Chapter 342: Result

Two sticks of incense later.

The auction hall was filled with a tense atmosphere; everyone had submitted their bids, and until the very last moment, no one knew who would claim this spiritual land.

"Hey, who do you think is most likely to win this auction?"

"I saw that the Jin Dan old ancestor of the Lu family also participated in the secret bidding. Elder Lu is at the late Jin Dan stage, with extraordinary strength and foundation. Since he placed a bid, nine times out of ten, it should be secure."

"I'm not so sure. The Liao family from Zhongzhou also placed a bid. The Liao family's path of spiritual planting is renowned alongside the Su family of Longting Lake's pill dao, known together as the Twin Marvels of Great Jin. They certainly wouldn't easily let go of such spiritual fields."

"Besides that, who knows if the Brother Li Huo Palace, Divine Dao Mountain, and the Ten Thousand Dao Merchant Alliance aren't playing some tricks behind the scenes, secretly sending people to participate in the bidding?"

"So, does that mean this secret auction will be a fierce battle between dragons and tigers?"

"Exactly, exactly. Such a treasure land is not something we can afford to bid on; we might as well just watch the excitement."

The cultivators below whispered among themselves, exchanging thoughts.

A moment later.

Elder Jin Han returned to the stage.

The entire hall fell silent.

In an instant, the factions and cultivators who had placed bids nearly held their breath, their hearts beating faster.

They waited quietly for Elder Jin to announce the final result.

Since spiritual fields are public places, whichever faction wins the bid will go there to take over operations, so everyone will know eventually; thus, there is no need for secrecy.

Therefore.

Elder Jin Han did not dawdle and directly announced:

"After deliberation and consultation among the three parties, comparing all your bids."

"The final highlight item of this auction, the two hundred mu of fourth-tier branch spiritual fields on Five Elements Mountain."

"Has been won by the Mirror Jing Xue Ge of the Spirit Ruin Market!"

As Elder Jin Han of the Ten Thousand Dao Merchant Alliance finished speaking, the scene instantly exploded into chaos.

For this result had exceeded everyone's expectations.

"Mirror Jing Xue Ge? Why have I never heard of them?"

"Where did they pop up from?"

"Could it be that the Brother Li Huo Palace, Divine Dao Mountain, and the Ten Thousand Dao Merchant Alliance are interfering behind the scenes?"

"After all that fuss, it still ends up in their hands."

"Impossible. The three major factions would not do something so self-defeating."

"Once exposed, they would be infamous for ten thousand years."

"Then what price did the Mirror Jing Xue Ge actually offer to surpass so many established factions?"

"It simply makes me extremely curious, truly itching with desire to know."

"Fellow Daoist speaks the truth; I feel the same."

"I have been to the Mirror Jing Xue Ge. I heard they are a faction that came from the Southern Wilderness to develop in Great Jin."

"In that small place over there, they are considered quite prominent."

As the result was announced, confusion and reluctance appeared on the faces of those several Jin Dan old ancestors.

"Th-this, how is this possible?"

In an instant.

The name of the Mirror Jing Xue Ge instantly became famous, deeply imprinted in the minds of all factions.

It was simply the greatest publicity imaginable.

Qin Ming also revealed a slight, enigmatic smile.

With Elder Jin Han's final decisive strike of the gavel.

This large-scale transaction meeting at the Five Elements Mountain Market officially came to a close.

Du Xue outside the room entered with an excited expression, bowed to Qin Ming, and said, "Shopkeeper Lu, Elder Jin wishes to meet you personally to complete the spirit stone settlement."

"Mm, let's go then." Qin Ming nodded; in fact, he had long expected this.

As Qin Ming followed Du Xue to the backstage area of the Five Fortune Auction House, passing through a corridor, they happened to encounter Han Yuan and the other two who were on duty.

The three of them were also utterly shocked.

Liu Ye sent a subtle glance, smiling brightly as she said, "Fellow Daoist Lu's Mirror Jing Xue Ge is truly not to be judged by appearances!"

"What a grand move!"

"Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Lu for securing two hundred mu of blessed land in one go."

"It truly makes us exceedingly envious!"

Han Yuan and Gao Feng also sighed with emotion; just now, when they heard the result announced, they were completely stunned.

Upon hearing 'Mirror Jing Xue Ge', all three of them simultaneously thought of one person.

Wasn't the person in charge of the Mirror Jing Xue Ge in Great Jin none other than Fellow Daoist Lu, who had traveled here with them? Besides offering congratulations, their expressions were also filled with envy.

After all, that was the fourth-tier branch spiritual land that everyone longed for; cultivating there would surely yield twice the result with half the effort. "Hehe! Just luck, that's all. You three are welcome to visit me there when the time comes," Qin Ming cupped his hands and said with a smile.

"That was spoken by Fellow Daoist Lu himself."

"When the time comes, we will definitely come to find Fellow Daoist Lu and ask for a cup of spirit wine, hehe!"

"You are welcome anytime!"

Hearing this, Han Yuan stroked his beard and smiled, secretly rejoicing in his heart that this friendship had truly not been formed in vain.

"Fellow Daoist Lu has urgent matters to attend to; we can chat again later," Gao Feng said with a smile, understanding the priority of the situation.

After exchanging pleasantries with the three, Qin Ming continued following Du Xue into a room decorated in an ancient and simple style.

Elder Jin Han was sitting inside, drinking tea.

"Reporting to Elder Jin, Daoist Lu has been brought here," Du Xue reported respectfully.

Elder Jin Han set down the teacup in his hand, nodded with great satisfaction, and said, "Mm, you performed very well this time; I will credit you with a major merit, promote your position by three ranks, and you may go to the Duties Hall to claim your reward based on my oral order."

Hearing this, Du Xue was overjoyed; after repeatedly expressing thanks, he stole a glance at 'Shopkeeper Lu,' flashed a grateful look, and then withdrew from the room.

Inside the room, only Qin Ming and Elder Jin Han remained.

"Greetings, Senior Jin!" Qin Ming also bowed.

Elder Jin Han revealed a smile. "No need for excessive ceremony; sit down. Your pavilion truly possesses remarkable boldness."

"To even be able to produce three-tier Jade Emperor Spirit Rice."

Qin Ming had long prepared his script and replied without the slightest panic, "This Jade Emperor Spirit Rice was also acquired by our pavilion through great effort; there is only this much."

"Mm, let me speak plainly to you." Elder Jin Han poured a cup of spirit tea for Qin Ming. "In the final auction bidding, someone even offered six hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones, plus heavenly treasures and earthly materials."

"Yet Ben Alliance and the other two major powers were surprisingly unanimous in their opinion; we all chose your Mirror Jing Xue Ge precisely because of the Jade Emperor Spirit Rice."

"This rice holds immense efficacy for Jin Dan cultivators, and the only one capable of producing such a quantity at once must be that Grandmaster Qin from your Southern Wild Immortal Realm, correct?"

"I heard that Brother Li Huo Palace offered an enormous price yet still failed to move this person."

Qin Ming's facial skin twitched; he gave an awkward smile and replied vaguely, "That matter indeed occurred; affairs within the pavilion are managed by the Pavilion Master himself; this junior merely acts upon orders."

Elder Jin Han did not pry further, nodding slightly.

Subsequently.

Elder Jin took out a purple-gold token, a land deed, and a bag of spirit stones, handing them to Qin Ming with a smile, saying, "From now on, this spirit field belongs to your pavilion; congratulations."

"Additionally, the items you previously entrusted for auction fetched a total of five hundred thousand spirit stones; after deducting the three hundred thousand auction deposit, twenty thousand spirit stones remain."

"Given how pleasant our transaction and cooperation with your pavilion have been, we will not charge any commission; Shopkeeper Lu, please verify the count."

Qin Ming accepted the items, pretended to count them carefully, then rose to thank him, saying, "Senior Jin, the amounts are all correct."

Subsequently.

The two did not chat much; after exchanging a few pleasantries, Qin Ming left the auction house.

As soon as he emerged, he immediately contacted Hua Tianxiong.

"Once you exit the market city, find a place and wait for me."

"Yes, Master!"

Hua Tianxiong had just finished settling the spirit stone transactions at the Five Fortunes Auction House; although he had only bid on two items, this time he had truly suffered a massive financial loss.

He boarded a golden-luan precious carriage; besides the dozens of attendants from the Thousand Mechanisms Merchant Guild, a Jin Dan mid-stage supplier accompanied him to provide protection.

Just as Hua Tianxiong was heading toward a secret location.

In the clouds not far away, several black-robed cultivators lay in ambush, among them that Jin Dan mid-stage demonic cultivator from the Yin Demon Sect.

At this moment, he wore no bamboo hat but instead revealed his true face.

His visage was crisscrossed by two hideous scars resembling a centipede crawling across his face; coupled with his fierce and vicious gaze, he gave off an extremely sinister and chilling impression.

"Tian Wugong, you promised this old ancestor that upon success, you would hand over that 'Golden Crow Sun Flame Crystal' to me," beside him appeared the figure of that Yan Laomo Yan from the auction, who spoke to him in a yin-cold tone.

"My words carry the weight of nine tripods; I would not deceive you over a single spirit material," Tian Wugong of the Yin Demon Sect said, his gaze sinister and unblinking as he stared into the distance, his voice hoarse.

Yet Yan Laomo Yan still asked, somewhat puzzled, "I find it strange; why must you, Tian Wugong, obtain that seven-hundred-year-old Seven Orifices Tribulation Crossing Flower at all costs?"

"Once Hua Tianxiong dies, suspicion will fall directly on you, and that Old Monster Qian of Brother Li Huo Palace is no easy opponent."

"I heard that although Hua Tianxiong possesses some wit, his cultivation is utterly useless, relying entirely on Old Monster Qian supporting him from behind."

"To be frank, the demonic art I cultivate, the 'Profound Yin Demon Spirit Art,' can assist me in breaking through to Jin Dan late stage; recently, I am at a critical juncture."

"Yet this technique has a fatal flaw: although cultivation progress is rapid, the further one advances, especially when breaking through bottlenecks, the interference of heart demons becomes exceptionally intense, almost multiplying the backlash; one must use the Seven Orifices Tribulation Crossing Flower, supplemented by the essence blood of several demonic beasts and the living souls of cultivators brewed into a medicinal liquid to survive it."

"As for Brother Li Huo Palace, my Yin Demon Sect fears them not; worst case, we return after completing the task; what can they do to me?"

Hearing this, Yan Laomo Yan narrowed his eyes, unable to help feeling secretly astonished:

'Jin Dan late stage... so quickly...'

(End of Chapter)