Chapter 902: Core Blossom

“This is a core blossom, an exceptionally rare medicinal ingredient harvested deep underground near a channel of lava. This particular one is nearly several millennia old and contains an unbelievably potent amount of elemental fire. It can make one’s aptitude for fire blossom and can also increase the chances of a fire-type soul cultivator becoming a Soul King. For fire-type soul cultivators, it’s no exaggeration to say this is as good as an Extreme King Pill almost. This heaven-tier ingredient will start at eighty thousand low-grade primal stones.”

The item Wu Mei’er brought onto the podium was a fist-sized plant as red as fire itself. Laid in a clear glass box, the particular details of this core blossom could clearly be seen to everyone. Its stamen and pistils were colored and shape in a way that made it seem like the plant was on fire, and the heat waves radiating from the plant was also noticeably obvious as well. Even the faraway patrons of the auction could feel the power of the plant from where they were.

“Bzzzz…”

Immediately, the entire hall started to buzz with excitement.

“A core blossom! A core blossom of all things! It’s the golden ticket for any fire-type Soul Exalt to use!”

“Make one’s aptitude for fire blossom? A fire-type soul cultivator would see a lifelong benefit from using it!”

“And using it greatly increases the chances of becoming a Soul King! It’s not an Extreme King Pill, but it’s also not something any fire-type soul cultivator can ignore!”

“Ugh, eighty thousand low-grade primal stones though…”

“……”

There had been a look of excitement to travel up onto Bai Yunfei’s face when he saw the core blossom. The effects of such a plant weren’t lost on him, and he of all people could tell just how much raw power was contained in the plant. It was without a doubt an ingredient any fire-type soul cultivator would want.

“Yunfei? Are you interested in the core blossom?”

Tang Xinyun asked. She had noticed the look on his face. “As good of an ingredient it is, isn’t it very effective for you?”

He turned to give her a loving smile. “Why are you only thinking about its benefits for me?? Did you forget you’re also a fire-type soul cultivator? It’s an amazing ingredient, so of course I want to give it to you to help you become a Soul King…”

“To me?” Tang Xinyun looked surprised for a moment before returning a self-deprecating smile. “It’s a little…too early for me to think about becoming a Soul King.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself. Your speed isn’t slow by any means…” Bai Yunfei held her hand with his. “It doesn’t matter when you breakthrough as long as we make the preparations for it.”

The bidding war for the core blossom had already started while Bai Yunfei and Tang Xinyun were talking amongst themselves. Many Soul Exalts were obviously interested in it and were driving the bid for it to heights only matched by their desires for it. 

In no time at all, the price of eighty thousand low-grade primal stones was doubled to a hundred and sixty-thousand and still increasing.

“Two hundred thousand low-grade primal stones.”

An elderly voice spoke out from one of the rooms on the left side of the second floor.

“Shhh…”

All the yelling and noise in the hall immediately grew silent.

“It’s here! A Soul King finally made their bid!”

“He’s probably giving it to his grand-child or something. Two hundred thousand, damn…”

“Damn! I can’t compete with those prices. And even if I could, I can’t compete with a Soul King!”

The bid of the Soul King was the signal for everyone else in the hall to immediately give up on purchasing the core blossom.

Up on the podium, Wu Mei’er waited for someone else to make a bid. When it seemed like no one else would, she opened her mouth to begin speaking.

“I bid a low-heaven tier soul armament.”

“……”

Before she could start her sentence, a person broke the silence first. 

Stunned, everyone turned their heads towards the source of the bid. It came from the first floor where a rather ordinary-looking male was smiling. He was the one to make the bid.

“Hey, did I hear that right? What’s that he just said?”

“He’s bidding a low-heaven tier soul armament? For the core blossom?”

Unsure of what they had heard, most of the audience was leaning next to one another to whisper and stare strangely at Bai Yunfei.

Like the audience, Wu Mei’er had been caught off guard for a second too. “Honored guest, did you say…you bid a low-heaven tier soul armament?”

Still smiling, Bai Yunfei nodded. “Correct. Is there an appraiser in the house? You may have them appraise the worth of my soul armament if you have your doubts.”

There was a small flash of blue light as a dagger came into appearance. Wrapped then in a bubble of elemental fire, the dagger flew towards the podium.

Everyone watched as the dagger flew from Bai Yunfei over to the podium and into Wu Mei’er’s hands. 

True to her professionalism, it took only a moment for Wu Mei’er to remember where she is. 

“That is of course possible,” She smiled, “please wait a moment, honored guests, as our appraiser evaluates the worth of this soul armament.”

A person was already taking the dagger off the podium to the area behind where the appraiser was.

A second person came back up to the podium shortly afterward to whisper urgently into Wu Mei’er’s ear. At his words, Wu Mei’er seemed to sparkle in the eyes before she turned to face the audience. “As reported by our appraiser, the soul armament supplied by the honored guest has been confirmed to be a low-heaven tier soul armament and appraised to be worth two hundred and forty-thousand low-grade primal stones. We will accept the soul armament as a bid.”

“It really is a heaven-tier soul armament! And worth that much! Dear heavens! Is this even reality?!”

“Bidding two hundred and forty-thousand low-grade primal stones is beyond what I’d even consider for a core blossom. He’s equating a low-heaven tier soul armament for a trade like this! Does…does he have a problem in his head?”

“He didn’t even bat an eye at bidding away a low-heaven tier soul armament! What kind of person is this guy?!”

“Hey…? He looks a little familiar, where have I seen him before?”

“Eh? You feel the same way too, brother Li? Using a heaven-tier soul armament to bid…where have I seen something like that? It’s definitely not my first time seeing it…”

“Using a heaven-tier soul armament to bid? Hold on! I’ve got it1 I remember a few years ago, we went to Mo City in the Forest Pass Province for the auction there, remember? There was also another person who did the exact same thing? That person was…”

“Bai Yunfei!! I remember now! This guy is the exact same person! Bai Yunfei from the Crafting School!”

Somebody from the audience was quick to figure who Bai Yunfei was. And after he and his friend made the connection, many of the others in attendance immediately started to stir into a frenzy.

“What?! Bai Yunfei!? The same Bai Yunfei from the Crafting School?!”

“No lie? He’s really Bai Yunfei?! The guy who crafted the mid-heaven tier soul armament two days ago?!”

“It really is him! I saw him in Mo City before! And…isn’t that the daughter of the Tang with him? It is! It really is!”

“What’s he doing on the first floor? He could’ve sat at the very top along with the others, couldn’t he?”

“No wonder he’s willing to bid heaven-tier soul armaments then. It’s Bai Yunfei after all…What an original way of bidding. Using soul armaments instead of primal stones…”

Wu Mei’er was watching Bai Yunfei with a strange light in her eyes while this played out. Coughing once, she spoke out to silence the crowd.

“Lord Bai has offered two hundred and forty-thousand, will anyone else bid?”

Everyone’s heads immediately swung to the booth on the second floor where the Soul King had first bid.

All was silent for two seconds before the same elderly voice from before spoke out. “So it’s Bai Yunfei from the Crafting School…since you also want the core blossom, this old man won’t bid any longer.”

He was very clearly giving up, meaning Bai Yunfei had won the bid for the core blossoms.

    ……

The geo blossom was given to Bai Yunfei shortly afterward by a young man in white robes and an unordinary aura.

“This one is Yan Jiangjing of the Tianhun School. Pleased to make your acquaintance, brother Bai.” The young man clasped his hands in greeting, “We are honored by your presence, brother Bai. I, in particular, have long since wished to meet you.”

“Charmed…” Bai Yunfei returned the greeting, “Is there any particular reason for your visit, brother Yan?”

It was weird to see a person like him here, even if it was to escort the product. He was a man of considerable strength as a Peak Late-stage Soul Exalt—not exactly a peon.

“Yan? Isn’t the lord-mayor of Swallow City also a Yan?” A half-second later, Bai Yunfei realized that this person was most likely the son of Swallow City’s lord-mayor.

Yan Jiangjing smiled. “How could we have a guest of brother Bai’s stature remain on the first floor? We have prepared a room on the third floor for you and your plus one. I am merely here to escort you there.”

“Oh?” Bai Yunfei nodded in thanks. “If that is the case, then I graciously accept.”

He hadn’t wanted to make a statement before, but now that everyone knew who he was and was putting him under intense scrutiny, he didn’t want him or Tang Xinyun to stay here. Moving to the third floor wouldn’t have any detriments now.