Chapter 107 - 95: Lightning Slash Sword_2
“The starting bid is two thousand medium-grade Spirit Stones! Each increment in bidding should not be less than one hundred medium-grade Spirit Stones!”
As Li Xianyin’s voice fell, a series of shoutings began immediately.
“Two thousand medium-grade Spirit Stones!”
“Two thousand three!”
“Two thousand five!”
“Two thousand eight!”
- • •
“Three thousand eight!”
As Xu Mu spoke, the entire venue became quiet for a moment.
Although most people anticipated that the Thunder Slash Sword would reach this price, Xu Mu’s manner of bidding in one step startled everyone.
In fact, many people had set their maximum bid to three thousand six. Xu Mu deliberately added two hundred more, giving an impression of extravagance and domination.
If the increments were added little by little, maybe it could have sold for three thousand six, but Xu Mu was afraid another ‘foolish woman’ who competed for the spiritual medicine might appear, so he preferred to spend two hundred medium-grade Spirit Stones more.
“Three thousand eight hundred medium-grade Spirit Stones once!”
“Three thousand eight hundred medium-grade Spirit Stones twice!”
“Three thousand eight hundred medium-grade Spirit Stones thrice!”
“Bang!”
Li Xianyin cast her beautiful eyes around the room, but sadly no one was willing to increase the bid; in the end, she could only helplessly drop the hammer.
Originally, she thought this Thunder Slash Sword could reach a price of four thousand two, and if it met someone who needed it, it might even reach four thousand five.
After all, thunder attribute magic artifacts are famously powerful.
“Congratulations to this fellow Daoist for winning the Spirit Sword!”
A responsible attendant put the Thunder Slash Sword into a specially made Sword Box and promptly delivered it to Xu Mu’s private box.
After confirming its authenticity, Xu Mu took out thirty-eight top-grade Spirit Stones and handed them over.
Having purchased the Thunder Slash Sword, half of Xu Mu’s purse seemed to shrink instantly. Even if he liked something later, he probably wouldn’t dare to bid again. After all, cultivation is the foundation. External things are only temporary. To spend all Spirit Stones on weapons is probably unwise.
“The next auction item is a top-grade material for refining Magical Artifacts Black Xun Heavenly Gold!”
- • •
The auction lasted a whole day. Besides buying the treasures he needed, Xu Mu also broadened his horizons significantly.
As the auction came to an end, just as Xu Mu walked out, a somewhat familiar voice called out from behind him.
Xu Mu turned his head to look.
He saw a young female cultivator in a blue robe, accompanied by an old man with a withered appearance, smiling and walking towards him.
“The young lady You Lan greets fellow Daoist!”
The woman before him, like her name, had a temperament akin to an orchid in a deep valley, pure and refined.
Most importantly, her cultivation had already reached the late stage of Foundation Establishment. It was perfect and flawless, vaguely showing signs of nearing Core Formation.
Although the woman’s cultivation was two realms higher than his, Xu Mu wasn’t afraid. As long as she didn’t reach Golden Core Stage, he was confident of protecting himself.
On the contrary, the withered old man who looked frail as if he might drop dead at any time was the one causing some inexplicable pressure in his heart.
Could it be Golden Core Stage?
As he didn’t want to offend the other party, Xu Mu dared not use Divine Intent to check.
However, the woman who can have a high-ranking figure who could even be a Golden Core Stage cultivator to protect her, her identity is certainly not simple.
Xu Mu didn’t dare to be too presumptuous and asked politely, “May I askwhy Fairy would like to meet with me? I don’t think I know you!”
“Was the one who won the Millennial Blood Sunflower earlier you?” Fairy You Lan asked with a faint smile.
“That’s right!”
Xu Mu nodded unhesitatingly.
Right now, they were still in the core area of Tianhe City, even if the old man was a Golden Core Stage cultivator, he probably wouldn’t dare to take action indiscriminately.
“I wonder if you would be willing to part with it and sell it to me? I am willing to offer four top-grade Spirit Stones!” Fairy You Lan proposed.
Xu Mu had a sudden realization, no wonder the voice sounded familiar, it was the woman who had bid against him at the auction.
Guessing that she’d had the same thoughts as him, assuming it was a plant from the auction house, she had ultimately given up. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be offering such a high price now.
She was polite and respectful, willing to pay a high price, her attitude impeccable, stirring up good impressions in Xu Mu.
But he definitely could not sell it as he needed it to breakthrough the Heavenly Extreme Purple Thunder Body.
“I’m afraid I’ll have to disappoint you, Fairy. I also need this medicinal herb!”
“I was presumptuous!” Fairy You Lan apologized first and then asked: “May I ask what you are planning to use this Blood Sunflower for? I just want to check if I have any suitable substitutes!”
Xu Mu raised an eyebrow and retorted: “Why would you want to buy it?”
“I intend to concoct a tier seven pill to replenish essence and energy! I am only short of the Blood Sunflower, hence my unabashed disturbance,” she explained.
Hearing Fairy You Lan’s words, Xu Mu’s eyes brightened.
He never expected the elegant lady before him to be a tier seven Alchemist, such a person would undoubtedly be outstanding even in the Tianhe Sect.
“So Fairy is a tier seven Alchemist! I apologize for my unintentional slight,” Xu Mu hastily bowed.
“You’re being too polite! I have yet to successfully shape a tier seven pill and don’t dare to claim the title of a tier seven Alchemist,” Fairy You Lan shyly shook her head.
The difference between tier six and tier seven is only one step, yet it’s a world apart.
She had attempted to reach the next level several times but had not succeeded. However, she unexpectedly stumbled upon an ancient pill recipe that replenishes essence and energy, and decided to give it another try.
Pills that replenish essence and energy are considered the easiest to concoct among their respective tiers, such as the tier one Fasting Pill, tier three Yellow Dragon Pill, and tier four Grass Renewal Pill. Most Alchemists start their practice with these pills, refining their skills before trying on other kinds of pills.
A regular Alchemist’s progression differs from Xu Mu’s significantly specialized path, they are often involved in a wide array of areas in hopes to gain knowledge from them.
It’s like Xu Mu learning Fire Skills.
After all, regular Alchemists don’t have a system, no matter how hard they try to overcome a bottleneck, it doesn’t work. The only solution is to attempt different kinds of pills, seeking inspiration.
Thus, Alchemists like Fairy You Lan possess several pill recipes.
At first, Xu Mu didn’t intend to sell to her, but now there’s a better plan.
“Since the Fairy is making a pill, I can sell her the Blood Sunflower. However, I have two requests,” Xu Mu proposed.
The dried-up old man opened his bleary eyes, casting Xu Mu a faint glance that was subtly threatening.
Xu Mu ignored it.
“Please proceed,” Fairy You Lan graciously responded, showing no surprise at Xu Mu’s nonchalance.
His response was just as she had predicted when she revealed her identity as an Alchemist.
“After you successfully concoct the tier seven pill, could you sell it to me?”
“Huh?”
Fairy You Lan was slightly taken aback, she hadn’t expected such a request. However, it worked out well for her.
She had been wondering what to do with the pills once they were made, since the market for essence replenishing pills was limited mostly to Body Cultivators.
Could this man be a Body Cultivator? It somewhat astonished Fairy You Lan to meet such a person in such an inconsequential place.
She nodded and happily agreed.
“That can be arranged. However, I must point out that I am not 100% confident in successfully making the pill,” she admitted.
“No problem! You surely know how to concoct a tier six essence replenishing pill, right?”
“I can make one or two types,” she affirmed.
“That’s great! If the tier seven pill is not successful, you could help me concoct a few bottles of tier six ones.”
In any case, he would not be at a loss.
He could not only come to know a top-level Alchemist but also save some medium-grade Spirit Stones.
“If that’s the case, there is no problem.”
Fairy You Lan nodded. In her view, it meant no more than a few more days of delay. But if she missed the Blood Sunflower, who knew when the next opportunity would present itself.
“What’s your other condition?” she asked.
“Sell me a few Pill Recipes,” Xu Mu replied.