Martial Peak

Chapter 2746 – Highest Price Wins

Translator: Silavin & Raikov

Translation Checker: PewPewLazerGun

Editor and Proofreader: Leo of Zion Mountain & Dhael Ligerkeys

“Only Earth Grade, huh?” Yang Kai muttered in thought, “Are you planning to go inside to see whether you can break through to the Emperor Realm?”

Bian Yu Qing smiled, “The chances are slim, but I should still try, shouldn’t I?”

She didn’t have much confidence in her chances, and Yang Kai estimated that she probably wouldn’t be able to make a breakthrough even if she really did get to cultivate in the Earth Grade cultivation room. A cultivator’s mentality was a very important factor when it came to such things.

After pondering for a moment, Yang Kai said, “Let’s go.”

“Where to?” Bian Yu Qing asked.

“To Spirit Lake Palace. It’s been many years since I last came here, and it seems like you’re more familiar with the way there, so why don’t you be my guide?”

Bian Yu Qing nodded, “That’s fine.”

Yang Kai pushed his Emperor Qi, wrapping around her and then speeding off towards Spirit Lake Palace’s direction, but he did not return the Sapphire Entry Token to her.

Bian Yu Qing seemed to want to say something, but she couldn’t bring herself to ask in the end. If Yang Kai really wanted to snatch the Sapphire Entry Token from her, Bian Yu Qing would not be able to fight him.

It didn’t take long for them to arrive at a place a thousand kilometres away.

Yang Kai looked towards Spirit Lake Palace from the air and couldn’t help but whistle in amazement. In just a few years, this place had already formed into a city not inferior to Maplewood City. And, from the looks of it, they were still expanding. Maybe in a few years, Spirit Lake Palace would swallow up Maplewood City as well, merging the two into one.

Seeing that Yang Kai seemed to have the intention of just swaggering in, Bian Yu Qing quickly interrupted, “We need to pay Source Crystals in order to enter Spirit Lake City. Ten Mid-Rank Source Crystals per person.”

“Oh, that’s quite a hefty entrance fee,” Yang Kai was taken aback. He had been to many cities, and those cities all generally charged tolls in Low-Rank Source Crystals, and usually only around ten crystals at that, but this Spirit Lake City actually wanted ten Mid-Rank Source Crystals, which was a hundred times more than what other cities charged.

“It’s a lot, but it’s worth it. The World Energy inside Spirit Lake City may not be as plentiful as the cultivation rooms in Spirit Lake Palace, but it’s still very dense. Many people who can’t get Entry Tokens instead find places to stay in Spirit Lake City, living there year-round.”

Yang Kai nodded. He was also a cultivator who climbed up step by step from the bottom, so he could naturally sympathize with the hardships faced by those cultivators. For them, the World Energy in Spirit Lake City was no less than a divine blessing. Naturally, they were willing to pay the trivial ten Mid-Rank Source Crystals to gain entry.

While speaking, the two of them had already arrived at the entrance. Fortunately, the entrance was quite empty and there weren’t many people lining up. When it was Yang Kai’s turn, he just tossed over a High-Rank Source Crystal, causing the cultivator guarding the entrance to happily take it and let them through.

It wasn’t that Yang Kai was trying to show off his wealth on purpose, only that he basically had no Mid-Rank or Low-Rank Source Crystals. All the Source Crystals he had in his ring were High-Rank ones.

When they entered Spirit Lake City, they were greeted with a bustling sight. Cultivators came and went along the streets like a school of carp in the river, plentiful as the hairs on an ox. It was extremely lively, and many stores were lining both sides of the streets, rows upon rows of them. Many had even set up stalls on the empty ground to sell off the things they didn’t need anymore. Most of the stalls had people stopping around, and the sound of bargaining was endless.

Yang Kai clicked his tongue in amazement. There were Dao Source Realm cultivators as far as the eye could see here, and even some Emperor Realm Masters who were concealing their cultivations walked among the crowd. This would simply have been impossible ten years ago. Back then, the strongest Master within a hundred thousand kilometres of Maplewood City was a mere Second-Order Dao Source Realm, and the number of cultivators in the Dao Source Realm could even be counted on two hands. But right now, Dao Source Realm cultivators were truly all over the place.

These changes were naturally attributed to the rise of Spirit Lake Palace.

Yang Kai walked around, soaking in the lively atmosphere that all felt a little surreal.

Bian Yu Qing would also tell Yang Kai about Spirit Lake City from time to time, causing him to nod lightly in understanding. Ever since Blue Feather Sect disbanded, Bian Yu Qing and Kou Wu had come to Spirit Lake City in order to make a living, so she naturally knew more about the area than Yang Kai did.

Almost an hour later, they arrived at Spirit Lake Palace, which was located in the centre of the city.

The huge palace was just like a city within a city, and many people were lined up at its entrance.

Yang Kai could see quite clearly that these people were in three lines, and the leftmost line had the largest number of people, totalling five hundred or so. The middle line had much fewer people, about half the leftmost line. As for the last line on the right, less than fifty people were waiting. The strength of the cultivators in these three lines were also clear to see. The leftmost line was made up almost exclusively of those in or below the Origin King Realm. There were a few downtrodden-looking Dao Source Realm cultivators mixed in with them, however.

The middle line, on the other hand, was mostly First and Second-Order Dao Source Realm cultivators, with a few wealthy-looking Origin Kings.

As for the line on the right, their cultivations were all at or above the Second-Order Dao Source Realm, with two even being Emperor Realm cultivators.

Yang Kai said, thoughtful, “These three lines are for the different Entry Tokens, right?”

Bian Yu Qing nodded, “That’s right. The leftmost line is for the White Entry Token holders, the centre is for the Sapphire Entry Token, and the right is for the Ruby Entry Tokens. Most of the cultivation rooms in Spirit Lake Palace are Mortal Grade, then Earth Grade, and the fewest at Heaven Grade, so even though there are more people in line for White Entry Tokens, the rotation is actually quite fast.”

Yang Kai nodded, walking over towards a rather empty place at the side and looking around, revealing a satisfied look.

Bian Yu Qing had no idea what he intended to do, but she didn’t ask, choosing to observe him curiously instead.

Yang Kai suddenly said aloud, “I have a Sapphire Entry Token here with the number 3912, buyers welcome, first come, first served!”

Even though his voice wasn’t too loud, the force he pushed into it had likely amplified and carried it out for the entire Spirit Lake City to hear.

Bian Yu Qing’s face changed drastically as she cried out in alarm, “What are you doing?!”

This was the Sapphire Entry Token that she spent all of her fortune on to obtain, and she only had to wait another two months before it was her turn! That was her key to whether she could ascend to the Emperor Realm or not, but now, Yang Kai had actually taken out her Entry Token to sell without asking for her permission. If she really wanted to sell it off, then she would have taken it to an auction long ago, why keep it till now?

“Just trust me!” Yang Kai glanced at her.

Bian Yu Qing’s anger was instantly doused. Frowning, she nodded and said nothing more.

Yang Kai was already in the Emperor Realm, so if he really did have any ill intentions towards her, then she wouldn’t be able to resist him.

After Yang Kai’s words, the cultivators nearby stopped in their tracks to look at him in astonishment. In the next moment, a crowd rushed over like a tidal wave, all of them scrambling to get to Yang Kai.

In the blink of an eye, Yang Kai and Bian Yu Qing were completely surrounded by a sea of cultivators. Bian Yu Qing couldn’t help but feel nervous at this sudden situation. It should be noted that many of the cultivators surrounding them had extremely terrifying auras, not something she could contend with.

Subconsciously, she edged closer towards Yang Kai, as if trying to find a sense of security.

“Token 3912? Really?”

“Quickly take it out and show us!”

“Little brat, you’re dead if you dare to trick us!”

Many cultivators here in Spirit Lake City were trying to find an Entry Token, so they were naturally quite familiar with the numbers and what they meant. A Sapphire Entry Token bearing the number 3912 was already very close in the queue. One might be able to get in within less than two months with that token.

Usually, such close numbers would only appear in auctions, and even then they may not be able to find it in the black market. Naturally, everyone was quite excited to hear that one such token had appeared out here.

In an instant, a noisy crowd had formed.

Yang Kai ignored the people threatening him and continued shouting.

People were constantly flying over from afar, and very soon, more than five hundred cultivators gathered around them. People were crowding around Yang Kai and Bian Yu Qing, with many even flying in the sky around them.

If not for the fact that fighting was prohibited in Spirit Lake City, some people may even have tried robbing them by now.

After enough people had gathered, Yang Kai took out the Sapphire Entry Token and showed it to the crowd. Then, he flipped it around and held it up high for display.

The numbers on the back shone brightly in the sunlight, so everyone could see it clearly.

“It really is number 3912!”

“It’s been so long since such a close Entry Token appeared. This number only requires a two month wait!”

“Boy, I came here first so hurry up and sell me that Entry Token! I can guarantee you’ll be happy with the price!” An elderly man shouted eagerly. This man looked quite old, he had a head full of white hair, but his cultivation was only in the Second-Order Dao Source Realm. Death Qi was emanating from all over his body, and his vitality was also extremely thin. From his appearance, he seemed to be quite close to his predestined time of death.

But if he could make another breakthrough, then he may be able to live a few more years, so he was naturally very interested in this Entry Token.

Another cultivator, a Third-Order Dao Source Realm standing mid-air, looked down at them and said, “Boy, how much is that Entry Token? Give me a price!”

Yang Kai smiled and looked around, “It seems like everyone is quite interested in this Entry Token. Very good, in that case, let’s auction this right here! The Entry Token goes to the highest bidder!”

The elderly man’s face changed as he yelled, “Little brat, you said first come first served just now, so how can you go back on your word?”

Yang Kai grinned, “Old man, that was just something I blurted out. You believe that? Naturally, such a precious Entry Token should be auctioned!”

“You,” the elderly man’s beard was twitching, “You irritate this Old Master!”

“Since you’re going to auction it, what’s the starting price?” A Dao Source Realm cultivator in the air asked.

Yang Kai said, “You’re all free to bid, there’s no starting price.”

With so many people competing, there was simply no need for a reserve price as the price would naturally go up while they’re fighting for it.

As soon as he said that, someone immediately shouted, “Twenty million!”

“Twenty million is the price to buy an Entry Token to Spirit Lake Palace, have you no shame offering such a measly sum? Thirty million!”

“Thirty-one million!”

“Thirty-two million!”

In the blink of an eye, the price of the Sapphire Entry Token went up to thirty-six million.

Yang Kai whispered to Bian Yu Qing, “Is the price Low-Rank Source Crystals or Mid-Rank Source Crystals?”

Bian Yu Qing answered, “Mid-Rank Source Crystals. White Entry Tokens are all sold for Low-Rank Source Crystals while Ruby Entry Tokens cost High-Rank Source Crystals.”

“How much did you spend when you bought this?” Yang Kai asked.

“Twenty million Mid-Rank Source Crystals!”