Battle Through the Heavens: I Am Han Feng, Respect the Teacher and Value the Dao

The service in a big city was far better than at the little diners in Qingshan Town. It was Lin Xian'er's first time eating teahouse cuisine, and even after setting down her chopsticks, she still wanted more.

After the meal, they sampled another half cup of tea. Han Feng glanced at the hourglass.

"It's about time. Let's go."

After paying for the meal, Han Feng and Lin Xian'er headed for the Black Rock City branch of the Mittel Auction House. People were already entering one after another.

At the end of the street, a broad-shouldered man strode over, followed by quite a few lavishly dressed people.

The surrounding pedestrians moved aside. Han Feng heard a Mittel Auction House attendant step forward and cup his hands. "He Family Head, this way, please."

Apparently familiar with the place, the man did not reply and simply walked straight into the auction house. The attendant followed closely behind, afraid of slighting him.

"Dou Wang..."

Han Feng murmured softly.

Within the Jia Ma Empire, a Dou Wang was already a genuine powerhouse.

Over the past few days, Han Feng had only encountered low-level cultivators in the Jia Ma Empire. The sole Dou Emperor he had seen had belonged to the Gu Clan.

Today was his first time seeing a powerhouse who actually belonged to the Jia Ma Empire.

Lin Xian'er looked up at Han Feng. "Master, what's wrong?"

"Nothing. Let's go in."

Han Feng smiled and led Lin Xian'er into the auction venue.

"Row fifteen, seat one hundred fifty-three. This way, sir."

A maid led Han Feng over, then left after bringing him near his assigned seat.

The Profound Class Venue was rather spacious, with plenty of space between seats. It lacked the crowded, chaotic atmosphere of ordinary auction houses.

Lin Xian'er looked around curiously. Seeing Han Feng sit down and remain quiet, she obediently sat as well, keeping her lips tightly shut.

As more and more people entered the venue, a solemn bell rang out.

A slender female auctioneer, dressed in splendid and graceful attire, swayed her hips as she walked from backstage onto the platform.

Crystal-refracted lights converged upon her, highlighting the center of the venue.

Lin Xian'er stared wide-eyed at the stunning female auctioneer, her tightly closed lips slowly parting.

So beautiful!

Like a country child squeezing into the world of the rich for the first time to watch a grand performance, Lin Xian'er was dumbfounded. So this was what an auction was like.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Mittel Auction House's Profound Class auction. I am the auctioneer, Mittel Irene. It is my honor to introduce today's lots. Besides the items listed on your invitations, we have also prepared a mysterious auction item. I believe it certainly will not disappoint you."

She had immediately left everyone in suspense, but no one minded. Instead, they eagerly anticipated what sort of item the Mittel Auction House could call "mysterious."

A perfectly enticing smile appeared on Mittel Irene's face as she began introducing the first auction item.

"Red Scale Purple Bamboo, a third-tier medicinal herb and crafting material. It can be used both in medicine and pill refinement, or polished for artifact forging. It also boasts extremely high ornamental value. Placed in a courtyard, it cools the air and dispels heat. The Imperial Bamboo Grove of the Jia Ma Imperial Family has a century-old stalk of Red Scale Purple Bamboo. Buy this, and you can enjoy the lifestyle of imperial royalty. Starting price: three thousand Gold Coins."

For most nobles of the Jia Ma Empire, money was not difficult to come by. They did not lack Dou Techniques either, as their families all possessed inheritances.

Compared to that, an elegant and tasteful lifestyle was what they pursued every day.

To add amusement to their dull lives, they were either competing with others or looking for something to compete over.

The name Imperial Bamboo Grove set the wealthy nobles' blood racing.

Buying this stalk of Red Scale Purple Bamboo would be worthwhile no matter what!

"Five thousand Gold Coins!"

One person raised a numbered placard and shouted his bid.

"Seven thousand!"

Another person quickly followed.

"Eight thousand!"

"Ten thousand!"

Everyone began bidding. Watching the increasingly heated atmosphere, Mittel Irene's lips curved slightly as she maintained a polite smile and occasionally announced the latest price.

Han Feng looked at the Red Scale Purple Bamboo on the auction platform with interest. It was not only nobles and wealthy people who liked beautiful things. Han Feng liked them too.

There was a bamboo grove in Maple City. The outer perimeter was planted with fourth-tier Arrogant Cold Bamboo, while near the Fragrant Elegant Courtyard at its center grew fifth-tier Eternal Bamboo—Jade Glaze.

Not only was it beautiful, it could also calm the mind and soothe the spirit.

Its value far surpassed that of this Red Scale Purple Bamboo.

The price had already soared to eighteen thousand Gold Coins and was still climbing.

"Twenty thousand!"

"Twenty-three thousand!"

The three-thousand Gold Coin increase at once made it clear that the last bidder was getting anxious.

A stalk of third-tier Red Scale Purple Bamboo normally sold for around ten thousand Gold Coins. Anything beyond that was a premium.

However, rare spiritual plants like this often had a price but no market. There was nowhere to buy them, so paying a premium was normal.

Han Feng raised his placard and said slowly, "Thirty thousand."

Ten seconds passed without anyone increasing the bid.

Smiling, Mittel Irene brought down her little hammer and declared the first auction item successfully sold.

"Congratulations to guest number one hundred fifty-three for successfully purchasing the Red Scale Purple Bamboo. You may proceed backstage to complete the transaction now, or continue with the auction and settle everything together after it ends."

Han Feng set down his placard without rising. Still wearing her usual beautiful smile, Mittel Irene gave Han Feng a slight nod before introducing the second auction item.

Han Feng rarely made another move after that. His target had always been the Heavenly Origin Flower. If not for it, he would never have visited the Mitel Auction House at all.

During this time, Han Feng asked Lin Xian'er whether she fancied anything. But the Little Girl was very shy. Though her eyes shone with curiosity and longing whenever she looked at each auction item, she still shook her head.

With no other choice, Han Feng bid on a Storage Bracelet, intending to give it to Lin Xian'er later.

Finally, the auction reached the Heavenly Origin Flower.

"Heavenly Origin Flower, a fifth-tier herb and the main ingredient for refining the fifth-tier Heavenly Origin Pill. This pill can promote the body's second development and restore youthful vitality to the body. For cultivators who have passed the optimal age for breakthroughs, it is equivalent to a second chance at advancement. Even taken on its own, it can increase vigor and energy. For guests wishing to carry on their bloodlines, this should be a medicinal treasure that adds flowers to brocade."

Mittel Irene cleverly linked the Heavenly Origin Flower with the Heavenly Origin Pill, making older cultivators unable to help imagining how wonderful it would be to have a second chance at advancement.

"Starting price: one hundred thousand Gold Coins!"

"I bid one hundred fifty thousand!"

"Two hundred thousand!"

"Two hundred fifty thousand! Don't compete with me!"

Han Feng raised an eyebrow slightly. Under Mittel Irene's deliberate guidance, the price of this Heavenly Origin Flower seemed to be rising somewhat beyond its actual value.

In truth, if one wanted to increase the odds of producing heirs, the fourth-tier Primal Yang Grass would work better. Of course, that only applied to low-level cultivators. For high-level cultivators, the methods involved were somewhat more difficult.

Especially for families with extremely strict requirements for bloodlines, producing descendants was an exceptionally meticulous matter.

What they sought was not merely fertility, but the purity of their descendants' bloodlines.

Ultimately, the fifth-tier Heavenly Origin Flower was not all that useful for carrying on one's bloodline.

She had said it only added flowers to brocade.

Han Feng sighed. Faced with a group of overexcited bidders, he might have to spend more this time.

"Five hundred thousand. I hope my fellow cultivators can give this old man some face..."

"Five hundred thirty thousand!"

Before the old man could finish, another bid drowned out his voice, showing no regard for him whatsoever.

"You don't just come across fifth-tier medicinal herbs whenever you please."

Si An, the president of the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild, said with a smile.

"My apologies, fellow cultivator. When an alchemist sees rare medicinal ingredients, it is simply difficult to let them pass by."

The old man from earlier kept a grim face and said nothing. Clearly, he had no intention of continuing the bidding.

This Si An, president of the local Alchemist Guild branch, was a genuine fourth-grade alchemist. Even the He Family Head usually treated him with great courtesy. Offending him over a single medicinal herb would be unwise.

However, just as Mittel Irene began counting down, Han Feng raised his placard.

"Six hundred thousand."

Without any flattering tone or threatening rhetoric, Han Feng spoke calmly.

Si An narrowed his eyes at Han Feng. This bidder with considerable strength was unfamiliar to him and did not seem to be from Black Rock City.

While he pondered, the countdown for the Heavenly Origin Flower reached its final three seconds.

"Six hundred thirty thousand."

Si An continued bidding.

"Seven hundred thousand."

Han Feng's expression remained unchanged as he raised the price again.

Si An pondered for a moment before finally shaking his head.

His estimated price had been around five hundred thousand. Judging by the force behind Han Feng's bidding, he was likely determined to obtain it.

Since that was the case, there was no need to offend an unfamiliar man with such an extraordinary bearing.

For all he knew, the other party might be a powerful cultivator.

"Congratulations to the guest in seat one hundred fifty-three for successfully bidding on the Heavenly Origin Flower."

This time, Mittel Irene did not repeat herself. After offering a simple congratulations, she stepped back half a pace.

Tap!

Suddenly, the lights dimmed, leaving only a single beam shining upon a platform that slowly rose.

"Thank you for waiting."

Mittel Irene appeared again, now wearing an elegant yet simple outfit. As she revealed the final mysterious item of the auction, a rich pill fragrance spread through the air, igniting the venue's atmosphere to a fever pitch.

"A high-grade fourth-tier pill, the Spirit Advancement Pill!"

"Its effects need no explanation. It helps cultivators at the Da Dou Shi realm condense the Dou Crystal within their bodies, assisting their advancement to Dou Ling!"

Mittel Irene looked across the venue. "This pill was refined by Master Fama, president of the Jia Ma Empire Alchemist Guild's main branch. To obtain the right to auction it, our Black Rock City branch paid no small price."

"Its starting bid is one million Gold Coins!"

The Spirit Advancement Pill was generally used when a Da Dou Shi broke through the barrier to Dou Ling. It was a breakthrough-type pill, and compared with pills of the same grade, it was at least half again as expensive, if not more than twice as expensive.

A Dou Ling cultivator could easily serve as the lord of an ordinary small or medium-sized city.

Even within a Dou Wang family, a Dou Ling was still a pillar of support. This showed that the value of this pill far exceeded one million Gold Coins.

Not to mention that this Spirit Advancement Pill had been personally refined by Master Fama, raising its price even further.

As soon as Mittel Irene finished speaking, everyone began bidding.

Han Feng did not make another move. He simply took Lin Xian'er's hand and headed backstage.

The Spirit Advancement Pill that others were desperately fighting over was worth less to Han Feng than a stalk of Red Scale Purple Bamboo.

When the backstage attendants saw Han Feng bring out his numbered placard to complete the transaction, respectful expressions immediately appeared on their faces.

They had been following the auction closely. This guest in seat one hundred fifty-three had bought items worth a total of one million Gold Coins in a single auction, qualifying him for platinum customer status.

"Sir, how would you like to pay?"

After preparing the items Han Feng had purchased, the attendant asked.

Han Feng took out the Purple Gold Card and handed it over.

The attendant was visibly stunned upon seeing the Purple Gold Card. Then he slowly inserted it into the payment device. The astonishing number displayed upon it made the attendant's vision blur.

Maintaining his professional composure, he deducted the one million Gold Coins, then tremblingly returned the card to Han Feng with both hands.

"Sir, please keep it safe."

Han Feng took back the Purple Gold Card and left with Lin Xian'er.