Volume One: Intrigue and Deception in the Imperial Capital - Chapter 40: An Unexpected Turn

In an instant, cheers and applause rang out across the hall. As expected, Spirit Artifacts were the true stars of the auction!

"First up, we have this!"

The first Spirit Artifact was a bone dagger engraved with patterns that had a distinctly sci-fi feel.

"An upper-grade, lower-tier Spirit Artifact, the Phantom Bone Dagger, crafted by the renowned artisan Tao Yezi! Made from the spine of a Phantom Body Beast, it's incredibly sharp. When attacking, it can create afterimages to confuse the senses! Starting bid: sixty million. Let the bidding begin!"

The most expensive artwork earlier had only fetched a little over thirty million, while the starting bid for this upper-grade, lower-tier Spirit Artifact alone was fifty million. Equipment really was... ridiculously expensive.

"Fifty-six million!"

"Sixty million!"

"Seventy-three million!"

"If you want it, you can just bid. There's no need to worry," Si Nan Yuan suddenly said to me.

"Thanks for the thought... but I don't think a dagger suits me."

"I see. Then let's wait a little longer."

In the end, the dagger sold for ninety million. I had no idea whether Tong Coins could be converted into renminbi, but ninety million was definitely an astronomical sum to me.

"Now, let's welcome our second item~"

A You and A Zuo brought out a small stone mirror. It looked rather old, with elaborate patterns carved along its edges. Apart from that, there didn't seem to be anything special about it.

"An upper-grade, middle-tier Spirit Artifact, the Shining Stone Heart Mirror! Carry this mirror with you, and it can completely defend against three attacks from upper-grade, top-tier Spirit Artifacts. It can even withstand attacks from weaker lower-grade, lower-tier Treasure Artifacts! A truly peerless protective treasure! Starting bid: eighty million Tong Coins. Let the bidding begin!"

Completely defend against three attacks from upper-grade, top-tier Spirit Artifacts?

This was practically a life-saving Divine Artifact! For the first time since the auction began, I was tempted. Should I place a bid?

"Ninety million!"

To my surprise, the first to bid was Si Nan Ying. Her eyes were shining; it seemed she was very interested in this item too.

"One hundred million."

A familiar voice rang out. It was someone from the Cleon Family!

"One hundred and ten million!" Si Nan Ying looked displeased, and her refusal to back down made her bid even higher.

"One hundred and twenty million." Her opponent remained unhurried and named another price.

"One hundred and thi—Mmph!"

At the last possible moment, Rui Xin clapped a hand over Si Nan Ying's mouth.

"Calm down, Miss! That guy is obviously trying to bait us! We're not good at playing mind games."

"...Tch."

"Are there any higher bids? One hundred and twenty million, once. One hundred and twenty million, twice. All right, sol—"

"One hundred and forty million."

A woman's voice, as sweet as silver bells, came from one of the VIP rooms on the side of the hall—probably the one between us and the Cleon Family. The moment I heard it, my ears felt indescribably soothed. It was absolutely the most beautiful voice I'd ever heard, better than any famous voice actor's!

The entire hall fell silent for a moment, then erupted into a frenzy.

"That voice... Could it be the legendary Miss Haoyue?"

"It has to be! She actually came!"

"My goddess! My goddess!!!"

So that was the legendary Haoyue Tartaglia, the most beautiful woman in the imperial capital?

I hurriedly joined everyone else in looking toward the voice. Unfortunately, the lighting was too dim, and the curtain over the booth's window was only open a crack. I couldn't see a thing.

"One hundred and forty million. Are there any higher bids?"

Su Ya's voice suddenly rang out, rising above the commotion. Only then did everyone turn their attention back to the auction.

"One hundred and forty million, once. One hundred and forty million, twice. All right, sold!"

In the end, I never got to see the most beautiful woman in the imperial capital for myself. Was she really every bit as beautiful as Elder Hong had said—my equal?

The rest of the auction items were all upper-grade Spirit Artifacts, with a wide variety of types. There was even a lower-grade Treasure Artifact, the Youth Preserving Pearl, which sold for eight hundred million—the highest sale price so far. The Heart Mirror had the highest starting bid among the Spirit Artifacts at eighty million, while the lower-grade Treasure Artifact, the Youth Preserving Pearl, had a starting bid of five hundred million! The difference in value between Spirit Artifacts and Treasure Artifacts was clear as day.

"Next is our final item, and the grand finale of this auction!"

The audience sat up straight, countless eyes fixed on the stage. What was about to appear was the real treasure!

A You and A Zuo carried out a long, cloth-wrapped bundle. Judging by how much they were struggling, it seemed incredibly heavy.

Su Ya elegantly untied the strips of cloth wrapped around it, revealing a long, reddish-copper spear. It had a simple, ancient design, and its blade was covered in crimson spots that looked just like drying blood. It exuded a blood-chilling pressure.

"A lower-grade, top-tier Treasure Artifact, the Crimson Spotted Spear! This spear was made over a thousand years ago, and the artisan's identity is now unknown. It saw action in the great war between two nations a thousand years ago, slaying countless enemies. The bloodstains on its blade have yet to fade. Simply channel spiritual power into it, and you can unleash the fierce baleful energy it contains, helping you fight and greatly increasing your combat strength! So although it is a lower-grade Treasure Artifact, in the right hands it can hold its own against a middle-grade Treasure Artifact! Its only drawback is that anyone without sufficient willpower may be overwhelmed by its baleful energy, so please use it with the utmost caution! All right, starting bid: eight hundred and eighty million. Let the bidding begin!"

Eight hundred... eighty million!

Mo Xiao Hong quietly said to me, "The spear wouldn't normally be worth more than seven hundred million, but the baleful energy it's accumulated over a thousand years has greatly increased its value!"

"One billion!"

"One billion and thirty million!"

Several people quickly placed bids. It seemed they had all come prepared.

"Miss, Liu Ye, if you want this spear..."

"I'll pass. It feels so fierce, and I don't like it," Si Nan Ying said at once.

"I'll pass too. I'm not very fond of spears as weapons."

It was common knowledge that spear users had terrible luck. I wasn't about to take that risk.

By then, the spear's price had soared to 1.6 billion, nearly double its starting bid... What a bunch of rich, shameless spendthrifts.

"1.6 billion. Any higher bids? 1.6 billion, once. 1.6 billion, twice. All right, sold!"

Ah, the grand finale had finally found its new owner too. In the end, I hadn't gotten a thing. As expected, novels were all lies...

"Wait!!"

Suddenly, all the lights in the hall came on. Three men stood up from the crowd and charged onto the stage!

"You... What are you doing!?" Su Ya was startled. Nothing like this had ever happened at one of her auctions!

"Outrageous! Get down!"

Several uniformed guards immediately rushed forward. A vast surge of spiritual power gathered around them; they were clearly no ordinary ability users!

"You insignificant ants... Black Coffin!"

One of the men in black swept his hand through the air. Several black bands of light immediately appeared in midair, circling and folding over one another until, in the blink of an eye, they formed a square black coffin that trapped all the guards inside!

"Now watch me. Blackie, give me a hand!"

Another man, a burly fellow with a center part, walked toward the Black Coffin. He grinned, and a stream of gas drifted from his mouth. The man in black opened a tiny crack in the coffin, and the gas poured through it. The next moment, shrill screams rang out from inside.

Then the Black Coffin opened again, and several bodies, red from head to toe, tumbled out. They were the guards from moments earlier!

"You... What on earth do you want!?" Seeing the usually formidable guards killed so easily, Su Ya's legs gave way, and she fell to the floor.

"Don't be so frightened, beautiful lady."

A middle-aged woman with high cheekbones walked onto the stage without haste. From her voice, she was clearly the speaker with the sharp, sarcastic tone.

"I'm Amantha Cleon. We came here today to demand justice for the Cleon Family, because..."

She pointed at the Crimson Spotted Spear.

"This spear belonged to the Cleon Family! Some treacherous thief stole it from us and sold it to you!"