Chapter 340: Hua Tianxiong's Boldness

"What?!"

"A Nascent Soul-condensing spiritual object?"

Every cultivator in the auction hall revealed a shocked expression, especially those below the Jin Dan realm.

Upon hearing that such an item had appeared, their instinctive reaction was not to consider how to bid for it, but rather to collectively lose heart and prepare to retreat.

These low-ranking cultivators, drenched in sweat, had already risen from their seats, preparing to flee the auction hall.

Who knew whether the Jin Dan True Persons here might do something insane, even fighting over the Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower right here on the spot.

After all, in the face of the temptation to condense a Nascent Soul, rules, morality, and the like were nothing but fleeting clouds.

By then, if immortals fought and dragged the pond fish into the conflict, these low-ranking cultivators, if caught in the crossfire, would have no path but death and the extinction of their Dao.

"Fellow Daoists, please calm yourselves."

"This Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower is ranked as a top-grade third-tier spiritual plant; although it is a Nascent Soul-condensing spiritual object, it possesses only seven hundred years of medicinal age."

Elder Jin Han emitted a terrifying fluctuation of magic power from his late-stage Jin Dan realm, instantly suppressing the crowd that was stirring with restless intent.

Hearing these words, the cultivators below, whose minds had been clouded by excitement, immediately calmed down.

"What a pity, only seven hundred years?"

"Nevertheless, even so, your Alliance is truly generous, actually willing to put up such a heavenly treasure and earthly rarity for auction."

"Fellow Daoist Jin, may I ask what price is set for this Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower?"

The sword-drawn, bow-bent atmosphere among those few Jin Dan realm cultivators also eased; they looked at one another, revealing expressions of sudden realization.

Thinking carefully, they also realized that if it were a Nascent Soul-condensing spiritual object with sufficient medicinal power, how could the Myriad Dao Shang Alliance possibly put it up for auction so easily? Would it not be better to cultivate their own Nascent Soul cultivators? In the private box next to Qin Ming, Hua Tianxiong ate a string of grapes, looking down below with a surprised expression, murmuring to himself:

"Impressive! Those old fellows of the Myriad Dao Shang Alliance truly keep their mouths tight; there wasn't even a whisper of news beforehand."

"Wait!"

"Could it be that the item Master wants me to bid on is..."

Just at that moment.

A cold voice rang out in his mind.

"That's right, it is this object."

"You must secure it at all costs."

Qin Ming communicated with Hua Tianxiong through the black talisman.

On the other end, Hua Tianxiong hurriedly replied, "Yes, yes, yes, Master!"

"I will definitely accomplish it."

After speaking, Hua Tianxiong felt extremely fortunate in his heart; fortunately, the medicinal age of this Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower was insufficient.

Otherwise, with major powers gathering at this auction, including several mid-stage Jin Dan cultivators present,

it would be extremely difficult for his Thousand Mechanisms Merchant House to snatch a Nascent Soul-condensing spiritual object from these people.

Hearing Elder Jin's words, those cultivators who had just been ready to slip away immediately returned to their seats one by one.

Suddenly, one of the cultivators curiously asked, "May I ask Senior Jin, as a Nascent Soul-condensing spiritual object, what exactly are the effects of this Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower? Could you introduce it?"

Upon hearing this, Elder Jin nodded and began to explain:

"I presume all fellow Daoists know that after a Jin Dan cultivator's magic power reaches perfection, if they wish to break through to the Nascent Soul realm, they must undergo numerous tribulations."

"In this process, the only things that can play even a slight role are Nascent Soul-condensing spiritual objects and opportunities."

"Unlike breaking through to the Jin Dan realm, when a Nascent Soul cultivator breaks through their realm, besides the Lei Jie, they must also undergo an exceptionally perilous Heart Demon Tribulation..."

"And this Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower is the main material for refining the spiritual pill used to deal with the Heart Demon Tribulation—the 'Ice Heart Jade Soul Pill'."

"Taking one such pill during the Tribulation Crossing can effectively guard one's original heart, preventing erosion by external demons."

"However, refining this Ice Heart Jade Soul Pill requires at least fifteen hundred years of medicinal power."

"Alas, this Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower before us has only seven hundred years of age, less than half what is needed, so it cannot be used to refine the Ice Heart Jade Soul Pill."

"Nevertheless, even so, as a top-grade third-tier spiritual plant, this flower can still be used to refine third-tier spiritual pills, offering immense benefit to Jin Dan cultivators in reducing heart demons and strengthening the spirit and consolidating the soul."

"Of course, the roots of this spiritual plant are preserved in perfect condition; if any interested spiritual plant masters take it back to continue planting and cultivating it, they might even succeed in growing a Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower with sufficient medicinal age."

Hearing these words, the cultivators below couldn't help but start complaining:

"Leaving aside the fact that cultivating and planting a top-grade third-tier spiritual plant requires at least the skills of a Grandmaster of top-grade third-tier spiritual plants or higher,"

"this is still short by eight hundred years of medicinal age! By the time it is fully grown, the day lilies will have long turned cold. Senior Jin, please do not joke."

Elder Jin, however, paid no heed and stated directly:

"Top-grade third-tier spiritual plant, Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower; starting bid is fifty thousand medium-grade spiritual stones, and each increment must be no less than one thousand medium-grade spiritual stones!"

At this, those few Jin Dan True Persons who had just successfully bid for items earlier pounded their chests in regret, sighing:

"If only we had known this precious flower would appear, we wouldn't have rushed to bid on the previous items! Alas!"

Qin Ming's gaze was sharp, his vision tightly fixed upon that Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower.

For others, the medicinal age of this Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower was insufficient, lacking more than half; but for him, ripening this precious flower to a thousand years would require almost no effort at all. Originally, he had thought that after the insufficient medicinal age of this spiritual plant was revealed, the competitive pressure would be somewhat less.

But he never expected that the ensuing bidding would be so fierce that even Qin Ming was left dumbfounded.

In merely the short span of half an incense stick, the price of the Seven-Aperture Tribulation-Crossing Flower had been bid up to the enormous sum of ninety thousand medium-grade spiritual stones!

Inside the private box next to Qin Ming, Hua Tianxiong was also driven to desperation; covered in sweat from head to toe, he cried, "This concerns my very life! How can this precious flower be auctioned off by you lot?"

"I'll fight you to the death!"

"One hundred and twenty thousand medium-grade spiritual stones!!"

Hua Tianxiong shouted with his neck straining.

Crash! At the appearance of such an astronomical price, the various major powers present instantly turned dark-faced, cursing collectively:

"Has Hua Tianxiong taken the wrong medicine?"

"Has he gone mad?"

"The Thousand Mechanisms Merchant House was already one of the Ten Great Merchant Houses of the Myriad Dao Merchant Alliance; I seriously suspect he shouted that on purpose!"

"I protest!"

The cultivators below watching the spectacle, however, feared no trouble and fanned the flames, exclaiming, "Ho! President Hua truly possesses great courage! Just act domineering and be done with it!"

"Hahahaha!"

Suddenly increasing the price by a massive thirty thousand caused many factions to withdraw from the bidding, leaving them only able to stare in anxious frustration.

"This old man offers one hundred and forty thousand!"

At this moment, a demonic cultivator wearing a black bamboo hat, whose face was indistinguishable, radiated the cultivation base of a mid-stage Jin Dan, carrying a slightly overbearing aura.

"One hundred and fifty thousand!"

After wiping away his sweat, Hua Tianxiong felt thoroughly refreshed, as if devoid of desire; at this moment, spirit stones in his eyes seemed to be nothing more than a string of numbers.

Having already thrown out one hundred and twenty thousand, he cared little about throwing out a few ten thousand more.

In any case, he would still have to feel the pain in his heart for quite some time. "One hundred and sixty thousand!" The aura of that demonic cultivator fluctuated slightly, as if his state of mind could barely hold.

Clearly, spending one hundred and sixty thousand middle-grade spirit stones to bid on this seven-hundred-year-old Seven Orifices Tribulation Crossing Flower had already become an overpayment.

It also exceeded his mental budget.

However, this flower held great use for him personally, making it imperative that he obtain it.

Just as he thought this price was as good as secured, Hua Tianxiong's voice drifted lightly from the private box: "One hundred and seventy thousand."

After announcing this number, Hua Tianxiong was actually panicking internally and could no longer maintain his composure.

"One hundred and eighty thousand."

"President Hua, I recognize you; however, this item is of great use to me. Could you please show some leniency? The Yin Mo Sect will owe you a favor."

As the hoarse voice of the cultivator in the black bamboo hat rang out, every cultivator present scrambled to avoid him.

Centered on that Jin Dan demonic cultivator, a circular area was cleared.

"This person is actually a Jin Dan Elder of the Yin Mo Sect from the neighboring Great Li Dynasty!"

"The Myriad Dao Merchant Alliance truly dares to invite just anyone!"

"People from the Yin Mo Sect are notoriously vindictive; they will fight to the death without end!"

"For True Person Hua to completely clash with the Yin Mo Sect over a spirit plant of insufficient age seems somewhat unworthy!"

Yet Hua Tianxiong inside the private box did not think so; with his own life hanging in the balance, why should he care about some damn Yin Mo Sect? Hua Tianxiong directly lifted the curtain, stuck out his head, and cursed at the Jin Dan cultivator of the Yin Mo Sect below:

"Let alone your Yin Mo Sect; even if the Sacred Ancestor of the Dao of Demons came today, it would be the same!"

"Stop threatening me with such things!"

"I, Hua Tianxiong, am determined to have this item today!!"

"Two hundred thousand!"

The atmosphere in the venue fell silent; even Elder Jin hosting on the stage stood stunned on the spot.

He wouldn't even dare to curse an Elder of the Yin Mo Sect like that. "Heh! Good! Very good!"

"This Seven Orifices Tribulation Crossing Flower, I shall no longer contend with you for."

"President Hua, we have a long future ahead!"

With that, the man in the bamboo hat, laughing angrily out of extreme fury, directly took his disciples beside him and walked out of the auction venue without looking back.

A moment later.

Elder Jin came to his senses, couldn't help but glance a few more times at Hua Tianxiong, and immediately struck the gavel to announce: "Congratulations, Daoist Hua! You have obtained the Seven Orifices Tribulation Crossing Flower."

(End of Chapter)