CHAPTER 58: CHAPTER 58: ONE MILLION AND TEN THOUSAND SILVER TAELS

EDITOR: ENDLESSFANTASY TRANSLATION

"I want this Burst Rock Fist! 160,000 taels!"

Many martial artists’ eyes turned crimson as they stared at the Secret Manual on the jade tray. Bidding had begun.

"165,000 taels!"

"170,000 taels!"

...

As the first bid was announced, the entire auction hall began to boil over. Bids flew left and right in a chaotic flurry, and the price quickly shot up to 200,000 taels in the blink of an eye.

I can’t believe so many people are fighting over a Yellow Grade Middle-Rank Martial Arts manual. Luo Feng observed the bustling scene outside, slightly taken aback.

In the academy, even students from the external department could learn Yellow Grade Middle-Rank Martial Arts. Once they became internal students, they could practice Yellow Grade High-Rank Martial Arts. This Burst Rock Fist was nothing to Luo Feng.

Luo Xiao chuckled beside him, "Second Brother, ordinary academies aren’t like the Four Great Academies. For instance, in our academy, you have to become an internal student to study Yellow Grade Middle-Rank Martial Arts. Those martial artists from the rtiad mostly practice some basic family martial arts that are trash compared to this Burst Rock Fist."

Luo Feng nodded; compared to the students of the Four Great Academies, these martial artists indeed had a hard time.

By this time, the bidding had reached a fever pitch, and the price had soared to 250,000 taels!

"Damn! I bid 300,000 taels!"

A burly martial artist suddenly stood up, his face reddened, shouting gruffly.

At 300,000 taels, the voices of many bidders quieted down.

"HAHAHA, this Burst Rock Fist is mine!" the burly martial artist roared with laughter.

"Hold on!"

Before the laughter had faded, a young martial artist suddenly stood up. "What are 300,000 taels? I bid 310,000 taels!"

The burly martial artist gave the young martial artist a fierce look and gritted his teeth. "350,000 taels!"

The corner of the young martial artist’s mouth twitched. After a moment of silence, he sat down disheartened, as he clearly did not have enough silver.

In the end, the Burst Rock Fist Secret Manual was acquired by the burly martial artist for 350,000 taels.

This is crazy.

Luo Feng was dumbfounded.

He had originally thought that 250,000 taels was already a high price for a Yellow Grade Middle-Rank Martial Arts manual. Unexpectedly, it was auctioned for 350,000 taels!

If he hadn’t obtained the silver from Su Laohu, his 500,000 taels would have been insignificant.

"The second auction item: two sets of Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid, ten vials per set."

The woman in the red skirt took a porcelain vial from the jade tray and introduced it, "This is a first-grade Spiritual Medicine, effective only for martial artists below the Fifth Stage of the Iron Bone Realm. Using this Spiritual Fluid to soak the body during cultivation can help martial artists enhance their physique and accelerate their cultivation speed."

"Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid, each set starts at 100,000 taels, and each bid increment must be at least 5,000 taels."

The woman in the red skirt placed the jade vial down, her beautiful eyes sweeping around the room.

"This Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid can actually help speed up cultivation! I’ve been stuck in the Fourth Stage of the Rigid-Soft Realm for a long time; with this fluid, I should be able to break through quickly!"

"Ten vials of Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid, enough for me to reach the Fifth Stage of the Iron Bone Realm!"

"This Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid will enable our family to have several more experts of the Fifth Stage of the Iron Bone Realm; we must grab a set!"

Inside the auction hall, countless martial artists of lower cultivation levels went into a frenzy.

Spiritual Medicines that can accelerate cultivation are very rare. Those martial artists who needed Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid stared at the auction stage like bulls in heat, their eyes bloodshot!

"110,000 taels!"

"120,000 taels!"

"150,000 taels!"

The bidding for the first set of Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid quickly escalated, with many small families in Panlong City joining in.

This fluid could allow a family to produce several more experts, a very worthwhile calculation.

Watching this bustling scene, the smile on the woman in the red skirt’s face widened. The bidding for the first set of Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid was already so intense; the second set was bound to be even more explosive.

Soon, the first set of Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid was won by a young martial artist with a distinguished air for 180,000 taels.

The bidding for the second set then commenced.

As this was the last set, losing this opportunity meant no more chances. The bidding was on fire right from the start.

Those who had failed in the previous round bid desperately, and the price skyrocketed! In an instant, it surpassed the price of the first set.

The world has really gone mad. Inside the private box, Luo Feng was once again stunned by the frenzied atmosphere.

Although the effect of this Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid was good, it was ultimately just a first-grade Spiritual Medicine. He had thought that a price of 150,000 taels would be decent, but he didn’t expect it to exceed 200,000 taels in the blink of an eye!

"Second Brother, what are you thinking about?" Luo Xiao asked, noticing Luo Feng’s strange expression.

"Big Brother, do you have any silver left?" Luo Feng asked.

Luo Xiao shook his head. "I’ve given you all my silver. Why, is there something you want to buy?"

"Never mind then," Luo Feng shook his head, a slightly bitter feeling in his heart.

Originally, Luo Feng thought that with his over 1,600,000 taels of silver, bidding for the storage ring should be no problem. But seeing the frenzied scene just now, his heart was pounding with apprehension.

"Two hundred and twenty thousand taels once, two hundred and twenty thousand taels twice, two hundred and twenty thousand taels thrice! Sold! Congratulations to this martial artist."

The auction for the second set of Tempering Body Spiritual Fluid soon concluded, and the auction continued.

The Dayang Commerce Alliance, true to its reputation as Dayang City’s top merchant guild, presented auction items that were all exceedingly rare and valuable.

One by one, auction items were sold. Seeing Luo Feng still hadn’t made a move, Luo Xiao finally couldn’t sit still.

"Second Brother, the second-grade Spiritual Medicine, Fire Spirit Pill, that was just auctioned can help martial artists at the Fifth Stage of the Iron Bone Realm refine their Yuan Qi. It’s perfect for you. Why didn’t you bid?"

Luo Feng naturally wouldn’t say he had concealed his cultivation level. He smiled, "I haven’t fully refined the medicinal power within my body yet. That Fire Spirit Pill isn’t suitable for me."

"I see," Luo Xiao nodded.

At that moment, the entire auction hall suddenly fell silent. A servant approached the auction stage, respectfully holding a silver tray with both hands.

The woman in the red skirt waved her hand, lifting the red silk cloth from the silver tray to reveal an ancient-looking blue Secret Manual beneath.

"Next up is one of the main attractions of this auction: a Yellow Grade High-Rank palm technique, Stacking Wave Palm!"

The moment the words ’Yellow Grade High-Rank Martial Arts’ were spoken, the entire auction hall fell deathly silent.

While there had been several precious items up for bid before, none had been as startling as the Stacking Wave Palm.

Yellow Grade High-Rank Martial Arts were exceptionally precious, even in the Four Great Academies where only inner court disciples could cultivate them, let alone in this secular world.

After a moment of shock, the people in the hall gradually recovered, their gazes burning as they stared at the blue Secret Manual in the woman in the red skirt’s hands, almost forgetting her presence.

The woman in the red skirt waited until all eyes were riveted on the Secret Manual. Then, with a smile, she announced, "The Yellow Grade High-Rank Martial Art, Stacking Wave Palm. The starting price is 500,000 taels, and each increment must be at least 10,000 taels. Let the bidding begin!"

"I bid 800,000 taels!"

The moment the woman in the red skirt’s voice fell, a voice eagerly shouted out.

This price stunned the entire auction hall.

A Yellow Grade High-Rank Martial Arts manual was indeed precious, but to raise the price by 300,000 taels at once was undoubtedly a grand gesture.

"So, it’s Young Master Li Tianyang of the Li Family. The hunting competition is in ten days; it seems he’s determined to get this Stacking Wave Palm." Someone recognized the bidder’s identity.

Li Tianyang sat in his private box, looking at the astonished faces in the hall with a smug expression.

Like Luo Feng, he hadn’t bid until now. He had come to the auction with only two targets: first, this Yellow Grade High-Rank Martial Art, and second, the storage ring. He was determined to obtain both.

"Adding 300,000 taels at once, this Li Tianyang is certainly rich and overbearing. If not for my family’s troubles, I would have contended with him!" Luo Xiao looked at the opposite private box and snorted coldly.

Luo Feng smiled without speaking, looking at the opposite private box with a cold smirk playing on his lips.

Li Tianyang, enjoy your moment of arrogance. The real show is just beginning...

The auction hall was somewhat quiet. Li Tianyang’s obvious determination to acquire the Secret Manual made many aspiring bidders hesitate.

After all, the foundation of the Four Great Families was there. Anyone wanting to challenge them had to weigh the silver in their hands carefully.

The woman in the red skirt frowned slightly. She had initially estimated that this Stacking Wave Palm could fetch over a million taels, but Li Tianyang’s move had caught her off guard.

A charming smile appeared on her face as her lively eyes scanned the hall.

"Eight hundred thousand taels, any other bids? This Stacking Wave Palm is a martial art comprehended by a martial arts master after an exchange with a Xi Tribe expert. When cultivated to Great Accomplishment, its power can stack like great waves, up to eighteen times, making it a top contender among Yellow Grade High-Rank Martial Arts!"

The hall remained quiet.

Many martial artists had coveted the Stacking Wave Palm, but seeing Li Tianyang’s determined stance, they all backed down.

In terms of financial power, how could ordinary families compete with the Four Great Families? Bidding now might mean not getting the Secret Manual and also offending the Li Family.

Just as everyone thought the Stacking Wave Palm was surely Li Tianyang’s, Luo Feng announced his price.

"Eight hundred and ten thousand taels!"

The woman in the red skirt’s spirits lifted. Her alluring, intelligent eyes glanced towards Luo Feng’s private box, a hint of excitement on her face.

"Good, 810,000 taels! This young hero truly has a discerning eye."

Li Tianyang, who had thought the matter settled, was jolted. Recognizing the voice as Luo Feng’s, he shot a fierce glare at Luo Feng’s private box. Without even frowning, he waved his hand and declared, "One million taels!"

"AH! One million taels!" A collective gasp swept through the auction hall.

"He jumped straight to one million taels! Isn’t Li Tianyang being too extravagant?" The martial artists in the hall were stunned by Li Tianyang’s audacity.

Li Tianyang looked at the opposite private box, a cold sneer on his face.

His decision to bid one million directly wasn’t impulsive but a calculated move.

By his estimate, this Stacking Wave Palm should be worth around one million taels.

Moreover, the Luo Family had recently suffered a calamity and was surely facing financial difficulties. Even if they had some savings, it likely wouldn’t exceed one million taels!

He wanted to crush Luo Feng completely, in one fell swoop!

HMPH, Luo Feng, you want to compete with me? You’re still too inexperienced!

Li Tianyang toyed with his wine cup, his gaze sharp, confident that Luo Feng wouldn’t dare to bid again.

And just then, a somewhat lazy voice drifted again from the opposite private box.

"One million and ten thousand taels..."