dmims Chapter 91 The Sacred Pill Banquet 2
Chapter 91 The Sacred Pill Banquet 2
The celestial palace complex stretches endlessly, with a magnificent palace called the Gathering Pill Palace suspended above the sea of clouds in the heavens. Its halls are constructed of star-jade marrow, and its eaves are adorned with divine crystal lamps, shimmering with seven-colored light day and night. The fragrance of elixirs drifts for thousands of miles along the sea of clouds, attracting a continuous flow of spiritual energy from the surrounding天地 (heaven and earth). This is the venue for the Sacred Pill Banquet, a grand event held once every thirty thousand years as a subsidiary of the Pill Refining Assembly.
Unlike the Dan Yuan Conference, which is a supreme banquet for all the gods and immortals to reward merits, the Sacred Pill Banquet is an open trading event for all cultivators in the Heavenly Court's territory. There are no boundaries or cultivation thresholds. As long as one's cultivation reaches the level of a half-saint or above, one can enter and purchase sacred pills. It is a dream opportunity for cultivators in the weak worlds of the Heavenly Court.
The Heavenly Palace's accumulated resources over thirty thousand years are unfathomable, and the countless sacred pills refined over tens of thousands of years are piled up like mountains. The three grades of ordinary sacred pills—first-grade, second-grade, and high-grade—are all displayed in the outer hall and plaza of the Pill Gathering Palace. Pill bottles and cauldrons are neatly arranged, stretching as far as the eye can see, for cultivators from all realms to choose from at will. The prices are far lower than those on the black market, making it a truly fair deal. After all, the Heavenly Palace doesn't care about the meager resources gained from exchanging sacred pills; this move is more about winning over the hearts of all beings and demonstrating the magnanimity of the Heavenly Court.
The path to Saint Pills is strictly divided into grades, from lowest to highest: "Primary Saint Pill, Middle Grade Saint Pill, High Grade Saint Pill, Earth Grade Saint Pill, Heaven Grade Saint Pill, and above that are the legendary King Grade Saint Pill and Emperor Grade Saint Pill, which are extremely rare and hard to come by."
For an ordinary Saint Realm cultivator, obtaining a single Earth-grade Saint Pill is already an incredible stroke of luck, enough to improve their cultivation or even save their life. Heaven-grade Saint Pills are extremely precious treasures even in the Great Saint Realm, while King-grade Saint Pills have long since transcended the category of ordinary Saint Pills. They are treasures even for top-tier worldly experts whose cultivation has reached the Supreme Realm. As for Quasi-Emperor-grade and Emperor-grade Saint Pills, they are peerless treasures that even True Gods find difficult to obtain.
The outer hall displays ordinary holy pills for use by saints and saint kings. The truly rare holy pills, those of heavenly grade or higher that could move the hearts of great saints or even true gods, are placed in the inner hall of the Gathering Pill Palace and sold through auction.
To enter the inner hall, the threshold is extremely high, with only two paths to choose from: "First, one must reach the True God Realm in cultivation to enter directly; second, one must possess a Sacred Pill Token exclusive to the Heavenly Palace. However, this Sacred Pill Token is not free; it requires ten divine stones to purchase one."
Divine Stones are the hard currency of the heavens, with one divine stone equivalent to a billion holy stones. Moreover, they are priceless and unavailable. Ten divine stones can be exchanged for a token, which is already an astronomical price. Even so, cultivators from all over the heavens still flock to them. The Heavenly Palace has already recovered most of the resources used to refine this batch of holy pills from the proceeds of selling the holy pill tokens alone.
The inner hall of the Gathering Pill Palace was now incredibly luxurious. The ceiling was inlaid with sun, moon, and stars crafted from divine crystals, illuminating the interior as bright as day. Hundreds of private rooms were arranged on all sides, separated from the outside by arrays, ensuring both privacy and showcasing the status of the various factions. Below the private rooms was a spacious auction hall, where thousands of Great Saint Realm experts from all realms sat, their auras mingling, their gazes burning with desire, all fixed on the auction stage, awaiting the appearance of rare Saint Pills.
In one of the private rooms by the window, a group of high-ranking officials from the Great Tang Dynasty of the Primordial World were gathered. Several dukes, including Qin Qiong, Cheng Zhijie, and Xu Shiji, sat calmly and composed. In the next private room, a group of Great Sages from the Heavenly Dragon Realm, who were on good terms with each other, had come to the banquet together.
The leader of the Heavenly Dragon Realm was a Supreme Saint whose cultivation had reached the peak of the demigod level. He was tall and imposing, surrounded by dragon aura. His eyes were full of reverence as he looked at Cheng Zhijie. He immediately cupped his hands and loudly praised him: "The other day, Duke Lu killed Samir of the Heavenly Realm with a single axe on the arena. His combat power is unparalleled, and his might shakes the heavens. He is truly a role model for us all, and we admire him immensely!"
Cheng Zhijie, naturally forthright and fond of praise, beamed with delight upon hearing this, patting his chest and laughing heartily. His booming voice even caused the spiritual energy in the private room to tremble slightly: "Fellow Daoist, you flatter me! My cultivation of the Heavenly Demon Blood Axe Diagram, personally guided by Lord Zhenyu, has already broken through to the Divine Realm. Coupled with the Chaos Demon Axe, let alone those bird-man cultivators from the Heavenly Realm, even the representatives of the Yuanhui, I will not be at a disadvantage within three axe blows!"
While these words might seem like boasting, the demigod-level aura emanating from Cheng Zhijie, along with the illusory giant axe wreathed in boundless demonic energy that he conjured, was not to be underestimated. Several Great Sages from the Heavenly Dragon Realm were intimidated by his imposing presence and genuinely believed him to some extent, repeatedly bowing and praising him, exclaiming that his heroic bearing was unparalleled and his talent unmatched.
Qin Qiong and Xu Shiji exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly, but did not interrupt Cheng Zhijie's boasting. Both of them were composed individuals, their minds focused on the auction below, their eyes fixed on the pill cauldrons that the Heavenly Palace cultivators were carrying out one after another, their gazes intense.
At this Sacred Pill Banquet, none of the three great dynasties of the Primordial World, the Han and Ming dynasties, sent anyone; only the Great Tang dynasty came with all its might.
The reason is that the Tang Emperor wanted to create a Xuanjia Holy Army that could sweep across the world, requiring all soldiers to at least reach the Physical Saint King realm, and further cultivate them towards the goal of becoming Great Saints. The key to quickly building this powerful army was the supreme treasure, the Holy Pill, for cultivating the physical body. At this Holy Pill Banquet, the Heavenly Palace happened to be auctioning off one hundred cauldrons of Heavenly Grade Divine Elephant Might Pills. These pills, made primarily from the blood of ancient divine elephants and combined with dozens of other holy medicines, are unparalleled treasures that help cultivators temper their bodies and enhance their strength—preciously needed by the Tang Xuanjia Army.
Qin Qiong and his group had a very clear goal for this trip: to acquire all one hundred cauldrons of Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pills at all costs. To this end, the Great Tang Dynasty almost emptied its national treasury, sold several royal artifacts, and even exchanged a treasured ancient artifact that was close to the level of a supreme artifact for divine stones, raising hundreds of thousands of divine stones. It was a desperate gamble.
The atmosphere at the auction grew increasingly heated as one sacred pill after another was brought out. The auctioneer's melodious yet highly persuasive voice heightened the excitement. Various top-grade sacred pills fetched high prices one after another, eliciting gasps of astonishment from the cultivators in the hall.
"Congratulations to the Thousand Blade Great Sage of the Blade God Realm for successfully acquiring the last ten Heavenly Grade Divine Travel Pills for ten thousand divine stones!"
The auctioneer from the Heavenly Palace held the auction gavel and brought it down heavily, sealing the deal with a single blow.
A chorus of congratulations erupted from the entire arena. Cultivators from various factions within the Western Universe's Heavenly Realm rose to offer their congratulations to the Thousand Blade Great Sage of the Blade God Realm. The Thousand Blade Great Sage, his face cold and stern, surrounded by sword energy, rose upon hearing the congratulations, cupped his hands in greeting to the four directions, and beamed with pride. After receiving the pill cauldron, he swiftly stored it in his spatial artifact, treating it as a priceless treasure.
Qin Qiong sat in the private room, watching this scene with envy in his eyes. The Divine Travel Pill was a top-grade Heavenly Saint Pill, crucial for Great Saint cultivators who had reached the Hundred Shackles Realm. It was one of the top auxiliary cultivation resources among Great Saints. Ten cauldrons contained a total of one thousand pills, and the price of ten thousand divine stones was absolutely worthwhile. However, he knew in his heart that his own divine stones were limited and had to be used entirely on the Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pill. Even if he was tempted, he could only sigh in despair, daring not to be distracted in the slightest.
Just as everyone was still discussing the sale of the Divine Travel Pill, the auctioneer's voice rang out again, his clear voice echoing throughout the inner hall: "Next, we will auction the most important Heavenly Grade Holy Pill of this Holy Pill Banquet—the Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pill!"
As soon as the words fell, four strongmen clad in holy armor carried a crimson cauldron, about ten feet tall, onto the auction stage. The cauldron was engraved with divine elephant runes, and the power of blood and qi emanated from it. Even before the lid was opened, a rich fragrance of elixirs wafted out with the airflow, stirring the mind and making the blood and qi of the body boil.
The auctioneer pointed to the cauldron and loudly introduced, "This elixir is made from the blood of a divine beast with the bloodline of an ancient divine elephant, combined with thirty-six kinds of sacred medicinal herbs such as Blood Spirit Grass and Vajra Fruit. It was refined by a Celestial Alchemist and has reached the top-grade Heavenly level. After consuming it, cultivators can rapidly temper their physical bodies and possess an acquired divine elephant physique. Even Great Saints can use it to forge their Saintly bodies. It is an unparalleled treasure for cultivating the physical body!"
"This auction will feature a total of one hundred cauldrons, each containing one hundred pills. The auction will be conducted in ten batches, with a starting price of one thousand divine stones for each batch!"
These words caused an uproar throughout the hall. Countless Great Saints' eyes gleamed with excitement, especially those cultivators who focused on physical cultivation, who trembled with excitement.
Qin Qiong stood up instantly, his aura tense, and his eyes flashed with a sharp light. He thought to himself: I've finally waited for this moment!
Without the slightest hesitation, he immediately made his offer, his voice carrying throughout the auction hall through the array of the private rooms: "One thousand divine stones!"
But as soon as he made his offer, it was immediately drowned out by a chorus of bids being raised.
"Fiveteen hundred divine stones!"
"Two thousand divine stones!"
"Three thousand divine stones!"
There are quite a few Great Saints who focus on cultivating their physical bodies. The scarcity of the Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pill made the bidding instantly fierce, and the price soared like a rocket. In just a few breaths, the first batch of ten Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pills was driven up to a high price of ten thousand divine stones.
Qin Qiong gritted his teeth, his eyes resolute. For the sake of the Tang Dynasty's Xuanjia Army, he could not back down. He immediately shouted in a deep voice, "Fifteen thousand divine stones!"
This price exceeded the original value of the first batch of Saint Pills, and many forces immediately stopped bidding.
The auctioneer smiled with satisfaction and announced loudly, "The Duke of Hu of the Great Tang Dynasty in the Primordial Realm has bid 15,000 divine stones! Any other fellow Daoists willing to raise the bid?"
A moment of silence followed, then no one spoke. The auction gavel slammed down: "Sold! Congratulations to the Great Tang Dynasty for winning the first batch of Ten Cauldrons of Divine Elephant Might Pills!"
The guards, clad in golden armor, swiftly delivered the cauldron of pills into the Tang Dynasty private room. Qin Qiong took the cauldron, exerted force with his fingertips, and the lid slowly opened. Instantly, a rich aroma of medicinal energy gushed out, enveloping the entire room in a mist of pill energy. Each dark red sacred pill was as round as a gemstone, its surface shimmering with sacred runes, containing immense power of blood and energy.
Cheng Zhijie and Xu Shiji quickly came forward, their faces filled with joy as they looked at the cauldron full of sacred pills. Xu Shiji picked up a sacred pill, examined it carefully, and exclaimed, "It really is a top-grade Heavenly Elephant Giant Strength Pill. Sacred pills refined by the Heavenly Palace are of far superior quality to those outside, with rich and potent medicinal effects. With this pill, the physical foundation of the Xuanjia Army will be guaranteed."
Cheng Zhijie slapped his thigh and said loudly, "His Majesty's Black Nether Armor is already fully equipped. Now, as long as we gather this batch of Sacred Pills, we can quickly train three thousand Black Armor warriors who have achieved the physical cultivation of Sacred Kings. At that time, our Great Tang Dynasty will surely be awe-inspiring throughout the heavens!"
However, the atmosphere was particularly oppressive in the private room where the Heavenly Realm faction was located.
Stan, the Titan of the Temple, sat upright, his face ashen, burning with rage. He was the strongest person in the mortal realm of the Titan Temple, specializing in cultivating the Titan Body. He sought to achieve a perfect Titan divine body at the Great Saint stage of the Supreme Realm, and the Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pill was precisely the physical cultivation resource he desperately needed.
Although the Titan Temple has no shortage of cultivation resources, Heavenly Grade Saint Pills are extremely rare everywhere. With many Great Saints within the clan, it's impossible to concentrate all resources on him alone. He had participated in the bidding for the first batch of Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pills until the very end, but unfortunately, he didn't have enough divine stones on him.
He had other plans in mind. His main goal in coming here was to acquire the ten Quasi-Emperor Grade Saint Pills at the end of the auction, as well as the legendary Emperor Grade Saint Pill refined by the True Universe Divine Lord. Such treasures were the supreme opportunities that could allow even a Divine Realm cultivator to undergo a complete transformation. Therefore, he dared not waste his divine stones here.
Watching helplessly as his beloved Holy Pill was snatched away by the Great Tang Dynasty, Ston felt extremely unwilling. He looked at a short cultivator beside him, whose body exuded a golden aura, who was none other than the Great Saint Tokkin of the Dwarf Clan.
The dwarves are a renowned and wealthy race in the heavens, with many master craftsmen among them. Historically, they have produced a supreme master of weapon crafting, so divine stones are naturally not in short supply.
Ston immediately gritted his teeth, took off the Titan Golden Armor he was wearing, handed it to Tokkin, and said in a deep voice, "Tokkin, lend me fifty thousand divine stones. I will use this Titan Golden Armor as collateral. When I return to the Titan Temple, I will definitely redeem it!"
Tokkin, barely five feet tall, shifted his position, his small eyes darting around as he looked at the golden armor before him. Without hesitation, he nodded, "Of course! Fellow Daoist Ston has asked, how could I refuse!"
He took the Titan Golden Armor, casually put it into his spatial ring, then took out a bulging spatial bag and handed it to Ston, saying in a generous tone, "Here are fifty thousand divine stones, fellow Daoist, feel free to take them and use them!" To him, fifty thousand divine stones were nothing but a drop in the ocean, not worth mentioning at all.
Ston took the spatial bag, feeling the powerful aura of the divine stone inside. A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes, and he immediately threw himself into the new round of bidding.
Soon, the second batch of Ten Cauldrons Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pills went up for auction, and the bidding started again, with the price quickly soaring to 10,000 divine stones.
Qin Qiong's expression was solemn as he bid again: "Fifteen thousand divine stones!"
Ston followed almost immediately, his voice icy: "Sixteen thousand divine stones!"
Qin Qiong gritted his teeth and raised the price again: "Seventeen thousand divine stones!"
"Eighteen thousand divine stones!" Ston's voice was filled with a fierce determination.
This price far exceeded the value of the sacred pill itself, causing an uproar among the cultivators present, with discussions rising and falling.
"Eighteen thousand divine stones! The Great Tang Dynasty is too extravagant! That's eighteen trillion sacred stones, enough to cultivate tens of thousands of saints."
"I've heard that the dukes of the Great Tang Dynasty all wield supreme sacred artifacts; these divine stones are nothing more than a drop in the ocean to them!"
"The Great Tang Dynasty has won two batches in succession, it seems they intend to buy up all the Divine Elephant Might Pills, and have no plans to bid on the later King-grade and Quasi-Emperor-grade Saint Pills!"
Inside the Heavenly Realm's private room, Ston's face was extremely grim. He cursed inwardly, "Damn the Great Tang Dynasty! They're clearly deliberately going against the Heavenly Realm! They've already won ten cauldrons and they're still not satisfied. Where did they get so many divine stones?"
He knew that if he continued bidding, he would consume too many divine stones and would be unable to compete for the King-grade, Quasi-Emperor-grade, and Emperor-grade Saint Pills. However, he was unwilling to give up the Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pill and could only hope that the Great Tang Dynasty would run out of divine stones and give up on its own initiative.
But the reality was far beyond his expectations.
The Great Tang Dynasty was determined to obtain the next eight batches of Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pills, and fought to the death with Ston for each batch. Qin Qiong calmly responded and kept raising the price. Even when Ston raised the price to the extreme, he never backed down.
One batch, two batches, three batches... a total of eight batches, all one hundred cauldrons of Divine Elephant Giant Strength Pills were auctioned off by the Great Tang Divine Dynasty, costing a total of more than 150,000 divine stones. The transaction price of each batch was no less than 15,000 divine stones, and the last batch was even speculated to a sky-high price of 20,000 divine stones.
In the end, Ston was numb and no longer had the strength to bid. He could only watch helplessly as the last batch of Holy Pills was acquired by the Tang Dynasty, his heart filled with resentment and anger.
On the auction stage, the auctioneer beamed with joy at the sales figures, which far exceeded expectations by several times, and was extremely grateful to Ston. If it weren't for his bidding war with the Great Tang Dynasty, which drove up the price, this batch of sacred pills wouldn't have sold for so many divine stones.
Inside the private room of the Great Tang Dynasty, however, everyone was furious, their faces ashen.
Cheng Zhijie, who had the most volatile temper, pointed towards the Heavenly Realm private room and cursed, "That Titan brat clearly did it on purpose! He was malicious and wanted to raise the price to rip us off! He made us pay twice as many divine stones, it's outrageous!"
The Duke of E and others were also filled with righteous indignation and echoed each other. They exchanged insults with the cultivators of the Heavenly Realm faction across the array. The two sides were at loggerheads, and the atmosphere instantly became tense, almost breaking into a conflict, but they were stopped by the enforcers of the Heavenly Palace.
Just as the two sides were arguing, the auction of the Heavenly Grade Saint Pills had already ended.
The Heavenly Palace auctioneer cleared his throat, his voice suddenly becoming solemn, echoing throughout the inner hall and suppressing all the noise: "The auction of the Heavenly Grade Saint Pills is over. Next, we will auction the grand finale of this Saint Pill Banquet—the King Grade Saint Pills, the Quasi-Emperor Grade Saint Pills, and the Emperor Grade Saint Pills!"
Upon hearing this, the entire hall fell silent instantly. All arguments and clamor vanished. Whether they were from the Primordial Realm, the Heavenly Realm, or cultivators and true gods from all realms, their eyes were fixed on the auction stage, their eyes blazing with extreme desire and greed.
According to the announcement from the Heavenly Palace, there are 146 types of King-grade Saint Pills, with 100 pills of each type; there are only 10 Quasi-Emperor-grade Saint Pills; and the most important and precious one is an Emperor-grade Saint Pill personally refined by True Universe Divine Lord. All the True God Realm experts present are here for this Emperor-grade Saint Pill.