I sat in the auction booth, Shijie and Shidi on either side of me, eating and drinking high quality spirit wine as they talked.
"He'er, since this auction house is directly under you, can you tell your Shijie of any secret treasures being sold tonight?"
Qianhe Shidi, waved his hand, taking a sip of wine, "I can't guarantee any secret opportunities, but there are indeed some good treasures being auctioned tonight. Like the Divine Subduing Demon saber I managed to negotiate from that old elder from Wuyuansu mountain."
"Hao Shan? Doesn't he usually deal with Qianyunshu pavilion?" Dongque Shijie asked, stuffing a chicken skewer into her mouth.
Shidi nodded, taking a skewer to eat, "Usually yes, but Qianyunshu pavilion has stopped their auctions for some time now, so the old elder came to us instead. I heard that the reason is that their strong seniors were withdrawn to attend Zhendao Sect's yearly examination."
"You mean the lunatics on Feng continent?"
"Pft," I stifled a laugh, looking away as they turned to me.
Dongque Shijie smacked me in the shoulder, leaving a dull pain as she scolded, "You dare laugh when you yourself are also a lunatic!?"
"Eh?! I am not a lunatic!" I shot back, completely aggrieved.
Compared to those fanatic monsters in Zhendao sect, I'm considered an average disciple of normal talent, and a sane one. How dare Shijie lug I, a completely normal person, in with that sect of lunatics!
"Please calm down Shixiong, even though I had joined the sect much later than you, your bone age is much younger than mine. Someone who hasn't even undergone their crowning ceremony shouldn't be so hypocritical," Qianhe Shidi chimed in, placing a hand on my other shoulder, "Take this as our concern for you as your Shijie and Shidi."
I shot a glare at him, resisting the urge to slap him.
Concern my foot! Your brother's hypocritical, your whole family's hypocritical!
"That's right, us seniors are simply worried for you," Shijie agreed, slumping her arm around my shoulder, "If us seniors don't look out for our junior, who knows when you'll suddenly turn into a cultivation manual."
"Who'd turn into a manual," I scoffed, no longer wanting to deal with them.
Shijie shook her head, patting my back that left an ache before returning to the prior topic. I let out an exasperated groan, rubbing my aching back as I turned back to the auction that was beginning to start.
The auction house was bathed in dim light, luminescent pearls embedded in the ceiling in the form of an array like endless constellations. Watching the stage, the curtains were drawn, revealing the host. It was a young male cultivator at the late qi refining realm, wearing a bright red robe with a black belt and cuffs. He wore a black mask that covered the top part of his face, engraved with red lotuses. The host stepped into the light, his mouth spreading into a smile before announcing the start of the auction.
The first few items weren't anything of interest, simply just low level treasures, not worth focusing on. But as the auction went on, they began introducing more high value items. Though useful, I didn't see anything I needed. Other than the inscribed robes and protective treasures I bought for Dongque Shijie of course.
After winning a bid for flood serpent beast core, I took a bite of wife cake in one hand and a cup of spiritual tea in the other. The flaky layered crust melting on my tongue, followed by the sweetness of candied winter melon. I took a sip of tea, the faint spiritual energy flowing seamlessly into my body. I leaned back, allowing it to circulate throughout my meridians.
A few moments later, a servant arrived at our booth with a box on a tray, handing it over to Shijie. She opened the box, revealing the crystal like core with faint blue wisps swirling at the center. Smiling brightly, Dongque Shijie closed the box, carefully placing the box into her storage bag before turning back to watch the auction.
The first few items weren't anything of interest, simply just low level treasures, not worth focusing on. But as the auction went on, they began introducing more high value items. Though useful, I didn't see anything I needed. Other than the inscribed robes and protective treasures I bought for Dongque Shijie of course.
After winning a bid for flood serpent beast core, I took a bite of wife cake in one hand and a cup of spiritual tea in the other. The flaky layered crust melting on my tongue, followed by the sweetness of candied winter melon. I took a sip of tea, the faint spiritual energy flowing seamlessly into my body. I leaned back, allowing it to circulate throughout my meridians.
A few moments later, a servant arrived at our booth with a box on a tray, handing it over to Shijie. She opened the box, revealing the crystal like core with faint blue wisps swirling at the center. Smiling brightly, Dongque Shijie closed the box, carefully placing the box into her storage bag before turning back to watch the auction.
"Now, fellow Daoists, we will reveal the most valuable treasures of the night. As they were extremely difficult to obtain, the price will start at five hundred high grade spirit stones!"
The whole auction house took a collective gasp, and I was no different. High grade spirit stones were extremely precious, most cultivation families can only come up with a third of that price. Even I, a genius with no shortage of wealth, would feel the sting of five hundred spirit stones. I leaned forward, watching a servant bring a cloth covered box, placing it on the table next to the host before leaving.
The host walked over to the table, taking off the cloth, revealing a wooden box underneath. He brushed over the lid, turning back to the audience for dramatic effect, before opening the box. Inside, there was a long black saber, a roaring golden dragon coiling around the hilt to the blade as if raging at the heavens with two deep blue gems for eyes. The blade shone with a silver light, humming with dense lightning properties.
The host gave a charming smile, the lights of the luminescent pearls shining on the saber for the audience to see.
"This is the Divine Subduing Demon Saber, forged by the ninth level artifact refiner Master Hao Shan of Wuyuansu mountain. As I said before, the starting price is five hundred high grade spirit stones."
After those words, it was like the audience was injected with chicken blood, furiously bidding without regard, pushing the price of the saber higher and higher.
"Five hundred and fifty high grade spirit stones!"
"Six hundred high grade spirit stones!"
"Seven hundred high grade spirit stones!"
"Two thousand high grade spirit stones."
The auction house fell silent, the words hanging in the air. I gulped, taking another sip of tea to calm myself from the shock. The voice sounded young, most likely my age of sixteen, with an air of arrogance that seemed to look down on the heavens.
What kind of bigshot is here to spend so wantonly?! Could it be people from Feng continent? Who else could spend high grade spirit stones like water?
Shijie let out a whistle, taking another skewer from the table, "Truly this person wears brocaded clothes and jade delicacies, spending so wantonly. I wonder which young master it is."
Shidi leaned towards her, unfurling a fan as he explained, "Though I control this auction house, I don't truly know what power he is from, but what I do know is that his name is Chi Qiangwei. He is most likely from a clan in Feng continent."
I nodded along. I see, no wonder he seemed so arrogant. Truly, people from Feng continent are like true immortals compared to us of the Shou continent. With vast resources and dense spiritual energy, the difference between a cultivator from Feng continent and a cultivator of Shou continent is like comparing a swan with a pig. Even I, recognized as a prodigy with a special constitution, would barely be considered ordinary.
I clenched my fist, a fire starting flickering to life in my stomach.
Even if I'm ordinary now, if I continue cultivating, I'll surely catch up with those geniuses on that continent. Then I'll be able to elevate Boshai sect to new peaks!
I turned to the private booth of that young master, the arrays in place blocking anyone from probing inside. As I stared, I started questioning.
Why would this person come to our Shou continent? Perhaps this young master is just playing around? But with the Zhendao Examination taking place on Feng continent, why waste time by playing around on a smaller continent?
I continued contemplating, but still couldn't understand. With so many resources and a great opportunity to jump through the dragon's gate, why not spend time cultivating instead? After all, excessive indulgence is bad for building a firm dao heart. Maybe if heaven allows it, I might meet this young master Chi in the future. I'll ask him then.
After the Divine Subduing Demon saber was bought, the auction ended, many cultivators flooding out of the auction house. I walked out with Shijie and Shidi, both still immersed in recent gossip I don't care to listen to. Strolling through the streets, a sudden chill crept up my spine as I sensed a familiar aura nearby.
I snapped in its direction, catching the sight of a masked cultivator in a black robe in the crowd. I glanced at Dongque Shijie and Qianhe Shidi, still conversing animatingly, then at the cultivator walking farther away, before making a decision. I walked off, enabling the Fleeting Crane movement technique as I followed after that cultivator.
If I'm correct, then I've discovered another demonic spy. I'll apologize to Shidi and Shijie later, but this matter is simply too important to ignore!
A/N
Chapter posted! Major plot point incoming! And maybe romantic development you're reading this for.