A Huge Sum of Money

Each member of the Lin family found their teeth itching with barely suppressed fury.

“Damn it,” Lin Ze seethed, his voice laced with venom. “Once the auction concludes, keep a close watch on her. What the Lin family desires is not so easily claimed. She will soon learn the bitter taste of acquiring treasures only to hand them over to another.”

It was not that they lacked funds; rather, a particular treasure, one they were absolutely determined to acquire, was set to be auctioned today. Knowing full well that they would not be the sole contenders for such a prize, they had to ensure their financial reserves remained robust to secure its eventual possession.

Shortly after the Thousand Illusions Necklace was successfully bid upon, a serene maid arrived at Yan Yun’s private box, bearing the exquisite item.

“Miss,” the maid said respectfully, presenting the necklace, “this is the item you successfully bid for. Kindly remit the spirit stones required for its purchase.”

Yan Yun, at this precise moment, was certainly not in possession of such a hefty sum. However, her half-fragment of a Divine Venerable Realm (TL Note: A cultivation realm of immense power) magic treasure was guaranteed to fetch an exorbitant price, which emboldened her to bid so audaciously without immediate payment.

“My apologies,” Yan Yun explained, “my current funds are insufficient. Would it be possible to settle the payment after the auction concludes? I have already discussed this arrangement with Miss Jin Tianqiao of your esteemed auction house.”

Both the maid and the observers from the Jiang and Yan families were momentarily stunned, their expressions frozen in disbelief. They had never imagined Yan Yun would dare to “empty-handed catch a wolf” (TL Note: A Chinese idiom referring to gaining something for nothing, or with minimal effort and without immediate resources). After all, the Qianjin Pavilion was no ordinary power; even the formidable Yunhua Sect might hesitate to provoke them.

“My word,” Yan Long muttered, a look of utter bewilderment on his face. “This girl possesses an astonishing audacity, daring to bid without a single spirit stone to her name!”

Fortunately, Yan Yun’s foresight had paved the way. The maid, without hesitation, produced a communication jade slip and promptly sent an inquiry to Jin Tianqiao.

A response quickly arrived, and upon reading it, the maid visibly relaxed, a sigh of relief escaping her lips. Her smile returning, she once more presented the Thousand Illusions Necklace to Yan Yun.

“A pleasant transaction indeed,” she stated.

With those words, she departed, leaving the two families utterly dumbfounded in her wake.

‘What in the world is happening?’ Yan Kun grumbled inwardly. ‘Taking goods without payment? Does Qianjin Pavilion actually permit such a thing? Aren’t they supposed to demand ample cash on hand? This is essentially buying on credit!’

As Yan Yun gazed at the necklace nestled in her palm, her heart swelled with unadulterated joy.

However, Yan Lingyun promptly offered Yan Yun a sobering reminder.

“Young one,” Yan Lingyun cautioned, “do not rejoice too soon. I just sensed a potent surge of killing intent. Having brazenly snatched an item from the Lin family in full view of this crowd, they will assuredly not let this matter rest. You must steel yourself for what is to come.”

At these words, Yan Yun’s smile instantly vanished, yet her demeanor remained surprisingly unperturbed.

“Old Ancestor,” Yan Yun countered, “if that individual from the Divine Mark Realm (TL Note: A cultivation realm) intends to kill me, are you confident you can eliminate them?”

After a brief moment of deliberation, Yan Lingyun offered her reply.

“The challenge is not insurmountable,” Yan Lingyun conceded, “but it will demand a significant price. I might well fall into a temporary slumber afterward. Nevertheless, this individual must be eliminated. They were the very one who infiltrated your residence last time, intent on taking your life.”

The moment Yan Yun realized this was the same assailant who had previously infiltrated the Yan family with murderous intent, all traces of psychological burden instantly vanished.

“In that case, there is nothing more to discuss,” Yan Yun stated coldly. “We are already adversaries. If it comes to killing, then so be it. Eliminating them might even ease some of the pressure on both our families.”

****

The auction resumed its steady pace. After several more items had been presented and sold, a truly unique treasure was unveiled: a majestic, purple medicinal cauldron.

Yan Yun’s eyes immediately sparkled with an undeniable brilliance as she gazed upon the cauldron. Ever since she began cultivating her poison arts, she had developed an inexplicable, almost visceral, affection for the color purple.

“Esteemed guests,” the auctioneer announced, “this magnificent item is known as the Purple Crystal Demonic Fire Cauldron. Not only is it a fifth-tier, low-grade medicinal cauldron, but it also functions as a universal magic treasure. This artifact can adapt to any attribute of spiritual energy, and when activated, it unleashes potent purple flames to assault adversaries. Furthermore, it significantly enhances the success rate for pills of the fifth-tier and below, alongside other valuable applications. The bidding commences at one million spirit stones, with each subsequent bid requiring an increment of no less than two hundred thousand.”

A medicinal cauldron, by its very nature, was an instrument for alchemists. Non-alchemists would likely harbor no interest in it whatsoever. Moreover, only those seated on the second and third floors possessed the means to acquire such a costly item. Patrons on the third floor, if they genuinely required a medicinal cauldron, would undoubtedly have already secured a fitting one. Thus, it was more probable that a bidder from the second floor might express interest.

“Old Ancestor,” Yan Yun eagerly inquired, “isn’t this medicinal cauldron a perfect fit for us poison cultivators? Should we attempt to acquire it?”

After a moment of consideration, Yan Lingyun nodded her assent.

“Indeed, it is quite excellent,” she affirmed. “Acquire it, but ensure your calculations are precise.”

Yan Yun, of course, grasped the implications, and promptly placed her bid.

“One million two hundred thousand!” she called out.

Having just expended three million spirit stones, Yan Yun’s immediate re-entry into the bidding war astonished the cultivators seated on the second floor.

“Such immense wealth!” one whispered. “Which esteemed family does this young lady hail from, to attend an auction alone with such a fortune? Does she truly have no fear of being robbed afterward?”

In the treacherous cultivation world, instances of murder and treasure-snatching were lamentably commonplace. At this point, it was probable that not only the Lin family, but also numerous individuals with nefarious intentions, had set their sights on Yan Yun.

Yet, Yan Yun remained utterly unconcerned by these burgeoning threats.

Curiously, after Yan Yun placed her bid, a profound silence descended; no one else dared to raise the price.

Even Jin Meng, standing poised on the auction stage, faltered for a moment. Unable to resist, she called out once more: “The esteemed young lady in VIP Box Earth-rank 3 has offered one million two hundred thousand! Are there any further bids? This medicinal cauldron’s true value is conservatively estimated at two million spirit stones!”

Alas, the silence persisted; no one else raised their bid. Those who coveted the cauldron saw no reason to continue bidding, for they could readily surmise what fate awaited Yan Yun once she departed the Qianjin Pavilion.

And so, the Purple Crystal Demonic Fire Cauldron once again fell into Yan Yun’s possession.

She was now unable to bid on any further items, for the estimated value of the half-fragment of the Divine Venerable Mirror was a staggering five million.

“I say, Miss,” Yan Kun began, his voice tinged with a hint of concern, “given our brief acquaintance, allow me to offer a word of advice: if you do not depart the Qianjin Pavilion immediately after the auction concludes, I strongly suggest you contact your family to arrange for your escort.”

Though Yan Kun had not explicitly recognized Yan Yun, the profound sense of familiarity emanating from her compelled him to speak out.

This time, Yan Yun did not dismiss Yan Kun’s words.

“Indeed,” she replied, “thank you for the warning. I shall be cautious.”

The auction pressed on, and approximately two hours later, the highly anticipated grand finale item was finally presented.

As anticipated, the item was none other than the half-fragment of the Divine Venerable Mirror that Yan Yun herself had sold. Its mere presentation to Jin Tianqiao had, at the time, visibly startled her.

Even as a mere half, the Divine Venerable Mirror commanded the value of a sixth-tier magic treasure. Furthermore, this fragment retained the formidable ability to unleash the full might of the Divine Soul Realm (TL Note: A cultivation realm).

Acquiring it and subsequently finding the appropriate materials for restoration would yield a complete Divine Venerable magic treasure. For factions possessing immense wealth, its true value far surpassed a mere five million spirit stones.

A complete Divine Venerable magic treasure was a rarity, effectively priceless and unseen on the market. Should one ever be offered for sale, its cost would undoubtedly soar into the tens of millions.

Consequently, upon learning that the Qianjin Pavilion’s grand finale item was a half-fragment of a Divine Venerable magic treasure, these powerful factions were seized by palpable excitement.

As for the patrons on the second floor, they naturally lacked the financial wherewithal to compete for such a prize, nor had they come to the auction specifically for items of this caliber.

The instant this artifact was revealed, it incited an immediate uproar. For those who could never hope to afford it, merely witnessing a magic treasure of such caliber, a sight they might never encounter again in their lives, was enough to satisfy their longing gaze.

The bidding price quickly soared, far exceeding Jin Tianqiao’s initial estimation, breaching the five-million spirit stone mark within just a few rounds. Furthermore, the various sect powers on the third floor showed no inclination to yield, each vying fiercely, their faces flushed with intense competition.

The final price shockingly escalated to ten million spirit stones. At this exorbitant sum, the majority of small and medium-sized sects were effectively dissuaded, leaving only a handful of second-tier sects and the Lin family locked in a fierce contest.

“Fifteen million!” Lin Yuan declared, rising from her seat with an impassioned cry.

A sum exceeding ten million spirit stones was nearly enough to acquire a low-grade Divine Venerable magic treasure. Yet, despite the theoretical possibility, in truth, no one would ever part with such an artifact.

Several second-tier sects, among them the Azure Nether Sect, carefully assessed the escalating value before collectively deciding to withdraw from the bidding.

Their respective sects already possessed Divine Venerable magic treasures. While acquiring this half-fragment at a low price would have been a worthwhile investment, fifteen million spirit stones proved to be an excessively steep sum.

Ultimately, the mirror was secured by the Lin family.

“No way!” Yan Yun exclaimed, her face darkening with dismay. “It was snatched by the Lin family? How could this be?”

To Yan Yun’s surprise, Yan Lingyun burst into hearty laughter.

“Isn’t this just perfectly serendipitous?” Yan Lingyun chuckled. “I feared this very item might fall into enemy hands, so I secretly left my spiritual sense imprint upon it beforehand. Should they dare to wield this magic treasure, they will undoubtedly hasten their own demise.”

Upon hearing these words, Yan Yun’s dismay instantly transformed into elation.

“The Old Ancestor’s foresight is truly unparalleled,” Yan Yun declared, a relieved smile gracing her lips. “Then I can rest easy.”

As the final auction item was claimed, the event drew to a close. Soon after, a maid delivered the spirit stones Yan Yun had earned.

Naturally, this sum was after deductions for her previous expenditures and the Qianjin Pavilion’s service fee. What ultimately remained was a little over eight million spirit stones.

‘Haha, I’m rich! I’ll never be short on money again!’ Yan Yun’s heart soared with delight.

However, her troubles were only just beginning.