C20 Strength Comes from Numbers

Strength in Numbers

Ning Xiaofan glanced at the screen—the auction was in full swing, though the prices had reached astronomical levels.

"Box No. 6, 100,000 Spirit Stones."

"The Celestial Dragon Gang bids 103,000 Spirit Stones."

"Box D, 104,000 Spirit Stones."

"Firmament City offers 105,000 Spirit Stones."

Announcing their names with their bids was a tactic of the major powers to dissuade others from competing—a warning that further contesting could lead to conflict.

The bids continued to climb, albeit at a much slower pace, with only three or four bidders still in the game.

With determination, Ning Xiaofan activated his token, "I bid 150,000 Spirit Stones."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master, you have earned Charisma points..."

All eyes in the room shifted to the young man in the back, his image displayed on the screen for all to see.

The auction felt surreal to Ning Xiaofan, almost like stepping into an ultra-modern era. Was this some kind of all-angle live broadcast hall?

"Who's that kid? Why doesn't he have a private box?"

"How much did he bid?"

"Didn't you hear? 150,000..."

"Is it just 150?"

"No, 150,000... you blockhead."

"Blockhead indeed. Spending 150,000 Spirit Stones on a damaged Magic Artifact, only worth as much as an ordinary Spiritual Spring? He's out of his mind."

"Not just out of his mind—his head's so big it won't fit through the city gates!"

A Spiritual Spring of this caliber would typically go for no more than 50,000 Spirit Stones, and it would last even longer than this item. To the crowd, it was somewhat of a white elephant—worth maybe 100,000, but anything more was pointless.

"Kid, you must be loaded! Tianyu Pavilion is interested, and I bid 151,000 Spirit Stones," a voice rang out.

"Ah, the young master of Tianyu Pavilion, always stirring up trouble. I wonder if this youngster will end up on the losing side?"

Ning Xiaofan glanced at the screen, noting the new bid of 151,000. He smirked and retorted, "I bid 160,000. Tianyu Pavilion? Never heard of them."

On the second floor, a young man rose to his feet, flanked by four imposing men clad in golden attire. "Young Master, the patriarch urges you to ease your temper. Staying calm promotes longevity," one of them advised.

"Head over there and call out for me. Raise the bid by 1000 Spirit Stones."

"I bid 161,000 Spirit Stones."

"Kid, I highly doubt you have that many Spirit Stones."

"I am Shen Yu, the Young Master of Tianyu Pavilion. I'm curious to know which family you hail from. On the Rosefinch Continent, no one disrespects Tianyu Pavilion."

Ning Xiaofan chuckled in response, "I apologize, but I'm an independent cultivator with no sect affiliation. Tianyu Pavilion? I've never heard of it."

He was telling the truth. To Ning Xiaofan, regardless of one's power, they were insignificant. After all, this was a fragment of an Immortal Weapon!

The auctioneer had claimed it could last a century, but that was uncertain, as mortal methods couldn't penetrate the mysteries of an Immortal Weapon.

"You'll be remembered, boy. It doesn't matter which family or clan you belong to; I will find you and ensure your entire lineage pays for this."

A radiant beam from a private room on the second floor zeroed in on Ning Xiaofan, sending a shiver from his feet to his head. Was this some kind of sorcery?

"System Alert: You are being targeted by a Soul Technique capable of tracking you over vast distances. Dispelling it requires 1 Cultivation Point. Would you like to proceed?"

No, he decided not to dispel it yet. Doing so would leave him without any Cultivation Points.

Wait, hadn't he just earned some Charm? What was his current Charm score?

"Master, your Charm is currently at 21 points."

What in the world? He had just spent 20 points, so he should be down to 9. With the additional two points from the appraisal, he should have no more than 11 points.

Unbeknownst to Ning Xiaofan, the extra 9 points had come from the onlookers, who found him endlessly charismatic.

"Exchange, quickly! Convert 2 Cultivation Points."

"Master, the exchange is successful. You have spent 20 Charm points."

Currently, he had 3 Cultivation Points at his disposal. It might be wise to wait before erasing that mark. Having those 3 Cultivation Points gave him a slight sense of security.

"Tianyu Pavilion? What's that to me? There's nothing I can't acquire. I bid 180,000 Spirit Stones."

"Ding! Congratulations, Master. Your Charm has increased..."

If Shen Yu were to raise the bid by just another 100 Spirit Stones, Ning Xiaofan would be out of the running. His token was maxed out at a bid of 180,000—that was the limit of his budget.

Shen Yu, the young master of Tianyu Pavilion, was shaking with rage. No need to spend more money now; he'd simply follow the guy after the event and eliminate him. That way, he'd get his hands on the item as well.

"Fine, I'll have someone take care of him once we're back."

"Yes, Young Master."

Tianyu Pavilion boasted over a hundred branches across the Rosefinch Continent, spread among the major nations. A minor country like Shu Kingdom didn't have a presence, which is why Ning Xiaofan had never even heard of them.

"180,000 going once, 180,000 going twice, 180,000 sold!"

The gavel's strike sealed the deal.

"Staff, please proceed with the item transfer immediately."

"The auction just hit a high point—a fragment of a Magic Artifact sold for 180,000 Spirit Stones. I'm heading to the battlefield tomorrow to scavenge for fragments myself."

She wasn't alone in her thinking; the revelation stirred all the big shots in attendance. We're talking about 180,000 Spirit Stones here!

With 180,000 Spirit Stones, a small sect could sustain itself quite comfortably. This kid was throwing money around like it was nothing!

But for someone like Shen Yu, a spendthrift whose family's Tianyu Pavilion was flush with Spirit Stones, squandering wasn't a concern. Who was this upstart, daring to go toe-to-toe with Tianyu Pavilion? There weren't many sects or noble families bold enough to do that—perhaps he was from a hidden lineage.

"Ding! Congratulations, Master. Your Charisma has increased again..."

Well, that worked out nicely. Ning Xiaofan watched as the sky screen featured over ten close-ups of himself.

Clutched in Ning Xiaofan's hand was a finely crafted Storage Space, a high-grade gift from the Grand Assembly, now housing the freshly auctioned Magic Artifact fragment.

The token in his grasp shimmered, and the balance of one hundred and eighty thousand Spirit Stones vanished in an instant. These actions were projected onto the sky, magnified for all to see, drawing endless sighs from the crowd.

"This kid's loaded."

"I want to marry him."

"He's filthy rich!"

The entire auction house was abuzz with excitement. It had been years since they'd witnessed such a thrilling event. A mere fragment of a magic artifact had fetched 180,000 Spirit Stones—utterly inconceivable!

"Ding! Congratulations, Master! Your Charisma has increased..."

"System, what's my Charisma at now?"

"Master, your Charisma is currently at 30 points."

"How much?"

Ning Xiaofan seemed not to have heard properly. How had it increased again? Just a moment ago it was a mere point, and now it had skyrocketed by 29 points? Incredible!

It's true what they say: there's strength in numbers. Each person's bit of envy, jealousy, and resentment had contributed to his Charisma boost.

"Exchange them, quick! Convert it all to Cultivation Points."

"Ding! You've successfully exchanged for 3 Cultivation Points, consuming 30 points of Charisma."

Unbelievable. Tianyu Pavilion, what's that to someone like me? It's nothing.

With 6 Cultivation Points in his possession, Ning Xiaofan was practically invincible. Unless... No, there were no 'unless'. With the system on my side, I'm unstoppable!

Exhilarating!

Noticing his projection had disappeared from the sky, Ning Xiaofan stood and left his seat. Before exiting, he sent a telepathic message to Fanh Yichen.

"I'm heading out first. I need to change my appearance to avoid danger. Meet me at the north side's small door later."

"Okay, Big Brother."

Fanh Yichen, now anxious, resorted to calling him 'Big Brother'—a departure from his usual 'Xiaofan'. He wondered how Ning Xiaofan had managed to come up with 180,000 Spirit Stones. If others discovered their ruse, wouldn't their presence in the auction house become a farce?

Fanh Yichen was ready to risk it all for Ning Xiaofan, yet he was unsure of Xiaofan's current thoughts. Surely, he had a plan. In Fanh Yichen's eyes, Ning Xiaofan was nothing short of a deity.

Ning Xiaofan swiftly exited the auction house and, once out of sight, he rapidly altered his appearance and donned new clothes.

"System, deactivate the tracking spell on me."

"Affirmative, Master. The tracking spell has been successfully removed from your person."

Simultaneously, in a private room, a muscular man clad in golden attire turned pale and coughed up blood.

"Young Master, my spell has been broken."

"What?"

"Are you saying the kid who got the fragment has slipped away?"

"Young Master, there's definitely a mastermind behind him. My Soul Technique is flawless; it must be the work of a Golden Core Stage Expert."

"A Golden Core Stage Expert is not to be feared, but they are tricky to handle. Track down that kid. I'm curious to see who's backing him, bold enough to challenge Tianyu Pavilion."

Shen Yu, a name bestowed by the elder, was being groomed to lead Tianyu Pavilion in a few years. The Pavilion boasted several Core Formation Stage Cultivators, yet Shen Yu harbored concerns about Ning Xiaofan's unknown origins.

"Xiaofan, shall we go?"

"Yes, you all go ahead. I must wait for the auction to conclude; I can't leave just yet."

"I don't like the idea of you staying here alone."

"Go on, I'll be fine. If a fight breaks out, you won't be of any help anyway."

Tears glistened in Fanh Yichen's eyes. "Xiaofan, please be safe. We'll be waiting for you."

"Go, now!"

With a swift motion, Ning Xiaofan vanished into the throng, his every action under the watchful eye of the Supervisor.

An elderly man chuckled, "I'm curious about which family this young fellow belongs to, managing to produce two Grade Three Medicinal Pills. They seem reminiscent of the Pill Clan's work."

"That's impossible. Wasn't the Pill Clan said to have perished a millennium ago?"

"Not necessarily. Have you never heard of someone living a thousand years? Perhaps he's a disciple of a Pill Clan ancestor."

"Possibly. The pills he possesses could indeed be relics of the Pill Clan's descendants."

"Wait, that doesn't add up! Many are capable of concocting Grade Three Medicinal Pills. What makes you so sure these are from the Pill Clan?"

"Haha, the medicine pills from the Pill Clan are impeccable—each one a top-grade pill. Just look at these two; not a single flaw. They're beyond the skill of ordinary refiners."

"You're absolutely right, sir." The two onlookers remained glued to the light screen, tracking Ning Xiaofan's every move with rapt attention.

"Indeed, and consider the Grade Three Medicinal Pills. A Grade Three Pill Refiner can hardly produce a handful in a year, yet this young man has produced two at once. Could it mean he has a formidable backing?"

"Master, will these medicine pills be auctioned?"

"Sell them, but ensure we secure one for ourselves."

"As you command, sir."

How did he manage to refine a Grade Three medicinal pill that even surpasses the highest quality? Could we possibly uncover the force behind him?

His actions don't resemble those of a youth. Is it possible that he's a descendant of the Pill Clan?

If that's true, wouldn't presenting him to the dynasty be a monumental feat? A myriad of thoughts swirled in the lord's mind, persisting as long as the auction continued.

For Ning Xiaofan, time was dragging on interminably. He wished for a swift conclusion, dreading the complications that might arise if these people sought him out for trouble later—those three old cultivators from the start wouldn't be able to shield him.

The system was proving to be a letdown, offering no miraculous magic artifacts in its lotteries.

Sigh!

Ning Xiaofan couldn't help but feel a twinge of guilt; he had traded two medicinal pills for over a hundred thousand Spirit Stones. Despite everything, the system had its merits.

"Up next, we have a selection of spiritual pills and miraculous medicines. There are three highlights today, and here's a hint: the female cultivators in attendance are in for a treat. Ever heard of eternal youth and unnatural growth?"

The host's words piqued the interest of not just the female cultivators, but the males as well—who wouldn't want the secret to eternal youth? Beyond the Golden Core Stage cultivators, who maintained their youthful appearance, the Foundation Establishment cultivators were all showing their age.

The host's announcement resonated not only throughout the auction hall but also in the surrounding space, eliciting sighs from the majority.

Shifting gears, the host announced, "Next, we have a batch of one thousand Energy Refining Pills, starting at 1,500 Spirit Stones each."

"Five Flavours Pill, valued at 5,500 Spirit Stones."

"The Profound Sky Pill, with a starting bid of 3,000 Spirit Stones."

One after another, medicine pills were continuously distributed by the auctioneer.

"Coming up, we have ten Spirit Herbs, each with a starting bid of around 10,000 Spirit Stones."

The crowd buzzed with excitement. What kind of Spirit Herb could possibly command such a high price?

Ning Xiaofan wedged himself among the onlookers, eyes fixed on the spirit herbs displayed above. Holy smokes!

Aren't those his very own spirit herbs?