression turned extremely gloomy, and he coldly snorted:

"Hmph, so it's Fellow Daoist Firehound. I'll offer two thousand eight hundred mid-grade immortal jades."

Just then, another person joined the bidding. He was a gentle and refined middle-aged cultivator with paper-white skin and silver reverse scales on both sides of his cheeks.

"I, the King, will offer three thousand mid-grade immortal jades," the refined middle-aged man said with a smile, holding a folding fan.

“The Dark Whale King of the Sea King Clan!!” Someone at the scene recognized the old monster. “Don’t be fooled by his harmless appearance. It is said that he is extremely ruthless. He doesn’t make a move unless it is a thunderous one.”

No one expected that this Vast Ocean Auction would attract so many Nascent Soul stage experts.

In an instant, the atmosphere at the scene became extremely subtle.

Aside from the combined-level monsters bidding, no one else dared to utter a sound, fearing they might inadvertently offend these powerful figures. Jiang Xiaoyu, sitting in Qin Ming's private room, stared at the scene inside, feeling almost suffocated.

He had never seen anything like it in his entire life.

This piece of Vast Ocean Golden Sand Divine Iron quickly soared to the price of three thousand mid-grade immortal jades.

Qin Ming's eyes flickered slightly. His natal spiritual treasure, the Wooden Emperor Nail, needed this level of spiritual material for its upgrade, so after a brief moment's thought, he quoted his price:
"I will offer three thousand five hundred pieces of mid-grade immortal jade."

As soon as he finished speaking, several sharp divine thoughts pierced through the isolation barrier of the private room and landed on him.

The Sea King's Xuan Whale King gently closed his folding fan, his azure pupils suddenly contracting as he asked with a hint of doubt:
"To think they're fellow cultivators from the human race! They're truly wealthy and powerful, quite the boldness!"

The other two old monsters also looked in Qin Ming's direction, initially appearing thoughtful, but neither of them made another bid.

Clearly, this item is beyond the price range I was looking for.

"Three thousand five hundred mid-grade immortal jades once!"

"Three thousand five hundred mid-grade immortal jades twice!"

"Three thousand five hundred mid-grade immortal jades three times!"

"Deal! Congratulations to this senior!"

With Fairy Qianmo's decisive hammer blow, the piece of Vast Ocean Golden Sand Divine Iron was delivered to Qin Ming's hands.

He opened the jade box, released his divine sense to examine it carefully, a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips, and then quickly put it away.

'Fairy Qianmo's reminder is correct; this item contains a universe within, actually nurturing a wisp of innate divinity. Three thousand five hundred mid-grade immortal jades is a real steal.'

'This object is encased in golden sand and divine iron, so even an old monster in the early stages of the Nascent Soul realm cannot see what's inside.'

'If the other powerful figures knew the inside story, things would probably be much more complicated. They'd likely fight on the spot, and even the top-grade immortal jade might not be enough to secure the item.'

The Devouring Rat sniffed, its eyes suddenly brightening as it pointed to the jade box Qin Ming had just put away.

Qin Ming gave it a look, and the master and servant were of one mind, quietly making a fortune once again!

Following closely behind, Yun Gu Zi's bottle of Five Harmony Divine Pills was also auctioned off.

The appearance of this kind of pill that helps cultivators in the Integration Stage immediately sparked an auction frenzy. Those powerful alien forces didn't care whether they offended the several Integration Stage veterans and all began to empty their coffers to bid.

He just wanted to take the photos back for his ancestors to enjoy.

After several rounds of fierce competition, the elixir was finally obtained by the fire dog boy.

"The next item up for auction is a rare spiritual object born from the creation of heaven and earth, extremely rare in the entire spirit world. It not only has the effect of prolonging life but also nourishes the primordial spirit—the Mysterious Spirit Peach."

Fairy Qianmo clapped her hands, and two attendants presented her with radiant peaches.

"It's actually a Mystic Spirit Peach! And a fully ripe one at that!"

Even though the Mysterious Spirit Peach is only a sixth-tier top-grade item, it can be a life-saving spiritual object in critical moments, making it extremely attractive to old monsters in the Integration stage.

In the end, the two Mystic Spirit Peaches were auctioned off for extremely high prices, with one going to the Mystic Whale King and the Heavenly Silkworm Old Monster.

Qin Ming acquired another large sum of mid-grade immortal jade, some of which remained after he used it to bid for the Vast Ocean Golden Sand Divine Iron.

The auction lasted for several days and was incredibly popular.

Furthermore, each day near the end, a grand finale item would be auctioned off, greatly exciting the numerous cultivators.

Looking at the unprecedented grandeur of the auction, Deputy City Lord Huang sighed with emotion and said:
"This is probably one of the most successful auctions in the history of the Vast Desert."

"I wonder how things went with Master. I was unable to witness the magnificent scene in person."

……

at the same time.

Deep within the vast desert, there lies an enormous underground palace of immense magnificence, adorned with various giant snake sculptures and reliefs depicting human heads and snake bodies, exuding a sacred aura.

At the entrance of the main hall, the plaque is inscribed with the four characters 'Stone Scale Temple'.

Countless powerful snake-man cultivators stood on the stone steps on both sides of the temple.

On the throne in the temple.

A stunningly beautiful young woman reclined languidly, her long, slender feet peeking out from under her dress, exuding ultimate allure.

Her every smile and frown was captivating, making it impossible to look directly at her.

However, what is even more terrifying is its unfathomable aura of cultivation.

At this moment, an elderly man in a grey robe from the Serpent Clan entered from outside the temple and reported to the woman on the throne:

"Reporting to Chief Snake Queen, traces of the Celestial Sand Man have been discovered near the Black Sand Rift in the north. He has merged with another alien race member, and they seem to be secretly investigating something."

Upon hearing this, the Snake Princess didn't even flinch. She ate a spiritual fruit peeled for her by a servant behind her, and her heavenly voice rang out softly, echoing throughout the temple:
“This old fellow will not act without a reason, he must be up to something. Elder Shi, you continue to observe in secret and report to me at any time.”

"Yes," the gray-robed old man replied respectfully.

Then he suddenly remembered something and said to the Snake Princess:
"By the way, I heard that the Hanhai Auction in Tiansha Immortal City has been very lively recently, with top-tier rare treasures and spiritual items appearing one after another, setting a record high in nearly 100,000 years."

"Several spiritual items of the seventh rank or above appeared, including the Sea King Clan's Xuan Whale King, the Lava Clan's Fire Dog Child, the Hundred-Eyed Clan's Heavenly Silkworm Old Monster, and two human beings who had merged also appeared at the auction."

"Oh? Even humans have come all this way?" Upon hearing this, Snake Queen showed surprise, rising from her throne with a languid air, seemingly quite interested in the matter.

The gray-robed elder continued, "I heard that these two arrived in Tiansha Immortal City not long ago with the Nine Spirits Merchant Guild of the Wood Crystal Clan, probably for the Immortal Origin Clan's alliance conference."

Snake Queen looked thoughtful, then asked, "Even if the alien calamity is chaotic, it has already reached this point. The Immortal Yuan Clan's grand assembly is actually irrelevant to us."

"However, what I am concerned about is, what do those two humans look like?"

Upon hearing this, the gray-robed old man was immediately rendered speechless:

"Uh, this."

"I have never seen them either, but according to the reports from my subordinates, they are an old man and a young man. The young cultivator has a unique aura like an evergreen ancient tree."

Upon hearing this, the Snake Princess's curiosity was piqued, and her smile deepened.

"In that case, I must go and see what human cultivators are like."

After saying that, there was a moment of confusion on the throne of the temple, and the figure of the Snake Princess vanished in an instant.

(End of this chapter)