Spoils from the Auction
On the day of Sky Island’s Grand Auction in Hyowol City, Jin Somyeong looked at the mountain of Spirit Stones piled up in his subspace and nodded.
The preparations were complete.
By selling off assorted demon beast by-products and adding the Spirit Stones mined from the Mental Pocket Realm, he had gathered a total of two thousand mid-grade Spirit Stones—an enormous sum by any measure.
“Whew.”
Rubbing his hands together in anticipation, he headed for the auction house.
Following an attendant, he arrived at a private VIP room on the second floor and began leafing through the auction catalogue. As expected, a grand auction held in a Golden Core-level city was in a different league.
They’re even selling foundation-building spiritual objects?
Treasures that would have caused an uproar in Jeokyang Market were appearing in the auction as if it were nothing.
There are plenty of cultivation methods, too.
Perhaps because they were at sea, many of the techniques were water-attribute arts. One in particular caught his interest: a second-tier high-grade offensive spell that created a waterspout and devastated everything around it.
He was reading down the list of auction items when his eyes suddenly widened.
Ojangbaekryeongyeol?
It was something he had never expected to find here.
A body-refinement cultivation method that tempers the inside of the body. Difficult to cultivate, but specialized in protecting the meridians, making it useful when handling violent secret arts. However, as the first half has been lost, it is recommended for use only as a supplementary method.
After reading the description, he was certain. It was the Ojangbaekryeongyeol he knew.
The first half is missing...
As it happened, the Ojangbaekryeongyeol Jin Somyeong possessed was missing its latter half. Thanks to the proficiency system, he had been able to continue training it regardless, but it had always felt slightly lacking. To think he would find the latter half here.
There was no other way to describe it but luck.
How strange. Surely this isn’t the effect of the Spirit-Seeking Talisman too, is it?
It was almost absurd, the way he now found himself suspecting every coincidence of being some fated encounter brought about by the talisman.
Jin Somyeong gave a faint snort of laughter and made up his mind.
I’ll buy this too. The question is whether I’ll have enough Spirit Stones.
He turned to the magical artifacts, his original reason for coming, and found exactly three defensive artifacts worth considering: a robe, a shield, and a necklace.
Among them, the shield called the Black Tortoise Flying Shield tempted him the most. Its description claimed it possessed second-tier peak-grade defensive power.
Tsk. That’s going to be expensive.
Sky Island’s market prices might be cheap overall, but defensive artifacts were precious anytime, anywhere. That would be especially true in the Gwangwon Sea Region, where cultivators were locked in a constant struggle for survival against demon beasts.
Ding!
When he shook the bell placed in the room, an attendant from the auction organizers quickly approached and bowed.
“Yes, honored guest. Did you call?”
“Can I put one of my own items up for auction? I happen to have a rather decent spiritual herb.”
“As long as you pay the commission, of course. Though in the case of spiritual herbs, you may be better off selling it directly to our trading company rather than putting it up for auction.”
“Is that so? This one is called a Nourishing Jade Essence Flower. How many Spirit Stones would you offer for it?”
Click.
Jin Somyeong opened the jade box sealed inside a talisman.
The moment the splendid spiritual herb, with petals as crimson as the sun, was revealed, vigorous life force pulsed through the room like a beating heart. Scorching heat surged outward, and the temperature inside the chamber rose sharply.
“A... a foundation-building spiritual object!”
At the appearance of Jin Somyeong’s last Nourishing Jade Essence Flower, the attendant’s mouth fell open. His gaze burned as he stared at the spiritual herb. As a Qi Refining cultivator, it was the very thing he desired most.
After swallowing dryly, the attendant suddenly startled and lowered his head.
“My apologies. I will bring an appraiser at once.”
A short while later, an old man in the mid Foundation Establishment stage, clad in a silk robe, looked over the Nourishing Jade Essence Flower and let out an appreciative hum.
“Mm! Excellent. It is indeed a top-grade foundation-building spiritual object, brimming with life force. It appears specialized in protecting the physical body. Where did you obtain it?”
“I came across it by chance. It would be difficult to obtain more.”
“A pity...”
Stroking his chin, the appraiser spoke in a composed voice.
“Foundation-building spiritual objects usually sell for around two hundred to three hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones. Even if placed at auction, it would likely be around the same.”
Jin Somyeong paused at the lower-than-expected price, but soon accepted it.
Three hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones. In low-grade Spirit Stones, that was roughly thirty thousand.
For Qi Refining cultivators who actually needed a foundation-building spiritual object, it was still an absurdly expensive sum. Most would struggle to gather that much even after half a lifetime.
He briefly wondered whether he should refrain from selling it since it seemed too cheap, but the appraiser continued.
“However, this spiritual herb has certain unique qualities. If you sell it to us, we will offer four hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones. As it happens, our company’s master alchemist is currently researching medicinal pills suited for nourishment and recovery.”
“Mm... Very well.”
As his ability and income increased, the treasures he had once risked his life to obtain began to feel lighter in his hands. It was a truly strange sensation.
It made him proud, allowing him to feel how much stronger he had become, and yet it also left him faintly wistful.
Jin Somyeong stared at the four hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones he had received in exchange for the foundation-building spiritual object, then chuckled.
He had no regrets.
As long as he kept moving forward, this was a scene he would witness countless times.
He waited with his arms folded for some time.
At last, the auction began.
Now and then, items that had not appeared in the catalogue were brought up as well, and there were a few he wanted to buy.
A second-tier low-grade Thunderbolt Talisman?
According to the explanation, it was a talisman that called down a bolt of lightning at the level of an early Foundation Establishment cultivator. Each one cost ten mid-grade Spirit Stones, and he bought two out of curiosity.
He wanted to know whether he could use the lightning summoned by the talismans to perform the Thunder Escape Technique.
Then the item Jin Somyeong had been aiming for was brought onto the stage.
“Next, we have the Water-Fire Meridian Fusion Chapter of the Ojangbaekryeongyeol! This body-refinement art is rather unusual. It contains a secret method for tempering the meridians by colliding opposing energies, like fire and water. However, please note that it is incomplete, as part of the Qi Refining section has been lost.”
“Wait. From where to where, exactly, can this body-refinement art be cultivated?”
“From the late Qi Refining stage to just before Golden Core.”
“Hmm... a meridian-tempering method. I do happen to need something like that.”
As the scattered conversations reached his ears, Jin Somyeong, who had assumed he was simply buying the latter half of the Ojangbaekryeongyeol, paused.
Water-Fire Meridian Fusion Chapter?
A method for tempering the meridians using fire and water...
He examined the additional information provided by the auction house and realized that the Ojangbaekryeongyeol was a far more extensive cultivation method than he had imagined.
The internal organs, the meridians, essence blood, bones, and more.
Countless tempering methods had been fragmented and scattered throughout the world.
In any case, there was no reason not to buy it.
“Its flaw is that it requires considerable cultivation resources, but it will be helpful to anyone seeking to master secret arts that leave one vulnerable to internal injury. We will begin at one hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones.”
“One hundred!”
The instant some nameless bidder called out a hundred, Jin Somyeong joined the auction.
“One hundred fifty.”
“...One hundred sixty.”
“Two hundred.”
Others who coveted the Ojangbaekryeongyeol tried to follow, but he paid them no mind.
Mechanically, he continued raising the bid by fifty each time, until everyone else gave up.
In the end, he obtained the Water-Fire Meridian Fusion Chapter of the Ojangbaekryeongyeol for four hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones.
So I traded the foundation-building spiritual object for this.
It was a satisfying exchange.
He continued watching the auction with a smile for quite some time. Then, at last, the moment he had been looking forward to arrived.
“Now then, next is one of our core auction items: the Black Tortoise Flying Shield!”
At the auctioneer’s gesture, an ink-black shield flew in from behind the stage.
It looked as though an entire turtle shell had been ripped free and turned into a shield, and judging from the densely compressed spiritual power within it, it appeared extraordinarily sturdy.
The Black Tortoise Flying Shield traced an arc through the air and began circling the auctioneer.
Whoosh!
An arrow suddenly shot out from behind the stage in a surprise attack, and the shield knocked it aside as if it were protecting its master.
The auctioneer showed no surprise despite being attacked.
It must have been staged, because he merely grinned and continued his explanation.
“As you can see, it has the function of hovering around its owner and automatically deflecting attacks. Since it is made from the shell of a sturdy armored water-turtle, even second-tier peak-grade techniques will not leave a scratch on it.”
“Oh... impressive indeed.”
“Quite fast, too. It should be able to block most techniques.”
Exclamations of admiration rose from all around.
“Then we will begin the bidding at eight hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones!”
“Nine hundred!”
“One thousand!”
Jin Somyeong was about to join the bidding with the others when he stopped.
A question had flashed through his mind.
Can that shield keep up with my speed?
It circled its owner like a satellite, protecting them. It sounded good, but there was an obvious weakness.
If the owner was faster than the shield, it became nearly meaningless.
Whoosh!
He watched closely as the shield flew through the air at the auctioneer’s command, then shook his head.
It was certainly fast, but...
If Jin Somyeong moved at full strength, he was more than twice as fast as that shield.
It doesn’t suit me.
It was ill-suited to his method of fighting, which involved constantly moving and engaging in close combat. The Black Tortoise Flying Shield was better for a cultivator who stood still and poured out long-range spells.
“One thousand two hundred!”
...
“One thousand seven hundred!”
He stepped back from the feverish competition and recalled the remaining auction items.
There were still artifacts in the form of a necklace and a robe, but neither appealed to him either.
The reason was simple.
They were just too weak.
The moment Jin Somyeong flicked his finger, his spiritual power turned blade-like and struck his own forearm.
Clang!
A sound like metal striking metal rang out. His skin, which should have been soft and vulnerable, had already become as tough as a magical artifact.
It was the result of steadily consuming the Blood-Strengthening Tree’s fruits.
This is absurd. My body’s become so strong that it’s hard to find a useful artifact.
Clicking his tongue, he reviewed the auction list again.
He was considering whether he should spend his remaining Spirit Stones on a good sword instead, when—
“Haha. Next is a surprise item. It is a magical artifact that did not appear in the auction catalogue, so please pay close attention.”
A pair of shoes wrapped in red clouds was brought onto the stage.
“These Burning Cloud Boots are a second-tier peak-grade magical artifact specialized in short-distance movement. The clouds formed by burning spiritual power assist the wearer’s motion. They consume quite a lot of stamina, but they are perfect for escaping in a moment of danger.”
“Burn spiritual power?”
“...Then there must be a significant risk of internal injury.”
Perhaps hearing someone mutter that, the auctioneer admitted it readily.
“Correct. There are certainly some side effects. But they are fast enough to justify them. While wearing these boots, one can, for a brief period, run at the speed of a late Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
“That is certainly decent, but...”
“Haha. Would you have the leisure to worry about side effects when your life is in danger? These boots will become a trump card. Now! We will begin at six hundred mid-grade Spirit Stones!”
“One thousand!”
The moment the auction began, someone shouted loudly.
It was Jin Somyeong, his eyes gleaming.
“...One thousand one hundred.”
“One thousand five hundred!”
“Huh.”
Someone timidly tried to keep up, but he immediately called one thousand five hundred.
The more he looked at the Burning Cloud Boots, the more he liked them. He absolutely could not let them go.
His resolute momentum silenced the entire auction hall. A few cultivators parted their lips as if to bid, but soon gave up.
Jin Somyeong’s voice made it clear that he was determined to purchase them no matter what.
“Everyone! Imagine it! With these boots, you will be able to escape in any situation!”
Perhaps displeased with the price of one thousand five hundred, the elderly auctioneer urged the crowd on, but no further bids followed.
In the end, he sighed.
“The honored guest who bid one thousand five hundred, congratulations. You have acquired an excellent item at a bargain.”
Together with the auctioneer’s grumbling complaint, the Burning Cloud Boots were delivered to Jin Somyeong’s room.
After paying the Spirit Stones, he immediately tried them on and found them very much to his liking.
Comfortable.
A satisfied smile naturally tugged at his lips.
Their size adjusted automatically, fitting him perfectly. They caused no discomfort at all, to the point that it almost felt as if he were wearing nothing on his feet.
He suppressed the impulse to go running immediately and waited for the auction to end. Then he went straight out to the outskirts of the city.
After finding a suitably deserted place, he warmed up.
He bounced lightly in place, then infused spiritual power into the boots.
Fwoosh!
The spiritual power injected into the boots returned through his meridians, carrying intense heat.
Blood-red clouds bloomed from the pores across his body and lifted him up, naturally supporting his movements no matter how he moved.
Tap!
The moment he kicked off the ground lightly, the surrounding scenery was pulled backward in a blur.
He was moving so fast that a single careless fall could inflict serious injuries. It was difficult to control.
When he gathered the clouds beneath the soles of his feet and ran, it felt as though he were stepping on elastic springs.
After completing a circuit around the outskirts of the city in what felt like an instant, Jin Somyeong smiled brightly.
As expected!
His prediction had been right. The Burning Cloud Boots might have severe side effects, but that was only by the standards of ordinary cultivators.
For him, tempered as he was through body-refinement arts, they posed no problem at all.
The hot spiritual power that would normally have scorched the meridians felt merely lukewarm to him.
They’re perfect for me.
Jin Somyeong could now run at the speed of an average late Foundation Establishment cultivator. If he combined that with the Thunder Escape Technique and the Wind Riding Technique, even he could not predict how fast he might become.
After circling the city as casually as if he were taking a stroll and growing accustomed to the speed, he returned to the eastern district.
One month remained until the Boarding Tournament.
If he wanted to fully digest the treasures he had gained at the auction, he would have to move busily.
How many times had the sun risen and set since then?
Countless crowds surged into Hyowol City on Sky Island.
Today was the day the preliminaries ended—and the day the Boarding Tournament began in earnest.