Chapter 3076: Bagua Qianyuan Talisman

“Friend Wang, you’ve arrived quite early.”

A clear, resonant male voice reached Wang Mengbin’s ears. Wang Mengbin turned his head to see a tall, sharp-eyed young man in a green shirt standing behind him. Beside the young man stood a slender girl in a golden dress, whose features were as picturesque as a painting. She carried an exquisite golden sword-case on her back.

The girl in the golden dress was precisely the sword cultivator who employed the unique divine ability of the *Myriad Spirit Sword Scripture*. Wang Mengbin had met them at a previous gathering.

The young man in the green shirt was Zhang Ruolong, a late-stage Void Refinement cultivator, and the girl in the golden dress was Zhang Ruofeng. They hailed from the Zhang family of Lihuo Valley, a family that boasted two Integration stage cultivators.

Wang Mengbin chatted with other Void Refinement cultivators and learned that both Zhang Ruolong and Zhang Ruofeng were sword cultivators. However, the name of the cultivation technique they practiced remained unknown.

“Friend Zhang, Immortal Zhang, you’ve also arrived quite early,” Wang Mengbin greeted them with a smile.

Zhang Ruolong nodded, and they began to chat casually.

Half a *ke* later, they entered the venue. A young, beautiful attendant in a green shirt quickly approached, personally guiding Wang Mengbin and his five companions to their seats.

In the center of the venue was a circular platform several hundred *zhang* in diameter, surrounded by numerous green jade chairs.

Their seats were in the middle section; the front-row seats were already reserved, occupied by individuals either from major powers, specific races, or those who were Integration stage cultivators.

Wang Mengbin spotted Ye Yiyan and Ye Yifeng, who were naturally seated in the front row.

Wang Mengbin and his five companions sat down, waiting quietly.

Many cultivators had gathered in the venue, mostly non-human races.

The Zhang family’s Integration stage cultivators had not arrived, perhaps delayed by something. Zhang Ruolong and Zhang Ruofeng’s seats were right next to Wang Mengbin and his group.

They continued to chat, while True Monarch Hunyuan closed his eyes, resting.

Zhang Ruolong glanced at True Monarch Hunyuan, a hint of confusion appearing in the depths of his eyes.

True Monarch Hunyuan was only at the Nascent Soul stage. Zhang Ruolong couldn’t understand why Wang Mengbin and the other five, all Void Refinement cultivators, would bring along a junior at the Nascent Soul stage. It was indeed baffling.

They themselves had only brought a few Soul Transformation cultivators. After all, Tianyu Mountain was the territory of the Tianyu race, so there was no need to bring too many clansmen. If danger arose, it would be difficult to look after them all.

Time passed bit by bit, and cultivators continued to enter the venue, mostly non-human races.

After the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, accompanied by three loud chimes of a bell, the main doors closed.

A short, stout old man in a golden robe appeared on the circular platform. He had a round face and small eyes, and his aura clearly indicated he was a late-stage Void Refinement cultivator.

“This old man is Chen Dong, and I am responsible for hosting this auction. The rules are the same as elsewhere: the highest bidder wins. Let the bidding begin now.” The golden-robed elder gave a brief introduction, about to start auctioning the items.

Just then, a knock came from outside the door.

Chen Dong frowned and sent someone to open the door. A burly man in a golden shirt and a graceful young woman in a white dress walked in. Their eyes were blood-red, and their faces and arms bore crimson patterns. Their hair was light blue, and their physique was noticeably larger than that of humans.

“The Guqiong race!”

Someone recognized their identities.

The Guqiong race was brutal and bloodthirsty, exceedingly warlike, and their overall strength far surpassed that of the Tianyu race.

“I am Gutian, and this is my wife, Ji Yu’er. We heard that the Nine Yuan Chamber of Commerce was holding an auction here, and we have come uninvited.” The burly man in the golden shirt spoke in a rough voice that echoed throughout the venue.

Xu Yan frowned. He disliked the Guqiong people intensely, but he could not afford to offend them, as the power gap between the Tianyu race and the Guqiong race was too vast.

“Visitors are guests. If you are here to participate in the auction, there is naturally no problem. Please, fellow Daoists, take a seat and join the auction!” A fair-faced old man in a white robe stood up and said with a chuckle.

The white-robed elder had a round face and large, bright eyes. The aura he exuded was even stronger than that of Ye Yiyan.

This was Luo Yao, a late-stage Integration cultivator and a deacon elder of the Nine Yuan Chamber of Commerce. He was the one who organized this auction.

Gutian and Ji Yu’er agreed and took seats in the front row.

They were wary of the Ye family and the Nine Yuan Chamber of Commerce. If it were a smaller chamber of commerce, they would not have been so amicable.

The main doors closed once more, and the auction began.

Chen Dong took out twenty green porcelain bottles and announced loudly, “Twenty Seven-Star Pills, which can assist Soul Transformation cultivators in breaking through to the Void Refinement stage. They will be auctioned separately, with a starting bid of three million spirit stones. Each bid must not be less than five hundred thousand.”

“Three million!” “Three point five million!” “Four million!”

The competition was fierce. Many Soul Transformation cultivators bid, and a portion of Void Refinement cultivators also joined in, intending to acquire them for their juniors.

Wang Mengbin and his five companions were naturally not interested. Liu Hongxue could already refine pills similar to the Seven-Star Pill, provided they gathered the necessary ingredients.

All twenty Seven-Star Pills were auctioned off, with final prices exceeding ten million spirit stones each.

After the twenty Seven-Star Pills were sold, Chen Dong successively brought out various types of fifth-tier elixirs, each with different effects, all fetching high prices.

Wang Mengbin and his five companions naturally remained silent, waiting quietly.

After a short while, following the auction of a set of flying daggers, Chen Dong presented ten pieces of Xi Cloud Jade. He announced, “Xi Cloud Jade, a material for Dharma Idols. High-level cultivators practicing water-attribute cultivation techniques can use it to condense their Dharma Idols. The starting bid is five top-grade spirit stones, and each bid must not be less than one top-grade spirit stone.”

A stir went through some of the cultivators present, their gazes fixed eagerly on the Xi Cloud Jade.

For smaller forces, obtaining Dharma Idol materials usually required bartering. However, at auctions hosted by the Nine Yuan Chamber of Commerce, top-grade spirit stones could be used to purchase Dharma Idol materials.

Most of the cultivators present had come specifically for Dharma Idol materials, a method the Nine Yuan Chamber of Commerce used to attract high-level cultivators.

Wang Yingjie practiced a Five-Element cultivation technique, allowing him to use any Five-Element material to condense his Dharma Idol.

He spent twelve top-grade spirit stones to successfully bid for one piece of Xi Cloud Jade.

He didn’t have many top-grade spirit stones left and needed to save them for other items he wanted to bid on; otherwise, he would have truly wanted to acquire more pieces of Xi Cloud Jade.

The family also possessed Xi Cloud Jade, but it had to be exchanged with merit points. As the number of Void Refinement cultivators within the clan increased, the amount of merit points required for Xi Cloud Jade also rose.

Chen Dong presented various Dharma Idol materials, all relatively common ones suitable for Void Refinement cultivators to condense their Dharma Idols.

After ten pieces of Golden Flame Jade were sold, Chen Dong took out five pieces of Heavenly Lightning Crystal and announced loudly, “Five pieces of Heavenly Lightning Crystal, with a starting bid of ten top-grade spirit stones. Each bid must not be less than one top-grade spirit stone.”

Dharma Idol materials with special attributes like wind, lightning, or ice were more valuable, and thus naturally more expensive.

Wang Mengbin’s eyes lit up. He spent forty-seven top-grade spirit stones to acquire two pieces of Heavenly Lightning Crystal. Calculated, one piece of Heavenly Lightning Crystal cost over twenty million spirit stones.

This was merely Dharma Idol material. Treasures for tribulation transcendence and defensive artifacts would command even higher prices.

After the five Heavenly Lightning Crystals were sold, Chen Dong took out a golden jade box and retrieved ten pale golden talismans from it. Each talisman bore a Bagua pattern on its surface.

“Bagua Qianyuan Talismans. They have a good effect in resisting the lightning tribulations of Void Refinement cultivators. The starting bid is twenty top-grade spirit stones, and each bid must not be less than one,” Chen Dong announced loudly.