Cultivation Begins From The Desert
Chapter 197 - 195: Auction (Part 2) 【4 more updates, seeking rewards】

Chapter 197: Chapter 195: Auction (Part 2) 【4 more updates, seeking rewards】

Zhouyang’s premonition was clearly spot on.

The starting price of the "Seven-colored Lingzhi" was as high as thirty thousand Spirit Stones, an exorbitant price that would require his entire fortune!

However, this treasure, a "sky-high price" for Foundation Establishment Cultivators, was merely an eye-catching price that would cause Golden Core Stage Cultivators to feel a pinch, but definitely not break their bank.

Liu Yunyan said that each bid increment must be no less than ten thousand Spirit Stones, yet within less than a hundred breaths of her stating the starting price, the price had already surged to fifty thousand Spirit Stones!

"Fifty-five thousand Spirit Stones!"

Cao Wenjin, looking with a cold expression at the Projection Crystal Mirror, called out his first bid, instantly raising the price by five thousand, fully demonstrating his determination to win.

Unfortunately, his approach did not intimidate other competitors.

Those who have cultivated up to the Golden Core Stage, which one hasn’t fought their way through countless obstacles, coming from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, how could they be easily scared by such tactics?

As long as the price for the "Seven-colored Lingzhi" did not exceed their psychological limits, they wouldn’t be swayed by the words of outsiders.

The price was quickly suppressed by others, and seeing this, Cao Wenjin’s expression grew even colder, but he did not bid again.

Not until someone offered sixty-four thousand, was there a pause for several tens of breaths, did he slowly call out a new price.

"Seventy thousand!"

Magnificent!

What is called magnificent?

This is called magnificent!

Zhouyang looked at Cao Wenjin with a cold expression, silently comparing himself to when he was overjoyed after selling the "Kan Yuan Spiritual Water" for more than twenty thousand Spirit Stones, and sighed inwardly.

A Golden Core Stage Cultivator is indeed a Golden Core Stage Cultivator. Even aside from their Magical Cultivation, their insight and Mental Cultivation are absolutely incomparable to those of Foundation Establishment Cultivators like him.

Zhouyang believed that even with Cao Wenjin’s capabilities and financial power, taking out seventy thousand Spirit Stones at once would certainly leave him severely wounded, taking decades to recover.

Yet even so, he called out this price without a blink, his hand steady and unwavering.

Unfortunately, there are far too many wealthy people in this world, and in the face of extending one’s lifespan, few cultivators can remain calm.

Especially for those late-stage Golden Core Stage Cultivators whose lifespan is on the brink of exhaustion, or insufficient to support their breakthrough to the Nascent Soul Stage, even if they have to borrow money, they would acquire the "Seven-colored Lingzhi".

Thus, Cao Wenjin’s bid did not last beyond ten breaths before being swiftly overridden by a higher price, the price continued to soar, and ultimately deprived him of the courage to bid any higher.

"One hundred and twenty-three thousand Spirit Stones once!"

"One hundred and twenty-three thousand Spirit Stones twice!"

"One hundred and twenty-three thousand Spirit Stones thrice, sold!"

Within the Projection Crystal Mirror, Liu Yunyan’s voice was trembling as she announced the final sale price, her pretty face flushed with excitement, adding a captivating charm.

A few drops of fragrant sweat seeping through would make it perfect!

However, Zhouyang was in no mood to appreciate this spectacle, not because he feared Xiao Ying’s jealousy, but because something was off with Cao Wenjin’s state.

Cao Wenjin, now over eight hundred years old, had in the past, during the pacification of the Demon Chaos in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, lost several decades of lifespan due to repeatedly employing the "Blood Escape Technique", now leaving him with barely over a hundred years of lifespan.

Over one hundred years of lifespan is plenty for Foundation Establishment Cultivators, equivalent to half of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator’s lifespan.

But for a Golden Core Stage Cultivator, with only a hundred years of lifespan left, they’re already entering the twilight of their years.

Cao Wenjin certainly did not wish to die so soon, so he extracted half of Yellow Sand Sect’s assets, even resorting to borrowing from Zhouyang, a mere Foundation Establishment Cultivator, to be able to purchase the life-extending treasure and push his lifespan to or even beyond the normal lifespan of Golden Core Stage Cultivators.

But now, harsh reality shattered his fantasies.

One hundred and twenty-three thousand Spirit Stones, unless he pawned off the Tier Five Spiritual Artifacts he used for hundreds of years, he wouldn’t possibly gather such a sum.

But all those Tier Five Spiritual Artifacts on him, except for his Lifebound Spiritual Artifact, were left behind by predecessors of Golden Core Cultivators from Yellow Sand Sect; if he truly sold them to buy a life-extending treasure, what face would he have to meet the past generations of Golden Core Cultivators from Yellow Sand Sect after his demise? How would future cultivators regard him?

"After my death, let the flood sweep away" sounds simple enough to say, but is much harder to do.

Cao Wenjin is not alone; he has disciples, has Cao Qian as a descendant.

If he sold Yellow Sand Sect’s ancestral treasures for selfish reasons, after he sat back and fell, future cultivators of Yellow Sand Sect learning of this would no longer regard him as a respectable elder, not grinding his bones to dust would be lenient!

As a result, despite desperately wanting to obtain the "Seven-colored Lingzhi" this life-extending treasure, he could only eventually balk at a price considered exorbitant even for Golden Core Stage Cultivators, losing the courage to bid higher.

And with Liu Yunyan settling this treasure’s ownership with three consecutive calls, his Essence, Qi, and Spirit instantly seemed drained away, his whole being utterly deflated.

In Zhouyang’s eyes, Cao Wenjin’s complexion seemed unchanged, yet his aura and mindset suddenly aged as if by a hundred years.

He was not unfamiliar with this sight; the elderly "Light" members of the Zhou Family whose lifespan approached their end showed similar aura and mindset, having lost all expectations and interest in the remainder of their lives.

However, as a Golden Core Stage Cultivator, Cao Wenjin’s mental cultivation was far beyond a Qi Cultivation Stage Cultivator, so this state lasted only about half an hour before it dissipated upon hearing Liu Yunyan announce the name of a new auction item via the Projection Crystal Mirror, regaining his spirit and returning to normal.

"A bottle of [Jade Liquid Golden Pill] that can increase Core Formation success rate by ten to twenty percent, starting price at 300,000 Spirit Stones, with each bid increment no less than 10,000 Spirit Stones!"

In the Projection Crystal Mirror, Liu Yunyan held a white Jade Bottle, opened the stopper, and gently lowered it, allowing all cultivators in the auction rooms to clearly see the golden elixir liquid inside, thick as mercury, then excitedly announced the starting bid for the treasure.

Zhouyang stared wide-eyed at the golden elixir in the Jade Bottle, his emotions similarly stirred.

The name of this "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" was well-known to him; he had heard of it often.

It is said to be the essence of a Tier Five Demon Pill extracted from a Demon Beast, refined by Pill Fire over a century by a Tier Five Alchemist, removing all impurities.

A Tier Five Demon Pill is already a rare treasure worth tens of thousands of Spirit Stones, and refining it with Pill Fire for a century by an Alchemist makes the value of the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" evident.

Generally, only top-tier major sects like the Profound Sun Immortal Sect, aiming to preserve their legacy, would have an Alchemist willing to undertake such a task.

Of course, it wouldn’t be a Golden Core Stage Tier Five Alchemist but a Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator with such expertise.

If a Nascent Soul Stage Zhenren personally refines it using Nascent Soul True Flame or some Alchemy True Flames, it would take roughly ten years to refine a Tier Five Demon Pill into "Jade Liquid Golden Pill".

A Nascent Soul Stage Zhenren’s lifespan is three thousand years; ten years to them is like three months to mortals, a trivial time investment.

"700,000 Spirit Stones!"

As Zhouyang contemplated the origins of the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill", Cao Wenjin had already joined the bidding, his voice urgent.

He had already missed one opportunity and clearly did not intend to miss another.

The Yellow Sand Sect cannot do without a Golden Core Stage Cultivator!

Cao Wenjin has already accepted that his end is set a hundred years from now, and the most important thing in his remaining life is not cultivation, but planning how to cultivate another Golden Core Stage Cultivator for the Yellow Sand Sect to succeed him.

When purchasing the "Seven-colored Reishi", he likely had reservations and dared not go all out, but buying the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" to aid sect cultivators in Core Formation, he must spare no effort, even if it means selling Tier Five Spiritual Artifacts!

If the Yellow Sand Sect cannot cultivate a new Golden Core Stage Cultivator before his demise, those Tier Five Spiritual Artifacts left behind might benefit the enemies who aim to destroy the Yellow Sand Sect, so he might as well sell them today!

"900,000 Spirit Stones!"

"1,100,000 Spirit Stones!"

"1,180,000 Spirit Stones!"

Zhouyang listened to the price Cao Wenjin was quoting, his heart hanging in his throat.

He stared in shock at Cao Wenjin, whose face was flushed as he tightly watched the Projection Crystal Mirror, never expecting that Elder Cao was carrying so many Spirit Stones!

The Yellow Sand Sect, with its thousand-year legacy, indeed has deep foundations!

"1,180,000 Spirit Stones once!"

"1,180,000 Spirit Stones twice!"

"1,180,000 Spirit Stones thrice, sold! Congratulations to the esteemed guest in room D on the 28th floor for acquiring the bottle of [Jade Liquid Golden Pill] from my hand!"

Phew!

When Liu Yunyan finally said the word "sold" in the Projection Crystal Mirror, not only did Cao Wenjin, whose palm was tightly clenched, breathe a sigh of relief, but Zhouyang, who shared the room, did too.

Just moments ago, Cao Wenjin’s demeanor had him deeply worried and tense; if bidding escalated further, Zhouyang truly didn’t know what crazy actions Cao Wenjin might undertake.

Fortunately, it seemed the final price for the "Jade Liquid Golden Pill" was within Cao Wenjin’s normal range of acceptance.

"Congratulations to Elder on achieving your wish. With the aid of this [Jade Liquid Golden Pill], I believe the Yellow Sand Sect will soon have a new precursor achieving Golden Core, enjoying a millennial lifespan!"

After releasing a sigh, Zhouyang quickly congratulated Cao Wenjin with a sincere smile.

Cao Wenjin doesn’t want the Yellow Sand Sect to fall, nor does Zhouyang, for if the Yellow Sand Sect does fall, the power shifts in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm will compel the Zhou Family to make a stand again, and choosing wrongly... heh...

"You are indeed a lucky fellow, this time I’ll trust your lucky words. Hopefully, they’ll come true!"

Cao Wenjin watched Zhouyang with a complicated expression, sighing deeply, yet seemingly lacking much confidence.

"Jade Liquid Golden Pill" indeed substantially increases the chances of Core Formation, but the actual process not guaranteed except for those Spirit Body Cultivators assured of success.

For most cultivators, it’s seven parts destiny, three parts effort; if truly not fated, then even one "Jade Liquid Golden Pill", two, or three is no definite assurance of achieving Golden Core!