Ch. 336 - Sacred Grounds and Imperial Dynasties
Shrouded SkyThis chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
This chapter is broken. Please report this on discord.
“Three hundred thousand catties of source!”
As soon as these words fell, the entire auction hall went silent, stunning everyone present. The great figures from the Middle Continent had spoken with an air that could swallow mountains and rivers, directly bidding three hundred thousand catties of source.
“They’re insane! A damaged godly medicine worth only one hundred fifty thousand catties, and they’ve doubled the price!”
Even the elder cultivators in the hall changed expressions, before such extravagant might, even the holy lands were powerless.
Inside the VIP suite, the four mysterious figures from the Middle Continent remained calm, as if those three hundred thousand catties of source were nothing more than a pile of rocks. They were all middle-aged men, dignified and imposing, as if celestial kings had descended to the mortal world. Each wore a dragon crown upon his head, their bearing grand and awe-inspiring.
No one knew their true ages.
The four great figures were not from the Grand Xia Dynasty, for the Grand Xia Crown Prince and the little white-robed nun sat in another suite with one of the emperor’s uncles.
“Three hundred and ten thousand catties of source!” An old monk from the Western Desert called out.
“Three hundred and thirty thousand catties of source!” A middle-aged man wearing a dragon crown from the VIP suite calmly raised the price.
The auction hall fell silent again. Even someone as formidable as Xu Tianxiong sat back down. Though he was a terrifying powerhouse, he couldn’t compete in terms of wealth.
“To raise the bid by twenty thousand catties in one breath, how domineering, as if source meant nothing to them!”
“They truly are from the Middle Continent, rulers of immortal ancient dynasties spanning billions of miles, no one can compare!”
Everyone was astonished, whispering among themselves.
“The Middle Continent has four undying imperial dynasties, and also hosts the Hundred Schools and many ancient sects. Which one of those ancient dynasties do they hail from?”
“Judging by their dragon crowns and robes, they must be from the undying Ancient Hua Imperial Dynasty, its heritage is deep and its prosperity unmatched!”
“They’re definitely here for Purple Mountain, seeking the inheritance of the Beginningless Emperor. They’re buying the godly medicine as a life-preserving treasure.”
Once their identities were guessed, the crowd grew even more wary. The immortal imperial dynasties stood above even the Sacred Grounds, few forces in the world could contend with them.
“Three hundred and forty thousand catties of source!” The Radiant Light Sacred Ground called out. As one of the great sects of the Eastern Wilderness, they were determined to obtain the humanoid godly medicine and would not fall behind.
“Three hundred and fifty thousand catties of source.” One of the great figures from the Ancient Hua Dynasty spoke again, though not as forcefully as before.
In their VIP suite, Ye Fan and Blackwater exchanged glances. According to Yao Yuekong’s analysis, if a Sacred Lord were seriously injured after attacking Purple Mountain, a damaged humanoid godly medicine could fetch around three hundred and fifty thousand catties of source.
Now that it had reached that figure, and was still climbing, they were astonished.
Sure enough, someone from the Ancient Jiang Clan raised the bid again, to three hundred and sixty thousand catties of source.
“Three hundred and seventy thousand catties of source!” The Radiant Light Sacred Ground immediately countered.
The Radiant Light Sacred Lord was gravely injured and needed this humanoid godly medicine to heal and recover as soon as possible. If he delayed, he might not even be able to attend the next assault on Purple Mountain.
“Three hundred and eighty thousand catties of source.” The man from the Ancient Hua Dynasty spoke calmly, his voice still steady.
At this point, all other Sacred Grounds and ancient families stopped bidding, and even the old monks of the Western Desert withdrew.
“Four hundred thousand catties of source!” The Radiant Light Sacred Ground directly pushed the price to an even higher round number.
The great man from the Ancient Hua Dynasty, still calm and composed, said, “Four hundred and ten thousand catties of source.”
The Radiant Light Sacred Ground was silent for a long time, not because they couldn’t afford it, but because they knew further bidding would be futile. Their opponents were from an immortal imperial dynasty, wealthy beyond imagination. If they were determined to win, it would only lead to a sky-high price war.
“Four hundred and ten thousand catties of source, once… four hundred and ten thousand catties of source, twice…”
Bang!
The auction hammer fell. In the end, the humanoid godly medicine was sold to the great figure of the Ancient Hua Dynasty for four hundred and ten thousand catties of source.
“They’re mad! It’s worth barely a fraction of that!”
No one could believe it, the number was simply too shocking to accept.
“Even the Sacred Grounds have been suppressed. The power of the Middle Continent’s forces is truly unimaginable!” Blackwater was dumbfounded.
“The final price exceeded expectations, it’s higher than even we predicted.”
Ye Fan said calmly, “A convergence of fate and timing. If not for the presence of the Middle Continent and Western Desert powers, such a price would’ve been impossible.”
The final auction item, the godly medicine, was settled, and people began to murmur and rise to leave.
“Please wait, everyone,” said the white-haired old auctioneer from the golden diamond platform. “We’ve received a last-minute consignment, one more rare treasure to auction.”
“What could it be? Even the godly medicine has been sold, what else could possibly top that?” someone asked.
The old man smiled mysteriously. “I think many of you will be interested.”
“What is it?”
“A Ginseng Fruit,” the old man announced.
“What?!” Many people were stunned.
“The Ginseng Fruit cut from stone?” Many elder cultivators instantly understood.
It was said that such fruits were incredibly hard to find, only Source Masters or certain dragon-blooded demon kings could detect them through their innate divine senses. They were the earth’s imitation of dragon pearls.
“Exactly,” the old man nodded.
The auction hall erupted in noise once more, everyone sitting back down, unwilling to leave.
“The Ginseng Fruit, an exceedingly rare treasure that can extend life!”
“It’s been years since anyone’s heard of one appearing!”
Everyone was shocked, first a godly medicine, and now this miraculous fruit.
“Though it may not compare to a true godly medicine, it’s still a rare treasure.”
“Who says it’s inferior? If it had time to mature, it could become an Earth Life Fruit, a pseudo dragon pearl, no weaker than a godly medicine!”
Inside the VIP suite, Ye Fan was enlightened. Even a fruit born within stone could grow by absorbing sunlight and moonlight.
The Sacred Grounds were restless, especially the Radiant Light Sacred Ground. Having lost the humanoid godly medicine, they were overjoyed to learn of another life-extending treasure.
“Please be quiet,” said the white-haired old man, carrying a jade cauldron onto the high platform and setting it at the top.
“Show it to us!” someone shouted below.
The cauldron was opened, revealing a slightly damaged fruit sealed within a transparent jade vessel. A faint fragrance spread, refreshing everyone’s spirit.
“Why is this fruit damaged?”
Everyone’s spirit sight caught the flaw immediately.
“It’s been bitten! Most of its spirit energy is gone, what a waste!”
“Who would bite such a thing?! It’s meant to be refined, not eaten raw! They’re lucky not to have been poisoned!”
Hearing the angry cries, Ye Fan’s face darkened. He again felt the urge to kick the damn black dog, it truly had a talent for ruining priceless treasures.
“Wait… those look like canine tooth marks. Don’t tell me it was bitten by a dog?”
Many of the sharp-eyed old cultivators immediately recognized it. “It really was bitten by a dog! Which wretched mutt did this?!”
“That was a Ginseng Fruit! Who the hell would feed that to a dog?!”
Ye Fan had no words.
Thankfully, the white-haired old man calmed the outrage, saying, “This item came from a rural area. An old farmer broke open a stone by chance and found it, he naturally didn’t know its value.”
“Still shouldn’t have fed it to a dog!”
“Damn it! Makes my blood boil!”
A group of old men cursed endlessly.
In the VIP suite, Blackwater was laughing so hard he could barely breathe, while Ye Fan was too exasperated to speak.
“This Ginseng Fruit’s reserve price is fifty thousand catties of source,” the old man announced.
The audience erupted in protest.
“If it weren’t damaged, it would be worth over two hundred thousand catties, but in its state, not even fifty thousand! How can that be the base price?!”
“Indeed, most of its aura has leaked away.”
Yet despite their complaints, the bidding began.
Even though it had been bitten by a dog, it was still a Ginseng Fruit, a life-extending treasure few could ignore.
The Sacred Grounds, particularly Radiant Light, were conflicted. They wanted it, but were embarrassed to fight over a fruit with tooth marks.
“Sixty thousand catties of source!”
“Seventy thousand!”
“Eighty thousand!”
“Are you for real? Fighting over a dog-bitten fruit?”
“If you don’t want it, then don’t bid! Ninety thousand catties!”
Blackwater laughed so hard he almost rolled on the ground, watching a crowd of old men battle over a dog-chewed fruit.
But soon, his laughter froze, his own grandfather stood up and bid, “Ninety thousand catties of source.”
“What the fuck… Grandpa, why would you fight for a dog-bitten fruit?!” Blackwater was stunned.
Ye Fan chuckled. “It’s only second to godly medicine, you should be congratulating him.”
“You’re saying that because you’re not the one who has to eat it!” Blackwater snapped.
“Old Li, you’re in your prime with plenty of life left, why fight us for it?” one elder complained.
Blackwater’s grandfather said calmly, “I’m buying it for my grandson. I’ll refine a pill to raise his cultivation.”
Blackwater was speechless, moments ago, he had been laughing; now he realized he might have to consume that dog-bitten fruit.
“One hundred thousand catties,” came a quiet voice. It was the Red Dragon Daoist.
When the crowd saw who it was, they immediately fell silent. Even the third warlord, Xu Tianxiong, didn’t dare to bid.
“One hundred and twenty thousand catties,” came the voice from the Radiant Light Sacred Ground. Only such a great power dared to compete with the terrifying Red Dragon Daoist.
He did not raise the price again, he simply lacked the source stones.
In the end, the Radiant Light Sacred Ground won the bid for one hundred and twenty thousand catties of source.
They accepted the result with grim faces, holding their noses metaphorically.
The four figures from the Ancient Hua Dynasty were the first to leave, majestic and domineering, the crowd parting before them. They were destined to enter Purple Mountain.
The old monks of the Western Desert followed, the divine halos behind their heads glowing faintly, leaving everyone trembling in awe.
Everyone knew, the third assault on Purple Mountain was about to begin.
As Ye Fan and Blackwater exited their suite, they ran into Wu Ziming, Li Chongtian, and the brocaded youth.
“From this day on, once you set foot in the Sacred Ground Stone Workshop, you’ll understand your fate,” Wu Ziming sneered.
Blackwater laughed coldly. “I remember your words, you said you’d make our faces turn green and never dare show ourselves again in this trade.”
“As long as you understand.”
Blackwater retorted, “You think your words are law? Tell me, who is this man you’ve brought? What’s his background?”
The brocaded man ignored him completely, striding past. To Wu Ziming he said coolly, “Dealing with them isn’t a contest, it’s a trifle. I came to the Celestial City to cut a piece of godsource for my grandfather’s birthday.”
Blackwater sneered. “Fine, fine, then we’ll see you at the Stone Workshop. We’ll see whose face turns green in the end!”
“You call that a battle?” The brocaded man gave them a cold look and walked off.
Wu Ziming laughed aloud. “You dare compare your crude country tricks with the art of the Tuoba Clan? Even Source Masters once sought their tutelage!”
A fragrant breeze drifted by, An Miaoyi passed, smiling faintly. “A stone-cutting duel? Miaoyi will certainly come to watch.”
“Oh? Is that so?” The Grand Xia Crown Prince and the white-robed little nun also emerged from their suite, surprised by what they heard.
Ahead, Wu Ziming paused and turned back with a smile. “If Fairy An herself attends, all the better, it’ll make the duel even more entertaining.”
He then invited the Crown Prince. “Your Highness, you must come. This is the genius of the Tuoba Clan, a prodigy who cut godsource three years ago.”
“The Tuoba Clan?” The Crown Prince was shocked. “One of the oldest Source Arts families, said to define dragon veins and bind mountains themselves!”
“Someone cut godsource alone in an ancient mine?” Jiang Yifei of the Jiang Clan arrived, smiling elegantly in white robes.
Wu Ziming introduced eagerly. “Yes, this genius of the Tuoba Clan once unearthed godsource single-handedly.”
The brocaded man, Tuoba Chang, paused as well. Even as proud as he was, he didn’t dare ignore the Crown Prince and the Jiang heir.
Ye Fan was thoughtful. This Tuoba Chang truly was extraordinary, his Source Mastery must be unmatched, or he could never have found godsource in an ancient mine.
An Miaoyi’s dark hair fluttered as she smiled radiantly. “A duel between Source Arts prodigies, it will surely shake the Celestial City. Miaoyi will certainly attend.”
“Indeed, so shall we,” said both the Crown Prince and Jiang Yifei. “It might yield treasures rarer even than ancient godly medicine!”
The Crown Prince and the young aristocrats all agreed, even the white-robed little nun’s bright eyes shining in excitement.
Tuoba Chang gave Ye Fan only a faint glance, as if he were unworthy of notice. Yet, in front of An Miaoyi, the Crown Prince, and the others, he said nothing more.