Chapter 574: He Has a Mine

"So much time wasted on a broken horn!""We want to see the Boundless Gold!" Even if they couldn't bid, watching the excitement was good enough.Thus, the auction for the Boundless Gold began immediately.

Dunyuan Auctions always featured major items at the opening, midpoint, and close of a sale—either to set the mood, energize the crowd, or serve as the grand finale.The significant item intended to boost the mid-session was the Boundless Gold, which had just been brought onto the stage. He Lingchuan looked closely and saw that the "Boundless Gold" was actually half a sword tip. "What does this mean?" he wondered.The catalog he had seen on the jade slip only contained a few lines of description for the Boundless Gold, without any accompanying images.However, this item generated immense interest. Guests in the Hall of Fragrance steadily increased, seemingly all there to see it, and soon the auction venue was packed.

"This half-sword tip broke off from the Natal Artifact of True Immortal Shoushan," Fu Shanyue explained to him. "Its vitality is gone, but it still contains Boundless Gold. Once purchased, Dunyuan can help the buyer extract the Boundless Gold; if not extracted, this half-sword tip can also be kept as a valuable collectible."He Lingchuan asked, surprised, "A half-sword tip can be a collectible?""Yours and mine cannot, but True Immortal Shoushan's can," Fu Shanyue replied matter-of-factly. "He was once the sect master of the Grand Rejuvenation Sect.""The Grand Rejuvenation Sect?" He Lingchuan was taken aback. "The former master of the Ruined Mountain?""Exactly!" Fu Shanyue continued, "True Immortal Shoushan once battled the gods and lived until the early Middle Ages, bridging two eras. Even a piece of scrap from his artifact is worth collecting, let alone one that contains Boundless Gold?""Alright," He Lingchuan acknowledged. He knew that collectibles derived their value from their clear provenance, esteemed origins, and compelling backstory, which could significantly drive up prices.

Aside from the sword tip's historical significance, Boundless Gold had the ability to transform artifacts, potentially even adding a new property. This was truly remarkable.This unique metal wasn't native to the human realm; it was a rare specialty of the Divine Realm. No one knew which unfortunate deity's Boundless Gold True Immortal Shoushan had seized. After the ancient great war, the passage between the two realms closed, and the gods could no longer bestow it upon the human world, cutting off its source.Existing Boundless Gold was either hidden in unknown caverns or found within the artifacts of ancient immortals and demons. Even for Bayga nobles, acquiring it was incredibly difficult. Therefore, He Lingchuan immediately grasped its immense value:The starting bid for Boundless Gold was 100,000 taels, with increments of 5,000 taels of silver.He Lingchuan quickly calculated: 100,000 taels of silver was 100 million coins, enough to bury many people if stacked. A typical family wouldn't see that much money in several lifetimes. Yet here, it was merely the opening bid for Boundless Gold.Soon, he realized that Dunyuan's starting bid was actually quite low and fair, because the first bidder immediately called out 200,000 taels!He was stunned. He Lingchuan knew his limits and had no business participating in such a bidding war. But this price...This price didn't deter others, as the second person bid 250,000. He Lingchuan glanced sideways at Fu Shanyue. "Why aren't you bidding?""What would I need it for?" Fu Shanyue grunted indifferently. "For a ghoul, the best weapons are their bare hands!""Damn it, is Boundless Gold that expensive?" He hadn't brought that much money! Although Crown Prince Chiyan could allow him to run a tab, still...200,000 seemed to be just the beginning; it was too expensive.He Lingchuan looked at him suspiciously, then glanced at Hong Chenglue, who was not far away. Hong Chenglue had his arms tightly crossed, as if afraid of accidentally raising a hand and being misunderstood by the auctioneer.Clearly, General Qingwu, who had just been reinstated to his military post, didn't have that much money either. He Lingchuan also recalled Hong Chenglue's financial difficulties when he lived in Bailu Town. The man seemed to be a born spendthrift, incapable of accumulating assets.

After a few rounds, the price of the Boundless Gold surpassed 400,000 taels. There were still many wealthy people in Spirit Void City.Fortunately, the bidding slowed down afterward, with smaller increments, typically 20,000 to 30,000 taels per bid. This fierce competition was excellent for attracting spectators. Eventually, the Hall of Fragrance was surrounded three layers deep, and including the elevated second and third floor audiences, at least a thousand people were present, with applause frequently erupting.The price had now reached 670,000, and only three bidders remained.One of the long-robed scholars raised his paddle again and clearly announced, "870,000!"A collective gasp swept through the crowd. What audacity! That was a 200,000 tael increase!He Lingchuan whispered, "Who is that?""Ke Yanming, the eldest son of the current patriarch of the Tianling Ke family," Fu Shanyue replied. "His family has mines.""I'm serious," Fu Shanyue said solemnly. "They own two Dark Crystal ore veins.""Dark Crystal ore veins?" And two of them! He Lingchuan couldn't hide his shock this time. "I thought they were all state-owned."Dark Crystal ore veins were rare within the territory of the Kite Kingdom. Each discovery was significant and immediately nationalized. Private mining was a capital crime punishable by clan extermination. Although the Kite King usually handled matters leniently, he showed no mercy when it came to killing people under this pretext. Dark Crystal could be considered solidified spiritual energy, and in this era of waning spiritual energy, the importance of Dark Crystal ore veins went without saying.

"Most of them are," Fu Shanyue explained. "The Ke family handled matters so effectively that the gods were greatly pleased, granting them the privilege to mine Dark Crystals. These two ore veins were originally awarded by the Emperor to founding meritorious officials, but as their descendants dwindled, they were slated to revert to state ownership. However, then the Ke family arrived... and the gods extended the mining rights to them. This favor has lasted over a hundred years, unmatched by anyone else in the kingdom.""What did he do?" He Lingchuan asked, surprised by the gods' generosity."He found a legendary supreme treasure for the gods; I'm not sure what exactly it was," Fu Shanyue said with a hint of envy. Even for the Crown Prince of Chiyan, earning money wasn't easy. But the Ke family, sitting on a treasure trove, earned money effortlessly. "The Ke family has a close relationship with the Heavenly Palace. I hear they regularly go to the Star-Picking Platform to meet the gods, a privilege others wouldn't even dare to dream of."Fu Shanyue chuckled softly. "Actually, the old, established noble families in Spirit Void City look down on the Ke family a bit, calling them country bumpkins from out of town—rich but vulgar. The Ke family probably spends money lavishly to spite these people."He Lingchuan understood. Bayga had been established for nearly six hundred years, prosperous and powerful, with many long-standing aristocratic families. They formed an almost solidified social circle that didn't particularly welcome newcomers. The Ke family arrived late, gained divine favor, and presented themselves with a nouveau riche attitude, which made them unpopular.

He Lingchuan's heart stirred. "Where is the Ke family from?"Fu Shanyue looked left and right, seemingly with some apprehension. Then, while everyone was applauding the stage, he whispered two words: "Yuan Kingdom."He Lingchuan's heart jolted. "No way?"Those two words were like a thorn in the Demon Emperor's heart; accidentally touching them would incite a murderous rage. How could a noble from the Yuan Kingdom be granted such favors? Moreover, wasn't the Yuan Kingdom annihilated over a hundred years ago, with its descendants forced to live in the Twilight Plains, serving as prostitutes for generations? How could there still be people from the Yuan Kingdom serving as officials here?"The Ke family abandoned the dark and turned to the light back then, reporting to Spirit Void City..." Fu Shanyue's lips barely moved. "They exposed the Yuan Kingdom's conspiracy, thus performing a great service. Reporting?"He Lingchuan's breath hitched. It seemed that before King Yuan's rebellion, the Ke family had already defected.Fu Shanyue added, "The Ke family's two Dark Crystal ore veins even supply ore to Spirit Void City year-round."Were they also an officially designated exclusive supplier? If they weren't rich, who was?He Lingchuan and Fu Shanyue sighed almost simultaneously.Not far away, Hong Chenglue glanced back at them, looking puzzled. It was clear he had been paying attention to He Lingchuan all along.

Fu Shanyue looked at Hong Chenglue and asked He Lingchuan, "Do you have a grudge against him?"His first question cut straight to the core. He wasn't foolish; how could he not see the undercurrents between the two men? Hong Chenglue's expression earlier had been grim, as if he was on the verge of drawing his sword at any disagreement."Yes," He Lingchuan sighed again. "It's all old baggage. We just cleared things up and buried the hatchet after a drink.""Oh, I think I recall him visiting Fu Nation too." Who didn't have a few unpleasant little secrets? Fu Shanyue didn't press further. "If you need my help, just say the word."He Lingchuan gratefully patted his shoulder. "Not for now, I was just surprised. I heard he was exiled long ago; how did he suddenly appear in Spirit Void City?""He became famous very early, a high-spirited young man over ten years ago. But Spirit Void City runs deep, and he didn't navigate it well in his early years, so he was forced to resign. I heard that Grand Master Frostleaf repeatedly interceded for him, which is why he was brought back from abroad and reinstated to his former position.""Grand Master Frostleaf?" He Lingchuan recalled something, his heart seizing. "So, he's close to Grand Master Frostleaf?!""Close?" Fu Shanyue chuckled. "He's long been considered part of Grand Master Frostleaf's faction.""I see," He Lingchuan's gaze shifted, and a sudden realization dawned on him, as several thoughts clicked into place simultaneously."I see!" In that instant, he understood many things.

He Lingchuan took a sip of wine. "It seems General Hong is rather resentful and out of place in today's atmosphere.""He's just returned to Spirit Void City, so he needs to be a bit restrained.""Waiting for a chance to lead troops and earn merit?""Exactly. Grand Master Frostleaf brought him back, so he needs to prove himself." Fu Shanyue chuckled. "It's strange, but those who are extraordinarily talented elsewhere often find their brilliance dimmed once they enter Spirit Void City."He Lingchuan silently added in his mind: That's because the waters of Spirit Void City are too deep and murky. In a six-hundred-year-old capital, could even the most talented newcomers truly find an opportunity to showcase their abilities?Fu Shanyue pointed to himself. "Of course, I'm an exception." He was currently the talk of Spirit Void City, enjoying a surge in popularity.On the stage, the bidding for the Boundless Gold finally concluded, with the item indeed going to the Ke family. Ke Yanming had displayed a determination to win, outbidding all other competitors. It was also possible that other noble families were simply unwilling to compete with the Ke family financially, as most who tried to outspend them would only humiliate themselves.