Cultivation begins with ice harvesters

Chapter 118: The Struggle

As the auctioneers and the twelve zodiac cultivators specifically assigned to oversee the event, they were also in a state of extreme tension.

"Please welcome the tenth treasure. I guarantee that this treasure will attract the attention of more than 80% of the fellow Daoists present. If I were not in charge of hosting this auction, I would definitely have participated in the bidding. Unfortunately, due to my duties, I can only watch as the treasure falls into the hands of you fellow Daoists."

"First-grade superior Ren Water Peach, picked from the first-grade superior Ren Water Peach tree spiritual plant, contains pure water attribute spiritual power. With just a little refinement, it can be replenished into the dantian. It is truly an excellent treasure for us late-stage Qi Refining cultivators to assist in our cultivation. A total of five Ren Water Peaches are sold as a package, starting at 600 spirit stones, with each bid increment not less than 50 spirit stones."

Auctioneer Black Goat took out the tenth treasure, instantly attracting the attention of all the cultivators present, and the tense atmosphere that was about to erupt vanished in an instant.

At the auction, every cultivator who practiced water-attribute inherited techniques had an unanimous, eager look in their eyes.

The Ren Water Peach is a top-grade first-level water-attribute spiritual fruit, and the purity of the water-attribute spiritual power it contains far surpasses that of ordinary spiritual fruits.

The cultivation of the Ren Water Peach Tree is difficult. Its daily growth requires the careful care of a first-grade superior spiritual plant master, and it also requires special fertilizer. An indispensable part of this fertilizer is a small amount of first-grade superior spiritual water.

In barren lands like the Northern Ice Region, once first-grade high-quality spiritual water appears, it is mostly used by cultivators for their own cultivation, with a small portion used to assist in the refining of elixirs or magical artifacts.

Furthermore, the Renshui Peach takes a full three years from flowering to fruiting and finally ripening. Once this spiritual fruit ripens, it is basically consumed within families and sects, and is rarely seen in the market.

Once refined, a single Ren Water Peach is more effective than three or more top-grade first-tier elixirs, and it contains no poison and has no side effects.

Within the entire territory under the legitimate rule of the Ice Spirit Island, only the Foundation Establishment stage Chen family is qualified, powerful, and widely known to cultivate this Ren Water Peach Spirit Tree.

These five Ren Shui peaches in front of us must not have come from the Chen family. After all, this kind of spiritual fruit, which ripens once every three years, is not enough even within the family, so how could it easily flow out?

"Seven hundred spirit stones"

"Seven hundred and fifty spirit stones"

"Eight hundred spirit stones. I have a great use for these Ren Water Peaches. I would be grateful if you fellow cultivators would grant me this favor."

The price of Ren Shui peaches skyrocketed, and one of the cultivators, wearing a rat mask, even offered to buy the spiritual fruit at a lower price.

"Pah! Your grandpa doesn't even know who you are, what face do you have? At the auction, spirit stones are king, nine hundred spirit stones."

"One thousand one hundred spirit stones"

Amidst the fierce competition among the cultivators, the five Ren Shui peaches continued to improve without the slightest delay or pause, quickly surpassing the threshold of 1,500 spirit stones.

As the price increases, the number of cultivators participating in the competition naturally decreases, leaving basically only a few Qi Refining Level 9 cultivators.

"Two thousand spirit stones"

Tong Bingfeng, who had been acting as a nobody throughout the auction, raised the price by 500 spirit stones at a crucial moment to demonstrate his determination to win.

His primary goal for this trip was to find a spiritual object to aid in the Foundation Establishment process, but judging from the current state of the auction, the chances of such a treasure appearing were not high. Therefore, the Ren Water Peach in front of him became the best alternative.

The auction hall fell silent for a moment under the shock of the sheer number of spirit stones. Although the Ren Shui Peach was precious, the market price was only four hundred spirit stones per peach. This bid had completely exceeded its due value.

"Two thousand spirit stones once, two thousand spirit stones twice, two thousand spirit stones three times, deal."

The black goat who presided over the auction spoke with a relaxed and content tone, clearly satisfied with the price. As the auction gavel fell, the transaction was completed, and Tong Bingfeng successfully acquired five high-quality, first-grade Ren Shui Pan Tao spiritual fruits that he had never tasted before.

After the Ren Water Peach, the focus remains on first-tier high-grade magic artifacts of various types and attributes, occasionally interspersed with some spirit talismans, spirit materials, spirit pills, and spirit fruits.

Among them were many spiritual items that tempted him, but having learned from the experience of the Ren Shui Peach, he did not recklessly compete for them again. In the middle of the process, he only took ten first-grade high-quality Rejuvenation Talismans, which were not too fiercely contested, for four hundred spirit stones.

The first-grade superior-level Rejuvenation Talisman has no combat assistance effect; it is a talisman specifically designed to aid in the treatment of injuries. It contains a pure wood-attribute spiritual power, which, once activated, has a significant therapeutic effect on the internal and external injuries of cultivators.

Half a day later, near noon, the underground auction successfully came to an end, and more than a hundred cultivators left the auction house through different passages.

Moreover, each cultivator enters and leaves through completely different channels. The organizers of this auction are doing their utmost to ensure the safety of every cultivator, especially those who have already successfully acquired their desired spiritual items.

"Although the quality of the spiritual items that appeared at the auction was not high and there was a lack of a grand finale treasure, the variety and quantity were abundant, and everyone could get something. They were not particularly eye-catching, so the possibility of attracting the attention of evil cultivators was not high."

After leaving through another channel, Tong Bingfeng dared not delay for a moment. He transformed into a streak of light and fled. Along the way, he changed his destination every ten miles or so in the icy region. He also changed his clothes twice and chose a lake to wash himself. Only after eliminating all the potential dangers that might leave behind the aura of a cultivator did he turn back towards the central trading point.

"I still have a considerable amount of spirit stones left in my storage bag. While preparing for unforeseen circumstances, I also need a brand new high-grade first-tier water-attribute defensive magic weapon."

Before the auction, he converted all his wealth into 9,500 spirit stones. During the auction, he purchased two spiritual items, the Ren Water Peach and the Rejuvenation Talisman, for 2,400 spirit stones, leaving him with 7,100 spirit stones.

Tong Bingfeng did not purchase any of the magical artifacts at the auction due to their unknown origins, but the brand-new magical artifacts sold in legitimate shops at the trading points were quite attractive.

"Cheling Pavilion"

The only decent-looking shop in the core area of ​​the central trading point sells various spiritual items, which, although expensive, are of excellent quality and trustworthy.

"The Cheling Pavilion's spiritual items are seven or eight parts similar to those of Chenling Pavilion in the Ice Sea Market. This is truly a case of false advertising."

Having lived on Ice Spirit Island for over ten years, Tong Bingfeng had gained some understanding of the habits of Chen Lingge and the Chen family.

However, this method shattered the last vestige of worry in the hearts of the independent cultivators living deep in the icy region, allowing them to come freely and confidently to purchase spiritual items.