"So many spirit stones... he's not afraid I'll run off with the money?" Song Changsheng joked as he weighed the Qiankun pouch in his hand.
"He only agreed after learning who you are. He believes your reputation is worth more than ten thousand spirit stones."
Song Changsheng gave a wry smile. If he were just a wandering rogue cultivator, he'd be tempted by the ten thousand spirit stones. But he was a member of the Song Clan the grandson of Song Xianming, and the son of Xia Yunxue.
"Let's see what he wants me to bid on." Song Changsheng took out the jade slip from the pouch and pressed it to his forehead. What appeared in his mind was an ordinary-looking black stone.
Stones like that there had to be hundreds, if not thousands, lying on the roadside. Was this supposed to be some kind of treasure?
He asked skeptically, "Is something like that even worthy of going on auction?"
Zhu Yiqun shrugged. "That's the information the senior provided. He said if the item doesn't appear at the auction, the Heart-Guarding Pill is yours regardless. He sounded pretty confident, so I guess the lead is reliable."
"Alright, I'll wade into this muddy water, then." Having made up his mind, Song Changsheng bid farewell to Zhu Yiqun and returned to the Treasure-Seeking Pavilion to quietly wait for the auction to begin...
....
In the Liuyun Market City, though on the surface it was jointly managed by the six Foundation Establishment forces, everyone knew the real giant behind the scenes was the Bafang Pavilion.
After all, in the Ziyu Realm, human cultivators start their path with Qi Refining and progress through Foundation Establishment, Purple Mansion, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, and Void Refinement before they can ascend to the upper realm and become true "Immortals."
Ascension was a rare occurrence barely enough ascended cultivators in human history to count on two hands. Only five sects passed down from those few ascended beings had endured to the present day, and they were revered as the Five Great Sacred Lands.
The entire human cultivation world was divided into five continents, each guarded by one of these sacred lands. In the southern continent, the sacred land was the Yang Clan.
The Yang Clan was the undisputed overlord of the southern region, standing at the very top of the human cultivator hierarchy.
Below the sacred lands were what people commonly called top-tier powers forces that either had a Void Refinement powerhouse currently or had one in their history.
The Bafang Pavilion was one such power. Though they didn't currently have a Void Refinement expert, their foundations were incredibly deep, and their shops could be found all across the land even in a remote region like Lingzhou.
Their business covered an extensive range of fields, and auctions were one of them.
In Liuyun Market, relying on its formidable background and vast resources, the Bafang Pavilion had crushed all its competitors, becoming the sole auction house.
They held monthly minor auctions and major auctions every three years. Minor auctions mainly featured consignments from local Lingzhou cultivators, where Bafang earned commissions.
Major auctions were on another level in addition to consignments, the Pavilion itself would release some of its treasures for bidding, covering all categories and drawing massive attention.
Each major auction drew a flood of cultivators from all over Lingzhou.
However, the one Song Changsheng was attending was just a monthly minor auction, so while it wasn't packed to the brim, it also made him a more visible target.
Wearing the black robe gifted by Zhu Yiqun, Song Changsheng arrived early at the Bafang Pavilion's auction hall.
The building was grand, with three stories. The first floor was open to all. The second required background or status of the six major Foundation Establishment powers of Lingzhou each had a private room on that floor.
Song Changsheng could've entered his clan's private booth, but that would have attracted too much attention. Quietly, he found a discreet seat in a corner and waited for the auction to begin.
Just as he sat down, another figure in a black robe approached and asked, "Friend, is this seat taken?"
Recognizing the voice, Song Changsheng froze, then quickly pulled the person into the seat beside him and whispered, "What are you doing here?"
Zhu Yiqun grinned, "I'm here to give you cover, of course!"
"This is ridiculous. Do you even understand the risks? Why get involved in this mess?" Song Changsheng was touched, but he didn't want Zhu Yiqun caught in the middle.
"What's there to be afraid of? No one's more dangerous than the enemies of my old man," Zhu Yiqun said with a smirk.
Song Changsheng was about to argue more, but at that moment, the doors to the auction house closed the auction was about to begin.
"Sigh." Song Changsheng sighed helplessly and silently made a note of this favor in his heart.
"Bang!"
The small wooden hammer struck the podium with a crisp sound, instantly quieting the noisy hall. All eyes turned to the center, where the auctioneer stood beside the showcase.
She was a young woman in light palace robes, her figure graceful and curvaceous. Her hair was styled in an elaborate updo, and her face was like a classical beauty almond-shaped face, arched brows, enchanting phoenix eyes, rosy lips, and a charming smile.
Holding a small hammer, she gazed gracefully around the room and said in a sweet voice,
"Thank you all for attending today's auction. This humble girl is Su Rou, your auctioneer for the day. It's my great honor to host this event, and I hope Lady Luck will smile upon every one of you."
"I now declare the Bafang Pavilion Auction officially open!"
"Let's begin with the first item a low-grade Tier-2 magical weapon that's on the verge of evolving into a spirit weapon. The starting bid is 1,000 spirit stones, with a minimum increment of 200. Bidding starts now."
As soon as Su Rou finished speaking, the hall exploded with excitement. A weapon on the verge of becoming a spirit artifact now that was impressive!
"1,500 spirit stones!" someone immediately raised a paddle.
"2,000!"
"2,500!"
...
Amid the flurry of bids, the price of the magical weapon quickly soared to 15,000 spirit stones, and it kept climbing, eventually being claimed by a Foundation Establishment cultivator on the second floor for 23,000 spirit stones.
This far exceeded the usual price of a low-grade Tier-2 magical weapon a clear testament to the allure of a potential spirit artifact.
Starting with such a bombshell item completely ignited the atmosphere in the hall. The following lots also fetched impressively high prices.
Song Changsheng spent 500 spirit stones to purchase a Tier-2 metal ingot, then sat back in silence, waiting patiently for his target to appear.
As the auction neared its end, Su Rou took out a small box. Opening it in front of the crowd, she announced:
"Fellow Daoists, this next item was transferred here from an auction house in the Great Qi Kingdom.
After appraisal by several of our Pavilion's treasure appraisers, it's been confirmed to be a treasure. However, both its value and origin remain unknown. It has already failed to sell at several previous auctions.
The starting price is 1,000 spirit stones, and you may raise the bid by any amount. Please bid at your discretion."
Her words surprised the audience after all, Bafang Pavilion had never offered such a vague and seemingly irresponsible auction item before. Naturally, curiosity was piqued.
Everyone turned their gaze to the pitch-black object lying in the box...
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