Chapter Sixteen: Peacock Feathers

"Ninety thousand catties of primal liquid!"

A voice filled with anger resounded across the entire Duobao Peak, even echoing among the peaks, drawing the attention of many guests. From this furious bid, anyone could guess that the Shaoyan clan was certainly enraged.

"Fool." On the cloud, Shaoyan Xiushui heard his son's bid and couldn't help but glare at him, transmitting his voice in a sharp rebuke, "Haven't you realized yet? This Ji Ning just wants to make a name for himself. He dares to come to the Great Xia royal capital without any concealment, attend the treasure assembly at this Tianbao Mountain headquarters, and deliberately disrupt our Shaoyan clan's bidding—all to gain fame!"

"In Ansha Commandery, even the Ansha Beishan clan shows us respect. But this isn't Ansha Commandery; it's the Great Xia royal capital. Here, our Shaoyan clan doesn't rule. He wants to become famous, to make the entire royal capital know of his existence! Once he joins some faction, it will be much harder for us to deal with him." Shaoyan Xiushui looked at his son, "We could have ignored him just now. By bidding against him, you've only made more people aware of him."

"But I've already bid. Should I stop?" Shaoyan Jun asked, panicked.

"Having bid, we cannot back down." Shaoyan Xiushui transmitted, "The more attention there is, the more we must uphold our clan's dignity. Don't speak from now on; let me handle it."

"Yes." Shaoyan Jun dared not say more.

...

Ji Ning heard the bid of 'ninety thousand catties of primal liquid' from across the way and smiled. It was just what he needed—he wanted to make a name for himself.

"Ninety thousand catties of primal liquid! Any more?" the black-haired girl on the auspicious cloud called out.

"If it were someone else bidding, I might let it go. But since it's the Shaoyan clan, I, Ji Ning, cannot yield. Ninety-five thousand catties of primal liquid!" Ji Ning's voice rang out, echoing through every corner of the nine peaks.

"It really is Ji Ning!"

"Who is Ji Ning?"

"The one who killed Shaoyan Nong is at this treasure assembly?"

Although some guests had noticed Ji Ning earlier, it was only a portion. Now, with his deliberate provocation, even more people took notice.

...

"I knew he was doing it for fame." Shaoyan Xiushui's face turned cold. Beside him, Shaoyan Jun dared not make a sound, knowing that his earlier bid had given Ji Ning an opportunity.

"Little fellow from Ansha Commandery, you dare contend with my Shaoyan clan?" Shaoyan Xiushui said calmly, "One hundred thousand catties of primal liquid."

"Heh, if your Shaoyan clan wants this formation diagram, you'll have to offer more primal liquid. One hundred twenty thousand catties of primal liquid!" Ji Ning spoke again.

Shaoyan Xiushui's face darkened.

The formation diagram, worth between eighty thousand and one hundred thousand catties of primal liquid, had been driven up in price. If they continued bidding, whether they ultimately obtained the diagram or not, the Shaoyan clan would lose. If they got it, they would pay an exorbitant price; if they didn't, they would be trampled by Ji Ning.

"One hundred twenty-five thousand catties of primal liquid." Shaoyan Xiushui said in a low voice.

"One hundred twenty-eight thousand catties of primal liquid." Ji Ning's increase this time was small.

"My Shaoyan clan has plenty of such formation diagrams. I'll let you have it." Sensing something amiss, Shaoyan Xiushui stopped bidding, "You, who are not skilled in formations, buying a formation diagram out of spite—how amusing."

"Haha, what's one hundred twenty-eight thousand catties of primal liquid? Trifling. Your Shaoyan clan's Shaoyan Nong gifted me millions of catties of primal liquid!" Ji Ning's laughter rang out.

Shaoyan Xiushui's face immediately darkened.

In truth, he knew well that once his son had bid 'ninety thousand catties of primal liquid,' they were destined to lose. Ji Ning's goal was to gain fame, and regardless of the outcome, Ji Ning had certainly achieved it.

...

The formation diagram left by the two immortals, Turtle and Crab, was won by Ji Ning at a price of one hundred twenty-eight thousand catties of primal liquid.

Ji Ning had already attracted the attention of the vast majority of guests present.

In particular, his final remark—'Shaoyan Nong gifted me millions of catties of primal liquid'—was utterly ruthless, sparking widespread discussion among nearly all the guests.

"Millions of catties of primal liquid?"

"Shaoyan Nong was one of the Four Young Masters of the royal capital, with a wealth of treasures. Now that Ji Ning has taken them all, millions of catties of primal liquid is plausible."

"I'd want to kill Shaoyan Nong too."

"Millions of catties of primal liquid could buy an Immortal-ranked magic treasure."

In truth, Shaoyan Nong's treasures were indeed astonishing. However, his three most precious items—the 'Settling Scroll,' the 'Black-and-White Disc'—had been used, leaving only the 'Great Teleportation Dao Talisman.' This talisman was something one couldn't buy even with primal liquid, and Ji Ning was unwilling to sell it.

Among the many guests,

Princess Xiyue gazed at Ji Ning from afar, a hint of tenderness in her eyes—the look one gives a family member.

"Xiyue, do you have a good impression of Ji Ning?" Fairy Qingliu smiled.

"Mm." Princess Xiyue nodded.

"Why not take him as your son-in-law?" Fairy Qingliu teased.

"Don't interrupt." Princess Xiyue frowned and spoke softly. Her feelings for Ji Ning were purely those of family, like a sister for a brother. Son-in-law, indeed.

"But Ji Ning has real guts, going head-to-head with the Shaoyan clan like this." Fairy Qingliu sighed, "Saying Shaoyan Nong gave him millions of catties of primal liquid—I can only imagine how furious the Shaoyan clan must be."

...

Time passed, and one treasure after another was purchased.

Nearly an hour later.

"Everyone." The black-haired girl's voice suddenly rose, "Stop chatting with your friends. The next treasure is the most precious one so far in this assembly. It's something you normally can't buy even if you want to. Miss this chance, and who knows when you'll encounter it again."

Immediately, many guests turned their heads curiously.

Ji Ning also watched with curiosity.

The most precious one? The highest bid for a single treasure so far had reached over three hundred thousand catties of primal liquid.

"This is the lifebound magic treasure of a divine peacock from the celestial realm, left after its death." The black-haired girl's voice grew excited, "Moreover, this peacock's bloodline was so pure that even at the Return to Void stage, it could not take human form."

"What."

Ji Ning was startled. A Return to Void Earth Immortal unable to take human form? Would it need to become a Celestial Immortal? Such a divine beast was unheard of in the Great Xia Dynasty world.

"The lifebound treasure of this great peacock demon is five feathers." The black-haired girl waved her hand, and five feathers appeared in midair. Suspended, they emitted natural power: one feather wreathed in flames, one surrounded by flowing water, one immensely heavy, one with howling metallic energy, and one radiating a misty green aura.

As the five feathers appeared, the surrounding space seemed to freeze.

"This is!"

The entire treasure assembly erupted in exclamations.

The peacock, born of the Five Elements, is nature's favored child of the Five Elements. It is said that the purer the peacock's bloodline, the more likely it is to condense tail feathers of the Five Elements. Some condense two, some three, but the purest bloodline peacocks can condense all five feathers!

A peacock of such bloodline is in no way inferior to a Fiendgod. A Return to Void peacock could likely rival a Celestial Immortal!

"Its five feathers are naturally imbued with the Five Elements." The black-haired girl smiled, "Unfortunately, it was only a Return to Void great demon. If it were a Celestial Immortal great demon, the value of these five feathers would be immense, driving even Celestial Immortals mad. Of course, if this peacock had become a Celestial Immortal, these feathers wouldn't appear here, nor would they be offered for sale."

All parties nodded.

The five feathers before them were already extremely precious. If the peacock had survived the heavenly tribulation to become a Celestial Immortal, the feathers' value would increase a thousand or ten thousand times, enough to tempt the emperor of a major world. However, a Celestial Immortal peacock of the noblest bloodline could rival a True Immortal and would not die so easily.

"Though it's only a Return to Void Earth Immortal, this peacock's bloodline is noble, and the five feathers belong to the Five Elements. If used to forge magic treasures, combined with other materials, they could certainly produce Immortal-ranked magic treasures. Normally, they can yield top-grade Immortal treasures, and with luck, perhaps even a supreme-grade Immortal treasure." The black-haired girl said.

For the peacock, the five feathers were its lifebound treasure.

For humans, the five feathers were merely refining materials. As for forging a supreme-grade Immortal treasure? That was just hype, requiring many other materials, and the possibility was negligible. However, forging a top-grade Immortal treasure was quite certain.

"Starting price: two million catties of primal liquid! Each bid must increase by no less than one hundred thousand catties of primal liquid!" The black-haired girl said.

"Two million one hundred thousand catties of primal liquid. I want these Five Elements Peacock Feathers." An aged voice spoke. It was an old man in a magnificent robe embroidered with dragon patterns. From his attire, many recognized him as a member of the Great Xia royal clan.

But?

At a treasure assembly, who cares if you're royalty!

"My master is refining a Five Elements Immortal treasure and lacks the main material. Two million two hundred thousand catties of primal liquid." A beardless young man said with a smile.

"Two million three hundred thousand catties of primal liquid." A man covered in green light, as if cast from steel, spoke in a rumbling voice.

"Two million four hundred thousand catties of primal liquid. I need a Five Elements Immortal treasure for my tribulation." It was Shaoyan Xiushui, who now ignored Ji Ning entirely, staring at the five feathers with clear determination.

"Two million five hundred thousand catties of primal liquid. The Yinglong Divine Mountain wants them." A woman exuding overwhelming demonic aura said coldly.

Each had an extraordinary background.

But the Great Xia royal capital had its laws; no one could seize them by force. All had to rely on true ability—whoever had the most primal liquid won. Such complete Five Elements rare materials were indeed extremely rare, encountered only once in a while. To find them again would require waiting. They were hard to buy even with primal liquid.

Many desired them, and Ji Ning also wanted them.

"Naturally imbued with the Five Elements?" Ji Ning's eyes lit up, "My 'Six Cycles of Star Picking' requires the essence of the Five Elements. According to the records of treasures in the 'Star Picking Hand' inheritance, the essence in these five feathers is of the highest grade. Only the most elite peacock bloodline can produce these five feathers. The Five Elements essence within them should be enough even for the third cycle of Star Picking Hand."

"Two million six hundred thousand catties of primal liquid!" Ji Ning called out loudly.