Chapter 32: Soul Infant Fruit
"So black-hearted…"
"Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, I, Xiao Yi, will remember this grudge and repay it a hundredfold in the future…"
Outside the gates of the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, a black-robed man's eyes burned with fury as he swore in his heart.
Just now, when he sold off the spirit pills he did not need, they had only been valued at eighty million high-grade spirit stones.
Then he had paid an exorbitant thirty million high-grade spirit stones to purchase a Heaven-ranked private room for the auction.
In one stroke, he had lost one hundred million, a pain worse than having his flesh carved away.
Boom!
At that moment, a carriage drawn by a three-headed flood dragon approached from afar.
The carriage shone with brilliance, imposing and grand, rumbling across the sky with vast momentum.
"Damn it, these second-generation immortals truly love to flaunt themselves. Just because they have money, do they think they are so great?" Xiao Yi's eyes flickered with envy.
Inside such carriages were inner pocket worlds, like miniature palaces furnished with all kinds of formations. The cost was astronomical, at least tens of billions of high-grade spirit stones.
And those three-headed flood dragons were fifth-rank demonic beasts, equivalent to the Human Refining Spirit Realm. They were not something money alone could buy.
Thus, each carriage was not only a symbol of wealth, but also of power and honor.
Ordinary people could never afford such extravagance.
"Senior brother, do you like this kind of carriage?"
Su Qingyue and Gu Qing stood at the window. Seeing the carriage outside, she softly asked, her gaze fixed unwaveringly upon Gu Qing.
If he showed any sign of liking it, she would give him one as a gift.
She had yet to give her senior brother a present.
"I do not like it."
Gu Qing shook his head.
He truly did not like it — far too ostentatious.
Compared to a carriage, he preferred flying boats, many times faster, capable of crossing the void itself.
Though flying boats were even more expensive.
"Then what does senior brother like?"
Su Qingyue's lips parted in a pure, elegant smile, her aura ethereal and refined, her teeth snowy white and translucent.
"Mm… let me think."
Gu Qing pondered briefly, realizing he had nothing he particularly favored.
"Enough about me. What do you like, junior sister? I will give you something later."
"Me?"
"I like anything my senior brother gives." Su Qingyue blinked and shyly turned her eyes aside.
"Is that so…"
Gu Qing leisurely admired the beauty before him.
Who would have imagined that Su Qingyue, usually as cold as a fairy from the Moon Palace, could reveal such a girlish side?
Yet it was not surprising — she was indeed a young girl.
Her aloofness was merely a front born of social unease and a reluctance to interact with unfamiliar men.
"The auction is about to begin…"
Su Qingyue's cheeks reddened under Gu Qing's fervent gaze, unable to withstand it.
Gu Qing chuckled softly, moved to her side, and waited with her for the auction to start.
Soon, Chu Yao arrived with graceful steps, her figure elegant and alluring.
A floor-length violet gown outlined her tall and exquisite form, making her appear like a noble enchantress. Every movement she made bewitched the heart.
"So beautiful…"
"Fairy Chu, it has been years. You have become even more radiant…"
"Fairy Chu…"
Before Chu Yao could even speak, her suitors had already rushed forward with praise and invitations.
"Thank you, gentlemen, for your kindness. But I have duties to attend to…"
Chu Yao handled the situation with ease.
Her smile was seductive yet her demeanor elegant, leaving the young men utterly enthralled, each vying to offer her support in business.
"Born with the Yin Yuan Body and natural charm… what a peerless beauty…"
Some older cultivators revealed lecherous gazes, staring greedily at Chu Yao.
Though she concealed it well, with their sharp eyes they could tell from her appearance, bearing, and aura what her constitution was.
She was not only a supreme beauty, but also a supreme furnace.
Dual cultivation with her would bring tremendous benefits to both cultivation and physique.
"Unfortunately, she is the daughter of the Pavilion President. Otherwise…"
They were unafraid of holy land saintesses — at worst, they could flee to another continent. But the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion's commercial empire spanned the entire Primordial Desolation World and maintained ties with countless immortal powers.
To offend them without leaving this world was little different from courting death.
"Vixen…"
Meanwhile, female cultivators cursed Chu Yao under their breath.
Such blatant seduction was shameless.
"Everyone, the auction now officially begins."
"The first item is a treasured medicine, the Soul Infant Fruit…"
Chu Yao's alluring voice echoed through the hall as her slender jade hand lifted the red cloth.
Revealed beneath was a baby the size of a fist, lifelike in expression, radiating multicolored light.
"Waa… waa…"
The Soul Infant Fruit emitted a faint crying sound, fluttering wildly within the formation's light-screen.
Indeed, the Soul Infant Fruit possessed life and spirit.
It could even cultivate into a humanoid form.
This particular Soul Infant Fruit's cries indicated an age of at least five thousand years.
At ten thousand years it could speak human words and possess complete sentience.
"Hiss—"
"Seven-thousand-year Soul Infant Fruit, I claim it. I am the Blood Demon Sect's leader; I ask you all to show some face."
He recognized its age at a glance, his voice urgent as he spoke.
"Heh, Old Xu, your face isn't that big."
Someone sneered in disdain.
Looking at the Soul Infant Fruit, he displayed a determined look.
The Soul Infant Fruit was a supreme treasure for strengthening one's soul and could even slightly improve aptitude.
It could allow one at the Mysterious Dan Realm to break through to the Refining Spirit Realm with no side effects, and there was a chance to awaken one's innate divine art.
Even for those at the Void Dao Realm, a five-thousand-year Soul Infant Fruit was immensely useful: it could bolster the soul, mend soul damage, and aid in breakthroughs.
The Soul Infant Fruit was literally the treasure every cultivator dreamed of.
Hence, those with means began rubbing their hands, resolved to buy it even at the cost of ruin.
As for the Blood Demon Sect…
That was a holy-land-level power.
Everyone present was from holy lands; none would give them face.
"Leader Xu, if you do not intend to participate in the auction properly, then please leave. Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion does not welcome you."
Chu Yao's expression hardened; she loathed those who leveraged status to lowball treasures.
"Apologies."
"Seeing the Soul Infant Fruit, I lost my composure. I promise there will be no next time."
Xu Tiefu apologized repeatedly, though his face was dark with displeasure.
"If there is a next time, your Blood Demon Sect will be barred from purchasing anything in my Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion."
Chu Yao warned without mercy.
"Apologies."
Xu Tiefu mouthed the words, but his eyes were vicious and murderous intent showed through.
"Hahaha, Old Xu, go back to your Blood Demon Continent; Qingzhou is not your place to act wildly."
"Indeed. Now that you've come to Qingzhou, you'd better behave."
Those with grudges against the Blood Demon Sect piled on mercilessly.
"Enough, silence."
"The seven-thousand-year Soul Infant Fruit—its specific uses I need not elaborate; I'm sure all of you understand better than I do."
"The starting bid is one billion high-grade spirit stones, and each increment must be no less than ten million."
Chu Yao tapped the gavel and announced thus.
"I offer 1.1 billion high-grade spirit stones."
"1.2 billion high-grade spirit stones."
"2 billion…"
The Soul Infant Fruit detonated the auction; in moments its price surged to astronomical heights.
"Teacher, what should we do? The price is too high; we can't possibly afford this."
Xiao Yi watched anxiously.
"Don't worry. For treasures like this, spirit-stone value is hard to measure."
"The Heaven-ranked private room has the right to pause the auction once. Ask them to pause; we'll trade using pill formulas."
Xiao Yi's black, antique ring flashed faintly.
An aged voice sounded in Xiao Yi's mind.
"Can it be done that way?" Xiao Yi exclaimed in surprise.
Pausing the auction—wouldn't that make everyone wait?
"Do you think those thirty million high-grade spirit stones were paid in vain? Hurry and pause it. The higher the Soul Infant Fruit's price climbs, the greater our cost."
"All right!"
Xiao Yi nodded, looked at the holo-projection within the formation, and used the aged voice to say, "Wait a moment."
"Fairy Chu, I would like to exchange the Soul Infant Fruit for a pill formula."
Hearing that voice, Chu Yao's willow brows unconsciously knit.
Thinking of Xiao Yi's miserly temperament, she felt a flash of annoyance.
However, since she opened her doors to business, she could not break etiquette and so asked, "Which pill formula do you intend to use?"
"A fifth-grade pill formula."
"How many sheets? Which formula?" Chu Yao's brows tightened, impatience plain on her face.
In front of so many people, she had no interest in wasting time with Xiao Yi.
"One sheet—the Blood Dragon Pill formula."
"Sorry, I won't exchange."
"All right, auction continues."
Chu Yao was almost amused with anger.
Though precious, a fifth-grade Blood Dragon Pill formula at best matched a value of one billion high-grade spirit stones.
To think one could trade one billion in spirit stones for the Soul Infant Fruit—ridiculous.
Moreover, Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion already possessed Blood Dragon Pill formulas; it was not scarce.
Chu Yao now regretted how she had once thought to befriend such a fool.
"Wait, I haven't finished."
Xiao Yi's face changed drastically, anger rising.
"This Danmaster Xiao, we have many waiting to bid here and no time to haggle with you."
"Besides, your single-use pause privilege has been used; do not make more noise, or I will have you escorted out."
Chu Yao spoke coldly.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yi nearly spat blood with anger.
Were transactions not supposed to include some haggling and probing? Without it, how could he secure the lowest possible price?
"Sigh, Xiao Yi, you must change your character, widen your perspective—stop behaving like a petty market vendor always thinking of bargains."
The old man in the ring chided, disappointed in his student.
In such a setting, still trying to snag a deal was wishful thinking.
"Teacher, I…"
"All right, be mindful next time."
"Fine."
Xiao Yi clenched his fists, regret filling him.
At the same time, he hated Chu Yao this little enchantress even more.
If not for her interference, he would never have missed the Soul Infant Fruit.
Swearing inwardly, he vowed to recover his loss a hundredfold in the future.
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