"Next is the auction for the eighth quota. The accompanying Spirit Metal is Thousand Refined One Peak grade Dragon Blood Gold. For Martial Souls with dragon attributes below the Spirit King rank, constantly resonating with this Dragon Blood Gold offers a chance to purify one's own bloodline."
"Ten million!"
"Fifteen million!"
Because everyone now had a baseline, the price rose rapidly in the early stage.
"Twenty million!"
Soon, the price for the eighth quota surpassed that of the first one.
Not only that, but the price was still soaring.
The quota itself was valuable, but additionally, there was the accompanying Spirit Metal.
The most determined participant in this round of competition was Room Number Ten, whose occupants hailed from Dragon City.
In the end, this eighth quota was driven up to the high price of twenty-five million, secured by the Tianlong Sect from Dragon City.
"Once we return to Dragon City, we'll have the Dilong Sect share the cost as well. All the other major and minor forces in Dragon City must contribute. After all, this Blacksmith Association branch wasn't secured just for our benefit alone."
The Tianlong Sect representative had actually already discussed this with the other forces in Dragon City before coming.
His words were quite normal.
The competition for the ninth quota began at this moment.
After just three bids, the price had already reached twenty-five million!
"Hiss... good thing we acted decisively enough."
The Tianlong Sect representative sucked in a cold breath, thankfully he had made the resolution for the Dragon Blood Gold.
"Twenty-six million!"
"Twenty-six million, five hundred thousand!"
The subsequent bid increments became smaller and smaller; they were all at the end of their rope, making final attempts.
Finally, the price for the ninth quota settled at twenty-eight million, secured by Room Number Nine, which housed the Dou Ling Empire's royal family.
"The final quota. The accompanying Spirit Metal is Heavy Silver, Thousand Refined One Peak grade, achieving Six Chi Radiance! It can be called a Sacred Grade Thousand Refinement!"
Whoosh!
Six Chi Radiance!
When Duan Lin brought out this piece of Heavy Silver, the forces that had previously won quotas began to breathe heavily.
Because the previously introduced Thousand Refined One Peak Spirit Metals had at most only Three Chi Radiance.
This piece of Heavy Silver directly reached Six Chi.
"Everyone, this piece of Heavy Silver is the most spiritually infused Thousand Refined metal our Blacksmith Association has ever obtained. Through research, we unanimously believe this metal has reached the pinnacle of Thousand Refinement, just one step away from breaking through to the next realm."
"President Duan Lin, may I ask, what realm comes after Thousand Refinement?"
Xu Jiujiu directly asked from off-stage.
"After Thousand Refinement comes Spirit Refinement. Thousand Refinement awakens the spirit, Spirit Refinement creates life."
Duan Jin's answer undoubtedly stirred waves in everyone's hearts.
After Thousand Refinement, there is Spirit Refinement?
"May I ask President Duan Jin, how is Spirit Refined metal different?" Xu Jiujiu pressed.
"I don't know."
Duan Jin shook his head decisively.
Spirit Refined metal had existed back when Su Ming first approached the Blacksmith Association; Duan Jin had even seen it with his own eyes. But at this moment, he firmly shook his head.
The Association's development needed to be gradual.
Because he knew the Association's current potential, Duan Jin was even more cautious, step by step.
It was not yet time to announce Spirit Refinement.
"Spirit Refinement has stringent requirements and places very high demands on the Spirit Master. Because the founder of the forging technique himself lacked sufficient Spirit Power, he turned to research other directions back then."
"Oh? I wonder who that founder is?"
Duan Jin's eyes flickered, and he couldn't help but glance upwards.
That was the direction of Rooms One, Two, and Three.
Because of the relationship between the Blacksmith Association and the Body Sect, Xu Jiujiu subconsciously thought he was looking towards the Body Sect's Room Number One.
However, the name Duan Jin uttered was beyond her expectations.
"Su Ming."
In Room Number Three, Su Ming, watching through the spirit tool screen as Duan Jin spoke his name, couldn't help but curl the corners of his mouth into a slight smile.
Beside him, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen were stunned.
Who?
"Xiao, who did he just say founded the forging system?"
"It seems to be someone called Su Ming."
The brother and sister both turned to look at Su Ming.
"Su Ming, the Su Ming he mentioned... it couldn't be you, could it?"
"If there isn't a second Su Ming in this world who founded the forging system, then the Su Ming President Duan Lin mentioned should be me."
An exclamation mark slowly appeared above Xiao Hongchen's head.
You're putting on quite the act.
He indicated he had learned; next time someone says the number one spirit tool genius is Xiao Hongchen, he would answer them the same way!
Your act of showing off is good, but soon it will be mine.
Su Ming's name shocked not just everyone in Room Number Three, but the entire auction audience.
Xu Jiujiu was dumbfounded.
Now she understood why the Blacksmith Association was so impartial, wanting to remain neutral among the four empires for balanced development.
So the founder of the forging system was from the Sun Moon Empire.
At the same time, she couldn't help but wryly smile.
This was bad.
If the founder was in the Sun Moon Empire, then who was leading the fusion of Spirit Metal and spirit tool technology?
Now she could only pray, pray that Su Ming was truly impartial, and that the Spirit Metal supplied to the four empires was equal.
Su Ming discovered that just from this one revelation, the faith he harvested was no less than what he gained in a month.
So, does one still need to awe the assembled multitude?
Thinking of this, Su Ming sent a temporary message to Duan Jin.
"Spirit Refinement hasn't been broken through, but Su Ming has made a breakthrough in Fusion Forging. Using spirituality to connect different rare metals, allowing them to organically combine, creating Spirit Alloys."
"I will explain the characteristics of these Spirit Alloys shortly. We have also brought out three pieces of Spirit Alloy for auction."
It's here!
Xu Jiujiu expressed that the treasures the Blacksmith Association had to squeeze out had finally appeared!
Indeed, handing the remainder of the auction to the Blacksmith Association was the correct choice.
"Alright, let's return to the main topic. The auction for the final quota should begin. To save everyone time, let's set the starting price at twenty million. Each bid increment must be no less than one hundred thousand Gold Spirit Coins."
Is twenty million high?
No.
Soon, someone used action to demonstrate that even with a twenty million starting price, a large number of people still competed fiercely.
"Twenty-three million!"
"Twenty-..."
"Twenty-seven million!"
It broke through to a new height again.
Subsequently, a tug-of-war of bidding in increments of one hundred thousand Gold Spirit Coins began.
The auction for this final quota lasted half an hour.
Midway, private rooms repeatedly requested pauses in the auction, stating they needed to exchange for Gold Spirit Coins.
The Star Luo Royal Family was almost unable to contain their glee during this half-hour. Although they couldn't take a commission from the auction itself, the treasures exchanged for Gold Spirit Coins kept flowing into their pockets.
Remember, they charged a twenty percent handling fee.
No commission on the auction, but there was a commission on currency exchange.
In the end, this quota reached thirty million Gold Spirit Coins.
"Let us congratulate the honored guest from Room Number Thirteen for securing this final quota with a bid of thirty million Gold Spirit Coins."
In Room Number Thirteen, the Sect Master of the Xuanming Sect twitched at the corner of his mouth, his expression bitter.
Congratulations?
Some people secured several quotas for just twenty million.
If only he had made up his mind earlier.
***
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(Chapter End)