BTTH: Starting With Auctioning Green Lotus Core Flame

Upon hearing Han Feng's offer, a sly smile crept across the faces of the Dou Emperor powerhouses from the Black-Corner Region. This was exactly what they had been waiting for. 

The appearance of the Nine Nether Wind Flame was bound to spark a fierce bidding war among the various factions. By pooling their resources together, they could at least participate in the auction, even if their chances of winning were slim.

Yuan Yi, the leader of the Eight Gates, shrugged, his chubby face squishing together in a broad smile. "Rest assured, Alchemy Emperor Han Feng, with your promise, we'll do our best. But whether we can actually secure it… well, that's another matter."

"Don't worry about that," Han Feng replied, smoothing out his robes with a confident smile. "Regardless of the outcome, I, Han Feng, will refine a sixth-grade pill for each of you. And if we do succeed, I promise even greater rewards."

Elder Ban and Blood Sect Master Fan Lao exchanged glances and nodded in agreement. With Han Feng's assurance, they felt more confident about entering the bidding war.

In another private room, Pill King Gu He wore a troubled expression. If he had known that the Heaven Ascending Pavilion would auction off a Heavenly Flame of this caliber, he might have reconsidered his hasty absorption of the Green Lotus Core Flame.

Now, he could only gaze enviously at the crystal platform, where the tenth-ranked Nine Nether Wind Flame rested.

As an alchemist, one could only safely harbor a single Heavenly Flame within their body throughout their life. Attempting to absorb a second Heavenly Flame without proper preparation would not enhance one's strength; it would instead result in a catastrophic backlash, ultimately turning the alchemist into ashes.

However, there were rare exceptions, such as Yan Jin, the leader of the Yan Clan, one of the eight ancient clans. Despite not possessing the Flame Mantra, Yan Jin had successfully absorbed and refined two Heavenly Flames—Nine Serene Golden Ancestor Flame and Volcano Rock Flame.

But not everyone had Yan Jin's uniqueness, and thus, very few dared to recklessly absorb a second Heavenly Flame. The tragic example of Skyfire Venerable came to mind, who had encountered two Fallen Heart Flames simultaneously.

Without the Flame Mantra, Skyfire Venerable had foolishly attempted to refine both flames, only to suffer a severe backlash that nearly annihilated him.

It was worth noting that Skyfire Venerable had been a Five-Star Dou Venerate at the time. Yet, faced with two Fallen Heart Flames, he had barely escaped destruction.

He had mistakenly believed that because the two flames were of the same origin, there wouldn't be any issues in refining them. However, the flames clashed within his body, leading to a violent reaction that severely injured him.

Li Xiao's voice cut through the tension in the room, bringing everyone's attention back to the auction. "Since everyone has already recognized the Nine Nether Wind Flame, I will now officially start the auction."

"The starting bid is five million Spirit Coins."

As soon as Li Xiao's words fell, the room fell into stunned silence. Five million Spirit Coins—a sum equivalent to five hundred million gold coins! The Heaven Ascending Pavilion was not pulling any punches, setting such a steep starting price right from the start.

Even Yuan Yi, the wealthiest leader in the Black-Corner Region, felt his stomach churn. Five million Spirit Coins were beyond what he could afford. 

Although he had vast amounts of gold, Spirit Coins were a different matter. These weren't something that could be easily exchanged for gold; they were earned through years of accumulating valuable techniques, combat skills, and pills. Despite his efforts over the years, Yuan Yi had only managed to collect two million Spirit Coins. For the starting bid of a single Heavenly Flame to be five million—it was a staggering sum that few could match.

Li Xiao, with one hand behind his back and a smile on his face, addressed the crowd, "Does the price seem too high to you? Haha, do you not understand the rarity of a Heavenly Flame?"

"The Dou Qi Continent may be vast, but finding a flame ranked in the top ten of the Heavenly Flame List is like finding a needle in a haystack. Even if you do find one, how many of you are capable of claiming it?"

"From what I know, acquiring a Heavenly Flame from the top ten requires the strength of at least a Dou Venerate. Tell me, how many of you here have reached the Dou Venerate realm? And how many have even encountered the Nine Nether Wind Flame?"

Li Xiao's words struck like a hammer, leaving the crowd speechless. They couldn't argue against the truth of his statement.

They realized that compared to true powerhouses, their own status and strength were insignificant. Complaining about the price of such a valuable item now seemed petty. The Heaven Ascending Pavilion had provided them with a rare opportunity, and the high price was justified given the rarity and power of the Nine Nether Wind Flame.

Alchemy Emperor Han Feng's lips curled into a smile as he placed his bid. "Five million one hundred Spirit Coins."

As his voice echoed through the hall, the surrounding powerhouses stirred. Someone was indeed willing to spend such an enormous amount of Spirit Coins on a Heavenly Flame. Could it be another alchemist?

Feng Ling'er, the leader of the Wind Shadow Sect, narrowed her eyes. The allure of a Heavenly Flame was immense for anyone, even for a Dou Venerate like herself. If she could acquire it, she could offer it to the Lei Clan, which would, in turn, grant her sect more cultivation resources.

But she wasn't the only one interested. Huo Xuan, a powerful member of the Yan Clan, had no intention of letting such an opportunity slip by. He remembered how much his clan had appreciated his acquisition of the Bone Chilling Flame at the last auction, rewarding him generously with cultivation resources.

Now, with the chance to obtain the tenth-ranked Nine Nether Wind Flame, Huo Xuan knew that his clan leader might even elevate him to a higher position within the clan.

Huo Xuan had already reached the peak of Dou Venerate level, just one step away from becoming a One-Star Dou Saint. Acquiring the Nine Nether Wind Flame would secure him even more resources from the clan, making his breakthrough to the Half-Saint realm a near certainty.

"Six millions Spirit Coins," Huo Xuan declared.

The various factions that had been holding back up until now knew that this was the moment they had been waiting for. They were well aware of the importance of the final auction item and had been saving their resources for this exact opportunity.

Now that the moment had arrived, there was no way they would let it pass by.

Meanwhile, the Dou Emperor powerhouses from the Black-Corner Region wore long faces, their pockets hurting just at the thought of the escalating bids. They couldn't believe the bidding had jumped so quickly to six hundred thousand Spirit Coins. It felt like they were being treated like disposable pawns.

Where's the justice in this?!

Where's the fairness?!

"Heh, so the Yan Clan is interested as well? Well then, how could the Wind Shadow Sect possibly miss out on such a golden opportunity?" Feng Ling'er murmured, her red lips curving into a smile as she slowly raised her bidding paddle.

"Six and a half million Spirit Coins."

Huo Xuan glared in the direction of the Wind Shadow Sect's box, his expression darkening. He didn't know who was inside, but he knew that offending one of the eight ancient clans was never a wise move.

"Six million six hundred thousand!" Huo Xuan raised his bid, his voice laced with frustration.

"Six million seven hundred thousand," Feng Ling'er countered smoothly.

"Six million eight hundred thousand!!"" Huo Xuan snapped, now visibly angry as he stood from his seat. The teacup and bidding paddle in his hand were trembling, a clear sign of his rising fury.

"Six million nine hundred and fifty thousand Spirit Coins," came a new bid from Tang Zhen, the leader of the Burning Flame Valley. He wanted to join in the excitement and had decided to go all-in with everything he had, hoping to outlast the competition.

Huo Xuan clenched his fists, veins bulging on his forehead. If not for the strict rules of the Heaven Ascending Pavilion, he would have already unleashed his wrath on these insolent bidders. He muttered under his breath, his tone filled with menace, "Another clueless fool dares to challenge the Yan Clan for a Heavenly Flame. Who do you think you are?!"