Path to Heaven
chapter-158

Chapter 158: Frenzied Bidding

“Additional bids are limited to minimally 200 low grade spiritual stones as per the rules of this auction. All auctioned off treasures are to be paid with spiritual stones immediately……….”

“…….the first treasure of this auction is….a low-grade Spirit class Inferno Banner, an artifact treasure of both offensive and defensive nature; forged by the grand 7-tier blacksmith Han Wuya of the Spirit Cloud Continent back in his earlier days. Lowest bidding price starts at 3,000 low grade spiritual stones!”

After explaining the regulations of the auction, the first article was finally delivered up.

The jasper platform floating in the center of the hall, was clearly infused with a special formation array. The large chest auction hostess was clearly speaking with an uninterrupted, soft and gentle voice, yet everything was transmitted with great clarity to the audience.

As for the first article of this auction, it immediately roused the spirits of every cultivator on scene.

A true Spirit class artifact!

Exhibited by the large-chested female cultivator, the Inferno Banner was 5 inches tall and 2 inches broad while emanating red glows entirely. Along its edges were lines of golden veins, with decorative lines that formed regiments of red clouds as patterns on the banner’s surface. Fiery flaming energy boundlessly emitted out. One look was enough to note this wasn’t an ordinary artifact.

A true Spirit class artifact that was exceedingly hard to come by. Amongst the Heavenly Circuit Stage level 5 or Thought Division Stage experts Wei Suo had encountered previously, they only possessed 1-2 of such artifacts. Furthermore, the Thought Division Stage realm allowed one to simultaneously execute two of such artifacts. Hence, artifacts of such class would no doubt entice a war amongst cultivators.

“4,000 low grade spiritual stones!” As expected, someone within the middle floor immediately bid after the large-chested woman’s voice faded. Moreover, he directly inflated it by a 1,000 low grade spiritual stones.

As for Wei Suo, he wasn’t interested in such an artifact because he already possessed true Spirit class artifacts on hand. If he counted in his true energy exhausting Dark Demon Blade, he would have a total of 6 pieces. Moreover, he even possessed that Divine Six-Suns Firefork from Old Devil Qin, where its might vastly exceeded a normal low-grade Spirit class artifact.

His plentiful wealth was something that not even heavily nurtured elite disciples of the massive Thunder Heaven Sect or the Spirit Beast Palace could possess. Just like that Heaven’s First Sect elite disciple back in Sky Valley’s earthflame magma pool cave, he seemed to only possess a single low-grade Spirit class defensive-offensive ‘Golden character’ artifact.

Moreover, he had even cultivated the Firecloud Flying skill, allowing him to conjure out a fire cloud. With might that would scale continuously alongside his cultivation level. Once he reaches Heavenly Circuit Stage level 5, its might would possibly surpass that of the Inferno Banner already.

Hence, Wei Suo utterly treated this first True Spirit class artifact nonchalantly, merely observing how much could an object of this calibre fetch.

But when he heard the bidding price of that first cultivator, Wei Suo’s brows twitched furiously.

That voice was exceedingly familiar, it unexpectedly mirrored Li Honglin’s voice.

“4,500 low grade spiritual stones!” At the same time, a tapered voice sounded out from an upper floor esteemed patron booth not too far from Wei Suo’s position.

“5,000 low grade spiritual stones.” That voice from the middle floor esteemed patron booth resounded again.

“Wakao!” Hearing that voice, Wei Suo couldn’t refrain from cursing.

“What’s up?” Han Weiwei asked Wei Suo puzzledly.

Wei Suo glanced at Han Weiwei and replied, “If I haven’t heard wrongly, that guy should be Li Honglin.”

“No way?” Han Weiwei became slightly startled. If Nangong Yuqing was with Li Honglin now, then wouldn’t this be the case of ‘searching everywhere until one’s iron shoes broke but to no avail, but accidentally finding it effortlessly?’

“5,500 low grade spiritual stones.” A vigorous voice also joined the bidding war for this artifact.

“6,500 low grade spiritual stones!”

Once again, that voice from the middle floor esteemed patron booth echoed out. Wei Suo could fundamentally confirm Li Honglin was definitely inside. Moreover, he seemed to be rather bent on this artifact, repeatedly fuelling a thousand spiritual stones. Now, he only couldn’t confirm if Nangong Yuqing was inside that same esteemed patrons booth.

“7,000 low grade spiritual stones.” That tapered voice cultivator unhurriedly added another 500 spiritual stones.

“7,500!”

“8,500 spiritual stones.”

“….”

Following the incessant bids of several cultivators, the value of this artifact exceeded 10,000 low grade spiritual stones in a flash.

“12,000 low grade spiritual stones!”

Eventually, with the seemingly abundant spiritual stones wealth Li Honglin possessed, no one else vied with him after his final bid. Thus, this Spirit class artifact was sold to Li Honglin.

During this period, Wei Suo spectated with an expressionless face. Yet his eyes flickered and none could guess what he was thinking.

“The second article of our auction, is the Soulguard Ancient Talisman. It can allow cultivators below the realm of Golden Dan Stage, to be transported for over 10,000 li within a day for 3 times. Starting bid of 2,500 low grade spiritual stones.”

Wei Suo appeared to be emotionally moved when the second auctioned article was announced.

The Soulguard Ancient Talisman!

When travelling through transportation arrays, an ordinary cultivator may experience feeling unwell. Even for small scale transportation arrays that spanned a few hundred li, it may bring feelings of unwell to cultivators as well.

If one were to consecutively travel for over ten times, the ordinary low level cultivators would feel as if his body and divine sense had reached their limits. Just like if Wei Suo travelled through a mid scale transportation array that spanned a thousand li, he would feel giddy and nauseous as well.

Thus, for cultivators beneath the Thought Division Stage, one was confined to only roughly 10,000 li within a day of using transportation arrays. If one utilized a large scale transportation array that spanned 10,000 li straight, a single transport would inevitably cause the cultivator to have to rest for an entire day before recovering.

Yet in ancient times, there was a sect known as the True Soul Sect that created a talisman that could protect one’s divine sense from receiving the intense backlash of spirit energy from utilizing transportation arrays. As long as one employed this talisman while travelling, it could allow a low level cultivation to employ a large scale transportation array for three times a day.

This second article of this auction was truly exceptionally beneficial for cultivators having to rush through long distances.

Otherwise, if one had urgent matters that required travelling from one end of the Heavenly Profound Continent to the other end, while only being able to employ a large scale transportation array once per day, one would minimally require 1-2 months of travel.

The existence of such ancient talismans were sparse in this world. Moreover, it would certainly be useful in the future. After several jolting thoughts in his mind, Wei Suo figured that if its ultimate valuation didn’t exceed 10,000 low grade spiritual stones, he would purchase the talisman.

“3,000 low grade spiritual stones!”

“4,000 low grade spiritual stones.”

“……”

“11,000 low grade spiritual stones!”

“13,000 low grade spiritual stones!”

Wei Suo swallowed his saliva in disappointment. Just like the first Inferno Banner, the tremendously useful Soulguard Ancient Talisman broke through Wei Suo’s valuation within a flash.

Ultimately, this Soulguard Ancient Talisman was sold off for 1,000 low grade spiritual stones higher than the Inferno Banner. It was snagged by a lackadaisical sounding female cultivator of an upper floor esteemed patron booth.

“The Silver Magic Ring!”

“…….”

“The Violetsun crystal!’

“The Thousand Catty Vessel!”

This massive auction of the Spirit Treasure Lane was truly extraordinary. The true Spirit class artifact, Thousand Catty Vessel, actually appeared here.

This artifact stirred Wei Suo’s heart. Not only was this artifact an uncommonly heavy crushing artifact, once it was activated, it would enlarge manifold and crush down onto the opponent with astounding weight. If one couldn’t evade, or didn’t possess any Spirit class or above divine light screen artifact, even a Spirit class artifact shield would be forcibly slammed down. It wouldn’t be a problem to flatten one into a meat paste.

However, within a breath, the valuation caused Wei Suo to turn speechless. In the end, an austere voice actually successfully placed a bid of 20,000 low grade spiritual stones.

“For the following article, we have two maps detailing the outskirts of the Heavenly Dome. It was drafted with close to half a year of time, and should be extremely precise. One pertains to the distant White Bullock Wastelands, and the other the nearer proximity of Mount Mang. Both maps would be sold together, with a starting bid of 3,000 low grade spiritual stones.”

When that large-chested female hostess produced the two auctioned articles, Wei Suo immediately stood up.

This was finally his aim. To reach the maps of the Duanlong Cliff, one required the inclusion of the map district around Mount Mang.

“Han Weiwei, help me bid for that object.” Wei Suo immediately calmed down and whispered to Han Weiwei.

“Alright!” That lass was all along a shopping maniac, and was already itching to death after spectating so many wondrous artifacts. It was just that she didn’t bring along much spiritual stones, and was unable to purchase any. Upon Wei Suo’s request, Han Weiwei instantly answered with incomparable excitement.

“4,000 low grade spiritual stones!”

“4,500 low grade spiritual stones!”

“5,000 low grade spiritual stones!”

Wei Suo drew in a breath of chilling air. Just three bids after Han Weiwei had spoken out, the valuation had already soared to 5,000 low grade spiritual stones.

“6,000 low grade spiritual stones!” Han Weiwei adorably cried out.

“Ah, truly a wastrel.” Wei Suo instantly felt a searing heartache. Shouldn’t she just add on 500, why jump by a thousand with one breath.

“7,000 low grade spiritual stones.” At this moment, another female voice drifted out from another upper floor esteemed patron booth. This voice belonged to that lackadaisical lady, the same one that bought the Soulguard Ancient Talisman.

“8,000 low grade spiritual stones.” Just when Han Weiwei was about to bid, another tranquil and calm male voice echoed out. It was from the esteemed patron booth directly opposite Wei Suo, and participated into the bidding war.

Observing Wei Suo’s gestures, Han Weiwei immediately inflated the price. “9,000 low grade spiritual stones.”

“15,000 low grade spiritual stones.” What caused an uproar with the crowd, was that the lackadaisical sounding female actually chuckled gently and declared such a frightening valuation.

This valuation immediately caused Han Weiwei and Wei Suo to become stunned.

This wasn’t because the valuation was unacceptable by them. Instead, the rate of bidding was truly too outrageous.

At this moment, the entire crowd was shell shocked. Instead, that lackadaisical voice echoed out once more. “Why, Dong Qingyi, do you also desire these two map pieces?”