Chapter 77: Blood Pomegranate Stone


    "Without further ado, let''s unveil our first auction item," the auctioneer announced with a smile.


    Two staff members emerged from behind the curtains, carefully carrying a square wooden box and placing it on the display table. The auctioneer stepped forward, holding a small, transparent crystal. He inserted the crystal into a slot at the front of the table, and instantly, a soft beam of light enveloped the wooden box. The light refracted through the box, casting intricate patterns of multicolored rays onto a massive crystal wall behind the stage. This projection allowed everyone in the audience, regardless of their distance, to see the box in perfect detail.


    Han Ming marveled at this never-before-seen technology, his attention completely captivated.


    The auctioneer gracefully opened the lid of the box and gently pushed aside its sides, revealing a rhombus-shaped, emerald-green crystal.


    "Behold, a medium-grade wood-attribute magic crystal, extracted from the head of a fourth-tier magical beast by a master. Its value needs no introduction—those familiar with magic understand its significance. Medium-grade magic crystals are essential for casting large-scale spells. With this, wood-attribute mages need no longer fear exhausting their magical energy in a single spell. The starting bid is five thousand gold coins, with increments of no less than one hundred gold coins. Let the bidding begin!"


    The first item being a medium-grade magic crystal caused a stir among the crowd.


    "If this is just the first item, I wonder what treasures will follow," someone murmured.


    The bidding quickly escalated.


    "Six thousand!"


    "Six thousand five hundred!"


    "Seven thousand!"


    The auctioneer watched calmly, a faint smile on his lips as the bids climbed.


    "Eight thousand!"


    "Eight thousand five hundred!"


    "Eight thousand five hundred! Do I hear any higher bids? Remember, we are in the heart of the wilderness, where plants abound. For wood-attribute mages, this is a paradise. With this crystal, you’ll have an endless supply of magical energy. The implications are clear."


    His words swayed a few more bidders.


    "Nine thousand!"


    "Ten thousand!"


    At ten thousand gold coins, the bidding ceased. While everyone recognized the crystal''s value, only those with the power to wield it could justify the cost. Large-scale spells required at least a third-tier archmage, and such individuals were exceedingly rare. Ten thousand gold coins was the market price, and bidding higher made little sense.


    "Ten thousand, going once! Ten thousand, going twice! Ten thousand, sold!" The auctioneer slammed his gavel, finalizing the sale.


    "The bidder who offered ten thousand, please proceed to the back after the auction to complete the transaction and claim your prize," the auctioneer announced smoothly.


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    "Now, let’s move on to the second item."


    The staff replaced the previous item with a large tray covered by a white cloth. The auctioneer lifted the cloth, revealing a snow-white tusk.


    "This is the ivory of a third-tier, high-grade fire-attribute magical beast, the Serrated Elephant. It is an excellent material for crafting fire-attribute weapons. Fire-attribute warriors, this is your lucky day. Starting bid: ten thousand gold coins."


    The auction continued at a steady pace.


    Han Ming sat in the private booth, silently observing each item. So far, nothing had caught his interest.


    The items grew increasingly valuable. The previous lot, the hide of a fourth-tier earth-attribute magical beast, was perfect for crafting defensive armor. Its hardness surpassed steel, yet it weighed less than a tenth of steel. This hide sold for fifty thousand gold coins, as it offered warriors enhanced protection without the burden of heavy armor.


    "Now, for the tenth item," the auctioneer announced.


    The staff brought out the next item, and the auctioneer unveiled it with a flourish. A fiery red, irregularly shaped stone was revealed, causing an uproar in the crowd.


    "Is that what I think it is?"


    "It can’t be!"


    Even Kulo, who had remained expressionless throughout, showed a flicker of desire in her eyes, though she quickly masked it. Han Ming noticed her reaction and grew curious.


    "What is it?" he wondered.


    "Blood Pomegranate Stone," the auctioneer declared. "A rare ore found deep within magma, imbued with immense life force. Consuming it can extend one’s lifespan by fifty years. Starting bid: fifty thousand gold coins. Let the bidding begin!"


    Han Ming’s heart raced. Fifty years of life! Now he understood Kulo’s longing. Having had her vitality drained, Kulo could greatly benefit from this stone. Though fifty years might not seem like much, it was a significant boon.


    During his year of training with Li Xiaotian, Han Ming had learned about the Demonic Essence Absorption Technique. While it allowed one to steal life force, the process was far from perfect. Absorbing the essence of a young person with a potential lifespan of two hundred years might only grant the absorber a year or less of life. This explained why the Demoness, despite draining dozens of lives, had only regained the appearance of a twenty-year-old. The Blood Pomegranate Stone, by contrast, offered a pure and substantial extension of life.


    "Fifty-five thousand!"


    "Sixty thousand!"


    "Seventy thousand!"


    "Eighty thousand!"


    The bids soared relentlessly.


    Han Ming turned to Kulo and asked softly, "Do you want it?"


    Kulo met his gaze without hesitation and nodded. "Yes."


    Han Ming smiled faintly but remained silent.


    "One hundred thousand!"


    "One hundred ten thousand!"


    The bidding continued, but Han Ming stayed calm, observing the crowd. The Blood Pomegranate Stone was invaluable, especially for those nearing the limits of their lifespan. For warriors and mages alike, the first three tiers of advancement were guaranteed if conditions were met. Beyond that, each tier became increasingly uncertain, with only a one-third chance of success. Failure could result in regression, making the stone’s life-extending properties even more precious.


    "One hundred fifteen thousand!" The bidding began to slow.


    One hundred fifteen thousand gold coins—an astronomical sum. To put it in perspective, an ordinary person would need to work for ten thousand years without spending a single coin to amass such wealth. In modern terms, it was equivalent to over a billion dollars.


    The room fell silent.


    Han Ming remained patient, knowing the final bid was yet to come. He waited for the crowd to weigh the stone’s value against its cost.


    "One hundred twenty thousand," a hoarse voice called from the shadows.


    "Here it comes," Han Ming thought, smiling.


    "One hundred twenty thousand! Do I hear any higher bids?"


    "One hundred fifty thousand!" Han Ming finally entered the fray, raising the bid by thirty thousand gold coins.


    Gasps filled the room as people turned to locate the source of the bold bid. From a dark corner, a figure cloaked in black hesitated before weakly countering, "One hundred fifty-five thousand."


    "One hundred eighty thousand!" Han Ming raised the bid again, this time by twenty-five thousand.


    The room fell deathly silent. The oppressive stillness was broken only by the sharp gaze of the cloaked figure, whose eyes pierced through the darkness like lightning, locking onto Han Ming’s booth.


    "Such formidable presence!" Han Ming shuddered. The gaze felt like a physical blow to his chest.


    This was no ordinary opponent—this was a true master.