C9 Second Rank Spirit Violent Bear Blood

The maid held a palm-sized crystal bottle on her tray, filled with about half a bottle of dark red blood.

Chen Yi's attention was riveted on that dark red liquid.

Nan Yingyue's voice provided the details: "This complimentary gift is the blood of a Rank Two Spirit Violent Bear. Ranked Eighth Grade, the blood is potent for body refinement, promising remarkable benefits for cultivators at both the Meditation Stage and the Spirit Essence Stage. The final bidder for the Mithral Sword will receive this as a bonus!"

"Blood from a Rank Two Spirit Violent Bear? That's a valuable find!"

Nan Yingyue's announcement set off a buzz of excitement in the crowd.

The Spirit Violent Bear was a formidable spirit beast within the Blue Cloud Realm, with rankings from one to five corresponding to the cultivator stages from Meditation to Spirit Platform. A second-level spirit beast matched a Spirit Essence Stage cultivator in power. Such blood was a rarity in Wood County City.

It was an unexpected delight for those eyeing the Mithral Sword to have it included as a bonus.

"Blood of a Rank Two Spirit Violent Bear..." Chen Yi's eyes squinted, a sharp glint flickering within.

For him, at this stage, Spirit Beast Blood was a coveted resource, especially of the Eighth Grade. It was key to unlocking the second level of the Blood Holy Bead, which required a thousand drops of such blood. The half bottle before him likely contained at least a hundred drops, potentially fulfilling a tenth of his requirement.

The temptation was significant for Chen Yi.

He hadn't anticipated finding something he needed so desperately at the auction, especially as a bonus item. He was at a loss for words.

But it mattered little. His primary reason for attending the South Wind Auction wasn't for the items on offer.

Still, he was determined to secure the Rank Two Spirit Violent Bear blood.

Chen Yi glanced at Chen Shanheng, who was visibly eager beside him, and smiled. The Green Wind Spell had been claimed by the Wang Family, but Chen Shanheng was sure to bid on the Mithral Sword. Chen Yi could simply request the bear blood from his father afterward...

Following Nan Yingyue's detailed introduction of the Mithral Sword, she declared the starting bid: "The base price for this sword is two hundred thousand gold coins, with increments of no less than ten thousand. Let the bidding commence!"

"Two hundred and ten thousand!"

"Two hundred and twenty thousand!"

"Two hundred and fifty thousand!"

...

Bids filled the air immediately after her prompt. Despite sharing the Green Wind Spell's high starting price, the sword's auction was even more intense.

While Cultivation techniques and Martial Weapons were considered equally valuable, the latter held a greater allure, particularly in Wood County City. Cultivation techniques required specific conditions for practice, making them unusable for many cultivators. In contrast, Martial Weapons could be wielded immediately upon acquisition, their practicality evident.

"Five hundred thousand!"

This bid sent a chill through the heated atmosphere, as if doused by cold water.

Many instinctively turned to the Chen family in the front row. Aside from the Wangs, they were the only ones in Wood County City who could afford such a bid.

Yet, it wasn't Chen Shanheng who had spoken. And certainly not the Wang family, as Wang Sheng's grim expression indicated their financial strain after acquiring the Green Wind Spell. Though the spell was a valuable asset, the Mithral Sword, with the Spirit Violent Bear blood as a bonus, was the more coveted prize.

If not the Chens or the Wangs, then who?

Curious gazes followed the sound to its source.

They settled on a middle-aged man in black, sporting a small tuft of a black beard.

"Who is this man? He's a stranger to me!"

"Anyone who can bid half a million gold coins is no ordinary person! How come we've never seen him before?"

"Is he perhaps not from Wood County City?"

...

The crowd's eyes were filled with intrigue as they scrutinized the black-bearded man. Half a million gold coins was no trivial sum. In Wood County City, only a select few families could produce such an amount on the spot. This man in black was clearly not from their ranks.

"Six hundred thousand!"

Chen Shanheng's lack of knowledge about the man's origins didn't deter him from placing his bid. He was resolute in acquiring the Mithral Sword.

"Seven hundred thousand!"

The black-bearded middle-aged man didn't back down, raising the stakes.

"Eight hundred thousand!"

Chen Shanheng glanced at his competitor, a crease forming on his brow.

He had assumed that without the Wang Family in the picture, the Mithral Sword would be as good as his. Yet, here was someone throwing a wrench in the works.

"Nine hundred thousand!"

The bid from the black-bearded man sent a ripple of murmurs through the crowd.

Who was this mystery bidder?

Nine hundred thousand gold coins was a sum that would strain even the coffers of the Chen and Wang families!

Chen Shanheng's frown deepened as he called out firmly, "One million!"

He had never expected to reach such a figure without the Wang Family's competition. But no matter, the Mithral Sword was worth every coin of the one million he was willing to spend.

Would the black-bearded man dare to contest further?

The crowd shifted their attention to Chen Shanheng as he announced his bid.

"One million and fifty thousand!"

The black-bearded man's voice rose again, amplifying the astonishment in the arena.

"This..."

Both Chen Shanheng and Chen Ji's faces soured. Could it be that one million gold coins were not enough to secure the Mithral Sword?

Their gaze shifted to the black-bearded man, their brows knitted in consternation.

Who could possibly match such a bid, if not someone from the Chen or Wang families?

"Heh, how intriguing!"

While Chen Shanheng and Chen Ji struggled to hide their dismay, Wang Sheng and his companion reveled in schadenfreude.

They didn't care who the black-bearded man was; their delight in the Chen family's predicament was unspoiled.

"Hmph."

The mocking laughter from the Wang duo elicited a disdainful snort from Chen Shanheng. His mood was souring by the second. Without the Green Wind Spell or the Mithral Sword, the Chen family, one of the two major families of Wood County City, was coming up empty-handed.

How could he not be irate?

Chen Yi's brow furrowed as he witnessed the scene.

He, too, had believed that without the Wang family's interference, the Mithral Sword was almost assuredly Chen Shanheng's. The turn of events was unexpected.

"It seems I must intervene."

With a quiet exhale, Chen Yi declared, "One million and five hundred thousand!"

His calm announcement sent a fresh wave of shock through the already buzzing crowd, as eyes turned to him in surprise.

One and a half million?

Could the Chen family truly produce such a staggering sum?

"Yi!"

Chen Shanheng and Chen Ji were momentarily taken aback, then their expressions shifted to alarm as they turned to Chen Yi.

They hadn't anticipated his initiative to bid, especially not such an astronomical amount that was beyond their means.

"Father, Great Elder, I have a plan," Chen Yi assured them with a reassuring wink.

"You have a plan?" Chen Shanheng and Chen Yi exchanged a skeptical look.

They were well aware of Chen Yi's resources. How could he possibly come up with one and a half million gold coins?

"Just trust me," Chen Yi urged, offering no further explanation.

Seeing his composed demeanor, Chen Shanheng and Chen Ji exchanged a glance.

"Alright."

Though they couldn't fathom where Chen Yi could have sourced such a sum, Chen Shanheng refrained from further objection. He resolved that if Chen Yi couldn't produce the funds, he would temporarily mortgage some of the Chen family's assets to the South Wind Auction House.

"One million and five hundred thousand gold coins! Patriarch Chen... I mean, Young Master Chen bids one million and five hundred thousand gold coins. Do we have any higher offers?"

Nan Yingyue, presiding over the auction, was taken aback by the bid but maintained her enthusiasm. She had anticipated a final bid of one million for the Mithral Sword at best, considering the Wang Family had exhausted their resources on the Green Wind Spell, leaving the Chen family as the sole competitor. She hadn't expected such a delightful turn of events.

She wasn't concerned about the Chen family's ability to pay; they wouldn't dare default on a debt to the South Wind Auction House unless they were prepared to face ruin.

Her gaze shifted to the black-bearded man, the only other contender capable of such a bid.

After a moment of silence, he glanced at Chen Yi, seated prominently at the front, and chose not to speak.

Clearly, the price had surpassed his financial threshold.

"Sold for one and a half million gold coins!"

With the black-bearded middle-aged man bowing out, Nan Yingyue wasted no time and declared, "This auction is now officially concluded! All winning bidders, please follow the attendants backstage to settle payments and collect your items!"

As her voice trailed off, numerous attendants emerged from either side of the auction hall, approaching those who had secured purchases.

A female attendant approached Chen Yi and his companions, gesturing politely, "Gentlemen, if you would follow me."

The trio nodded in agreement and followed the attendant towards the auction's backstage area.

As prominent figures at the auction, they were escorted to an exclusive VIP room.

Nan Yingyue, having just arrived from the auction floor, was there to greet them.

After exchanging pleasantries, Nan Yingyue flashed an enchanting smile and said, "Together, the three of you have acquired seven items, amounting to a total of 1,523,000 gold coins."

"Here is the Black Gold Card from Blue Cloud Bank, loaded with 1.05 million gold coins."

Chen Ji promptly produced a Black Gold Card and handed it to her.

Nan Yingyue accepted it with a smile. As she reached for the second card, she realized Chen Ji made no move to offer another.

Puzzled, she looked up.

Chen Ji and Chen Shanheng were both looking towards Chen Yi.

Caught off guard, she listened as Chen Yi spoke calmly, "Does your establishment accept items as payment?"