Translator: AnubisTL
Having completed its metamorphosis, the crimson-feathered snake coiled upward, its forked tongue flicking incessantly. Its vertical pupils had transformed into a deep, crimson red, radiating a chilling yet strangely alluring aura.
The sight drew gasps of astonishment from everyone present.
"Hiss!"
"The metamorphosis is remarkably thorough. This snake is now very close to becoming a Second-Tier Demonic Beast."
"Give it a little more time, and it could definitely attempt to break through to the Second-Tier Demonic Beast realm."
From a mid-first-tier state to a late first-tier state, all achieved with a single Crimson Crystal!
This was truly miraculous, far more effective than any medicinal pill.
A beast tamer in the crowd began breathing heavily. He understood the implications of this better than anyone else.
With enough Crimson Crystals, one could easily cultivate a large number of Second-Tier Demonic Beasts in the future.
What did Second-Tier Demonic Beasts represent? Spirit stones!
Whether it was their materials or demon beast crystal cores, both were invaluable resources. The former could be used to refine magic artifacts, while the latter was a key ingredient for foundation establishment pills!
But even aside from all that, as a beast tamer, the majority of his combat strength came from the spirit beasts he raised.
As the demon beast's strength increased, so too did his own combat prowess.
Nearby, two figures wearing wide-brimmed hats observed the scene. The faces hidden beneath their hats were etched with shock.
"Uncle Fu, what do you think?" the younger man whispered.
The tall, mysterious figure known as Uncle Fu replied slowly, "Young master, these Crimson Crystals are of utmost importance. We must acquire at least two, no matter the cost."
"I agree. If the purple kirin beast can advance even a single stage because of this, the benefits would be immeasurable."
The young man refrained from revealing the purple kirin beast to test its reaction to the Crimson Crystals. The creature was too precious—a sacred beast whose exposure would completely expose his identity.
"Very well. Let's first gauge how many Crimson Crystals this man possesses," Uncle Fu said gravely.
On the platform, Li Qing breathed a sigh of relief as he confirmed the White-Feathered Snake's successful mutation. He knew that the black market's plan had achieved its initial success.
From now on, as long as he occasionally brought a few Crimson Crystals, he wouldn't have to worry about attracting customers.
Of course, if the black market caught the attention of someone with ulterior motives, it could face devastating consequences.
This was a double-edged sword, its effectiveness entirely dependent on how it was used.
From now on, I can't sell Crimson Crystals in person. I'll need to find an agent. I'd rather earn fewer spirit stones than put myself in danger, Li Qing thought to himself before addressing the crowd:
"Ladies and gentlemen, this is the Crimson Crystal's greatest power—the very reason it's so irresistible to demon beasts."
At that moment, dozens of people turned to look at Li Qing, their eyes burning with fervent desire.
"How many Crimson Crystals do you have left? I want three!"
"I'll take one too!"
"Damn it, I didn't bring enough spirit stones today!"
"Can I offer something else as collateral?"
A chorus of voices rose and fell, each one revealing the crowd's overwhelming fascination with the Crimson Crystals.
"Heh heh heh, please calm yourselves, everyone! I haven't finished yet!"
"First, I must clarify: these Crimson Crystals are less effective against second-tier and higher demon beasts than they are against first-tier demonic beasts. Of course, their effects aren't negligible either."
This revelation dampened the crowd's enthusiasm slightly.
But upon reflection, it seemed perfectly reasonable.
If these crystals were equally potent against demon beasts of all tiers, they would be far too overpowered. Some limitations were only natural.
Li Qing had one more thing he didn't say: he would eventually obtain Crimson Crystals with even greater potency, but not yet.
The crystals he currently possessed had been extracted from ordinary strange beasts, their strength barely equivalent to first-tier demonic beasts.
Imagine, if he could successfully hunt down the One-Eyed Giant Deer that had once crushed him into the World of Eternal Night and extract its Crystal Core, how astonishing would its effects be?
Li Qing almost dared not imagine it. If he fed it to Fan Tong, would Fan Tong instantly become a third-tier demonic beast on the spot?
This remained uncertain, but one thing Li Qing knew for sure: the stronger the strange beast, the more concentrated the Red Moon Secret Power accumulated within its Crimson Crystal. Demon beasts undergoing metamorphosis using such crystals would face a higher risk of losing control.
This path was perilous, utterly mad, and fraught with chaos and disorder. The risk of losing control was especially high for demon beasts with newly awakened spiritual intelligence.
Temporarily dismissing these thoughts, Li Qing retrieved the final three Crimson Crystals from his robe.
"Only three Crimson Crystals remain. The starting bid for each is one thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Bidders, please make your offers!" Li Qing flicked his finger, sending one of the crystals soaring into the air, drawing the crowd's gaze upward.
One thousand spirit stones! And that was just the starting bid!
Was it worth it?!
Almost everyone agreed on the answer:
If this could nurture a Second-Tier Demonic Beast with a mutated bloodline, it would be more than worth it!
Soon, the spirit beast owners who had hesitated earlier wore pained expressions, deeply regretting not seizing the first Crimson Crystal for a mere three hundred spirit stones.
Now that someone had tasted the benefits, the next purchase would cost over a thousand spirit stones, and they'd likely be outbid anyway!
With four foundation establishment realm cultivators present, it was clear these three Crimson Crystals would likely end up in their hands. Rogue cultivators in the qi refining realm stood no chance against such competition.
As for White-Feathered Snake owner—no, he should now be called the owner of the crimson-feathered snake—he was ecstatic, having stumbled upon a major bargain!
The auction for the three Crimson Crystals soon began.
Uncle Fu, the hat-wearing man, stepped forward, subtly releasing a hint of his foundation establishment realm aura.
"I bid fifteen hundred spirit stones!"
This was a clear attempt to intimidate others with his cultivation level, signaling his determination to secure the Crimson Crystals at any cost.
However, the other foundation establishment realm cultivators were no pushovers. They merely snorted coldly and began raising their bids in response.
"Sixteen hundred spirit stones!"
"Eighteen hundred spirit stones, plus a small bottle of millennial spirit milk!"
Millennial spirit milk!
The moment these words were uttered, gasps of astonishment echoed through the hall.
"Millennial spirit milk? That's a divine liquid that can rapidly restore one's spiritual energy!"
"Even True Lords in the core formation realm must keep some on hand!"
"In a battle between equals, when both sides are exhausted, just a few drops could grant a decisive advantage!"
"..."
Uncle Fu, who had been so confident moments ago, paused slightly, clearly familiar with the reputation of millennial spirit milk. He hadn't expected anyone to offer such a rare item in exchange!
Uncle Fu hesitated for a moment, but Li Qing on the stage continued to call out the bids with satisfaction.
"Spirit stones and millennial spirit milk, first call!"
"Spirit stones and millennial spirit milk, second call!"
"Spirit stones..."
At this moment, the young man wearing a bamboo hat slowly nodded toward Uncle Fu, as if making a decision.
Uncle Fu acted decisively, interrupting Li Qing just before he could announce the final bid.
"Wait! I offer ten drops of Purple Mansion Spirit Liquid!"
Silence. The entire hall fell into an absolute hush.
Absolute silence fell. You could hear a pin drop.
Purple Mansion Spirit Liquid—everyone understood what those four words meant. It was a core formation spiritual material that could drive every foundation establishment cultivator in the world mad with desire!
Yet here, at this very moment, a foundation establishment cultivator was offering ten drops of Purple Mansion Spirit Liquid in a trade.
Li Qing, who had been calling out bids, nearly bit his tongue.
His mind almost froze. Purple Mansion Spirit Liquid, right here, right now!
The foundation establishment cultivator who had offered the millennial spirit milk earlier stared at Uncle Fu with disbelief, as if looking at a madman.
The Crimson Crystal's effects were indeed miraculous, but compared to the widely renowned core formation spiritual material, it paled in comparison.
Though only ten drops, a pitifully small amount, this was genuine Purple Mansion Spirit Liquid.
Even if it only slightly increased the chance of core formation, it remained one of the most coveted spiritual objects among foundation establishment cultivators worldwide.
With the Purple Mansion Spirit Liquid on the table, any hope of competition vanished.
And so, the first Crimson Crystal fell into the hands of the two hat-wearing men.
"Next, let's begin the auction for the second Crimson Crystal!"
In the following moments, the remaining two Crimson Crystals were successfully auctioned off.
Li Qing acquired 3,800 spirit stones, a small bottle of millennial spirit milk, and ten drops of Purple Mansion Spirit Liquid!
With the auctions concluded, Li Qing immediately announced the start of free trading. Participants could now declare what they sought or wished to sell.
"Congratulations, Daoist friend. Here is your auctioned item." Li Qing handed over a Crimson Crystal.
Without hesitation, the buyer promptly exchanged thirteen mid-grade spirit stones and a tiny bottle for the crystal.
The bottle was indeed small, containing only a meager amount of millennial spirit milk. Yet Li Qing was content.
He uncorked the bottle and immediately sensed an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy emanating from within. This was no mere ethereal spiritual energy; it was pure, concentrated spiritual energy!
Even a single whiff seemed to slightly replenish his mana.
Excellent, this is genuine spirit milk, likely a thousand years old!
Having completed this transaction, Li Qing turned his attention back to the two mysterious hat-wearing men.
He was intensely curious about these two, wondering where these lucky stars had come from, consistently bidding for his items.
"Congratulations to both of you. The final two Crimson Crystals are yours."
"Additionally, these magic artifacts were also won by you."
The pair had secured the last two Crimson Crystals, demonstrating their astonishing wealth.
"These are the Crimson Crystals. May I ask, sir, where exactly did you obtain these?" the younger hat-wearing man couldn't resist inquiring about the crystals' origin.
Li Qing, of course, wouldn't be foolish enough to reveal that he had hunted these strange beasts in another world, where such creatures were abundant and the crystals held little value.
"Heh heh heh, these Crimson Crystals were entrusted to me by an elder to sell here. I'm afraid I don't know their exact origin."
As they spoke, Li Qing completed the transaction with the pair.
He received a heavy bag of mid-grade spirit stones and a jade box.
The spirit stones were unremarkable, but Li Qing had to suppress the urge to tremble with excitement as he held the jade box.
(End of the Chapter)
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