Chapter 107 - Ten Thousand Stars
Shen Tianyu slammed his hand onto the armrest. "One hundred and ten—"
"Young Master," the elderly advisor beside him interrupted, pressing a hand onto his shoulder. "Please, calm yourself. We cannot waste more on an unverified item. The true treasures are yet to come. We must conserve our money."
Shen Tianyu gritted his teeth, his knuckles turning white as he held the token. He stared at the window of Room Nine with a burning resentment, but he knew the elder was right. With a furious scoff, he threw the token onto the table.
"I will remember this," Shen Tianyu gritted, his voice dripping with anger.
"One hundred thousand spirit stones, going once," Elder Feng said, raising the gavel. "Going twice."
*Bang!*
"Sold to Room Nine," Elder Feng announced.
Su Ming sat back in his chair. He had secured the slip, but his brow remained slightly furrowed. He had taken a high-risk gamble, and he would have to wait until he returned to his peak to see if it would pay off.
***
On the stage, the attendants brought out a small jade box, placing it on the granite pedestal. Elder Feng opened the lid, revealing a single, dry leaf. It was gold, and a network of thin, glowing golden veins ran across its surface, pulsing with a faint, steady light that looked like lines of flowing thought.
"Our next item is the Bodhi Tree Leaf," Elder Feng announced, his voice carrying clearly to every corner of the hall. "It was recovered from the ruins of an ancient monastery, found directly beside a stone altar where monks used to meditate. It has the power to stabilize the soul, quiet the dao heart, and assist in clearing bottleneck barriers during a breakthrough. Bidding starts at fifty thousand spirit stones."
From Room Seven, the gaze of Ling Muyu of The Heavenly Dawn Academy fixed on the golden leaf.
She stood close to the screen, her hand pressing against the wooden rail. She had been stuck at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm for years, her progress blocked by a stubborn mental barrier. The Bodhi Leaf might just be the perfect catalyst she needed to clear her mind and force a breakthrough. She had to win it.
"Fifty-five thousand," Ling Muyu called out, her voice clear and resolute.
"Sixty-five thousand," a voice countered from Room Eleven.
"Seventy-five thousand," Ling Muyu bid immediately, showing no hesitation.
In Room Nine, Su Ming watched the price climb.
He remained silent, resting his hands in his sleeves. He did not raise his voice. While a Bodhi Leaf was indeed a rare treasure for ordinary cultivators, it was useless to him. His own Halo of Insight could calm his soul and guide his comprehension with far greater efficiency than the temporary effects of the spiritual leaf. There was no need to waste his remaining spirit stones on something he did not require.
The bidding war grew more intense as other VIP rooms joined the clash.
"One hundred thousand," the voice from Room Eleven called out.
"One hundred and ten thousand," Ling Muyu countered, her expression tense behind her veil.
"One hundred and twenty thousand," Room Eleven bid.
Ling Muyu gritted her teeth. She had saved a large portion of her academy funds for this very moment.
"One hundred and thirty thousand!" she announced, her voice carrying a sharp edge of determination.
The hall fell silent. The occupant of Room Eleven remained quiet for several breaths, then let his token rest on the table. He was unwilling to spend more for a single leaf.
"One hundred and thirty thousand spirit stones, going once," Elder Feng said, looking around the silent hall.
"Going twice."
*Bang!*
"Sold to Room Seven," Elder Feng announced.
Inside Room Seven, Ling Muyu let out a long, slow breath, her shoulders relaxing as she sat back in her chair.
In Room Nine, Su Ming took a slow sip of his tea, watching the attendants clear the stage. As the auction was reaching its end, the grandest treasures of the auction would soon be revealed.
***
On the stage, the assistants carried the container away. Two attendants carefully brought out a long wooden box, unrolling a scroll of thick, weathered paper onto the stone display stand.
It was a landscape painting. Ink mountains rose under a sky painted with simple, dust-like star markings. It was beautiful, but it did not radiate any obvious spiritual energy. To the eyes of ordinary cultivators, it was nothing more than a decoration.
"Our next item is a rare painting scroll, titled ’Ten Thousand Stars Beneath Nine Heavens,’" Elder Feng announced, his voice carrying a deep reverence. "It has a poem inscribed on the back, signed by the legendary painter, Wan Go.
"As many of you know, the works of Master Wan Go are exceptionally rare, preserved from the ancient era. A piece of such pedigree is suitable only for the royal courts of great empires and the grand halls of supreme sects."
He looked around the room, gesturing to the scroll.
"The bidding starts at sixty thousand spirit stones," Elder Feng announced.
Excited whispers broke out among the scholars and representatives of the major clans on the floor. While it was not a weapon, its historical value and prestige made it a coveted status symbol.
Inside Room Two, the young man beside the Wu Princess stared at the stage intently.
Suddenly, his senses within his cold body flared up with unprecedented intensity. His instincts screamed that the painting held a massive treasure that far exceeded any simple art piece.
In his excitement, his composure slipped. He leaned toward the window and shouted directly into the open communication array, "Seventy thousand!"
Murmurs of surprise and confusion immediately rippled through the main floor.
"A male voice?" a merchant in the front row whispered, looking up. "I thought Room Two was reserved for the royal Princess."
"Who is that?" another asked. "The attendant bidding on his own?"
Inside Room Two, the Princess felt a sudden flush of embarrassment. She quickly reached out and pressed her hand against the communication array, taking control before her guard could speak again.
"Seventy thousand spirit stones," she announced, her voice projecting clearly into the hall. It was cold, commanding, and carried the heavy authority of her royal status, instantly silencing the whispers below. "Room Two is bidding."
Once she closed the communication array, the Princess turned to her companion, her expression softening. She reached out and took his hand.
"Lin Fan, remember why we are here," she whispered, her voice filled with a quiet warmth. "We are here for the final treasure. If we obtain it and gain the imperial inheritance, no one will be able to stop us. Even my royal father will have to accept us, and we can finally be together."