Jia Nan Auction Begins

Sitting among a group of girls and listening to them chatter away, Lin Ming felt a little uncomfortable all over.

Although Lin Ming had lived two lives, his family circumstances in his previous life had prevented him from having this kind of experience. This life had started out fairly well, but he had been too young before and had spent all his time cultivating, so he had never experienced anything like this either.

These torturous days finally began to settle down after less than half an hour, because the auction officially began.

A woman around twenty-five or twenty-six appeared. Her rather voluptuous figure was accentuated by a red cheongsam adorned with golden threads, giving her a unique charm.

Looking at this woman, who was beautiful in figure, attire, and appearance without losing her propriety, Lin Ming thought that Jia Nan Academy truly deserved to be an ancient academy with a long history. Not only was it deeply accomplished in teaching, but even the auctioneer at Jia Nan City's Auction House had been arranged perfectly.

Yes, Lin Ming thought this female auctioneer was a good choice. From this auctioneer, whose figure, attire, and appearance were all quite alluring yet still appropriate, Lin Ming could sense that the Academy had considered both the need for a beauty capable of drawing the crowd's attention and the fact that many students attended this auction, meaning it could not lose the Academy's fundamental nature of educating people. The female auctioneer on stage perfectly fulfilled both requirements.

"Esteemed local gentry! Distinguished guests who have come from afar! And all the teachers and students of our long-established Jia Nan Academy! Jiu Jiu thanks you all for coming!"

The soft, seductive voice came from the woman onstage who called herself Jiu Jiu. After she finished speaking, quite a few men in the venue could be heard cheering her name. It seemed Jiu Jiu was quite famous at this Auction House.

"Your enthusiasm truly flatters Jiu Jiu! To thank everyone for your recognition and cheers, Jiu Jiu will first briefly introduce the auction items of this Earth Tier Auction."

"This Earth Tier Auction features a total of ninety-nine auction items, including cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, medicinal pills, weapons, medicinal materials, Magic Cores, Fragmented Maps of Opportunity, Secret Realm Tokens, and many other kinds of auction items."

"With such a wide variety of auction items, I trust every distinguished guest will find something they desire at this Earth Tier Auction."

"Jiu Jiu wishes in advance that every distinguished guest may have their wishes fulfilled and return home richly rewarded."

As Jiu Jiu's alluring words fell, the atmosphere in the venue grew even more heated. Many people rolled up their sleeves, ready to go all out.

Lin Ming was speechless at the sight. There were no fewer than ten thousand people in this Auction House, yet there were only ninety-nine auction items—not even a hundred.

Even ignoring their wealth, each person had less than a one percent chance of obtaining an auction item. Not to mention there were definitely tycoons here who could win more than one item. What was the point of all of you rolling up your sleeves? In the end, it came down to money.

"I imagine all our distinguished guests have been waiting impatiently, so Jiu Jiu will not waste any more time on irrelevant matters. Let us bring out the first auction item."

As Jiu Jiu's words fell, a woman carrying a tray walked onto the stage.

After the woman came to her side, Jiu Jiu directly removed the cloth covering the tray, revealing the auction item beneath.

"This is the first auction item of this Earth Tier Auction: the weapon—Soft Water Silk."

After announcing the name of the first auction item, Jiu Jiu picked up the Soft Water Silk and began to dance with it.

A pale-blue silk ribbon curled and fluttered around Jiu Jiu, making her look like a fairy descended from the heavens. This sight left not only the men in the Auction House unable to look away, but even the women were shining-eyed, wishing they could snatch the Soft Water Silk from Jiu Jiu's hands and dance with it themselves.

After the dance, the people still immersed in Jiu Jiu's graceful movements were awakened by her gentle voice.

"Esteemed guests, please forgive Jiu Jiu's impropriety. Jiu Jiu was truly captivated by Soft Water Silk's beautiful appearance and could not help dancing with it." After speaking, Jiu Jiu bent her knees slightly and offered an apologetic bow.

"Jiu Jiu, don't worry! No one will blame you. Hurry and tell us the auction price for Soft Water Silk. I want to buy it and give it to you." At that moment, a greasy-looking, balding man with a huge belly and a thick gold chain around his neck shouted loudly.

His shout certainly drew everyone's attention, but after seeing what he looked like, everyone was left speechless. One look at his expression made it clear that lust had gone to his head, which was why he dared to shout such words.

However, Jiu Jiu was worthy of being an experienced auctioneer. Even when faced with someone like this, she politely said, "Then Jiu Jiu wishes this young master a victorious start."

Now, let Jiu Jiu give everyone a detailed introduction to Soft Water Silk.

"Soft Water Silk is made from the spider silk of a Tier 3 Magical Beast, the Soft Water Spider. After it was crafted, a Third-Order Water Attribute Magic Core was fused into the Soft Water Silk using a special method, strengthening its Water Attribute power and flexibility."

"When used, Soft Water Silk is as pliant as water. It is an exceptionally rare weapon for Water Attribute martial artists and those who wish to overcome hardness with softness. Furthermore, its soft and silky material, paired with its pale blue and gold appearance, can perfectly highlight the beauty of us women."

"If Jiu Jiu had sufficient financial means, she would definitely buy it herself. Unfortunately, Jiu Jiu is only a weak woman and can only painfully put it up for auction."

"The starting price for Soft Water Silk is one hundred thousand Gold Coins, and each bid must increase by no less than one hundred Gold Coins. Furthermore, as the first auction item of this Earth Tier Auction House, if any distinguished guest directly bids two hundred thousand Gold Coins, Jiu Jiu will immediately strike the deal and this Soft Water Silk will belong to that guest."

"Jiu Jiu hereby announces that the auction for Soft Water Silk has officially begun."

"One hundred and twenty thousand Gold Coins."

"One hundred and twenty-five thousand."

"One hundred and thirty thousand."

Lin Ming saw that the instant Jiu Jiu announced the start of the auction, the price of Soft Water Silk had shot up to one hundred and thirty thousand Gold Coins, and it was still rising.

As for Jiu Jiu's claim that it would be immediately sold for two hundred thousand, Lin Ming could only say that unless someone was a fool with too much money, no one would possibly bid two hundred thousand.

Ordinary weapons infused with Third-Order Magic Cores could be bought outside for around one hundred thousand Gold Coins. Soft Water Silk's advantage was its appearance, so it might be worth a little more, perhaps one hundred and twenty or one hundred and thirty thousand. Even with some auction premium, it would not exceed one hundred and seventy or one hundred and eighty thousand. Yet she said it would be sold outright for two hundred thousand. Unless someone had more money than sense, that was impossible.

While Lin Ming was thinking, the auction price had already reached one hundred and fifty-six thousand Gold Coins. However, far fewer people were bidding now, with only a few still raising the price.

"One hundred and sixty thousand."

Hearing a familiar voice beside him, Lin Ming turned his head and saw Han Yue holding up a bidding placard.

When Han Yue noticed Lin Ming looking at her, she said in a somewhat embarrassed whisper, "I couldn't hold back."

Han Yue herself knew that the current price had already exceeded Soft Water Silk's actual value by quite a lot. Yet she had still raised the bid entirely because she had been drawn in by its appearance, not because of its practical value.

Therefore, when she noticed Lin Ming looking at her, Han Yue thought he saw her as the kind of shallow person who mindlessly chased beautiful appearances.

And Han Yue truly had bid one hundred and sixty thousand Gold Coins because Soft Water Silk's appearance had attracted her, so she awkwardly whispered to Lin Ming that she could not hold back.

Lin Ming had not thought that much about it. He had merely heard someone familiar beside him make a bid and habitually looked to see who it was. He had no other intentions.

"One hundred and sixty-one thousand."

Someone else raised the bid. Han Yue breathed a sigh of relief when she heard it. After bidding one hundred and sixty thousand Gold Coins, she had begun to regret it. Now that someone had bid higher, she naturally felt relieved.

When Han Yue turned her head and saw that Lin Ming was no longer paying attention to her, she suddenly felt a little dejected. It seemed the Class Leader had looked down on me this time.

"Is anyone willing to bid higher than one hundred and sixty-five thousand?" Jiu Jiu's voice rang out. During the moment Han Yue had been lost in thought, the price had risen to one hundred and sixty-five thousand, and seeing that no one was bidding further, Jiu Jiu asked.

"One hundred and sixty-five thousand Gold Coins, going once!" Jiu Jiu began the count.

"One hundred and sixty-five thousand Gold Coins, going twice!"

"One hundred and sixty-five thousand Gold Coins, going thr—"

"One hundred and seventy thousand." Just as Jiu Jiu was about to finish the third count, a Little Girl's bid rang out from one of the private rooms above, interrupting her.

"The distinguished guest in Room No. 3 has bid one hundred and seventy thousand. Is there anyone willing to bid higher?" Jiu Jiu's voice rang through the Auction House again.

"Then Jiu Jiu will begin counting again! One hundred and seventy thousand Gold Coins, going once!"

"One hundred and seventy thousand Gold Coins, going twice!"

"One hundred and seventy thousand Gold Coins, going three times!"

Bang!

"Sold. The first auction item of this Earth Tier Auction, Soft Water Silk, has been won by the distinguished guest in Room No. 3. Let us congratulate the honored guest in Room No. 3 for taking first prize."

After Jiu Jiu struck the auction hammer and announced the result, the woman who had brought up Soft Water Silk returned to place it back on the tray and carry it away. Those in private rooms who won auction items would have someone specially deliver them and settle the payment.

As for people in the main hall like Lin Ming and the others, their bidding numbers would be recorded after they won an item. After the auction ended, they could take their bidding placards to the Staff Member to collect their auction items and settle the payment.

"Isn't Room No. 3 Vice Dean Hu Gan's private room?"

"I think so. I also heard that Vice Dean Hu Gan has a Granddaughter who is around ten years old now. And the voice that just bid from that room sounded like it belonged to someone around ten."

Listening to the women beside him gossip about who was in Room No. 3, Lin Ming thought to himself that if it really was Hu Gan's Granddaughter, she would indeed be around ten.

When Lin Ming had read the original novel before, he remembered that Hu Gan's Granddaughter was around Xiao Yan's age. Lin Ming was nearly fifteen now, while Xiao Yan was only around ten. Naturally, Hu Gan's Granddaughter, who was about Xiao Yan's age, would also be around ten.

As for her name, Lin Ming could not remember it clearly.