Chapter 44
The next day, the Platinum Pavilion, located in the center of Yeonha Immortal City, was filled from early morning with a strange vitality.
This was because rumors of a Special Auction hosted by the Baek Clan Merchant Guild had spread quickly throughout the Immortal City, even before the aftermath of the previous day’s auction at the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion had faded.
To the Cultivators of Minor Clans who had to turn back in disappointment after a fruitless trip to the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion auction, and to the Rogue Cultivators lacking funds, the auction at the Platinum Pavilion presented a new opportunity.
Furthermore, since it was an auction directly hosted by the Baek Clan Merchant Guild - the very guild that had introduced the Heaven-Defying Pill known as the Five Elements Pill to the world - the expectation that at least one Rare Item rivaling the Five Elements Pill might appear hastened the Cultivators' steps.
“Hehehe…”
On the other hand, Baek-Cheong woke up late, finished her breakfast, and headed to the Platinum Pavilion at a leisurely pace.
By her side, Law Enforcer Ga acted as her dedicated guard, like a shadow.
Upon entering the Platinum Pavilion, a bustling crowd of Cultivators, far greater than the previous day’s, formed a chaotic scene.
“There really are a lot of people.”
“It is thanks to the Merchant Guild Master spreading rumors urgently last night. He announced that the first item of today’s auction would be an incredible artifact capable of capturing the attention of the Cultivation World.”
At Law Enforcer Ga’s explanation, Baek-Cheong inwardly burst into a chuckle.
The skill of packaging a mere 1st-Grade Low-Tier Pill, the Spirit Gathering Pill, as an incredible artifact to reel in Cultivators was truly fitting for the Merchant Guild Master.
“The Auction House is this way.”
Guided by Law Enforcer Ga, Baek-Cheong went up to the Clan VIP Room prepared in the Auction House.
While not as spacious as the VIP Room at the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion she had experienced the day before, it was cozy and snug, making it perfect for quietly observing the auction alone.
Through the Crystal Orb equipped with a Projection Formation, the view of the first-floor Auction Platform was clearly visible.
The Audience Seating was already packed without room to step, and the interior of the Pavilion was bustling with the Murmur of Cultivators.
Vwooom - A moment later, the sound of a gong rang out, and her uncle personally revealed himself on the Platform.
The mere fact that the Merchant Guild Master of the Baek Clan Merchant Guild was personally conducting the auction elevated the weight of today’s event.
The noise from the Audience Seating ceased in an instant as countless gazes converged on the Platform.
“Welcome, Dao Friends who have visited the Platinum Pavilion.”
Her uncle’s voice rode the Formation and echoed into every corner of the Pavilion.
“I express my deep gratitude for your passionate support for the Five Elements Pill showcased at the Myriad Phenomena Pavilion yesterday. Today, to repay that support, our Baek Clan Merchant Guild intends to unveil another pill personally refined by Grandmaster Yak-seon right here.”
As soon as the name Yak-seon was mentioned, the Audience Seating began to Stir.
Greed and anticipation colored the Cultivators' eyes, and the atmosphere heated up.
Baek Mu-Yeong did not delay; he pulled a splendid jade box from his robes and carefully placed it on the jade tray in the center of the Platform.
“The first item to open today’s auction is none other than the Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pill!”
As Baek Mu-Yeong threw open the lid of the box, a clear and pure medicinal fragrance filled the Auction House.
The pill resting demurely inside the jade box and the elegant Silver Cloud Pattern flowing across its surface came into full view of all the Cultivators.
“…”
For a moment, silence dominated the Auction House.
An overwhelming shock gagged the Cultivators, to the point where not even the sound of someone Clearing their throat could be heard.
“An inscription on a Spirit Gathering Pill?”
“Are you saying an inscription is carved into a 1st-Grade Low-Tier Pill, the Spirit Gathering Pill?”
“Following the Five Elements Pill, he sought to shatter the limits of a Low-Grade Pill today.”
“Grandmaster Yak-seon is truly a god of Pill Refining!”
The silence soon turned into frantic cheers and shouts of astonishment, echoing as if to bring down the Auction House.
Despite its humble origin as a 1st-Grade Low-Tier Pill, the mere fact that an inscription was carved into it caused its value to skyrocket by tens to hundreds of times.
The pure and massive Qi of Heaven and Earth harbored within the inscription would exert absolute power in expanding the Qi meridians of Qi Condensation Cultivators and tearing down the Breakthrough Barrier.
Above all, since it was free from pill toxicity, it was no different from a Priceless Treasure for those plotting grand designs all the way up to becoming a Great Cultivator.
“The Starting Bid Price for the Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pill is… one Mid-Grade Spirit Stone!”
However, Baek Mu-Yeong started the auction at a low price, taking into account that it was a 1st-Grade Low-Tier Pill.
Rather than blindly calling out a high price, sparking competition among the Cultivators to naturally drive up the price was also a good method.
“Two Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!”
“Three!”
“Five! I will definitely win this bid for the Young Prodigy of Our Sect!”
As if to prove this, the Cultivators in attendance spat as they called out bids, fiercely competing.
Sitting in the VIP Room and watching the spectacle, Baek-Cheong couldn’t control the smile hanging on her lips.
“As expected of me.”
A single pill she had refined through all sorts of hardship, by experimenting with the Pill Refining Method she had organized, was driving respectable Cultivators crazy and driving up its value.
Considering the fact that the ingredients going into a Spirit Gathering Pill were shabby, the profit margin was enormous.
“This is what you call a Creative Economy.”
Before long, the bids soared at a terrifying speed, easily surpassing ten Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
It was an absurdly expensive price for a pill meant for Qi Condensation Cultivators, but with the symbolism of the inscription and the name value of Yak-seon added, it was heavily inflated, forming a bubble.
Finally, after fierce competition, the Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pill was won by some unknown Minor Clan near Yeonha Immortal City at the record-breaking price of twenty Mid-Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
It was a staggering amount equivalent to two thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
Even compared to a Top-grade Spirit Gathering Pill, the price difference was twenty times higher.
“Twenty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! Sold!”
Along with Baek Mu-Yeong’s hearty voice, Baek-Cheong’s smile couldn’t stop as she imagined her soon-to-be heavy pockets.
Thanks to the heat stoked by the Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pill, the 2nd-grade dharma treasures and pills presented afterward also found their owners consecutively at high prices, making the auction a massive success.
“Ten High-Grade Spirit Stones! Sold!”
Above all, one could witness the madness of the token consigned by the Pacheon Sword Saint being sold at a price that would make one click one’s tongue.
* * *
On the way back to the Mansion after the auction had completely ended
Baek-Cheong’s steps were as light as if she were walking on air.
“Law Enforcer Ga, I’ll treat you to a big dinner tonight! Put it on the Merchant Guild’s tab and order all the most expensive dishes!”
“Haha, the Young Lady seems to be in a very good mood. I will do so.”
As soon as she arrived at her Abode, Baek-Cheong threw herself onto the bed, fiddling with her fattened Storage Platform.
Saying that the auction had ended in great success thanks to her, her uncle handed over the twenty Mid-Mid-Grade Spirit Stones in full, without deducting any commission.
“Is this the sweet reward of labor?”
It felt as though all her hard work up until now had paid off.
Although she had the backing of numerous benefits and a powerful background, there was a deep sense of fulfillment brought by the Spirit Stones she had earned herself.
“At this rate, just selling Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills will put me on a cushion of money - no, a cushion of Spirit Stones… though that sounds like it would be hard.”
However, the sense of fulfillment was only brief.
Imagining herself stuck in the Pill Room, doing Pill Refining and churning out Inscribed Spirit Gathering Pills, made her lose all interest.
To escape the sudden realization of reality, she logged into the Nameless Forum.
“Ah…”
If there were one small problem.
“Dao Friend (24.223): Pill Refining is an art with nothing but the drawback of accumulating pill toxicity when you eat them.”
“Dao Friend (33.219): A Vein Seeker is no different from a dog or pig sniffing out mushrooms buried in the dirt.”
“Dao Friend (77.21): Those who learn Divination Arts just create secret realms and hide in them sneakily.”
Due to the topic she had thrown out the day before, the Dao Friends were fighting as if they wanted to kill each other.
It had escaped the Arena and spread into a debate encompassing the entire Nameless Forum.
“If it’s like this, my bragging is ruined.”
Baek-Cheong was pouting her lips and browsing through the Forum Board.
Suddenly, a conspicuous title caught her eye.
“Dao Friend (55.19): A study on the Essence of Sword Intent and its Correlation with sword arts.”
It was a post by Dao Friend (55.19), the culprit who had called her an Old Monster of Qi Condensation Stage.
It was interesting that he hadn’t shown any sign of himself during the Shukshuk Sword Art question, but had suddenly posted a serious strategy guide for Sword Cultivators.
Drawn by curiosity, Baek-Cheong opened the post.
[A Sword Art is merely a vessel that contains Sword Intent. Forcing oneself to follow a Sword Path that is nothing but an empty shell will never allow one to exert true power as a Sword Cultivator. Even if it is a renowned Sword Art, if one does not understand the will of the Sword Cultivator contained within it - that is, the purpose of cutting - it will merely degrade into a simple Martial Art.]
As she read through the text, an inspiration flashed through Baek-Cheong’s mind like lightning.
She had heard the sword style “Falling Star Style” from the Pacheon Sword Saint.
And the meaningful advice that would be of help in piercing the massive Barrier inside her Dantian.
“Falling Star Style… It strikes down like a falling star to destroy.”
Baek-Cheong sprang up from the bed.
The single strand of a Sword Art she had completed in the Nameless Forum with the help of the Sword Cultivator Dao Friends vividly unfolded in her mind.
A sharp Sword Path that cleaved and pierced space from top to bottom.
She tried overlaying the name Falling Star Style and the Sword Intent of destruction onto that Sword Path.
“If it’s this, it might just work…?”
The method of a Sword Cultivator minimizes the waste of energy and concentrates destructive power into a single extreme point.
If she grafted it with the Quasi-Unification Method she had devised, it felt like it would become a breakthrough to surpass her realm without relying on the toxicity of a pill like the realm-breaking pill.
“This is it!”
In an instant, her regret over not being able to snatch up a fortuitous encounter vanished without a trace.
Her Dantian, which she had been steadily filling with spiritual energy, was also on the verge of being completely full.
Baek-Cheong closed her eyes and focused on Qi Absorption, continuing to fill her Dantian.