TL: Etude
"Only 30 billion? So cheap? A high-level Yuan Force Body Cultivation Technique can found a great clan!"
A grandmaster inquired with disbelief.
Others attending the auction also expressed their curiosity. The scarcity of great clans in the Demon Sea base was largely due to the control over these high-level Yuan Force Body Cultivation Techniques.
Mid-level Yuan Force Body Cultivation Techniques were more or less the same and many people possessed them. However, high-level techniques were very different and complex, involving many aspects.
A single high-level Yuan Force Body Cultivation Technique could transform a small clan into a great one.
Precisely because of this, such techniques were invaluable. A starting bid of 30 billion was so low that it was hard to believe it was genuine.
Seeing many people question this, the auctioneer explained, "Ladies and Gentlemen, this high-level Yuan Force Body Cultivation Technique is authentic, but it can't be disseminated. It has been recorded in a Heritage Bead with a soul array set up inside it. To learn this technique, you must swear an oath to cultivate it alone. Hence, its value is greatly reduced. The starting bid of 30 billion was decided after discussion within our Martial Pavilion!"
"So that's how it is!"
Many people suddenly understood, and quickly lost interest.
Many of those present were members of large forces and had channels to learn high-level Yuan Force Body Cultivation Techniques. Although they too were bound by oaths, they could learn for free.
But having to spend so much on this Purple Blood Body Cultivation Technique was naturally disagreeable to them.
However, lone wolves like Ye Tian were extremely excited and set their sights on the Purple Blood Body Cultivation Technique, including some grandmaster-level martial artists.
"Seems like the competition is tough," Ye Tian observed the crowd and secretly thought.
He was determined to acquire the Purple Blood Body Cultivation Technique. In terms of financial capability, he believed he outclassed the average grandmaster.
"Purple Blood Body Cultivation Technique, from Zhonghai Super Base. So, there really is something even greater than a large base," Ye Tian was highly interested in the concept of super bases.
He even wondered how Yuan Force Body Cultivation Techniques and high-level Yuan Force Body Cultivation Techniques came into being. Initially, he thought they were created by large bases. But after coming to the large base, he realized that they didn't have the capability to create these techniques. Perhaps these were all crafted by super bases.
Sadly, his status was not high enough; he knew only the name of the Zhonghai Super Base and nothing else.
"How big has China become? How many large bases and super bases are there? How big is the entire Earth?"
A series of questions appeared in Ye Tian's mind, questions that awaited future exploration for answers.
"35 billion!"
"38 billion!"
"40 billion!"
...
Those bidding for the Purple Blood Body Cultivation Technique were all grandmasters. Grandmasters had various ways to amass wealth and had unimaginable fortunes accumulated over time. A few hundred billion was nothing to them.
Furthermore, the opportunity to obtain a high-level Yuan Force Body Cultivation Technique was rare. Some grandmasters were reluctant to pledge allegiance to major forces, so they did not want to miss this chance.
"80 billion!"
A shocking bid was announced.
By this point, few were still bidding, as the auction price had soared too high.
Grandmasters were indeed wealthy, but the resources required for their cultivation were also substantial. Grandmasters who had assets worth 100 billion were top-notch ones. These top-notch grandmasters generally already possessed high-level Yuan Force Body Cultivation Techniques, and those wishing to purchase one generally had lesser financial means.
Therefore, after the bidding reached 80 billion, they could no longer afford to compete.
At this moment, Ye Tian made his move.
"100 billion!"
A price that utterly crushed the hopes of other grandmasters was announced by Ye Tian.
Whoosh!
Whoosh!
The gazes of many martial artists converged on Ye Tian.
"He's the one who just spent 11 billion to purchase the cultivation insights of a King-level expert, and now he's spending another 100 billion to buy a high-tier yuan force body refinement technique. Just how wealthy is he?" Many masters expressed their envy.
"Could he be the scion of some large family?" someone murmured.
"It's possible. Anyone who can spend over 100 billion at such a young age might be the descendant of a King-level expert. I really envy these rich second generations; they're born with endless resources to squander, unlike us who have to struggle for our lives," a master lamented.
If they knew Ye Tian's true identity—that he wasn't a scion of some large family—they would undoubtedly be astonished.
100 billion was no small sum, so the other masters looked left and right, and reluctantly withdrew from the bidding.
With that, Ye Tian successfully acquired the Purple Blood Body Refinement Technique for the hefty sum of 100 billion, fulfilling his goal for attending the auction.
However, the auction wasn't over yet. The Purple Blood Body Refinement Technique, although incredibly valuable, was not the grand finale.
Soon, the true treasures were presented.
"Dragon Blood Vine Juice, an item that enhances the chances of a great martial artist breaking through to the grandmaster realm! Starting bid: 10 billion!" the auctioneer announced.
In an instant, the eyes of many great martial artists turned toward a small bottle of red liquid on the auction stage.
"A yellow-level item!"
Ye Tian activated his Treasure Finding Talent and saw the yellow glow emitted by the Dragon Blood Vine Juice, immediately determining that it belonged to the yellow tier. From the surrounding discussions, he also learned about its usefulness.
It was a juice born from the Dragon Blood Vine plant that could help great martial artists refine their meridians. Refining meridians was part of the process of reaching the grandmaster realm.
Thus, any great martial artist who wanted to break through to the grandmaster realm could use Dragon Blood Vine Juice.
While those with top-tier cultivation talents could easily succeed in refining their meridians and reach the grandmaster realm, it was more difficult for those with high-tier talents—their success rate was too low.
Should the attempt to refine meridians fail, not only would the meridians be damaged, but even if repaired, the foundation would be undermined, making it difficult to advance to the grandmaster realm for the rest of one's life.
This was the dilemma of those with high-tier cultivation talents.
However, with Dragon Blood Vine Juice, there was at least a 30% increase in the odds of success, making it a boon for great martial artists with high-tier talents. Moreover, among the grandmasters present, who didn't have a younger generation with high-tier cultivation talents? They all coveted this bottle of Dragon Blood Vine Juice.
Cultivation items were the most valuable commodities of this age. Compared to so-called secret techniques, weapons, or experiences, cultivation items were more precious, especially those that could help break through bottlenecks. Their prices could be astronomical.
In the midst of everyone's bidding, the Dragon Blood Vine Juice was eventually auctioned off for a high price of 60 billion and was acquired by a grandmaster.
Following that, similar items appeared one after another, making the auction venue utterly boisterous.
However, Ye Tian didn't make any further moves. These things were of no use to him.
Suddenly, a new item appeared on the auction stage.
Ye Tian tried to investigate it using his Treasure Finding Talent, but he failed. Clearly, the Martial Pavilion had blocked any form of probing.
His Treasure Finding Talent was not omnipotent. For example, he wanted to probe the Martial Pavilion's treasury but couldn't—it was also shielded from any form of inquiry. Otherwise, the secrets of the Martial Pavilion would have been exposed long ago, and they wouldn't be able to do business.
Pointing at the concealed item, the auctioneer said, "This auction item is a bit special. Even we in the Martial Pavilion can't identify it. But since it's consigned by someone else, we are auctioning it off with an initial price of 1 billion!"
Upon hearing this, all the martial artists became exceedingly curious.
Ye Tian was also intrigued, extremely eager to know what this mysterious item was.