UGB Chapter 19 The Heavenly Treasure, the Azure Nether Sword
Chapter 19 The Heavenly Treasure, the Azure Nether Sword
Master Ziyang's words about the Golden Thunder Bamboo being "a hundred years to become ten thousand years," "self-dividing," "warding off evil with divine thunder," and "inherited profound heritage" were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up towering waves!
"One thousand one hundred dollars!"
"Thirteen hundred yuan!"
"Eighteen hundred yuan!"
"Two thousand five hundred yuan!"
The bidding was fierce from the very beginning! Prices soared like wild horses, almost leaping at an alarming rate! Top powers, ancient families, and hidden sects that had previously shown little interest in the Nascent Soul puppets now rushed into the fray like sharks smelling blood.
The value of this item is related to the foundation of a power! Whoever possesses a renewable source of the Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder will likely gain an unparalleled advantage in future battles between the Dao and the Demonic, and infighting among sects!
Wang Tianlong had already devoted himself entirely to this project; he held nothing back, and each price increase was decisive and forceful.
"Two thousand eight hundred yuan!"
"Three thousand two hundred dollars!"
When the price broke through the shocking figure of three thousand high-grade spirit stones, very few voices in the market dared to bid. This number was enough to bankrupt most Nascent Soul cultivators and forced many forces to reconsider their options.
When the price reached four thousand, only Wang Tianlong and a representative from the "Wang Family," one of the ten major sects of the Great Jin Dynasty, known for its array formations and long-standing traditions, remained. The representative was an elder of the Wang Family who was also at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm and possessed a dignified demeanor.
The two refused to give in, and each time they raised the price, it drew gasps from the onlookers.
"Four thousand one hundred yuan!" The Wang family elder's face was ashen.
"Four thousand two hundred yuan!" Wang Tianlong refused to budge an inch.
"Four thousand two hundred and fifty yuan!" The Wang family elder gritted his teeth.
"Four thousand three hundred yuan!" Wang Tianlong raised the price again without hesitation, his voice resolute, showing his unwavering determination.
The Wang family elder's expression shifted several times. He quickly communicated telepathically with another cultivator of the same clan beside him. Ultimately, faced with Wang Tianlong's unwavering momentum and the already terrifying price, he sighed deeply, slumped back down, shook his head, and chose to give up. Although the Wang family had a profound foundation, paying such a price for a Golden Thunder Bamboo that was not yet fully mature, and with further cultivation requiring a century, forced them to reconsider.
"Four thousand three hundred high-grade spirit stones! Third time! Sold!" Master Ziyang's booming voice fell with the gavel, his gaze turning complexly towards Wang Tianlong's direction. "Congratulations to this fellow Daoist for winning this nine-thousand-year-old Golden Thunder Bamboo!"
The dust has settled! A hush fell over the main hall, countless gazes fixed on Wang Tianlong, some filled with shock, others with envy, jealousy, and still others with deep curiosity. No one had expected that this Golden Thunder Bamboo, a treasure trove for the entire clan, would ultimately fall into the hands of this seemingly unassuming "Divine Wind Master," who had made such a grand purchase at this auction.
A huge weight lifted from Wang Tianlong's heart, but he didn't show much joy on his face. Four thousand three hundred high-grade spirit stones—this was almost all the liquid assets he could use. He calmly stood up and walked to the front of the stage to complete the transaction.
"Fellow Daoist, please examine it." Master Ziyang personally handed over the Xuanbing Basin that sealed the Golden Thunder Bamboo.
After carefully checking and confirming that everything was correct, Wang Tianlong nodded, but instead of taking out spirit stones directly, he took out several jade boxes and jade bottles from his storage bracelet, pushed them in front of the other party, and calmly said, "I don't have enough spirit stones, so I'll use these items to offset the price."
Master Ziyang and the Kunwu Alliance elder in charge of the appraisal opened the box and were both surprised. Neatly arranged inside were dozens of talismans brimming with spiritual energy, including several familiar "Minor Teleportation Talismans," as well as some powerful high-level attack and defense talismans. The jade bottle contained several rare demon beast essences and spiritual ink, all top-tier materials for drawing high-level talismans.
These were the accumulated skills of Wang Tianlong as a master talisman maker; each talisman and each set of materials was extremely valuable. After a quick and professional appraisal by several elders, they unanimously determined that its value far exceeded the compensation required.
The transaction was successfully completed. Wang Tianlong carefully put away the Xuanbing Basin that emitted astonishing lightning, feeling the immense vitality and thunderous power emanating from the nine-thousand-year-old Golden Thunder Bamboo within, and an overwhelming excitement welled up in his heart.
The shock caused by the Golden Thunder Bamboo had not yet completely subsided, and the entire hall was still immersed in the afterglow of the sky-high price transaction. Master Ziyang, however, took a deep breath, his expression becoming more solemn than ever before. He did not immediately invite the items to be auctioned, but instead raised his hand to signal, and four royal retainers, all at the early stage of the Nascent Soul realm, stepped forward, standing at the four corners of the auction stage. Each of them cast a spell, instantly setting up a powerful, radiant spiritual barrier that tightly enveloped the auction stage.
This unusual move immediately made everyone's hearts skip a beat, and their eyes were fixed on the stage.
Then, Master Ziyang carefully retrieved a sword case, about three feet long and carved entirely from ten-thousand-year-old cold jade, from his storage magic treasure. The moment the sword case appeared, even through the barrier, an incomparably sharp sword intent, seemingly capable of piercing the heavens, faintly emanated, causing all the cultivators present, especially the sword cultivators, to feel a stinging pain in their souls!
"This is...?!" someone couldn't help but exclaim.
Without keeping him in suspense, Master Ziyang solemnly opened the sword case. In an instant, a clear and melodious sword cry resounded throughout the hall, and a dazzling azure sword light shot into the sky, subtly causing the surrounding restrictions to ripple! Within the sword light, a short sword, about two feet long, with an ancient design and a body as clear as azure glass, floated silently. Profound cloud patterns were naturally engraved on the blade, and the hilt resembled a coiled dragon, radiating a vast, awe-inspiring spiritual pressure befitting a heaven-reaching treasure!
"A Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure!"
"It's actually a complete Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure?!"
A commotion erupted in the audience! Even the late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators who had been meditating with their eyes closed suddenly opened them, their gazes fixed intently on the short sword. A Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure—that was a true clan-protecting, sect-protecting treasure. Each one contained immense power, a strategic asset, usually held only by the most powerful forces. Very few individuals could possess it, let alone put it up for auction! This was simply unbelievable!
Wang Tianlong was also greatly shocked, but he immediately sensed something amiss. The spiritual pressure emanating from this short sword was indeed comparable to his Sky-Treading Boots and other Heavenly Treasures he had sensed before, belonging to the same level. However, the spiritual light flowing across its blade appeared somewhat dim, lacking the vibrant energy and seemingly life-pulling "spirituality" that a Heavenly Treasure should possess. Compared to his Sky-Treading Boots, this short sword was more like... a powerful but somewhat sluggish inanimate object.
Sure enough, Master Ziyang's next words explained everyone's doubts and, like a bucket of cold water, extinguished the fervor that had instantly risen in many people's hearts.
"Fellow Daoists, please be patient." Master Ziyang's voice carried a hint of regret and solemnity. "This sword, named 'Qingming,' is indeed a true heaven-reaching spiritual treasure. Its materials, forging techniques, and the fragments of laws it contains are all top-notch."
He then changed the subject: "However, the reason this treasure appeared on the auction stage instead of being kept in the secret of a major sect is because an irreparable accident occurred during the refining process at the crucial moment of its final formation and spiritual awakening, resulting in a flaw in its essence and preventing it from reaching perfection."
He pointed to the slightly dim spiritual light emanating from the short sword: "Therefore, the magical power required to activate this treasure is nearly 30% higher than that of a perfectly intact Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure of the same level. Moreover, due to the lack of its source, it can only unleash about 80% of its theoretical power at most."
It turned out to be a flawed, weakened, and extremely energy-consuming magical treasure!
Everyone suddenly realized, but the burning desire in their eyes hadn't completely subsided. Even so, it was still a supreme spiritual treasure! Its material, the laws it contained, and its fundamental power were far beyond what imitation spiritual treasures could compare to. For some Nascent Soul cultivators eager to improve their combat power or lacking top-tier attack methods, it remained an irresistible temptation, even if it wasn't perfect.
Seeing that the atmosphere had been stirred up, Master Ziyang no longer hesitated and announced loudly: "The Heaven-Reaching Spiritual Treasure 'Azure Nether Sword' (fragment), starting bid—two thousand high-grade spirit stones! Each bid must be at least one hundred stones!"
The starting bid was remarkably low compared to the prestigious title of "Heavenly Treasure." But everyone knew the final price would be anything but low. A battle for this "flawed divine weapon" was about to begin.