Chapter 318: The Will of the Thunder System

Zheng Guan contributed over three hundred fourth-rank Star Jade Gui, twelve fifth-rank Star Jade Gui, several vials of elixirs including three Yin-Clearing Soul Pills, four initial-rank Star-Healing Pills, and one mid-rank Star-Healing Pill.

This wealth, if taken elsewhere, would be quite respectable.

But here with Xu Jin, it barely spared him from being called poor.

Of course, the bulk likely lay in the starlight stored in the Star-Picking Token.

Unfortunately, obtaining that was far too difficult.

One had to convince someone to willingly hand over the Star-Picking Token, then bring it within the range of a branch hall to transfer it—too risky.

Two hours later, Xu Jin arrived safely at Da Chen War City and followed the crowd back to Changsheng Auction House.

The sheer number of participants astonished Xu Jin.

Even if not over ten thousand, there were surely several thousand here.

The first thing Xu Jin did upon arriving at Changsheng Auction House was send a starlight message to the Liu Shopkeeper, who appeared before him in the shortest possible time.

"Young Master Qi, knowing you were coming, I reserved the best seat on the second floor—this seat requires payment of a strand of starlight, but far fewer people occupy it than the first floor, making it relatively quiet."

The Liu Shopkeeper added, "The first floor of Changsheng Auction House can hold four thousand, but attendees mostly stand—it's cramped, but free."

"Seats on the second and third floors are limited—take a look."

Throughout, the Liu Shopkeeper treated Xu Jin with deep respect, never showing any hint of disdain due to his low cultivation—this instantly won Xu Jin's favor.

"What about the fourth floor and above? I see your auction house has at least seven levels," Xu Jin asked.

"Indeed, seven levels! But above the fourth floor, all are private rooms of varying sizes, requiring specific qualifications—different sizes demand payment of anywhere from a hundred strands of starlight, or you may enter free if you hold Changsheng Auction House's VIP card," the Liu Shopkeeper explained patiently.

"Hmm, I plan to book a private room, and I also have some items to consign—where do I arrange that?" Xu Jin asked.

Xu Jin had come today to auction the Thousand-Year Dragon Turtle Shell and the Crimson Sparrow Feather—both items carried high value, and he wished to avoid drawing attention, hence his desire for a private room.

"Young Master Qi, I'll arrange the private room for you. What items do you wish to consign?"

"Right here?" Xu Jin glanced at the reception hall—there were far too many people.

The Liu Shopkeeper glanced at the crowded rear, gritted his teeth, and led Xu Jin toward the back reception hall, where he reported to a manager. The manager merely glanced at Xu Jin, then scolded the Liu Shopkeeper mercilessly.

After several breaths, the Liu Shopkeeper returned, bowing with shame, "Young Master Qi, I apologize—private reception rooms are extremely scarce today; only major clients may use them."

"Young Master Qi, you may still consign here—pricing and appraisal will suffer no delay."

In truth, Xu Jin had heard the manager's rebuke through his Mingji Star Pattern.

The gist was that the Liu Shopkeeper had no discernment—a fourth-rank novice could hardly possess anything valuable.

A few badges, perhaps a few ordinary Star Weapons, at most one fourth-rank Star Artifact—nowhere near qualifying for a private reception room.

It seemed the auction house had performance targets.

Watching the ashamed Liu Shopkeeper, Xu Jin thought of his past life as a salaried worker.

It appeared no matter where one went, salaried workers struggled—and this gave Xu Jin an idea, for he too had once been one.

"Mainly consigning badges," Xu Jin smiled.

"How many? If convenient, Young Master Qi, please show me—should the quantity be small, our shop may purchase them outright." The implication: too few meant no auction eligibility.

"Not many—around one or two hundred."

The Liu Shopkeeper's eyes widened in disbelief, "Young Master Qi, did I hear correctly?"

"You did."

Joy surged; in the next instant, the Liu Shopkeeper rushed back to the manager. The manager, stunned, immediately arranged a private room.

During the rest of the process, the Liu Shopkeeper grew even more respectful, his eyes brimming with delight.

One or two hundred badges—even if third-rank—represented a substantial transaction.

Inside the private reception room, when Xu Jin laid out two hundred top-tier fourth-rank badges, fifty low-tier fifth-rank badges, thirty mid-tier fifth-rank badges, and thirty initial-rank Star-Healing Pills, the Liu Shopkeeper's eyes bulged!

What the hell is this?

This is a mountain of them!

Normally, even a month's flow of top-tier fourth-rank badges into Changsheng Auction House might not reach this quantity.

After several deep breaths, the Liu Shopkeeper calmed himself and asked cautiously, "Young Master Qi, these thirty initial-rank Star-Healing Pills—do they bear the Wood Spirit Palace's authorization seal?"

Xu Jin, surprised this mattered, asked curiously, "Authorization seal? What if I have it? What if I don't?"

"Young Master Qi, if they bear the Wood Spirit Palace's authorization seal, these initial-rank Star-Healing Pills may be auctioned publicly and fetch a high price."

"If not, our shop can only sell them privately as unclaimed spoils—at roughly half the public auction price," the Liu Shopkeeper said.

"I didn't bring it. Arrange as you see fit."

Xu Jin did carry the authorization seal—but he did not wish to display it.

The seal bore a serial number; he did not wish to expose his identity.

Soon, the Liu Shopkeeper completed registration, returned beaming, and handed Xu Jin a Star Jade Gui.

"Young Master Qi, this is our five-star VIP card—using it, you may enter any private room below the sixth floor free of charge."

"Next time you visit our shop, present this card and come directly here."

"With this card, all your transactions at our shop receive a ten percent discount," the Liu Shopkeeper said respectfully.

At last, he had acquired something useful. Xu Jin accepted it and was led to a private room on the fifth floor.

Not large—about ten square meters.

But seeing the packed first-floor hall, his sense of superiority soared.

Platters of fruit, pastries, and delicacies arrived continuously, and two beautiful attendants stood by to serve—but Xu Jin waved them away.

According to the Liu Shopkeeper's hint, these attendants could be taken if desired.

But Xu Jin had no interest.

Half an hour later, the auction officially began.

First came conventional consumable resources, such as elixirs.

The first item auctioned was the Dragon Turtle Soul-Forging Elixir.

Five pills per set, twenty sets total.

Bidding was extremely heated.

In the end, Xu Jin also bid and won two sets—at over fifteen hundred strands of starlight per pill.

This item was currently the most solid currency on the Star River Continent.

No one would ever have too many.

Then came a large volume of badges, including those Xu Jin had just consigned.

But the most fiercely contested items were still the initial-rank and mid-rank Star-Healing Pills.

The most expensive mid-rank Star-Healing Pill sold for a staggering eighty-six hundred strands of starlight.

Ten were auctioned in total.

"Liu Shopkeeper, who had such deep pockets to sell ten mid-rank Star-Healing Pills at once?" Xu Jin asked curiously as the Liu Shopkeeper entered during the intermission.

"Young Master, you may not know—this is the Wood Spirit Palace's regular auction! Each month, the Wood Spirit Palace releases ten mid-rank Star-Healing Pills and two hundred initial-rank Star-Healing Pills for auction—this is precisely why our auction is so wildly popular!" the Liu Shopkeeper said.

The Wood Spirit Palace certainly knew how to do business.

This monopoly was like picking up coins.

The Wood Spirit Palace was undoubtedly filthy rich.

"Next up: five mid-tier fifth-rank Chaos-Space Teleportation Badges. Anyone using one may teleport randomly two hundred miles in any direction—truly a life-saving artifact!"

"Starting bid: one thousand strands of starlight per badge, minimum increment one thousand strands. Five are available today."

"Bidders may now begin."

Almost the instant the host finished speaking, the bid surged to fifty thousand strands of starlight within a single breath.

This made Xu Jin draw a sharp breath.

Xu Jin was not shocked by the high price of the Chaos-Space Teleportation Badges.

He was shocked by the true value of the Star-Dropping Pendant the Grand Master had given him.

Xu Jin knew the fourth-rank Star Artifact Star-Dropping Pendant was valuable, but he assumed its worth capped at a top-tier fifth-rank Star Artifact.

Now, he suddenly realized what kind of fourth-rank Star Artifact the Grand Master had given him.

Priceless. A Star-Dropping Pendant that granted one life-saving teleport per day was unquestionably priceless.

He wouldn't trade it for several sixth-rank Star Artifacts.

In the end, none of the five Chaos-Space Teleportation Badges sold for less than eighty thousand strands of starlight.

Under Xu Jin's Mingji Star Pattern, the bidders who won them all radiated terrifying seventh-rank energy signatures.

All were on the sixth and seventh floors.

Some cultivators on the first and second floors had bid, but only once or twice before being crushed.

You bid ten thousand, twenty thousand—they countered with seventy thousand.

How could you respond?

You couldn't.

This was a treasure that could save your life in a critical moment.

Previously, the Sixth Elder of the Heavenly Sun Star Temple, Xia Zhong, likely used such a treasure to survive under the Grand Master's hand.

Today, Xu Jin had witnessed the immense revenue-generating power of the Wood Spirit Palace and the Nirmala Palace.

With such revenue, their strength was obvious.

Yet this also reminded Xu Jin of the Fourth Young Master of the Nirmala Palace, Dai Guanwen.

Xu Jin had his own suspicions, and the Grand Master had specifically warned him to be cautious of Dai Guanwen in the future.

Should an opportunity arise, he would settle this account properly.

Especially Shen Wei, the deputy head of studies—he's the one who killed him!

The auction lasted two full hours, and Xu Jin successfully bid for a thousand-year turtle shell.

It wasn't expensive at all.

Five thousand strands of starlight for a whole thousand-year turtle shell—the patterns on the displayed piece could easily be split into over a hundred fragments, solving many problems at once.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the final auction items of this month's sale are now up."

"The first finale item is a sixth-rank low-grade star artifact: the Moonshadow Sword. This sword has three key traits: first, it is extremely heavy; second, under moonlight, it becomes nearly invisible; third, its forging material contains a trace of Blood-Infused Gold, making it razor-sharp, and it is further engraved with eight Sharp Metal Star Patterns."

But the flaw lies here: the sixth-rank low-grade star artifact Moonshadow Sword should have three Star Arts attached, yet only one—Moonshadow—is present."

It is best suited for cultivators who have cultivated the Object-Controlling Star Pattern."

"Starting bid: thirty thousand strands of starlight. Each raise must be no less than three thousand strands."

Xu Jin, who had been half-asleep, suddenly sat up straight.

His Gaiyue Sword is only fourth-rank high-grade—it's still barely adequate.

Once my cultivation base improves further, it won't be enough anymore.

This sixth-rank low-grade star artifact Moonshadow Sword was clearly forged for Object-Controlling sect cultivators.

What surprised Xu Jin even more was the lack of bidders.

After several bids, the price only rose to seventy thousand strands of starlight.

Remember, sixth-rank star artifacts typically start at one hundred thousand strands of starlight—and are often unobtainable even at that price.

"I bid eighty thousand!" Xu Jin raised decisively.

Sixth-rank star artifacts are rare finds!

Even at Changsheng Auction House, they're reserved as finale items. Xu Jin decided to take the risk.

As for payment, it was no issue for Xu Jin.

He had a large stockpile of fourth- and fifth-rank Star Jade Tablets—even sixth-rank ones—that was his confidence.

"I bid eighty-five thousand!"

The voice came from the sixth floor—a senior elder.

"Ninety thousand!"

"Ninety-five thousand!"

"One hundred thousand!"

"I bid one hundred and ten thousand!" Xu Jin raised by ten thousand strands at once, aiming to end it.

On the sixth floor, the elder snorted coldly, "One hundred and twenty thousand!"

"I bid one hundred and thirty thousand!" Xu Jin raised again, looking utterly determined.

The elder on the sixth floor finally gave up bidding.

He was just hoping for a bargain.

Above one hundred and twenty thousand, it's not worth it!

Winning the bid gave Xu Jin a small sense of satisfaction.

Wealth and power!

That's about it.

His confidence was truly solid.

His bids were bold and decisive!

"Ladies and gentlemen, the second finale item is a Thunder-type Celestial Star Will from the fifth-rank Star Realm."

As soon as the host announced it, Xu Jin sat bolt upright again.

A Celestial Star Will—especially a Thunder-type—was being auctioned!

Is Changsheng Auction House this powerful?

If a Thunder-type Celestial Star Will is here, then others must be too.

On the auction stage, the shopkeeper displayed a brilliant cluster of Thunderlight, making Xu Jin's eyes burn with desire.

All the bidders shared the same reaction.

Yet few were truly surprised—Celestial Star Wills appearing at auctions were not unprecedented.

This made Xu Jin realize that in the Star River Battlefield, Celestial Star Wills were precious, but not unknown.

On the contrary, many knew of them.

So how many had collected them?

Were there people like Xu Jin who had gathered over a dozen Celestial Star Wills?

Xu Jin felt the possibility was very high.

If one could appear at an auction, perhaps some old masters had amassed many!

This made Xu Jin feel a chill.

He once again felt true reverence for the Star River Battlefield.

Yet, reverence aside, Xu Jin resolved firmly to win this Thunder-type Celestial Star Will.

Thunder-type Celestial Star Wills were exceedingly rare!

But how many strands of starlight would it take to secure it?

Two hundred thousand?

Five hundred thousand?

Or even a million?

Beyond five hundred thousand strands, Xu Jin would have to give up in despair.

Under pressure from the crowd, the host announced again: "Per the consignor's request, this Thunder-type Celestial Star Will is exchangeable only for a Wood-type or Water-type Celestial Star Will."

"This Thunder-type Celestial Star Will will remain on offer for one year. Within that time, anyone who brings a qualifying Wood-type or Water-type Celestial Star Will may exchange for it!"

"Ugh, again?"

Below, the bidders sighed in disappointment.

Xu Jin, however, perked up.

There's still a chance!

But if he were to exchange, he'd need to add another condition.

Only then would it be worthwhile.

(End of Chapter)