The catalog entry for it was a mere sentence: "A walnut of unknown variety, incredibly hard."
The accompanying illustration depicted something that closely resembled a walnut, but with a faint greenish glow.
Chen Xiao, however, recognized it instantly. It was nothing like a walnut, and he hadn't even imagined such a thing could exist on Earth.
This item was called 'Tian Qing Cao Seed', which, as the name suggested, was the seed of a plant called Tian Qing Cao.
In the cultivation world of Chen Xiao's dreams, Tian Qing Cao was a very common plant.
However, it wasn't a spiritual herb, nor could it be refined into elixirs to aid cultivation.
But due to a unique characteristic, it was highly favored by female cultivators.
Tian Qing Cao Seeds continuously emitted a faint fragrance. The scent was incredibly elegant, yet possessed the function of refreshing the mind.
If 'Tian Qing Liquid' was extracted from it, it became a rare perfume, far more advanced than the synthetic perfumes on Earth today.
Chen Xiao mused that if he made it into perfume for Li Ziqing, she would surely be very happy. And Wu Feier should get one too.
With this thought, Chen Xiao became determined to acquire the Tian Qing Cao Seed.
At this moment, the auction had already begun.
Just as Chen Xiao had anticipated, the first few items at the auction were all rather ordinary, common goods.
Of course, this was only from Chen Xiao's perspective.
For ordinary people, especially wealthy individuals who enjoyed refined tastes, these antique porcelain pieces worth millions still held significant collectible value.
The cultivators present, like Chen Xiao, showed no interest in these antiques. They had clearly heard that magical artifacts would be auctioned, and that was why they were here.
Soon, it was time for the Tian Qing Cao Seed to be presented.
Because there were no comparative objects in the illustration, it wasn't until they saw the actual item that everyone realized it was nothing like a walnut.
This seed was only about one-third the size of a regular walnut, not much larger than a fingernail.
Furthermore, its appearance was not particularly appealing. Even those who enjoyed collecting intricately carved items showed no interest.
Thus, Chen Xiao easily acquired it, paying only slightly above the starting bid, as no one else competed with him.
Even though it was only slightly above the starting bid, it still cost hundreds of thousands. Everyone looked at him with peculiar expressions, thinking, "Where did this sucker come from? Spending hundreds of thousands on this useless thing, is their money blown in the wind?"
Brother Hua repeatedly said, "Young man, if you like walnuts, you should have said so. I have a friend who has many good ones, like Lion's Head, Tongtian Tower, Taihang Dragon Pattern... I can get you whatever you want."
Chen Xiao smiled, offering no explanation.
However, Old Huang knew that this matter was not that simple. He quietly asked, "Mr. Chen, what treasure is this walnut?"
Chen Xiao shook his head. "It's not exactly a treasure, but for me, it has some special uses."
Just then, the sexy service attendant brought the Tian Qing Cao Seed to Chen Xiao.
Chen Xiao took it and looked. He was slightly disappointed.
This Tian Qing Cao Seed was completely dead, not even a trace of life remained.
If it were still alive, it could be used to plant a Tian Qing Cao, which could then reproduce, leading to an inexhaustible supply of Tian Qing Cao Seeds in the future.
However, it didn't matter that it was dead. Even this single seed could yield enough Tian Qing Liquid.
The perfume made from this not only had a fresh and elegant fragrance but also the effects of calming the mind, repelling mosquitoes, and purifying the spirit.
Chen Xiao knew that Li Ziqing was a workaholic. With this, at least she wouldn't have to rely on coffee to stay alert anymore.
As the auction approached its end, it finally reached its climax.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe you have all heard that a magical artifact will be presented at this auction."
The auctioneer spoke loudly, a mysterious smile on his face.
As expected, as soon as he finished speaking, several people who had maintained a posture of resting with their eyes closed throughout the event immediately opened them, their faces showing excitement.
To maintain an air of mystery, the catalog had not provided any introduction to the magical artifact, thus piquing everyone's curiosity.
However, this was a common tactic employed by auction houses, and everyone was accustomed to it.
"And now, it is time for this magical artifact to make its appearance!"
Saying this, the auctioneer extended his hand, making a gesture of invitation.
Immediately after, a sexy and hot service attendant gracefully walked onto the stage, carrying a tray.
The tray was covered with a piece of red velvet cloth, much like the veil of a bride.
"I believe you have all been waiting impatiently, so I shall say no more!"
The auctioneer stepped forward, pulled off the red cloth, revealing a jade Ruyi, about the size of a forearm, lying quietly on the tray.
"Item: Magical Artifact Jade Ruyi. Starting bid: Ten million. Each increment must not be less than one million!"
At the auctioneer's words, Brother Hua's eyes widened. "Are you kidding me? Ten million? How is this piece of jade worth that much?"
Although Brother Hua had become a leader, his mindset was still that of a poor person. He had never seen ten million in his life and was immediately stunned by the figure.
However, the cultivators present were flocking to it.
"Twenty million!"
"Thirty million!"
"Thirty-five million!"
"Fifty million!"
...
The auction prices climbed steadily, breaking the fifty million mark almost instantly.
Brother Hua stared dumbfounded, believing these people must be insane.
Old Huang glanced at Chen Xiao. "Mr. Chen, do you want to bid?"
His implication was that if Chen Xiao bid, he would not compete.
Chen Xiao casually scanned the item a few times. It was indeed a magical artifact, with inscriptions and formations carved onto it. However, the quality of this artifact was not very high.
Moreover, the formations were consumable. This meant that the magical artifact had a limited number of uses.
Once the usage count was depleted, the Jade Ruyi would shatter and become scrap.
In short, this magical artifact was rather useless.
However, not all cultivators possessed Chen Xiao's discerning eye.
Magical artifacts were extremely precious in the cultivation world. Possessing a handy magical artifact could exponentially increase one's combat effectiveness.
The reason Old Huang could contend with Xu Banxian, who had a higher cultivation level, was because he possessed an ancestral magical artifact.
Therefore, unaware of its true nature, the cultivators continued to bid wildly, and in the blink of an eye, the price had surpassed the one hundred million mark.
Chen Xiao was about to give up, but on a whim, he released his divine sense, covering the Jade Ruyi.
In an instant, Chen Xiao's expression changed drastically.
"Old Huang, you don't need to compete for this Jade Ruyi. I'm taking it!"
Chen Xiao stated unequivocally.