I Am a Hero

"Wait, sir, please turn back."

A big man was about to enter when the gatekeeper stopped him. He looked somewhat fierce, and immediately protested, "Why can they go in, but I can't?"

Expressionless, the gatekeeper pointed at the Jade Token in the hands of those entering. "The Auction held by our Merchant Guild is by invitation only. Without this Jade Token, no one may enter."

"There are rules like that?" The big man's face reddened slightly. It was his first time in Prefecture City and also his first time at an auction, so he had not learned such minor details.

The gatekeeper 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 not high? His entire fortune did not even add up to a thousand taels!

"Could you perhaps make an exception?" the big man pleaded quietly.

The gatekeeper shook his head. "The threshold to enter our Merchant Guild's auction house truly is not high. If you are short on silver for the moment, you may also display your strength. Our Merchant Guild enjoys befriending heroes from all sides, and we can gift you a Jade Token for free."

Jiang Ping had expected this long ago.

Before coming, he had already inquired thoroughly. The Merchant Guild's Auction was a relatively high-end trading venue. One either had money or exceptional ability.

The former could earn the Merchant Guild some silver, while the latter, though receiving a Jade Token for free, would still owe them a favor. Thus, no matter what, the Merchant Guild would not lose out.

And Jiang Ping just so happened to barely count as the latter, qualifying him to enter.

"What counts as exceptional ability?" the big man could not help asking.

"Seventh Rank or above." Upon hearing the answer, the big man was stunned for a moment. He was only Eighth Rank.

As the gatekeeper'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 sir, please stop." Not long after the big man left, the gatekeeper 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 gasped in shock.

Those capable of cultivating a Golden Bone were all extraordinarily gifted, yet among the twenty people on the Changping Martial Examination Ranking, none matched his appearance.

The gatekeeper had intended to gift him a Jade Token, but he refused.

"I passed through this place for the Profound Tiger Blood," the young man said, answering everyone's doubts.

So he was from the Outer Prefecture.

Jiang Ping was also quite astonished. A great city truly was different—one could casually run into 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 gatekeeper and drawing intense wariness from everyone else.

"This person is truly formidable. Such skill is difficult to cultivate, yet he has reached the thirty percent level. He looks rather old; he is likely among the Sixth Grade." Someone spoke quietly.

Other than geniuses, those whose skills had reached above thirty percent were almost all in the Sixth Grade. Having practiced martial arts for many years, they possessed broad knowledge.

Such a powerhouse was someone important even in Prefecture City.

Jiang Ping was quite satisfied. It seemed thirty percent mastery of a skill still carried some weight. Everyone thought he was in the Sixth Grade.

Tucking the Jade Token gifted by the gatekeeper into his robes, he walked inside.

The auction venue was enormous, divided into upper and lower levels, 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 of an hour, the venue was filled.

On the raised platform in the middle of the first floor, a lovely woman and an old man appeared with the first auction item.

It was a Seventh Rank Technique, said to allow one to temper a Golden Bone more quickly.

Jiang Ping was somewhat tempted, but remembering that he did not have much silver, he instantly dismissed the urge to bid.

Yet to his surprise, only a few people placed bids.

"Why does no one want it?"

"Other than geniuses, who would dare use their Golden Age to grind away at a Golden Bone? No matter how efficient it is, it cannot be that much faster. Training it would take years, and the loss outweighs the gain." Someone explained it to his companion.

The technique was ultimately sold for a little over two hundred taels.

"On the path of Martial Dao, low-end techniques truly are worthless." Jiang Ping raised an eyebrow slightly.

Soon, the second, third, and fourth items were brought out one after another, their prices rising higher and higher.

"Three thousand taels, sold!" The female host brought down the hammer.

As the fifth item was sold, Jiang Ping felt a sense of foreboding.

Sure enough, the items that followed sold for ever-higher prices, while the Grandmaster Level technique he wanted never appeared.

"Why haven't any Grandmaster Level techniques appeared?" someone voiced the question in Jiang Ping's heart.

"Such techniques are mostly closely guarded secrets of the great families. Moreover, they are too difficult to master and thus fetch relatively low prices. If no Grandmaster Level technique appears among the Merchant Guild's first three items, there is no need to look any further."

Hearing this, Jiang Ping sighed inwardly. It seemed this journey would end with him empty-handed.

Next, one outrageously priced item after another appeared: a sharp sword capable of cleaving through Seventh Grade Iron Bone, or precious secret manuals.

"Blood of the Mysterious Tiger!"

When the finale arrived, Jiang Ping learned of this blood's wondrous use.

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 certain Rare Beast Bloods in heaven and earth that could shorten the time needed for organ refinement.

The Blood of the Mysterious Tiger was one of them. This small half-jar brought out by the Merchant Guild was enough to halve the time a Sixth Grade Martial Artist needed to refine one organ.

Half a year was not much, but the Golden Age lasted only until one turned thirty. For geniuses aspiring to Fifth Rank, an extra half-year of breathing room could make them far more composed.

As for certain 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. The bidding begins at three True Skills."

"One True Skill is worth five hundred gold." Jiang Ping drew a slight breath.

Fifth Rank cultivation methods differed from lower-grade methods; they were exceedingly precious. A single one had been auctioned earlier and sold for more than five hundred taels of gold.

Yet this Rare Blood, which could save half a year, started at the equivalent of fifteen 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 sparked a frantic bidding war, its price swiftly driven up to ten True Skills.

In the end, the Rare Blood was claimed by the young man who had displayed a 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 obtain it next time. Jiang Ping looked forward to it inwardly.

Afterward, he led his swift horse out of the Prefecture City at dusk, with no intention of staying the night.

"Help!"

Not long after leaving the city, Jiang Ping came upon a Blood Case.

The big man who had failed to enter the auction that afternoon was being besieged and killed.

He seemed rather careless. He had exposed his strength in broad daylight and had not even thought to disguise himself before leaving the city, only to be robbed.

"A few hundred taels of silver are still silver!" A Seventh Grade Old Man pulled out Silver Notes from the big man's corpse, his face beaming with delight.

"Hyah!"

Jiang Ping immediately cracked his whip as he passed by, quickly leaving the scene. He had no habit of meddling in other people's affairs.

"This person should have some silver on him too." The Seventh Grade Old Man seemed unsatisfied and turned his gaze toward Jiang Ping, only to be stopped by his companion.

"Do not provoke this person. 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, a chill of lingering fear running through him.

Clearly, he too had jumped to the conclusion that Jiang Ping was a Sixth Grade expert.