Han Li sat in a remote corner of the great hall, watching the proceedings with cool eyes from over a hundred zhang away. A middle-aged man in a dark robe was holding a pale yellow crystal in both hands, giving a brief introduction to the item.
"Turmeric Crystal. Found deep in the western desert of the Southern Borderlands, it can only be discovered beneath a thousand feet of sand. Its material is extraordinarily hard and can store vast quantities of earth-attribute spiritual energy, making it an excellent material for refining earth-type magical treasures. The starting price is eight thousand spirit stones, with a minimum increment of one thousand." The cultivator presiding over the auction was a mid-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. His voice was neither hurried nor slow, and he made no attempt at exaggerated salesmanship.
This was perfectly normal. If a low-grade cultivator were stared down by several hundred Nascent Soul cultivators at once, the crushing invisible pressure would shatter their composure entirely, rendering them unable to speak.
Han Li probed the man carefully with his spiritual sense and confirmed he stood at the absolute peak of mid-stage Nascent Soul. In the absence of any late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator at the auction, this man was the most powerful person in the hall. Presiding over the proceedings meant no one would dare cause trouble.
As for the Turmeric Crystal, while it was a decent material for refining earth-attribute magical treasures, it did not provoke any spirited bidding. Only three or four people placed a handful of offers before a nameless cultivator claimed it for twelve thousand spirit stones.
The subsequent lots were auctioned off with the same tepid enthusiasm.
Han Li sat in his chair observing all of this, his expression utterly calm. This was entirely expected. A multi-day auction would naturally save its best items for later. These materials, while relatively rare among average Nascent Soul cultivators, could still be collected outside the auction given enough time. So aside from the handful of people who truly needed a particular piece, no one would bother fighting over them. Of course, a few genuinely impressive items would appear before the day's end to keep everyone interested enough to return for the second day.
With these thoughts drifting through his mind, Han Li naturally paid little further attention to the auction itself. Instead, he lazily surveyed the crowd of Nascent Soul cultivators. Though these represented only a fraction of the great powers of the Great Jin, they embodied factions of every size and stripe — orthodox and demonic alike.
What drew his attention most were three monks seated in the middle of the hall, their scalps gleaming under the light.
All three were dressed in grey robes, heads bowed and eyes lowered, looking every bit the enlightened monks they were. One was gaunt as a skeleton, one was plump with a broad face and large ears, and the last had kind features and a long white beard.
This was the first time Han Li had encountered high-level Buddhist cultivators. He studied them a few extra moments, and the eldest-looking monk in the center immediately sensed his gaze, turning to look in Han Li's direction. Though the old monk's eyes were warm and gentle, Han Li felt a chill run through him.
Such sharp spiritual sense. The Buddhist sects in the Great Jin could stand shoulder to shoulder with the Daoist and Confucian traditions — they clearly possessed their own formidable techniques.
Unwilling to provoke needless hostility, Han Li promptly withdrew his spiritual sense and put on an expression of casual indifference.
The old monk's gaze lingered on Han Li for a moment before he returned to his previous tranquil demeanor without any change in expression.
Aside from these monks, there were plenty of other cultivators with unusual appearances throughout the hall. Han Li quietly cross-referenced the intelligence he had gathered on the various Great Jin factions, committing as many faces and details to memory as he could. They might prove useful someday.
As one lot after another was claimed, time trickled by. Just as Han Li had predicted, towards the latter portion of the day, a number of rare treasures finally appeared. The cultivators who had been sitting in placid calm immediately stirred.
Several treasures in succession sparked fierce competition, fetching astonishing sky-high prices, and the atmosphere turned heated. After all, when it came to something they truly needed, most Nascent Soul cultivators wouldn't quibble over a few extra spirit stones. If they missed this chance, gathering and hunting for the materials on their own could take who knew how long.
"One piece of Ink Gold, weighing three jin and four liang. A rare material for artifact refinement. Starting price: thirty thousand spirit stones, minimum increment of two thousand." The rarer the treasure, the more concise the presiding auctioneer's explanation became. He now held up a jade platter on which sat a strange metal — black as ink, yet with faint golden glimmers flickering within.
Han Li, who had been wearing a constant faint smile, tensed abruptly the moment he heard the announcement. A flash of pleasant surprise crossed his eyes.
To encounter the material he needed so quickly was entirely beyond his expectations. He had been searching for Ink Gold for a very long time but had never been able to acquire any.
"Thirty-six thousand!"
"Forty thousand!"
"Forty-five thousand spirit stones!"
...
Ink Gold's reputation was well established, and many in the audience recognized its value. Before Han Li had even placed his bid, several high offers rang out in rapid succession from across the hall.
Han Li furrowed his brow but did not rush to bid. Since he was determined to obtain this piece no matter what, it was better to wait until the price peaked before making his move.
When the Ink Gold reached sixty thousand spirit stones — a staggering sum offered by an unknown cultivator — the handful of persistent competitors who had been closely following finally fell silent.
"Sixty-five thousand."
Han Li tapped the jade token in front of him. As spiritual light flickered across its surface, he called out his price.
"Sixty-seven thousand spirit stones." The other bidder seemed to genuinely need the material as well. After a moment's hesitation, he outbid Han Li.
"Seventy thousand." Han Li's voice was utterly devoid of emotion.
This time, the competing bidder went silent. Ink Gold was rare, but seventy thousand spirit stones was pushing the limit. He decisively gave up.
Seeing this, Han Li allowed himself a faint smile.