Chapter 259: Cloud Empire (79)

The egg slowly began to descend beneath the stage, wrapped by the spiritual formations. The hall returned to murmuring.

But Shan Mu did not delay. He knew that the expectation was now even greater.

After all… There were still four final items left.

The formations on the stage shone again. The jade platform began to rise once more.

This time, a different object appeared.

It was a thick manual of dark jade.

It was positioned so that everyone in the hall could clearly see the title engraved on the cover.

“Skin Shedding Technique.”

Mei Li slightly tilted her head.

“Skin-Shedding Technique?”

She slightly frowned.

“What kind of technique is that…”

Kyrian and the others were also curious. After all… If that was one of the final items of the day… Then it certainly was not something common.

Shan Mu noticed the curiosity spread throughout the hall. He smiled slightly.

“This technique…”

“…is an extremely bizarre and rare technique found in an ancient tomb.”

The hall immediately became attentive.

Shan Mu continued.

“It allows the cultivator, once a month, during sleep…”

“…to go through a kind of skin shedding.”

Now everyone was completely focused. Shan Mu spoke slowly.

“The next morning… severe injuries will be partially healed.”

“Poisons will be expelled from the body.”

“And even damaged meridians will begin to regenerate.”

A murmur ran through the hall. Shan Mu concluded with a smile.

“It is almost like… being reborn a little.”

Now the expressions in the hall had completely changed. Surprise. Interest. Shock.

A technique capable of restoring the body like that… It was practically life insurance for cultivators.

Shan Mu then calmly announced.

“The starting bid is thirty thousand medium-grade spirit stones.”

The effects of Shan Mu’s words were immediate.

“Fifty thousand!”

“Sixty thousand!”

“Seventy thousand!”

The bids exploded through the hall like a sudden storm. Jade plaques rose from all sides, while eager voices echoed among the cultivators.

“Seventy-five thousand!”

“Seventy-eight thousand!”

“Eighty thousand”

In less than a few seconds, the price had already reached eighty thousand medium-grade spirit stones.

The entire hall was boiling.

It was natural. A technique like that was extremely rare. In battles between cultivators, surviving was often more important than winning.

A technique that allowed the body to partially regenerate on its own was practically a strategic treasure.

In the private rooms, several great forces had already begun to compete seriously.

“Ninety thousand.”

The calm voice came from one of the upper wings. Some common cultivators immediately gave up.

They knew that when the great sects and clans began to compete… the values quickly became absurd.

But the dispute was still far from over.

“One hundred thousand.”

Another bid came from the opposite wing. A murmur ran through the hall.

One hundred thousand medium-grade spirit stones was already a value that could sustain a common cultivator for many years.

Shan Mu kept a professional smile on his face, but inside he was extremely satisfied. This was exactly the type of dispute every auctioneer wished to see.

“One hundred thousand for the first time.”

But before he could continue…

“One hundred and ten thousand.”

The voice came again from one of the private rooms. Now the entire hall had calmed down a little.

Very few still had the resources to continue competing at that level. Even so, one last attempt appeared.

“One hundred and twenty thousand!”

The voice carried a slight tone of determination.

For a few seconds, no one responded.

Then…

“One hundred and thirty thousand.”

The voice was calm. Decisive. The entire hall fell silent.

One hundred and thirty thousand medium-grade spirit stones.

This value was already far beyond what most could even imagine spending on a single technique.

Shan Mu waited a few moments, observing the hall. No new bid appeared.

“One hundred and thirty thousand for the first time.”

“One hundred and thirty thousand for the second time.”

A pause.

“One hundred and thirty thousand for the third time.”

“Sold!”

Some murmurs arose in the hall. Another incredible item had found its owner.

Shan Mu quickly looked toward the upper wings with a satisfied gleam in his eyes. Today the auction had been an absolute success.

It was exactly the type of event that consolidated the reputation of the auction house.

But Shan Mu was experienced. He knew he should not let the energy of the hall cool down.

So, he smiled again.

“Now…”

“Let us continue.”

The spiritual formations on the stage began to shine again. Ancient runes lit up around the jade platform.

Slowly, the hidden mechanism began to move.

The central platform began to rise once more.

But even before the item appeared…

A thunderous sound echoed through the hall. It was the sound of lightning.

Some cultivators were startled. Others immediately widened their eyes.

“Lightning?!”

“What kind of item is this?”

Small electric arcs began to escape from the formation on the stage.

The air in the hall seemed to vibrate. The sound of thunder echoed repeatedly, as if a storm was about to form inside the auction itself.

Now everyone was completely focused on the stage. Expectation. Curiosity.

But there was one person who watched all of this with a corner smile.

A smile that clearly said. This item is mine.

Kyrian.

His eyes were fixed on the platform that slowly rose.

Finally. The item he wanted had arrived.

Since he had heard about it earlier, Kyrian knew he needed to obtain it. No matter the price. No matter who competed.

He needed this treasure.

After a few moments, the object finally fully emerged from the formation.

It was enormous. About two meters tall.

The entire hall fell silent for a moment. On the platform there was… a tree trunk.

But clearly it was not a common trunk.

The wood was twisted dark gray, as if it had been twisted by the very force of nature.

Purple veins ran throughout its entire surface. These veins glowed with an intense electric light.

Arcs of lightning constantly leapt around the trunk, like serpents made of pure energy.

The sound of thunder echoed repeatedly. The lightning Qi emanating from the object was extremely pure and violent.

Even distant cultivators could feel the energy pulsing in the air. But Kyrian saw something that no one else saw.

In the center of the trunk. Right in the heart of the wood. There was a point. A small fragment invisible to everyone else.

A particle of intent. Just as he had seen before. The ice intent. The blood intent . The sword intent. The gray flame.

And now…

The intent of lightning.

Kyrian’s eyes shone slightly. His heart accelerated. The greed grew instantly.

If he could absorb that…

Another ocular pair would awaken. Another power would arise.

For a moment, Kyrian almost wanted to stand up and simply walk to the stage. But he controlled himself.

Not yet. He breathed slowly.

The item would be his anyway.

Meanwhile, Shan Mu observed the shocked expressions in the hall. He smiled.

“This…”

“Is a Thousand-Year Lightning Wood Trunk.”

Immediately, several cultivators held their breath. Shan Mu continued.

“This tree was struck by lightning continuously for a millennium.”

“That fact alone would already make it a treasure worthy of appearing in our auction.”

He then pointed to the trunk.

“But what makes it even more special…”

“About three hundred years ago, a specialist in the path of thunder chose to cultivate and meditate upon this trunk.”

Now the entire hall was completely attentive.

“The intent and understanding of lightning from that specialist remained engraved in the wood.”

“Today…”

“Any cultivator who meditates near the trunk can feel remnants of that understanding.”

“Glimpses of the speed of lightning.”

“The power of thunder.”

“And the ephemeral nature of lightning.”

The murmurs immediately returned. But Shan Mu had not finished yet.

“Additionally…”

“For those who have not yet awakened elemental affinity…”

“Remaining near the Thousand-Year Trunk for years may, or may not, awaken affinity with lightning.”

Some people literally held their breath.

Lightning affinity. One of the most destructive and rare forms of Qi.

The expressions in the hall changed rapidly. Surprise. Desire.

This was definitely a supreme treasure of the lightning path. Any powerful sect or clan would wish to have something like this among their ranks.

But unfortunately for all of them… Kyrian had already decided.

This item would be his. One way or another.

Shan Mu then opened a smile and calmly announced.

“The starting bid…”

“Is thirty thousand medium-grade spirit stones.”

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