The maid pulled aside the red silk, lifted the wooden box high, and lightly parted her lips to say, "This item is a treasure fan, an object my house’s ship master recently happened upon by chance. Initially, he didn’t think much of it, but after it was appraised by a master, it was realized that this item is, in fact, a Mystical Artifact..."
As soon as she finished speaking, uproar swept through the crowd like a surging tide, so loud that her subsequent words were completely drowned out.
In the western pavilion, a certain green-clothed cultivator with a sharp brow and distinct features who carried an air of aloofness had been quietly seated since the start of the Treasure Meeting, leisurely drinking tea in his room. Yet now, he abruptly stood up from his seat, striding quickly to the edge of the pavilion in only a few steps. He slammed the railing heavily and muttered in frustration, "They brought out a Mystical Artifact today? How did I not receive any prior word of this? What are the people below doing? When I return, they will be severely punished!"
The so-called Mystical Artifact bears a trace of True Recognition, making its power far superior to that of Spiritual Artifacts. Moreover, if its owner nurtures it with sacrificial refinement over years and decades, it might even have a sliver of hope for advancing into the realm of True Artifacts.
And yet, Mystical Artifacts are far more favored by cultivators compared to True Artifacts. This is because True Artifacts inevitably harbor a True Spirit within them. Even if one acquires such an Artifact, its spirit may not willingly allow itself to be controlled. Extracting even a tenth of its original power would be considered fortunate. Mystical Artifacts, by contrast, are far more agreeable and easier to use.
Zhang Yan, too, was inwardly surprised. The Mingcang Sect, being one of the Ten Great Profound Sects, has formidable resources. Yet despite his years of cultivation and frequent encounters with peers, never had he seen a Mystical Artifact in their possession. Even when he single-handedly toppled the Six Rivers and Four Islands in combat, such a treasure had remained unseen. Its rarity truly speaks to its value.
Even a device as powerful as the Ruyi Divine Shuttle is no more than a High Grade Spiritual Device.
From the demon cultivator Qu Chang, Zhang Yan had once obtained a talisman—coincidentally a Mystical Artifact. But even after years of nurturing it, it had yet to fully transform into his own artifact.
The only Mystical Artifact-grade item he possessed was the Star Sword Ball. However, strictly speaking, the sword ball was merely a formation of refined sand and spiritual energy. Without accompanying sword techniques, it was not usable—a clear contrast to dharma treasures below the True Artifact tier, which, once ownerless, could be employed freely.
With Mystical Artifacts being so precious and rare, he found the commotion stirred by this revelation unsurprising in the least.
The maid holding the wooden box seemed to want to say more, but the crowd’s uproar drowned out her voice repeatedly. Helpless, she gathered her strength and shouted, "Everyone, let me finish speaking!"
The crowd gradually quieted down, turning their attention toward her. Unexpectedly, although she seemed delicate, she had cultivated to the level of Condensing Yuan and Manifesting Intent—otherwise, such a loud yell wouldn’t have been possible.
The maid secretly breathed a sigh of relief, raised the wooden box, and said, "Though this treasure is a Mystical Artifact, when my house’s ship master acquired it, its Spirit Light was dim and unclear, having been polluted by potent Demonic Qi. Only a faint trace of True Recognition remains. Its original power has mostly dissipated, but with a dedicated owner laboring over its sacrificial refinement, though it might never return to its full splendor, restoring eight to nine-tenths of its power would not be impossible."
Her words brought a calm to most of the audience. Many began shaking their heads.
A Mystical Artifact may be good, but if severely damaged, who could know how many years it might take to restore it? Cultivators often find themselves embroiled in conflict with others. To gain a treasure that not only fails to aid them but also places a heavy burden on their heart and spirit—while yielding uncertain results—this would drive most away.
Zhang Yan, hearing these words, also shook his head with a faint smile, his interest dissipated entirely.
If it had truly been an excellent Mystical Artifact, he wouldn’t have minded casually acquiring it. But when a treasure has suffered such damage, there is no need to waste one’s effort over it.
The green-clothed cultivator standing before the pavilion crossed his arms, his gaze deep and contemplative. After a long moment, he finally spoke in a steady voice, "What is the price of this treasure?"
For esteemed guests like him, similar to Zhang Yan, the Immortal Market would assign a female attendant to wait upon them. Upon hearing his question, the young maid, whose face carried a subtle charm, immediately replied, "Reporting to you, Immortal Guest—two thousand Spiritual Shells."
The green-clothed cultivator gave a cold snort and said, "Fair enough. Go inform them that I will take it."
The maid’s expression immediately brightened. She cheerily responded, then quickly made her way to the edge of the pavilion’s prohibition field. Announcing loudly, she declared, "This Immortal Guest wishes to acquire this treasure for two thousand Spiritual Shells."
After speaking, she even glanced provocatively toward Jun Ling’er.
However, when Jun Ling’er had come forth earlier, no one had offered any bids to contest her. Unfortunately, the maid wasn’t going to have the same luck. From a beast-headed flying boat stationed in the northwest corner, someone burst out laughing and said, "Two thousand? Allow me, Deng, to join the fun. Two thousand five hundred—my entire fortune is on this!"