Chapter 399: Chapter 384: Mission Accomplished!
After the apprenticeship ceremony, the much-anticipated grand auction was finally upon them.
The venue for this grand auction was set in the large auction hall within Liuyun Marketplace. This auction hall was personally designed by Zhouyang, resembling a round beast fighting arena from his previous life, with the auction platform at the center and numbered seats surrounding it.
There were over three thousand seats in the entire auction hall, enough to accommodate more than three thousand participants for the bidding.
Since this was the first auction since its opening, the Zhou Family did not charge an entrance fee to those entering the auction hall, but there was a requirement for cultivation; only allowing cultivators of late-stage Qi Cultivation or higher to enter.
At this time, because of the grand auction, the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis was gathering at least seven to eight thousand cultivators, and the Zhou Family’s more than three thousand seat numbers were nearly all filled.
It made sense, as cultivators who could cross the vast Desert Sea to reach the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis would need a certain level of cultivation unless someone carried them.
So, gathering two or three thousand late-stage Qi Cultivation cultivators from among seven or eight thousand people was not surprising.
For the safety of the auction site and to show importance, Zhouyang personally descended on the auction platform, riding the Eagle Lion Beast that had now advanced to a Tier Four Demon Beast. The auctioneer was a Zhou Family foreign relative named Xie Lingying from the Zhou Family’s Foreign Affairs Hall.
This foreign relative named Xie Lingying was exceptionally attractive, with pleasant features and a clear, melodious voice. However, her low spiritual root talent, a low-grade spiritual root, was a flaw, and she had only reached the fifth layer of Qi Cultivation so far.
During a preaching conference, Zhouyang noticed this young lady and heard her asking questions, leaving a good impression. As a result, he specifically appointed her to learn auction techniques as the auctioneer.
Xie Lingying had prepared thoroughly for today’s auction, memorizing the details of every auction item numerous times in advance.
Once the auction started, her oriole-like crisp and melodious voice easily captured the attention of the attendees.
Of course, what attracted even more attention were the auction items themselves.
Starting with items like Tier Two Spiritual Artifacts, Spirit Talismans, Elixirs, and Arrays, followed by Tier Three Treasures, each item was a carefully selected masterpiece by the Zhou Family, with not a single inferior piece among them.
Such rare masterpieces were hard to come by in usual years and were typically kept in the clan’s treasure vault for clan members to redeem and use.
Now, bringing out these premium treasures, there was no fear that no one would offer a bid to purchase them.
As one treasure after another was bid on and bought, the atmosphere of the auction became increasingly lively.
When the Tier Three Spirit Pills, Spiritual Artifacts, and Spirit Talismans appeared, even the Foundation Establishment cultivators, who were originally just watching, joined the bidding.
The Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm is resource-scarce. Tier Three Spiritual Objects were usually hard to come by, let alone finished Tier Three Treasures.
However, there were quite a few Foundation Establishment cultivators who maintained a calm demeanor, quietly observing everything. Their targets were clear — the Foundation Establishment Pills mentioned in the Zhou Family’s released news.
"Next up for auction is one of the three finale treasures of this auction, the Foundation Establishment Pill!"
"For this auction, we have prepared two Foundation Establishment Pills. Bidding for the first pill starts now, with a starting bid of twenty thousand low-grade Spirit Stones, and each increment must not be less than one thousand low-grade Spirit Stones!"
Bang!
As the auctioneer, Xie Lingying’s crisp and melodious voice rang out, the atmosphere in the auction hall burst into a frenzy.
The Boundless Desert Sea Cultivation Realm had not seen such a public auction of Foundation Establishment Pills for an untold amount of time. In the past, the Yellow Sand Sect monopolized over eighty percent of the Foundation Establishment Pill production in the Desert Sea Cultivation Realm.
Others wishing to obtain Foundation Establishment Pills had only one chance — to exchange treasures far exceeding the Pill’s value for them.
People like the Chen Family Ancestor, capable of refining Foundation Establishment Pills, mostly kept them within the family, rarely letting them circulate outside.
Now, with the Zhou Family openly auctioning Foundation Establishment Pills, it was an act of challenging the Yellow Sand Sect’s hegemony.
Many people sneakily glanced at the Yellow Sand Sect’s Sect Leader, Zhang Yunpeng, sitting in the front row. Yet, ever since the auction began, Zhang Yunpeng remained in a serene state of meditation, not showing the slightest movement on his eyebrows.
This attitude left those observers quite disappointed and surprised.
As one bid followed another, attention shifted, leaving them no time to continue watching.
Thanks to prior promotion, the two Foundation Establishment Pills in this auction were sold for what could truly be called a "heavenly price."
The first Foundation Establishment Pill was bought by a cultivation clan for fifty-two thousand low-grade Spirit Stones, while the second was bought by a Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator for fifty-five thousand low-grade Spirit Stones.
A Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator being able to produce fifty-five thousand low-grade Spirit Stones in one go even surprised Zhouyang.
He glanced at the individual, who boasted a Foundation Establishment seventh-layer cultivation, a rarity among loose cultivators.
However, for someone to bring out fifty-five thousand low-grade Spirit Stones, it’s either that they’ve spent a lifetime accumulating Spirit Stones for this or they’ve plundered a century’s savings from a Cultivation Clan, or quite simply, they are the leader of a sand bandit gang.
Of course, these are just Zhouyang’s speculations, and he won’t investigate or apprehend anyone based solely on this guess.
To him, even if the person truly is a merciless sand bandit, as long as they do not commit crimes at the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis or get caught in the act, he won’t take action against them.
And this person seems aware that their bid for the Foundation Establishment Pill was too conspicuous, as they immediately left the auction after settling the Spirit Stone payment.
Because it is not possible to provide everyone with a private chamber like the large auction in Immortal Sun City, the Zhou Family’s method to protect auction participants is through control of the venue.
During the auction, except for the cultivators who successfully bid on items, no one else is allowed to leave the auction hall or communicate with the outside world.
This approach surely cannot compare to the comprehensive security of the Immortal Sun City auction, but it at least provides the participants a chance to flee.
Just like that Foundation Establishment Loose Cultivator who left after winning the Foundation Establishment Pill, as long as he leaves the Red Tiger Mountain Oasis promptly and enters the boundless desert sea, it’s nearly impossible to track him unless someone had previously left a means to trace him.
The auction continued.
Besides the Foundation Establishment Pill, two other headline items prepared by the Zhou Family for this auction were a "Purple Cloud Pill" that aids in Purple Mansion opening and a Tier Four Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact.
As for the Tier Four Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact, it was prepared for Chen Ping’an and Nie Qiufeng, two Purple Mansion Stage Cultivators, and was finally acquired by Nie Qiufeng for eleven thousand low-grade Spirit Stones.
The "Purple Cloud Pill" turned out to be an unexpected delight, as no one anticipated such a treasure aiding in Purple Mansion opening would appear so that even some spectating Yellow Sand Sect cultivators couldn’t resist joining the bidding.
The final sale price of this "Purple Cloud Pill" exceeded that of the Tier Four Middle Grade Spiritual Artifact, reaching as high as twelve thousand five hundred low-grade Spirit Stones.
There’s no choice; such treasures aiding in Purple Mansion breakthroughs are too rare in the Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm, and alchemists capable of refining such Tier Three High-Grade Spirit Pills are similarly scarce.
Thus in this place, prices of such treasures often soar several times over.
Of course, this is limited to treasures like the "Purple Cloud Pill"; for treasures of the "Purple Heart Jade Marrow" caliber, even the Zhou, Chen, Nie Families and Yellow Sand Sect, let alone a Foundation Establishment Clan would not be able to gather enough Spirit Stones even if they sell everything they have.
In fact, if not for having a "Purple Cloud Fruit" vine and harvesting dozens of Spirit Fruits from it last time, Zhouyang wouldn’t be generous enough to use a "Purple Cloud Pill" as a headline item.
And this unexpected delight indeed achieved the effect he desired, making the auction’s reputation resound throughout the entire Boundless Sea of Sand Cultivation Realm.
"Thank you all for participating in this grand auction. Starting now, every thirty years, our Zhou Family will hold a grand auction. On behalf of the Zhou Family, I assure you that each grand auction will feature a Foundation Establishment Pill as a guaranteed headline item for bidding. We welcome all fellow cultivators to return thirty years later to the Liuyun Auction!"
As the final auction item was sold, Zhouyang, who had been controlling the venue without speaking, finally stood up from the back of the Eagle Lion Beast and declared the end of the grand auction with his eyes sweeping across the remaining cultivators inside the auction hall.
And the guarantee he announced from his mouth brought immense delight to all cultivators present.
A grand auction held every thirty years, each promising at least one Foundation Establishment Pill as a headline item for bidding.
If the Zhou Family can truly achieve this, then the grand auction hosted by the Zhou Family is indeed a must-attend event!
Honestly, although the news of the Zhou Family’s grand auction had been spread years in advance, many did not make the necessary sacrifices and preparations to participate upon hearing it because there was no precedent of a Foundation Establishment Pill being auctioned previously, causing the news to be perceived merely as a ploy to attract participants.
Those who witnessed two Foundation Establishment Pills slipping away today undoubtedly regret it deeply.
Now, Zhouyang’s words reignite their hope.
They have another chance!
Thirty years later, when the next grand auction is held, they will come back, ready and prepared, and certainly will not just be mere spectators as they were today.
"Report to the Supreme Elder, the profits from the grand auction have been calculated. We have auctioned a total of one hundred fifty-six treasures, with a total revenue of 575,600 low-grade Spirit Stones!"
"If we include the Spirit Stones earned from the shops in the marketplace during this period, plus the collected [Head Tax] and other revenues, our Zhou Family’s total profit from hosting this grand auction amounts to roughly 650,000 low-grade Spirit Stones!"
On Red Tiger Mountain, after the grand auction concluded and various cultivators began to disperse, Zhouyang received the financial report compiled by Zhou Guangyun, the finance elder of the Zhou Family, and the cultivators from the Finance Hall, who worked overtime for statistics.
Upon hearing this profit number, he finally showed a heartfelt smile on his face.
This was the first time he smiled since his father Zhou Xuanhao passed away.
"Very good, with these Spirit Stones, the new home plan can officially begin!"
He murmured smilingly, with an expression of long-lost excitement in his eyes.