Chapter 407 : It Suits You
The Spirit-Devouring Mouse indeed couldn't be compared to the Spirit Nourishing Pill—a point understood not only by the auction participants but also by the auction house itself. This was evident from the starting prices: the Spirit Nourishing Pill began at one hundred thousand premium spirit stones, while the Spirit-Devouring Mouse started at just one million high-grade spirit stones. Setting aside the actual value difference between the two types of spirit stones, the price alone was only one-tenth of the Spirit Nourishing Pill's.
As soon as the starting price was announced, the main hall erupted with discussions. Someone even directly questioned: "Did the auction house mix up the order? How is the Spirit-Devouring Mouse coming after the Spirit Nourishing Pill? Even you know the price difference."
The auctioneer smiled without responding, but his attitude suggested there had been no mistake.
This made everyone even more puzzled, with someone muttering: "Does the auction house have nothing better, so they're trying to fool us with this mouse?"
However, this comment didn't gain much agreement. In fact, by normal auction standards, a ninth-grade Spirit Nourishing Pill shouldn't have appeared on the auction list at all. And a spirit beast with eighth-grade potential was entirely acceptable as a featured item. The audience's confusion and dissatisfaction now stemmed from the ninth-grade Spirit Nourishing Pill having raised their expectations.
After some clamor, the bidding began. Since most people couldn't participate in the previous round, although they felt somewhat disappointed, they were quite earnest when it came to actual bidding, and the price of the Spirit-Devouring Mouse rose steadily.
Again, Jiang Mo didn't place any bids. The atmosphere in the elegant chamber was slightly tense, as both contemplated the auction house's intentions—whether it was imagination or not, Jiang Mo and her companion sensed a certain urgency from the auction house to sell the Spirit Nourishing Pill. Additionally, placing the obviously more precious Spirit Nourishing Pill earlier in the auction gave an impression of trying to divert attention, as if not wanting to draw notice.
Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue exchanged a glance, both seeing the same speculation in each other's eyes. However, they didn't know much about the Cloud Stream Auction House and couldn't guess what secrets might lie behind its actions.
"Let's keep watching," Jiang Mo said.
Meanwhile, the auction for the Spirit-Devouring Mouse concluded with a final price of three million—compared to the Spirit Nourishing Pill's final price, it was indeed quite cheap. But for a spirit beast with great potential yet currently insufficient strength, this price could even be considered high. If not for the Spirit Nourishing Pill stirring up emotions beforehand, the final price might have been much lower.
Soon, the last auction item was placed on the platform. When the red cloth was lifted from the narrow tray, it revealed a sword embryo that resembled glass. Under the platform's lighting, it looked dazzling, but that couldn't change the fact that it was just a sword embryo.
A sword embryo was an unformed spirit sword that required personal cultivation. Compared to already formed spirit swords, cultivating a sword embryo was not only time-consuming and labor-intensive but also carried a high risk of damage, making few people willing to invest such effort. However, personally cultivated sword embryos had one advantage: they could be attuned to their owner's will and had a significant possibility of growing alongside their master's realm.
Jiang Mo didn't use swords, or rather, she didn't need spirit swords. As a White Tiger with metal attributes, she could condense weapons at any time—whether swords, spears, or halberds—as long as she was comfortable using them, they could be created out of thin air.
But Jiang Mo hadn't forgotten that her Senior Sister's Fuxue Sword had been destroyed during her tribulation, and as a sword cultivator, she obviously still needed a spirit sword.
Besides, the glass-like sword embryo was truly beautiful, matching her Senior Sister's eyes well...
Jiang Mo's gaze was drawn to the sword embryo. After showcasing it, the auctioneer spoke in a timely manner: "This is Heavenly Heart Glass, said to be a treasure descended from the upper realms, coincidentally formed into a sword embryo. Transparent and robust, with a natural spiritual charm... Today's final featured treasure starts at five million high-grade spirit stones, with minimum increments of fifty thousand."
The legend of Heavenly Heart Glass was just that—a legend. No one believed it was truly a treasure fallen from the upper realms, otherwise the auction house wouldn't have set the starting price at just five million. Additionally, since sword embryos were difficult to cultivate, bidders were quite conservative.
However, Jiang Mo was tempted. She instinctively felt that the Heavenly Heart Glass was quite good, and the sword embryo was indeed beautiful... She secretly lowered her gaze to look at her Senior Sister and saw that Yun Qingyue's eyes were also fixed on the auction platform, not moving away for a long time.
The little tiger's heart immediately stirred. In her ear, the latest bid was announced—just five million seven hundred and fifty thousand. Regardless of the Heavenly Heart Glass's true nature, sword embryos were indeed rare items with inconsistent market value, not as popular as the previous auction items. But if it were her Senior Sister, she would probably have the patience to cultivate a sword embryo, wouldn't she? In any case, she currently couldn't transform into human form and temporarily couldn't use a sword.
Jiang Mo became increasingly tempted, so she made her first bid in this auction, directly adding... fifty thousand.
"Five million eight hundred thousand," Jiang Mo called out. She couldn't afford to be extravagant because all the spirit stones in her storage space were her Senior Sister's provisions. After making the bid, she even secretly glanced at her Senior Sister, feeling strangely guilty about taking from her food supply.
Yun Qingyue did turn her head when she heard the bid, immediately saying: "This isn't necessary."
The White Tiger didn't need weapons, being able to create them out of thin air. The Swan Goose was also a divine beast and didn't rely on weapons either. It was just that Yun Qingyue had once been human, and a sword cultivator at that, so she needed to use a sword. However, seeking another spirit sword wasn't necessary either—as a divine beast, the best materials were from her own body. According to phoenix customs, plucking a feather to forge into a sword would create something superior to most spirit swords in the world.
Jiang Mo didn't know about this custom, but even if she did, she probably wouldn't want her Senior Sister to pluck her own feathers—heaven knew how much the Little Swan Goose cared about her feathers. Having a few plucked by her own mother had been enough to make her hold a grudge and complain.
She raised her hand to stop Yun Qingyue's words: "We came here today and haven't bought a single thing yet. This glass sword embryo suits you well."
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After the bidding, Jiang Mo ultimately secured the Heavenly Heart Glass sword embryo, at the cost of instantly depleting half of her small treasury. But obtaining the desired gift was always a joy.
She couldn't afford the Spirit Nourishing Pill, that was true, but being able to give her Senior Sister another gift was still quite nice.
Yun Qingyue reluctantly accepted this gift, and indeed didn't complain about the trouble of cultivating a sword embryo, feeling quite happy in her heart.
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With the final auction item settled, the auction was drawing to a close.
The auctioneer delivered the customary closing remarks, and the guests in the main hall below began to leave one after another—those who had come away empty-handed simply got up and left. Some who had purchased small items went to the adjacent room with their receipts to pay and collect their items. Others were already discussing in small groups where to go next, presenting a scene of dispersal after the finale.
Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue were in an elegant chamber, different from the guests sitting in the main hall. Additionally, since they had purchased a valuable featured item, after Jiang Mo won the bid for the Heavenly Heart Glass sword embryo, the auction house staff brought it directly to their chamber.
In the elegant chamber, money and goods exchanged hands. After both parties verified everything was in order, the transaction was complete.
Jiang Mo held the sword embryo with both hands, examining it and truly sensing its extraordinariness.
The auction house staff member hadn't left yet, and seeing this, smiled and said: "Our Cloud Stream Auction House has always been honest in its dealings. This sword embryo is of exceptional material. Senior has spent considerably to acquire it, and I believe it will meet your satisfaction."
Jiang Mo nodded with satisfaction, just about to hand the sword embryo to her Senior Sister when suddenly a loud "boom" was heard, causing even the floor beneath their feet to tremble—this disturbance wasn't unfamiliar to cultivators; clearly someone was attacking, and the distance must not be far for the aftershocks to reach here.
Who would be so bold as to cause trouble at an auction house?
It was well known that auction houses in various cities had the backing of the city lord's mansion. Local powers wouldn't dare to make trouble, and even outside forces would have to think twice. Conversely, anyone daring to take action at an auction house probably wasn't a simple character.
The auction house staff member's face immediately paled. Jiang Mo and Yun Qingyue exchanged a glance, and though unafraid, their eyes showed a measure of gravity. More loud booms followed, accompanied by tremors, as if the entire auction house was being shaken.
"Let's go!" Jiang Mo called out, scooping up the lark with one hand and flashing out of the auction house.
Although they had left slightly later than others due to the handover of the sword embryo, thanks to Jiang Mo's high cultivation, they still departed quickly. When they stepped out of the auction house, the customers who had just exited hadn't completely dispersed, and many were hurriedly fleeing.
Jiang Mo followed the crowd toward safety and quickly discovered the reason for everyone's flight—not far ahead, in midair before the auction house, two factions were engaged in combat. One group was dressed luxuriously with quite a few guards in attendance, but unfortunately, their highest cultivation was only late-stage Spirit Division. Opposing them was a group of people dressed in black, with cultivation levels generally higher than the former.
In such a confrontation, it was obvious the former couldn't match the latter. But this was within the city, and at a sensitive location like the auction house entrance, so although the luxuriously dressed people were at a disadvantage, they weren't willing to concede easily.
"Who are you people, daring to cause trouble in Cloud Stream City?!" the young man in rich attire, protected by a group of guards, demanded harshly.
The black-clad figures remained unmoved. Their leader looked coldly at him and said: "Hand over the Spirit Nourishing Pill, and you'll be spared."