Spells Grinding: From Basic Sparks to Divine Arts

Chapter 276: Shifting Green Leaf

Inside the private booth, Qin Lu stared at the emerald leaf resting in Feng Tong’s palm, his heart beating a frantic rhythm.

A spatial escape artifact.

With a single surge of Spiritual Qi, this [Shifting Green Leaf] could transport the user thousands of miles away in an instant. It was the ultimate lifeline. Even if he were to encounter a Golden Core cultivator, this artifact would buy him enough time to vanish.

Feng Tong didn’t give the crowd time to think. His voice boomed through the hall, setting the stakes.

“Minimum increment is one thousand Spirit Stones. Begin!”

Ding!

Ding!

Ding!

The moment the words left his lips, a cacophony of bells rang out from the upper floors.

The bidding war was exclusive to the VIP boxes. Only Foundation Establishment cultivators had the capital to play this game.

The bells chimed so rapidly that Feng Tong didn’t even have a chance to announce the numbers. In the span of a few breaths, the price rocketed from the starting 20,000 to 30,000 Spirit Stones.

The allure of a Third Grade Magical Artifact was undeniable.

Ding!

Qin Lu didn’t stay idle. He struck his bell, adding another thousand to the pot.

He had to try. He had a substantial war chest, and this item was worth fighting for.

“Sect Leader… the price is terrifying!” Cao Mo gasped, pressing his face against the screen.

“I can’t believe it…” Wu Zhengtian’s jaw hung open.

“How many lifetimes would I have to save to get that many Spirit Stones?” Feng Xi murmured, her eyes wide with longing.

To them, a few hundred Spirit Stones meant living like royalty for a year. The concept of tens of thousands of stones vanishing in seconds shattered their worldview.

Qin Lu glanced at their stunned expressions and sighed softly. “It is a magnificent artifact… but I’m not sure I can take it.”

Ding!

Another bell rang out, cutting him off.

The pace had slowed compared to the initial frenzy, but the price continued its relentless climb. Feng Tong’s voice was steady now, controlling the rhythm, coaxing every last stone from the bidders.

Qin Lu felt a knot of tension tighten in his chest.

He had arrived at the Ten Thousand Treasures Market with a little over 50,000 Spirit Stones—his entire liquid fortune.

After purchasing two [Foundation Establishment Pills] and the [Ice Vein Soft Armor], along with the allowances he gave the disciples, he had spent over 10,000. His remaining balance hovered around 41,000.

If the [Shifting Green Leaf] went higher than that, he was out.

“Good! Fellow Daoist in Room Jia-Five bids 35,000!”

“Do we have another? Ah… Room Yi-Two raises by one thousand!”

“The price is 36,000! Going once…”

Feng Tong’s voice was hypnotic, stimulating the greed and fear of the bidders.

But at this altitude, the air was thin. Fewer and fewer bells rang. Thirty-six thousand Spirit Stones was a heavy burden, even for a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Ding!

A faint chime echoed from a distant box.

Qin Lu looked toward the sound, but the defensive Formations and the one-way glass made it impossible to see his rival.

He hesitated for a split second, then narrowed his eyes. He decided to employ a shock tactic.

Ding! Ding! Ding!

He struck the bell three times in rapid succession.

A three-thousand-stone jump. He pushed the price directly to 40,000.

The sudden aggression caused a commotion in the main hall below. Cultivators looked up at Room Bing-Six, buzzing with speculation about the identity of the big spender.

“Excellent! Room Bing-Six strikes three times! That is a bid of 40,000 Spirit Stones! Do we have a counter?” Feng Tong shouted, his face flushed with excitement.

Inside the booth, Qin Lu’s palms were sweating.

Forty thousand. He was at his limit. If anyone went higher, he would have to fold.

“40,000, going once!” Feng Tong announced.

Qin Lu held his breath.

Ding!

The sound was sharp and cruel. It came from the distant box.

“41,000!” Feng Tong roared, delighted.

Qin Lu let out a long breath, his shoulders slumping. Disappointment washed over him as he lowered the bell hammer.

“Forget it,” he muttered.

“Brother Qin?” Gu Can looked over, puzzled. “Why did you stop? Don’t you want it?”

“I want it, but I didn’t bring enough Spirit Stones today,” Qin Lu admitted with a rueful smile. “I’ll have to find something similar in the future.”

“What kind of nonsense is that?”

Gu Can scoffed. He reached out, grabbed the bell from the table, and unleashed a barrage of strikes.

Ding-ding-ding-ding-ding!

The furious chiming rang out across the entire auction hall, silencing the murmurs below.

“If you’re out of money, just say so! I’m loaded!” Gu Can declared with righteous indignation. “How can we let someone else snatch away something we like just because of a few stones?”

Qin Lu stared at him, a surge of warmth flooding his chest. “Gu Can… do you have enough?”

“More than enough. Just bid!” Gu Can grinned, radiating the confidence of a man who had never looked at a price tag in his life.

“Alright!”

With Gu Can’s backing, Qin Lu didn’t waste time on false modesty.

The bidding war reignited.

Supported by Gu Can’s seemingly bottomless pockets, they crushed the opposition. When the price hit 50,000 Spirit Stones, the other bidder finally went silent.

Feng Tong called it three times, his voice trembling with joy.

The gavel fell.

The Third Grade Magical Artifact belonged to Qin Lu.

Moments later, a Foundation Establishment manager from Wanbao Pavilion entered the booth personally to deliver the [Shifting Green Leaf].

Qin Lu held the delicate green leaf, feeling the hum of spatial energy within it.

“This is officially the most expensive thing I own,” he murmured.

With the finale concluded, the auction came to an end. Their objectives at the Ten Thousand Treasures Market were complete.

It was time to return to White Jade Market.