Auction Storm

Ya Fei carefully held the jade bottle containing the Purple Crystal Source, feeling the immense energy within, her heart filled with irrepressible excitement.

She took a deep breath, suppressing her surging emotions, and put on her captivating professional smile. "Sir," she said softly to Mo Lin, "please rest assured, I will do my utmost to ensure this item shines at the auction. May I know your name? And how shall the payment be handled after the auction?"

Mo Lin's voice remained hoarse and flat through his cloak, "A name is not necessary. I will find you after the auction concludes."

His tone carried an unquestionable confidence, as if he were certain the auction would be a success and everything was under control.

This mysterious demeanor only made Ya Fei find him even more unfathomable.

She didn't press further and bowed slightly. "In that case, I shall await your good news. The auction will be held in three days. I hope you will grace us with your presence then."

Mo Lin nodded slightly and added, his tone casual yet unyielding, "Oh, right. For this auction, my commission can be calculated as ten percent of the final transaction price."

He had directly lowered the commission rate far below the industry standard, as if the enormous sum was insignificant in his eyes.

Ya Fei's beautiful eyes flashed with astonishment, which quickly turned into deeper reverence. She quickly replied, "Yes, I understand. Everything will be done as you wish."

Mo Lin said no more and turned to leave, his black cloak forming a sharp arc behind him without the slightest hesitation.

Watching his retreating figure disappear out the door, a sharp glint flickered in Ya Fei's peach blossom eyes. She gently caressed the warm jade bottle and murmured to herself, "Companion Purple Crystal Source... taking out such a precious item so casually, and lowering the commission on a whim... This person is definitely not simple. Perhaps... he is the key to breaking the deadlock in Wutan City?"

She had already placed this mysterious individual in a position of utmost importance.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

During these three days, Wutan City was completely abuzz with the news that the Mietel Auction House was about to auction the "Companion Purple Crystal Source"!

Ya Fei had utilized all her channels to spread the news not only throughout Wutan City but also to several surrounding cities. Even some prominent families and forces in Jia Ma Sacred City had caught wind of it.

The Companion Purple Crystal Source was a treasure that fire-attribute cultivators could only dream of obtaining, and its allure was deadly!

On the day of the auction, the Mietel Auction House was packed to the brim, the atmosphere reaching a fever pitch.

Not only were the patriarchs of Wutan City's three major families present, but even some rogue cultivators at the Dou Grandmaster level, who were rarely seen, and mysterious buyers from other cities, even the Imperial Capital, had appeared at the venue, making the scale and tension of the auction far exceed previous events.

Local forces in Wutan City, such as the Gale Family and the Ouba Family, felt immense pressure facing these powerful outsiders. They trembled slightly, and their initial confidence of securing the item was now clouded with doubt.

Mo Lin, still clad in his black robe, silently appeared in an inconspicuous private box on the second floor of the auction house.

Through the specially made glass window, he looked down at the noisy and unfamiliar crowd below, his gaze calm, as if all the commotion had nothing to do with him.

The auction was personally hosted by Ya Fei. Today, she wore an even more dazzling, golden-red qipao that accentuated her graceful figure breathtakingly. Every smile and gesture exuded charm, yet also an undeniable authority that firmly held the attention of the entire audience.

Precious items were presented one after another, with bids rising and falling, creating a heated atmosphere.

Mo Lin was uninterested in the preceding items, merely closing his eyes to rest. This continued until the auction neared its end, and the atmosphere was built to its peak.

Finally, with her voice, intoxicatingly charming yet solemn, Ya Fei grandly introduced the final item – the Companion Purple Crystal Source!

When the jade bottle containing the purple light cluster appeared on the stage, the entire auction house fell silent for a moment, then erupted in earth-shattering cheers and greedy gasps.

A dense fluctuation of fire energy swept through the venue, making even those in the front rows feel a wave of heat, despite the protective barrier!

"Companion Purple Crystal Source, starting bid, eight hundred thousand gold coins!" Ya Fei's red lips parted, announcing a sky-high price that made countless people gasp!

However, this price did not deter the frenzied bidders. The real competition had just begun!

"Nine hundred thousand!"

"One million!"

"One million one hundred thousand!"

"One million two hundred thousand!"

The price soared like a flying Mo Beast! Not only were the patriarchs of the Gale and Ouba families from Wutan City desperately bidding, but buyers from other cities and even the Imperial Capital also entered the fray, and the price quickly broke the one-and-a-half-million mark!

Only the sounds of continuous bids and heavy breaths remained in the auction hall.

In the private box, the corners of Mo Lin's mouth curved into a cold arc. This was exactly the effect he wanted: to stir up the waters to gauge the depths, and also to elevate Ya Fei's prestige to its peak.

Finally, after a nearly brutal competition, the bottle of Purple Crystal Source was sold for an astonishing one million seven hundred and eighty thousand gold coins to a mysterious black-robed man from the Imperial Capital!

This price not only set a new record in Wutan City's auction history but would have caused a sensation even in Jia Ma Sacred City!

The entire venue erupted! Ya Fei stood on stage, her pretty face flushed with excitement, her chest rising and falling slightly. She had succeeded!

With this auction, she had not only solidified her position in Wutan City but had also thrown a bombshell within the entire Mietel Family!

As the auction ended, the crowd gradually dispersed amidst shock and discussion.

Mo Lin quietly left the private box, not heading backstage, but melting into the dispersing crowd like a phantom. He shed his black robe, returning to his appearance as an ordinary young man.

Walking on the bustling streets, he was about to return to his inn when he suddenly noticed that Wutan City was unusually lively today. Many young faces, filled with excitement and anticipation, were heading towards the central city square.

Special banners were also hung on both sides of the streets.

"I heard today is the day Jia Nan Academy is recruiting students!"

"Yeah, it's at the testing site in the central square! Let's go take a look, maybe we'll see some geniuses!"

The conversations of passersby reached Mo Lin's ears.

Jia Nan Academy recruitment? Mo Lin's heart stirred.

He remembered that in the original story, Xiao Yan had successfully shown off by challenging a tutor during this recruitment. And Xiao Xun'er, the young lady from the Ancient Clan hidden within the Xiao family, would definitely be present.

"It wouldn't hurt to take a look," Mo Lin's lips curled upwards, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes.

He changed direction and followed the crowd towards Wutan City's central square.

He wanted to see what the current Xiao family, and the seemingly unassuming Xiao Xun'er, would be like.

This could be considered a small "encore" before he collected his money.

He was unaware that as he headed towards the square, Ya Fei, backstage at the auction house, was anxiously and expectantly awaiting the reappearance of the mysterious black-robed man, her heart filled with infinite aspirations and ambition for the future.