Chapter 686 - 541: Spirit Rhinoceros Quenching Essence Pill (Part 2)

He carefully studied the inheritance a few times, recording various auxiliary materials and cinnabar ingredients separately on paper.

...

At 7:00 PM, Ji An arrived at the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion and said to the steward who greeted him:

"I’ve come to attend the auction."

The steward immediately showed a respectful expression and said gently:

"Please follow me, elder."

All those attending today’s auction were Golden Core Daoist Masters. Although the Western Continent’s Golden Core Daoist Masters have some deficiencies compared to the Middle Continent Cultivators, achieving the Golden Core is reserved for the most elite individuals.

Ji An followed the steward to the third floor, entering an elegantly decorated hall where over a dozen cultivators sat scattered in various small groups.

He saw fellow sect members sitting together, with Master Yuxiao and Lin Jiuxiao in conversation, while Lin Qiubai and his disciple were seated with eyes closed, resting.

He walked over and took a seat. Master Yuxiao smiled and said:

"Today we had a great harvest; you should come with us. I’ve never made lavish purchases before."

Ji An smiled knowingly and asked:

"Tell me, what good items did you purchase?"

Master Yuxiao glanced around before beginning to transmit his voice:

"Celestial River Sword Technique Golden Core level cultivation technique, plus some inheritances in Artifact Refining, Array, Beast Taming, Puppet, Alchemy, and Talisman Making. This will greatly enrich our sect’s Chao Origin Stage and below inheritance.

Additionally, we acquired two ancient pill formulas for refining Golden Core level pills."

Ji An slightly furrowed his brows; pill formulas from ten thousand years ago are what can be called ancient, and the cultivation realm’s environment compared to now has significant changes. Whether the formulas can be used is uncertain.

"Senior brother, the matter of ancient pill formulas is somewhat unreliable."

Master Yuxiao gently shook his head, "I don’t expect practical use from these pill formulas. I only hope our sect’s alchemists can learn the thought process in refining elixirs from them, thereby creating usable pill formulas."

To create pill formulas, one must research medicinal properties and pharmacology, which are precisely what the Golden Spirit Sect and Western Continent forces are lacking.

The pill formulas aren’t the key; the key is learning the pharmacology from them.

It’s very difficult to acquire Golden Core level pill formulas through normal channels. One can only explore via such indirect methods.

Achievements from the Agricultural Hall in recent years have given him hope; the sect’s medicinal garden has already begun cultivating herbs needed for Golden Core level cultivators.

A few hundred years later, the medicinal age of these herbs will reach the standard for usage, and they can start creating truly usable pill formulas.

Ji An nodded lightly. Whether it’s an individual or a force, the most important is to rely on oneself; if one relies on external assistance and doesn’t receive it, they’re bound to be in difficulty.

Researching medicinal properties and studying pharmacology is a prolonged and arduous process that won’t yield results in a short time and could become a burden. But if they can persist for the long term and the sect remains standing, one day it will bear fruit.

Thinking of this, Ji An remembered about the concept of "patents", realizing the sect should provide a stipend to cultivators involved in research, starting from the most basic.

After chatting for a while, the conversation shifted to the auction. Master Yuxiao said:

"Traditionally, this auction should be a special event for Western Continent Golden Core cultivators. This year, Yuanhe Mountain isn’t participating, so it will be slightly less lively."

Ji An smiled, "It’s nice to have one less competitor. What are our targets for tonight?"

"There are mainly two targets: Golden Core level pills - we want to bid for as many of them as possible; and Gold Core Pill, as the sect currently doesn’t have any in reserve.

As for other items, we’ll see how it goes."

A moment later, a female cultivator wearing a luxurious silk skirt stepped onto the stage, her gentle voice permeating the venue.

"Welcome, fellow Daoists. I am Huayun Daoist Master, steward of the Business Alliance, and I will be hosting today’s auction.

Each bid increment will be no less than fifty top-grade spirit stones. If fellow Daoists have insufficient spirit stones and need resource exchange, the appraisers at Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion will handle pricing."

"Now, let’s welcome our first auction item."

A female cultivator in a green palace skirt gracefully stepped forward with a tray; on the tray, red silk laid under a bronze small bell.

Huayun Daoist Master deftly picked up the small bell, activated a spell, and the bronze bell expanded continuously, its surface revealing rotating symbols.

"This is a Tier Three lower-grade magical treasure, the Soul-Vibrating Bell, capable of releasing spirit soul attacks that cause dizziness in enemies.

The effective attack range of this treasure is within two hundred zhang, tested to stun third-layer Golden Core cultivators for half a breath."

"While this distance is somewhat short for battles between cultivators, it’s quite useful for dealing with demon beasts.

For cultivators with strong attack capability but relatively weak defense ability, it’s a valuable assault implement.

The starting price for this treasure is fifteen hundred top-grade spirit stones. Interested Daoists can bid."

Ji An wasn’t interested in this as he possessed the Spirit Roar Secret Technique.

Lin Jiuxiao showed an intrigued expression. Although Ji An had submitted the Spirit Roar technique to the sect, practicing it to a level effective against Golden Core level cultivators is quite challenging.

However, he was only contemplating; the price of fifteen hundred top-grade spirit stones far exceeded his financial capability.

Having only recently broken through to the Golden Core Stage, he didn’t yet have the ability to acquire magical treasures.

"Fifteen hundred stones."

A Middle Continent cultivator called, being an Artifact Refiner interested in Dharma Prohibitions capable of triggering spirit soul attacks.

"Fifteen hundred and fifty stones."

There was some competition, but not intense; the price staggered upwards, eventually selling for nineteen hundred top-grade spirit stones.

Huayun Daoist Master took out a few jade bottles and placed them on the table, saying:

"Next, we will auction a set of pills - the Spirit Rhinoceros Quenching Essence Pill for enhancing the cultivation of early-stage Golden Core cultivators. There are three bottles, ten pills per bottle, with a starting price of fifteen hundred top-grade spirit stones."

Chong Xuan Daoist Master of Luofeng Valley was the first to bid, "Two thousand stones."

Starting prices for pills are usually quite low, but final prices far exceed the initial ones. Any cultivator aspiring to enhance their cultivation will not miss the opportunity if they have sufficient spirit stones.

Master Yuxiao directly raised the bid, "Two thousand five hundred."

Within the sect, four first-layer Golden Core cultivators have a significant demand for such pills, which cannot be missed.

Chong Xuan Daoist Master pursed his lips, "Two thousand six hundred stones."

"Three thousand."

Master Yuxiao brought most of the sect’s assets this time and couldn’t concede.

A price of three thousand was already quite inflated; Chong Xuan Daoist Master hesitated to raise again, reluctantly giving up.

He knew the situation of the Golden Spirit Sect and understood it was difficult to compete.

"Three thousand top-grade spirit stones; is there a higher bid?"

Huayun Daoist Master didn’t attempt any persuasion, aware that those capable of being Golden Core True were not likely to make impulsive bids over mere persuasion.

When no further bids were made, Huayun Daoist Master declared:

"Sold!"

With only a dozen items, the auction proceeded swiftly and was concluded in half an hour, after which Huayun Daoist Master announced:

"An exchange meeting will now follow. Interested Daoists may stay, while others should orderly depart."

No one left, and the exchange meeting officially began. Ji An watched throughout, observing many peculiar items brought by Middle Continent cultivators, causing him to question their intentions.

An hour later, the exchange meeting ended.

Master Yuxiao and Chong Xuan Daoist Master remained afterward, their expressions heavy as they approached the Business Alliance steward and said:

"Daoist, according to past practice, the Gold Core Pill should be auctioned this time."

At least one Gold Core Pill must be obtained; it can’t be left until a disciple requires it and realize it’s too late then.

Huayun Daoist Master displayed a business-like smile, "Daoist, there was never any traditional practice for auctioning Gold Core Pills. The alliance’s recent batch for refining Gold Core Pills fell short, so my apologies."

"But the Western Continent sects and the alliance previously agreed that a Gold Core Pill must be auctioned every sixty years."

"We won’t break such agreements, but since the alchemist responsible for refining Gold Core Pills within the alliance made an unfortunate mistake, we are unable to fulfill the agreement now and will make amends the next time around."

The debate ended inconclusively, Master Yuxiao sighed and departed, followed briskly by Chong Xuan Daoist Master, who nodded slightly to Huayun Daoist Master.

A playful glint flashed in Huayun Daoist Master’s eyes. Initially, the Business Alliance’s plan was to auction two Gold Core Pills, but after receiving a bit of news, she decided to cancel the auction.