Not only did Yang Hong realize that spirit fruits could be cultivated, but other cultivators also understood this principle. Therefore, the bidding for the Wind Thunder Ginkgo was also very intense, with incremental increases measured in high-grade spirit stones.
However, the price did not reach the same level as the Qian Yuan Sword, stopping at 3,600 high-grade spirit stones, which is 3.6 billion spirit stones.
Perhaps by coincidence, the main contenders this time were still House Tianzi No. 2 and House Tianzi No. 6.
Ultimately, House Tianzi No. 2 secured the Wind Thunder Ginkgo.
The remaining seven auction items were progressively more valuable, with starting bids of one billion spirit stones each, but none of the final transaction prices were below ten billion.
The ninth-tier magical artifact, the Myriad Blade Disk, could unleash ten thousand eighth-tier flying daggers. Not only was its attack power formidable, but it could also form a ultimate move called "Myriad Blades Unite," where ten thousand eighth-tier flying daggers combined into a single ninth-tier top-grade saber, making its offensive power incredibly explosive!
The celestial-grade cultivation technique, "Six Paths Heavenly Ascension Art," an ancient technique said to guarantee 100% cultivation to immortality.
The eighth-tier formation array, "Two Poles Subtle Dust Grand Return Array" disk. Once deployed, it could sever a sect's mountain range spanning thousands of miles from the continent, completely concealing it.
...
Seeing such treasures made Yang Hong's mouth water.
However, he was self-aware. Not only did he not have the qualifications to bid, but he also had Ran Borun and Qiu Kun leave the auction house and depart from Chaoyang City before the bidding for the penultimate ninth-tier treasure.
The final item was a treasure called the "Guangyuan Ascension Token." Upon a cultivator reaching the ninth-tier Mahayana stage, injecting spiritual power into the token would directly send them to the immortal realm, where they could directly become a disciple of the "Guangyuan Immortal Sect."
The starting bid was ten billion!
It was only then that House Tianzi No. 1, which had been silently observing, leading Yang Hong to believe it was empty, began to bid.
The "Guangyuan Ascension Token" was entirely a competition among the nine celestial-grade private rooms. Other cultivators did not even have the right to speak.
Finally, this "Guangyuan Ascension Token" was acquired by the mysterious cultivator in House Tianzi No. 1 for a staggering 60,000 high-grade spirit stones, a total of 60 billion!
Sixty billion for a single-use treasure seemed quite uneconomical.
With that money, wouldn't it be better to buy two ninth-tier top-grade magical artifacts as a sect's foundation?
Yang Hong couldn't comprehend the madness of those in the celestial-grade private rooms. Perhaps it was because his own level was not high enough.
"Thank you all, fellow Daoists, for attending. Now, please exit in an orderly fashion. First, guests from the celestial-grade private rooms will depart. One hour later, guests from the terrestrial-grade private rooms, followed by the mysterious-grade private rooms, and finally, everyone in the main hall.
This is for everyone's safety, so we hope you will not crowd. Otherwise, the senior brothers by my side are not merely for show."
The old auctioneer announced the departure order with a stern voice.
In truth, he wished he could reverse the order to reduce instances of bullying and robbery. However, the influential figures in the celestial-grade private rooms were clearly from immortal sects, and not allowing them to leave first might bring great trouble to the Chaoyang Sect.
Perhaps, by letting these nine immortal sect powers clash amongst themselves, other cultivators could be safer.
Upon hearing the departure order, Yang Hong's lips curved upwards. "This should be safe now."
He scanned his spiritual sea. In the center of his spiritual sea, a fist-sized blood-red flame burned fiercely.
Exiting the auction, Yang Hong directly took to the sky on his sword, flying north!
A dazzling sword light flashed by, instantly vanishing into the heavens and earth.
Following him, sword lights continuously rose and shot out in all directions.
Located 300 li in each cardinal direction from Chaoyang City were teleportation palaces that could directly send people to the four corners of the world and the five great provinces of Taiyuan.
At the same time, Chaoyang City was the only city in Dongli Province with inter-provincial teleportation.
The teleportation array Yang Hong had encountered when he first arrived, a hundred li outside Chaoyang City, was merely a small teleportation array for intra-Dongli Province travel.
Yang Hong's current flight north was to give Monk Guangji from House Tianzi No. 6 an opportunity.
He surmised that the cultivator in House Tianzi No. 2 was from Beiheng Province and would most likely use this particular teleportation palace.
*Whoosh* *Bang*
While flying and cautiously guarding himself, Yang Hong was intercepted by a Vajra Pestle magical artifact after flying 250 li.
"Little thing, you are merely at the sixth-tier Soul Transformation realm, yet you dare to fight with this Buddha for things?"
An old monk with white hair and beard but a rosy complexion and a handsome appearance, dressed in white monastic robes, instantly appeared before Yang Hong, blocking his path.
"Don't come over~ Don't come over! The Chaoyang Sect has a rule that no fighting is allowed within ten thousand li of Chaoyang City, let alone robbery or killing.
Violators will be jointly attacked by all sects in the world!
Aren't you afraid that the Leiyin Temple will be besieged?"
Seeing the white-robed monk, Yang Hong's face changed drastically, his body trembling slightly as he retreated. He spoke with feigned bravado, trying to dissuade the monk.
"Heh heh~ You already know this Buddha is from Leiyin Temple, yet you still dare to fight with this Buddha. Aren't you just seeking death?"
The white-robed monk, Guangji, smiled with a benevolent expression, but his words were far from kind.
"Master, I was wrong, I know I was wrong. I'll give it to you, I'll give you the seeds of the [Azure Sky Willow Tree]."
Yang Hong said with feigned fear, directly throwing out the storage ring in his hand.
However, he did not throw it towards Guangji, the white-robed monk, but rather towards his right.
*Ding*
With a crisp sound, the storage ring seemed to strike something and was bounced back.
At that spot, the light and shadows flickered, and a nearly colorless transparent formation shield materialized.
Within this formation, nine bald monks floated in the air, continuously forming hand seals and casting spells. Powerful and visually stunning spells were being unleashed against a ice-blue shield within the formation.
"Ah~ I didn't do it on purpose~ I really didn't do it on purpose~~"
Seeing the formation shield appear as he had expected, Yang Hong cried out in feigned panic, and with a flash of sword light beneath his feet, he flew eastward.
"You little beast, you still dare to run?
Die for this Buddha!"
Guangji's face turned stern as he saw Yang Hong attempting to escape. The Vajra Pestle in his hand shot out again, like a golden meteor, aiming for Yang Hong's back.
Yang Hong, who was fleeing, seemed to have his flight path disrupted by fear. The Vajra Pestle grazed his magic robe as it flew past.
Then, this Vajra Pestle did not return to Guangji's hand.
"Little beast, give me back my artifact!"
Guangji roared, a layer of white-golden spiritual light flashing on his body, as he rapidly pursued Yang Hong.
"Blood Escape Art~~"
Yang Hong intentionally shouted, spat out another mouthful of blood, and his body erupted with bloody light. His sword-flying speed suddenly increased.
"Golden Light Escape~"
Seeing Yang Hong activate a secret technique to escape, Monk Guangji also directly activated his escape technique, chasing after Yang Hong.
Then, he crashed into the mouthful of blood Yang Hong had just spat out.
"Ah~ You scoundrel! This is not a blood shield art!"
"Scoundrel~ Quickly dispel your spell! What kind of spell is this!"
Guangji, who had been arrogant and imperious moments before, suddenly let out a pained cry, and black flames erupted from his body.
Hearing the screams from behind, Yang Hong turned his flying sword and circled back, looking at the black torch.
He smiled.