NOVEL FROG Chapter 123: Dreamlike Treasure
"The 'Submerged Silver Inner Armor', woven from one thousand five hundred strands of 'Blue Ocean Submerged Silver Alloy', offers exceptional flexibility and can expand to 1.5 times its original size without losing its defensive properties. It can withstand five consecutive attacks from the fourth soul skill of powerful assault-type soul masters. For single-point or lower-level attacks, beneath Soul Elder range, within its protective radius, it remains unbreakable... Furthermore—"
Ling Yi paused, glancing around at the three appraisers and Xiao Tie, smiled lightly, and continued, "After the inner armor suffers wear and tear from attacks, it can be partially restored through soul power nurturing!"
"..."
After another moment of silence, the elder appraiser from the auction house was the first to recover, casting a glance at Jiang Yuan who stood together with Zhang Mufeng and the others, then addressing Ling Yi, "Esteemed guest, it seems your 'Submerged Silver Inner Armor' is the work of a master blacksmith, perhaps even a new creation of a blacksmith grandmaster. The defensive capabilities aside, if what you say about it being rejuvenated through soul power nurturing is true, the material value alone would prompt many blacksmiths to vie for research…"
"I believe we can start the auction at a price of ten thousand gold soul coins. How do you find that offer?"
Ling Yi naturally agreed to the starting price of ten thousand gold soul coins.
The 'Blue Ocean Submerged Silver Alloy' was developed alongside 'Heavy Profound Steel' and 'Vitality Gold Stage I' as a special soul power metal. Compared to the harder and heavier properties of 'Heavy Profound Steel' and the simplified soul power path and reduced metallic traits of 'Vitality Gold Stage I', the 'Blue Ocean Submerged Silver Alloy' was crafted by Ling Yi following the original work of Lou Gao in developing the 'Eight Treasures Ru Yi Soft Armor', aiming for enhanced toughness and stretchability.
The cost is not high; removing a particular mineral named 'Sea Blue Crystal', which is slightly costly, the other materials are relatively common.
The primary material, "Refined Iron," is priced at ten gold soul coins per kilogram.
Even with the addition of "Sea Blue Crystal" sourced from the deep sea, the total cost of materials is just over three hundred gold soul coins.
This means that the craftsmanship fee of Master Blacksmith Ling Yi now amounts to a staggering ten thousand gold!
Accompanied by Xiao Tie, they arrived at the identification room. In a room on the second floor, Ling Yi and his five companions completed the procedures for acquiring the auction bidding certificate.
The "Submerged Silver Inner Armor" was directly handed over to the auction house, to be put up for bidding at a grand auction three days later.
Taking back their gold soul coin storage card, Ling Yi held the auction house's catalog of main floor items, gifted by Xiao Tie, and left with Jiang Yuan and the others, returning to their hotel.
...
Three days later, on the auction house's third floor, inside a grand, hall-style auction room. Ling Yi and Jiang Yuan sat quietly on a row of yellow seats, gazing at the circular ceremonial platform at the center of the hall.
Behind them were three rows of white seats, and in front of them, two more rows of yellow seats, the same as theirs, followed by purple, black, and, at the very front, red seats.
The auction had begun, yet the area with red seats remained vacant. This event, despite its considerable scale, had failed to attract any truly distinguished guests.
In contrast, the so-called standard million-level VIP area, where a deposit of one million Gold Soul Coins was required, hosted over a dozen individuals scattered across its three rows of black seats.
Further back, in the five hundred thousand-level purple VIP area, there were at least forty to fifty attendees. The yellow VIP section, where individuals like Ling Yi held cards preloaded with one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, saw about seventy to eighty participants.
Oddly enough, the white section at the very back had only a handful of attendees, with numbers similar to the black seat area, and just over ten people were dispersed widely across it.
The auction proceeded without remarkable incidents; however, one notable event was the sale of Ling Yi's item, the "Submerged Silver Inner Armor," purchased by a wealthy, well-rounded middle-aged man in the black VIP section.
Final Sale Price: Forty-eight thousand Gold Soul Coins!
Ling Yi maintained a calm demeanor, whereas Zhang Mufeng, seated beside him, was visibly thrilled.
As the son of a blacksmith, Zhang Mufeng fully grasped the significance of this price.
In 'Wood City,' neither Zhang Mufeng's father, Zhang Tie's, family-run forge nor any other prominent blacksmiths like Wang Meng achieved an annual turnover exceeding three thousand Gold Soul Coins.
Before Ling Yi had begun uniting all blacksmiths in the Water Wood Principality, the entire nation's seven hundred blacksmith shops saw a collective annual trade in ironwares barely exceeding a million Gold Soul Coins, with an additional eighty thousand Gold Soul Coins in transactions claimed by blacksmiths within the boundaries of the Heavenly Battle Empire.
Ling Yi gave Zhang Mufeng’s trembling shoulder a reassuring pat and continued to watch the auction proceedings.
As the event neared its end, with the previous item selling at a steep price of ten thousand gold soul coins, the item Ling Yi had been eagerly anticipating was finally brought onto the platform by two scantily clad women holding a tray.
The host of the ceremony, holding a microphone, wore a slightly eager smile as he addressed the bidders below: “Up next, we will auction a rare treasure. Interested parties should pay close attention, as this comes from a newly excavated ancient ruin!”
Listening to the host, everyone in the auction hall instinctively focused their gaze on the object covered by a red cloth on the tray, eager to see what qualified as such a precious item.
In the next moment, the host gripped one corner of the red cloth and dramatically revealed the item beneath.
It was a blue leather pouch, appearing about the size of two adult hands. It was the type hung on a belt, similar to a sachet but considerably larger—just big enough for a hand to fit inside and hold some trinkets.
Below, many people displayed skeptical expressions, but the host raised his head proudly, declaring, “Do not underestimate this item. Its starting price is ten thousand gold soul coins! Each bid increment must be no less than one thousand gold soul coins!”
“Ten thousand?!” murmured numerous attendees.
As soon as the host declared the price, a buzzing murmur swept through the vast auction hall. Those quick-witted among them had already grasped its significance.
Yet, these astute individuals looked once more at the blue leather pouch on the stage, shaking their heads. This price seemed excessively high.
Unless it's of very high quality, this leather-bag style really doesn't seem appealing.
Seeing the lukewarm reaction from the audience, the auctioneer became anxious and dared not keep them in suspense any longer. He immediately introduced the item:
“As you may have guessed, with a starting price of one hundred thousand gold soul coins, this item is indeed a soul tool, a storage soul tool—the 'Dreamlike Treasure Pouch'!
Moreover, it’s an extremely rare storage soul tool capable of storing living creatures!
Inside, there’s a space of ten cubic meters... Ladies and gentlemen...”
The auctioneer continued speaking, but Ling Yi paid no further attention. The moment he heard the familiar name, his expression remained unchanged, yet his right hand on his knee suddenly clenched hard.
He heightened his senses, and within the vast auction hall, every sound and movement resonated in Ling Yi's mind.
Whether it was the steady, powerful heartbeats and breaths of Jiang Yuan, Zhang Mufeng, and others beside him or the auctioneer's fervent shouts from afar, Ling Yi captured them all and then selectively ignored them.
Until, from more than ten meters to his left behind him, he detected a faint heartbeat and an unusually cooler presence compared to others, entering Ling Yi's sensory perception.
“Yi brother~” Zhang Mufeng's voice resonated at the right moment, “Is it time for us to place a bid?”
A special auction was underway, and the atmosphere in the hall was charged with anticipation. The auctioneer, standing confidently on the elevated stage, introduced the latest item for bidding.
“Ladies and gentlemen,” the auctioneer announced, “we now present an exceedingly rare item—the Dreamlike Treasure Pouch. As many of you know, this is not just any storage tool; it possesses the extraordinary ability to house living entities.”
Ling Yi, seated among the eager bidders, felt his heart quicken. This pouch, said to transcend standard storage conventions by sheltering life, was precisely the artifact he had been searching for.
His eyes followed the object as it was carefully placed on a pedestal for everyone to observe. It was a seemingly ordinary pouch, unassuming at first glance, but Ling Yi discerned an aura of mystery emanating from it. Such an acquisition could have unimaginable implications for his future endeavors.
As the auctioneer continued to expound on the pouch’s features, emphasizing its potential to revolutionize storage and transport techniques, Ling Yi strategized his bidding approach. He considered his budget and the possible competitors also drawn to this object’s allure.
The call for opening bids resonated throughout the room, signaling the start of a fierce competitive exchange. With each rising offer, Ling Yi carefully evaluated his chances, waiting for the opportune moment to make his move.
Finally, as the bidding frenzy reached a crescendo, Ling Yi confidently raised his paddle, firmly declaring his intention to obtain the Dreamlike Treasure Pouch. His determination was unyielding; nothing would deter him from claiming this prize.
The tension in the room thickened, all eyes turning towards Ling Yi, curious to see if he would triumph in his quest for this singular item. Slowly, the other bidders began to relent, acknowledging the depth of Ling Yi’s resolve.
With a decisive final bid, the auctioneer slammed down the gavel. “Sold!” he exclaimed, directing a nod towards Ling Yi. The room erupted in applause, recognizing the significance of this moment.
Ling Yi, feeling an exhilarating mix of relief and satisfaction, could not help but smile. The Dreamlike Treasure Pouch was now his, a testament to his perseverance and strategic prowess. His mind raced with the possibilities this new acquisition would unlock as he began to contemplate his next steps.
(End of Chapter)
