The stage was shaped like a semi-circle, looking very elegant as it was designed for perfect visibility from every angle in the massive hall.
Master Feng stood at the center. The plain-robed elder was at the peak of Primal Grandmaster Realm. His presence commanded attention without effort. His cultivation radiated outward subtly, a reminder of his power.
Two beauties flanked him on either side, both at the peak of Primal Master Realm. Their cultivation was no joke despite their appearance. They wore flowing silk robes, one in blue and the other in green. Their faces were carefully neutral, looking professional.
Master Feng cleared his throat. "Cough cough... Let the auction begin." His voice was calm, kind even. Like a grandfather speaking to beloved grandchildren. "The first item of the auction will officially be revealed..."
The crowd leaned forward as anticipation filled the air. This was it, the mont they'd all been waiting for.
The beauty in blue stepped forward gracefully. She carried sothing in her hands. A stone. But not just any stone.
She placed it on a pedestal at the center of the stage. The display formations activated and light focused on the object, magnifying it so everyone could see clearly.
A Chilling Ice Stone.
Cold emanated from it in visible waves. The air around it shimred as frost ford on the pedestal's surface. Even from his elevated box, Kael could feel the temperature drop slightly.
The stone itself was beautiful, looking pale blue, almost white. It was translucent. Light passed through it but diffused strangely. The whole experience was like looking at the world through ice.
Chilling Ice Stones gave off coldness all year round. They were natural treasures that were rare but not impossibly so. One piece was normally worth around ten thousand low-grade Primal Stones. It was useful for cultivation techniques that required cold energy. Or for preserving materials. Or just keeping rooms cool during sumr.
However, Master Feng's expression suggested they weren't selling the stone itself.
The beauty in blue reached into the stone. Her hand passed through its surface like it was water. She pulled out sothing small. A tiny, crystal clear bottle filled with liquid that glowed faintly.
She held it up. The display formations focused tighter. Everyone in the hall could see it perfectly now.
"This is the Ice Essence Spiritual Fluid," Master Feng announced. His voice carried weight and authority. "It cos from one of the Four Great Inheritances of the Elental Path. The Mystic Ice Inheritance specifically."
A ripple went through the crowd. Surprised murmurs and whispers. The Four Great Inheritances were legendary and everyone knew the na. Few had ever seen genuine artifacts from them.
"This fluid possesses remarkable properties," Master Feng continued. His voice rose slightly, building excitent. "It can allow a normal person to easily reach Primal Master Realm. But that is not its most valuable trait."
He paused to let the tension build.
"The best component of this fluid is its high percentage chance of granting soone without a special body or bloodline the ability to develop a Mystic Ice Bloodline."
The hall exploded with noise, gasps, and shouts. Excited conversations broke out everywhere.
A wave of discussion rose from the main floor. Even the private boxes showed signs of activity with shadows moving as people leaned forward to get better looks.
Kael sat back in his chair. His mind worked through the implications.
Everyone knew that although the population of the Endless Plains continent was almost ten billion, those who possessed special bodies or bloodlines were extrely rare. Maybe one in a million, maybe way less.
The vast majority of cultivators had mortal bodies—normal, unremarkable bodies without special physique or bloodline. They could still cultivate and could still grow stronger, but there were limits. Hard limits that talent and effort alone couldn't overco.
Kael rembered a story of Zhao Ling from the Zhao family of a top fifteen faction. Zhao Ling had been called a genius in his youth. Talented, hardworking, and dedicated.
But in the world of true power, among the great clans and sects, he was considered trash. Why? Because he only had a mortal body with no special physique or bloodline advantage.
He'd peaked at Primal Master Realm and could never advance further. The gap between Master and Grandmaster required sothing more. Sothing he simply didn't possess.
Only those who had a special body or bloodline had any real chance of reaching Grandmaster Realm. And even then, success depended heavily on the rank or grade of their physique.
Low-grade special bodies might allow advancent to early Grandmaster. High-grade physiques could potentially reach peak Grandmaster or beyond.
However, talent obtained through bloodline wasn't certain. It definitely wasn't guaranteed.
The descendants of experts were obviously more likely to be talented, having inherited advantages like better resources and superior techniques. But it wasn't absolute as bloodlines could thin, skip generations, or fail to manifest.
There were many juniors of big families who had useless talents despite their lineage. They found it hard to even break through to Grandmaster Realm.
So would never reach Primal Master Realm no matter how much effort they put in. They were considered disappointnts to their families. Wastes of resources.
"This Ice Essence Spiritual Fluid is indeed mysterious," Kael thought. His expression remained neutral but his mind raced. "It can allow a mortal to easily reach Primal Master Realm. None of the Four Great Inheritances are simple."
He felt sowhat speechless thinking about his own journey. How much effort he'd gone through to reach Primal Adept Realm. The dungeons, the battles, the near-death experiences, and the constant struggle.
Whereas a simple bottle of spiritual fluid here in i Kingdom could make soone a Primal Master expert. Just like that, in the blink of an eye. Change soone's entire destiny with a single item.
The world wasn't fair. He'd known that for a long ti. But sotis the degree of unfairness still surprised him.
"Ice Essence Spiritual Fluid," Master Feng announced. His voice cut through the noise and brought order back. "Starting price is one million low-grade Primal Stones. Every bid must be higher by at least ten thousand than the last."
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