Blue Phoenix

The auction hall was getting worried. So far the expert on the fourth floor had only bid on two items, and he did so with an unwavering attitude. He had either bid until he won the item or persuaded his opponent to stop bidding.

Were it just two random items then no one would have cared much about it. However, this was two of the most valuable treasures. What if he was planning to bid on all the valuable treasures, would it be possible for them to get their hands on these items?

The audience all started sighing in regret before they shook their heads. “It must be a coincidence,” they all desperately hoped. “He simply can’t have enough Worldpower Stones to pay for all the valuable treasures that are up for sale at this auction,” they calmed themselves with this thought.

Hui Yue said nothing; he just smiled as he shook his head on the fourth floor. He knew better than anyone that he would be able to purchase all the items that were up for sale, but he was only interested in some of them.

Now the weapons and armor were up for bid, and one fine piece of treasure after another appeared. Some sold for quite a lot while others sold for almost nothing, but during the entire time, Hui Yue was silent.

There were swords that reached the quasi-sentient level and spears that were considered treasures by everyone. There were even whips and flexible armor, armor that was made from precious metals with various attributes and some that were just there to look good.

But no matter what was put up for auction, Hui Yue stayed silent and sat back in his chair. He watched the bidding go on with an entertained expression on his face.

Soon the most valuable item of the weapons appeared, the Nine Peach Leaves. Just like before, the person in charge of the auction started an introduction of the weapon. “This is a weapon which is hard to understand. It is not a sentient treasure, but it is a weapon that can only be used by those who have soulforce.”

“Soulforce is rare, very very rare, but to find weapons that can be controlled with soulforce is even rarer.”

“They were made back in the beginning of time, back when the Archaic World was still the residence of humans. Back then soulforce was not as rare, and in fact, the further back in history we go the more people existed that could use soulforce, and we know that back when the universe was first created everyone had soulforce.”

“Soulforce was slowly diluted as the ancient bloodlines reproduced with the created races that did not have soulforce and now it has become incredibly rare.”

“Back then there were three ways to use your soulforce in battle. One way, the crudest, was to simply overpower one’s opponents. The second was to make formations, and the third was to use weapons, a method that is almost extinct.”

“These Nine Peach Leaves are one such weapon. It is a weapon that any soulforce user would die to possess; it can create flying swords, used as either hidden or direct weapons. They will make fighting much easier as you can control both this set of flying swords with soul force and at the same time wield another weapon with your hands.”

Hui Yue sighed when he heard the words of the auctioneer, it was indeed quite a well-prepared speech.

Hui Yue pondered for some time about what he should do as the price of this item was sure to sky rocket. It would truly be troublesome if some ancient monster with a high cultivation appeared at the auction for this item alone.

Hui Yue looked at the Universe Box and sent a stream of energy into it. He asked the spirit how many Worldpower Stones he had access to.

“Right now you have access to two hundred million, seventy-three thousand Worldpower Stones and some change.”

“Two hundred million? Hmm, it should be enough,” Hui Yue nodded his head. He was certain that the money he had should be enough to allow him to buy the things he wanted.

Returning his consciousness to the room, he heard the auctioneer say, “We will start at hundred thousand Worldpower Stones, and each bid has to be raised with five thousand stones.”

Hui Yue was surprised that the price of the item was so high to start, but he quickly looked around. This time no one wanted to be the first to bid. Everyone was looking at one another, and finally Hui Yue cleared his throat, “Hundred and fifty thousand Worldpower Stones,” he called out. Although the price was already so high, he wanted to make sure that people knew that he was serious, and to make the others back off, but when he bid, others started bidding too.

Hui Yue remained standing up, glancing at the auction hall and the many seats where the people sitting were bidding as his eyes landed on the first floor.

There on the first floor, he saw an elderly cultivator. His hair was gray, his back hunched, and his entire demeanor was that of a gentle elderly grandfather.

But Hui Yue felt a shudder in his heart when he laid eyes on this man. He was definitely not someone to be trifled with.

Even more frustrating was that he was bidding for the Nine Peach Leaves! Hui Yue grit his teeth, although he was fearful of this elderly man, he was not going to give up. He continued to bid for the Nine Peach Leaves from time to time, just like all the others.

Slowly the bidders diminished. When the price for the Nine Peach Leaves reached three hundred thousand, they were only nine people left bidding, and when it reached five hundred thousand, they were five.

Now that it was at seven hundred thousand they were three bidders, and as they finally reached the million worldpower stones, there were just the elderly man and Hui Yue left who were bidding on the item.

Watching the two bidding, everyone was holding their breath. One million Worldpower Stones! This was an unimaginable amount of money that could feed a family for an eternity, but instead, it was being spent on this rare weapon.

The auctioneer heaved a sigh of relief. This item was either going to be sold for a lot or sold for barely anything. It depended on who was present at the auction, and now he found that there were two experts with soulforce present and they both had too many Worldpower Stones to spare.

Hui Yue looked at the elderly man, and he noticed that as his eyes landed on the man, the man also looked up at the fourth level. Their eyes met, and although they were not able to truly see each other as a barrier was between them, the elderly man seemed to notice Hui Yue anyway.

“Young man,” he called out, and everyone in the auction house turned silent. “You have some amazing skills. Your master is a good friend of mine, but I have not seen him for a very long time.”

“He once promised to refine something for me and looking at your heroic air, I am sure that you have already learned how to refine this item.”

“If you promise to do so for me, then I will let you win this weapon,” he continued, his face looking like a sly old fox causing Hui Yue to frown. He truly wanted to have the Nine Peach Leaves so finally after a bit of struggle he said in reply, “Please come up to my chamber.”, “If I can assist you in the refinement process then I gladly will help you.”

“Great!” the old man bellowed in laughter and then he sat down again. He did not bid anymore, and Hui Yue won the Nine Peach Leaves.

After the weapons and armor were finished being auctioned, a short break appeared where waitresses walked around selling snacks, drinks, and other interesting things. It was during this break that the old man arrived at Hui Yue’s chamber.

Looking inside the old man guffawed. “To think that the young miss Su is also here,” he said laughingly, nodding to Su Xiaoyun, but he did not say anything more. Su Xiaoyun was wondering how this elderly man knew her.

“Sir, please sit,” Hui Yue gestured to a chair that had been placed next to him. Sha Yun had moved to the other side, to ensure that this elderly man could sit at Hui Yue’s side, and they could discuss their matters privately.

“I was a good friend of the Alchemist God,” the man admitted right away. “It was when we were both young, and he did not have as many achievements as he obtained later on in life, but even when he was young, he had planned to one day refine bodies and make the perfect body.”

“He promised to make one for me as well, but unfortunately he never got the chance. Our paths never crossed again, and now I do not know where he is.”

“When I saw you I could instantly see that your body was refined. If you refine a body for me, then I will not say a thing about the Nine Peach Leaves,” the old man said, a nostalgic expression on his face. Hearing his story, Hui Yue heaved a sigh of relief. He feared that this elderly man wished for him to refine some rare metals and melt them together, but he really just wanted a body.

Refining bodies were something he had plenty of experience in, so refining another body was no difficult task.

“About the materials,” the elderly man scratched his head, but Hui Yue lifted his hand. “Don’t worry about it,” he said with a smile on his face. “You are a friend of my master, how can I make you provide the materials?”

By then sheepish elderly man’s smile turned even bigger.

“Since you are such a gentle soul, it seems I should come clean,” the old man said a little hesitant, as he scratched his head. “I am the one who put the Nine Peach Leaves up for sale.” he grinned, and Hui Yue’s jaw dropped in shock. If it was his item then why was he bidding for it?

“I can guess your thoughts,” he smiled. “But I know the value of these swords. I would have raised the price to two million Worldpower Stones, or I would not have sold them, but then I saw your body and decided that a million and a refined body are a decent price for these Nine Peach Leaves.”

Hui Yue had been shocked, but then he thought about it. These swords were truly rare, as rare could be. They were priceless, and he too would be hurting to part with them if the price was not high enough, even if he did not have soulforce.

Seeing that Hui Yue sympathized with him, the elder felt much better. He started snacking on the snacks that had been provided by the auction house, and his voice was loud and rowdy as he spoke.

His appearance was that of a gentle grandfather, but when he opened his mouth, he was as loud as could be and he seemed anything but calm.

“Well I will follow you after this auction ends,” the man said smilingly. “I don’t usually play bodyguard for anyone, but I will help you until my body has been refined.”

“I am one of the hidden experts within the eastern region. Every single region has their own hidden experts ours has around five.”

The man continued to speak, more and more and soon the break was over, and the auction continued.

The only two items left that Hui Yue was interested in were the Nine Headed Hydra’s eye and the Spirit Enhancing pill.

The Spirit Enhancing pill should have been sold together with the pills, but it had yet to make an appearance, causing Hui Yue to be slightly confused. Was the pill no longer up for auction?