The first item rolled out onto the stage, a staff glowing faintly with azure runes. The auctioneer's practiced voice rang clear through the great hall, echoing into each of the sealed VIP chambers.
"Ladies and gentlemen, our first offering—a tier six artifact, inscribed with minor enchantments for elemental resistance."
From his private room, Emery leaned back against the velvet-lined chair, his expression flat. A low-grade tier six artifact as the opening bid? That set the tone. These events were supposed to tempt cultivators with rarities, yet this opening showed mediocrity. He felt a flicker of pessimism.
