Chapter 191: Extreme Armor

"Grade 3 spirit pills?"

Tian Shijun looked at Chen Luoyue, his snow-white palm cradling the three quiet spirit pills. A look of disbelief was plastered across his face.

Throughout the entire Nine Sects territory, all Grade 3 spirit pills came from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion. He had never seen these three spirit pills before. They definitely weren't from the Heavenly Secret Pavilion.

Su Xiangquan also looked astonished. "These aren't spirit pills from our Heavenly Secret Pavilion? Vice President Chen, where did you—where did you get them?"

This was no minor matter! It meant there were other three-star Soul Masters within the Nine Sects territory! If this news reached the Heavenly Secret Pavilion, it would surely cause a huge stir!

Chen Luoyue said triumphantly, "What, Vice President Su, are you trying to uncover a client's identity?"

This was a grave taboo at the auction house! Only the vice president directly handling a client was allowed to know their identity. No one else was permitted to inquire. Otherwise, if a client's identity were exposed, they could be harassed at best, or face mortal danger at worst. Could the auction house bear such responsibility?

Tian Shijun also gave Su Xiangquan a stern glare. "Vice President Su, you're an old-timer; don't you understand this rule? Our auction house only recognizes the goods, not the person!"

Even though he was extremely curious about the identity of the master who refined these pills, rules were rules, and even as president, he could not overstep them.

Having drawn criticism, Su Xiangquan was displeased. Looking at the spirit pills, he said, "Not all Grade 3 spirit pills are good. If their effects aren't what people need, they might not be desired."

This... Chen Luoyue couldn't help but worry. His words weren't wrong. Grade 3 merely indicated a high rank; if the effects were niche, very few people would buy them. She wondered what kind of spirit pills Jiang Fan had refined.

Tian Shijun's attention fell on the spirit pills, and he said with curiosity, "Since they are Grade 3 spirit pills, they certainly deserve a thorough appraisal."

He picked one up. Then, he carefully took out an invaluable magical artifact. It was a palm-sized jade cauldron, encircled by countless runes. Tian Shijun placed the pill inside, then activated his spiritual power, causing the runes to light up.

Soon, the small jade cauldron began to spin gently. The runes flickered on and off, seemingly analyzing the pill.

Chen Luoyue watched nervously. If the three spirit pills were valuable, she would have hope of surpassing Su Xiangquan and becoming the vice president with the highest bid amount in this auction. When the president retired, she would then have a chance to take over.

Su Xiangquan, however, was unimpressed, stating confidently, "No matter how good they are, can they be better than my Grade 3 healing spirit pills? Those are the most sought-after spirit pills right now!"

Click—As the small jade cauldron slowly stopped, the runes projected a glowing text into the air.

"Rejuvenation Pill, Grade 3 Spirit Pill, one of the Nine Great Ancient Healing Spirit Pills.Can treat internal injuries, bone injuries, and flesh wounds.Astonishing value, appraisal level: Heaven-grade."

Everyone present froze, their faces filled with disbelief.

Treasures at the auction house were categorized into four grades based on quality: Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow. Yellow-grade items were qualified to be put up for auction. Profound-grade items were popular auction lots. Earth-grade items were typically the grand finale items. And Heaven-grade items were, naturally, the grandest of finales. However, they were so rare that a Heaven-grade item might only appear once in ten auctions.

Tian Shijun swallowed hard. "Vice President Chen, just where did you—" Even he almost broke protocol and asked for the origin. This pill was simply too astonishing! One of the Nine Great Ancient Healing Pills! Heaven-grade!

Su Xiangquan's old eyes also widened in disbelief. The effects of this pill were several times better than the Heavenly Secret Pavilion's healing spirit pills!

Chen Luoyue, meanwhile, covered her red lips, her beautiful eyes filled with profound shock. What kind of Soul Master had she managed to connect with? Someone who could refine long-lost ancient spirit pills! Immediately, she asked with a look of pleasant surprise, "So, how should we handle these pills?"

Tian Shijun snapped back to reality, his face alight with fervent excitement. "Does that even need asking? Naturally, they will be the second grand finale item! To be auctioned alongside another Heaven-grade item!"

Inside private room number one, Jiang Fan and Liu Qingxian, who had grown somewhat bored waiting, finally saw the auction begin.

Su Xiangquan stepped onto the stage, smiling. "Welcome, friends, to this roving auction. As per tradition, this old man will present the first item!"

He produced a magical artifact: a gleaming greatsword that had impressively reached the superior grade! "A Profound-grade item, one superior-grade treasured saber, starting bid of one thousand spirit stones!"

Jiang Fan clicked his tongue lightly. "Is this highway robbery? A mid-grade artifact only costs two hundred spirit stones, but a superior-grade one is a thousand?" Liu Qingxian, used to such things, said, "Superior and mid-grade are completely different; there's a huge gap between them. A thousand is considered low. Just watch, the final price will exceed your imagination."

"Really?" Jiang Fan had always used low-grade and mid-grade artifacts. Could the difference between superior-grade artifacts and them be so vast?

Soon, bidding began. Elite disciples from various peaks and martial artists from different noble families eagerly placed their bids. In the end, it fetched an exorbitant price of five thousand spirit stones!

"Superior-grade artifacts are that valuable?" Jiang Fan's eyes were opened. Liu Qingxian replied, "Fewer people use sabers; if it were a sword, it would at least reach ten thousand."

Jiang Fan secretly marveled. Superior-grade artifacts were already so expensive. He wondered what the purple sword on his back, a spirit-grade weapon, was worth.

Su Xiangquan was very pleased with the sword's price. Next, it was Chen Luoyue's turn to take the stage. What she was selling was a defensive treasure armor!

With her charming voice, she said, "This is an Earth-grade item, a top-tier defensive armor. It can withstand attacks from cultivators below the fifth level of Core Formation. They say there will be many Core Formation demonic beasts in this beast tide, so having this armor will make you much safer."

The entire hall immediately erupted in an uproar. "Vice President Chen has great nerve, starting with an Earth-grade item!" "It seems she still has many weighty items in her possession, otherwise, how would she dare to start with an Earth-grade item?"

Every auctioneer would present a high-grade item as the first lot, to "cast a brick to attract jade" and draw the audience in. But to start with an Earth-grade item immediately sparked numerous conjectures.

"Vice President Chen, what's the starting bid for this item? My Myriad Sword Sect wants it!" From the audience, an elder of the Spirit Beast Sect eagerly called out. Even an elder couldn't sit still, which showed how popular this item was!

Chen Luoyue announced gracefully, "It's a rare top-tier spirit artifact. The starting price will be based on its market value: twenty thousand spirit stones."

Jiang Fan's eyes burned with desire. He had personally experienced the benefits of body-protecting armor. The Midnight Dark Iron Armor from Free and Unfettered Peak had played a crucial role in helping him slay the White-furred Jade Crystal Beast back then, and that was only a mid-grade artifact. Now, with a top-tier defensive armor before him, how could he not buy it?

However, the very next moment, Jiang Fan was utterly astounded! He had truly witnessed what it meant to be wealthy.

"Thirty thousand spirit stones!""Forty thousand!""Fifty thousand!!""Sixty thousand!"In just a brief moment, the price had skyrocketed to sixty thousand spirit stones, more than three times its market value!

"Seventy thousand! My Giant Sect claims it!" An elder from the Giant Sect imperiously shouted the highest price in the hall. Seeing his determined demeanor, several bidders backed down.

Chen Luoyue was overjoyed. Ordinarily, it would be difficult to sell for even thirty thousand. But in the context of the beast tide, the price of life-saving items had soared.

"Seventy thousand, going once!""Seventy thousand, going twice!""Seventy thousand—"Just as she was about to bring down the hammer, a calm voice drifted from private room number one!