Mortal Cultivator: Lin Tianzun

Chapter 96 Underground Auction (Part )

Lin Fan found a secluded corner and slowly sat down. Momo waited quietly beside him. Time flowed by like a silent stream. Before he knew it, three days had already passed in a flash.

At this moment, the spacious hall was bustling with activity, with approximately two hundred people gathered. Among them were over a dozen cultivators in the Jindan stage. Looking around, most of their faces were hidden behind masks, revealing only pairs of eyes, some shrewd, some deep, revealing a sense of mystery and caution.

There were only a handful of people, their expressions frank, facing everyone without concealment. And Lin Fan, unknowingly, had quietly donned a mask, blending into the mysterious crowd, making his thoughts difficult to fathom.

As everyone murmured and chattered, the heavy curtains on the auction platform swayed gently. A middle-aged man in a darkly patterned robe approached steadily, his steps neither hurried nor slow. Each step carried a calm aura, as if carrying a tremendous force yet making it seem effortless.

Lin Fan's casual gaze suddenly focused, and he summoned his spiritual power to quietly probe. He couldn't help but marvel inwardly. This person was actually at the middle stage of the Core Formation Realm! To be able to command such a powerful figure to preside over the auction, it seemed that the foundation of this underground auction was truly unfathomable and should not be underestimated.

The middle-aged man stood at the center of the podium, his eyes slightly raised, a gaze as sharp as a physical object sweeping across the densely packed crowd of masked people below. That seemingly casual glance seemed to pierce through the masks, discerning the secrets deep within each heart. He cleared his throat, and his rich voice, brimming with spiritual power, spread like a bell, clearly permeating every corner of the hall. "Dear guests, thank you for your kindness in attending this auction. On behalf of all the members of the auction organization, I would like to express my sincerest gratitude." He bowed slightly, his gesture modest yet graceful, revealing his extraordinary refinement.

"Time is precious, so I won't waste any more time on idle chatter." The middle-aged man's expression became serious, and he got back to the point. "I believe everyone has heard about the rules of the auction. In short, the highest bidder wins. If you don't have enough spirit stones, you can also use items as collateral. However, I hope you all know that when using items as collateral, the converted price will be 30% less than the normal transaction price on the market." He paused slightly, and his eyes swept across the audience again, making sure that everyone had heard his words to heart, and then he continued, "Next, let us officially start this wonderful auction feast." After that, he raised his hands and clapped lightly. Two attendants carried a tray covered with a red cloth and walked quickly onto the stage. Their movements were in unison, like well-trained soldiers.

The middle-aged man raised his hand, and two attendants steadily placed a tray covered with a red cloth on the table. With a flick of his finger, the red cloth was peeled back with a swish, revealing a precious sword shrouded in crimson light. It was the first lot to be auctioned—the Fire Cloud Sword, a top-tier magical weapon.

"This is the top-level magic weapon, the Fire Cloud Sword. The sword is like a rolling cloud of fire, and it is extremely powerful. The starting price is three hundred low-level spirit stones!" As soon as the middle-aged man finished speaking, the audience exploded, as if a huge rock was thrown into a calm lake, causing thousands of waves.

"I'll offer three hundred and fifty low-level spirit stones!" A slightly childish, somewhat anxious voice rang out from the corner. The speaker was a young cultivator in the early stages of Foundation Establishment. He was short and frail, his hands tightly clenched around the corners of his clothes, veins bulging on the backs of his hands. His eyes were filled with a burning desire for the Fire Cloud Sword, as if the sword was his only hope of escaping his predicament.

"I offer three hundred and sixty low-level spirit stones!" A round-faced monk sitting in the front row was not willing to be outdone. He waved his fat hand with a heroic gesture and a loud voice, as if declaring to everyone his determination to win the sword. He wanted everyone to know that he was determined to get the sword.

"Four hundred low-level spirit stones!" Another tall and stern-faced cultivator directly raised the price. He looked calm, as if these spirit stones were just insignificant numbers. In his eyes, money was just a tool to obtain treasures, and at this moment, the Fire Cloud Sword was his only goal.

The price continued to rise, the bidding echoing like a passionate symphony. In the end, the young Foundation Establishment cultivator who had made the first bid persevered, successfully securing the item with a price of 480 low-level spirit stones. As he trembled as he stepped onto the stage and took the Fire Cloud Sword with both hands, his eyes welled with excitement, tears welling up in his eyes. It was the joy of a dream come true, and the sense of relief after all the hardships he had endured.

Someone in the audience murmured, "This is just an ordinary top-tier magical weapon, usually priced between three hundred and five hundred low-tier spirit stones, not outrageous." Everyone nodded. As the first lot was sold, the atmosphere at the auction grew increasingly heated, like a bonfire that burned brighter and brighter. Everyone eagerly awaited the next item, their eyes filled with curiosity and anticipation.

The middle-aged man raised his hand to signal the attendants to remove the tray carrying the Fire Cloud Sword. Immediately afterwards, another tray covered in golden silk was presented to the dais. He gracefully peeled back the silk, revealing a shimmering pill emitting an alluring aroma. It was the second lot on the auction block—the Foundation Establishment Pill.

"This is the foundation-building pill, which can help cultivators break through the bottleneck of foundation-building, consolidate their foundation, and improve their cultivation. The starting price is one thousand low-level spirit stones!" As soon as the man's voice fell, the whole audience instantly boiled over, and everyone's enthusiasm was completely ignited, as if dry wood met a raging fire, and it was out of control.

"I'll offer two thousand low-level spirit stones!" A cultivator in the late stage of foundation building had his face flushed red, and his voice trembled with excitement. His eyes were fixed on the foundation building pill on the stage, like a hungry wolf staring at its prey, with ferocity and greed in his eyes, which was an extreme desire for power.

"Twenty-two hundred low-level spirit stones!" A thin foundation-building cultivator standing diagonally opposite quickly raised the price, his eyes full of determination to win, as if announcing to other competitors that he was determined to get this foundation-building pill and no one else could take it away.

"Twenty five hundred low-level spirit stones!" The sound of bidding rose one after another, and the bidding wave followed one after another. Everyone was fighting for the price and refusing to give in. The atmosphere became increasingly tense, as if the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder.

"You are all dreaming!" A cultivator in the late Foundation Establishment stage with a face full of flesh stood up suddenly, put his hands on his hips, and shouted with disdain, "You want to bid for the Foundation Establishment Pill with only two thousand low-level spirit stones? You are dreaming! I will offer three thousand five hundred low-level spirit stones!" His voice was hoarse and carried a hint of deterrence, trying to scare away other competitors. He looked so arrogant, as if the entire auction was under his control.

However, the crowd in the audience remained undeterred by his imposing presence, and the bidding continued fiercely. The price soared, the atmosphere intensified, and everyone's heartbeats quickened with the shouting, as if they were on a battlefield without the smoke of gunpowder. Finally, after a fierce battle, another cultivator in the late Foundation Establishment stage, with a composed expression, successfully won the Foundation Establishment Pill for 5,800 low-level spirit stones. As the hammer fell, he breathed a sigh of relief, a gratified smile spreading across his face. He cautiously stepped onto the stage and accepted the Foundation Establishment Pill. This was the key to the family's survival. If the family could produce another Foundation Establishment cultivator, it would be enough to maintain its prosperity for another two hundred years. In the bustling underground auction hall, the auctioneer's voice resonated like a gong, methodically moving each treasure through the auction. The crowd in the audience ranged from those determined to secure a prize to those calmly observing. Each hammerfall was accompanied by cheers of joy and quiet sighs of relief, joy and sorrow, a glimpse into the myriad aspects of life.

But Lin Fan, sitting in that corner, felt increasingly depressed. Lot after lot was sold, but none of them were what he needed. His fingers tapped against his knees, the rhythm getting faster and faster. A hint of anxiety crossed his eyes, his brow furrowed slightly, and he thought to himself, "Why aren't there any?"

Just as Lin Fan was filled with anxiety, the auctioneer's voice suddenly rose, interrupting his thoughts: "Alright, distinguished guests! Next, we will welcome the finale of this auction - the Nine Yang Yuanshen Flower!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire audience fell silent, their gaze fixed on the platform, as if drawn by a giant magnet. As the attendant slowly peeled back the brocade cloth covering the tray, a fiery crimson flower, its petals like blazing flames, emerged. A shimmering golden light shone from its core, seemingly harbouring an endless mystical power and emanating an alluring aura that stirred longing.

"This Nine Yang Yuan Shen Flower is a whopping 1,300 years old and is incredibly rare!" The auctioneer's words were filled with pride, his voice unconsciously rising a few notches. "The starting price is 2,000 low-level spirit stones!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Fan's heart trembled, and he nearly stood up. His eyes widened instantly, staring intently at the Nine Yang Yuan Shen Flower on the stage. His breathing became rapid, and his chest heaved violently. He knew all too well the value of this spiritual herb. It was the main ingredient in refining the ancient elixir "Yuan Yang Dan"! This "Yuan Yang Dan", after taking it, could enhance the cultivation level of the late Jindan stage. For Lin Fan, it was undoubtedly a treasure he had always dreamed of.

"I'll offer 2,500 low-level spirit stones!" A cultivator in the middle stage of the Jindan realm, wearing a black robe, broke the silence first. He raised his head slightly, with a bit of arrogance in his eyes, and seemed very confident in his financial resources. In his opinion, he must get the Nine Yang Yuanshen Flower, and the others were just supporting roles.

"Twenty-seven hundred low-level spirit stones!" A short cultivator sitting not far away was not willing to be outdone. He quickly raised the bidding card in his hand. Although his voice was small, it was full of ruthlessness, as if declaring to the strong that he also had the strength to compete.

"Twenty eight hundred low-level spirit stones!" The sound of bidding came one after another. Every bid seemed to ignite the fuse of the tense atmosphere, making the temperature on the scene continue to rise.

"Three thousand low-level spirit stones!" A clear voice came from a woman with a stern face. She glanced at the competitors around her with sharp eyes, as if warning everyone not to compete with her easily. The cold eyes seemed to be able to freeze people.

"Three thousand five hundred low-level spirit stones!" As the price continued to rise, the competition became more and more fierce. Everyone's eyes turned red, and they vowed to get the Nine Yang Yuanshen Flower into their pockets, as if it was not only a spiritual medicine, but also a symbol of dignity and strength.

……

Lin Fan sat in a corner, his fists clenched tightly. His palms were slick with sweat, his nails digging deep into his palms. He knew the importance of this Nine Yang Spirit Flower to him, and now he couldn't afford to hesitate any longer. After taking a deep breath, he gritted his teeth, stood up suddenly, and said in a firm and resounding voice, "Four thousand eight hundred low-level spirit stones!"

The moment this shout rang out, the entire room fell silent. Everyone turned to look at him, a mixture of surprise, reluctance, and resignation. After a brief silence, the auctioneer quickly scanned the room. Seeing no further bids, he banged his hammer. "Four thousand eight hundred low-level spirit stones for one bid, four thousand eight hundred low-level spirit stones for two bids, and four thousand eight hundred low-level spirit stones for three bids! Deal!"

With the sound of the hammer falling, Lin Fan's tense nerves finally relaxed a little. He slowly sat down and breathed a sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. Soon, a waiter, carrying a tray, walked briskly up to Lin Fan, bowed slightly, and said politely, "Please pay with spirit stones."

Lin Fan calmed himself, raised his hand, and patted his storage bag. In a flash of light, forty-eight mid-level spirit stones appeared neatly in his hand. He handed them to the waiter one by one, each one seeming to carry his hope for a breakthrough. They were his years of savings and his vision for the future.

After carefully counting the spirit stones, the waiter gently placed the tray containing the Nine Yang Yuan Shen Flower in front of Lin Fan. Lin Fan carefully took the spirit medicine, his movements as gentle as if he were handling a rare treasure, as if the slightest force would damage it.

He pulled out an exquisite jade box from his bosom, slowly opened it, and gently placed the Nine Yang Yuan Shen Flower inside. He then quickly produced a spirit-sealing talisman and firmly affixed it to the jade box, ensuring that the elixir's spiritual energy wouldn't leak out. After doing all this, he carefully tucked the jade box into his storage bag, secretly breathing a sigh of relief. A subtle hint of satisfaction crossed his face, the satisfaction of having achieved his wish.

(End of this chapter)