Little Junior Sister, We Can’t Handle This Grind Anymore - Chapter 55

“The next item up for auction is the Spirit Origin Fruit. The starting bid is two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, with increments of no less than ten thousand. Let the bidding begin!”

Manling’s words were even fewer this time, but her expression was exceptionally excited.

“Two hundred thousand.” The first bid came from number sixty-two.

Those below the fifth floor could only stare wide-eyed. Two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones were equivalent to two billion low-grade spirit stones!

These people really dared to name such prices!

However, what surprised the crowd even more was yet to come. In less than a quarter of an hour, the price of the Spirit Origin Fruit had already been driven up to ‘one million top-grade spirit stones’!

“One million and ten thousand!”
“One million and twenty thousand!”
“One million and thirty thousand!”
…

Feng Qingran was almost getting sleepy listening to this. These bidders clearly weren’t serious. Increasing by just ten thousand each time? How long would it take to finish the auction at this rate?

Feng Qingran glanced at the attendant. “Sister, please place a bid for me. Directly call out two million.”

“Two million top-grade spirit stones.” The attendant’s eyes now held a mix of admiration, envy, respect, and excitement.

A fourteen-year-old girl actually dared to compete with major sects and powerful families in terms of spirit stones. She could already imagine the expressions on the faces of those sect leaders.

Xiao Qingfeng, bidder number ninety-eight, nearly coughed up blood when he heard Feng Qingran’s bid.

No matter how wealthy the Fire Cloud Sect was, it couldn’t withstand such profligate spending!

The Fire Cloud Sect primarily focused on training alchemists and artifact refiners. Practitioners in these two fields, regardless of status or position, were far superior to ordinary cultivators.

Alchemists were the most profitable cultivators!

Yet even so, facing Feng Qingran’s inhumanly extravagant bidding style, Xiao Qingfeng couldn’t help but feel a chill run down his spine.

Gritting his teeth, he said, “We’ll give up on the Spirit Origin Fruit. After she buys the Spirit Origin Fruit, I refuse to believe she’ll have any spirit stones left.”

Xiao Qingfeng probably didn’t know this, but Feng Qingran did indeed still have spirit stones.

Xiao Qingfeng gave up, but the other sects hadn’t. They were still weighing their options.

Seeing Xiao Qingfeng withdraw from the bidding, Xiao Hongyu hesitated. The financial resources of the Heavenly Sword Sect were not as strong as those of the Fire Cloud Sect.

If even the Fire Cloud Sect had given up, continuing might weaken his ability to compete for the upcoming Heaven Origin Fruit.

Xiao Hongyu withdrew and didn’t bid again. After all, a mere young girl wouldn’t be able to hold onto the spirit fruit even if she got it!

Noticing Xiao Hongyu’s silence, Baili Xuanqing of the Mysterious Spirit Sect also refrained from bidding.

Rong Zhuofan of the Beast Taming Sect was delighted by this. Guessing that he probably couldn’t compete for the later Heaven Origin Fruit, he mustered all his strength to go for the Spirit Origin Fruit.

Rong Zhuofan: “Two million and ten thousand!”

The entire auction hall fell silent, everyone waiting for bidder number ninety-nine to respond. But after a quarter of an hour, number ninety-nine remained completely still.

Manling scanned the room and struck the gavel three times in succession.

Manling was somewhat worried. The Spirit Origin Fruit hadn’t sold for the price she had imagined. She wondered how the sect leader would deal with her.

The various sect leaders, hearing that Rong Zhuofan had bought the Spirit Origin Fruit for just ‘two million and ten thousand’, were filled with regret. They all directed their probing spiritual senses towards Feng Qingran.

——————————
When the spirit fruit was delivered to him, Rong Zhuofan still couldn’t quite believe it. Buying the Spirit Origin Fruit for two million top-grade spirit stones was within his means.

Holding the box in his hands, Rong Zhuofan mused, “Those guys are acting strangely. How did I manage to buy the Spirit Origin Fruit so easily? Is there some conspiracy waiting for me?”

A wise glint flashed in the deputy sect leader’s eyes. “Actually, they didn’t dare to gamble. That young girl at number ninety-nine bids purely based on her mood. If she had fought them to the bitter end, it would have been a losing battle for those who still want to buy the Heaven Origin Fruit.”

“Hahaha… It’s rare to encounter a little girl who doesn’t play by the rules. I like her.” Rong Zhuofan laughed loudly on purpose, ensuring the other sect leaders could hear him.

While laughing, Rong Zhuofan discreetly handed the box to the deputy sect leader, signaling him to leave with it.

The deputy sect leader carefully took the box and stored it in his spatial ring.

Rong Zhuofan said loudly, “Old Fan, return to the sect and fetch some more spirit stones.”

The deputy sect leader stood up and left. The others retrieved their probing senses, each with their own thoughts.

Unbeknownst to Rong Zhuofan, shortly after the deputy sect leader left, Baili Xuanqing of the Mysterious Spirit Sect sent someone to follow him.

Back at the auction.

After the Spirit Origin Fruit, the following items were rather ordinary. Feng Qingran casually bought a few pieces.

It wasn’t until a black iron rod appeared on the auction stage that someone couldn’t help but exclaim, “Damn! This year’s auction is clearly not following the usual script! It’s impossible to guess what the next item will be!”

“The Shumo Pavilion is far too capricious! It’s definitely taking advantage of having the Spirit Origin Fruit in this auction to act so recklessly!”

“Exactly! What’s the meaning of auctioning an iron rod as the auction is nearing its end?”
…

Manling on the stage remained composed. “Everyone, this iron rod was brought out of a secret realm a hundred years ago. However, its use hasn’t been discovered in all this time. The owner, unwilling to give up, sent it here for auction.”

“There is no starting bid or bidding requirement for this item. You may bid as you see fit.”

The moment Feng Qingran saw the iron rod, she abruptly stood up. All the memories fell into place.

In the original storyline, Su Yanran once stumbled upon a great bargain at an auction, buying an ancient super-artifact for the price of a single low-grade spirit stone.

The original form of that artifact was an iron rod.

However, after Su Yanran formed a blood contract, the rust on the rod’s surface faded away, transforming it into an exquisitely crafted sword sheath.

That sheath was precisely the scabbard for the Dragon Emperor Sword.

Su Yanran then used that sheath to find the Dragon Emperor Sword in a secret realm.

But the Dragon Emperor Sword was incomplete and required the smelting of other magical instruments.

Thus, Su Yanran somehow obtained the Red Heaven Sword. After the Red Heaven Sword and the Dragon Emperor Sword were smelted together, the Dragon Emperor Sword regained its former peak state.

Relying on the Dragon Emperor Sword, Su Yanran effortlessly slew the Demon Lord.

Remembering this, a cold light flashed in Feng Qingran’s almond-shaped eyes.