Chapter 20 Auction
"To be honest, esteemed guest, the auction is being held by Tianxing Trading Company of Fengyun City. It originated from a second-tier city, and although it's just a branch here, it has wide connections and usually organizes an auction every one or two years. The items on display are all very rare and hard to find..."
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan exchanged glances, their expressions conveying a complex tension.
Wu Shaogan: As expected, it's an auction held by Tianxing Trading Company.
Zhong Cai: This introduction sounds so familiar. You didn't hear it from someone before, did you?
Wu Shaogan: It seems...that's exactly right?
Once the money was in place, the waiter's explanation became very detailed.
After he finished speaking, he asked very solicitously, "Here is a catalog of the auction items. Would you two gentlemen like a copy?"
Zhong Cai became interested and asked, "Are the records above complete?"
The clerk quickly replied, "The trading company has too many resources, so naturally we won't put them all up. However, we do have all the rare items that are level three or above. Besides, this is the latest catalog, and the auction items have been revised several times. If there are no unforeseen circumstances, there won't be any more changes."
Zhong Cai raised an eyebrow: "How much?"
Knowing the deal was done, the shop assistant immediately said enthusiastically, "Thank you for your kind offer, one gold coin."
Zhong Cai then took out a piece of gold and threw it to him.
The waiter happily accepted it, then warmly and attentively poured tea and water, before discreetly withdrawing.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan leaned against each other, heads touching, flipping through the auction catalog.
Wu Shaogan said, "This restaurant should also be one of Tianxing Trading Company's properties."
Zhong Cai nodded: "If the guy can produce a catalog, then it's probably true. But it's also because we're generous with our money, so we guess we intend to participate in the auction, which is why he did this on purpose. This way, if we see something we like but don't have enough money, we can go and raise some more, right?"
Wu Shao chuckled dryly, "A-Cai is clever."
Zhong Cai continued flipping through the booklet, muttering, "Flattery."
The two were not in a hurry, and while waiting for the food to be served, they slowly looked at it.
·
As expected, Wu Tianqi's great-grandfather's information was correct; there were indeed Grade 3 Wood-Fire items for sale at the auction.
Zhong Cai recalled his inheritance, observed the picture of the auction item, and judged that this wood and fire were probably of medium quality among the same grade, which was already quite good.
Wu Shaogan said, "Several level-four resources are ranked after it, which shows how precious it is. There must be a lot of people vying for it..." He couldn't help but tease, "A-Cai, you should be prepared to run out of gold and have to use Xuanzhu. Don't be too stingy."
Zhong Cai touched her nose and retorted, somewhat unconvinced, "I'm not that greedy!"
However... it seems like they're definitely going to spend a lot of money this time.
But I really have to buy it.
Zhong Cai forcefully suppressed the feeling of heartache.
The denser the Qi of Heaven and Earth, the larger the cities will be, with more resources and faster cultivators. Similarly, alchemists will not be as scarce as they are here.
Therefore, once a lot of wood and fire are discovered, they will probably flow directly into large cities and be divided up by alchemists, with very little circulating downwards.
For Zhong Cai, unless he has a fortuitous encounter with Wu Shaogan in the future, or gets lucky with the sacrificial draw, this wisp of wood fire will be the best wood fire he can access right now. It will last him a long time.
Most importantly, Zhong Cai could afford it, and the Wu family could also protect him.
The two looked at each other again and couldn't help but laugh.
Then, in perfect unison, they quickly flipped through the pages, heading straight for the last few pages.
Before long, they successfully found the Grade 5 Mid-Grade Limb Regeneration Pill—the grand prize.
Zhong Cai said with a beaming smile, "Qingkong has successfully completed the mission!"
—Although, as agreed, the absence of the Azure Sky Puppet meant the Limb-Regenerating Pill had successfully entered the auction, seeing the images of the items in the catalog now truly confirms it. After the auction, the Azure Sky Puppet will return with a large sum of money!
Wu Shaogan glanced at him with amusement and said, "After we finish eating, we'll immediately go to the local Wu family shop and send the message back."
Zhong Cai suppressed his joy and pondered, "Passing on the news is easy, but the auction starts tomorrow night. I'm afraid the ancestor will have to put in some effort to make it in time."
Wu Shaogan said nonchalantly, "We've done our job by sending the message back; there's no need to worry about anything else."
Zhong Cai thought about it and agreed.
Just like how the Wu family patriarch casually gave his friend a level-four treasure robe to protect him, these two are now just casually providing a purchasing channel. Whether it works out or not depends on the patriarch's own efforts.
The two put the matter out of their minds and continued flipping through the booklet. When all the food was served, they ate slowly and deliberately.
After the meal, they went to the Wu family's shop together.
—These shops are usually also the "eyes" of the owner, and to avoid delays in communication, they naturally have direct contact methods. The Wu family's shops are no exception; they can "meet" the Wu family's caretaker through a mirror.
·
The manager of the Wu family's shop was also a direct descendant of the Wu family. He was very experienced and would not offend anyone easily.
Even though Wu Shaogan was ruined, his attitude remained polite.
"Young Master, how have you been?" Manager Wu said with a smile, cupping his hands in greeting. "What brings you here today?"
Zhong Cai looked at the man and saw that there was no perfunctory attitude in his eyes, so she felt that he was alright.
Wu Shaogan handed over a booklet and said, "I accompanied A Cai to the auction, and the catalog of the auction items included a limb-regenerating pill, which should be useful to the ancestor."
Shopkeeper Wu's expression changed slightly. He quickly flipped through the booklet and compared it with the one he had received before. Sure enough, it was an extra one added later. He couldn't help but frown.
However, he did not neglect Wu Shaogan and immediately thanked him, saying, "Thank you for reminding me, Young Master Shaogan, otherwise I would have missed it."
Wu Shaogan didn't say much, just waved his hand casually, and left with Zhong Cai.
Manager Wu hurriedly gave instructions to the people in the shop and then went to the secret room to deliver the message.
Since the auction involved resources, Manager Wu would naturally pay attention. In the past, whenever a special item appeared at the auction, he would notify the family as soon as possible.
However, the Limb Regeneration Pill was only recently added to the auction catalog, meaning it was included in the latest batch of auction items. The catalog the shopkeeper had was an earlier one and didn't include it. As for the news about the new auction items, since the Tianxing Trading Company's branch was based in Fengyun City, they would only notify the major powers within the city early on, as a way of giving those powers special treatment. Whether powers in other cities would know was up to fate.
If it weren't for Wu Shaogan and the others informing him, Manager Wu would have checked the changes in the auction items before the auction. However, the auction catalog wouldn't be deliberately left for any particular faction, and other factions would also block the news. It would probably take a lot of time to find out, and it would be a step too late to send the news back. In that case, he would have to go to the auction himself.
However, it would be difficult for Manager Wu to raise the auction funds, and even if he could raise enough and win the elixir, it was hard to say whether he could take it away successfully.
·
Wu family.
The guardian of the mirror quickly relayed the message to the head of the family, Wu Mingzhao.
Wu Mingzhao was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Did Shao Gan go over to remind you on purpose?"
The messenger replied respectfully, "Yes, sir."
Wu Mingzhao nodded: "Understood, you may leave."
The man replied "Yes" and left immediately.
Wu Mingzhao sighed softly, "I've treated that child somewhat unfairly."
Ada, standing to the side, offered words of comfort: "Young Master Shao Gan has always been loyal to the Wu family."
Wu Mingzhao nodded again and said nothing more.
Despite his sighs, he had no intention of improving Wu Shaogan's treatment or using his own resources to subsidize him.
After all, once someone is ruined, they are ruined; there is no future for them. He has a large number of descendants, and resources can only be allocated to valuable offspring in order to maintain the dignity of his generation.
Wu Mingzhao's current favorite is undoubtedly Wu Dongxiao.
With Wu Dongxiao's talent, he could become the strongest member of the Wu family. If another descendant could succeed him as the head of the family, it would be even more beneficial to the Ninth Branch... However, that candidate still needs to be chosen.
Without hesitation, Wu Mingzhao led Ada to the secluded retreat of the two patriarchs.
He stood outside the majestic stone palace and respectfully presented the news.
·
Currently, the Wu family has two surviving ancestors: a male ancestor, Wu Yuanxiao, who is 811 years old, and a female ancestor, Wu Baifeng, who is 792 years old. Both are at the mid-stage of the Fusion Realm.
The lifespan of a cultivator at the Fusion Realm is one thousand years. Given the current level of the two ancestors, it would be difficult for them to advance further before their lifespans end—especially since Wu Yuanxiao has lost an arm, and the obstacles to breaking through will be even greater when his limbs are incomplete.
But both of them are strong individuals with unwavering wills, and they are not going to die in just one or two decades, so how could they give up on breaking through so early?
Wu Yuanxiao has been persistently searching for a limb-restoring elixir, and Wu Baifeng, needing Wu Yuanxiao's assistance, is equally eager to help. Therefore, upon hearing news of the elixir's existence, and knowing that the price is right, they are naturally overjoyed.
·
Wu Yuanxiao's hearty laughter echoed from inside the stone hall: "Excellent! Your news came just in time. I will remember your contribution!"
Wu Mingzhao quickly replied, "As a junior, I dare not take credit."
Wu Yuanxiao burst into laughter again, and at the same time tossed out a mustard seed bag, saying, "I can't let your hard work go to waste, here are some little trinkets for you to play with."
Wu Mingzhao accepted it respectfully, thanked him, and quickly withdrew.
After returning to his residence, Wu Mingzhao checked the mustard seed bag.
—A full ten thousand mysterious pearls.
For a Fusion Realm expert, this is just the price of an ordinary Grade 5 pill, but for Wu Mingzhao, the most expensive resources he needs as an Enlightenment Realm cultivator can buy are only about five Mystic Pearls.
With so many Xuan Pearls, he can cultivate for a long time.
The biggest advantage of being the head of the family, besides being able to take on the more profitable properties when allocating the various houses, is that you have more opportunities to interact with the ancestors.
Even a small amount that slips through their fingers can bring immense benefits to their descendants.
·
Wu Mingzhao took out three hundred Xuanzhu pearls and gave them to Ada, saying with a smile, "Everyone who sees this gets a share. You should cultivate diligently and awaken your enlightenment soon."
Ada was already at the ninth level of the Palace Opening Realm, not far from the Enlightenment Realm. He accepted the Xuan Pearls without any hesitation and said gratefully, "Thank you, Patriarch."
Wu Mingzhao laughed and said, "Why are you being so polite with me?"
Ada felt even more reassured. After a slight hesitation, he still whispered a reminder: "Young Master Zhong took Alchemist Zhong to the auction, probably for that wisp of third-grade wood fire. Should the family give Alchemist Zhong some support?"
Wu Mingzhao pondered for a moment, then shook his head slightly.
“The most suitable material for Master Zhong Dan right now is first-grade wood and fire. Even if he wants second-grade, which is beyond his level, the family can provide some support. But now he wants to bid for third-grade. If we still support him, we won’t be able to convince the public.”
Ada thought about it and agreed.
It's unknown how long it will take for Master Zhong to advance from level one to level three. During that time, the benefits he brings to the family will be far less than the value of wood and fire. No matter how you look at it in the long run, it will inevitably cause dissatisfaction among other clansmen.
Wu Mingzhao smiled and said, "Shao Gan must have accumulated quite a bit of wealth. If he can help Master Zhong win the bid for the Wood and Fire, wouldn't Master Zhong's affection for him be even deeper? If this matter doesn't go smoothly, the family can lend a hand once Master Zhong reaches the second level."
Ada was convinced: "If Master Zhong successfully obtains the Wood and Fire this time, once he reaches level two, the family can also find many other resources for him, and he will certainly be understanding."
Wu Mingzhao nodded in satisfaction.
·
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan rested in the courtyard for a day.
Xiang Lin then went to the auction house with a full mustard seed bag, displaying millions of dollars, and obtained a silver admission ticket.
The auction is tiered, and there are various types of admission passes. The most basic one requires demonstrating a hundred gold coins to obtain, and it is a gray admission pass, which allows seating in the lobby on the first floor. Next is the black admission pass, which requires ten thousand gold coins and allows seating in the private rooms on the second floor. Then comes the silver admission pass, which requires one million gold coins and allows seating in the private rooms on the third floor. Finally, the gold admission pass, which requires ten thousand black pearls and allows seating in the grand private rooms on the top floor.
As evening fell, the two of them, accompanied only by Xiang Lin, headed to the auction venue.
Along the way, many carriages were heading towards the auction house, and the two carriages blended in unremarkable.
After more than half an hour, we finally arrived at the main street.
·
The auction house is a magnificent, circular building with multiple large doors.
The group showed their silver admission tickets at the entrance and were then led up to the third floor by a beautiful young woman through a side stairwell.
Tianxing Trading Company was very good at managing its subordinates. Although the maid who received them could tell that Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were not very capable and their clothes were not particularly luxurious, she did not judge them by their appearance at all. She spoke softly and gently all the way, showing both kindness and enthusiasm.
Zhong Cai glanced at her and felt that her service was alright, but she didn't have any further thoughts.
The maidservants quickly led them to their respective private room and respectfully served them tea and refreshments.
Zhong Cai tasted the pastries, found them mediocre, and ordered, "Don't try to fool me with freebies, bring me the best."
The maidservant immediately responded and gave a few instructions to the guards at the door.
Before long, a guard brought over a tray, which a maid took and placed on the tray for the two of them.
On the long table were not only five plates of delicious-looking snacks and two cups of fragrant tea, but also a book of stationery thoughtfully provided, with pictures of various snacks and descriptions of their uses and prices.
Zhong Cai, holding the floral stationery, leaned closer to Wu Shaogan and whispered, "Some of them look quite nice. Do you have any recommendations?"
Wu Shaogan replied quietly, "The Thousand-Seed Cake, Maple Honey Dumplings, and Purple Lotus Pastry all taste good. But they're all on the table, so there's no need to order more."
Zhong Cai understood, so she put the letter aside and went to get some snacks.
"Take a bite..." He picked up a plum blossom-shaped, unfamiliar pastry and stuffed it into Wu Shaogan's mouth.
Wu Shao chewed it a couple of times and ate it.
Zhong Cai observed that his expression had relaxed, so she took another one and ate it herself. While chewing, she mumbled, "...I'll take a bite." Then he tasted it, swallowed it, and finished the sentence with a smile, "The taste is actually quite good."
Wu Shaogan: "..." What could he do? He could only let Zhong Cai stuff another piece of food he hadn't tried before, and after reluctantly tasting it, he gave his opinion, "This one is not bad either."
Zhong Cai was overjoyed and continued eating.
The remaining three were all delicious snacks. As usual, Zhong Cai stuffed them into Wu Shaogan's hands, but this time it wasn't for "testing poison" anymore; instead, it was for sharing with her best friend.
The two were used to being together like this and didn't think much of it, but to outsiders, it looked a bit too clingy.
The maidservant stood quietly behind her, and upon seeing this scene, she showed a look of sudden realization.
It turns out that these two guests had such an ambiguous relationship.
Zhong Cai rubbed her arms, and for some reason, she got goosebumps.
Wu Shaogan, however, glanced sharply at the maidservant—but since she didn't seem to have any ill intentions, he didn't notice anything amiss.
but……
Wu Shaogan instructed, "No one needs to guard this place. You can leave now."
The maidservant replied obediently, "Yes, if you two honored guests have any further instructions, please ring the bell."
As she spoke, she pointed to a string of silver bells beside her.
Zhong Cai smiled and said, "I understand."
The maidservant quickly left the private room and went outside.
Xiang Lin, who had been keeping quiet all along, also quietly and calmly followed them out, stood guard outside the door, and then closed the door tightly.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan leaned back comfortably, almost falling into the large, soft pillows together, and waited comfortably for the auction to begin.
·
Soon, the auctioneer appeared in the auction room.
This is Guan Ying, a hidden cultivator at the peak of the Enlightenment Realm.
The middle-aged man had a refined and scholarly demeanor, and because of his strength, ordinary cultivators dared not cause trouble.
Guan Ying didn't keep them in suspense, smiling as he said, "Tianxing Trading Company welcomes all distinguished guests. The auction will now begin." He introduced the item crisply, "The first item is a level-two elixir, Tianxue Pill, of medium quality, suitable for Ice-attribute cultivators at the Opening Palace Realm. The starting price is fifty gold coins, and each bid must be at least one gold coin higher. Ladies and gentlemen, please place your bids."
In the next instant, many cultivators on both the first and second floors started bidding, vying for the top spot.
"One hundred gold coins!"
"One hundred and five gold!"
"One hundred and twelve gold!"
...
"One hundred and thirty-five gold coins!"
It's not surprising that the first bidder doubled the price, since even the cheapest level-two pills cost over a hundred gold coins. Bidding by a few gold coins at a time is a waste of time; it's better to go for the best one first and then think about how to bid more carefully.
There are quite a few cultivators who practice ice-attribute techniques; even if you are not one, you can still send the photo to someone close to you.
Special-grade pills are rare, and most cultivators don't want to miss them, especially since this one is of medium grade.
As a result, the competition was extremely fierce.
Within a few breaths, the price had climbed to over 150 gold.
After several more bids, someone finally shouted, "One hundred and fifty-nine gold coins!"
The entire room fell silent.
Guan Ying brought down the auction gavel and said with a smile, "Since no one continues to bid, then the Heavenly Snow Pill belongs to this guest."
·
Zhong Cai leaned against Wu Shaogan side by side. Upon hearing the bid, she nudged Wu Shaogan's arm and said, "Hey, look, the Heavenly Snow Pill is so expensive at auction."
Wu Shaogan understood and smiled, "Is it considered easy to refine among second-level pills?"
Zhong Cai nodded: "As long as there are enough Hundred-Year Cold Snow Crystals, even a Level 2 Alchemist can grind this kind of pill slowly. I originally thought that the market price of a low-grade pill would be around 100 gold, and a mid-grade pill would be about 10 or 20 gold more."
So, seeing the price of a mid-grade Heavenly Snow Pill soaring to 150, how could he not be surprised by such a premium? The refining of this thing really doesn't require much technical skill.
Zhong Cai chuckled: "With the market so good, I'll start practicing it once my strength improves by a few more minor realms."
Wu Shaogan raised an eyebrow: "Then I'm really looking forward to it."
Zhong Cai raised an eyebrow and sighed, "This auction is really profitable."
Seeing his envy, Wu Shaogan smiled and suggested, "Work hard, and one day we'll hold an auction specializing in elixirs. I'll be the auctioneer and I'll get you a high price for them all."
Zhong Cai had never thought of it this way before, but now that she heard it, she couldn't help but feel a little fascinated.
"You're handsome, maybe you can actually get me a high price for your work!"
Wu Shaogan slapped Zhong Cai on the back of the head and said irritably, "I'm selling pills, not my face!"
Zhong Cai winked at him.
When Wu Shaogan saw this, he couldn't help but laugh.
The two ate snacks while chatting and laughing.
The auction below is also ongoing.
·
"The second item for auction is a Tier 2, Level 5 rare beast, the Azure-Backed Wolf, accompanied by a contract talisman. Starting bid: 500 gold."
As Guan Ying spoke again, a cultivator pushed out an iron cage from behind.
Inside the cage lay a giant wolf, over two zhang long, its body iron-gray with a blue stripe on its back. It had a fierce expression and a powerful aura.
It is difficult for the Azure Wolf to break through the bloodline shackles and reach the third rank. At most, it can only reach the second rank, ninth stage (i.e., the peak of the second rank). However, it has a long lifespan, which can reach up to two thousand years. It is also very good at running and has very agile movements, which can greatly assist cultivators in battle.
With the contract talisman in place, if a family or hunting group bids to buy it, it can be rotated among cultivators of suitable strength, passed down from generation to generation.
There were quite a few cultivators bidding, and before long, the price had risen from 500 to 830.
Finally, the price stopped at 842 gold.
The person who took it was an inconspicuous little family.
Next up is the third item: a level three Mountain-Breaking Talisman.
The starting price is fifty gold, and the final price is eighty-three gold.
Then the fourth, fifth, sixth items...
All of them were level 2 resources, and the time from bidding to the end of the auction was not long.
As expected of its reputation, Tianxing Trading Company's auction items flowed by like a stream, each with its own audience, none of them went unsold, and all fetched good prices.
·
"The fifty-sixth item is the egg of a second-tier, seventh-stage rare beast, the Flying Falcon. The starting price is fifty gold, and each bid must be at least one gold higher."
"Gentlemen, please make your bids."
Guan Ying stroked the round, gray, spotted animal egg with a smile on his face.
·
An hour had passed, and only then did the rare animal eggs appear for the first time at the auction.
If it were an adult rare beast, the Flying Falcon, the starting bid would definitely be over 300 gold coins, while if it were a rare beast egg, it would naturally be much cheaper.
However, since it comes from a Tier 2, Stage 7 rare beast, its potential is higher than that of ordinary rare beast eggs.
However, the advantage of rare animal eggs is that they are easy to bond with, and with careful nurturing, the Flying Falcon has a chance to mutate.
Ordinary flying falcons are grayish-black, but once they mutate, they become covered in red feathers and are eventually renamed Flying Red Falcons. Their growth potential reaches the fourth tier.
·
Any cultivator who knows anything about this rare bird can't help but be tempted.
A fourth-tier rare bird, comparable to a cultivator in the Suspended Illumination Realm!
This time, not only the first and second floors, but even the third floor saw bids being offered.
"Eighty gold."
Eighty-eight!
"one hundred!"
One hundred and thirty!
"two hundred!"
Zhong Cai had been listening casually, but at this moment, he suddenly straightened his back.
Wu Shaogan was startled: "What's wrong? Are you interested?"
Zhong Cai pricked up his ears and said, "Old Wu, didn't that voice that just called out 200 sound familiar?" He immediately added, "Right now, he called out 220! And then 240!"
Wu Shaogan hadn't paid attention at first, but seeing that Zhong Cai seemed to care, he listened in as well.
"Is it that person?"
Zhong Cai laughed out loud: "Yes, it's that guy you don't remember who he was, the one you shot with an arrow."
Wu Shaogan gave a look of disgust and said, "If we encounter him in the wild, kill him."
Zhong Cai slumped back down next to Wu Shaogan and said lazily, "If we really run into them, we'll definitely fight, but for now, let's have some fun first."
Wu Shaogan saw Zhong Cai's wicked smile and immediately understood.
Zhong Cai slapped the sound transmission array beside him and announced a high price in a high-pitched voice: "Five hundred gold!"
This is comparable to the price of a fully grown, second-tier rare bird.
·
Behind the screen in the private room, Lu Dingxing's face was grim.
It's just a rare beast egg. Even if it has great potential, the final price should be between three or four hundred gold. How could someone directly ask for five hundred gold? Are they burning money?
However, the voice came from the third floor, and Lu Dingxing gritted his teeth, thinking that maybe the person really was just burning money.
·
Lu Dingxing ordered the auction of these beast eggs because he wanted to give them to Liao Yunfei as a gift.
Lu Dingxing was well aware that he had lost face a few days ago and likely left a bad impression on Liao Yunfei. Moreover, he had simply abandoned her afterwards; if he didn't do something to make amends, their previous understanding would be completely gone!
It would be such a waste to give up a woman with Liao Yunfei's talent.
Of course, Lu Dingxing also considered that if Liao Yunfei was no longer an option, he could settle for second best and use the beast egg to befriend another woman of low-grade earth.
These rare animal eggs are perfect for Lu Dingxing; they are within his means and presentable enough.
But Lu Dingxing never expected that someone would suddenly appear to block his way.
After considering his purpose and calculating his funds, Lu Dingxing finally quoted another price.
"Five hundred and fifty gold!"
·
Zhong Cai listened carefully and could hear the frustration in Lu Dingxing's voice, so she couldn't help but burst into laughter and fell onto Wu Shaogan.
But he wasn't about to let Lu Dingxing off the hook so easily, and immediately quoted another price: "Five hundred and seventy."
Wu Shaogan helped him up and said helplessly, "Aren't you afraid he won't call out anymore?"
Zhong Cai said nonchalantly, "He must have a reason for wanting this thing. If he stops bidding, buying it will cut off his path. If he grits his teeth and bids, then I'll make him spend more. If he bleeds, I'll vent my anger."
·
"...Five hundred and eighty gold."
"Six hundred~~"
"Six hundred and one..."
"Seven hundred."
Only two people remained in the auction.
Lu Dingxing was very frustrated. Rare beast eggs were an extra expense, and several hundred gold coins were already making him feel the pinch.
But now, it's already seven hundred.
Lu Dingxing's expression shifted uncertainly. He was already considering giving up, but he was still somewhat unwilling and wanted to make one last struggle.
"Seven hundred and one."
Then, the person bidding against him scoffed.
"Eight hundred."
From the laughter to the price quotes, everything seemed to be mocking Lu Dingxing.
Lu Dingxing felt as if the guests behind the screens were watching him and mocking him. His face flushed red, and the feeling of shame and anger overwhelmed his mind.
He can't afford to lose face again!
"Eight hundred and fifty!"
"One thousand~"
"One thousand and one!"
"One thousand and two..."
·
One was furious, the other was leisurely.
When the slow-moving creature finally fell silent, Guan Ying smiled and brought down the gavel, saying, "Seventeen hundred gold coins, and the Flying Falcon rare beast egg belongs to the guest on the second floor."
When that sound rang out, Lu Dingxing suddenly woke up.
he……
He spent 1,700 gold coins to buy a rare beast egg that was only at the second tier.
There was a knock at the door; the person delivering the items was about to come in and complete the transaction.
Lu Dingxing was filled with regret, but he dared not offend Tianxing Trading Company, so he could only let them in.
·
Zhong Cai laughed so hard she hiccuped.
"This guy is really easily provoked, hahaha!" He was practically doubled over with laughter. "I only wanted him to spend a thousand dollars, who would have thought he'd get so carried away? I couldn't resist, and that's how we ended up having a few more rounds."
Wu Shaogan patted him on the back with a smile on his face.
Although it's not a big deal, Zhong Cai Nong's actions have certainly made things quite interesting.
Lu Dingxing probably wanted to save face, but he likely ended up losing even more face.
·
The auction continues unaffected by this minor incident.
Another half hour passed, and more than ten more items were sold.
From the beginning until now, the vast majority of the auction items have been second-level resources, with only two first-level resources mixed in – an old first-level rare medicine and a special first-level superior pill.
·
The items were auctioned off one by one...
Zhong Cai leaned on Wu Shaogan's shoulder and yawned.
Wu Shaogan chuckled and said, "What, did you get sleepy from watching?"
Zhong Cai yawned again, saying listlessly, "You can't really blame me. Maybe I've gotten too many good items from the draws, so these ones just don't feel quite right." He turned to ask curiously, "This is my first time attending an auction. You've attended others before, right? Are they all this boring?"
Wu Shaogan said, "Of the ones I've participated in, this one is considered high-profile. The others are quite ordinary, and they can't compare in terms of the number of items. There are still many more events to come, which will probably continue from tonight until noon or evening tomorrow."
Zhong Cai's lips twitched slightly: "I knew there would be more, but I didn't expect this much. It must be at least ten times more than what's in the auction catalog."
Wu Shaogan smiled.
Zhong Cai suddenly remembered something and asked curiously, "By the way, during such a long auction, we've been just going through the motions, how did the others manage?"
Wu Shaogan gave a subtle look.
Zhong Cai nudged his arm again, annoyed, and said, "Are you keeping me in suspense?"
Wu Shaogan said helplessly, "Usually, those with some family wealth bring quite a few people with them."
Zhong Cai didn't understand for a moment and continued to look at him.
Wu Shaogan stated it clearly: "With beautiful women by your side, you're naturally never bored."
Zhong Cai: "..."
Suddenly it dawned on me.
Zhong Cai was somewhat unconvinced; he hadn't even thought of that just now—
For some reason, his competitive spirit suddenly kicked in, and he snorted, saying, "That's not necessarily true. I also brought a beauty with me, and I still find it boring, don't I?"
Wu Shaogan's smile faltered slightly, and then his competitive spirit kicked in.
So he leaned close to Zhong Cai's ear and whispered, "I can keep you entertained too, why don't you give it a try?"
The warm breath fell on his earlobe, and Zhong Cai was suddenly stunned as the memory of his wedding night, which he hadn't paid much attention to before, flashed through his mind.
Wu Shaogan, realizing Zhong Cai's lack of reaction, felt a little embarrassed and caught in a dilemma...
The two were awkward for a moment, then very tacitly changed the subject.
Zhong Cai: "What are we filming now?"
Wu Shaogan: "Let me see... it looks like a second-grade rare medicinal herb."
Zhong Cai: "I think I have this."
Wu Shaogan: "Then there's no need to film it, haha."
The two looked at each other, and their ears inexplicably felt a little hot.
Fortunately, the next item for auction has been announced: a talisman pen. The starting bid is 200 gold, and each bid must be at least 10 gold higher.
Zhong Cai immediately put aside other thoughts and called out to Wu Shaogan, "Old Wu, look, it's a second-grade superior talisman brush. Didn't you want to learn how to make talismans? Having a better talisman brush will make things much easier."
Wu Shaogan also put aside his other thoughts and focused his attention on the talisman brush.
It is indeed a good talisman pen, and its nature is relatively gentle. Although it is only level two, he can use it with his peak Heavenly Guidance Realm strength, so it is indeed suitable for him.
·
In the few words the two exchanged, the price downstairs had already reached four hundred gold coins.
Zhong Cai quickly activated the sound transmission array and announced loudly, "Five hundred gold coins!"
The calls for bids from downstairs rose and fell.
"Five hundred and twenty!"
"Five hundred and thirty!"
"Five hundred and fifty!"
Zhong Cai was determined to acquire the talisman brush, and raised the price again.
"Seven hundred!"
Other competitors seemed to hesitate for a moment, but the talisman pen, a mysterious artifact, is most suitable for talisman masters. A level two one can be used for a long time, and now that a good quality one has appeared, many people are naturally unwilling to miss it.
Moreover, compared to alchemists, talisman masters are actually easier to get started with, so there are naturally more of them.
then……
"Seven hundred and fifty!"
"Eight hundred!"
"Eight hundred and thirty!"
Many more people submitted bids, all with firm stances.
Zhong Cai wrinkled her nose and exclaimed loudly, "One thousand gold pieces!"
"One thousand and one!"
"One thousand one hundred and fifty!"
"one thousand……"
Zhong Cai: "One thousand five hundred!"
"Sixteen thousand..."
"one thousand……"
Zhong Cai: "Two thousand!"
Wu Shaogan leaned against the side, took a sip of tea, and smiled gently.
·
It's easy to meet someone, but difficult to become friends.
The reason Zhong Cai and Wu Shaogan were able to overcome the difference in their social status and become close friends was not only because their personalities were compatible, but also because they shared many similar views. Otherwise, if one side always had to tolerate the other, it would be difficult for their mindsets to remain stable over time, making their relationship less comfortable and gradually causing them to drift apart.
Among these many viewpoints, the consumer perspective is a very important one.
Although Zhong Cai has always been diligent in accumulating resources, while Wu Shaogan spends money casually and carelessly, seemingly going in opposite directions, they are actually both the type who, under the current circumstances, must give themselves and important people the best resources.
Besides, the two never haggled over money with each other.
For example, when Wu Shaogan was richer, he was willing to give Zhong Cai the best, and Zhong Cai gladly accepted it; and now that Zhong Cai has more ways to make money, he is also willing to give Wu Shaogan the best, and Wu Shaogan gladly accepts it as well.
The two have now encountered suitable resources at the auction.
Wu Shaogan didn't see anything wrong with spending all his savings to bid for Zhong Cai's third-grade wood and fire talisman. Zhong Cai also didn't see anything wrong with bidding a high price for Wu Shaogan's talisman master talent before even knowing it.
·
Despite the enthusiasm of the contenders, Zhong Cai was more assertive than them.
After fierce bidding, Zhong Cai naturally won in the end.
Total cost: 3,800 gold.
When the gavel fell, Zhong Cai smiled.
Soon, a maid knocked on the door and brought in the talisman brush.
Zhong Cai then handed over the pure gold to her, and the transaction was completed.
The maidservant withdrew and respectfully closed the door.
Zhong Cai, holding the talisman brush, handed it to Wu Shaogan with a grin, saying happily, "Old Wu, want to try it out?"
Wu Shaogan took it and infused it with a wisp of profound energy.
The mystic energy flowed smoothly through the talisman brush, which contained strange runes and had two adjustable settings. When using the first setting, it worked no differently than a level one talisman brush. The second setting could be adjusted later when drawing level two talismans.
Wu Shaogan was very satisfied and said, "It's very easy to use."
Zhong Cai was even happier.
·
In contrast to the good mood of the two, someone on the other side of the second-floor private room was quite depressed.
Behind the flower and bird screen, several young men and women sat on carved wooden chairs, their expressions not very good.
The young man in white slammed his teacup on the table in annoyance and said angrily, "Who's trying to take this talisman brush from me! It's only level two, yet you've raised the price to almost four thousand. Is it really necessary?"
The gentle young woman beside him comforted him, saying, "Husband, don't be upset. That talisman pen isn't bad, but it's not the best either. Why don't we go to Tianxing Trading Company with you after the auction and take a closer look? Maybe we can find something more satisfactory."
The young man in white snorted but didn't reply.
The boy in blue across from him patted him on the shoulder and comforted him, "It seems like it was someone who asked to take pictures in one of the rooms on the third floor. It must be some spoiled brat from some family. He doesn't care whether it's appropriate or not, he just takes pictures randomly. Qinglei, there's no point in getting angry with that kind of person."
The boy in white felt a little better after hearing this.
·
Before we knew it, another half hour had passed.
Guan Ying took out a box, opened it to the assembled guests, and said with a smile, "A level three rare and precious natural treasure, the Udumbara Flower Mist, of superior quality. If any of you are interested, you may place your bids. The starting bid is 20,000 gold coins, and each bid must be at least 100 gold coins higher."
After a moment of silence, a frenzy of bidding erupted.
Zhong Cai stood up again, her spirits lifted.
Wu Shaogan was a little curious; the eagerness in his eyes was practically overflowing. Was the Udumbara Flower Mist some kind of special treasure?
Zhong Cai placed his palm on the sound transmission array, his eyes fixed on the auction stage, ready to make a bid at any moment.
Wu Shaogan paused for a moment, then did not disturb Zhong Cai.
Then he saw Zhong Cai directly quote a high price of "50,000 gold", and when competing with others, he would raise the price by at least 1,000 gold each time.
The bidding below was fierce; even when the bids exceeded 80,000 gold, no one gave up.
Gradually, the bids rose above 120,000, and the bidding finally slowed down, with only three or four bidders remaining...
Zhong Cai answered without hesitation: "Sixteen thousand!"
Only at this moment did the competitors finally give up.
Zhong Cai breathed a sigh of relief, loosened her grip, and exhaled.
Wu Shaogan then asked, "What kind of rare and precious treasure is this that has you so excited?"
Zhong Cai rolled her eyes at Wu Shaogan.
Wu Shaogan was taken aback.
Zhong Cai reached out and casually pinched Wu Shaogan's cheek, drawing out her words: "Quickly—cry for me, moved to tears."
All these years of being good buddies weren't for nothing. As soon as Wu Shaogan heard this, he knew that this thing would probably be very useful to him, and irreplaceable.
In an instant, Wu Shaogan had a guess: "The main ingredient of the Level 3 Life-Sustaining Pill?"
Zhong Cai snapped his fingers: "Right!" He explained with great enthusiasm, "Judging from this amount, it can probably be refined three times. Although I can't refine it yet, and even when I can, I might not succeed within three times, but since I've come across it, I'll stock up on it and give myself more chances in the future."
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