"Wait, sir, please turn back."
A big man was about to enter when the guard stopped him. He looked rather fierce and immediately protested, "Why can they go in, but I can't?"
Expressionless, the guard pointed at the Jade Token in the hand of someone entering. "The Auction held by our Merchant Guild is invitation-only. Without this Jade Token, no one may enter."
"There's a rule like that?" The big man's face reddened somewhat. It was his first time in the Prefecture City and his first time at an Auction, so he had not learned of such trivial details.
The guard changed his tone and smiled.
"However, the threshold for our Merchant Guild's Auction is not high. A thousand taels of silver will get you this token, and it remains valid forever."
The big man froze.
And that was considered low? His entire fortune did not even amount to a thousand taels!
"Could you make an exception?" the big man pleaded quietly.
The guard shook his head. "The threshold for entering our Merchant Guild's auction house truly isn't high. If you are temporarily short of silver, you may also display your strength. Our Merchant Guild enjoys befriending heroes from all sides, and we can gift you a Jade Token free of charge."
Jiang Ping had expected this long ago.
Before coming, he had already made inquiries. The Merchant Guild's Auction was a relatively high-end trading venue: either one had money, or one possessed outstanding ability.
The former could earn the Merchant Guild some silver, while the latter, though receiving a Jade Token for free, would owe them a favor. Thus, the Merchant Guild could never lose out.
And Jiang Ping happened to barely qualify as the latter, granting him the right to enter.
"What counts as outstanding ability?" the big man could not help asking.
"Seventh Rank or above." Upon hearing the answer, the big man was slightly stunned. He was only Eighth Rank.
As the guard's words spread, several people left in disappointment.
Either their strength did not meet the standard, or they could not bear to part with the silver.
"Young man, please stop." Not long after the big man departed, the guard stopped another young man dressed in black.
"Please present your Jade Token."
Yet the Man in Black did not move. His body merely trembled slightly, and a faint layer of gold surrounded him.
"Golden Bone!"
Everyone was greatly startled and deeply shocked.
Those who cultivated a Golden Bone were invariably gifted beyond measure, yet among the twenty people on the Changping Martial Examination Ranking, none matched his appearance.
The guard had intended to gift him a Jade Token, but he refused it.
"I passed through this place for the Profound Tiger Blood," the young man said, clearing up everyone's confusion.
So he had come from the Outer Prefecture.
Jiang Ping was also quite surprised. A major city truly was different—one could casually encounter a genius who had cultivated a Golden Bone.
Before long.
It was Jiang Ping's turn.
He immediately displayed Thirty Percent Sword Qi, startling the guard. The others revealed deep wariness as well.
"This person is truly formidable. Techniques are so difficult to cultivate, yet he has reached the Thirty Percent realm. He does not look young; he is likely among the Sixth Grade," someone said in a low voice.
Other than geniuses, those whose techniques had reached above Thirty Percent were almost all Sixth Grade Martial Artists. Having practiced martial arts for many years, they possessed broad horizons.
Such a powerhouse was a notable figure even in the Prefecture City.
Jiang Ping was rather pleased. It seemed Thirty Percent Technique still carried some weight; everyone thought he was among the Sixth Grade.
He tucked the Jade Token gifted by the guard into his robes and walked inside.
The Auction was enormous, divided into upper and lower floors, with luxurious Private Rooms as well.
Jiang Ping casually found a seat on the second floor and waited for the Auction to begin.
Jiang Ping did not wait long. In less than a quarter-hour, the venue was filled with people.
On the raised platform at the center of the first floor, a beautiful woman and an old man appeared with the first auction item.
It was a Seventh Rank Technique, said to allow Golden Bone to be tempered more quickly.
Jiang Ping was somewhat tempted, but when he thought of how little silver he had, he instantly suppressed the urge to bid.
Yet what he had not expected was that only a handful of people made offers.
"Why does nobody want it?"
"Other than geniuses, who would dare use their Golden Age to hammer away at Golden Bone? No matter how efficient it is, it cannot become that efficient. Cultivating it will certainly take years of work, and the loss outweighs the gain," someone explained to his companion.
This technique was ultimately sold for a little over two hundred taels.
"On the road of Martial Dao, low-grade techniques really aren't worth much." Jiang Ping raised his brows slightly.
Soon, the second, third, and fourth items were brought out in succession, their prices rising ever higher.
"Three thousand taels, sold!" The female host brought down the hammer.
As the fifth item was sold, Jiang Ping felt a bad premonition rise in his heart.
Sure enough, the items auctioned afterward became more expensive one after another, while the Grandmaster-level Technique he wanted never appeared.
"Why haven't we seen a Grandmaster-level Technique?" someone voiced the question in Jiang Ping's heart.
"Such techniques are mostly secrets never passed down by the great families. And because they are too difficult to master, their prices are relatively low. If the Merchant Guild does not offer a Grandmaster-level Technique among its first three items, there is no need to look through the rest."
Hearing this, Jiang Ping sighed inwardly. It seemed this journey would end with empty hands.
Next, outrageously expensive items appeared one after another: sharp swords capable of cleaving Seventh Grade Iron Bone, or precious secret manuals.
"Blood of the Mysterious Tiger!"
When the finale arrived, Jiang Ping learned the wondrous use of this blood.
At Sixth Grade Organ Refining, One Viscera One Year's Work—even first-rate or Super First-rate geniuses could not rely on talent to speed it up.
Yet there were also Rare Beast Bloods between heaven and earth that could shorten the time needed for organ refining.
The Blood of the Mysterious Tiger was one of them. This small half-jar brought out by the Merchant Guild could halve the time a Sixth Grade Martial Artist needed to refine One Viscera.
Half a year was not much, but the Golden Age lasted only until one turned thirty. For geniuses aiming for Fifth Rank, an additional half-year of breathing room could let them proceed far more calmly.
And for some extravagantly wealthy great families, if they had enough of this Rare Blood, they could save as much as two and a half years.
"This blood will not be traded for gold or silver. It requires Fifth-Rank True Skills, with bidding starting at three True Skills."
"One True Skill is worth five hundred gold." Jiang Ping drew a slight breath.
Fifth-Rank Techniques differed from those below them; they were exceedingly precious. One had just been auctioned for over five hundred taels of gold.
Yet this Rare Blood, which could save half a year, began at one thousand five hundred taels of gold.
"An inch of gold cannot buy an inch of time. The ancients truly did not deceive us," he sighed.
Sure enough, this Rare Blood was fiercely fought over, its price quickly driven up to ten True Skills.
In the end, this Rare Blood was claimed by the young man who had displayed his Golden Bone earlier, using an even more precious True Skill.
A grand Auction came to an end, and Jiang Ping left in disappointment.
The next Auction would be seven days later, which meant he would have to come again.
I hope I can get it next time. Jiang Ping looked forward to it.
Afterward, leading his Swift horse, he left the Prefecture City at dusk. He had not planned to stay the night.
"Help!"
Not long after leaving the city, Jiang Ping witnessed a Blood Case.
The big man who had failed to enter the Auction that afternoon was being besieged and killed.
He had apparently not been cautious. He exposed his strength in broad daylight and did not even disguise himself before leaving the city, only to be robbed.
"Several hundred taels of silver are still silver!" A Seventh Rank old man pulled Silver Notes from the big man's corpse, his face full of smiles.
"Hyah!"
Jiang Ping, passing by, immediately cracked his whip and swiftly left the scene. He had no habit of meddling in other people's affairs.
"He should have some silver on him too." The Seventh Rank old man seemed not to have had his fill and turned his gaze toward Jiang Ping, only to be stopped by his companion.
"Do not provoke him. He displayed Thirty Percent Sword Qi this afternoon. He is not someone you or I can afford to provoke."
"A Sixth Grade Martial Artist!" The old man was startled, his heart filling with lingering fear.
Clearly, he too had taken Jiang Ping for a Sixth Grade powerhouse from the outset.
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