Chapter 88: Wealthy

Finally.

The top-grade Marrow-Cleansing Pills were sold at a high price of five thousand spirit stones each.

After all, for some clans and cultivators, the barrier to breaking through to the late stage of Qi Condensation was like a massive mountain blocking their path.

Now that an opportunity had arisen, they would naturally spare no cost to secure it.

After deducting the Mirror Jing Xue Ge's ten percent handling fee, Qin Ming's net income from this round exceeded twenty thousand spirit stones, and his heart bloomed with joy.

The auction continued in full swing.

"Next is the second headline item of this auction."

Two bundles of tree bark emitting a faint red glow were brought onto the platform.

"Grade-two spiritual plant, Crimson-Silver Yellow Flax, the raw material for refining high-grade talisman paper."

"Starting bid: eight hundred spirit stones per bundle!"

"Each increment must be no less than fifty spirit stones."

The middle-aged auctioneer had just finished speaking.

The talisman masters in the audience began bidding fervently; after all, high-grade talisman masters were a rather wealthy group among cultivators.

"This old man offers twelve hundred spirit stones."

"I offer fifteen hundred spirit stones."

"Two thousand spirit stones!"

"..."

In the end, the two bundles of Silver-Leaf Yellow Flax were sold at two thousand spirit stones per bundle; after deducting the handling fee, Qin Ming's net income was two thousand eight hundred spirit stones.

"The next lot is the most significant item in this entire auction!"

"It is also the final headline item."

The middle-aged auctioneer introduced it with great passion.

Subsequently, two exquisite jade boxes appeared on the central platform.

The middle-aged cultivator gently opened one of the jade boxes, revealing two chicken-egg-sized, strange crimson spiritual fruits to everyone's view, emitting astonishing swirling spiritual qi.

"Top-grade Grade-two Divine Yuan Fruits!"

"Their spiritual qi is perfectly preserved."

"Starting bid: three thousand spirit stones per fruit."

"Each increment must be no less than one hundred spirit stones."

Whoosh! "Oh my heavens!"

"Mirror Jing Xue Ge is making such a grand gesture."

"These are actually the main ingredients for refining Grade-two pills."

"Which spiritual planting master cultivated these?"

As soon as these fruits appeared, the Foundation Establishment experts hidden among the crowd of cultivators could no longer remain seated.

"This old man is determined to get these fruits!"

A plump, red-haired elderly man stood up and said in a muffled voice, his eyes fixed tightly on the spiritual fruits on the platform.

The magic power of a peak early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was fully revealed on his person.

"This old man is Daoist Chifeng; I bid four thousand spirit stones!"

As soon as this person spoke, the surrounding cultivators fell silent, daring not to say more.

They seemed worried that even if they won the item, they would fear his retaliation.

An elderly man in his eighties, with ragged clothes and dark, withered skin, also stood up; a look of contempt appeared on his face as he said, "I say, Old Ghost Chifeng, if you have no spirit stones, don't just show off blindly; this old man doesn't buy your act."

Then he calmly shouted, "Five thousand spirit stones."

"Hehehe, since it's so lively, I'll place a bid too: five thousand five hundred spirit stones," a burly man resembling an iron tower said.

"Six thousand spirit stones."

"Six thousand five hundred spirit stones."

"..."

In the end, the two top-grade Divine Yuan Fruits were sold at a price of six thousand five hundred spirit stones each.

After deducting the commission, Qin Ming would still receive nine thousand one hundred spirit stones.

The auction concluded.

Inside the private box above.

Gu Qingzhao looked at Qin Ming with a smile and asked, "Fellow Daoist Qin, your earnings this time are nearly thirty thousand spirit stones; do you want lower-grade spirit stones, or shall I have them exchanged into medium-grade spirit stones for you?"

Qin Ming thought for a moment and said, "Then exchange one hundred and fifty medium-grade spirit stones for me; the rest can remain as lower-grade spirit stones."

Gu Qingzhao nodded.

Subsequently, he ordered someone to deliver the corresponding spirit stones; Qin Ming waved his hand and happily stored them all in his storage bag.

He also experienced the feeling of being a rich man.

However, this was merely part of the fruits of his three years of day-and-night, unremitting hard work.

Only the Divine Yuan Fruits were accelerated to maturity using his attribute.

The saying "three years without a deal, but one deal feeds you for three years" referred precisely to this kind of situation.

Once the art of pill refining is mastered, one will never lack spirit stones again.

"Fellow Daoist Gu, why didn't you auction the Five-Colored Spiritual Rice I sold you previously?" Qin Ming asked in confusion.

Gu Qingzhao smiled gently and said, "I plan to take the Five-Colored Spiritual Rice back to Canghai Immortal City."

"When the restaurant opens then, we will rely on Fellow Daoist Qin's Five-Colored Rice to make our name known."

"Fellow Daoist Gu jokes too much; the reputation of Mirror Jing Xue Ge hardly needs promoting, as it is already famous far and wide," Qin Ming said with a slight smile.

……

More than ten days passed.

Qin Ming stood on the ship's bow deck, gazing alone at the scenery outside.

His heart was filled with contemplation.

There were quite a few people on the deck, all having been cooped up inside for too long and coming out to get some fresh air.

At this moment.

A young couple of cultivators arrived on the deck near where Qin Ming stood.

"Sigh! If not for hearing that Spirit Feather Gate was recruiting many rogue cultivators to fight against the barbarians, promising not only abundant spirit stones but also the opportunity of a Foundation Establishment Pill as a reward..."

"... we wouldn't have impulsively rushed to bring you to such a bitter place to suffer," the young male cultivator said; he had a delicate, handsome face, appeared to be around twenty-three or twenty-four years old, and possessed a cultivation base at the sixth layer of Qi Condensation.

"Not only did we fail to earn any spirit stones this time, but to board Mirror Jing Xue Ge's dharma boat for the return journey, we spent all our savings."

At this moment, facing the young woman, his face was full of guilt.

"You need not blame yourself; no one could have expected the situation in Yunze Dahuang to undergo such a massive upheaval."

"As the saying goes, 'As long as Mo Qingshan remains, there will be no lack of firewood.'"

"As long as we are still alive, there will always be a way to earn back the spirit stones," the young woman said; she had an exquisite appearance, a fresh and sweet demeanor, a graceful figure, and a slightly lower cultivation base at the fifth layer of Qi Condensation.

"Yin'er, you are truly wonderful." The young male cultivator was instantly moved; he stepped forward and firmly grasped her soft, delicate hand.

Standing beside the two of them.

Qin Ming, this single dog, immediately broke out in goosebumps.

He truly could not endure such a scene, so he prepared to step away.

But just then, a sentence from that young male cultivator made him halt his steps.

"Alas, I initially boasted to my clansmen, claiming I would make a fortune; returning to the Spirit Perch Archipelago like this, I truly feel somewhat unwilling to accept it."

"Those few fellows from neighboring Blue Firmament Island will undoubtedly indulge in cold mockery and sarcasm again."

The young woman comforted him, saying, "Do not pay too much attention to others' opinions."

Spirit Perch Archipelago?

Could it be that these two are actually natives of this place?

Although during these past days, he had learned quite a bit about the Spirit Perch Archipelago from Gu Qingzhao.

Encountering locals would allow for a more detailed investigation into the specific details.

Qin Ming walked directly over, plastered a smile on his face, cupped his fists, and said to the two of them.

"Greetings, fellow Daoists; I heard that you two seem to be cultivators from the Spirit Perch Archipelago. As it happens, I also intend to travel to the Spirit Perch Archipelago and wished to inquire about the situation there from you two."

The couple of cultivators exchanged a glance.

Seeing that someone from the late stage of Qi Condensation had approached to speak, they dared not be rude.

They hurriedly returned the courtesy.

"Cough! Well, that is possible, however..." the young male cultivator cleared his throat lightly and rubbed his fingers together in a barely perceptible manner.

Qin Ming understood instantly; he then smiled and said, "I know the rules; please follow me back to my room for a cup of spirit tea so we may discuss this in detail."

Having said this.

Under Qin Ming's invitation, the two followed him up to the luxurious suite on the third floor.

Upon entering, both were shocked by the lavish decoration inside.

The sounds from outside were also isolated; clearly, soundproofing formations had been installed.

The young couple stared wide-eyed at each other; no matter how they thought about it, they could not comprehend how an ordinary-looking cultivator like the one before them could afford to stay in such an expensive room.

In their hearts, their estimation of Qin Ming instantly rose by a level.

(End of Chapter)