Chapter 866: Not Enough Spirit Stones
Ye Mo recognized the woman's voice. He couldn't scan his spiritual sense inside; the auction shielded those at the Golden Core state and below. No one else bid on the Core Building Herb after the price skyrocketed, and the woman secured it. Ye Mo regretted not knowing her; perhaps they could have negotiated a deal to create the cultivation-enhancing pill, splitting the profits evenly.
The following items were unremarkable, and the audience settled down. Then, Liu Yao announced, “The next item is a stool of unknown origin. Its material is a mystery! It's clearly special, but buyer beware. The auction house assumes no responsibility. Starting bid: 100,000 spirit stones; increments of no less than 10,000.” She placed a heavy, unwieldy stone stool on the table.
Ye Mo nearly leaped with excitement. The stone stool in his ring vibrated as soon as Liu Yao displayed it. He'd found it in his small world, originally obtaining one from Master Tian Ze, who'd left it behind. Its purpose remained a mystery.
Silence fell. Even Nascent Soul cultivators hesitated, unwilling to spend 100,000 on an unknown object. Finally, someone bid 110,000, sparking a bidding war. The price quickly climbed past 200,000. Ye Mo, desperate, bid 500,000.
His desperation, however, only fueled further interest. Another bidder countered with 600,000, shocking Ye Mo with the evident wealth in the room. He decided to wait for a lull.
Liu Yao, delighted by the high price, teased, "600,000! Someone recognizes its value! I wish I knew what it was, but alas..." She then slyly added, "One person recognizes it...will another? 600,000. Any higher bids? One chance only!"
Silence. Then, "700,000!" The bidding escalated rapidly, reaching one million. Ye Mo, far more interested in the stool than the herb, knew he couldn't let it slip away.
The price stalled at one million. Liu Yao, pleased with her salesmanship, proclaimed, "One million, first time! Any higher bids? Don't miss this potential fortune!"
Ye Mo calmly bid 1.01 million. The previous bidder countered with 1.2 million. Ye Mo tried to scan his spiritual sense, but the bidder’s room was impenetrable. Conversely, dozens of spiritual senses probed Ye Mo, curious about the cultivator in the lowest-grade room whose presence remained undetectable.
The bidding continued, both parties seemingly angered. Liu Yao fueled their conflict with her commentary. When Ye Mo reached 2.51 million, the other bidder, enraged, roared, "Three million! If you want it more, it's yours. I'm Fei Cijiang of the Hidden Sword Sect. I'd be delighted if you took it!"
Ye Mo, possessing only three million spirit stones, fell silent. He couldn't compete. The incident highlighted the significance of ample spirit stones. Though wealthy for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, his resources paled in comparison to the truly affluent.
He'd lost both items he desired. The audience assumed Ye Mo's silence stemmed from fear of the Hidden Sword Sect, a force nearly as powerful as a five-star sect.
Fei Cijiang, displeased with his three-million-spirit-stone purchase, planned to later reprimand Ye Mo. Despite his loss, Ye Mo learned Fei Cijiang's identity and affiliation, solidifying his resolve. He would one day return to the Hidden Sword Sect to reclaim the stone stool.
Liu Yao was astonished; the seemingly unremarkable stone stool had fetched three million middle-grade spirit stones, the highest price of the auction.