Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1507 - 816: Shocking Turn of Events

The mighty sun blazes overhead, its rays scorching fiercely.

From the vortex's core, the radiant beam slowly fades away, while the massive swirl contracts steadily before vanishing entirely, restoring peace to the lake's surface.

Streams of escaping light streak in from every direction, all gathering atop the most opulent and majestic nine-story vessel.

The escaping light dims as Golden Core Masters emerge one by one onto the nine-story deck, each claiming a Jade Couch to settle upon.

Soon enough, almost a hundred Jade Couches are occupied, and at the deck's heart, over a dozen enchanting maidens in flowing pink veils sway elegantly to celestial tunes, their dances fluid and captivating.

A striking, noble young cultivator occupies one Jade Couch—it's the honored guest Zhao Sheng.

Beside him on the neighboring Jade Couch, Zhao Yongxian caresses his beard thoughtfully, his gaze fixed intently on the nearly hundred Golden Core Dao companions, eyes gleaming with keen interest.

"Fellow Shouzhuo, since this is your initial visit, you might be unaware, but this magnificent ship's proprietor hails from Wanyou Trading Company. The roots of Wanyou Trading Company remain profoundly enigmatic. It's among the top elite trading conglomerates in these lands. Whispers suggest the head of Wanyou Trading Company studied under Red Cloud Venerable once..."

Zhao Yongxian shares a range of tales and lore, covering not just the traits of the attending Golden Core Masters but stressing in particular the master of this nine-story ship, worried that their Guest Elder could come off too haughty and unintentionally slight the host.

While Zhao Sheng absorbs the words quietly, he discreetly extends his Divine Sense all around.

Within this vast chamber now, innumerous Divine Senses tangle thickly in the air, swapping enormous volumes of data with every passing instant.

Zhao Sheng employs the Star God Thousand Heart Technique, dividing his Divine Sense into thousands of strands that slip unnoticed and fluidly into each Divine Sense via precise "frequencies."

Like a spectral shadow, he drifts through the chamber, catching every exchange with his sharp hearing and sight.

Within under an hour, Zhao Sheng gains a basic grasp of the nearly hundred Golden Core Masters gathered, plus a solid insight into nearby cultivation powers, uncovering numerous hidden truths along the way.

Zhao Yongxian remains unaware of this and presses on with his ceaseless chatter until a crisp, bell-like chime echoes, forcing him to halt with reluctance.

Following the chime, the lithe maidens retreat one after another, as a kindly faced elder with flowing white hair, clad in a plain embroidered Magic Robe, strides serenely to the chamber's middle, cupping his hands in salute: "This old one, Su Zhao Bai, offers greetings to all Golden Core Dao fellows here."

His tone measured yet commanding, it fills the space with authority, hushing the room at once and shifting all faces to solemn reverence, erasing any trace of disdain.

"My name might be unfamiliar to you, but that's beside the point. The key is for every fellow Daoist to follow this venue's guidelines. We have just five rules. First, deals sealed mean no turning back; second, all auction goods go to the top bidder; third... finally, one vital warning I urge all fellow Daoists to heed closely: violence during the auction is forbidden—offenders face immediate execution!"

With that, the white-haired elder offers a faint smile, "Very well, no more delays—the auction starts now. By tradition, those with treasures to sell should inscribe the particulars on a Jade Scroll and hand them over to me collectively. I'll showcase them during the proceedings."

His statement barely finishes when Jade Scrolls soar from various spots, piling up before the white-haired elder.

Seeing this, Zhao Sheng pulls a pale, creamy Jade Scroll from his robe, ponders briefly, jots down details, and flings it toward the front.

Shortly after, the auction kicks off for real.

"Our opening item: the low-grade magical treasure Flowing Light Ruyi Shuttle! It bears five Treasure Restrictions, allowing travel of ten thousand miles daily or a hundred miles in a flash. Perfect for journeys or fleeing peril. Bidding starts at thirty top-grade Spirit Stones. Increments must be at least one top-grade Spirit Stone."

"Thirty-one!"

"I offer... thirty-five top-grade Spirit Stones," declares an elder.

"Thirty-seven..."

In mere moments, the bidding climbs fourfold, with bidders flaunting their lavish confidence. Lower Realm Golden Core cultivators witnessing this might shed tears of envy, damning Upper Realm folks as ruthless.

Zhao Sheng watches with quiet amusement; back in the Lower Realm, Golden Core cultivators would battle fiercely for mere handfuls of top-grade Spirit Stones, yet here in the Spirit Realm, even novice Golden Core experts treat top-grade Spirit Stones lightly, tossing out higher offers without a care.

The sheer wealth of cultivation assets in the Taiyi Spirit Realm shines through clearly.

The initial item fetches a steep final price of forty-five.

Next follows the second, then the third...

The auction barrels ahead at a brisk pace, every piece finding a buyer without fail, transactions flowing seamlessly.

An hour slips by in a flash.

"The seventh treasure: Ten-thousand-year-old Sky Blue. It holds three drops of Ten-thousand-year Spiritual Milk. A single drop adds ten years to one's lifespan. Opening bid: one Top-grade Spirit Stone."

These words jolt many cultivators, their gazes burning with desire toward the unassuming stone clutched by the white-haired elder, eager to claim it outright.

"Three!"

This cry snaps the other Golden Core Masters from their daze, sparking a wild frenzy of offers.

"Five!"

"Six!"

...

Before long, the cost rockets to ten Top-grade Spirit Stones.

The spiritual energy in the Taiyi Spirit Realm overflows in abundance, superior Spiritual Veins abound without rarity, and Top-grade Spirit Stones aren't in short supply—even Golden Core Masters can gather a fair share.

Indeed, Spirit Realm cultivators seldom face shortages of resources such as Spirit Stones; the true obstacles to their progress stem from barriers in breakthroughs.