Emperor Qiankun

Chapter 421 Various Treasures 9. Tai Xuan Yang Ginseng

"Uh......"

Upon hearing this, Li Qingyuan was slightly shaken, thinking to himself that this young woman had already reached the realm of a king, truly a prodigy.

However, Su Yaoyue's tone was subtle in the second half of her sentence, as if it contained a touch of girlish bitterness.

He suddenly realized that he might have lingered his gaze for too long, causing the beauty to misunderstand.

Thinking of this, he remained calm, for he had nothing to fear from a clear conscience.

Suddenly, he reached out and grasped Su Yaoyue's slender fingers, pressing them against his heart, and laughed loudly:

"Yaoyao, listen carefully—is there even the slightest hint of panic in my heartbeat?"

......

Su Yaoyue was caught off guard when her delicate hand was suddenly grasped, and her cheeks instantly flushed crimson, as beautiful as peach blossoms.

She felt the steady, powerful beating of Li Qingyuan's chest, and a blush rose to her ears. She hurriedly withdrew her hand and lightly spat out a curse:

"Hey, what are you doing!"

"I...I didn't say much..."

Even so, a hint of sweetness appeared in her eyes, and she thought to herself that her junior uncle was still the same innocent and straightforward young man he used to be.

Seeing this, everyone around tacitly looked away.

Some gazed at the high platform, while others lowered their heads to sip tea, as if the scene that had just unfolded had never happened.

Only Granny Lan's expression remained uncertain.

Sometimes it was as dark as charcoal, sometimes it showed a hint of green, and finally it sank back into black, just like dark clouds ravaged by a gale.

She gritted her teeth, cursing inwardly:

How dignified!

It's simply offensive!

In this world, how can young people be so lacking in self-restraint...?

------

Right now!

On the high platform.

The Xuancang tortoise shell shimmered with a deep blue light.

His gaze, sharp as a torch, slowly swept across the dark mass of people below the stage. His voice, booming like a bell, carried an undeniable authority:

"Fellow Daoists, today the Wanbao Grand Ceremony begins. This old man and Xiao Ni Chang are willing to preside over this grand event for you."

After speaking, he paused, his gaze suddenly sharpening, and said coldly:

"But please remember that transactions here must be conducted in accordance with the rules."

"If anyone dares to act recklessly or misbehave here, don't blame me for being ruthless—no matter who it is, I will kill them all!"

Before he finished speaking, a powerful pressure erupted from Xuan Cang's body, sweeping across the entire fourth level of the Northern Underworld Dragon Palace like a raging storm.

The oppressive aura was as heavy as a mountain and as sharp as a sword, causing all the cultivators present to feel a tightness in their chests and a pause in their breathing.

Many low-level cultivators turned pale and were almost unable to sit or stand still.

In the blink of an eye, the oppressive aura receded like a tide.

The cultivators present immediately felt the pressure dissipate and returned to normal.

......

Then you will see.

Ao Ni Chang moved forward with light steps, her delicate hand patting the ground.

A crisp round of applause rang out, seemingly magically piercing through the noise.

Immediately, nine openings appeared simultaneously, and rows of burly demon warriors marched out in orderly steps.

Some had bull heads and human bodies, others were covered in scales, and still others had wings that blotted out the sun...

Each step caused the ground to tremble slightly.

These demon warriors carried giant logs on their shoulders, with various treasures resting on them:

There are coral trees that emit a rainbow of colors;

An ancient sword that possesses the power of stars;

There is a jade bottle that seals the spirit of an ancient ferocious beast...

And there was also the legendary Vermilion Fruit, said to grant a thousand years of life, gleaming alluringly in the jade plate...

In an instant, all eyes were drawn to the scene.

The cultivators were breathing heavily, their eyes flashing with greed and desire.

Like a hungry wolf seeing a plump lamb!

Someone was licking their chapped lips;

Someone clenched their fist, their knuckles turning white...

Some have already begun secretly communicating, discussing how to gather more Xuanjing (mystic crystals)...

------

Li Qingyuan watched this scene with cold indifference, thinking to himself:

This demon race certainly has some clever tactics. First, they intimidated everyone with the aura of an emperor, then they tempted people with rare treasures...

Such cunning schemes truly demonstrate a thorough understanding of human nature.

He could feel that the atmosphere in the room was like dry tinder meeting a raging fire, ready to ignite at any moment!

Countless living beings are about to be caught in a frenzied bidding war!

However, Li Qingyuan's gaze quickly shifted from the treasures to several medicinal herbs.

That was exactly the medicinal material that Elder Hua needed:

A ginseng plant that is entirely white, with roots that sway like dragon whiskers;

A lotus flower radiating nine-colored light, its petals seemingly still glistening with morning dew;

There was also a piece of Ganoderma lucidum that was as black as ink, but its surface was covered with golden patterns.

Furthermore, several other major medicines that Elder Hua needed were also present and being displayed.

These medicinal herbs all exude a rich medicinal fragrance; just smelling them is enough to refresh the mind and body, clearly indicating that they are rare treasures that are hard to come by even once in a thousand years.

But Li Qingyuan also noticed.

Many eyes were also focused on these spiritual herbs, including some powerful individuals who concealed their presence.

His heart sank, and he thought to himself:

Looks like there's a lot of competition.

but......

He glanced down at the mountain of mystic crystals in his spatial ring, a confident glint still in his eyes.

......

The first phase was the exhibition period, which passed by in the blink of an eye, quietly ending in just half an hour.

Under the control of the demon warriors, all sorts of treasures were seen flowing away in an orderly fashion.

Only ten treasures remained standing quietly on the high platform, shimmering and glowing under the brilliant spiritual light.

Clearly, the auction rules for this grand auction of treasures were that only ten rare items would be displayed in each round, with each round building upon the previous one, which whetted everyone's appetite.

The first ten items were also extraordinary, some being spiritual pearls capable of controlling lightning, others precious fans that could ward off fire...

But ultimately, they failed to catch the eye of those truly great cultivators.

As a result, the bidding was sparse and ended hastily in a short while.

After all, everyone knows that the real highlight is yet to come. If they consume the Xuanjing too early, they might miss out on the ultimate treasure!

Time flows by quietly, like sand in an hourglass.

After three rounds, thirty treasures had been given to their owners, but Li Qingyuan remained seated as still as a pine tree, never making a single bid.

His gaze was sharp, piercing through layers of precious light, focusing only on the great medicines that Elder Hua needed.

Other treasures, though tempting, were nothing more than fleeting clouds to him.

Only those few miraculous medicines that could save Old Hua's life were his true goal for this trip.

......

Finally, after a long two-hour wait, the thirty-third round of auctions began.

A medicinal herb was slowly carried onto the high platform, instantly attracting everyone's attention.

This medicine is called "Jiu Tai Xuan Yang Ginseng"!

Its entire body is as clear and translucent as amber, and its tendrils are as graceful and lively as dragon whiskers.

The surface is surrounded by nine golden lines, as if it were naturally formed.

Even more astonishing is that this Xuan Yang Ginseng has actually developed sentience!

Whenever a flash of inspiration passes by, the ginseng's body trembles slightly, as if in joy.

According to ancient records, the Nine Tai Xuan Yang Ginseng is born by absorbing the yang energy of heaven and earth.

Only one golden pattern can be reincarnated every thousand years, and when all nine patterns are gathered, the medicinal power is at its peak.

This medicine can not only extend lifespan by a thousand years, but also replenish essence, qi, and spirit.

For those old cultivators whose lifespans are nearing their end, it's nothing short of a second life!

A burning desire flashed in Li Qingyuan's eyes, but he did not bid himself. Instead, he gently beckoned the female seahorse demon to come.

This female seahorse demon is an attendant of the Northern Underworld Dragon Palace, dedicated to delivering messages to distinguished guests.

She took out a conch-shaped communication device and whispered a few words.

Immediately, the magical artifact shone brightly, transmitting the message to the outside world.

A moment later, Ao Ni Chang on the high platform below announced in a loud voice:

"A VIP on the second floor has offered 200,000 high-grade Xuan Crystals. Is anyone else bidding?"

Upon seeing this, Li Qingyuan smiled and thought to himself:

This efficiency is undeniably very high.

So good!

......

Ao Ni Chang's clear, cool voice had just fallen.

A booming voice suddenly erupted from the crowd on the first floor:

"Two hundred and one hundred thousand high-grade mysterious crystals!"

A burly man clad in heavy black iron armor stood tall and suddenly spoke.

His bulging muscles gleamed with a metallic sheen under the spiritual light, and his body was surrounded by a rich fluctuation of earth-attribute profound energy.

However, this bidding was merely the beginning.

In an instant, like a spark falling into a pot of oil, the entire auction house erupted in chaos.

"Two hundred and twenty thousand!"

An aged voice came from the southeast corner.

"Two hundred and fifty thousand!"

In the western stands, a tall, slender figure rose to his feet, the long sword at his waist humming.

"Three hundred thousand!"

On the third floor on the north side, wisps of the fragrance of elixirs wafted from a private room, clearly indicating that a master alchemist was unable to contain himself.

The price skyrocketed, breaking the 500,000 mark in just ten breaths.

At this point, the number of bidders dwindled, and most people began to weigh the pros and cons.

After all, the main event is yet to come, and it would be unwise to exhaust our resources for a single medicinal herb.

......