UGB Chapter 18 Golden Thunder Bamboo
Chapter 18 Golden Thunder Bamboo
The frenzy and huge transactions sparked by the "Breaking Yuan Pill" seemed to have exhausted the passion and financial resources of most cultivators. The pace of the subsequent auction slowed down significantly, but there were still many highlights.
Master Ziyang then took out several imitation spiritual treasures of considerable power. There was the "Mysterious Yellow Pagoda," combining offense and defense; the "Dragon-Binding Rope," specializing in trapping enemies; and the "Light-Splitting Sword," capable of splitting countless sword lights. The power of these treasures was roughly comparable to the "Four Flames Fan" that Wang Tianlong had previously bid on, each with its own strengths. While the bidding wasn't as frenzied as for the "Breaking Yuan Pill," it still attracted several Nascent Soul cultivators or demon cultivators eager to enhance their strength, ultimately resulting in transactions ranging from 1,500 to 2,500 high-grade spirit stones.
After that came a variety of rare and unusual items with different functions. These included the "Concealing God Veil," which could temporarily shield a Nascent Soul cultivator from their divine sense; eggs of strange insects that could cultivate spirit insects; and fragmented jade slips containing ancient, unorthodox secret techniques. Wang Tianlong selected several special spirit inks and talisman paper needed to draw high-level talismans, spending hundreds of spirit stones to purchase them. These items were perfectly suited to his needs as a talisman-making master.
Along the way, some rare and precious materials that could purify or stimulate the bloodlines of demonic beasts appeared, such as "Dragon Blood Grass" and "Phoenix Cry Stone." These treasures had negligible effects on powerful demons in the Nascent Soul stage, but they held immeasurable value for nurturing promising junior demonic beasts. Several demon kings, such as the Iron Ape King and the Blue Flood Dragon King, bid for them, clearly preparing them for outstanding descendants of their clans.
Finally, Master Ziyang also brought out several rare treasures that could serve as main or core ingredients for refining Heavenly Treasures, such as "Void Crystal" and "Sun Essence Gold." The appearance of these items caused another considerable stir, but the competition was mainly among the wealthy top-tier forces, including the Great Jin royal family, the ten major sects, and a few external cultivators. Ultimately, these materials were divided among these parties for astronomical prices exceeding two thousand high-grade spirit stones each.
The auction seemed to be nearing its end, and many cultivators began to calculate their gains and losses. Wang Tianlong also took stock; apart from the "Heavenly Wind Fruit" and talisman-making materials, there was nothing that tempted him enough to warrant a bid. He slightly adjusted his posture, knowing that, as was customary, the true, coveted treasure—the one that would even tempt a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator—often appeared last. He waited patiently.
After all the regular items had been sold, Master Ziyang did not announce the end of the auction. Instead, his expression turned solemn, and he announced in a loud voice, "Fellow Daoists, this auction is nearing its end. Next, we will present the final three treasures!"
These words instantly tensed the previously relaxed atmosphere once more! Everyone knew that the real show was just beginning!
"The first and final treasure," Master Ziyang waved his hand, and a humanoid puppet, about ten feet tall, with smooth lines and dense runes, was lifted onto the high platform by four Nascent Soul cultivators. The puppet's eyes were closed, yet it exuded a chilling spiritual pressure. A huge, top-grade spirit stone was embedded in its chest, serving as its core drive.
"This is a Nascent Soul stage combat puppet, personally designed by the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Mystery Sect and crafted over a century in collaboration with three of our top weapon-refining masters!" Master Ziyang's voice rang with pride. "After being personally tested by the elders of the Kunwu Alliance, this puppet's combat power is comparable to an early-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. It is fearless, obeys orders without question, and is reusable! Whether for guarding a cave, exploring secret realms, or serving as a sect's foundation, it is the ultimate choice! Starting bid—five hundred high-grade spirit stones!"
A puppet with the combat power of a Nascent Soul cultivator! This is equivalent to gaining a loyal and unwavering Nascent Soul level helper! Its value is self-evident, and it immediately caused a huge sensation, especially for those medium-sized forces that lack Nascent Soul cultivators to guard their sects, or for some rogue cultivators who prefer to work alone and need powerful assistants. The temptation is extremely great.
The bidding instantly intensified, with prices soaring. Wang Tianlong merely glanced at it before looking away. While the item was valuable, it was somewhat of a liability to him. His own escape techniques were superb, granting him exceptional survival skills; what he truly needed was an opportunity to directly enhance his strength or break through a bottleneck. A puppet with only early-stage Nascent Soul combat power and potentially limited mobility would offer him limited assistance and might even become a hindrance.
After a fierce bidding war, the Nascent Soul puppet was finally won by a cultivator from the Tian Sha Continent, whose aura was as solid as the earth, for a high price of 2,300 high-grade spirit stones.
Master Ziyang was quite satisfied with the result. After a brief pause, waiting for the atmosphere to reach its peak, he then presented the second, most important item. This time, the attendant brought out a long, narrow jade box, only about a foot long, carved entirely from ten-thousand-year-old warm jade, and sealed with numerous restrictions. The moment the jade box appeared, an indescribable sharp aura faintly pierced through the restrictions, causing all the sword cultivators present, including Wang Tianlong, to feel a slight twitch between their brows!
"The second and final item"
This time, what was presented was not a jade box, but a transparent ice basin carved entirely from millennia-old black ice. Inside the ice basin was not liquid, but rather a dazzling display of intense, unyielding golden and blue lightning! At the center of the lightning, a strangely shaped plant, about three feet tall, stood silently.
This object resembles a bamboo joint, its entire body a dark gold color. Countless fine, mysterious silver runes are naturally engraved on its surface, seemingly containing the profound principles of the Dao of Thunder. Most strikingly, fine golden arcs and deep blue electric snakes constantly generate, entwine, and collide on the surface of the bamboo joint, emitting low, chilling thunderous sounds and radiating a powerful spiritual pressure that is both extremely yang and strong, yet carries a hint of destruction and new life! The ice basin was clearly intended to seal this overly domineering power of thunder.
"The second, the grand finale," Master Ziyang's voice carried the solemnity of introducing a divine object. He pointed to the strange golden bamboo in the ice basin, "Nine-thousand-year-old Golden Thunder Bamboo!"
"Golden Thunder Bamboo!" A collective gasp rippled through the audience! Even the late-stage Nascent Soul cultivators' eyes sharpened instantly!
"I'm sure all of you fellow Daoists have heard of the Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder, which is said to be impervious to all evil and ward off all demons," Master Ziyang said with fervor. "And the source that gave birth to that supreme divine thunder is none other than the ten-thousand-year-old Golden Thunder Bamboo!"
His gaze swept over the shocked faces of the audience, and he continued to drop even more bombshell news: "This plant before us, though not yet ten thousand years old, has already endured nine thousand years of wind and thunder! The essence of the exorcising divine thunder contained within it is already taking shape! All you need to do is bid for it, find a place abundant with thunder spirit, and carefully cultivate it for a hundred years until it is fully mature, then you can continuously harvest the true exorcising divine thunder!"
"More importantly," his voice was alluring, "once this bamboo matures, it can branch out on its own, producing new Golden Thunder Bamboo seedlings! What does this mean? It means that obtaining this bamboo is equivalent to laying the foundation for a peerless foundation for the sect and the family, a foundation that can be passed down through generations and will never run dry! Its value is simply immeasurable!"
Starting bid: 1,000 high-grade spirit stones!
This price is practically dirt cheap compared to its potential value!
Wang Tianlong, who had been calmly observing, suddenly narrowed his eyes when he heard the words "Golden Thunder Bamboo"!
How could he not know this thing?! This was one of the fundamental treasures that Old Demon Han relied on to dominate the human realm, the spirit realm, and even after ascending to the immortal realm in the "original work," he still used its advanced form! He was well aware of the power of the Evil-Repelling Divine Thunder, which could be called the supreme nemesis of demonic paths, ghosts, and many evil supernatural powers!
What made his heart race even faster was that he vaguely remembered that in the Spirit Realm chapter of the original work, Old Demon Han had sold a Golden Thunder Bamboo that was far younger than this one for a sky-high price of over 100 million spirit stones! And this one in front of him was a nearly mature form that was nine thousand years old! Its value was simply unimaginable!