Flash!
Flash!
Flash!
As expected by everyone, a frenzied bidding war instantly erupted, filling the auction theater with flashing lights as bidding hologram after bidding hologram popped up, revealing each bidder's price.
The number instantly surged past one billion, and after just a minute, soared past the ten billion mark. This price made it so that most of the cultivators in the crowd could no longer bid on it, causing sour expressions to appear on their faces, although the outcome was expected for such an item.
Most of the bids were now made by those on the upper parts of the auction theater, where the most influential and wealthy cultivators were. Even the monstrously powerful World Expansion cultivators bid on the item, despite the fact that they could not enter themselves.
If they won a seal, they would either be able to give it to someone they personally knew to enter, or could most likely sell it off for an even higher price after the auction. As such, almost everyone on the upper floors of the auction theater placed bids, including the Yalgul Plaagoth Daoist Ashenblood, and even Sect Leader Thunderfist.
John noticed Thunderfists booth light up, and felt a warmth in his heart as he clearly knew why Thunderfist was bidding on the item. Neither he nor his brother could enter, and the only people they knew who could enter was either him, or John's master, Lilian. John thought of sending a message to Thunderfist that he was also bidding on it, but decided against it.
If both him and Thunderfist managed to get a seal, then either his master could enter with one of the seals, or Thunderfist could sell it off for a higher price later on, depending on if Lilian even wanted to enter the land beyond the Divine Wall.
Flash!
Flash!
Flash!
Twenty billion!
Thirty billion!
Forty billion!
Fifty billion!
The price surged without pause, shattering through the fifty billion spirit crystal mark that only the seal for Daoist Eternal Weapon had managed to do, indicating the frenzied excitement for obtaining such an item. However, despite the frenzied excitement, even the wealthiest had their limits.
As such, the bidding naturally started to slow down once it reached this phase. It was at this time that John decided to join the fray, as it appeared that the bidding would reach its conclusion before long. With the way the bidding was structured, the top five bidders would each win a seal.
Naturally, everyone wanted to be the fifth bidder, winning a seal at the lowest price. If one was knocked off the fifth spot by another bid, they would need to rebid at the highest price, and so a game of sorts was formed as each of the top bidders tried to guess at which price the bidding would end.
Fifty-five billion!
John placed his bid, while the formation hologram just outside his private booth lit up, revealing his bid amount. Frowns appeared on the faces of many, including the one who had been ousted from the fifth spot.
"The fucking Trade Master again," Doaist Ashenblood grumbled as she placed another bid, as she had been the one to be knocked off the fifth spot.
Flash!
Fifty six billion!
.
.
.
Flash!
Two more flashes of light from the bidding holograms appeared as two more bids were placed, with the total price reaching sixty billion spirit crystals. Silence filled the auction theater as everyone held their breath, waiting to see if another bid would be placed. However, those able to afford such a bid amount were few and far between, and the nature of this particular auction lowered the bid amounts when compared to if only one was able to obtain the item.
If only one person was able to obtain the item, the bidding amount would surely reach over one hundred billion spirit crystals. However, since one only needed to be in the top five to obtain an item, the overall price lowered naturally. At the same time though, the total amount of spirit crystals going to the Divine Source Monastery was higher than if they had just auctioned it off to a singular person, revealing that this bidding method was quite ingenious.
The second passed by as no more bids were placed, and after ten seconds, a resounding gong rang out, signaling the end of the bidding war and the conclusion of the annual Five-River Freeport auction.
"Sold! The five Divine Source Monastery seals have been sold for a mind-blowing total value of two hundred and ten billion spirit crystals! Congratulations to the five bidders who each won a seal!" the auctioneer exclaimed with overwhelming excitement, as the auction house took a small percentage of the sale amount, and so they were to be flushed with spirit crystals in the near future.
John sighed out in relief as his bid stalled at the third-place spot, which was good enough for him. His gaze shifted to the opposite side of the venue, where Sect Leader Thunderfist was located. Against all odds, Thunderfist had managed to win a seal at the fifth spot, obtaining a seal for forty billion spirit crystals; a steal when compared to the price the top two had paid.
"Congratulations," the Trade Master said to John with a small smile on his face. "This auction has been quite expensive, yet quite lucrative for you. You obtained a Nine-Convergence Lightning Core, Daoist Eternal Weapon's seal, and now the seal from the Divine Source Monastery, and also sold five hundred billion spirit crystals worth of Heaven-Dao Tea Leaves. If I had to say who won this auction, it would most definitely be you," the Trade Master praised.
"I never knew an auction could be this exciting. It's got my blood boiling almost as much as a life-or-death battle would," John replied to the Trade Master, feeling excitement surging through his body.
"And now you know why some of us pursue the Dao of Trade and Business so fervently. If there is risk, there is passion, and if there is passion, then that is something worth pursuing with your every fiber," the Trade Master replied.
"I can see that now," John replied while falling back into his comfortable seat and taking a deep breath.
"What are you going to do now?" Caz asked John curiously, as the auction was officially over.
"Hmm, well first I need to collect my items, and then I suppose I'll pay a visit to Daoist Eternal Weapon. With the Divine Source Monastery opening the Divine Wall in three months, obtaining that weapon has become even more important!"
