"Why do you say that?" Yang Kai raised an eyebrow.
"Because it's so valuable, and you wouldn't accept it if you knew, Sect Master. That's why she left it behind secretly." Bian Yuqing gave a slight bow. "If there's nothing else, this subordinate will take her leave."
After Bian Yuqing departed, Yang Kai stared blankly at the jade box in his hand. He had no idea what Qu Huashang had left for him before her departure, but he had a vague feeling that his second steward's reasoning wasn't without merit.
The box was sealed with a restriction. The method wasn't complicated. Yang Kai released it, opened the box, and after seeing what lay inside, he froze for a moment.
What the box contained was exactly as Bian Yuqing had said — extraordinarily precious, and not just ordinarily so.
It was a Seventh-Order Yang-Attribute Inner Core!
This was unmistakably something Qu Huashang had obtained inside the Blood Demon Grand Cavern Heaven. Back when he and Qu Huashang had together comprehended the Da Yan Immortal Blood Illumination Scripture and ventured onto the small island at the center of the lake, she had obtained a Seventh-Order Yang-Attribute Inner Core on the third island, while Yang Kai had only gotten a Fifth-Order one — a fact that had filled him with no small amount of envy.
Seventh-Order resources were worth at least one or two hundred million at minimum, and the Yin and Yang attributes commanded a premium over the Five Elements. When Yang Kai had previously bid on that Seventh-Order Yuan Yang Mystic Ginseng, the price had been steep — one could say that if a Seventh-Order Yang-Attribute Inner Core were put up for auction, it would spark a frenzy of bidding and could easily sell for two hundred million Open Heaven Pills.
And now, something worth two hundred million had been deliberately left behind here by Qu Huashang and gifted to Yang Kai.
Only now did Yang Kai understand why Qu Huashang had accepted his five Tianyuan Zhengyin Pills without the slightest hesitation, never once asking how much they were worth. She had already planned to compensate him here.
Five Tianyuan Zhengyin Pills were certainly valuable, but they simply couldn't compare to a Seventh-Order Yang-Attribute Inner Core.
She had probably guessed that he would never accept the item outright, which was why she had left it behind so discreetly.
As a disciple of the Yin-Yang Cave Heaven, she couldn't help Yang Kai purchase what he needed from her own Sect. The only thing she could do was help him within her own means. Because this item didn't belong to the Yin-Yang Cave Heaven but was her own personal possession, she had the right to dispose of it as she saw fit.
Yang Kai felt deeply grateful and carefully stored the Seventh-Order Inner Core away.
Several days later, the Void Auction House held its third auction.
The Void Auction House was a sea of voices and a crush of heads. Built under Yun Xinghua's personal supervision, the auction house was grand and imposing. Per Yang Kai's requirements, it could comfortably accommodate ten thousand people, and it also featured numerous private boxes within.
Compared to the previous two auctions, this one was clearly of a higher standard.
The Star City had now developed a respectable level of popularity. Many people who held rare treasures but lacked proper channels for selling them had consigned their items to the auction house for sale. The Void Auction House was more than happy to accommodate them, which meant this auction was far more lively and heated than the first two.
The Tianyuan Zhengyin Pill, the grand finale item, broke through the ten-million mark and was won by a powerhouse in one of the private boxes.
In the Heaven-Rank Box Number One, Yang Kai sat in his chair with Bian Yuqing attending at his side.
As if sensing Yang Kai's anticipation, Bian Yuqing said, "Sect Master, the exchange segment begins next."
Yang Kai gave a slight nod, his fingers unconsciously rubbing together.
In the previous two auctions, things had ended after the Tianyuan Zhengyin Pill was sold. But this time was different.
On the auction stage, Yun Xinghua announced in a clear, carrying voice, "The next item up will surely interest many of you!"
Those in the auction hall who had already been preparing to leave stopped in their tracks, turning to look at Yun Xinghua with curiosity. The Tianyuan Zhengyin Pill had already been sold — what else did the Void Land have to offer? Could it possibly be even more precious than the Tianyuan Zhengyin Pill?
Before the eyes of everyone present, Yun Xinghua produced a wooden box, released its restriction with a gesture, opened it, and declared, "One Seventh-Order Yang-Attribute Inner Core, sourced from the Blood Demon Grand Cavern Heaven!"
The entire hall erupted in commotion. Although this auction held by the Void Auction House was impressive and of considerable caliber, no one had imagined that something this valuable would appear. After all, even a top-tier auction house like the Danxia Auction House — one belonging to a Cave Heaven — might not necessarily be able to produce Seventh-Order items.
Within the various private boxes, powerful streams of divine sense probed toward the wooden box without any attempt at concealment, verifying its authenticity.
Though Yun Xinghua was a Fourth-Order Open Heaven cultivator, the pressure bearing down on him was immense in an instant. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as he felt like a small lamb caught in the gaze of a pack of starving wolves.
Suppressing the panic in his heart, Yun Xinghua drew a deep breath and continued, "This item is not up for auction — it is available for exchange only. The Void Auction House wishes to trade it for a Yin-Attribute resource of equal order. If any of you possess a suitable item, please contact us. And rest assured, the Void Auction House will provide adequate compensation!"
Yun Xinghua surveyed the hall in all directions and waited in silence for a long while, but no one spoke up.
In Heaven-Rank Box Number One, Yang Kai was also monitoring the surroundings. But he had long anticipated this outcome, so the lack of any response did not particularly disappoint him.