Several sect masters and household heads frantically bid against one another, while the onlookers were dumbfounded.
Standing outside the fray, the spectators could see things more clearly. The clearer they saw, the stranger and more awkward it all seemed.
They had never seen an auction like this. It was absurd beyond measure.
"Stop!"
Guo Guangxiao shouted, bringing the bidding to an end.
The red-robed elder glared. "Brother Guo, what are you doing now? We all agreed beforehand to bid for the treasure. What kind of stunt are you pulling this time?"
When Guo Guangxiao called for a stop, the red-robed elder had been on a roll, frantically raising the price and already overpowering two rivals in a row.
That was why he was especially displeased with Guo Guangxiao's behavior.
Guo Guangxiao said, "Brother Zheng, please calm down. Everyone, hear me out. This treasure is so precious that I don't think any one of our households can measure its worth in wealth. So we can call off the bidding. After all, no matter who wins it, the profits the rest of us receive would be nowhere near a fraction of the treasure's value. Is there any point in bidding?"
The red-robed elder flew into a rage. "What are you talking about? We agreed to bid for the treasure, and everyone accepted. Now the highest bidder should get it. What's the meaning of changing the rules back and forth?"
When it came to wealth and extravagance, none of the households present could match his. He was confident he could crush all his rivals and claim the priceless treasure for himself.
Now that Guo Guangxiao wanted to overturn the bidding, he naturally refused to agree.
"I think Brother Guo is right. Though we all have some wealth, even if any one household emptied