Chapter 87: Departure and the Auction
Qin Ming pondered for a moment.
This journey to the Lingxi Archipelago would require renting second-tier spiritual farmland, which would not be a small expense.
So he took out the bark of the second-tier spiritual plant, Scarlet Silver Hemp, as well as a bottle of supreme-grade Marrow-Cleansing Pill from his storage pouch and placed them before Gu Qingzhao.
Originally, Qin Ming had intended to use that bottle of supreme-grade Marrow-Cleansing Pill for himself, but after refreshing the [Mana Crystal] attribute, he had successfully broken through to the late stage of Qi Refinement.
He no longer needed so many breakthrough pills for the late Qi Refinement stage.
“I’ll trouble you once more, Daoist Gu, to auction these two items for me.”
Gu Qingzhao curiously opened the jade bottle and peered inside. Instantly, her eyes lit up and an intense joy shone between her brows.
“It’s actually a supreme-grade Marrow-Cleansing Pill!”
“These two items from Daoist Qin could serve as the grand finale of the auction!”
Qin Ming smiled. Seeing Gu Qingzhao’s delighted expression, he couldn’t help but feel that such beauty was truly rare and captivating.
“It seems Daoist Qin has inherited Master Su’s true legacy!”
“I believe that once you establish your Foundation, it won’t be long before you break through and become a second-tier Alchemist.”
“A dual second-tier craftsman is an extremely rare presence in the entire cultivation world of the Wei Kingdom.”
Gu Qingzhao smiled softly as she praised him.
Qin Ming waved his hand, “Ah, Daoist Gu flatters me. My spiritual roots are poor, and Foundation Establishment is still a distant dream.”
“I don’t see it that way. Daoist Qin possesses great potential; Foundation Establishment is only a matter of time.” Gu Qingzhao’s smile took on a playful edge.
Qin Ming could only smile helplessly at her words.
Three days later.
A colossal magic vessel, even larger than Lingyu Sect’s Crossing Abyss Ark, slowly docked before the gates of Yunmeng Mountain.
The ship had five decks inside and three towers above, accommodating several thousand cultivators in total.
It looked like a primordial giant beast, making Qin Ming appear insignificant standing below.
Only an organization like Mirror Snow Pavilion could afford to maintain such a gold-devouring monster; the cost of a single voyage must be astronomical.
At this moment,
Countless streaks of light were flying toward the ship from the distant sky.
“All these cultivators have purchased tickets to leave Yunze Wilds with us,” Gu Qingzhao explained quietly at Qin Ming’s side. “They too wish to avoid being entangled in the disputes of the great sects.”
The guards of Mirror Snow Pavilion began to verify boarding jade tokens one by one.
More and more cultivators gathered; by noon, thousands had already arrived.
“Aren’t you worried that some unsavory individuals might slip in among them?” Qin Ming asked in confusion.
Gu Qingzhao chuckled, “Even if they are, as long as they pay the spirit stones, I’ll take them all the same.”
“You needn’t worry, Daoist Qin. The safety on board is absolutely reliable.”
Seeing her so confident, Qin Ming relaxed.
At Gu Qingzhao’s invitation, he boarded the vessel.
By the early hour of Shen,
All the cultivators had boarded.
The massive vessel slowly started moving. Qin Ming and Gu Qingzhao stood by the railing on the third deck.
They watched as Yunmeng Mountain gradually vanished from sight...
A sudden, inexplicable melancholy welled up in Qin Ming’s heart.
When he first arrived in these wilds, he never imagined there would come a day he would leave.
“Daoist Qin, come inside for a cup of spirit tea,” Gu Qingzhao said, accustomed as she was to such a life, appearing casual and carefree.
Qin Ming set aside his emotions, nodded, and followed her into a luxurious suite on the upper deck.
He had originally asked Gu Qingzhao to arrange a standard room, but she insisted on preparing a superior one for him.
The room was spacious with a magnificent view, offering a wide vista of the world outside through its windows.
…
Three days later.
In the grand banquet hall on the fourth deck, several hundred cultivators had already taken their seats.
Most who could enter here were accomplished Qi Refinement cultivators.
There were also four or five faintly concealed auras of Foundation Establishment experts hidden among the crowd.
Soon,
The auction on the Mirror Snow Pavilion’s ship began.
Qin Ming and Gu Qingzhao sat in a private box, enjoying refreshments served by the attendants while watching the proceedings below.
“Welcome, fellow Daoists, to this auction.”
“I can assure you, today’s auction will see heavyweight items appear—none of you will leave disappointed!”
A middle-aged cultivator in a black robe ascended the central platform to warm up the crowd.
“First, our opening item.”
Two bottles of pills were presented by an attendant.
The middle-aged cultivator gently uncorked one bottle, releasing a fragrance so pure it penetrated the heart.
A deep-blue spirit pill was revealed to all.
“The Spirit-Nurturing Pill—capable of enhancing mana for mid to late Qi Refinement cultivators!”
“I believe this pill needs little introduction.”
“Of all the pills that increase Qi Refinement mana, none surpass this one.”
No sooner had he finished than the crowd erupted.
“A Spirit-Nurturing Pill!”
“Which master crafted this?”
“I hear it’s incredibly difficult to refine—ordinary alchemists don’t even dare attempt it.”
Excitement swept through the hall.
The middle-aged cultivator raised his hand, clearing his throat to announce, “Each bottle contains five pills.”
“Starting price: four hundred spirit stones.”
“Minimum bid increment: ten spirit stones!”
With that,
The cultivators began bidding in earnest.
“Four hundred and twenty!”
“Four hundred and fifty!”
“Four hundred and eighty!”
“Five hundred!”
…
Qin Ming hadn’t expected the Spirit-Nurturing Pills he’d sold to Gu Qingzhao to become so sought after.
He’d only gotten four hundred and fifty spirit stones a bottle when he sold them.
Now, after only one round of bidding, the price had soared past five hundred.
‘Why do I feel a little shortchanged?’
In the private box,
Gu Qingzhao caught his expression and couldn’t help but smile.
“Five hundred and fifty!”
The bidding continued.
“Five hundred and eighty!”
The cultivators clearly understood the rarity—miss this chance, and there would be no next time, so they bid frantically.
“Good!”
“Five hundred eighty, once!”
“Five hundred eighty, twice!”
“Five hundred eighty, three times!”
“SOLD!”
…
After a fierce competition,
The second bottle of Spirit-Nurturing Pills was also sold for over five hundred spirit stones.
“Next, our second lot.”
Another item was brought onstage.
The middle-aged cultivator lifted the red cloth, revealing a blue robe.
“A superior Blue Spirit Robe—offers both defense and speed, able to withstand a full-force blow from a late Qi Refinement cultivator.”
“Starting bid: five hundred spirit stones!”
“I bid six hundred!”
…
As each item fetched a high price,
The auction neared its end.
An attendant carefully presented an exquisite jade bottle.
The middle-aged cultivator, eyes alight, gently opened the stopper, and a surge of azure spiritual energy wafted out.
A rich fragrance filled the air.
“Now, the first of tonight’s grand finale lots.”
“A breakthrough pill—the supreme-grade... Marrow-Cleansing Pill!”
“Starting bid: two thousand spirit stones each!”
Boom!
The hall erupted in unprecedented excitement.