by Shian Jeen
Everyone in the crowd had their gazes fixed on the black-haired young man’s back as if rooted to the spot.
In a certain far corner of the square, the Jiang Family disciple, Jiang Shaoze, and the five old men behind him also witnessed the entirety of Huwang Xiao’s test.
“Young Lord, I didn’t expect this black-haired young man’s talent and strength to be so strong. With his strength, he has a high chance gaining a top ten spot in this time’s assessment.” One of the old men commented.
Jiang Shaoze nodded in agreement, “Both his talent and strength are good, but even so, he’s not my opponent.” He did not pay too much attention to Huwang Xiao’s existence, and the expression on his face made an abrupt change, slightly twisted with hate, “Abominable, that precious treasure was taken by someone else. If I ever find out who it was, I’ll make sure he dies horribly.”
He had searched through countless old records, using several decades’ time before finally deducing the innate treasure’s location. But he arrived only to discover that someone else was a step ahead of him, robbing him of his treasure!
“Even without that treasure, before the day of the assessment arrives, I’m still able to break through to God Realm!” Jiang Shaoze gnashed his teeth, “Gudu Leng, I will definitely defeat you! The first place belongs to me!”
“Young Lord, say, do you want to go and test as well?” Another old man inquired.
Jiang Shaoze nodded, “Might as well, I’m curious as well where my talent and strength stands.”
By this time, Huwang Xiao had arrived at the registration area inside the Hall of Heroes. The person in charge of the registration counter was a Black Warrior Institute’s inner disciple, also a First Order God Realm. He had seen Huwang Xiao’s aptitude test earlier, so when Huwang Xiao approached to register his name, the inner disciple’s manners exuded goodwill, and he was extremely courteous. A world apart from his cold face toward the other participants that came to register.
This was because a monstrous talent like Huwang Xiao had a high chance of becoming part of the institute’s elite disciples. Still, that didn't lower the steep registration fees of ten thousand Xuanwu coins. After paying the required ten thousand Xuanwu coins, he received a palm-sized badge and a small booklet.
With pairs of eyes on him, Huwang Xiao left the Hall of Heroes.
After leaving, Huwang Xiao came to a secluded corner, making changes to his facial features and physical stature before walking toward the Black Warrior City’s auction house. , he planned on auctioning a piece of divine grade spirit stone to buy enough peak half-step God Realm beast cores.
Ch.531
Several hours later, Huwang Xiao appeared outside the auction house.
This particular auction house in the Black Warrior City was opened by the Black Warrior Institute and was also one of the few biggest auction houses in the Black Tortoise Galaxy.
“May I know what this Young Noble is planning to auction?” The auction house employee that approached Huwang Xiao was a pretty maiden in a long flowing green dress with a pleasing sweet smile.
Huwang Xiao stated his purpose: “I want to auction a spirit stone.”
“A single spirit stone?” The young maiden blanked for a second and giggled, “Is Young Noble joking? Does Young Noble know the rules of our auction house? Our auction house only holds one auction annually, and in every auction, we only offer one hundred items. Our auction house will definitely not merely auction a single spirit stone.”
Items auctioned by the Black Warrior Auction House had a minimum value of one million Xuanwu coins. Such was the standard requirement. The Black Warrior Auction House declined to auction anything outside of this requirement. For example, the saint grade spirit stones that Huwang Xiao sold off previously at a price of a little above four hundred thousand.
This was also the main reason why the auction house employee said that they would not auction one piece of spirit stone. But then again, the bigger forces or families would not take out a precious item such as divine grade spirit stones for auction, thus this possibility did not cross her mind at all.
Hearing the other side decisively state that they will not auction a single spirit stone, Huwang Xiao merely smiled, “Are you sure you’re not auctioning?”
The pretty maiden’s delicate brows slightly creased, weren't her words clear enough for this young man? Why did some people lack tact? Thus she firmly stated once again: “That’s right, we do-not-auction.”
Just as her last word sounded, a light flashed in Huwang Xiao’s hands, like a miniature sun explosion, lightning up the whole hall in a glaring light. A powerful wave shook the airflow and space in the hall, instantly attracting the gazes of other people around as they keenly felt the sudden richness of spiritual energy.
This is…?!
In the next second, their eyes zoomed toward the piece of spirit stone in Huwang Xiao’s hand.
“Divine grade spirit stone?!”
“Heavens, that’s a divine grade spirit stone!”
In a split second, someone determined the grade of the spirit stone in Huwang Xiao’s hand.
The auction house young maiden felt tears swimming in her eyes from the spirit stone’s bright glare, her dainty cherry blossom lips were agape exaggeratedly in shock.
Huwang Xiao eyed her as a faint smile tilted the corner of his lips, “Since the Black Warrior Auction House does not auction divine grade spirit stones, then I shall go to another auction house.” With that said, he turned around, putting away the spirit stone in his hand and preparing to leave.
The Black Warrior Auction House was not the sole auction house in the Cloudsea Mainland.
The pretty auction house employee recovered from her shock at this point. Anxiously watching the young man turn to leave, she blurted out: “No no no! Young Noble, our auction house will auction it, we will, we will! Please, Young Noble, wait for a moment. I’ll go look for the supervisor.” In a moment of desperation, she grabbed Huwang Xiao and apologized.
Seeing this, Huwang Xiao smiled and took a seat. “Fine, then.” In fact, he was just putting on a show of pretending to leave.
Inwardly relieved after seeing that Huwang Xiao was willing to stay, she quickly left in search for the auction house supervisor.
It didn’t take long for the female auction house employee to return with several people. Walking in front of the group was a middle-aged man clad in a pale yellow robe with a black tortoise pattern embroidered on his chest. Behind him were several old men in light red robes. The young maiden was at the very end of the group.
“Young Noble, this is our Supervisor, Ke Can.” Arriving in front of Huwang Xiao, the young maiden walked up, introducing the middle-aged man to Huwang Xiao. “Supervisor, this is the Young Noble who would like to auction a piece of divine grade spirit stone.”
The middle-aged man, Ke Can, faced Huwang Xiao with a beaming smile, speaking in a polite tone, “I heard that this brother wants to auction a piece of divine grade spirit stone, may I have a look at it?”
“Sure.” Huwang Xiao answered, taking out a piece of divine grade spirit stone.
The several old men in light red robes walked up and began assessing the divine grade spirit stone. The longer they looked, the more ecstatic and excited the expression on their faces grew.
It was some time later before the several old men calmed down, ending their appraisal.
“Supervisor Ke, this spirit stone has indeed reached the standard of divine grade, moreover, the spiritual energy inside is as abundant as the sea, definitely one of the finest among divine grade spirit stones, hard to find in a hundred thousand years. We estimate the value to be sixty million!” One of them spoke.
Finest among divine grade spirit stones, a rarity hard to find in a hundred thousand years, estimated value to be sixty million!
The other experts that came to put their items up for auction were astounded, their eyes grew feverish as they fixed their gazes on the spirit stone, hati
ng the fact they were unable to swallow it into their bellies right that instant.
Ka Can was over the moon hearing the appraisal. ‘Finest among divine grade!’ It had been more than thirty thousand years since the Black Warrior Auction House last put up this quality of spirit stone for auction.
Subsequently, Ke Can guided Huwang Xiao through some of the auction house rules while putting the divine grade spirit stone away for safekeeping inside the Black Warrior Auction House treasure chamber. It would only be taken out half a month later, on the day of the auction. He also gave Huwang Xiao a jade token as proof of the transaction.
Half an hour later, Huwang Xiao walked out from the auction house.
He was assured leaving the item with the Black Warrior Auction House. With the Black Warrior Institute’s standing and reputation, at the very least, he was confident that they wouldn't embezzle his piece of spirit stone.
Leaving the auction house, Huwang Xiao went to a trading firm. The several thousand Xuanwu coins left inside his Asura Ring weren't even enough to buy him a few jugs of wine, which was why he needed to exchange for some quick Xuanwu coins.
He used three pieces of saint grade spirit stones to exchange for slightly over a million Xuanwu coins. It should be enough to last him a few days.
Then, he went around looking for an inn in close distance to the Black Warrior Auction House, renting a yard as he cultivated while waiting for the auction day’s arrival.
In less than half a day, the news that the Black Warrior Auction House would be putting up a fine quality divine grade spirit stone for auction spread in all directions, sending the entire Cloudsea Mainland into a furor of excitement as experts rushed into the Black Warrior City. Other than that, Huwang Xiao’s aptitude test in the Hall of Heroes also raised a small ripple.
“Did you hear, several days ago some guy tested his aptitude, his strength reached 2132, and his talent was even higher, reaching 2256. I asked around, that guy’s name is Huwang Xiao.”
“Huwang Xiao? There doesn’t seem to be any super forces or first rank forces in the Black Tortoise Galaxy with the surname Huwang. I wonder which world surface this small Huwang Family is from, to come out with such a dazzling genius!’
“Also, Jiang Family’s Young Lord also tested that day, his strength was 2368, whereas talent is 2321, even higher than that Huwang Xiao. Another super genius has come out of the Jiang Family!”
On this day, while Huwang Xiao was having a drink at the inn, these discussions fell into his ear.
‘Jiang Shaoze?’ Huwang Xiao was reminded of the Jiang Family disciple from the dim planet where he took away the innate spiritual embryo. It seems like that Jiang Family disciple was this Jiang Shaoze.
‘Strength 2368? Not too bad.’ Huwang Xiao thought to himself.
If this Jiang Shaoze broke through to God Realm, his strength would most likely to exceed 3000.
…
Half a month passed by quickly, getting closer to the auction day.
Huwang Xiao left the inn, heading toward the auction house. By the time he arrived, the doors of the auction house were already crowded with people, hardly anyone moving.
In truth, the usual annual auction did not garner so much attention, however, ever since the news about the fine quality divine grade spirit stone spread out, it drew twice as many people over.
Huwang Xiao moved toward the honored guests' entrance.
“This Young Noble, my apologies, this entrance is only for guests that hold our auction house’s special issued card.” When he was a few steps away from passing through the entrance, two pretty auction house’s female disciples politely stopped Huwang Xiao.
Ch.532
After being blocked, Huwang Xiao did not show any anger. Smiling faintly, he took out the jade token that Ke Can had given him the other day, waving it in front of them, “Can I go in now?”
According to auction house rules, the owners of an auction item were allowed to enter through the honored guest pathway, they were all treated the same.
The two beauties stared at the jade token in Huwang Xiao’s hand and were dazed for a moment before respectfully making way for him to pass through.
Huwang Xiao passed through, coming out the other side, where another beautiful young woman came up to lead him to a private room. Sitting in the private room, looking at the extravagant decorations, he sighed a small lament in his heart. Just the decorations in this private room alone probably cost a few million, even a simple chair in the private room was made out of heaven grade spirit stone.
Not long ago in Martial Spirit World, Huwang Xiao couldn’t even find a piece of heaven grade spirit stone, but now, the Black Warrior auction house actually turned such a big piece of heaven grade spirit stone into a chair, and placed it here!
The other decorations in the room were also made from rare stones and ores.
Sitting comfortably on the chair, looking through a glass window, he had a view of the entire auction house hall. The auction house’s spacious hall could fit over ten thousand people, each of them having enough space to sit. Peering down from the private room, it was a mass of black.
Huwang Xiao didn’t have to wait long, as the auction began shortly afterwards.
“Top divine grade spirit pellet, Immortal Phoenix Pellet, one hundred pieces, the bidding price starts at one million five hundred thousand!”
One hundred pieces of Immortal Phoenix Pellet, this was the auction house’s starting item. A magical pellet from the Phoenix Clan with miraculous benefits. Taking it could not only temper one’s physical body, it also brought clarity to the soul, and if one was gravely injured, all wounds could be healed almost instantly.
After the Immortal Phoenix Pellet, the second item was a lump of divine ore from the Divine World, five meters thick, the bidding price set at one million.
Although a divine ore was invaluable, it was difficult to refine. Not only did it required a Highgod Realm master’s divine fire, it also required knowledge of the Divine World’s talisman symbols as well as transforming it into an inscribed formation.
Huwang Xiao did not expect a lump of Divine World’s ore to be worth so much, which inexplicably made him remember the doors at the destroyed Deities Templar’s headquarters. Those doors were also made out of Divine World’s ore.
‘En, the next time I return, I should go retrieve those doors.’ Huwang Xiao made a mental note.
Soon, more than fifty items had breezed through the auction stage, most of them were rare items. However, the price grew increasingly high as these items passed, even Huwang Xiao was smacking his lips at the thought of it. From the fiftieth item onwards, all the bidding prices started from ten million and above. Most of all, Huwang Xiao’s divine grade spirit stone was actually one of the few finale items of the auction.
Sitting in the private room, Huwang Xiao heard the undulating cries of the bidding war, feeling a little depressed. At first, he had thought that after auctioning that piece of divine grade spirit stone, his wealth would be equivalent to a small local tyrant. However, looking down at the expressionless faces of those disciples below as they cried out millions, the few millions he was about to receive seemed like a drop in the vast sea.
Several hours later, only the last three items remained.
“Our next item is a divine artifact!”
The moment the preceding auctioneer’s voice rang, the crowd stirred with excitement. Only a weapon forged with divine fire by a God in the Divine World had the right to be called a divine artifact!
A genuine true God! Not what they call Highgod Realm masters within the galaxy.
Huwang Xiao too was stunned.
“How can a divine artifact appear in the lower world?” Huwang Xiao couldn’t resist asking Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi.
“I’m not very clear myself, but most of these weapons are left behind from the desolate era.” Dragon Emperor Ao Taiyi said, “Although a divine artifact is powerful, only a Highgod Realm master could somewhat d
isplay its power.”
Huwang Xiao nodded.
By this point, the auctioneer had announced the bidding price at forty-five million. And the bidding began.
However, due to the fact only Highgod Realm masters could display the divine artifact’s power, there weren’t many bidders. In the end, it was won by one of the super forces, the Zhu Family, using fifty-two million.
“, is a divine grade spirit stone.”
“This spiritual energy contained in this divine grade spirit stone is as abundant as the sea, vibrant and endless. One of the finest amongst its grade. It can supply twice as much energy to large formations, increasing the effect two-fold.”
“The bidding starts at sixty million.”
The auction hall broke out in a great uproar. A divine artifact may be a rare treasure, but it could only be used by a Highgod Realm master, however, this piece of fine quality divine grade spirit stone was a different matter altogether. It could be used to power formations, used to arrange a spiritual energy gathering formation, refine pellets, cultivation, and most important of all, it could be used by anyone.
When the auctioneer announced the start of the bidding, everyone in the hall went crazy.
Before a flabbergasted Huwang Xiao, the price soared to seventy million in the blink of an eye!
“Seventy-one million!
“Seventy-three million!”
The price continued to go up.
Inside the private room, it was as if Huwang Xiao saw the sky raining down Xuanwu coins right in front of him. In the end, that piece of divine grade spirit stone was auctioned at a high price of eighty-three million!
Eighty-three million!
Inside his Asura Ring, he had five more similar spirit stones, adding the one that was just sold off, that was close to five hundred million?!
Five hundred million Xuanwu coins, even some of the smaller families that had been accumulating their wealth for ten thousand years couldn’t take out this figure.
