A calm, unassuming voice slowly came from Box Heaven Number Two. No aggression, no dramatics, just a simple number, as if stating something utterly ordinary.
Yet that number once again stunned the entire auction hall into silence, effortlessly pushing the price past the million mark to an even more suffocating height.
This is real wealth! This is the true strength of a top-tier force!
The previous million-level skirmish, in their eyes, was probably just an appetizer.
"One… one hundred ten thousand?!" A cultivator in the audience trembled, barely daring to believe their own ears.
"Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion… I knew it had to be them! This is their real power!"
"My heavens… wasn't a million upper-grade spirit stones enough?!"
"Those aren't even mid-grade spirit stones! I've never seen this many upper-grade spirit stones in my life!"
Elder Tie shuddered violently at the price, all the remaining strength drained instantly, and he slumped in his chair, face pale as gold paper, eyes completely devoid of light.
One hundred ten thousand… it's over… completely hopeless…
In Box Earth Number Three, Yu Mingxi's face mirrored the same pallor, drained of any blood.
One hundred ten thousand!
This price completely snuffed out any sliver of hope he might have harbored. Tianyin Sect could never pay such an absurd amount for a single sapling. Even if his Master were here, they wouldn't approve. A deep wave of helplessness and defeat washed over him.
Beside him, silently observing all this, Yu Xiaotang suddenly spoke, her voice still crisp and pleasant, yet somehow unfamiliar to Yu Mingxi.
"One hundred fifteen thousand."
She raised the price directly by fifty thousand, pushing it even higher.
Yu Mingxi snapped his head toward her, staring at Yu Xiaotang with an expression bordering on disbelief, his face full of shock and utter amazement.
One hundred fifteen thousand upper-grade spirit stones! How could she access this much?
The Hehuan Sect was wealthy, sure, but mobilizing such a huge sum in one go was no small feat. And Yu Xiaotang wasn't even the Sect Master—she was the Young Sect Master. Where did she get the authority to deploy such an astronomical number of spirit stones?
Could it be… the Hehuan Sect's backing for her was already this terrifying? Or… was there some other support behind her?
Countless questions and shock flooded Yu Mingxi's mind. He realized he'd never truly seen through this seemingly delicate Young Sect Master of Hehuan Sect.
Yu Xiaotang felt his burning gaze but didn't even twitch an eyelid, calmly watching below, as if her previous action was nothing more than a trivial task.
She waited until now to act, not just to wait for the so-called top forces to reveal some of their cards, but to make Yu Mingxi utterly hopeless, striking him with the heaviest blow when he least expected it. This wouldn't just crush his confidence—it'd force him, and Tianyin Sect behind him, to reevaluate Yu Xiaotang's value and strength.
It would also make this self-important, stubborn disciple of Tianyin Sect clearly understand just how laughable and shortsighted his previous claims of not allying with her were. He thought the Young Sect Master of Hehuan Sect was just a vase needing support? He thought Tianyin Sect could arbitrarily decide cooperation?
Foolish!
To her, he was just a tool to rack points. Does he really think he's that important?
The moment she announced one hundred fifteen thousand—
[Beep! Detected extreme emotional fluctuation in Yu Mingxi.]
[Yu Mingxi favorability -5]
[Yu Mingxi favorability -10]
[Yu Mingxi favorability -15]
A rapid sequence of alert tones sounded in Yu Xiaotang's mind, showing Yu Mingxi's shock, confusion, and maybe even a hint of betrayal or indignation.
Yu Xiaotang didn't care, she actually felt a little pleased.
Fall hard!
The bigger the shock, the more thoroughly he'd awaken.
Sure enough, after several moments of Yu Mingxi's incredulous stare—
[Beep! Yu Mingxi favorability +10!]
[Yu Mingxi favorability +15!]
[Beep! Yu Mingxi favorability +25!]
The alert tones abruptly shifted, the favorability soaring like a rocket.
Finally, the number stabilized at an unprecedented height.
[Current Yu Mingxi favorability: 85]
[Congratulations, the target's favorability has reached 80. Forty points granted. System rewards distributed, please check.]
Yu Xiaotang's lips curled into a satisfied smile at the system's reward announcement.
Yu Mingxi was finally "captured." For someone like him, who valued sect interests and strength above all, a shocking display of power was far more effective than mere flattery or obedience.
This kind of respect based on strength and value, though practical, was the most solid and useful.
Whether he genuinely liked her or not? Does it matter?
The goal was achieved.
Yu Xiaotang immediately refocused on the auction below.
Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion had caught up, pushing the price to one hundred twenty thousand.
She didn't hesitate again, calling out:
"One hundred twenty-five thousand!"
Box Heaven Number Two seemed slightly surprised, silent for a moment.
Yu Xiaotang's sudden intervention had disrupted their rhythm a little, though they quickly responded with a number.
"One hundred thirty thousand."
"One hundred thirty-five thousand!"
The prices rose rapidly between Yu Xiaotang and Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion, surpassing one hundred fifty thousand in no time.
Yu Xiaotang's fingertips trembled slightly.
One hundred fifty thousand… this already exceeded her initial estimate.
She'd need to tap into some unconventional reserves… but she could still manage!
She inhaled deeply, preparing to bid again—
In Box Heaven Number Three.
Xie Zhaolin watched the bidding below calmly, her gaze flickering beneath her cloak.
One hundred fifty thousand upper-grade spirit stones… Yu Xiaotang could really follow to this price?
That was surprising.
Based on her understanding of Hehuan Sect, even as Young Sect Master, mobilizing such a huge sum at once wouldn't be easy and would face plenty of restrictions.
Had Yu Xiaotang's control over her sect already reached this level?
Then again, it wasn't impossible.
In her previous life, the elders of Hehuan Sect had suddenly disregarded etiquette, choosing to ambush her Nascent Soul cultivation self without hesitation, proving just how much influence Yu Xiaotang held within the sect. Without her own senior sister now, it made sense she could access even more resources. It seemed… her "good junior sister" had grown faster than expected.
But this Soul Nurturing Sapling was hers to get. No matter what cards Yu Xiaotang held, that wouldn't change.
Decision made, Xie Zhaolin didn't hesitate.
That hoarse, calm voice sounded again from Box Heaven Number Three.
"One hundred sixty thousand."