When the words "eighteen million spirit stones" were uttered, all the cultivators present, including auctioneer Zhu Si on the high platform, turned their astonished gazes towards the figure who had spoken the price.
It wasn't because the price quoted was too high.
Rather, it was because the price quoted was a mixture of spirit stones and the will of the Heavenly Dao, but instead of a mix, it was a pure bid of spirit stones, which was indeed astonishing.
After all, the will of the Heavenly Dao was easy to obtain. As long as one had sufficient strength, one could collect it by fighting across regions.
But obtaining spirit stones was much more difficult.
Even if one was ruthless during regional battles, not only plundering the will of the Heavenly Dao but also emptying the spirit stone resources of the entire small world, the amount of spirit stones obtained would still be countless times less than the price of the will of the Heavenly Dao.
After all, the will of the Heavenly Dao of a Void Refining first-tier realm was worth one million spirit stones.
However, in a small world of the Void Refining first-tier realm, even if one completely plundered it, obtaining a hundred thousand spirit stones would be considered very wealthy.
The figure being watched by everyone at this moment was naturally the number two innate spirit puppet controlled by Li Qi.
Under everyone's gaze, the number two innate spirit puppet seemed oblivious. After quoting the price of eighteen million spirit stones, it sat down again, waiting quietly.
Meanwhile, Zhu Si on the auction stage slowly withdrew his gaze.
He was now holding a small, exquisite auction hammer. With a gentle tap of the hammer, he announced:
"Eighteen million spirit stones, first call."
"Eighteen million spirit stones, second call."
"Eighteen million spirit stones, third call."
"Congratulations to this guest for winning this Dao Breaking Pill. This guest may proceed to the backstage to complete the transaction after leaving the auction."
A faint smile appeared on Zhu Si's face.
While the selling price wasn't excessively high, it met his expectations and provided a good start.
The number two innate spirit puppet seated below nodded slightly, indicating it understood.
Li Qi did not show any surprise at winning the Dao Breaking Pill with a single bid.
Everything was within his expectations.
When the bids had previously reached fifteen to sixteen million, the pace had already slowed down. By having the number two innate spirit puppet increase the bid by a direct 1.8 million spirit stones, it was normal for no one else to bid.
After all, while the Dao Breaking Pill was attractive, those who bid were likely cultivators who were already stuck at their current realm. Otherwise, for a capable cultivator, as Li Qi had previously told Xu Tianzong, it might take one to two hundred years, or even four to five hundred years, without a windfall to gather so many spirit stones. Buying the Dao Breaking Pill would not be worth it.
The auction continued to be heated.
Treasures were continuously displayed on the auction stage, introduced and auctioned by Zhu Si.
Among them were elixirs, heavenly materials and earthly treasures, cultivation techniques, weapons, armor, and a wide variety of items.
Each treasure was no less impressive than the first auction item, the Dao Breaking Pill.
In fact, most of them were even superior.
These treasures made Xu Tianzong's eyes water with envy.
There were even some items that Xu Tianzong couldn't help but bid on.
But unfortunately, the bids from around him were even more ferocious, easily overpowering Xu Tianzong's offers.
As a result, up to this point, Xu Tianzong had not managed to acquire a single item.
They were too expensive. Even after plundering the small worlds of several regions, he hesitated to bid on them.
In the following period, Li Qi, in his VIP box, grew somewhat bored.
His attention remained focused on the Heavenly Dao Will of the Dao Integration stage.
Unfortunately, the Dao Integration stage Heavenly Dao Will he was waiting for had not yet appeared.
Therefore, during the previous period, Li Qi had only had the number two innate spirit puppet bid for the Dao Breaking Pill and had made no other moves.
At this moment, Zhu Si's voice echoed from the auction stage, causing Li Qi to raise his head with renewed interest.
He saw that Zhu Si was holding a small, ancient, yellowed book.
"The next auction item is a rather obscure secret technique called the Extreme Combustion Secret Art."
"Its sole effect is to completely burn ninety-nine percent of one's vital energy, spirit, soul, flesh, and even all foundations, to unleash extraordinary combat power. It offers a chance to escape certain death."
"The starting price for this Extreme Combustion Secret Art is eight hundred thousand spirit stones."
Upon hearing Zhu Si's introduction, the cultivators in the auction seats wore strange expressions.
This was essentially a mutual destruction secret art, wasn't it?
Burning ninety-nine percent of one's vital energy, spirit, soul, and flesh? Did this mean that even if one managed to unleash extraordinary combat power and survive a crisis, one would likely become a cripple, having lost ninety-nine percent of one's strength?
What was the difference between that and death?
Although the cultivators present spent their lives in conflict, striving for more resources, conflict was one thing, but being forced to use this secret art for mutual destruction was another.
While these cultivators had indeed faced life-or-death crises in their struggles, a life-or-death crisis didn't necessarily mean death. However, if this technique were to be used, it was likely that even if one survived, one would be no different from a cripple.
And this technique was being sold for eight hundred thousand spirit stones.
With these eight hundred thousand spirit stones, it would be more practical to find ways to purchase some cultivation resources for oneself.
The cultivators in the venue fell silent again, and the auction hall once again sank into a long-lost stillness, a stark contrast to the previous bustling scene.
Seeing the guests below in such a state, Zhu Si's expression on the auction stage became slightly grim.
He understood what the guests were thinking.
But at this moment, in a certain VIP box, Li Qi's eyes flickered slightly.