Chapter 237: Good News

The exact opening date of the Ancient Human Ruins has yet to be confirmed, but the Treasure-Betting Event is already scheduled to take place in three days.

Including the soul crystals Lin Qian had earned from trading items found in the Rear Sea Street market, along with the portion of crystals he exchanged using his points, he managed to accumulate a total of one billion top-grade soul crystals to participate in the Treasure-Betting Event.

With sufficient funds and the support of the Hua Xia Empire's identification experts, Lin Qian was confident that he could make a huge profit this time.

Ever since Zhuge Ming had analyzed the potential future shortage of soul crystals and its impact on the Hua Xia Empire's development, Lin Qian felt a renewed sense of urgency.

As a nurturing enthusiast, he couldn't allow the empire's progress to stagnate. Lin Qian was determined not to miss any opportunity to earn soul crystals. As the saying goes, it's better to be safe than sorry. He wanted to ensure that the Hua Xia Empire had enough soul crystals before any potential crisis struck.

In truth, it wasn't a major crisis; even if the empire faced a shortage of soul crystals, development could simply be paused to maintain the current state. However, Lin Qian's personality refused to consider this option.

The Hua Xia Empire could only move forward, continuously progressing. Stagnation was simply unacceptable.

Nurturing, with no upper limit and infinite growth, was Lin Qian's goal.

"Treasure-Betting Event!" Standing in front of a grand circular building within the Eight-Armed Sea Clan's undersea holy city, Lin Qian's eyes gleamed as he walked through the entrance.

Ye Xin, holding onto Lin Qian's arm, followed him into the vast building.

Zhang Zide, Li Yunfeng, Zhang Qi, and Zhang Wenshuan also entered alongside them, eager to experience the famed Treasure-Betting Event.

Lin Qian had mentioned earlier that if he obtained any valuable items from this event, he would share them with everyone. After all, the funds used to earn soul crystals at Rear Sea Street had come from Zhang Zide and Li Yunfeng.

The Treasure Hall was the name of this massive circular building and the venue for the Treasure-Betting Event.

Usually, the Treasure Hall hosted auctions, but for this event, the interior had been specially remodeled.

The hall was divided into three levels. Apart from the crystal pillars supporting the structure, all other auction-related items such as treasure chests and seats had been cleared out.

In the now spacious interior, individual display cabinets had been placed, each holding various ancient and damaged items, ranging from small to large.

These items, without exception, were all surrounded by formations, enveloping both the item and the cabinet.

The three levels of the Treasure Hall were connected by an open central area. Above, soul power screens formed by formations displayed lines of information, continually updating.

These messages indicated which items on which level had been purchased.

Each item on display was clearly priced, with the price set by the seller. Bargaining was not allowed; buyers had to decide whether to purchase or not.

The Treasure Hall housed over 700,000 items up for betting, divided into various categories.

Upon entering, each participant was given a guide to help them navigate and locate specific types of items.

By the time Lin Qian arrived at the Treasure Hall, it was already bustling with activity. People were moving through the space, examining items closely and checking the prices.

Some people took only a quick glance before moving on. Others stayed longer, carefully evaluating the items. However, none of them made a purchase just yet.

The central area connecting the three levels had only a few messages on its formation screen, indicating that a couple of items had been purchased for relatively low prices, around 500,000 mid-grade soul crystals—the entry-level price for this event.

After all, it was only the first day of the event. Most participants were still observing, taking their time before making any decisions.

Treasure-betting required not just sharp eyes and luck but also patience.

Since the items in this event were costly, buying a few impulsively at the beginning could lead to regret later if something better appeared, and the buyer had run out of soul crystals.

"This Treasure-Betting Event is truly a rare spectacle," Zhang Zide remarked as he admired the ancient artifacts on display. "Compared to this, the Rear Sea Street market seems so small."

Ye Xin's gaze fell on a particular display cabinet. Behind the faint blue formation, she saw a jade hairpin—complete and intact, but dull and lifeless.

When she checked the price, it was listed at one million mid-grade soul crystals, prompting her to shake her head slightly.

A small jade hairpin priced at one million mid-grade soul crystals, equivalent to 10,000 top-grade soul crystals, seemed steep. If purchased and later found to be worth less, it would be a painful loss.

The items in the Treasure-Betting Event came from ancient ruins, and their sellers often couldn't identify them.

Even the Eight-Armed Sea Clan's appraisers sometimes failed to recognize certain items. Bringing in an expert from the clan to appraise them could cost more than the items themselves.

Moreover, some of these ancient artifacts were damaged, and whether they could be repaired or what value they might hold afterward was anyone's guess.

Whether it would be a waste of resources or a massive windfall, no one could say.

Many people preferred not to take the gamble themselves, opting instead to sell the items at the Treasure-Betting Event for a more secure profit.

That's the nature of the Treasure-Betting Event—you might strike it rich or end up losing everything.

As for the Eight-Armed Sea Clan, which organized the event, they simply took a 1% commission, ensuring stable profits.

This year's Treasure-Betting Event was more extravagant than ever, thanks to the presence of human allies and the recent discovery of numerous ancient ruins, which had brought in a wealth of items.

As people moved through the hall, no one had yet made a purchase.

The formation barrier prevented participants from handling the items directly, and some artifacts were obscured by the dust of ages, making it difficult to assess them without using special cleaning water.

This added another layer of challenge, increasing the importance of both skill and luck.

"Hmm?" Suddenly, Zhang Zide received a message. After retrieving his communication token and reading the contents, his eyes lit up as he turned to Lin Qian. "Brother Lin, I've got some good news you're sure to be interested in."