Chapter 297: Auction Ends, Each Gains Something
Next, some more rare treasures were auctioned, all of considerable value, considered priceless in the eyes of ordinary martial artists.
Among them, a scroll of Half-Saint blood writing was sold for a high price of seven hundred thousand spirit crystals.
Zhang Ruochen made another move, bidding on and purchasing a set of ninth-rank True Martial Treasure-level armor called "Flying Fish Armor" and three battle diagrams.
The Flying Fish Armor could block a full-force attack from a fifth-rank lower barbarian beast, but of course, it could only neutralize seventy percent of the strike.
With Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation, if he were actually hit by a fifth-rank lower barbarian beast while wearing the Flying Fish Armor, even after neutralizing seventy percent of the attack, his body would still be shattered into bloody pulp.
What Zhang Ruochen truly valued was the Flying Fish Armor's advantage in speed.
As long as he wore the Flying Fish Armor, whether on the ground, flying through the air, or in water, his movement speed could reach the speed of sound.
Reaching the speed of sound on the ground and in the air wasn't particularly impressive. Most martial artists above the Heavenly Extreme Realm middle stage could achieve that.
But reaching the speed of sound in water—that was the most remarkable part.
When entering water, due to water resistance, many martial artists' movement speed would be halved, or even reduced to one-third or one-quarter of their ground speed.
This meant that, as long as he wore the Flying Fish Armor, Zhang Ruochen could ignore water resistance in water, unleashing speed faster than most Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artists.
Bidding on the Flying Fish Armor, Zhang Ruochen spent only ninety thousand spirit crystals in total.
The other martial artists, having just seen Zhang Ruochen thoroughly humiliate Yan Yunhuan, all thought Zhang Ruochen was a shill hired by the Martial Market Bank. So, when Zhang Ruochen bid on the Flying Fish Armor, they raised prices very cautiously, which instead allowed Zhang Ruochen to get a bargain.
The three battle diagrams were the "Cloud Sea Diagram," the "Fire Python Diagram," and the "Ten Thousand Wasps Diagram."
Among them, the "Fire Python Diagram" and the "Ten Thousand Wasps Diagram" were offensive battle diagrams, while only the "Cloud Sea Diagram" was a defensive one.
For the three battle diagrams combined, Zhang Ruochen spent a total of one hundred thousand spirit crystals.
Huang Yanchen was also quite unceremonious, bidding on two items: a six-hundred-year-old five-colored spiritual mushroom and a pair of eighth-rank True Martial Treasure-level war boots, spending thirty thousand spirit crystals and twenty-eight thousand spirit crystals respectively.
Of course, since Zhang Ruochen had previously said he would treat, he naturally had to pay the fifty-eight thousand spirit crystals.
"With this five-colored spiritual mushroom, I'm confident I can reach the Earth Extreme Realm Great Perfection before heading to the underwater Dragon Palace."
Huang Yanchen's eyes lit up, her five snow-white, jade-like fingers clenched together, full of confidence in herself.
A five-colored spiritual mushroom worth thirty million silver coins was definitely a rare treasure, making it easy for her to break through two realms.
That pair of eighth-rank True Martial Treasure-level war boots, called "Silver Snow Glass Boots," was also quite a precious treasure. Wearing them and using true qi to activate the inscriptions, a martial artist's speed could reach the speed of sound.
Moreover, even an ordinary person wearing the Silver Snow Glass Boots could walk on snow without leaving a trace or cross rivers on water, making them a formidable treasure for martial artists below the Heavenly Extreme Realm.
Chang Qiqi watched Zhang Ruochen and Huang Yanchen bidding enthusiastically, buying up any treasure they saw, acting as if they had no shortage of money, which made him very envious.
Chang Qiqi also wanted to bid, but his total assets were only three thousand spirit crystals, not enough to afford even the cheapest treasure.
"Junior Brother Zhang, it doesn't seem like you just made a small fortune; it looks like you made a huge fortune!"
Chang Qiqi licked his lips, looked up at Zhang Ruochen, and showed a very eager expression.
Anyone who didn't know better might think there was some special relationship between the two.
Zhang Ruochen saw through Chang Qiqi's thoughts, smiled, and said, "Indeed, I made a huge fortune. Junior Brother Chang, Senior Brother, if you see any treasures you like, feel free to bid. I'll pay!"
Chang Qiqi rubbed his hands together, delighted, and said, "How could I be so rude? But since Junior Brother Zhang is so generous, I won't refuse... I'll just buy one thing!"
Chang Qiqi and Si Xingkong didn't stand on ceremony with Zhang Ruochen, each bidding on and purchasing one treasure.
Chang Qiqi bid on a fourth-rank barbarian beast cub, spending forty-eight thousand spirit crystals.
That barbarian beast cub looked like a rabbit, with two bumps on its head, like horns that hadn't grown out yet.
Its body was very plump, even rounder than Xiao Hei.
According to Bai Xuling's introduction, that rabbit-like barbarian beast was a variant of the Devouring Elephant Rabbit. Once it matured, it could become as powerful as a Heavenly Extreme Realm martial artist.
Moreover, because it was a variant, its rank upon maturity might be even higher than an ordinary Devouring Elephant Rabbit, with a one-in-ten chance of growing into a fifth-rank barbarian beast.
Of course, this rabbit also had a drawback: it was extremely gluttonous.
Even as a cub, it had to eat one first-rank barbarian beast every day.
To raise it to adulthood, one would have to spend a lot of money buying it food.
For this reason, many sects and families were unwilling to buy it, afraid of getting a money-losing asset.
Chang Qiqi really liked that rabbit, so he didn't hesitate to pay a high price to buy it.
Si Xingkong bid on a jug of wine, said to have been brewed eight hundred years ago by "Feng Zuisheng," the third disciple of the Nine Emperors' First Demon Emperor, and aged for eight hundred years, making it a celestial brew of the mortal world.
Although it was just one jug, it cost thirteen thousand spirit crystals to win the bid, an exorbitant price.
"Feng Zuisheng was known as the 'Wine Immortal.' His martial arts achievements weren't as great as the Demon Emperor's other disciples, but his skill in brewing wine was unmatched in the world," Zhang Ruochen said.
"Exactly. To be able to drink wine brewed by Feng Zuisheng, even death would be worth it!" Si Xingkong looked at Zhang Ruochen and said, "Junior Brother Zhang, are you also a wine lover, to know about Feng Zuisheng?"
Zhang Ruochen smiled. "The Demon Emperor's presence in his time was truly magnificent, his fame spreading across the world. Even his six great disciples were top-tier experts. What's so strange about knowing Feng Zuisheng? What I'm curious about is, six hundred years ago, how did the Demon Emperor lose in the battle at Tonglu Plain against Empress Chi Yao? How could the Demon Emperor, whose fame shook the world, die at the hands of a younger generation?"
Zhang Ruochen had long since looked through history and studied some major events of that time.
But those histories were all written by the historians of the First Central Empire, completely under Empress Chi Yao's control, and couldn't represent historical truth.
Moreover, many things weren't even recorded in historical texts.
The historical records only mentioned one sentence: "Princess Chi Yao led troops to suppress the demon, deciding the battle at Tonglu Plain. The Demon Emperor came in person to duel with Princess Chi Yao. A thousand miles of wilderness turned to scorched earth. For nine days, there was no night. After nine days, the Demon Emperor's blood stained the sky. Only a skeleton remained, eternal and undecaying."
Mentioning Empress Chi Yao, the inner palace students sitting beside Zhang Ruochen all changed color, their lips moving, fear in their eyes, not daring to say more.
It was like mortals not daring to casually blaspheme gods.
In their eyes, Chi Yao was a being more sacred and dignified than a god, with vast divine powers and omnipotence. Even just discussing her here made them fear she might hear.
Chang Qiqi lowered his voice and said, "Junior Brother Zhang, it's better not to ask. Everything about Empress Chi Yao is taboo."
Zhang Ruochen nodded and didn't ask further.
The auction gradually drew to a close.
The other three space treasures were also brought to the auction stage one by one.
The first space bracelet was won by Commandery Prince Minshu for five hundred and forty thousand spirit crystals.
The second space bracelet was won by a mysterious person for seven hundred and thirty thousand spirit crystals.
The third space ring was won by Han Li, the sect master of Yuntai Sect, for six hundred and ten thousand spirit crystals.
It wasn't until late at night that the auction ended.
Zhang Ruochen and his group all had significant gains and went to the auction's backstage with eager anticipation to claim the treasures they had bid on.
Only Yan Yunhuan's mood was extremely dejected. He had originally wanted to make a big splash at the auction and steal the spotlight, but instead, he had spent nearly two million spirit crystals to win only two space treasures.
Moreover, one of the more precious space rings had to be given to Chen Xier.
In front of Chen Xier, he had to force a smile, but inside, he was thinking about how to scrape together the spirit crystals.
Even as the heir of the Yan Clan, he couldn't mobilize two million spirit crystals at once.
Yan Yunhuan took out a white jade token, clenched it tightly in his hand, and showed a very reluctant expression.
"Is this the only way?"
That jade token was his protective treasure. Not only could it unleash five defensive powers, but it could also instantly boost his speed beyond that of a Heavenly Extreme Realm Great Perfection martial artist.
Unless a Fish-Dragon Realm martial artist made a move, no one could do anything to him.
Because of this token, he had been fearless, not taking the martial artists from Demon Ridge seriously at all.
Now, he had no choice but to take out the jade token and temporarily pawn it to the Martial Market Bank.
Failing to produce the spirit crystals would be a deliberate provocation against the Martial Market Bank, leading to severe punishment. Even if the Yan Clan was a Half-Saint family, they wouldn't dare to challenge the Martial Market Bank.
At this moment, Zhang Ruochen had already received the four battle diagrams he had bid on, the formation flags for the Water, Fire, Wind, and Thunder Formation, and the ninth-rank True Martial Treasure-level Flying Fish Armor.
The five space treasures had fetched a total of three million seven hundred and sixty-seven thousand spirit crystals. After deducting thirty-seven thousand spirit crystals as a bidding fee, Zhang Ruochen received three million seven hundred and thirty thousand spirit crystals.
After paying for the treasures bid on by Huang Yanchen, Si Xingkong, Chang Qiqi, and himself, totaling six hundred and twelve thousand spirit crystals, he still had three million one hundred and eighteen thousand spirit crystals left.
Except for Huang Yanchen, no one else knew Zhang Ruochen had such wealth.
Chang Qiqi hugged that Devouring Elephant Rabbit barbarian beast cub, his fingers stroking the rabbit's fluffy head, his hanging heart finally settling. His eyes shining as he looked at Zhang Ruochen, he said excitedly, "Junior Brother Zhang, you're way too rich! You spent at least six hundred thousand spirit crystals tonight. Even those old Heavenly Extreme Realm predecessors were scared silly! They struggle their whole lives and can't accumulate such wealth. What's your money-making method? Why not take me along? I'll even be your errand boy!"
Everyone knew Chang Qiqi was joking, expecting Zhang Ruochen to just laugh it off.
But to everyone's surprise, Zhang Ruochen's expression suddenly turned serious, and he said, "Since you mention it, I do have a money-making opportunity I want to discuss with you and Senior Brother. If this succeeds, a few hundred thousand spirit crystals, or even a million, would be just a small matter."