The Auction (2)
One item after another was brought up for auction: top-grade magical Law Artifacts, top-grade elixirs, and top-grade talismans—truly some good stuff.
Shen Jingchuan had considered this idea several times—if he put these things into his Heaven and Earth Ring and put them in a loop, they would come out as top-quality items, with huge profits to be made.
But after glancing at the crowd, he held back. With so many people around, and not wanting to make a move on anything he didn't absolutely need, he knew he had plenty of other ways to get his hands on these things; there was no need to show off in this kind of setting.
After two more items were auctioned, the alluring woman came forward again with a tray. The auctioneer lifted the red silk, revealing a jade box on the tray. Inside the jade box lay a pale purple Ganoderma lucidum, its cap faintly radiating Spiritual Qi.
There was a moment of silence in the audience, followed by a murmur of murmurs.
"A century-old Purple Origin Ganoderma!"
"It's this thing..."
After the whispers from the audience subsided slightly, the middle-aged man surnamed Chen slowly began to speak:
"You all have good eyesight. This century-old Purple Origin Ganoderma is one of the three core ingredients for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill. This particular one is just over a hundred years old, barely meeting the requirements for medicinal use. Its appearance isn't top-tier, but its medicinal properties are intact and it's been well-preserved."
Shen Jingchuan then realized that these were the medicinal materials for refining the Foundation Establishment Pill.
He considered it in his mind:
He's still far from Foundation Establishment, so he doesn't need it right now; besides, he doesn't know how to refine pills, and if he buys it, he'll have to find Alchemist; even if he uses the Ring to level up, it'll only be a mid-grade medicinal herb, which won't make a difference.
Having thought it through, he leaned back in his chair, losing interest.
This century-old Purple Origin Ganoderma was eventually sold for 2,300 Spirit Stones.
One item after another was auctioned on stage, but Shen Jingchuan mostly just glanced at them without making a move.
Xiao Mingshu, standing to the side, was watching intently. She had her eye on several items, but she only had a little over a thousand Spirit Stones, which she had earned recently while doing business with Shen Jingchuan.
To be honest, although she was a princess of the Great Qian Dynasty, she was the least favored one and always short of money. Although Shen Jingchuan didn't openly split the profits with her, the value of the high-grade pills he gave her over the years had long exceeded her share, and she knew that in her heart.
Huan'er, needless to say, was a poor maid who was penniless. She stared at the wonderful things on the stage, her eyes wide with envy, but she could only swallow her saliva and dare not even think about them.
In fact, Shen Jingchuan had already considered taking some photos to send to Xiao Mingshu.
But the previous items were all top-grade, and he felt uneasy about it—once something was in his hands, he just couldn't resist putting it into his Heaven and Earth Ring to upgrade it to the highest grade before giving it away, otherwise he always felt like he was losing out.
The problem was, he bought a top-quality item at the auction, but then gave away a rare gem instead. Xiao Mingshu would definitely know, wouldn't that expose him? He was also unwilling to just give away an untouched top-quality item. So he kept agonizing over this and didn't sell a single item.
Just then, another item was put up for auction on stage.
A glamorous woman carried a tray forward. The middle-aged man surnamed Chen lifted the red silk, revealing a jade pendant the size of a pigeon egg on the tray. It was entirely emerald green, with a warm and lustrous sheen, and as soon as it was revealed, it rippled with a faint halo of light.
"Next up is a top-grade defensive magic Law Artifact, the Jade Water Heart-Protecting Pendant."
The auctioneer held the jade pendant in his palm and announced loudly:
"This pendant is carved from millennia-old warm jade, and inside is sealed a Jade Water Body-Protecting Restriction. It will automatically activate upon encountering a fatal attack, transforming into a water curtain to protect the vital points of the body."
"To be honest, for Qi Refining Late Stage cultivator, wearing this can withstand a full-force attack from Foundation Establishment cultivator; it's a lifesaver in critical moments. Defensive Law Artifact are already rarer than offensive Law Artifact, let alone top-grade ones; you all know that."
He paused:
The starting bid is 1,500 Spirit Stones, with each bid increasing by at least 50.
Xiao Mingshu's eyes lit up immediately.
What she lacked most right now was a defensive magic Law Artifact to protect her life, and this Jade Water Heart-Protecting Pendant was practically tailor-made for her. But that budding joy quickly faded—the starting bid was 1,500, and she only had a little over 1,000 Spirit Stones at most, which was simply unaffordable.
She subconsciously touched her Storage Ring, then glanced at Shen Jingchuan beside her, but swallowed the words she was about to say.
She's already been given enough; if she were to ask to borrow more money, where would she put her princess-like dignity?
" One thousand five!"
"Eighteen thousand!"
"Two thousand!"
The bidding from the audience rose and fell, and the price climbed steadily, reaching two thousand five in the blink of an eye.
Shen Jingchuan was lost in thought when he caught a glimpse of Xiao Mingshu's expression out of the corner of his eye—her eyes were glued to the jade pendant, yet she forced them away, pretending not to care. He
His heart skipped a beat, and he realized he'd been so focused on his business plans that he hadn't considered his stepsister's feelings at all.
"Sister, do you like this?" he asked in a low voice.
"Hey, no, it just looks pretty." Xiao Mingshu twitched the corners of her mouth, her words insincere and her tone nonchalant.
Shen Jingchuan understood.
He looked at the jade pendant on the stage again, his mind racing.
This is a top-grade magical Law Artifact, different from the previous high-grade ones. What's above top-grade? It's Law Treasure.
He had never actually tried upgrading a top-grade magic Law Artifact into Law Treasure with Ring, so he wasn't sure.
But then I thought, even if I don't upgrade her, I can just give her a top-quality item. There's no loss in that. Besides, I can just give her whatever it looks like in the auction. I don't need to touch the Ring at all, and it won't leave a trace.
Okay, that's it.
"Two thousand five hundred once—" The middle-aged man surnamed Chen on the stage drawled out his words.
Just then, Shen Jingchuan raised the number plate in his hand.
"Two thousand six!" Shen Jingchuan shouted.
The female cultivator who had just bid 2,500 heard the price increase from upstairs and instinctively glanced up. The people sitting upstairs were all VIPs, all wealthy and powerful; this was the first time she had heard someone bidding from upstairs.
The voice didn't sound like that of a high-level cultivator, but what if it was someone acting on behalf of their master? Anyone who could sit in the VIP room was someone he could afford to offend.
Forget it, I won't argue anymore. She reluctantly put down the number plate.
"Two thousand sixty once—two thousand sixty twice—two thousand sixty three times, sold!" The middle-aged man surnamed Chen brought down the gavel. "Congratulations to guest number three on the second floor for winning this item!"
In the VIP room, Xiao Mingshu stared blankly at Shen Jingchuan, her eyes slightly red.
"Little brother, why are you so good to me?"
"Hehe, it's just a little trinket, as long as my sister is happy." Shen Jingchuan waved his hand, completely unconcerned.
He then turned to Huan'er: "Huan'er, what have you taken a fancy to? Tell me, and I'll buy it for you."
Huan'er was so frightened that she shook her head repeatedly. "No, no, no, young master, the Qi Gathering Pill you gave me yesterday was precious enough. Huan'er doesn't want anything else."
"Look how good your son is to you."
Xiao Mingshu chuckled and teased, then changed the subject. "Little brat, how about I give her to you as your concubine?"