"Sea of Karma Flower!"
When these words left the woman’s fiery red lips, the entire auction house plunged into sudden silence. One could hear a pin drop!
Compared to the Array Spirit Stone or any previous items, the sensation caused by the name "Sea of Karma Flower" was entirely incomparable. Whether it was Array Spirit Stones, Elixirs, or Martial Techniques, they were all considered external possessions for a Martial Artist’s Cultivation. If one ran out, they could simply get more; if they missed out once, there was always a next time. But the Sea of Karma Flower was different. It was something a Martial Artist would benefit from for their entire life.
This was because it could change a Martial Artist’s aptitude and talent.
That fact alone was enough to drive everyone present into a frenzy. On this continent, a Martial Artist’s achievements depended on their own hard work, their background, and their life’s luck—but their innate aptitude and talent were equally crucial! This was a truth no one could deny.
A Martial Artist’s aptitude was generally formed innately; their potential for success was largely predetermined from birth. The Sea of Karma Flower, however, could shatter this limitation. One could easily imagine a Celestial Element Realm Martial Artist consuming a Sea of Karma Flower and leaping into the Martial Marquis Realm overnight, soaring upwards from then on.
Therefore, upon hearing the words "Sea of Karma Flower," the auction house instantly boiled over with excitement. Many people in the second-floor VIP booths had already lifted their curtains, their burning gazes fixed on the Glazed Jade Bottle in the woman’s hands.
"Since everyone knows of the Sea of Karma Flower, I assume you have all heard a certain rumor as well!"
Looking at the incredibly rowdy venue, Hongxiu covered her mouth and chuckled lightly. The charming expression on her face grew even more captivating as her soft, crisp voice drifted out. "Rumor has it that Xuanyuan Tibing accidentally consumed a Sea of Karma Flower at the age of thirteen. Because of this, he secured his position as the number one figure of his generation, allowing him to be invincible the moment he entered the Martial Marquis Realm!"
When the name Xuanyuan Tibing rang out in the auction house, the crowd swallowed hard. The appeal of this Human World Myth was no less than that of the Sea of Karma Flower itself.
"If I can win this flower, wouldn’t I be the next Xuanyuan Tibing?"
"Commanding a Million Soldiers to destroy Dongxuan, invincible upon entering the Martial Marquis Realm... just thinking about it makes me thrilled!"
The eyes of everyone in the venue burned with unprecedented intensity.
At this moment, Hann Qixiu sat up straight. A greedy green light suddenly gleamed in his dim eyes, making him look exactly like an old man with one foot in the grave who had abstained from worldly desires for decades, only to suddenly see a stark naked, beautiful young maiden. Back in the Great Xia Dynasty, Xiao Yishan had forcefully extracted one of his meridians, severely damaging his Primordial Qi and bringing his Martial Arts Realm progression to a permanent halt in this lifetime.
If he had this Sea of Karma Flower, his meridians could be reconstructed, and he might even achieve even greater fortunes! This was his true purpose in coming to the auction house.
Inside a VIP booth, Lin Huang gazed at the Glazed Jade Bottle resting on the woman’s slender hand in the distance. His eyes were equally fervent, his emotions surging like turbulent waves.
Even when he had successfully bid on the Array Spirit Stone earlier, he hadn’t been this excited. It could even be said that this was the most thrilling moment since his rebirth. All because this flower could help Lin Cangxue’s Martial Soul achieve Nirvana.
Back when Xiao Yishan left the East Spirit Realm, Lin Huang had asked him how to resurrect the Profound Frost Cyan Phoenix Bird Martial Soul. At the time, Xiao Yishan mentioned it was recorded in the "Qiankun Da Nirvana". Lin Huang had later leafed through the "Qiankun Da Nirvana", which indeed contained the Nirvana method for the Profound Frost Cyan Phoenix Martial Soul: gather the Sea of Karma Flower, Heart-Burning Lotus, and Flame Dragon Fruit, then refine them using a Fourth-Level Array to extract the Nirvana Flame.
Once the Nirvana Flame entered the Profound Sea, it would allow the Profound Frost Cyan Phoenix Bird to undergo Nirvana Rebirth!
In the booth, Lin Huang stared at the Sea of Karma Flower without trying to hide his desire. He clenched his fists, his eyes brimming with determination. Among the requirements for the Martial Soul Nirvana method, the Sea of Karma Flower was the hardest to obtain. He had once believed such a thing didn’t exist in the East Spirit Realm. Never did he expect it to appear at today’s auction.
Since it had appeared, he absolutely had to get his hands on it. Lin Huang made up his mind, "As long as I get this Sea of Karma Flower, my sister’s Martial Soul will undergo Nirvana, and the legend of the past will return once more!"
"Miss Hongxiu, start the bidding!" someone in the crowd shouted impatiently, wishing they could just throw their money right then and there.
Hongxiu gently waved her slender hand, maintaining the charming smile on her face. She said with a smile, "The Sea of Karma Flower. Starting price, one million gold coins! There is no minimum increment for bids!"
The moment this astronomical price was announced, the auction house quieted down considerably. It was as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped over their boiling blood. Only now did they realize that this auction was a game for the wealthy. Even though they had decent fortunes, in the top-tier Xuese Auction of the East Spirit Realm, their wealth seemed utterly inadequate.
However, while more than half the crowd was rendered speechless, there were still quite a few who could afford the starting price of one million. They immediately began fighting over each other to shout out their bids.
"One and a half million!"
"Two million!"
"Three million!"
In less than half a quarter of an hour, the price of the Sea of Karma Flower had already soared to three million. On the stage, Hongxiu’s soft, enchanting eyes swept back and forth across the crowd, an enticing smile playing at the corners of her fair lips.
"Is Alliance Leader Fengg not interested in the Sea of Karma Flower?" Lin Huang asked, noticing that Fengg Wanli’s gaze was wandering around the auction house as if he didn’t care much for the item.
Fengg Wanli withdrew his gaze and gave Lin Huang a deeply meaningful look. "If you want to bid on it, just call out a price. However, the most I will do is be the big tree you seek shade under. Don’t expect me to pay for it!"
In the booth, Lin Huang frowned, a few doubts rising in his heart.
From Fengg Wanli’s words, it seemed the man didn’t place much importance on the Sea of Karma Flower... This completely defied common sense. The Sea of Karma Flower’s ability to alter one’s aptitude was an irresistible poison to every Martial Artist.
How could Fengg Wanli not be interested? Then what was his purpose, or did he have other plans?
Lin Huang looked up at Fengg Wanli, then turned to glance at Tu Gang. He clenched his hands and finally made up his mind. Regardless of what Fengg Wanli was scheming, he would not give up on the Sea of Karma Flower.
"Six million!"
Lin Huang’s voice rang out from the Blood Robe Alliance’s VIP booth across the Xuese Auction. As soon as his voice sounded, a wave of commotion swept through the auction house. Six million wasn’t considered much, but it meant that the Blood Robe Alliance was entering the competition.
Not far away, Songg Yuanyang visibly frowned but was helpless to stop it. After all, everyone wanted to get a piece of a treasure like the Sea of Karma Flower, let alone the Blood Robe Alliance.
"Eight million!" Songg Yuanyang subsequently called out. Although he was displeased with the Blood Robe Alliance, he wasn’t afraid. After all, he now had the Celestial Thunder Sect backing him. He was very confident. With the combined financial power of the Tiansong Pavilion and the Celestial Thunder Sect, crushing Fengg Wanli was just a matter of a single sentence.
"Ten million!"
Right after Songg Yuanyang’s voice faded, a muffled voice suddenly echoed in the auction house. It sounded somewhat effeminate but exceptionally clear.
"...Hiss, ten million!"
"It actually reached ten million! Truly worthy of being the Sea of Karma Flower!"
Even though the crowd had already mentally prepared themselves that it was only a matter of time before the Sea of Karma Flower broke the ten million mark, hearing the number actually called out still left them somewhat shocked. Subsequently, the crowd’s gazes converged on the man who had made the bid.
He was entirely wrapped in a snow-white cross-collared robe edged with red silk threads. He wore a bamboo hat on his head, making it impossible to see his face or discern his age. However, the people surrounding him were all frowning tightly. They didn’t dare to get too close because of the bone-piercing chill radiating from his body.
Even Miss Hongxiu on the stage pursed her lips and stared at him with some curiosity. In her photographic memory, she didn’t seem to have ever met this person, nor could she link him to anyone she knew.
Inside the booth, Fengg Wanli’s gaze also landed on the man, a smile inadvertently forming at the corners of his mouth.
Lin Huang merely cast a single glance at the man before retracting his gaze. A sense of horror lingered in his heart. Even though the man in the snow-white robe was just sitting there quietly, the atmosphere of the entire venue seemed to have grown a few degrees colder due to his presence.
Lin Huang made a judgment in his heart while a multitude of doubts arose in his mind, "A Martial Marquis Powerhouse sitting in the main hall? And no one in the auction house recognizes him? Is this bone-piercing chilling aura due to his Martial Soul, or did he cultivate some sinister Martial Technique?"
Lin Huang instantly felt that things had gotten tricky. Competing for the Sea of Karma Flower against a Martial Marquis Powerhouse was akin to complaining that he had lived too long.
"Thir... Thirteen million!"
Just as the crowd was suspiciously guessing the white-robed man’s identity, another young voice rang out in the hall. Although it sounded somewhat timid, it successfully drew everyone’s attention over.
The bidder was a young man, roughly in his twenties. He looked genuinely... a bit dull and wooden, the sort of completely forgettable face if you threw him out onto the streets. He was wearing a set of coarse hemp garments that had been washed until they were slightly faded. His only outstanding feature was his eyes, which were surprisingly resolute. Perhaps that was what they called an aura.
"Is this guy... here to cause trouble?!"
"Looking at his ragged clothes, if he can even pull out one hundred taels of gold, I’ll write my name backward."
"This guy actually has the nerve to open his mouth. Does he think this is a game of just spouting numbers?"
However, the smile on Hongxiu’s face slightly froze. As she looked at the young man in coarse clothes, a trace of doubt appeared between her brows. She seemed to be pondering over something, but unable to recall it, she could only shake her head helplessly.
In the booth, Lin Huang also stared at the young man with great interest. It was obvious that, under the focused gaze of everyone present, the young man was quite restrained and even blushed a little. He probably had never experienced such a grand spectacle before.
However, his eyes stubbornly stared at the Sea of Karma Flower in Hongxiu’s hand. His fists were tightly clenched, clearly showing that he had made absolute resolve.
Fengg Wanli stared at the young man below, his brows slightly furrowing before he smiled warmly and murmured, "How interesting!"
"Lin the kid, it seems this Sea of Karma Flower won’t be easy to get your hands on. You better tread carefully and don’t throw your little life away!" Fengg Wanli reminded him.
Lin Huang waved his hand dismissively. Although the situation was tricky, there was absolutely no way he would give up. He smiled and said, "Alliance Leader Fengg said you would protect my life in the Blood Triangle!"
Fengg Wanli clapped his hands and pondered, "That naturally counts. But if that young man down there wants to kill you, I won’t protect you!"
"Huh?"
Lin Huang turned his head back to look at Fengg Wanli, his eyes filled with confusion. Yet, seeing the latter looking completely unruffled and in total control of the situation, he figured he wouldn’t be able to pry any answers out of him.
Lin Huang wondered, "Just who exactly is this young man in coarse clothes?" Countless questions filled his heart.
During their conversation, the price of the Sea of Karma Flower had been raised several more times, already reaching eighteen million. The ferocious speed of the bids was staggering. However, as time passed, every subsequent bid gradually became more cautious.
Only four parties remained in the competition.
Lin Huang.
The Tiansong Pavilion, represented by Songg Yuanyang.
The man in the white-robed cloak in the main hall.
And the young man in coarse clothes.
By comparison, Lin Huang was considered the weakest faction. The Tiansong Pavilion and Hann Qixiu backing it went without saying, while the white-cloaked man possessed the strength of a Martial Marquis. As for that young man in coarse clothes, although he only had Earth Element strength, it seemed even Fengg Wanli was unwilling to provoke him. His true background was probably terrifyingly immense as well.
And as for Lin Huang...
He was probably done for!