noffsinger Chapter 434 Half a Year! The Soul Refining Sect's Treasure! The Auction!
Chapter 434 Half a Year! The Soul Refining Sect's Treasure! The Auction!
"A million!" Li Batian gasped, "This..."
"You can't catch a wolf without risking your cub," the Wang family patriarch sneered. "Compared to the treasure of the Soul Refining Sect, what are a million spirit stones? According to ancient records, the Soul Refining Sect once dominated the region, its treasury overflowing with spirit stones, countless magical treasures and elixirs, and even the inheritance of Nascent Soul Realm cultivation techniques. If we succeed, will it even be a problem for any of you here to break through to the Nascent Soul Realm?"
These words made everyone's breathing become heavy.
God!
That was the realm they had always dreamed of.
"Let's do it!" Li Batian slammed his fist on the table. "I'm going all in!"
"I agree," Sun Meiniang chuckled. "However, how will the spoils be divided afterward?"
"The spoils will be distributed according to the amount of effort contributed." The Wang family patriarch had already made preparations. "Breaking the formation will be a joint effort by all eight families. After the battle, the Wang family will take 20%, the other seven families will each take 10%, and the remaining 10% will go to the eight clans."
"Only one-tenth of the eight sects?" Qian Duobao raised an eyebrow.
"They are merely support; the main force is us," the Wang family patriarch said calmly. "If they disagree, let them go on their own."
The group exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
"Alright, it's settled then," Zhao Wuji said. "When do we make our move?"
"Six months from now, on the night of the full moon, when the Yin energy is at its peak," the Wang family patriarch said, a fierce glint in his eyes. "The seal will be at its weakest then, making it the best time to break the formation. In the next six months, everyone must prepare with all their might. Spirit stones, pills, and magic treasures must be fully stocked. Also, Brother Zhou will need to keep in touch with the Eight Sects."
Zhou Shan nodded: "Don't worry, I'll take care of Daoist Qinglian."
"There's one more thing," Wu Youdao suddenly said, "What should we do with that old eunuch from Dayuan? His fighting prowess is astonishing; if he gets involved..."
The Wang family patriarch sneered, "If he knows what's good for him, fine. But if he dares to interfere... I'll just use him as a sacrifice for the formation! The Eight Extremes Breaking Formation Diagram requires the essence blood of a Nascent Soul cultivator to activate. The essence blood of a late-stage, perfect Nascent Soul cultivator is extremely nourishing!"
A chilling laugh echoed from inside the hall.
Chen Fan heard it clearly outside the window, and a chill began to creep into his heart.
The eight major families actually want to break the seal of the Soul Refining Sect's patriarch and even use him as a sacrifice to the formation.
What a huge appetite!
He continued to listen.
The group then discussed some details, including the procurement of spirit stones, manpower arrangements, and communication with the eight sects. The meeting did not end until early in the morning.
"Gentlemen, this matter concerns our ability to complete the family mission. It is imperative to keep it a secret," the Wang family patriarch concluded. "If it leaks, do not blame me for being ruthless!"
"Understood," everyone replied in unison.
Zhou Shan put his straw hat and black turban back on and left first.
The other seven people also dispersed one after another, each turning into a stream of light and disappearing into the night.
Chen Fan remained hidden in the shadows until everyone had left and the mansion returned to silence, at which point he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.
"The Soul Refining Sect Ancestor... Body Integration Realm... Eight Extremes Formation Breaking Diagram..."
He murmured softly, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.
If the eight major families succeed in killing the patriarch of the Soul Refining Sect and breaking the seal, the entire sealed land will surely descend into chaos.
After all, the sealed land has not appeared in the world for so many years. Once those forces from the Southern Region invade, the Great Abyss may cease to exist!
"We can't let them succeed, at least not now!" A resolute glint flashed in Chen Fan's eyes.
"The most urgent matter is to go to the auction..."
Chen Fan turned around, his figure disappearing into the night, and silently returned to the Yunlai Inn.
……
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
For the next three days, Chen Fan stayed indoors, cultivating in seclusion. However, his divine sense constantly covered an area of three hundred feet, taking in every move of Old Dragon City.
The eight major families were making frequent moves, with cultivators constantly entering and leaving the mansions of the Wang family and the Zhao family, and supplies such as spirit stones, pills, and magic treasures were being secretly transported.
The city lord's mansion was unusually quiet, and Long Xiaotian seemed to be completely unaware of everything!
On the evening of the third day, it was almost 7 PM.
Chen Fan changed into a black cloak, put on a hood, and covered his face with a bronze mask.
He bought the mask casually at Wanbaolou. It could block divine sense detection. Although it wasn't particularly sophisticated, it was enough to handle most situations.
I pushed open the door and went downstairs.
The shopkeeper wasn't surprised by his attire; he simply bowed and said, "Take care, senior."
The underground auction in Old Dragon City happens every month, and there are plenty of customers who wear masks to conceal their identities; he's long been used to it.
Chen Fan walked out of the inn and disappeared into the night.
Tingfenglou in the west of the city is an inconspicuous teahouse with few customers on weekdays, but at this moment, dozens of figures have gathered in the backyard.
Each of them was shrouded in black robes and masked, their auras obscuring.
Chen Fan entered with his token and was led to a side room in the backyard.
There was a teleportation array inside the room. With a flash of white light, he appeared deep underground.
Before them stood a massive stone hall, about ten zhang high and a hundred zhang in circumference. Dozens of chairs were placed inside, and seven or eight tenths of the seats were already occupied.
Ahead was a stone platform with a long table on it. Behind the table stood an old man in black robes, exuding a profound aura; he was actually at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm.
Chen Fan found a corner to sit down and quietly scanned the area with his divine sense.
There were about fifty people in the hall, including three Nascent Soul cultivators, over twenty Core Formation cultivators, and the rest Foundation Establishment cultivators. Everyone concealed their presence and aura, but with the help of the golden bowl, Chen Fan's divine sense penetrated their disguises and saw their true faces clearly.
"As expected, it's a mixed bag," he thought to himself.
Of the three Nascent Soul cultivators, besides the old man on the stage, two others sat in the front row. One was the Wang family patriarch, and the other was none other than Zhao Wuji.
"The eight major families have also arrived." Chen Fan's eyes narrowed slightly.
At exactly 7:00 PM, the old man in black robes on the stage tapped the wooden mallet in his hand.
"The auction begins."
The sound wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.
The hall fell silent instantly.
"The first item is a third-grade magic weapon, the Crimson Flame Sword, which is fire-attribute. The starting bid is 500 spirit stones."
"Five hundred and fifty!"
"Six hundred!"
The auction proceeded smoothly.
Chen Fan waited silently for the Rejuvenation Pill to appear!
As time goes by.
Magical artifacts, elixirs, and materials were auctioned off, with prices ranging from hundreds to thousands of spirit stones!
until!
"Next item, a fourth-grade elixir, the Rejuvenation Pill." The black-robed elder took out a jade box and opened the lid.
Inside the box was a jet-black pill, its patterns like intertwined chains, emitting a rich medicinal fragrance. The aroma alone was enough to invigorate one's very soul.
"The Soul-Returning Pill is specially formulated to treat injuries to the soul and can repair the very essence of the soul. Its effect is second only to the Soul-Nourishing Wood," the black-robed elder said slowly. "Starting bid: one thousand high-grade spirit stones."
A collective gasp filled the hall.
One thousand high-grade spirit stones is equivalent to one hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones, a price that would deter most cultivators.
A look of joy flashed in Chen Fan's eyes.
Resurrection Pill!
Although it is not as good as the Soul-Nourishing Wood, it can still alleviate Tianxiangzi's injuries!
After the old man in black robes finished speaking, the stone hall fell into a brief silence.
A thousand high-grade spirit stones is an astronomical price for most cultivators present. Even for powerful families like the Eight Great Families, it is a considerable sum.
"One thousand and one."
A voice came from the front row; it was Zhao Wuji. He was still wearing his opulent robe, and his mask did not cover his entire face, only half of it, revealing his chin and the confident smile at the corner of his mouth.
"The Zhao family patriarch has made his move."
"The Resurrection Pill is good, but the price..."
Whispers arose in the corner, but no one dared to bid.
The old man in black robes surveyed the entire room: "One thousand one hundred high-grade spirit stones, anyone bidding higher?"
"One thousand and two."
The sound came from the corner, calm and still.
Everyone's eyes turned to the corner.
Chen Fan, dressed in a black robe and wearing a bronze mask, sat in the shadows, seemingly blending into the darkness. He had been silent until now, but his sudden speech immediately made him the center of attention.