"The next auction item is an offensive magic treasure of Top-grade Artifact Treasure level—a sword imbued with the ice attribute. The starting bid is fifty thousand low-grade spirit stones. Bidding begins now."
Shilan introduced the newly presented item and announced the start of the auction, though her gaze instinctively drifted towards Lin Feng's location.
Surprisingly, no one rushed to bid this time. The eyes of most people in the hall, mirroring Shilan's, involuntarily turned towards Lin Feng...
"Uh..."
Lin Feng blinked, glancing around curiously before realizing the situation. He cleared his throat awkwardly and waved his hand, saying, "This one... I won't be taking..."
"Whew..."
Immediately, a collective sigh of relief echoed through the hall. Many faces visibly relaxed, expressions of relief turning to delight, and bids promptly followed.
"Fifty-five thousand low-grade spirit stones!"
"Sixty thousand!"
"Sixty-two thousand..."
The fierce bidding resumed. Lin Feng retracted his gaze somewhat sheepishly, unconsciously rubbing his nose. He realized his earlier actions had been quite excessive – he had 'snatched' several treasures consecutively, and at prices that could only be described as incredibly cheap.
Because the moment he bid, all other competition ceased, resulting in quick wins. Several items had barely seen any price increase at all.
He imagined the original owners of those items must be rather frustrated...
Even though the prices were low, adding up the cost of the several items he'd won, Lin Feng realized he had spent over one million low-grade spirit stones!
He had burned through half his total assets in mere moments. A pang of regret twinged within him, though he firmly believed every purchase was absolutely worth it. Essentially, he had achieved his primary goal for coming to Biquan City.
For the next dozen or so auction items, Lin Feng refrained from participating. While some seemed decent, they weren't strictly necessary, so he conserved his spirit stones.
Several hours had passed since the auction began, and it was now midday. However, the event didn't pause. All present were cultivators, unconcerned about lunch, so the auction continued uninterrupted.
Item after item was presented. The enthusiasm within the hall remained high, undiminished. Many cultivators successfully won one or two coveted treasures.
Another half afternoon elapsed. Lin Feng only participated once more during this time, securing a Top-grade Artifact Treasure level inner armor. Although he already possessed a Spirit Artifact robe, one could never have too many life-saving defensive items. Wearing an extra layer beneath offered more security. His current inner armor was only High-grade Artifact Treasure level, so he replaced it with this superior piece.
Finally, the auction neared its climax. The long-anticipated finale items, the treasures held for last, were about to be unveiled...
...
After another magic treasure was successfully auctioned, Shilan announced, "Esteemed fellow cultivators, almost all items scheduled for this auction have now been sold. However, I imagine you share my eagerness to finally witness the three precious Spirit Artifacts reserved for the finale? Very well! Without further delay, let us present the concluding treasures of this auction!"
As she spoke, an elegant young woman walked onto the stage, carrying a tray draped with a red cloth. The cloth lay flat, suggesting the object beneath was exceptionally small, offering no discernible shape or clue to its identity.
Under the curious gaze of the audience, Shilan lifted the red cloth. She picked up the object from the tray and held it high for all to see.
The sight, however, left the majority of cultivators below the stage momentarily stunned. Many wore expressions of confusion and disappointment. What Shilan held was merely a palm-sized, pitch-black, unremarkable 'chunk of metal'. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't even a whole piece—it was clearly only half of something. This utterly inconspicuous object, the kind one might ignore even if found on the roadside, was one of the three grand finale treasures? A Spirit Artifact?!
"This is..."
Unlike the reaction of most cultivators, Lin Feng's pupils constricted violently the instant he saw the object. His face registered sheer disbelief as he stared intently at the item in Shilan's hand.
"The other half of the Spirit Artifact fragment!!"
Shock and profound uncertainty surged through Lin Feng's mind. He was almost certain: the object before him was the matching half of the unidentified Spirit Artifact fragment he had obtained from Li Sha!
He had studied his half fragment numerous times without any success. Never had he imagined encountering its counterpart here today, presented as a finale treasure...
While Lin Feng was reeling from the sight of the fragment, another group also reacted differently from the crowd: members of the Li family. Li Ziyao, in particular, the moment he saw the fragment, his eyes blazed with intense excitement and naked greed, fixed unwaveringly on the stage.
Shilan noted the widespread confusion among the audience, yet her smile remained unperturbed. She paused deliberately before continuing, "Many of you may find this so-called 'Spirit Artifact' perplexing. However, I believe once I reveal its origin and name, its significance will become clear..."
Her words instantly hushed the hall. Lin Feng's eyes lit up with anticipation, while Li Ziyao frowned, a shadow of displeasure flickering across his face.
Shilan declared emphatically, "This Spirit Artifact... or rather, this 'half' of a Spirit Artifact... its former master was named Lie Hu, revered as 'Tiger Soul Zhenren'! And this... is the very weapon that made him famous... the White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman!!"
"..."
For a heartbeat, the entire hall was plunged into absolute silence. Then, like a detonation, it erupted into a cacophony of astonished voices!
"What?! Did I hear correctly?! The White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman?!" "Tiger Soul Zhenren?! The famous weapon of the Tiger Soul Zhenren who shook the land two centuries ago?! Is this genuine?" "The same Tiger Soul Zhenren who once dominated the Five Cities and Three Sects of Nanxia, the one even Biquan Sect feared? Legend says he perished attempting to break through to the Divine Transformation realm? He was a Great Cultivator at the peak of Nascent Soul stage! His signature weapon... what rank must it have been?!" "But it's damaged beyond recognition... only half remains! Even if it was once a Dao Artifact, is it still usable now?" "I've heard of Tiger Soul Zhenren, but what was so special about this treasure? Fellow Daoist, enlighten me..."
"You don't know? The White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman was an incredibly fearsome Spirit Artifact! Legends say it was imbued with a wisp of the remnant soul of the ancient Sacred Beast, the White Tiger! When activated, it could summon this beast spirit to attack. The spirit was incorporeal—ordinary magic treasures couldn't block it! It struck directly at the soul, utterly devastating! Zhenren's most famous battle, while only at mid Golden Core stage, saw him use this talisman to instantly annihilate two Golden Core cultivators of the same level!" "What?! Destroying two Golden Core peers instantly, solely with this treasure?! That terrifying?!" "..."
The surrounding discussions buzzed around Lin Feng. He didn't need to ask; he absorbed the information about Tiger Soul Zhenren and the White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman piece by piece. Internally, he was astounded: "This Spirit Artifact... was such a formidable treasure?! Sealing a beast spirit... Does it still function? Why did I find nothing when examining my half?"
Shilan waited for the initial wave of shock to subside before raising her voice again. "The legends surrounding the White Tiger Fierce Soul Talisman are well-known. It was indeed an immensely powerful Top-grade Spirit Artifact, its might arguably rivaling even ordinary Low-grade Dao Artifacts. However, as you all can see, what I hold now is only half of the artifact. Yet, even in this state, its power has not been entirely extinguished. City Lord Qin himself has personally tested it. Even without the correct method of control, its power can be forcibly activated. The summoned beast spirit possesses a strength comparable to an early Golden Core cultivator. While this pales in comparison to its original glory, possessing it still equates to possessing the aid of a Golden Core expert. It remains an exceptionally rare and potent treasure."
After detailing the specific power and value of this 'half' Spirit Artifact, Shilan paused once more. She then announced solemnly, "For this auction item, the starting bid is one million low-grade spirit stones! Now then... let the bidding commence!!"