"Who's running this auction? The people behind those fellows who showed up yesterday?" Lin Ming asked casually.
Lin Ming lifted the teacup before him and took a sip. The tea was just the right temperature; clearly, Xia Jia had timed its preparation in advance.
If the auction's organizers belonged to those leading powers, they would have to exercise some caution. Who knew whether the other side might pull something during the bidding? Such tricks were all too common at auctions everywhere.
The North King replied, "A local faction is organizing the auction. They aren't particularly powerful, and they don't belong to any of the leading powers like the Great Xia Imperial Dynasty."
"Heh, the reasoning is actually quite simple. None of them wanted another faction's people to preside over the auction, for fear of falling victim to some underhanded scheme. If the Great Xia Imperial Dynasty hosted it, the Hidden Dragon Pavilion wouldn't trust them; if the Hidden Dragon Pavilion hosted it, the Sword Immortal Sect wouldn't trust them. After all their arguing, they jointly nominated this local faction."
"They're the local power in West City, with a history stretching back over a thousand years. They may not have any outstanding experts holding the fort, but their roots run deep. Everyone could accept them, which put all sides a little more at ease."
Only then did Lin Ming nod lightly. It was a clever solution, having a local faction with no vested interests tying it to any side preside over the auction. Although that faction might not dare offend those important figures, it could at least maintain an appearance of impartiality.
Setting down his teacup, Lin Ming swept his gaze over the floor below through a gap in the Merfolk Gauze curtains. The open seating on the first floor was