《Archfiend》Chapter 146: The Auction (7)
Advertisement
Exhilaration! Those words just now had deeply exhilarated Grandmaster Fivetastes! He had resolved himself to win this medicinal pill!
“70,000!” “70,000!”
Before his voice even fell, two different voices resonated in the venue, different voices but their contents the same.
“Old thief…” Grandmaster Fivetastes’s gaze immediately seized onto the people who had spoke. One of them was a person he couldn’t be even more familiar with! Holding post at Heavens Law, the figure was Grandmaster Knowledge! The other… was Grand Artificer Gao Muya! Dazed for a few seconds, he faced upwards and roared in laughter: “Good! Good!”
Laughing sufficiently, he studied the two men deeply: “In that case… let us compete. We three grand craftmasters, in the end, of the great heights we have attained throughout our entire lives, who will be able to move the heart of this pill master?!”
He extended a finger and the smile on his face somewhat warped because of his over excitement and expectation: “My first formula is from when I was at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment. On the day I reached the rank of master, I charged together with thirty Fellow Daoists into a palace buried underwater. 2,300 meters below the water, a copper ocean palace was found. It had not rusted for several hundred years.”
“Within this great palace, there was a coffin, a ten-meter-long gold coffin. Within the coffin was an encasing coffin and a chain of nine coffins. In order to open this destiny, I was the only one left among my thirty Fellow Daoists. This is how I came to possess this pill formula.” He strenuously licked his lips and looked deeply at the two people: “It is known… as the Nascent Soul Pill.”
Swoosh! At this moment, twelve frenzied god senses, akin to landslides and tsunamis, all fell on Grandmaster Fivetastes’s body!
Nascent Soul!
If said, to a majority of cultivators in the world, Core Formation and even Foundation Establishment was their ultimate dream. However, to these twelve grand and towering Core Formation ancestors, they only had one wild hope remaining!
Nascent Soul!
Buzz buzz buzz… In a gray pavilion, mist filled the air. In this twinkling, inside the ashy mist which was several tens of meters in radius, a great seam suddenly split open. A completely bloodshot eye with a golden pupil looked at Grandmaster Fivetastes who was down below without warning.
In a green pavilion filled with pure waters—waters so clear that the bottom was visible—a couple-tens-of-meters-wide lotus suddenly opened. On nine several-meters-wide lotus leaves, there were nine Great Circle Foundation Establishment. In the center terrace of the nine-petal lotus, there was the indistinct figure of a “person” made from graceful red light who suddenly opened her eyes.
In a white pavilion, a giant no less than 2.34 meters was gorging himself on food and drink, seemingly not concerned towards everything below in the slightest. Nonetheless, as the three words “Nascent Soul Pill” fell into his ears, he stopped gnawing on the leg of an unknown animal and wiped his hand on his body. For the first time, he looked downwards with rapt attention.
Grandmaster Fivetastes was drenched in sweat. The Core Formation ancestors had already painstakingly inhibited the might of their pressure, yet at this instant, it also reminded him. Do you know of how great the responsibility of these words are?
He clenched his teeth and continued to speak: “In addition… I made an attempt at this pill formula in Foundation Establishment, but the success rate was merely too low…”
Advertisement
No one spoke. Although everyone didn’t realize what Nascent Soul represented, the Core Formation menace that presently swept over the entire audience illustrated everything.
“Bear your words in mind.” After an unknown amount of time, an insipid female voice spoke. Down below, everyone’s spirits were immediately invigorated. All the representatives of the CSIB bowed deeply. Ancestor Hiddenscent! The sole woman among the twelve Core Formation! The head of the CSIB!
Grandmaster Fivetastes took a long sigh. Afterwards… he looked challengingly towards the other two people.
“Crap!” At this moment, a clan elder suddenly wished to clap his hands hard, yet simply dared not disturb the present tranquility. His hands suspended in the air, neither moving forth nor retreating, he choked on the air in his chest, and his complexion somewhat blushed!
“Clan elder?” “Clan elder! What’s happened?”
“Pill formula!” The clan elder gnashed his teeth and said: “Pill formula!!!” His voice was trembling!
Yet these two words, absent of both beginning and end, caused everyone to be dumbfounded. Immediately, all their faces wore a grieved and pained expression! Yes… Pill formula! No one continued to answer these words.
“Pill formula… Before today, this item might’ve been a collector’s piece, but now, it’ll be a priceless treasure!” A cultivator at his side gritted his teeth and said: “We forgot! How could we forget this point?!”
“No one could’ve predicted that the Dao of Pills would be restored! How many clans can even find these pill formulas?” Another cultivator pondered this as well and immediately said to the person besides him: “Right now! Think it over! Do we have ancient formulas?!”
This… was possibly the sole opportunity to directly meet the last pill master! Likewise, Grandmaster Knowledge’s and Gao Muya’s complexions were cautious. They both hadn’t expected the first item thrown out would be such a great killing tool!
Knowledge mumbled to himself for a while, and his gaze flashed. He looked towards the stage and said: “Young friend Xu, This Throne shall entrust you to carry some words.”
“Please instruct me.” Xu Yangyi cupped his hands and said. Naturally, he wouldn’t act on the folly of relying on favor and conducting himself insufferably.
“Tell the pill master… he should know what a pill spirit is…”
The brows of Xu Yangyi’s lowered head raised, but followingly smoothed over. A pill spirit… This grand master actually knew about pill spirits! Xu Yangyi had subdued a pill spirit, so he knew… however, this wasn’t the main point. Could it be… Grandmaster Knowledge’s pill formula was related to pill spirits?
“What I have here is not a pill formula but rather a method of absolute assistance for the pill master. Its name… is the Spirit Summoning Art.”
“With this art, I too intended to restore the Dao of Pills. From the look of this ancient manual, this art is certain to summon a pill spirit when refining a new pill at or above the Foundation Establishment realm.” Grandmaster Knowledge studied Xu Yangyi deeply: “For the Nascent Soul Pill, it is unknown when the pill master will arrive at this step, but as for this art, it can be used at Foundation Establishment. Moreover, I will also provide three kinds of Foundation Establishment pill formulas!”
Grandmaster Fivetastes looked at Grandmaster Knowledge in astonishment. He didn’t expect the other actually had an alternative. To the pill master, the value of this art absolutely not below his own! So much that it even surpassed it!
Advertisement
Although the fame of the Nascent Soul Pill was great, it only regarded Core Formation cultivators. For this novice pill master who could only refine Qi Condensation medicinal pills, Foundation Establishment was number one! The value of the Spirit Summoning Art far exceeded the Nascent Soul Pill in height!
Gao Muya was taciturn for a few moments: “An A-rank magik treasure prototype and an additional 70,000 spirit stones.”
In the present scene, none said a further word. It was quite obvious that they couldn’t give something on the level of Grandmaster Fivetastes and Grandmaster Knowledge’s price! Only fellows of the same industry knew their colleagues the best! Before the present auctioning, they hadn’t made a move, but they were bound to be final competitors in this struggle.
Hundredtongues was stunned, as well. These two items… He truly had no way to assess them! In the past, a pill master was a general reference to a pill elixirist, but now… perhaps an ancient pill formula would fetch a tiger’s price tomorrow! The value of a Nascent Soul Pill simply couldn’t be dared imagined! As for the Spirit Summoning Art’s value, he had never heard of it before!
“Young friend…” He looked towards Xu Yangyi, soliciting an opinion.
Xu Yangyi also found it somewhat awkward. He fancied both these items! However, by no striving or execution could he want for them now! At the moment, if he judged one of them the winner, everyone would immediately know that he was the pill master! Otherwise, why would he be so understanding on what the pill master required?
Alas, I desire the fish’s fin but also the bear’s paw.
Xu Yangyi couldn’t hesitate too long! His gaze flashed, and he cupped his hands: “I’ll have to request the two seniors to stay behind after the auction. I will certainly please both of you.
This answer couldn’t be given in the current venue. The value of both sides were incalculable, and while he was only at the middle stage of Qi Condensation at the moment, what if he had the chance for Nascent Soul one day? Or would he be weathered and seated like the present Dao Masters in a century? On the contrary though, he desired the Spirit Summoning Art now!
Riches and honor sought amidst danger… At this instant, he had already staunched his resolve: There’s no destiny set before me, but I’m fearful and on guard for the slightest thing!
No one mentioned Gao Muya. His offered price seemed high and a magik treasure prototype could only be obtained by fate and providence, but it couldn’t compare to the other two. Gao Muya said no more and sighed, sadly sitting back down.
Grandmaster Knowledge and Grandmaster Fivetastes brushed an eye over each other and both happened to snort by chance. Their hearts unreconciled and their emotions unwilling, they sat down.
“Alright, let’s end here. The first five medicinal pills have finished being auctioned.” Hundredtongues punctually followed: “Next, I’ll have to ask everyone to wait for a little while. After twenty minutes, we’ll conduct the auction for the last five medicinal pills.”
Xu Yangyi cupped his hands, and he and Hundredtongues withdrew together.
In the venue, even if the spiritual senses of the countless ordinarily unseen half-step Core Formation and twelve Core Formation were further restrained, they still caused everyone else’s breathing to be impeded. Indeed, Xu Yangyi wanted to rest a bit. However, as he left the stage, he saw over a dozen Qi Condensation cultivators holding several jade slips and walking over.
“What’s this?” He looked at these people somewhat curiously.
“Young friend, might this be your first time participating in an auction?” Hundredtongues’s laughter was amiable: “The auctions of Core Formation ancestors and those below Core Formation are two different worlds.” He was incapable of NOT being amiable. Even a pig knew that after today, the status of Xu Yangyi and the Xingtian Legion were bound to soar to an inconceivable stage! Even the Xingtian Legion’s market valuation would double!
Xu Yangyi’s strength wasn’t powerful by any means, but three years prior… he was able to survive from a holocaust and was a paragon. Now, in addition to the pill master’s support, his future prospects couldn’t be limited in measure. Hundredtongues was quite willing to plant this good karma.
“Oh? Please dispel my confusion, senior.” Of course, Xu Yangyi wouldn’t depend on his favor and act arrogantly, cupping his hands and laughing.
“Allow me to first spoil the climax.” Hundredtongues smiled faintly: “You’ll know later… but I can tell Fellow Daoist that this jade slip is a magik artifact. Its function is simple, and it records the entire heavenly treasure ranking, from C-rank to SSS-rank.”
That was to say… in the auctions of Core Formation cultivators… there were no spirit stones at all?
Xu Yangyi raised a brow and caught onto the meaning in Hundredtongues’s words straightaway. His heart too began to flame hotly. The Dao of Pills had received unprecedented popularity. In such a scenario, what would the auction of Core Formation ancestors—their biddings—be like? Divine abilities? Arcane efforts? Or perhaps… heavenly treasures which ordinary people could only read about in books?
Twenty minutes swiftly arrived. As Xu Yangyi got on stage again, not a single person on the floor had left. Instead, the atmosphere was even more fervent! The floor center had already changed completely! An enormous light screen, similar to a projection screen, floated in midair over the master stage. On its surface, there were countless names densely recorded! With a mere glance, he was drawn in by the names on the surface.
“Paramita Poppy. A century to grow, a century to bloom, and a century to bear fruit. In another hundred years, the fruit is born. The fruit contains boundless yin spiritual force and is a peerless selection for a cultivator who cultivates a yin-affinity arcane effort. Grade: A-rank.”
“Veinless Mulberry. Grows at the summit of the Kunlun Mountains, three thousand meters in the air above sky level. It is incorporeal and condensed from purest qi of heaven and earth. It grows to ten meters in a millennium and to a hundred meters in another. Grade: S-rank.”
Each named caused Xu Yangyi’s eyes to blossom with flowers. At the same time, he brimmed with anticipation towards the cultivation world. Right now, he really did want to go to the Kunlun Mountains’ summit and see what the appearance of an invisible tree that was three thousand meters above the clouds was like. He also wished to go to the seabed two thousand meters below to take a look at how mystical it was. A bronze palace, eternal for several centuries.
“This is the world’s true face.” Faintly smiling, he walked on to the master stage: “How are mortals to know of the Yangtze and Yellow Rivers’ greatness?”
Advertisement
- In Serial8 Chapters
8 The Infinite
Is immortality a gift or curse? For 8 the suicidal immortal the answer is quite clear. But making his death wish a reality won't be an easy task. The Broken Wastelands are full of anomalous places that break the rules of physics, time and space, offering fates worse than death especially to an immortal such as 8. The people of the wastelands are no less dangerous, turning to fanatical and strange ways of life in order to fit the chaotic and twisted lands they call their home. What will 8 find first? A way to end his life once and for all? Or a purpose strong enough to make him abandon the search for death?
8 147 - In Serial13 Chapters
The Cage
Mighty abominations and their more powerful gods dance between the galaxies in eternal migration, exploring, experimenting and playing. They leave destruction in their wake, heedless of the suffering of the sapients they slaughter, alter or drive to extinction as they toy with entire star systems for passing amusement. These monsters are called mankind. They are finally betrayed and defeated, but they cannot be killed. They are diminished and stripped of all memory of what they were, locked in a bottle reality on a false world called Earth. For thousands of years, mingled shards of their Broken Gods continue to chance across the cage that holds the species of their birth. The shards merge with suitable hosts to create empowered archetypes who awaken to supernatural Gifts and fractured dreams of a lost history. The greatest among them are magnificent heroes and villains: The Vigilante. The Mastermind. The Assassin. The Polymath. This is the story of their inferiors: The Beggar. The Homewrecker. The Gambler. The Henchman. The Miser. The Monster. Together, they will attempt to save the world, free humankind and escape the Cage. This will probably end really badly. *Cover art taken from internet source of free-use, uncopyrighted photos and images.
8 183 - In Serial22 Chapters
Tales of the 33rd universe - A Mech Designer story
Meet Marcus Caelum, since young he wanted nothing else to play with mechs. He studied, worked hard and he finally did it, now he is a Mech Designer (provisional).He achieved his dream and now is the time for realization, he now will learn that not all is great, that there are things to learn and that if he wants to do the job well he better adapt. Cover taken from a Battletech manual. This is my "first" novel so do forgive the quality a bit.It is mostly a Slice of life following what I believe a Mech Designer life would be. It will have action, science, comedy, dark moments and some adventure. It will barely have any romance and little actual combat (he won't go off fighting enemies everywhere, the MC is not a fighter). It's medium sci-fi, most hard science with some mana altering normal materials.The pacing is a bit slow, it takes some time for the story to advance.The first arc is completed and the novel is until further notice on HIATUS.I may continue the Tales of the 47th Universe to try my hand at another style and pacing. More info in chapter 22.
8 160 - In Serial11 Chapters
Player 47 - Rewritten
[participant in the Royal Road Writathon Challenge] In an unfamiliar world full of monsters, demons, deities and secrets buried for the better, a game is being played. 160 "Players", each one a soul of someone who died on Earth, will kill each other for a second chance at life. No one but the strongest deserves to live again and Frey Alcott, the 47th Player, does not plan on staying dead for long. (A rewrite and continuation of a discontinued fiction.)
8 76 - In Serial11 Chapters
Purple Lipstick Designer Club Vol. 1: Let's Be Cute Maids!
Purple and Teal are roomates, best friends, college students, magical girls, maids, and able to summon psuedo-demonic entitites to fight on their behalf. Life as a 20-something is hard enough, but when you come home to find a blood-covered body on your white carpet... well, that's just the last straw, isn't it? Featuring a story by Maru and artwork by Vanilla, Purple Lipstick Designer Club was a planned start in a long-running series. Originally published in 2017 for Comic Fiesta. Check out the illustrated version at Maru's itch.io!
8 89 - In Serial23 Chapters
Plaguesbane
'Daisy is our only hope!'Red Plague has broken out in the kingdom of Frailing, introduced by dark sorcerer and Wise Woman hater, Morwain. The only cure is the Plaguesbane fruit that grows in a forbidden garden in the heart of enemy territory. Trainee Wise Woman and Shape-Shifter, Daisy must undertake a perilous journey to retrieve it and save her kingdom. Before it's too late.Book Two of the Annifer Trilogy but you don't have to have read the first book to understand it#19 in Fantasy 1st March 2021#1 in Action 3rd October 2020, 1st February 2021#3 in Unicorn 3rd April 2020#10 in Mystery 4th October 2020
8 147

