Right Next Door

He was currently at an auction house, but it was best for the host not to disturb him right now.

"Why?"

"Host, don't you remember the classic trope in cultivation novels?"

"Xiao Rui got a fortuitous encounter and learned alchemy, so he's selling pills at the auction house to exchange for spirit stones."

"He's currently wearing a black robe and bidding in the VIP section of the auction."

Hearing this, Xia Wantang fell into thought:

An auction house… I was just thinking of looking for some good items myself, what a coincidence.

As for spirit stones, the Xia Family and the Azure Cloud Palace Lord had given her quite a lot. It shouldn't be difficult to buy a few Earth Grade and Heaven Grade magic treasures for the original owner's parents.

Having made up her mind, she set off for the auction house where Xiao Rui was.

As soon as she arrived at the auction house, the young attendant at the entrance's eyes lit up upon seeing Xia Wantang, and his face turned red as he said:

"Esteemed immortal fairy, are you looking to find treasures?"

"You've come at just the right time! The next auction is about to begin, and there are still seats in the VIP section. I can take you in right now."

Xia Wantang was still wearing the light golden robes of the Azure Cloud Palace.

Although others might not recognize the robes that symbolized the Saintess's identity, judging by the material, design, and color of the clothing, her status was either noble or wealthy.

Coupled with her beauty, demeanor, and cultivation, the attendant automatically categorized her as a VIP.

Xia Wantang: A VIP seat, that's good. This way, I might be able to meet Xiao Rui sooner.

She would only buy ordinary magic treasures, so she wasn't worried about being suspected by Xiao Rui.

"Please lead the way."

"Certainly, esteemed fairy, this way please."

"Host, your luck is so good that I'm tired of saying it. The person sitting next to you is actually Xiao Rui!"

As soon as she took her seat, the System's electronic voice sounded in Xia Wantang's mind.

Hearing this, she subtly glanced to her side. It was a mysterious man in a black robe. Due to the hood covering his face, his features couldn't be seen.

However, even while sitting, it was evident that the man was tall, with broad shoulders and excellent proportions.

As Xia Wantang took her seat, Xiao Rui also started chatting with Elder Sword:

"The Saintess? Why is she here too? The Saintess usually doesn't leave the Azure Cloud Palace, does she?"

"Kid, the girl you've been thinking about is sitting right next to you. How do you feel about that now?"

"Elder Sword, please don't tease me. I'm still just a utility disciple, and the Saintess and I only know each other by sight."

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. If you hadn't been so unwilling to eat that pill she gave you until now, I would have believed you. You still take it out to touch it every day. I think that thing is almost polished smooth!"

"...I wonder why she's here at the auction. Is there some magic treasure she wants?"

"Probably. Kid, don't always feel like you're not good enough for this girl. You are my disciple, and you're already at the middle stage of the Mystic Martial Realm. When the Sect Grand Competition comes, you'll definitely take the top spot. Why worry about this girl not noticing you?"

"There are many outstanding peers among the inner disciples. It's still too early to say I'll take the top spot."

"No, wait a minute. This girl's cultivation… it seems a bit off…"

"Elder Sword, what's wrong? Could it be lower than the early stage of the Human Martial Realm?"

"No, she's gotten stronger! Although she's still wearing magic treasures that alter her cultivation, and the displayed cultivation has been raised to the perfected stage of the Mystic Martial Realm, her current cultivation is actually at the peak of the Mystic Martial Realm!"

Hearing this, Xiao Rui's body trembled, and he almost exclaimed:

"What?! Peak Mystic Martial Realm, she's actually so much stronger than me??"

"How strange. This girl was clearly at the early stage of the Human Martial Realm just a week ago, and now she's directly leaped to the peak of the Mystic Martial Realm. Moreover, the spiritual power aura around her is very stable. I shouldn't have misread it..."

Hearing this, Xiao Rui felt a bit melancholic:

Although he didn't know why this was the case, he was happy for the Saintess. However, if his cultivation couldn't match hers, he would always feel a bit awkward and inferior when they interacted.

The Saintess's talent was extraordinary; he still had to cultivate diligently to catch up to her pace.

Just then, the auction began.

The first item was an Earth Grade Rank 8 cultivation method.

A cultivation method of this grade was not needed by Xiao Rui; it was more suitable for cultivators with mixed spirit roots and poor talent.

"The first auction item, Starfall Art, suitable for many cultivators, starting bid, one hundred spirit stones."

As soon as the host's voice fell, someone shouted a bid:

"I bid two hundred!"

"Two hundred and fifty spirit stones."

"Four hundred spirit stones!"

"Alright, this esteemed guest bids four hundred spirit stones. Are there any higher bids?"

Just as Xiao Rui thought the first auction item would conclude, a clear and pleasant female voice sounded beside him:

"Five hundred spirit stones."

The speaker was none other than our female lead, Xia Wantang.

This Earth Grade Rank Nine cultivation method was very suitable for the original owner's parents to cultivate, and she had planned to bid for it from the start.

So, once the bidding stabilized, she joined the auction without hesitation.

Xiao Rui and Elder Sword were surprised:

The Azure Cloud Palace's Azure Cloud Sword Art and Azure Edge Sword Art were of a much higher grade than Earth Grade Rank Nine.

Did this Saintess have too many spirit stones with nowhere to spend them? She actually spent five hundred spirit stones on a useless cultivation method.

Although five hundred spirit stones wasn't an exorbitant price, in their opinion, it was an unnecessary expense. The current economic climate wasn't good; what happened to the promised consumption downgrade?

"Five hundred spirit stones once, five hundred spirit stones twice, five hundred spirit stones thrice. Sold!"

With the bang of the gavel, the second auction item was presented.

"The second auction item is ten Heaven Grade Rank One pills, the Spirit Nurturing Pill. They are of excellent quality and are particularly suitable for cultivators in the early stages of the Human Martial Realm and Mystic Martial Realm to aid their cultivation."

"Starting bid: two hundred spirit stones."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Rui visibly sat up straighter. Xia Wantang immediately realized:

This must be the pill refined by Xiao Rui.

Since the Spirit Nurturing Pill was not of a high enough grade, he could no longer use it himself, which was why he was putting it up for auction.

The rogue cultivators in Azure Cloud City were mostly in this cultivation range, so these pills were bound to be fiercely contested.

As expected, as soon as the host's voice fell, someone shouted a bid:

"Three hundred spirit stones!"

"Three hundred and fifty spirit stones!"

"I bid four hundred!"

"I bid five hundred!"

The bidding this time was much more active than before.

Xia Wantang couldn't help but think to herself:

Xiao Rui's identity as an alchemist really made it easy to earn spirit stones. It was a shame she only knew formations now; creating formations was much more complex than refining pills, making mass production impossible.

Furthermore, the materials for storing formations weren't cheap, unlike pills which had a much lower barrier to entry.

Therefore, in the cultivation world, only affluent cultivators could afford formations.

Of course, this didn't mean that Formation Masters didn't earn as much as alchemists.

It was just that the customer base for the two products differed. Alchemists had a broad customer base, while Formation Masters only catered to a small segment of wealthy individuals.

Advanced formations, even single-use ones, could fetch high prices in spirit stones or high-grade magic treasures.

Currently, Xia Wantang had only just begun studying formations, and most of them were low to mid-level. Therefore, she hadn't started earning spirit stones from it yet.

Just then, the host on stage spoke again.