Ye Qin heard a man's voice suddenly bid for the last Jiejin Pill, causing him a slight start of surprise. He looked over and saw the auction hall beneath the luxurious private boxes, where a group of Golden Core cultivators from the Shangtang Palace were coldly staring up towards Box Nine. Du Qingliang was among them, and he was the one who had shouted the previous bid. Ye Qin couldn't help but frown.

He had never intended to make enemies with the cultivators of the Shangtang Palace. It was Patriarch Hongmo, leading a contingent of Shangtang Palace Golden Core cultivators, who had come to the Purple Sword Palace to provoke them. To establish his authority as an Elder, he had been forced to make an example of Du Qingliang, who was renowned as the genius Wind-Attribute Golden Core cultivator of the Shangtang Palace. “To suffer such humiliation, who can he blame but himself?”

Du Qingliang’s entry bid immediately jumped by five hundred thousand, shattering the previous highest price for a Jiejin Pill at this auction and surging past the two-million spirit stone mark. By naming the price so clearly, it seemed Du Qingliang was intentionally picking a fight with him.

Inside the luxurious private box, Yan Xuan watched Ye Qin with visible tension, her fingers turning white. This was the final Jiejin Pill available at the Heavenly Dao Pavilion auction today. If she couldn't secure it, she wouldn't have another chance to attempt breaking through the Golden Core bottleneck anytime soon. “Two million five hundred thousand!” Ye Qin’s expression was stern, betraying no emotion, as he continued to raise the bid. “Three million!” “Three million five hundred thousand!” “Four million—!”

The bids from the two men came almost one after another, the price soaring so rapidly that the tens of thousands of assembled Golden Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators present were left dumbfounded. This was no longer a contest for a single Jiejin Pill; it was a battle of wills between the Shangtang Palace cultivators and the Purple Sword Palace Elder, a contest to see whose financial might could crush the other. “Five million low-grade spirit stones! Du Qingliang, see if you dare to keep up!” Ye Qin sneered. He wasn't simply being contrary for the sake of it.

If he didn't want to spend several months refining a Jiejin Pill himself, he absolutely had to secure this one. Five million low-grade spirit stones was an amount he could afford to spend.

Furthermore, the open and arrogant provocation from the Shangtang Palace Golden Core cultivators made it clear they intended to slap his face. How could he easily back down! He not only intended to acquire the Jiejin Pill but also to let the Shangtang Palace cultivators know that even in a contest of wealth, they were not worthy of challenging him.

Surging past the five-million mark, Du Qingliang’s neck instantly flushed crimson. Producing five million low-grade spirit stones in one go was not a small or easy sum for him. The gathered Golden Core cultivators of the Shangtang Palace were secretly shocked by Ye Qin’s resolute bidding.

A small fraction of those with wavering resolve even began to murmur doubtfully, “Perhaps we should just let the man surnamed Ye have it. This price is preposterous, ten times the normal rate! Even if we worked diligently for several years, we might not earn back this much.”

“No, we cannot stop. We must settle this humiliation today! Whatever the person in Box Nine wants to buy, we will simply outbid them. Isn’t he just Elder Ye? Surely a group of us Golden Core cultivators aren't afraid of him? If we back down now, others will genuinely believe that the Golden Core cultivators of our Shangtang Palace are afraid of an Elder from the Purple Sword Palace.”

“This person’s cultivation speed is astonishingly fast, which must necessitate the consumption of massive quantities of spirit pills. Therefore, the spirit stones he possesses are likely only around five or six million, definitely not much more. The Golden Core cultivators here from Shangtang, Wunuer, and Wanluo, the three great Immortal Palaces, can easily pool forty to fifty million spirit stones—enough to crush him!” Many more Shangtang Palace Golden Core cultivators held this firm stance. “Six million!”

Du Qingliang’s face was gloomy, and gritting his teeth, he continued to call out an even more shocking figure. “Hmph, I want to see just how much wealth the Fifth Elder of the Purple Sword Palace actually possesses!”

If he couldn't defeat Ye Qin in battle, could he really lose to him in a pure contest of finances?!

Even as he bid, Du Qingliang felt a pang of sacrifice in his heart!

Six million low-grade spirit stones—how many fine Primordial Spirit artifacts, how many top-tier treasures, could that amount purchase? It was all being poured into this single Jiejin Pill. More critically, this item served no actual use for him personally. Moreover, the Shangtang Immortal Palace had channels to obtain Jiejin Pills at low cost; there was no need to spend such an exorbitant amount here at auction.

“However, six million low-grade spirit stones… this is still within the range of manageable loss for me. If the disciples of the Du family at the Golden Core level share the burden, each will only lose about two to three hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones! The loss isn't substantial.”

Du Qingliang comforted himself internally.

“Heavens, they’ve gone mad. To save face, they are throwing money around like this!” “Indeed, the Elder of the Purple Sword Palace and the Golden Core cultivators of the Shangtang Palace are truly rich and powerful—they feel no sting at all bidding so high!”

In the auction hall, many less affluent Golden Core cultivators watched with sour envy. For cultivators whose savings were not substantial, pulling out such a sum on short notice was impossible.

In the luxurious Box Nine, Grandmaster Sun had been stunned for a long time by the massive quantity of ninth-grade spirit pills. It wasn't until the commotion caused by Du Qingliang and Ye Qin fighting over the Jiejin Pill brought him back to his senses that he finally reacted.

The price soaring so high for a Jiejin Pill even left Grandmaster Sun somewhat dumbfounded, especially since it was a pill he himself had refined. “Elder Ye, you truly want to purchase that Jiejin Pill?”

Grandmaster Sun quickly spoke up, “There’s no need to bid! I successfully refined that Jiejin Pill a few months ago and entrusted it to the merchant guild for auction. If you want it, I can immediately withdraw the consignment and sell it to you for fifty thousand. There is no need to waste such an unjustifiably expensive amount!”

“The auction consignment can be withdrawn?”

Ye Qin paused, slightly surprised.

“Certainly, as long as the sale hasn't been finalized, the consignment can be canceled. This Jiejin Pill was refined by Grandmaster Sun, and he has the right to withdraw it before a buyer purchases it.”

Steward Jiang, who was accompanying them, immediately clarified.

Ye Qin sank into thought, apparently considering the situation.

Grandmaster Sun giving up such a significant potential profit to sell him the pill near cost was clearly an attempt to forge a connection with him. This favor would be difficult to repay.

Steward Jiang, aware of the enmity between Ye Qin and Du Qingliang of the Shangtang Palace, considered whether to suggest a compromise. His eyes darted, and he suddenly lowered his voice, “Grandmaster Sun, if you truly don't mind the price of this Jiejin Pill, I do have a small idea that could help Elder Ye ‘severely suppress Du Qingliang and gain immense satisfaction!’” “Oh? Please tell us!”

Both Ye Qin and Grandmaster Sun were quite interested.

Steward Jiang immediately whispered his scheme: “Elder Ye, you should first secure the Jiejin Pill with an absolutely high bid, delivering a massive slap to the Shangtang Palace. Afterward, Grandmaster Sun and Elder Ye can complete the transaction privately for fifty thousand. Since this is between the two of you, the merchant guild only takes the commission and will not interfere with the rest. I will act as a witness; you two can deal with Du Qingliang with complete peace of mind.” Ye Qin and Grandmaster Sun looked astonished, then burst into hearty laughter. Grandmaster Sun agreed instantly. “Excellent, a splendid idea!” Ye Qin immediately slammed his bidding token, shouting out a price before the auctioneer could conclude the bidding: “Twelve million! Du Qingliang, I’m doubling your price. If you dare to double my bid, I’ll double yours again. Let’s see if you have the nerve to try?” He had instantly escalated the price by a full double over Du Qingliang’s previous offer!

The entire auction hall of cultivators instantly erupted in shock and uproar; the noise nearly caused the lower-ranked Foundation Establishment cultivators present to faint. They spent hundreds of years struggling to earn even a fraction of that amount.

A Jiejin Pill selling for twelve million was an unprecedented high price in the entire Donghong region. Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would have to cough up blood to buy a Jiejin Pill at this cost.

This was not an auction; this was a public humiliation. Elder Ye of the Purple Sword Palace was openly humiliating the Golden Core cultivators of the Shangtang Palace right there in the auction hall! Teaching the Shangtang Palace cultivators a lesson. “Crazy! This Elder Ye of the Purple Sword Palace is too reckless. This courage, this financial power—he must be among the absolute top-tier Golden Core cultivators in the Northern Islands. No wonder he can serve as the Fifth Elder of the Purple Sword Palace.”

Even Wan Shiwei, the Young Master of the Wanluo Palace, who had been quietly observing and preparing to enjoy the unfolding drama, was momentarily stunned, gripping his feather fan tightly, unsure whether to close it or leave it open. “You double it! I—I—”

Du Qingliang’s breathing grew ragged, his eyes bloodshot, as he clutched his bidding token, trying desperately to muster the courage to shout out a doubled price. “Calm down! Don’t fall for the trap! If you double it, the man surnamed Ye will certainly step back from bidding.” “Qingliang, we can’t bid any further! This is foolish!”

Even the dozens of other Shangtang Palace Golden Core cultivators surrounding him panicked as they saw Du Qingliang about to lose his reason, rushing forward to snatch the bidding token from his hand to stop him from continuing the fierce bidding.

If they actually doubled the price, their entire group would be financially ruined over this single Jiejin Pill. To waste twenty-four million on a pill of questionable value would make them vomit blood deep in the night. The Palace Lord and Elders of the Shangtang Immortal Palace would undoubtedly berate them mercilessly, forcing them into ten years of solitary confinement.

On the main auction platform, the auctioneer, now the focus of everyone’s attention, couldn't help but swallow hard, his voice trembling slightly. “Is th—is there anyone else wishing to bid? Twelve million low-grade spirit stones!…” He knew it was futile to ask. Who among the thousands of cultivators present dared to continue raising the price beyond this astronomical figure? “Sold!”

Shortly after, the purchased Jiejin Pill, contained within a small vial, was respectfully delivered to the luxurious Box Nine by a maid.

Ye Qin opened the vial, glanced only once at the pill inside, and immediately passed it over to Yan Xuan.

“Thank you, Martial Uncle Ye!”

Yan Xuan accepted the vial with trembling hands. “I will repay this sum of spirit stones as soon as possible.”

Shen Bao could only watch with envy.

“No hurry. We can discuss it after you successfully reach the Golden Core stage,” Ye Qin said calmly. He then handed fifty high-grade spirit stones to Grandmaster Sun. “Speaking of which, I must thank Fellow Daoist Sun! Otherwise, it wouldn't have been so cheap.”

“Not at all, this Jiejin Pill isn't worth that much. The internal price in the major Immortal Palaces is only thirty to fifty thousand spirit stones. If the alchemy skills are good enough, the cost can even be reduced below thirty thousand spirit stones. If hundreds of Golden Core and Foundation Establishment cultivators in the hall weren't scrambling for these ten Jiejin Pills, the price would never have risen to one or two million.”

Grandmaster Sun graciously accepted Ye Qin’s spirit stones and smiled, “With your exquisite alchemy skills, if you were to refine them yourself, the cost would certainly be extremely low! If you have time in the future, Elder Ye, I humbly ask for some guidance on alchemy techniques.”

While improving one’s alchemy skills primarily depends on personal practice and comprehension, guidance from a master alchemist can yield twice the results with half the effort. Even a slight increase in pill output rate can generate tremendous long-term economic benefits.

This was the true reason Grandmaster Sun sought to ingratiate himself with Ye Qin. For cultivators at their level—Grandmaster Alchemists—a single Jiejin Pill meant little; alchemy skill itself was what they truly valued.

“Sparring and exchange are highly beneficial for alchemy techniques. I, too, will need to seek guidance from you, Fellow Daoist Sun, in the future,” Ye Qin replied with a smile.

“That’s easily said!”

Ye Qin, Grandmaster Sun, and Steward Jiang all laughed heartily.

This contest for the Jiejin Pill ended in a crushing defeat for the Golden Core cultivators of the Shangtang Palace. They likely wouldn't be able to figure out how they lost, even if they racked their brains.

However, this veiled struggle of the auction was far from over. The items presented on the central platform were almost all rare treasures. Soon, a maid arrived at the main stage bearing a jade plate.

On the jade plate rested a palm-sized pedestal carved from an unknown ancient wood in the shape of a lotus flower. The entire lotus pedestal emitted a faint cyan halo.

Seated upon the lotus pedestal was a small wooden carving of a three-year-old child, whose tiny hands held a holy lotus seed, crystal-clear and brilliant like a grain of rice, emanating solemnity and reverence.

Within that crystal lotus seed, tens of thousands of mysterious characters spun, resembling an ancient celestial law compendium within the halo of light.

Undoubtedly, the essence of the Lotus Pedestal resided entirely within this crystal lotus seed. “‘The Lotus Canon’!” “This manual is an ancient technique for artifact refining and cultivation. How did it appear at this auction?!” In Boxes Seven and Eight, the two Nascent Soul ancestors simultaneously let out faint gasps of shock. “The only top-tier cultivation secret manual in this auction—the complete ‘Lotus Canon’!” the auctioneer shouted with renewed spirit. “The Lotus Canon was obtained recently by a treasure-hunting Golden Core cultivator from the Sea of Blood. It is believed to be a manual cultivated by a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator.” “However, cultivating this complete Lotus-attribute Canon requires extremely high prerequisites. It must be used in conjunction with a complete set of Lotus-attribute Primordial Spirit artifacts to function effectively.” “This auctioneer must remind everyone that without a complete set of Lotus artifacts, this cultivation method is useless. Please bid seriously, guests.” “This high-level secret manual is suitable for late-stage Golden Core cultivators and Nascent Soul cultivators.”

“This manual cannot be duplicated onto jade slips; it is the only complete set of Lotus-attribute cultivation techniques. The starting bid is ten million low-grade spirit stones! This is the price point for a top-tier cultivation secret manual; even manuals cultivated by many Nascent Soul cultivators are not this exceptional.”

The Nascent Soul cultivators in Boxes Seven and Eight, who obviously knew each other, began exchanging silent transmissions across the distance.

“This ‘Lotus Canon’ fell into the hands of a highly renowned wood-attribute Nascent Soul cultivator several hundred years ago, who had great hopes of competing for the Sect Master position in the Heavenly Dao Alliance. Unexpectedly, this person died, and even this Canon was accidentally obtained by a Golden Core cultivator.” “Alas, fortune and disaster are unpredictable! Even the most talented cultivators can perish in the Sea of Blood. I wonder if they encountered a demon cultivator or some other accident.” “The Lotus Canon is indeed fine; for us Nascent Soul cultivators, it’s a rare cultivation art. The Nascent Soul cultivators were clearly tempted, but after careful consideration, they shook their heads. “Unfortunately, we all possess our own established cultivation manuals and powerful Primordial Spirit artifacts we have cultivated for centuries. No one would casually choose to re-refine entirely new techniques and Primordial Spirit artifacts.”

“Let the younger Golden Core generation fight for the Canon. For them, this is a top-tier cultivation method. Given our status, we certainly shouldn't compete with juniors. Daoist Brother, who do you think this manual will fall to?” The Nascent Soul cultivator in Box Eight laughed.

“Hard to say. That young Elder Ye dared to drop twelve million spirit stones just to buy a Jiejin Pill, which surprised even me. We cannot underestimate the desperation of these younger Golden Core cultivators from the Immortal Palaces!”

In the Heavenly Dao Pavilion’s auction hall, the vast majority of Golden Core cultivators held their breath, their eyes wide, necks craned, waiting to see who would place the first bid.

A cultivation manual starting at ten million spirit stones was something the majority of Golden Core cultivators could not afford.

Moreover, this was merely the manual itself.

A manual alone serves no purpose.

To acquire this Canon, one would need to purchase the corresponding Lotus-attribute artifact refining raw materials to forge an entire set of supreme Lotus-attribute Primordial Spirit artifacts. A complete set implies at least three to four Primordial Spirit artifacts to form the collection, a financial investment easily reaching twenty to thirty million. Most late-stage Golden Core cultivators in the East Sea could only gawk at this prospect, eager but powerless. Only a Nascent Soul ancestor, or a cultivator backed by the wealth of an Immortal Palace, could truly afford to take on this Canon. Those who dared to bid for this secret manual would be few among the few. This auction only had cultivators in nine luxurious boxes.

This meant that besides Ye Qin’s box, there were eight other Nascent Soul cultivators observing the auction, waiting to see if any items required their attention.

However, after the auctioneer finished introducing the ‘Lotus Canon,’ Boxes One through Eight remained utterly silent, showing no indication that these Nascent Soul cultivators intended to step in.

For a moment, no one placed a bid; everyone was waiting to see if any Nascent Soul cultivators in those eight boxes would move first. If those Nascent Soul ancestors made a move, the remaining Golden Core cultivators would certainly have no chance. The Golden Core cultivators of the Shangtang Palace were also waiting, watching to see if Elder Ye in Box Nine would bid again. “Will the Ye fellow bid again?” “Impossible. He spent twelve million on a Jiejin Pill worth fifty thousand; there’s no way he has the funds left to bid on the ‘Lotus Canon’ which starts at ten million.” “Are you certain?” “That…” “Unless the Purple Sword Palace uses the financial treasury of its Immortal Palace to cover the cost, it’s absolutely impossible for the Ye fellow to manage it himself.” “If he tries to suppress us again and fails, he’ll just humiliate himself!”

The Jiejin Pill from the previous round had left the Shangtang Palace Golden Core cultivators utterly deflated, nearly causing them to bankrupt themselves. This time, the Shangtang Palace Golden Core cultivators were far more cautious, unwilling to definitively gauge Ye Qin’s financial bottom line.

Wan Shiwei, the Young Master of the Wanluo Palace, approached the area occupied by the Shangtang Palace cultivators with a grim expression to discuss how to deal with Ye Qin.

Du Qingliang’s face was sickly green, sitting motionless and blankly on his immortal seat in the hall. This was the second time he had been thoroughly defeated by Ye Qin, shattering his confidence and leaving him completely demoralized.

The Golden Core cultivators throughout the auction hall hesitated, watching and waiting. The item was undoubtedly excellent, far more valuable than the Jiejin Pill, but whether they could secure it was uncertain. Ye Qin was also waiting, a surge of uncontrollable excitement suppressed within him. Within his Purple Mansion, a sprouting Ziyou Lotus had already flowered.

Refining a complete set of Lotus-attribute Primordial Spirit artifacts was not an issue. The problem was that he had no idea how to refine Lotus-attribute artifacts.

The appearance of the complete Lotus-attribute cultivation technique, the ‘Lotus Canon,’ on the auction stage filled him with unexpected joy. This was something he might never find, even if he actively sought it out in normal times.

Ye Qin himself possessed the Great Five Elements Sword Formation, which was sufficient for him, meaning he didn't strictly need this Canon. However, Bing’er only had the Ice-Fire Sword Art, and its power was rather ordinary and beginning to wane. This Canon would be perfect for Bing’er to cultivate.

Finally, seeing that the Nascent Soul cultivators showed no inclination to bid, several late-stage Golden Core cultivators with robust finances could not resist raising their bidding tokens. Starting from ten million, the price rose to about thirteen million after ten bids. The initial bidding was not aggressive. After all, very few cultivators—no more than ten—could afford a manual in the ten-million range.

“Fifteen million—” “Box Nine’s light flickered, announcing a bid.”

Box Nine bidding again completely defied the expectations of the Golden Core cultivators in the main hall. They were all stunned and inwardly shaken. They had originally estimated that Ye Qin lacked the financial means to continue bidding.

The Golden Core cultivators of the Shangtang Palace, the Young Master Wan Shiwei of the Wanluo Palace, and Fairy Meng Yu of the Wunuer Palace all exchanged bewildered glances, unable to fathom Ye Qin’s true reserves.

“Sixteen million! I’ll fight him again; I refuse to believe he has this much wealth. Spending over ten million on a top-tier cultivation manual isn't a loss.”

This time, Wan Shiwei, the Young Master of the Wanluo Palace, personally entered the fray.

“Seventeen million!”

Ye Qin’s attitude was exceptionally resolute as he slammed down his token.

Today, he was prepared to exhaust the forty million he gained from selling spirit pills to secure this ‘Lotus Canon.’

A ninth-tier spirit pill could be forged again; spirit stones could be earned anew. But if the Lotus Scripture was missed, who knew if another chance would ever arise.

“One hundred and eighty million!” Wan Shiwang slammed his paddle down with force.

“Twenty million!” A calm, young man’s voice echoed throughout the auction hall from the luxurious private box number one.

Listening to the voice, the speaker sounded barely twenty years old—impossibly young. Yet, the sheer power contained within that tone effortlessly crushed the noisy clamor of every cultivator in the main hall, confirming the speaker was a genuine Nascent Soul Ancestor.

The entire auction hall instantly fell silent.

“A Nascent Soul cultivator has finally bid!”

“Who is the Nascent Soul Ancestor in Box Number One?”

Even the Golden Core cultivators from the Shangtang Palace, who had been trying to suppress Ye Qin in one go, immediately shrank back, terrified into silence, daring not to raise the bid again. They had no fear of Ye Qin, the Elder of the Purple Sword Palace, but that certainly did not mean they dared to offend a Nascent Soul Ancestor whose background remained utterly unknown.