Chapter 182: Desiccated Beasts

The white-haired elder, upon seeing the desiccated beast carcass, hesitated in making a decision. He turned his gaze to Xiao Xie; if Xiao Xie agreed, then the deal would naturally proceed. If not, Mo Tianxing would have no choice but to raise his offer.

When Xiao Xie saw the dried magical beast corpse that Mo Tianxing presented, he was slightly taken aback. In the original story, it was indeed mentioned that the Black Sovereign Sect preserved such a creature, and Xiao Xie also knew that this was the corpse of a powerful member of the Heavenly Demon Phoenix clan, one of the three great magical beast families. In the original tale, Xiao Yan had even used the wings of this very corpse to cultivate a flying battle skill.

For most, this dried magical beast would serve little purpose beyond crafting some weapons. But for someone skilled in bone summoning techniques like Xiao Xie, possessing a magical beast carcass on the verge of breaking through the eighth rank could very well mean another Dou Zun-level powerhouse under his command. Moreover, given that the beast was a Heavenly Demon Phoenix, the summoned skeletal beast would be much stronger than an ordinary Dou Zun.

Xiao Xie nodded to the white-haired elder.

Seeing this, Mo Tianxing breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried that Xiao Xie might refuse. After all, treasures that could rival a Dou Zong Pill were rare even in the Black Sovereign Sect.

With Xiao Xie's approval, the white-haired elder tapped his silver hammer, his voice full of excitement as he announced, “The first recipient of the Dou Zong Pill today is none other than Mr. Mo Tianxing!”

“Heh, I am Mo Tianxing. I believe many of you here know me. Today, I am fortunate enough to acquire the first Dou Zong Pill, and it is all thanks to the courtesy shown by everyone present. My sincere thanks!” With a smile on his face, Mo Tianxing slowly swept his gaze across the hall, pausing briefly at certain spots. His hearty laughter echoed in the ears of every attendee.

Mo Tianxing’s words drew laughter from some of the powers seated in the VIP section. The Black Sovereign Sect was a long-established force in the Black Corner Region, standing firm for many years and cultivating extensive connections. Mo Tianxing himself was known for his wide circle of friends; many of the powerful figures present, to varying degrees, were acquainted with him.

With Mo Tianxing’s statement, no one felt any resentment about him winning the first Dou Zong Pill. All eyes now turned to the two remaining pills.

“A mature Poison Dragon Fruit, and a mid-tier Earth-rank battle skill, 'Sky-Shattering Finger.'”

As soon as the second Dou Zong Pill was brought out, someone immediately placed a bid—a Dou Zong-level expert clad in a black robe.

“Poison Dragon Fruit, a Heaven-grade medicinal ingredient, grows in lands of extreme poison, containing lethal toxins. Even a Dou Zun who mistakenly consumes a mature Poison Dragon Fruit may survive, but will be left crippled.” The description of the Poison Dragon Fruit flickered through Xiao Xie’s mind.

Upon hearing the name, Little Doctor Immortal’s beautiful eyes flashed with excitement. If she could consume and fully absorb the toxins of the Poison Dragon Fruit, she could break through to seven-star Dou Huang. With a Royal Extreme Pill and a sixth-grade Barrier-Breaking Pill from Xiao Xie, she would soon achieve Dou Zong as well.

Xiao Xie noticed her thoughts and nodded to the white-haired elder. Thus, the second Dou Zong Pill was successfully auctioned off.

“Only the final Dou Zong Pill remains. Let’s see who will go all out for it.” The white-haired elder looked at the eager eyes of the Dou Zong experts in the VIP section and couldn’t help but laugh inwardly. Usually these figures were lofty and aloof—when else could such a scene be witnessed?

“I bid three seventh-rank magical beast cores!”

“I offer two low-tier and two mid-tier seventh-rank magical beast corpses!”

…

The last Dou Zong Pill naturally sparked a frenzied competition among several Dou Zong experts. Yet, a single voice soon overpowered all others.

“A vial of Bodhi Rebirth Elixir!”

Everyone’s attention was instantly drawn. The speaker wore a black robe, his face obscured, but the aura he emitted was unmistakably that of a Dou Zong powerhouse.

“Young master, what is Bodhi Rebirth Elixir?” Qinglin, noticing the shocked expressions of the Dou Zong experts in the VIP area, could not help but ask Xiao Xie.

Little Doctor Immortal, beside her, also looked curious, hearing this name for the first time.

Xiao Xie only knew of it thanks to Yao Lao’s memories. He gently ruffled Qinglin’s hair and smiled, “In some remote, untraveled mountains, there exists a wondrous ancient tree known as the Bodhi Ancient Tree. Deep beneath the earth, its roots will, over centuries, condense a miraculous, viscous, heart-shaped substance, called the Bodhi Heart. Generally, it takes at least a thousand years for such a tree to form a Bodhi Heart. The Bodhi Rebirth Elixir is a rare secretion found on the surface of this Bodhi Heart.”

“This elixir, when consumed, is said to transform one’s body, greatly improving constitution—truly remarkable. As for the Bodhi Heart itself, it can be called a treasure nurtured by the very energies of heaven and earth. It’s said that if someone consumes a Bodhi Heart, it can gradually replace the human heart, so that even a mortal wound to the chest may not be fatal. The Bodhi Heart grants power far greater than a normal heart and, most importantly, continuously nourishes the soul, gradually making it stronger—a temptation no alchemist could ever resist.”

After hearing Xiao Xie’s explanation, Qinglin sighed with regret, “What a shame—it would be perfect if it were a Bodhi Heart.”

Xiao Xie chuckled, “You greedy little thing. The value of a Bodhi Heart is far beyond a Dou Zong Pill—do you think people are that foolish?”

At his words, Qinglin stuck out her tongue, a little embarrassed.

In the end, as expected, the last Dou Zong Pill was auctioned off for a vial of Bodhi Rebirth Elixir.

With the Dou Zong Pill auction concluded, the last item of the event was brought forth—a high-tier Earth-rank wind-element cultivation method. Though an excellent technique, Xiao Xie was uninterested, nor did Little Doctor Immortal or Qinglin have any use for it, so they abstained from bidding. In the end, the technique was purchased by an unknown Dou Zong expert for one seventh-grade and three sixth-grade pills.

After the auction, Su Mei personally delivered the items Xiao Xie and his group had won. Although Xiao Xie paid for the items won by Little Doctor Immortal and Qinglin, Su Mei actually covered the payment on their behalf, since the Tianyin Sect was the auction’s host. Some auction items, however, were provided by others, and the Tianyin Sect simply took a fee.

Xiao Xie handed the Poison Dragon Fruit to Little Doctor Immortal, then picked up the scroll for the Earth-rank mid-tier battle skill, Sky-Shattering Finger, and read through it. Afterward, he realized that while it was a finger-based offensive skill, it was quite unique.

The Sky-Shattering Finger required channeling a portion of battle energy into a finger, compressing it, and then releasing it in a high-powered attack. The more battle energy infused and compressed, the greater the final destructive impact.

After memorizing the cultivation method, Xiao Xie handed the scroll to Little Doctor Immortal. If she mastered this skill, focusing her poisonous battle energy into a single finger, the resulting composite poison attack would surely become the bane of her enemies.

Under Little Doctor Immortal’s gaze, Xiao Xie resolutely declined Su Mei’s warm invitation, taking Little Doctor Immortal and Qinglin back to Maple City.

Upon returning, Little Doctor Immortal immediately began her seclusion. With the Poison Dragon Fruit, she could make significant progress, and inspired by the Sky-Shattering Finger, she might even develop poison techniques more terrifying than Butterfly Dance, Hundred Birds Facing the Phoenix, or Poison Dragon. When she next emerged, her strength would surely leap to new heights.

Xiao Xie told Qinglin to prepare dinner, then returned to his room and entered the Worship Space.

Once inside, with a wave of his hand, a massive black object instantly appeared before him.

The black form was enormous, about ten meters long, with a pair of bone wings as lustrous as jade. Under the gentle lamplight, they shimmered with a faint glow, appearing oddly mesmerizing.

This was the very beast carcass that the Black Sovereign Sect’s master had traded for the Dou Zong Pill.