lín xuān rù xiān dào de shí jiān yě bù duǎn le 。 zǒu nán chuǎng běi ， shén me xī qí gǔ guài de dōng xī méi yǒu jiàn guò ， kě yǎn qián zhè zhuāng ， què zhēn de ràng tā yǎn dōu zhí le 。
林轩入仙道的时间也不短了。走南闯北，什么稀奇古怪的东西没有见过，可眼前这桩，却真的让他眼都直了。
Lin Xuan had been involved in the immortal way for quite some time. He had seen all sorts of strange and unusual things while traveling across the land, but this was truly making his eyes widen.
yǒu méi yǒu gǎo cuò ， pāi mài zhǎng lǎo lìng fú ？
有没有搞错，拍卖长老令符？
"Did I hear right? Auctioning off an Elder's authority token?"
suī shuō zài zhè mì shì zhī zhōng ， lǐ lùn zhǐ yào yǒu zú gòu de jīng shí ， shén me dān yào fǎ bǎo ， líng cǎo fú zhuàn ， shèn zhì shì hǎo de nǚ xiū dǐng lú ， dōu bù nán mǎi dào ， kě zì héng gǔ kāi shǐ ， cóng méi tīng shuō yǒu jiāng yī dà pài de zhǎng lǎo zhí wèi ná lái pāi mài ……
虽说在这秘市之中，理论只要有足够的晶石，什么丹药法宝，灵草符篆，甚至是好的女修鼎炉，都不难买到，可自恒古开始，从没听说有将一大派的长老职位拿来拍卖……
Though it was theoretically possible to buy any number of elixirs or magical treasures with enough crystal stones in this Secret Market, there had never been a record of auctioning off a major sect’s high-ranking position.
jiū jìng shì zì jǐ gū lòu guǎ wén ， bù zhī yì yù fēng sú ， hái shì lìng yǒu shén me qī qiāo zài lǐ tou 。
究竟是自己孤陋寡闻，不知异域风俗，还是另有什么蹊跷在里头。
Was he simply ignorant and unfamiliar with foreign customs, or was something more unusual happening here?
lín xuān méi tóu yī tiāo ， dào yě bù dòng shēng sè 。 què àn zì jiāng zhōu biān zhòng rén de biǎo qíng guān chá zhe 。
林轩眉头一挑，倒也不动声色。却暗自将周边众人的表情观察着。
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow but didn't react overtly. Instead, he covertly observed the expressions of those around him.
qiāng dǎ chū tóu niǎo ， zhè shí hòu zhuāng shǎ chōng lèng jiù hǎo 。
枪打出头鸟，这时候装傻充愣就好。
"Playing dumb is best in this situation," he thought to himself. Sure enough, apart from a few who knew the truth, most people were visibly shocked and soon began asking questions:
guǒ bù qí rán ， chú le jí shǎo shù zhī qíng zhě yǐ wài 。 dà bù fèn rén dōu duì cǐ shì mǎn liǎn è rán ， hěn kuài jiù yǒu chén bú zhù qì de kāi kǒu wèn le qǐ lái ：
果不其然，除了极少数知情者以外。大部分人都对此事满脸愕然，很快就有沉不住气的开口问了起来：
"Liu Er, is this really happening? The Elder of the Demon Abyss Sect holds such high honor; can they really auction off their position?"
“ liǔ èr ， cǐ shì shì zhēn shì jiǎ ， mó yōu mén zhǎng lǎo nà shì hé děng róng yào ， zhēn de kě yǐ ná dào cǐ chù jìng pāi ？”
“柳二，此事是真是假，魔幽门长老那是何等荣耀，真的可以拿到此处竞拍？”
"Exactly! Don't try to fool us with this. If you bought it for a huge sum only to be hunted down by the Demon Abyss Sect, that would be too much of a loss,"...
“ jiù shì ， nǐ xiǎo zi bú yào kuāng piàn wǒ děng 。 bié huā dà jià qián mǎi le cǐ shì ， bù jǐn méi yǒu sī háo yòng chǔ ， fǎn ér bèi mó yōu mén zhuī shā ， nà kě jiù tài yuān wǎng le 。”……
“就是，你小子不要诓骗我等。别花大价钱买了此事，不仅没有丝毫用处，反而被魔幽门追杀，那可就太冤枉了。”……
The burly man paused and bowed deeply: "Masters are joking. Surely everyone knows our city is owned by the Demon Abyss Sect. This token is genuine, promised directly by the sect master himself; there's no way it’s fake."
zhuàng hàn biǎo qíng yī zhì ， tuán tuán zuò le gè yī ：“ zhū wèi dào shuō xiào le ， xiǎng bì dà jiā yě qīng chǔ 。 bǐ shì běn jiù shì mó yōu mén de chǎn yè ， zhè lìng fú huò zhēn jià shí ， qiě yóu mén zhǔ qīn zì xǔ xià 。 jué bú huì yǒu sī háo zuò jiǎ 。
壮汉表情一滞，团团作了个揖：“诸位道说笑了，想必大家也清楚。鄙市本就是魔幽门的产业，这令符货真价实，且由门主亲自许下。绝不会有丝毫作假。
This statement made many people's eyes gleam with renewed interest. It was understandable—although they were all Core Formation stage cultivators here, the Demon Abyss Sect was one of the two dominant forces on the Spin Peak Island. Joining them might not be too difficult, but becoming an Elder was still far beyond their reach.
zhè huà yī shuō ， lín xuān fā xiàn bù shǎo rén yǎn zhōng de guāng máng biàn dé zhì rè ， shuō lái yě shì qíng yǒu kě yuán de ， suī rán zài zuò de dōu shì níng dān qī xiū shì ， dàn mó yōu mén yòng shì xióng bà xuán kōng dǎo de liǎng dà shì lì zhī yī ， tā men xiǎng yào jiā rù huò xǔ bù nán 。 dàn chōng qí liàng yě bù guò rèn yī zhí shì ， jù lí zhǎng lǎo de shū róng yáo bù kě jí 。
这话一说，林轩发现不少人眼中的光芒变得炙热，说来也是情有可原的，虽然在座的都是凝丹期修士，但魔幽门用是雄霸旋崆岛的两大势力之一，他们想要加入或许不难。但充其量也不过任一执事，距离长老的殊荣遥不可及。
Now, for a mere handful of crystal stones, it seemed like a bargain. Even if this sounded absurd, the sect master had promised his word; he wouldn't break that promise. After all, while cultivators were often dishonorable and petty, a sect leader needed to maintain some credibility. Breaking such a promise would be counterproductive.
ér rú jīn bù guò shì fù chū cǐ xǔ jīng shí ， suī rán zhè jiàn shì kàn qǐ lái huāng dàn le xiē ， dàn mó yōu mén zhǔ jì rán qīn kǒu xǔ nuò ， xiǎng lái yě bú huì zài zuò nà shí yán ér féi de shǎ shì le ， yào zhī dào xiū xiān zhě men suī rán bēi bǐ wú chǐ ， dàn yī pài zōng zhǔ ， yě dé yǒu qǐ mǎ de xìn yù ， rú guǒ gōng rán huǐ nuò ， nà kě shì dé bù cháng shī 。
而如今不过是付出此许晶石，虽然这件事看起来荒诞了些，但魔幽门主既然亲口许诺，想来也不会再做那食言而肥的傻事了，要知道修仙者们虽然卑鄙无耻，但一派宗主，也得有起码的信誉，如果公然毁诺，那可是得不偿失。
With these thoughts in mind, everyone's doubts vanished, and their greed grew. Someone shouted: "I'll take it."
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， zhòng rén yí xīn jǐn qù ， tān lán zhī yì dà qǐ ， mǎ yǒu rén gāo hū ：“ cǐ wù wǒ yào le 。”
想到这里，众人疑心尽去，贪婪之意大起，马有人高呼：“此物我要了。”
Before the words had even settled, another voice sneered: "Old Man Ma, you're already the head of your sect; do you still dare to bid for an Elder position? I’ll put down 210,000 crystal stones."
huà yīn wèi luò ， yǐ yǒu rén lěng xiào qǐ lái ：“ mǎ lǎo sān ， nǐ yǐ shì yī mén zhī zhǔ ， hái hǎo yì si zài zhè lǐ qiǎng mó yōu mén de zhǎng lǎo zhī zhí me ， zài xià chū èr shí yī wàn jīng shí 。”
话音未落，已有人冷笑起来：“马老三，你已是一门之主，还好意思在这里抢魔幽门的长老之职么，在下出二十一万晶石。”
Ma Old Three's expression remained unchanged as he retorted: "I'm the head of Tai Yu Sect. As Liu Master said clearly, the highest bidder gets it. I'll offer 212,000 crystal stones."
mǎ lǎo sān liǎn sè bù biàn ， fǎn chún xiāng jī ：“ bǐ rén shì tài yú mén zhī zhǔ yòu rú hé ， gāng cái liǔ dào shuō de qīng chǔ ， cǐ wù jià gāo zhě dé zhī ， wǒ chū èr shí yī wàn yòu liǎng qiān jīng shí 。”
马老三脸色不变，反唇相讥：“鄙人是太余门之主又如何，刚才柳道说的清楚，此物价高者得之，我出二十一万又两千晶石。”
"Haha, let me join in for fun. I’ll bid 220,000," a rough voice came from the northeast corner.
“ hā hā ， nà léi mǒu yě còu yí gè qù 。 wǒ chū èr shí èr wàn jīng shí 。” yòu yī cū háo de shēng yīn zì dōng běi jiǎo xiǎng qǐ 。
“哈哈，那雷某也凑一个趣。我出二十二万晶石。”又一粗豪的声音自东北角响起。
"230,000,"...
“ wǒ chū èr shí sān wàn 。”……
“我出二十三万。”……
The bidding continued with increasing fervor. Lin Xuan was deeply moved by the prospect of such a large sum—over twenty crystal stones. This wasn't a small amount; ordinary Core Formation stage cultivators would struggle to accumulate this much wealth in their lifetimes. The Demon Abyss Sect's Elder authority token must indeed be significant. Should he bid for it?
jiào jià shēng cǐ qǐ bǐ fú ， lín xuān tīng de shì dà wèi xīn dòng ， èr shí jǐ wàn jīng shí ， zhè kě bú shì yī bǐ xiǎo shù zì ， pǔ tōng níng dān qī xiū shì qióng qí yī shēn ， yě wèi bì néng zhuàn xià rú cǐ cái wù ， kàn lái zhè mó yōu mén de zhǎng lǎo lìng fú ， guǒ rán fēi tóng xiǎo kě ， zì jǐ yào bù yào jiāng qí pāi xià lái ne ？
叫价声此起彼伏，林轩听的是大为心动，二十几万晶石，这可不是一笔小数字，普通凝丹期修士穷其一身，也未必能赚下如此财物，看来这魔幽门的长老令符，果然非同小可，自己要不要将其拍下来呢？
Lin Xuan frowned, weighing the pros and cons.
lín xuān zhòu méi sī suǒ ， bìng àn àn quán héng qǐ lì bì 。
林轩皱眉思索，并暗暗权衡起利弊。
The downside was that such an offer might attract unwanted attention, but now there was no need to fear; he had already caught the eye of Round Heaven Ancestor. A few Core Formation stage cultivators were nothing compared to him.
huài chù zì rán shì yǐn rén zhù yì ， róng yì chéng wéi zhòng shǐ zhī dì ， bù guò xiàn zài sì hū yě méi yǒu shén me hǎo jì dàn ， fǎn zhèng zì jǐ yǐ jīng bèi hún yuán lǎo zǔ dīng le 。 hái zài hū jǐ gè níng dān qī xiū shì me ？
坏处自然是引人注意，容易成为众矢之的，不过现在似乎也没有什么好忌惮，反正自己已经被浑圆老祖盯了。还在乎几个凝丹期修士么？
As for the benefits, becoming an Elder at the Demon Abyss Sect would make his actions much easier on Spin Peak Island, and finding spirit veins wouldn't be as difficult. Moreover... although he didn’t know what the smiling tiger had in mind, it couldn’t be good. Although he wasn’t afraid of a初级灵婴 cultivator, he didn’t want to engage in combat. Would having an Elder position at the Demon Abyss Sect deter him?
zhì yú hǎo chù ， chéng wéi mó yōu mén zhǎng lǎo 。 zài zhè xuán kōng dǎo xíng shì kě jiù fāng biàn le xǔ duō ， xún zhǎo líng mài yīng gāi yě jiù bù suàn nán le ， ér qiě …… suī bù zhī nà xiào miàn hǔ duì zì jǐ yǒu shén me qǐ tú 。 dàn kěn dìng shì méi ān hǎo xīn de ， zì jǐ suī bù pà tā yī yuán yīng chū qī de xiū shì ， dàn yě bù xiǎng yǔ qí dòng shǒu ， ruò shì yǒu le mó yōu mén zhǎng lǎo shēn fèn yǎn hù ， duì fāng huì bú huì zhī nán ér tuì ne ？
至于好处，成为魔幽门长老。在这旋崆岛行事可就方便了许多，寻找灵脉应该也就不算难了，而且……虽不知那笑面虎对自己有什么企图。但肯定是没安好心的，自己虽不怕他一元婴初期的修士，但也不想与其动手，若是有了魔幽门长老身份掩护，对方会不会知难而退呢？
With these thoughts, Lin Xuan was greatly intrigued. Regardless of whether his bid succeeded, there would be no harm done. Though he felt some remorse over the crystal stones, his wealth allowed him to afford it.
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， lín xuān dà wèi yì dòng ， bù guǎn néng fǒu chéng gōng ， duì zì jǐ dōu méi yǒu hài chù ， suī rán jīng shí yǒu xiē xīn téng ， bù guò yǐ lín xuān de shēn jiā ， què yě hái shì chū dé qǐ 。
想到这里，林轩大为意动，不管能否成功，对自己都没有害处，虽然晶石有些心疼，不过以林轩的身家，却也还是出得起。
Having made up his mind, Lin Xuan no longer hesitated and loudly proclaimed: "I’ll bid 300,000 crystal stones."
jì rán ná dìng le zhǔ yì ， lín xuān zì rán bù zài chí yí ， yáng shēng tǔ qì ：“ wǒ chū …… sān shí wàn jīng shí 。”
既然拿定了主意，林轩自然不再迟疑，扬声吐气：“我出……三十万晶石。”
Though his voice was not loud, everyone in the room heard clearly. Many people couldn’t help but show surprise as they turned to look at him.
tā shēng yīn bù dà ， rán ér piān piān zài chǎng de měi yí gè rén ， quán dōu tīng dé qīng qīng chǔ chǔ ， bù shǎo rén ， bù yóu de lù chū chī jīng zhī sè ， fēn fēn xún shēng wàng le guò qù 。
他声音不大，然而偏偏在场的每一个人，全都听得清清楚楚，不少人，不由得露出吃惊之色，纷纷循声望了过去。
300,000 crystal stones was enough for an entire medium-sized sect’s annual expenses. While most of the cultivators present were wealthy, this amount still made them feel a bit uneasy.
sān shí wàn jīng shí ， nà yǐ zú gòu yī zhōng děng mén pài zhěng zhěng yī nián de kāi zhī ， suī rán cǐ cì cān jiā pāi mài huì de xiū shì ， rén rén cái dà qì cū ， dàn zhè ge shù é ， yě zú yǐ ràng tā men gǎn dào xīn jīng le 。
三十万晶石，那已足够一中等门派整整一年的开支，虽然此次参加拍卖会的修士，人人财大气粗，但这个数额，也足以让他们感到心惊了。
Looking at this unremarkable young man, everyone silently pondered his appearance and strength. Lin Xuan might look ordinary, but no one dared to underestimate him; he was a late-stage Core Formation stage expert.
kàn zhe zhè mào bù jīng rén de shào nián ， rén rén xīn zhōng dí gū ， lín xuān zhǎng xiàng tài píng fán le ， rán ér xiū wèi què méi yǒu rén gǎn xiǎo kàn ， níng dān hòu qī de gāo shǒu 。
看着这貌不惊人的少年，人人心中嘀咕，林轩长相太平凡了，然而修为却没有人敢小看，凝丹后期的高手。
The authority token was desired by all, but the sudden emergence of someone who treated crystal stones like dung made many reconsider their bids. Some more mature individuals began to suspect that this young man had some powerful backing...
nà lìng fú zì rán shì rén rén yù dé ， kě tū rán mào chū zhè me yī shì jīng shí rú fèn tǔ de zhǔ ér ， xǔ duō rén yě bù yóu de dōu dǎ qǐ le tuì táng gǔ 。 gèng yǒu yī xiē lǎo chéng chí zhòng zhě huái yí qǐ lái ， zhè jiā huo gāi bú huì shì yǒu shén me liǎo bù qǐ de hòu tái ……
那令符自然是人人欲得，可突然冒出这么一视晶石如粪土的主儿，许多人也不由得都打起了退堂鼓。更有一些老成持重者怀疑起来，这家伙该不会是有什么了不起的后台……
With these thoughts in mind, no one dared to continue bidding against him.
xiǎng dào zhè lǐ ， zì rán méi yǒu rén zài yǔ tā jìng pāi xià qù 。
想到这里，自然没有人再与他竞拍下去。
Behind the stone table, the burly man’s face was filled with joy. The value of selling the token far exceeded his expectations. However, according to market rules, he still asked: "Is anyone willing to bid more than 300,000 crystal stones?"
nà shí zhuō hòu miàn de zhuàng hàn yě mǎn miàn jīng xǐ 。 zhè lìng fú mài chū qù de jià zhí yǐ jīng yuǎn yuǎn chāo guò le tā men de yù qī ， bù guò àn zhào mì shì de guī jǔ ， tā hái shì duō kǒu zhuī wèn le yī jù ：“ yǒu méi yǒu rén bǐ zhè wèi dào chū gèng duō de jīng shí ？”
那石桌后面的壮汉也满面惊喜。这令符卖出去的价值已经远远超过了他们的预期，不过按照秘市的规矩，他还是多口追问了一句：“有没有人比这位道出更多的晶石？”
After two rounds of silence, he was about to make a decision when a lazy voice rang out: "Old Man, I’ll bid 310,000."
wèn le liǎng biàn yā què wú shēng ， tā zhèng yào pāi bǎn ， yī lǎn yáng yáng de shēng yīn xiǎng le qǐ lái ：“ lǎo fū chū sān shí yī wàn 。”
问了两遍鸦雀无声，他正要拍板，一懒洋洋的声音响了起来：“老夫出三十一万。”
Everyone gasped. Not only were the crystal stones astronomical, but the speaker was none other than Round Heaven Ancestor.
sī …… zhòng rén dào xī le yī kǒu liáng qì ， dào bù jǐn jǐn shì wèi zhè tiān jià shù é de jīng shí ， ér shì shuō huà de jū rán shì xiào miàn hǔ hún yuán lǎo zǔ 。
嘶……众人倒吸了一口凉气，倒不仅仅是为这天价数额的晶石，而是说话的居然是笑面虎浑圆老祖。
The burly man auctioning off the token was momentarily stunned: "Senior is joking."
lián nà fù zé pāi mài de zhuàng hàn yě lèng le yī xià ：“ qián bèi shuō xiào le 。”
连那负责拍卖的壮汉也愣了一下：“前辈说笑了。”
"How so? The rule is that the highest bidder wins; why can't I participate in this bidding?" Round Heaven Ancestor’s eyes widened as his smile froze.
“ zěn me ， shuō hǎo le cǐ wù jià gāo zhě dé ， nán dào lǎo fū jiù bù néng gòu cān yù jìng pāi me ？” hún yuán lǎo zǔ guài yǎn yī fān ， xiào róng níng gù le xià lái 。
“怎么，说好了此物价高者得，难道老夫就不能够参与竞拍么？”浑圆老祖怪眼一翻，笑容凝固了下来。
"No... I didn’t mean it that way," the burly man struggled to explain.
“ bù …… wǎn bèi bú shì zhè ge yì si 。” zhuàng hàn kū xiào bù dé ， lián máng jiē jiē bā bā de jiě shì 。
“不……晚辈不是这个意思。”壮汉哭笑不得，连忙结结巴巴的解释。
"Exactly. Is there anyone willing to bid higher than me?"
“ bú shì jiù duì le ， hái yǒu dào chū jià bǐ lǎo fū gèng gāo me ？”
“不是就对了，还有道出价比老夫更高么？”
Who would dare provoke this old monster? The cultivators’ gazes all turned to Lin Xuan, who showed no emotion on his face and seemed uninterested in continuing the bidding.
shuí gǎn zhāo rě zhè lǎo guài wù ， zhòng xiū shì de mù guāng bù yóu qí shuā shuā de wàng xiàng gāng cái nà ge shào nián 。 nà lín xuān liǎn què kàn bù chū xǐ nù ， sì hū yě wú yì chū jià jìng pāi xià qù le 。
谁敢招惹这老怪物，众修士的目光不由齐刷刷的望向刚才那个少年。那林轩脸却看不出喜怒，似乎也无意出价竞拍下去了。
With everything settled, the authority token fell into Round Heaven Ancestor’s hands.
zhè yàng yī lái chén āi luò dìng ， lìng fú zuì zhōng luò rù le hún yuán lǎo zǔ de shǒu zhōng 。
这样一来尘埃落定，令符最终落入了浑圆老祖的手中。
Though there were some unexpected twists, it was still a smooth process. However, many questions remained unanswered.
suī yǒu bō lán ， dàn què yě yī qiè shùn lì ， rán ér gèng duō de yí dòu què liú zài rén men de yǎn lǐ 。
虽有波澜，但却也一切顺利，然而更多的疑窦却留在人们的眼里。
The position of Elder at the Demon Abyss Sect was indeed prestigious, but for Core Formation stage cultivators. The smiling tiger was an old monster in the Spirit婴 stage; if he wanted to join the Demon Abyss Sect, they would be overjoyed and grant him any position.
zhè mó yōu mén de zhǎng lǎo zhī zhí gù rán zūn róng 。 rán ér què shì duì níng dān qī xiū shì lái shuō 。 kě zhè xiào miàn hǔ shì yuán yīng qī de lǎo guài wù ， rú guǒ tā yào jiā rù mó yōu mén ， duì fāng gāo xìng dōu lái bù jí ， rèn gè zhǎng lǎo shì qīng ér yì jǔ 。
这魔幽门的长老之职固然尊荣。然而却是对凝丹期修士来说。可这笑面虎是元婴期的老怪物，如果他要加入魔幽门，对方高兴都来不及，任个长老是轻而易举。
In other words, there was no need for such a large sum of crystal stones; it was unnecessary.
huàn jù huà shuō ， tā gēn běn jiù méi yǒu bì yào huā fèi nà me duō jīng shí ， zhè gēn běn jiù shì duō cǐ yī jǔ 。
换句话说，他根本就没有必要花费那么多晶石，这根本就是多此一举。
This matter seemed strange. As soon as the auction ended, everyone naturally didn’t want to linger and left one by one. The grand hall quickly emptied.
zhè jiàn shì qíng yǒu xiē guǐ yì ， yī jiàn pāi mài huì jié shù ， rén rén zì rán dōu bù yuàn yì zài zhè lǐ duō zuò tíng liú ， fēn fēn gào cí ér zǒu ， ruò dà de huì chǎng ， yī huì er jiù rén qù lóu kōng 。
这件事情有些诡异，一见拍卖会结束，人人自然都不愿意在这里多做停留，纷纷告辞而走，偌大的会场，一会儿就人去楼空。
Lin Xuan followed the crowd out. His expression remained unchanged, and he didn't stay in the market any longer but transformed into a streak of light that vanished towards the horizon.
Lin Xuan had been involved in the immortal way for quite some time. He had seen all sorts of strange and unusual things while traveling across the land, but this was truly making his eyes widen.
"Did I hear right? Auctioning off an Elder's authority token?"
Though it was theoretically possible to buy any number of elixirs or magical treasures with enough crystal stones in this Secret Market, there had never been a record of auctioning off a major sect’s high-ranking position.
Was he simply ignorant and unfamiliar with foreign customs, or was something more unusual happening here?
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow but didn't react overtly. Instead, he covertly observed the expressions of those around him.
"Playing dumb is best in this situation," he thought to himself. Sure enough, apart from a few who knew the truth, most people were visibly shocked and soon began asking questions:
"Liu Er, is this really happening? The Elder of the Demon Abyss Sect holds such high honor; can they really auction off their position?"
"Exactly! Don't try to fool us with this. If you bought it for a huge sum only to be hunted down by the Demon Abyss Sect, that would be too much of a loss,"...
The burly man paused and bowed deeply: "Masters are joking. Surely everyone knows our city is owned by the Demon Abyss Sect. This token is genuine, promised directly by the sect master himself; there's no way it’s fake."
This statement made many people's eyes gleam with renewed interest. It was understandable—although they were all Core Formation stage cultivators here, the Demon Abyss Sect was one of the two dominant forces on the Spin Peak Island. Joining them might not be too difficult, but becoming an Elder was still far beyond their reach.
Now, for a mere handful of crystal stones, it seemed like a bargain. Even if this sounded absurd, the sect master had promised his word; he wouldn't break that promise. After all, while cultivators were often dishonorable and petty, a sect leader needed to maintain some credibility. Breaking such a promise would be counterproductive.
With these thoughts in mind, everyone's doubts vanished, and their greed grew. Someone shouted: "I'll take it."
Before the words had even settled, another voice sneered: "Old Man Ma, you're already the head of your sect; do you still dare to bid for an Elder position? I’ll put down 210,000 crystal stones."
Ma Old Three's expression remained unchanged as he retorted: "I'm the head of Tai Yu Sect. As Liu Master said clearly, the highest bidder gets it. I'll offer 212,000 crystal stones."
"Haha, let me join in for fun. I’ll bid 220,000," a rough voice came from the northeast corner.
"230,000,"...
The bidding continued with increasing fervor. Lin Xuan was deeply moved by the prospect of such a large sum—over twenty crystal stones. This wasn't a small amount; ordinary Core Formation stage cultivators would struggle to accumulate this much wealth in their lifetimes. The Demon Abyss Sect's Elder authority token must indeed be significant. Should he bid for it?
Lin Xuan frowned, weighing the pros and cons.
The downside was that such an offer might attract unwanted attention, but now there was no need to fear; he had already caught the eye of Round Heaven Ancestor. A few Core Formation stage cultivators were nothing compared to him.
As for the benefits, becoming an Elder at the Demon Abyss Sect would make his actions much easier on Spin Peak Island, and finding spirit veins wouldn't be as difficult. Moreover... although he didn’t know what the smiling tiger had in mind, it couldn’t be good. Although he wasn’t afraid of a初级灵婴 cultivator, he didn’t want to engage in combat. Would having an Elder position at the Demon Abyss Sect deter him?
With these thoughts, Lin Xuan was greatly intrigued. Regardless of whether his bid succeeded, there would be no harm done. Though he felt some remorse over the crystal stones, his wealth allowed him to afford it.
Having made up his mind, Lin Xuan no longer hesitated and loudly proclaimed: "I’ll bid 300,000 crystal stones."
Though his voice was not loud, everyone in the room heard clearly. Many people couldn’t help but show surprise as they turned to look at him.
300,000 crystal stones was enough for an entire medium-sized sect’s annual expenses. While most of the cultivators present were wealthy, this amount still made them feel a bit uneasy.
Looking at this unremarkable young man, everyone silently pondered his appearance and strength. Lin Xuan might look ordinary, but no one dared to underestimate him; he was a late-stage Core Formation stage expert.
The authority token was desired by all, but the sudden emergence of someone who treated crystal stones like dung made many reconsider their bids. Some more mature individuals began to suspect that this young man had some powerful backing...
With these thoughts in mind, no one dared to continue bidding against him.
Behind the stone table, the burly man’s face was filled with joy. The value of selling the token far exceeded his expectations. However, according to market rules, he still asked: "Is anyone willing to bid more than 300,000 crystal stones?"
After two rounds of silence, he was about to make a decision when a lazy voice rang out: "Old Man, I’ll bid 310,000."
Everyone gasped. Not only were the crystal stones astronomical, but the speaker was none other than Round Heaven Ancestor.
The burly man auctioning off the token was momentarily stunned: "Senior is joking."
"How so? The rule is that the highest bidder wins; why can't I participate in this bidding?" Round Heaven Ancestor’s eyes widened as his smile froze.
"No... I didn’t mean it that way," the burly man struggled to explain.
"Exactly. Is there anyone willing to bid higher than me?"
Who would dare provoke this old monster? The cultivators’ gazes all turned to Lin Xuan, who showed no emotion on his face and seemed uninterested in continuing the bidding.
With everything settled, the authority token fell into Round Heaven Ancestor’s hands.
Though there were some unexpected twists, it was still a smooth process. However, many questions remained unanswered.
The position of Elder at the Demon Abyss Sect was indeed prestigious, but for Core Formation stage cultivators. The smiling tiger was an old monster in the Spirit婴 stage; if he wanted to join the Demon Abyss Sect, they would be overjoyed and grant him any position.
In other words, there was no need for such a large sum of crystal stones; it was unnecessary.
This matter seemed strange. As soon as the auction ended, everyone naturally didn’t want to linger and left one by one. The grand hall quickly emptied.
Lin Xuan followed the crowd out. His expression remained unchanged, and he didn't stay in the market any longer but transformed into a streak of light that vanished towards the horizon.