"Five hundred and fifty!"
It seemed someone had taken the lead and stirred the crowd's emotions another bid came in immediately.
"Six hundred spirit stones."
Li Ye spoke up without the slightest hesitation.
He had anticipated this kind of situation.
His mental limit was around eight hundred. As long as it didn't go far beyond that, he could accept it.
After all, a pill like this held significant strategic value far more precious than many Tier Two items.
If he could master it, one commission to refine the pill would be enough to recover the cost!
And given his current status, there was no way he could expect to get this formula from within the Purple Profound Sect.
Spending this many spirit stones was a worthwhile investment!
However, once the price hit six hundred, the bidders in the hall suddenly became hesitant, no longer as decisive as before.
The bidding continued sporadically until it reached seven hundred and fifty, after which no one made another offer for quite a while.
"Very well! The Longevity Pill goes to Daoist Li!"
Zhong Quying announced cheerfully, the smile on her face returning.
Though the price wasn't quite as high as she'd hoped, she suspected it was because the other potential buyers had caught wind of something and were saving their spirit stones for what was to come.
Still, being able to sell it at this price wasn't bad!
"Congratulations, Junior Brother/Senior Brother, on getting what you wanted!"
Both Qu Zijian and Yu Xiaoshan offered their congratulations, their expressions growing more respectful toward Li Ye.
He had already shown considerable talent in alchemy, and now with the Longevity Pill formula in hand, he was easily one of the top Tier One alchemists.
One could imagine how many cultivators with failing lifespans would come to seek his help in the future.
And Li Ye was still only in his twenties his potential in the path of alchemy was boundless!
"Many thanks to you both…"
Li Ye cupped his hands in gratitude, though a trace of doubt appeared on his face.
"But I noticed that the family representatives seemed to be holding back during the bidding... Could it be that something major is going up for auction later?"
Yu Xiaoshan looked confused, but Qu Zijian seemed a little surprised.
"You two didn't know?"
His expression turned a bit serious as he slowly explained:
"According to the word we got from our family's representative, someone recently consigned a Foundation Establishment spiritual item for the auction a piece of Earth Vein Fiend Qi!"
"Hiss"
Li Ye and Yu Xiaoshan both sucked in a sharp breath. They had never expected something like that to show up at a Purple Profound Sect-hosted auction!
Earth Vein Fiend Qi could temper the body, strengthen one's blood and physique, and remedy weaknesses in one's vital essence greatly improving the chances of successfully forming a Foundation.
For many Qi Refining cultivators who weren't body cultivators, it was second only to a Foundation Establishment Pill in value!
Even though Li Ye had made some progress in body cultivation, he still couldn't help but be tempted.
If he could obtain it, he might be able to bring his Elephant Armor Strength technique to completion in no time!
But with his current wealth and strength, how could he possibly compete with the well-prepared family factions?
"Ha!"
As these thoughts swirled in his mind, Li Ye suddenly laughed, drawing strange looks from the other two.
"This works out nicely. Since we can't compete for the Earth Vein Fiend Qi anyway… and everyone else is saving up their spirit stones for it, doesn't that give us a better shot at getting the items we do want?"
"You've got a point…"
Both Qu Zijian and Yu Xiaoshan visibly relaxed. Letting go of that obsession seemed to open the door to even better choices.
Next came a few relatively ordinary auction items, followed by another top-grade magic artifact. Qu Zijian tried to compete for it but decisively gave up once the bidding exceeded six hundred spirit stones.
Yu Xiaoshan also placed a few bids and successfully acquired a rare natural treasure that complemented her cultivation technique.
Then came the moment Li Ye had been waiting for the formation inheritance!
Just as he had predicted.
Although this inheritance ranked among the most practically valuable in all cultivation-related arts and could help a family build a deep foundation of strength…
The competition was far less intense than Li Ye had originally imagined, due to the looming temptation of the Earth Vein Fiend Qi.
In the end, Li Ye secured it for just six hundred and fifty spirit stones far cheaper than the Longevity Pill formula!
After that, the auction entered its final phase.
The third-to-last item up for bidding was a pill suitable for early Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Though there weren't many bidders, the final price was still far from low.
But by now, everyone's attention had shifted elsewhere.
"I see many of our esteemed Daoists in the audience are already eagerly awaiting what comes next…"
Zhong Quying kept the energy high as she accepted a jade bottle from one of the attendants. "The second-to-last item is a strand of Earth Vein Fiend Qi, capable of tempering the body and increasing the chance of reaching Foundation Establishment…"
"If any Daoist wishes, you may step forward and verify its authenticity…"
Almost immediately, a cultivator from one of the major clans stood up and walked to the stage. Zhong Quying opened the jade bottle and displayed the Fiend Qi inside, allowing him to examine it thoroughly.
When the man excitedly confirmed its authenticity, the eyes of nearly every cultivator in the hall lit up, and the atmosphere reached a boiling point.
"Starting bid: one hundred spirit stones!"
The moment Zhong Quying's voice fell, a wave of bids followed.
"Five hundred!"
"Seven hundred!"
"Nine hundred!"
One bid after another came rapidly, and in the blink of an eye, the price was nearing one thousand.
Watching from his private box, Li Ye couldn't help but click his tongue there was no way he could compete with these people.
Perhaps the recent assault from the Flying Feather Sect had left many major clans with their Foundation Establishment cultivators seriously injured or even dead forcing them to urgently cultivate replacements to keep their families afloat.
Realistically, the market value of a Foundation Establishment Pill hovered around one thousand spirit stones, but they were notoriously hard to come by. That price was more of a reference than a rule.
And yet, the Earth Vein Fiend Qi ended up selling for a staggering 1,300 spirit stones!
It was ultimately won by a cultivator from the powerful Zhou clan of the Huan Kingdom.
"Foundation Establishment… To grasp even the slimmest chance, people are willing to pay any price…"
Li Ye sighed with mixed feelings.
Had he not already been planning his path to Foundation Establishment, he might've been tempted to join the bidding frenzy himself.
The excitement gradually settled.
The final item of the auction was a Golden Moonwheel Talisman Treasure.
This item fully lived up to its role as the grand finale.
Although talisman treasures were only truly wieldable by Golden Core cultivators and above, even Qi Refining cultivators could attempt to use them. Even if they couldn't unleash their full power, it would still give them overwhelming strength among peers of the same realm.
And if a Foundation Establishment cultivator were to use it regardless of the damage to the talisman it could even show flashes of Golden Core-level might for a short time!
It was a true rarity a treasure that could anchor the luck and legacy of an entire Foundation Establishment clan!
As such, it was treated no differently than the Earth Vein Fiend Qi.
The moment it appeared, the bids skyrocketed past one thousand, then slowed only slightly, though the momentum remained fierce.
It was eventually sold for an astonishing 1,800 spirit stones, snatched up by a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
After all, not every cultivator had an urgent need for Foundation Establishment resources but every Foundation Establishment cultivator would be drawn to a treasure like this.
Li Ye was tempted and made a few bids, but as the price broke past one thousand, he realized just like with the Earth Vein Fiend Qi this was far beyond his reach.
Even if he somehow managed to win it, it would cost him everything he had, and likely attract the ire of many powerful enemies. The risk was too great it was better to walk away.
And even so, Li Ye considered this trip a great success.
He had secured both the Longevity Pill formula and a Tier One formation inheritance!
After the auction concluded and he finalized the payments, Li Ye examined the two jade slips. As he confirmed the contents, excitement stirred in his chest.
"Formation arts… I've finally got it in my hands!"
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