Alchemy Emperor of the Divine Dao c1-1294

by Flying Alone 孤单地飞

  A young and quick-tempered person like Sun Zi Yan would have naturally made quite a few enemies. However, most of them would waver in the face of the power of each other’s respective Clans and not push the issue. Thus, at this time, there were of course people ready to hit him when he was down.

  “Please cooperate, Young Master Sun,” the auctioneer said. Since Ling Han’s wealth was confirmed, then it was natural that Sun Zi Yan and Chen Yun Xiang had to be investigated as well. Otherwise, it would not be fair.

  The most important thing in the auction was to be fair, and what everyone hated the most was a malicious price war.

  Immediately, someone from the Spirit Treasures Pavilion entered into the private room of Sun Zi Yan and Chen Yun Xiang. After a while, the auctioneer said, “From the results of our investigation, the total sum of cash that Young Master Sun and Old Master Chen can pay is 9 million, which is very far from their bid of 30 million.”

  When these words were heard, quite a number of people smirked coldly. If they were not elites of Spiritual Ocean Tier, and had come specifically for the Foundation Building Pills, who would actually have more than 10 million on them?

  This time, Sun Zi Yan had really ruined his whole reputation.

  Sun Zi Yan and Chen Yun Xiang were immediately cast out of the Spirit Treasures Pavilion. Because it was Chen Yun Xiang who had made the bids, and he did not have any form of cultivation at all, there was no cultivation to be crippled. However, there was no way that the two of them would be allowed to enter into the Spirit Treasures Pavilion again for the rest of their lives.

  Chapter 188

  Translator: _Dark_Angel_ Editor: Kurisu

  Because there was a malicious price war involved, the previous bidding was naturally discarded. Ling Han once again made a bid, and managed to easily purchase the three Swift Cloud Talismans at 10 million.

  Practically no one made a counter-bid, because they were all aware of Ling Han’s wealth. He did not even blink and simply threw out a bid of 40 million like that, and what was even more terrifying was his credit limit of 1 billion. If anyone actually offended him, then when something that they wanted came up in the auction and Ling Han actually joined in on the bidding, who would be able to compete?

  Very soon, a representative from the Spirit Treasures Pavilion delivered the three Swift Cloud Talismans over. As for money, he naturally had no need to pay now—it would be the Spirit Treasures Pavilion who would be giving Ling Han money!

  The Eldest Imperial Prince was both astonished and curious. Where had Ling Han gotten so much money from, and how had he gotten such serious attention from the Spirit Treasures Pavilion? He had naturally done his own investigation on Ling Han’s background. Aside from that short time period shortly after his birth, this guy was a complete village boy. In the bounds of the Imperial City, the Ling Clan did not even qualify as an actual Clan.

  But Ling Han suddenly rose up, and his rise took more or less only about half a year. This was really a miracle that no one could see through at all.

  The auction continued. After a few unremarkable small items, the third Foundation Building Pill finally appeared on the stage in a glorious display. The Eldest Imperial Prince finally decided to throw everything into the gamble this time round. However, there were many others who had the same thought as him, and very quickly, the bidding price of the alchemical pill was pushed up to the high price of 20 million.

  The Eldest Imperial Prince could only stare and secretly regret how he had not decisively acted the previous two times. And now, he couldn’t even get one pill with his 20 million.

  The Spirit Treasures Pavilion seemed to practically sell anything one could think of. Not just alchemical pills and decorative items, they also sold various ingredients, cultivation techniques, and martial arts techniques. There were even treasure maps mixed in. However, there were no Spirit Tools up for auction this time round. Otherwise, Ling Han would really want to get one of his own.

  Because the martial arts and cultivation techniques that were on auction were really too low-grade, Ling Han naturally did not have the slightest interest. He was practically nodding off where he was sitting. Anyways, he needed not buy the Foundation Building Pills at all.

  The fourth pill, the fifth pill, and the sixth pill were quickly auctioned off. As the number of Foundation Building Pills became less and less, the price became higher and higher. The eighth pill was even auctioned off for the astronomical price of 28 million. That was more than double the price of the first pill.

  This caused that elite of Spiritual Ocean Tier from the Li Clan to delightedly laugh for quite some time. Though the price of 13 million caused him to feel heartache earlier on, when compared with the current price, he was naturally happy to have bought it for only that much.

  There was only one pill left. Without a doubt, the final bid of this last Foundation Building Pill would definitely break through the price of 30 million!

  …Gods know when there would be new Foundation Building Pills again.

  “20 million!”

  True enough, the base price of 5 million had just been announced when someone immediately placed the high bid of 20 million. It was natural that the last pill would be worth more than 20 million, so what was the point of wasting their time making small bids of less than 20 million?

  Ling Han could not help but clap his hands, and said, “I like that kind of person, very straightforward!”

  Liu Yu Tong and Li Si Chan both covered their mouths and laughed lightly. Who would not like someone who would be delivering money to him?

  Meanwhile, the Eldest Imperial Prince was slightly confused. He thought that Ling Han himself was a straightforward person and so admired that kind of person as well, and could not help but ask himself honestly if he were a straightforward person. If he was not, would it be very difficult for him to befriend Ling Han then?

  “25 million!” There was quite a number of people with straightforward characters. Another immediately added another 5 million to the bid.

  “26 million!”

  “27 million!”

  “28 million!”

  “29 million!”

  It was as if the price of 30 million was a new level. After the last bid was shouted out, a silence fell on the crowd. For the moment, none made another bid. The publicly acknowledged price of the Foundation Building Pill was at around 10 million, but because there was no shortage of buyers and no one actually willing to sell it, the astronomical price of over 20 million naturally came about. However, no one’s money came falling down from the skies, so they naturally could not simply spend excessively.

  Moreover, aside from alchemists, who could actually produce a massive amount of over 10 million? Such an amount would definitely have been the collective savings of a party, so how could it be spent so thoughtlessly?

  …The majority of time of martial artists was spent on cultivation, so where would they have the time to earn money? For example, in the Ling Clan, there was a few hundred people working in businesses and earning money to support the few dozens of people in the Clan who could ascend up the path of martial arts and would thus be able to protect the wealth of the Ling Clan.

  It was precisely because they were spending the money of their Clans or parties that it was unavoidable that they would hesitate, considering carefully whether or not they should spend such an astronomical sum.

  “30 million!” Finally, someone broke the silence. It was an elite of Spiritual Ocean Tier from a middle-class clan.

  For the Eight Great Clans, one more Spiritual Pedestal Tier elite would equate to an additional source of peak military power, and was very significant. However, it was not to the extent that there would be any real solid change to their power base. However, for a middle-class clan, if there was a Spiritual Pedestal Tier elite in their ranks, that would definitely mean a complete transformation, and allow the Clan to be on a completely different level than previously.

  Thus, middle-class clans were mo
re desperate to get the Foundation Building Pill, and were also ready to go to crazier lengths for it.

  “41 million!”

  “42 million!”

  “43 million!”

  Finally, only three Clans were left. The eyes of the representatives from these clans were all red and they completely looked like they were ready to throw everything away and spare no expenses just to get their hands on the final Foundation Building Pill.

  “Hehe, even after swallowing the Foundation Building Pill, you would only have about 10-20% chance to break through. Why do the two of you have to compete so ferociously with me?” one of them asked.

  “Then, why won’t Brother Ma allow me to have this chance?” another asked.

  “This is a Foundation Building Pill worth thirteen Stars. It’s not just a 10-20% chance, but is close to 30%!” The third person humphed coldly. “If you can’t afford to make a bid, then don’t embarrass yourself!”

  “Then let’s continue!”

  Finally, the price was fixed at 49 million.

  Everyone had already guessed that the last Foundation Building Pill would definitely get the highest price, but the price that almost reached 50 million still caused everyone to be dumbstruck. That was how an auction was like. There was no need for too many rich people—as long as there were at least two parties willing to place bids, that would be enough.

  Just like how Ling Han and Chen Yun Xiang placed competing bids for the Swift Cloud Talismans, when it caused the price to soar all the way up to 40 million. It was only the fact that Chen Yun Xiang was not able to produce so much cash that the earlier bidding was rendered void.

  Ling Han calculated for a moment, and could not help but feel a slight shock himself, because the nine Foundation Building Pills altogether were auctioned off for a price of 225 million! Even after the service charge of 14% was deducted, that would also be almost double the price of directly selling off 1 pill for 10 million.

  Liu Yu Tong and Li Si Chan also calculated it and were shocked as well. Such an astronomical number was enough to compare to the annual total income of a Great Clan!

  Total income, not total profit!

  In other words, Ling Han had earned more than the accumulated earnings of a Great Clan for one year in this single day!

  Alchemists really earned too much money.

  But that would depend on the person as well. Aside from Ling Han, what other alchemist could concoct these nine Foundation Building Pills without having exploded a few dozen furnaces first? And if it was an Earth Grade alchemist… did an Earth Grade alchemist still need such an earthly item like money?

  If an Earth Grade alchemist actually concocted an Earth Grade middle level or even high level treasured pill, then even selling off the whole Rain Country would not be enough!

  The auction this time round ended smoothly, and Ling Han went to the backstage to settle his bill—the Eldest Imperial Prince naturally thought he had gone to pay the money for his three Swift Cloud Talismans, and would have never imagined that Ling Han had gone to receive his money. Moreover, the sum that he was receiving was enough to cause even an Imperial Prince like him to stop breathing.

  “Young Master Han, the nine Foundation Building Pills have been auctioned off for a total of 225 million, and subtracting the 14% service charge, as well as the 10 million that you have withdrawn in advance earlier on, there is still 183 million and 500 thousand left.” Jia Bo Yun handed over a stack of monetary notes to Ling Han. So much money naturally could not possibly be paid in gold.

  He already knew that Ling Han was about to become a Black Grade high level alchemist, and could even possibly step into Earth Grade, and so he used a respectful address for him, hoping that Ling Han could concoct an Earth Grade pill that could help a Spiritual Pedestal Tier elite to break through. Otherwise, with his status, there was no need for him to be so respectful to this extent.

  Ling Han smiled and received the money from him. He did not even spare it a second look and simply put it away. He knew that the other would not dare to embezzle his money.

  Chapter 189

  Translator: _Dark_Angel_ Editor: Kurisu

  As the auction ended, everyone naturally returned home. Those who had managed to buy items they liked were naturally happy, while those who had not went home sighing and shaking their heads. Ling Han, meanwhile, was the biggest winner of today, having received a massive wealth of close to 200 million. If this news was actually spread out, then there may actually people who attempted to rob him on his way back. If they actually managed to succeed, there would be no need to worry about money for the rest of their lives.

  Thankfully, there did not appear any such blind people.

  When he returned to Hu Yang Academy, Ling Han went to bed. There was not much difference between 100 or 200 million and scrap paper in his eyes, so there was no need for him to keep counting his money like some kind of miser.

  Early the next morning, he naturally woke up to cultivate as per usual. His advancement rate was too fast by now. He had just broken through to the ninth layer of Element Gathering Tier two days ago, yet now he was already close to the late period of the ninth layer. There was only one more step left and he would be in the peak period, ready to attempt breaking through to Gushing Spring Tier.

  ‘Should I try out that ?’ Ling Han pondered, after he was done cultivating.

  In his last life, he had ventured into a considerable number of historical sites, and had naturally managed to obtain quite a number of cultivation and martial arts techniques, as well as a few personal letters that he suspected had been written by an elite of Shattering Void Tier. There was a certain possibility mentioned in these letters.

  Tenth layer of Element Gathering Tier!

  Nine was the utmost number of this world, so nine was considered the top of everything in this world. The king of yesterday and tomorrow referred to the Emperors of the mortal world. It was the same in the field of martial arts; whether it was from Body Refining Tier or all the way to Heaven Tier, the ninth layer was considered the top level that one could aspire to.

  And from Body Refining to Heaven Tier, there were also actually nine tiers. The last Shattering Void Tier would break one’s mortal shackles, and was the step that would allow one to shatter the void to become a god. It was a bridge that connected to the other shore, and could be considered as the evasive one.

  However, there was an ancient almighty character that had mentioned that, in fact, one could actually still cultivate to the extreme layer in every tier, until perfection.

  The notes that Ling Han had obtained only mentioned that it was possible to form the tenth Origin Nucleus in Element Gathering Tier, break the limit of nine and catch the evasive one and really obtain perfection.

  The benefits of such a thing were endless.

  One had to understand that after Element Gathering Tier, what lay ahead was Gushing Spring Tier, and in this tier, the martial artist would transform the Origin Nuclei he had into springs that gushed out Origin Power in his Dantian. After Gushing Spring Tier was Spiritual Ocean Tier, which was to transform these springs into endless oceans of Origin Power.

  Spiritual Pedestal, Flower Blossoming, Spiritual Infant, Deity Transformation… all the subsequent tiers were closely related to this. From this aspect, the Element Gathering Tier was actually the foundation of one’s path of martial arts, and had far-reaching consequences.

  …Body Refining Tier was only to refine one’s blood and flesh, bones and tendons, while only in Element Gathering would one open up his Dantian, and could finally be considered as having officially stepped onto the path of a cultivator.

  As a result, to be able to reach the ultimate limits of a mortal body in Element Gathering Tier and reach perfection would have benefits that would last for the rest of one’s lifetime.

  The problem here was that that ancient almighty person had only mentioned that it was theoretically possible, but had not managed to accomplish it himself. It was because
he had returned to consider this issue only after he had reached a very high cultivation level. However, time was irreversible, so he could not possibly return to Element Gathering Tier to once again begin cultivating.

  There was a large lapse in the history of the martial arts of this land, and there was also a large number of alchemical pill formulae that had been lost in the passage of time. It was likely that some unknown massive catastrophe happened in the era of that almighty person. Anyways, his theory had never been spread out and known by others, not to mention attempted. It was thus lost in the pages of history—until the notes came to be discovered by Ling Han.

  For the Ling Han of that time, these notes naturally did not have much use. However, who would have thought that his body would have been shattered by the black tower, and his soul, after 10 000 years, would be reborn in the body of a young man, which gave him an opportunity to start again from the beginning?

  ‘It seems like, in a mysterious way, this was destined.’ Ling Han pinched his chin, obviously a bit hesitant.

  Forming the tenth nucleus was nothing to play around with. Nine was the ultimate limit, and was an absolute balance. However, if he decided to push in by force the tenth nucleus, that would undoubtedly shatter this delicate balance, and could possibly lead to a terrible disaster.

  Otherwise, after so many generations of elites and geniuses, why had no one ever thought of the possibility of ten nuclei, or even twenty?

  This naturally showed how difficult it was to actually take this step, or perhaps even how impossible a feat it seemed.

  ‘Forget it, l’ll reach the peak period of the ninth layer, then consider it again.’ Ling Han shook his head, and did not continue to waste his time pondering this issue.

  By afternoon, he received a piece of good news and a piece of bad news.

  The good news was that Mo Gao had come out of seclusion, and had successfully ascended to Gushing Spring Tier.

  “Teacher Mo, congratulations for breaking through.” Ling Han sensed a powerful wave of Origin Power and immediately rushed over to Mo Gao’s courtyard. True enough, he very quickly saw Mo Gao walk out of his house. Though he looked a little disheveled, his essence, energy, and spirit were shockingly strong.