The Qingxu Pill was an exceedingly precious pill, immensely important to cultivators, especially those at the Foundation Establishment stage.
Its function, similar to the Foundation Establishment Pill, was crucial for Foundation Establishment cultivators attempting to form their Golden Core!
Just as most cultivators needed Foundation Establishment Pills to build their foundation, Foundation Establishment cultivators attempting to form their Golden Core almost invariably required the Qingxu Pill as an essential aid. Without it, perhaps only one or two out of a hundred cultivators could succeed in forming a Golden Core. Those who managed it were undoubtedly individuals of exceptional natural talent.
While Foundation Establishment Pills could even be purchased in Qingyun City, the Qingxu Pill was countless times more precious. Even in the largest pill shops of Biquan City, it couldn't be easily obtained; it was fundamentally a case of having a price but no market.
This scarcity was why Golden Core cultivators were so rare in Biquan City. Many cultivators reached the peak of Foundation Establishment but, unable to find a Qingxu Pill, remained forever barred from the Golden Core stage. Some resolved to leave for larger cultivation cities in search of the pill, but how many truly succeeded remained unknown...
In those large Level Six or Seven cultivation cities, one could buy Qingxu Pills readily from pill shops if they had the spirit stones. But Biquan City was merely a Level Three city. Here, the Qingxu Pill was almost as precious as a Spirit Tool. Its appearance alone was enough to cause a sensation.
The moment Shilan uttered the words 'Qingxu Pill', the entire auction hall erupted. The vast majority present were Foundation Establishment cultivators, for whom the Qingxu Pill was a dream come true. Many eyes burned with intense desire, as if they might rush the stage and seize it at any moment.
"..."
Shilan didn't attempt to quell the fervor. He waited calmly, a faint smile on his lips, allowing the initial wave of excitement to subside slightly before continuing. "Regarding the Qingxu Pill, I doubt any further introduction is necessary? Both pills contained within these two bottles are of high-grade quality. We will now commence bidding on the first bottle. The starting price is one hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones. Fellow Daoists, you may begin bidding."
"One hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones!!"
The announcement of this starting price instantly dampened the atmosphere. At least half the cultivators present reacted with visible disappointment and dejection. This price was equivalent to a top-grade Artifact Treasure, far beyond the means of an average Foundation Establishment cultivator. And this was merely the starting bid. Many instantly lost the courage even to contemplate bidding.
However, while most were priced out, it didn't mean there were no bidders. Soon, a cultivator at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment called out.
"One hundred and ten thousand low-grade spirit stones!"
"One hundred and fifteen thousand!"
"One hundred and twenty thousand!"
"One hundred and twenty-five thousand..."
Once the first bid was made, others quickly followed. Voices called out one after another, driving the price steadily upward.
The bidders were almost exclusively cultivators at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment or even the peak of the stage. Just as Qi Condensation cultivators saved spirit stones for Foundation Establishment Pills from the very beginning, most Foundation Establishment cultivators prepared early for their Core Formation. These bidders had resources. Faced with the rare appearance of Qingxu Pills, they naturally wouldn't let the opportunity pass easily.
"Two hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones!!"
When the price had climbed to one hundred and seventy thousand, a new voice rang out, causing a momentary pause in the rhythm of the bidding.
The previous increments had been by five thousand, or even just one or two thousand. This jump of thirty thousand spirit stones made everyone turn their heads. Lin Feng was also surprised and glanced beside him, for the bidder was none other than Loong Xingtian.
While the Loong family had numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators, they lacked a Golden Core expert. However, they were not without candidates nearing Core Formation. Loong Xingtian himself was at the ninth level, and his father, Loong Yinyun, had long been at the peak of Foundation Establishment. For years, he had been preparing for Core Formation; the Qingxu Pill was the final missing piece. Therefore, Loong Xingtian's participation was no surprise.
His bid caused several independent cultivators who had been bidding to sigh and withdraw. Yet, after only a two-second lull, another voice sounded.
"Two hundred and fifty thousand low-grade spirit stones!"
Lin Feng followed the voice and saw an imposing elderly man seated not far to the front-left. Those seated closest to the front were undoubtedly individuals of status comparable to Loong Xingtian.
"That's the Patriarch of the Zhao family," Loong Chengkong murmured helpfully beside Lin Feng once again. "His strength is said to have long been at the peak of Foundation Establishment. His participation in the bidding is expected."
"Oh, the Zhao family?" Lin Feng recalled. He remembered the Zhao family's eldest young master visiting him just yesterday. Though the young man had been effusively polite, Lin Feng sensed insincerity and had declined to repair the artifact the young master brought, citing the auction. He scanned the area and indeed spotted the Zhao heir sitting beside the Patriarch.
Loong Xingtian pondered for a moment before speaking again. "Three hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones!"
"Three hundred and fifty thousand!" This time, the Zhao Patriarch countered almost immediately, without pause, his tone suggesting he was determined to win the pill.
Loong Xingtian frowned slightly but didn't back down. "Four hundred thousand!"
"Five hundred thousand!!"
Immediately, another bid came. But it wasn't from the Zhao Patriarch. Everyone was taken aback and instinctively looked towards the back, towards the second floor – the voice had come from one of the private boxes.
"It's the Chu family!" Loong Chengkong whispered to Lin Feng, a note of resignation in his voice. "The bidder sounded like Chu Lianshan, the current Patriarch of the Chu family. He's also at the peak of Foundation Establishment... and of course, he joined the fray. Sigh..." His sigh was one of helplessness, for the Chu family was one of the two largest families in the city, possessing a Golden Core cultivator. With their entry, the Loong family's chances seemed slim.
Sure enough, a flicker of disappointment crossed Loong Xingtian's eyes. After a moment's hesitation, he did not increase his bid. The Zhao Patriarch also remained silent, clearly unwilling to challenge the Chu family either.
Silence fell over the hall for several seconds. No further bids emerged. Shilan inquired three times consecutively and then declared the Chu family the successful bidder.
"Five hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones... for a single pill..."
Lin Feng couldn't help but feel a deep sense of awe. This sum was significant even for an ordinary Golden Core cultivator. For a typical Foundation Establishment cultivator, accumulating so many spirit stones represented immense hardship. It starkly highlighted the difficulty of the cultivation path. If I were still that person before obtaining the Repair Technique, he thought, would I ever have saved enough spirit stones to buy a single Qingxu Pill in my lifetime? Would I have been forever trapped at Foundation Establishment, unable to leave this small place, forever unable to search for my parents' whereabouts?
For a moment, Lin Feng's thoughts drifted, becoming somewhat distant. But he quickly snapped back to the present. He clenched his fist unconsciously, his expression hardening with renewed resolve. Fortunately, I am lucky. Those hypotheticals no longer apply. Now, I possess an immense advantage unlike anyone else. I will forge a truly spectacular path on my cultivation journey!!
...
"Four hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones!"
In the brief moments Lin Feng had been lost in thought, the bidding for the second Qingxu Pill had already begun. And the moment Shilan announced the start, the Zhao Patriarch had immediately called out this substantial bid.
Many cultivators in the hall who had harbored hopes of bidding could only sigh in resignation. They knew they couldn't compete against a powerful family like the Zhaos and had to abandon the idea.
While most gave up, not everyone did. The Loong family was one exception. They had yielded the first pill to the Chu family; they couldn't afford to back down on this last one. Loong Xingtian hesitated only briefly before declaring, "Four hundred and fifty thousand!"
"Four hundred and sixty thousand!"
This time, a new voice joined the fray. Following the sound, it turned out to be an independent cultivator seated further back. It seemed some independent cultivators possessed considerable resources after all.
"Five hundred thousand!!"
However, the Zhao Patriarch immediately countered. The independent cultivator who had finally mustered the courage to bid could only shake his head regretfully and withdraw – five hundred thousand exceeded his limit. Even if he somehow won, exhausting all his savings would leave him with nothing for future cultivation.
"Five hundred and fifty thousand!"
Loong Xingtian, unwilling to concede, raised the bid again.
"Six hundred thousand!"
"Six hundred and twenty thousand!"
"Six hundred and fifty thousand!"
"..."
The contest for this second Qingxu Pill became a direct duel between the Zhao and Loong families. Bid followed bid in rapid succession. When Loong Xingtian finally shouted, "Eight hundred thousand!", the Zhao Patriarch finally fell silent.
Ultimately, Loong Xingtian secured the pill for eight hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones.
"Whew..."
As Shilan announced his successful bid, Loong Xingtian couldn't help but exhale a long breath of relief. Had the Zhao Patriarch countered again, he might not have been able to continue. It wasn't that the Loong family lacked the funds, but they certainly couldn't spend their entire fortune on a single pill – eight hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones for one Qingxu Pill was arguably expensive. After all, it was merely an auxiliary pill, not a guaranteed ticket to becoming a Golden Core cultivator.
Just a few years prior, the Li family had spent a fortune to acquire a Qingxu Pill. Yet, Li Yanghui had still failed in his Core Formation attempt. Tens of thousands of spirit stones had vanished like water thrown on sand...