A starting price of one million spirit stones meant the final price would climb several times higher. As for it failing to sell? Impossible. Even major forces that already possessed a third-tier spirit vein would not turn down another one, least of all one that could be carried around.

As expected, the moment Leng Ruolan announced the start, the hall erupted. Someone immediately doubled the bid, pushing it up to two million. And after that, the price climbed in increments of five hundred thousand! Sums that would normally be considered enormous seemed almost trivial here!

Luo Chen could not help but feel that as a cultivator's realm rose, so did their means of amassing wealth. Or perhaps wealth itself naturally flowed toward those at the top. The so-called trickle-down economics was nothing but a scam.

"I wonder how that fish managed to grow into a third-tier vein...."

Han Zhan explained patiently, "They raised it like this. And to be fair, it's really not that difficult to create a second-tier spirit vein, and even a third-tier one, as long as you're willing to put in the resources."

Create a spirit vein? Luo Chen instinctively thought of the immortal cities in the Jade Cauldron Domain of the Eastern Wilderness. Some of the third-tier spirit veins there were said to be man-made. But that did not seem quite right. Those spirit veins still began with a natural vein, which was then enhanced through specific methods.

"But we're talking about a living being, not a piece of land."

"It's the same thing, really. You transplant a second-tier spirit vein into the demon fish, then raise its grade."

Luo Chen was speechless. "Is it really that simple?"

Han Zhan said calmly, "It actually is. That said, the cost is enormous, and a man-made spirit vein like this is bound to have flaws. I don't know what method Sage Jadecold used, but it will definitely have issues like being limited to a single spirit energy attribute, high maintenance costs... Oh! And most importantly, a time limit."

"A time limit?"

Han Zhan nodded. "Yes. A natural spirit vein can last indefinitely as long as it's properly maintained and not overexploited. But this one is inside a demon fish, which means its lifespan is tied to the fish's lifespan."

Ordinary demonic beasts typically lived about twice as long as human cultivators of the same tier, because spirit energy suffused their entire bodies rather than being concentrated in the dantian like humans did to break through realms. Some demonic beasts with Titan Beast bloodlines even lived many times longer than cultivators of the same tier. There were, of course, trade-offs—notably, the substantially slower cultivation speed.

The Black-Green Treasure Basin Fish had none of that. In fact, it was well known that its lifespan was actually shorter than that of an equivalent human cultivator. The reason for their short lifespan lay in their habit of devouring spirit energy items indiscriminately. Over time, the mixed and chaotic energies within their bodies shortened their lives.

As far as Luo Chen could tell, the one presented by Sage Jadecold had at most four or five decades of life remaining. When it finally sold for seven million spirit stones, it went to a hook-nosed Adept seated among the rogue cultivators.

Luo Chen sighed in admiration. "Seven million for a few decades of a low-grade third-tier spirit vein... Well, I guess it has its pros and cons."

Back on Tianlan Peak, he had rented a third-tier cave residence for one million spirit stones a year. Seven million only bought seven years, so by comparison, this deal was far more worth it. Of course, this also depended on regional differences. In the Northern Sea, prices had risen after the fall of the devil sect and the unrest that followed. Yet the region was vast, with spirit lands scattered across the seas like stars. As a result, blessed lands below the fourth tier were not especially scarce.

As his thoughts wandered, Luo Chen understood why high-tier rogue cultivators were so rare in the Eastern Wilderness. In the Northern Sea, even Nascent Soul rogue cultivators were not uncommon; the three great hermits of the Myriad Immortal Society were perfect examples. The abundance of spirit lands played a major role in this. As long as a rogue cultivator dared to venture into the Demon Sea, they could usually find a decent spirit vein. The actual problem was whether they survived to enjoy it.

Now that the Black-Green Treasure Basin Fish King had sold for seven million, the atmosphere in the hall had truly stirred. One item followed another. Even those that were not rare still drew eager bids, and Luo Chen joined in as well.

***

"One jin of Tracing Mud, a fourth-tier, dual water-earth material. I'm sure I don't need to say much about its properties. Add even a small amount to an enchanted treasure and it gains a memory function. As long as it isn't completely destroyed, it can recover to its original state. Among refining materials, it's practically indispensable. The starting price is thirty thousand, and the minimum increment is one thousand. Let the bidding begin!"

As soon as Leng Ruolan finished speaking, numerous cultivators began bidding.

Luo Chen spoke as well. "Forty thousand!"

Others followed, but he gave no ground.

"Forty-two!"

"Forty-five!"

"Fifty!"

"One hundred!"

Once Luo Chen doubled the price, all other voices were silenced. Add a little more, and they could buy a decent low-grade enchanted treasure. Spending it all on one jin of one single material was simply not worth it. When the final bidder reluctantly called out 101,000, Luo Chen immediately raised it to 105,000. The man shot Luo Chen a glare, muttered something under his breath, and gave up.

Luo Chen smiled. He had secured another material for his future armor. He had once possessed quite a bit of Tracing Mud by exchanging a centennial Lightning Essence with Elder Fei Ming of Ailao Mountain. But later, he had used it all in the Primordial Unity Cauldron, and he was now left with nothing. Now that he had acquired more, he was happy in spite of the high price. This was an essential material, and it made him more confident in refining the treasure.

The attendant Ah Qing returned and noted down the item, then could not help asking, "Adept, you've already secured seven materials. Would you like to go to the back and settle them now?"

Luo Chen waved his hand. "No rush. There are still a few things I need. I'll settle everything together later."

Ah Qing nodded, but inwardly she was astonished. He's really wealthy. In just an hour, he's spent hundreds of thousands, and he doesn't look anywhere near done!

Luo Chen was indeed in no hurry. First, he was well prepared. Second, he lacked confidence in artifact creation. To account for the inevitable failures, he needed to stockpile enough materials. It was the same as alchemy. In addition to that, he also wanted to broaden his horizons. This was his first time attending a large auction in the Northern Sea, and many of the items were things he had never even heard of. Seeing more would only benefit him.

The auction continued. Whenever the materials on his list appeared, Luo Chen bid without hesitation. As for other items that caught his eye, he held back. He could not afford to spend recklessly. The scale of the auction was large, and the variety of items matched it. The Black-Green Treasure Basin Fish at the beginning had been an excellent appetizer, and it had been followed by a steady stream of mid-grade and low-grade enchanted treasures. At one point, Luo Chen even saw something entirely unexpected—the legendary mermaid!

Merfolk here were not human at all, but rather demons with humanoid upper bodies and fish tails. Though only at the second tier, this one fetched a pretty hefty price, north of half a million. And as it turned out a few moments later, the offer was not limited to demonic beasts, but also included humans—specifically, female cultivators! They were not slaves in the common sense of the word, but rather what was commonly known as "cultivation furnaces," and they were put up for sale by Devil's Snare. They had been trained from a young age and cultivated special techniques, meant for high-tier cultivators to draw upon. They provided both pleasure and a boost in power.

Ten such high-quality cultivation furnaces were auctioned one by one. The final bids varied, but all buyers seemed to be extremely satisfied. Some high-tier female cultivators looked displeased, but with Devil's Snare being the seller, no one dared to object.

Luo Chen could only sigh. As expected of Devil's Snare, said to gather the most remnants of the devil sect. Much of their old ways remained. No, that was not quite right. They were simply unrestrained. When the Primordial Devil Sect still stood, such practices were not entirely unheard of, but they were kept out of sight. Hardly anyone dared to bring such people out in the open, let alone place them on display at a grand auction attended by the major forces of the southeastern Northern Sea.

"If Devil's Snare really takes the Northern Sea, I don't know whether they'll surpass the Primordial Devil Sect in strength, but they'll definitely be more ruthless..." Luo Chen muttered. Then his expression sharpened as he turned his attention to the next item.

"Woven Gold, a third-tier metal-element material. It is very flexible and is ideal as a supplementary material for robes and defensive enchanted treasures. When enough is incorporated during crafting and paired with a Compliance Formation, it can change shape and size at will. This is seventy-two jin in total. The starting price is fifty thousand spirit stones, and the minimum increment is one thousand. Any interested parties may begin bidding."

Luo Chen made his move. Though this batch of Woven Gold was inferior in grade to Tracing Mud, its large quantity made it valuable. If used well, it could produce a large number of enchanted artifacts and treasures. As expected, many craftsman forces joined the bidding. These forces typically had ample funding, and thus, competing with them came at a cost. Yet after Luo Chen's earlier bids, even these forces had begun to feel the pressure.

"Forget it, forget it. Who knows where that guy came from, throwing around money like that for materials that only look valuable."

"I'm not competing anymore. Otherwise, I won't even recover my costs."

"One hundred seventy thousand? He's out of his mind!"

In the end, Luo Chen secured it for one hundred and seventy thousand spirit stones. The auction continued. Seeing that he was about to bid again without restraint, Han Zhan could not hold back anymore. "Luo Chen..."

"Relax, I know what I'm doing. Haven't you noticed I haven't bid on a single item related to spirit plants or medicinal materials? This involves your technique and the Nascent Soul Pill. I'll make sure to get that Soul-Nurturing Wood for you."

Han Zhan could only suppress his urgency. Meanwhile, Luo Chen's frequent bids began to draw attention.

On the third floor, Wu Qi and Eagle Devil sat in a large private room, discussing among themselves. "That's the one you were paying attention to earlier, right? Hard to judge his strength, but he's definitely loaded."

"I don't think he's anything special. But since he's buying so many minerals, he's probably preparing to refine a life-bound treasure. And with that said... How strong can he really be if he doesn't have one?"

"What I don't understand is where he got all those spirit stones. Isn't he just a rogue cultivator?"

Wu Qi showed no reaction to his companions' comments, but his gaze shifted to a man sitting in the corner.

"Fellow Daoist He Yuan, if I remember correctly, he came to Jadecold City on the same merchant ship as you. You should know him, right?"

Indeed, the man in the corner was none other than He Yuan. He calmly raised his head. "Is that so?"

Wu Qi smiled faintly. "I believe it is. I looked into him yesterday and learned he disembarked from the Bai family's merchant ship."

He paused, then added with a hint of curiosity, "Don't tell me you didn't notice him back then?"

He Yuan frowned slightly but said nothing, as if lost in thought.

Meanwhile, on the fourth floor, a man in a blood-red robe communicated across the void. "Jadecold, are you really going to bring that out?"

The reply came quickly. "If you want to catch fish, you need bait. You don't get something for nothing. Blood Nightmare, once this is done, you won't go back on that other promise, will you?"

Blood Nightmare's lips curved slightly. "You're really willing to stake that much. With your assurance, it seems this pledge of allegiance should go through. As for the other matter..."

At that moment, his expression shifted, and his gaze dropped downward. His divine sense spread out and slipped into Luo Chen's private room on the second floor. "Huh... That's an interesting one..."

"What is it?"

Blood Nightmare smirked. "Nothing. Just noticed an interesting little fellow. Back to business—has Silent Fate agreed?"

Sage Jadecold replied coldly, "I've already brought that treasure out. How could Senior Brother Silent Fate hesitate? When the time comes, the three of us will act together."

Blood Nightmare added, "We can ignore the other Sages, but you should give Elder Fu a heads-up just in case he ends up disrupting our plans."

"You're right. I nearly forgot. Elder Fu has really deep pockets. If he intervenes, he could really ruin things for us."

***

In the meantime, Luo Chen was entirely oblivious to the discussions about his conduct, and he didn't care about them anyway. But the moment Leng Ruolan brought out the next item, his gaze sharpened. And it was not just him; within the Primordial Unity Cauldron, Han Zhan's soul stirred as well.

"A one-cun piece of Soul-Nurturing Wood! It is estimated to be three thousand years old, it was obtained from the Sunken Sea, and carries some kind of dark energy. Its exact value is hard to determine, but if the taint can be removed, it's still usable. As for how to use it, that depends on you. The starting price is one million spirit stones, the minimum increment is one hundred thousand!"

There we go! Without hesitation, Luo Chen said, "Two million! I'm taking this!"

With his earlier displays having already drawn attention, Luo Chen's bid made every pair of eyes in the hall turn toward him. Everyone knew he was immensely wealthy and rarely lost a bid. Now, he was throwing in two whole million spirit stones, which showed just how deep his pockets were, and how great his confidence. For a moment, the entire hall fell silent.