Chapter 261: Cloud Empire (81)

The hall was still murmuring after the sale of the Golden Crane egg when Shan Mu raised his hand again. His gesture was simple.

But it immediately caught everyone’s attention. After all…

That was the last item of the auction.

The last treasure was prepared especially for that occasion. Many cultivators straightened in their seats.

Even those who had already spent all their spirit stones still watched with curiosity.

They knew that the final item of a great auction was rarely something common.

Shan Mu waited a few seconds until the hall completely calmed down.

Then he smiled.

“Ladies and gentlemen…”

“We have reached the final item of this day.”

As soon as he finished speaking, the spiritual formations on the stage began to shine intensely. Ancient runes appeared around the jade platform, pulsing with energy.

The hidden mechanism began to move. Slowly, the central platform began to rise once again.

But before the object even appeared completely…

An energy began to spread through the hall. An extremely pure Qi. Heavy. Stable.

Some cultivators immediately frowned.

“Affinity… earth?”

Another cultivator murmured in surprise.

The Qi spreading through the hall carried an extremely pure earth affinity. It was dense. Ancient.

It seemed to carry the weight of eras. Everyone’s curiosity increased even more.

When the object finally emerged completely from the formation, the entire hall fell silent. On the platform there was a rough gem. It was large. The size of a human head.

Its surface was irregular, as if it had been torn directly from a mountain. The stone pulsed with a soft orange light.

Each pulse seemed almost… alive. As if a heart were beating inside it.

The earth energy emanating from the gem was constant and deep. Some experienced cultivators in the hall immediately widened their eyes.

They had understood. But there were also many who were completely confused.

For them, it seemed like just a large gem. Nothing more.

But the eyes of several people in the rooms on the third floor had become extremely serious. Some even showed greed without trying to hide it.

Shan Mu perfectly noticed the reactions spread throughout the hall.

He wasted no time. With a calm smile, he began to explain.

“This…”

“Is not a common gem.”

The entire hall fell silent. Shan Mu continued.

“It is the spiritual core of a dead mountain.”

Immediately, some murmurs arose. But he slightly raised his hand and continued the explanation.

“Rarely… some mountains accumulate spiritual energy over thousands of years.”

“These mountains naturally become rich in mineral veins and spiritual herbs.”

Some people began to understand. Shan Mu then said calmly.

“But sometimes… these mountains die.”

“Either due to natural cataclysms.”

“Or due to the complete exhaustion of their spiritual veins.”

He pointed to the gem on the platform.

“When that happens… rarely does anything remain.”

“But in extremely rare cases…”

“A core like this remains.”

Some cultivators held their breath. Shan Mu then declared clearly.

“This item is known as…”

“Heart of the Mountain.”

Now the murmurs exploded throughout the hall.

Even those who did not know immediately began to understand the importance of that. Shan Mu continued his explanation.

“Whoever possesses the Heart of the Mountain can bury it in any hill or rocky formation.”

“With time…”

“The spiritual energy inside the core will begin to transform that location.”

He made a small dramatic pause.

“Decades later…”

“That hill will become a spiritual mountain.”

Now several people literally widened their eyes. Shan Mu continued.

“Mineral veins will begin to appear.”

“Spiritual herbs will grow naturally.”

“The land around it will become extremely rich in Qi.”

He then concluded.

“In about fifty to one hundred years…”

“That location may become a true paradise of spiritual resources.”

People’s expressions quickly changed. Shock. Desire.

That was much more than a simple treasure. It was an investment for the future.

A sect or clan that possessed something like that could transform a common region into a base rich in spiritual resources. Over decades… Or even centuries.

Shan Mu then calmly announced.

“The starting bid…”

“Is fifty thousand mid-grade spirit stones.”

As soon as he finished speaking.

“Seventy thousand!”

“Ninety thousand!”

“One hundred thousand!”

The bids appeared immediately.

Different from several previous items, almost no one hesitated. Even some cultivators in the main hall decided to try their luck.

“One hundred and twenty thousand!”

“One hundred and thirty thousand!”

In a few moments, the value had already surpassed one hundred and fifty thousand spirit stones.

That was when the private rooms began to act seriously.

A calm voice echoed.

“One hundred and sixty thousand.”

Another responded right after.

“One hundred and eighty thousand.”

Shan Mu observed everything with an increasingly bigger smile. Now the real dispute was beginning.

An elegant voice echoed from the third floor.

“Two hundred thousand spirit stones.”

Some cultivators immediately recognized that voice.

It was the representative of the Jade Palace.

But she did not remain alone for long.

Another voice responded.

“Two hundred and ten thousand.”

This one came from the Circle of Clouds.

Soon after, another force entered the dispute.

“Two hundred and twenty thousand.”

It was someone from the Cloud Academy.

The entire hall was silent now. This was already a dispute between truly powerful forces.

But there was one more participant.

A calm and imposing voice echoed from a luxurious room on the third floor.

“Two hundred and thirty thousand spirit stones.”

Some people immediately exchanged glances.

This was a representative of the royal family of the Cloud Empire.

Now the atmosphere had completely changed.

Everyone knew that this dispute would be brutal.

“Two hundred and forty thousand!”

“Two hundred and fifty thousand!”

The bids continued rising quickly.

None of the forces wanted to give up. Everyone understood the value of that item.

Even if the investment would take decades to give a return…

In one hundred years, it was almost certain that the spent value would be recovered.

And more importantly…

The spiritual mountain would continue to exist for generations. Producing rare minerals. Spiritual herbs. Valuable resources.

It was a treasure that would benefit an entire sect for centuries.

But little by little, some competitors began to give up. The Jade Palace was the first. Soon after, the Circle of Clouds also retreated. The Cloud Academy still tried to compete for a few more bids.

But in the end… They also gave up. After all…

Competing in wealth against the imperial family was not something easy.

The voice of the representative of the Cloud Empire finally declared.

“Three hundred thousand spirit stones.”

The entire hall fell silent. No other bid appeared. Shan Mu waited a few moments before beginning the count.

“Three hundred thousand spirit stones.”

“Going once.”

Pause.

“Going twice.”

A few more seconds.

“Going three times.”

“Sold!”

Some murmurs of admiration passed through the hall. Three hundred thousand spirit stones. It was a value that many cultivators would never see in their entire lives.

Shan Mu then took a deep breath and looked around the hall. His smile was wide.

“With that…”

“I officially declare the grand auction of today closed.”

Some cultivators began to stand up. Others were still discussing excitedly about the treasures that had appeared.

It truly had been a memorable auction.

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