Bronze Token

After they won Falling Star, no one else bid on anything.

As time passed and one auction item after another was sold, the auction gradually neared its end.

"Old Gu, what exactly is this good thing you mentioned?" Mo Shang asked, eyeing Gu Qingzhou suspiciously.

From the start of the auction until it was nearly over, Gu Qingzhou hadn't called out a single bid...

"Don't rush. Here it comes, doesn't it?" Gu Qingzhou said with a smile, turning his gaze to the final item on the stage.

"This is the last item in today's auction. It isn't exactly a treasure, but it does have a special feature..."

As the host spoke, the red cloth was lifted, revealing an utterly unremarkable bronze token before the crowd.

The bronze token was perhaps quite old. Rust covered its surface, and it had nothing special about it. It really did look like an ordinary token...

Looking at the token on the stage, the crowd was filled with confusion and curiosity...

However, anything an auction house put up for auction clearly wasn't always what it seemed, and the host's next words confirmed as much.

"Our auction house hasn't been able to determine this token's purpose. We only know that it's incredibly sturdy—even someone in the Question Dao Realm can't damage it. Anyone interested can buy it and take it home to study. The starting price is ten thousand spirit stones."

The host's words fell, but no one in the crowd made a bid. Some people had even stood up and started heading for the exits. In no time, most of them had left.

The people present clearly weren't interested in a bronze token of unknown purpose.

"They're auctioning off a piece of junk like this? What a waste of time."

"They don't even know what it does. Buying it would just waste spirit stones. Boring. Let's go."

"It's just a bit sturdy. What's so strange about that..."

The token might truly have some other use, but even the auction house couldn't figure it out. The crowd didn't think they'd have any better luck.

Looking at the crowd, now more than half dispersed, the host didn't react much. She seemed to have expected this.

"Forget it. We might as well put it back in the warehouse to gather dust. Only an idiot would buy this useless thing..." the auctioneer thought, shaking her head helplessly.

The token had been sitting in their inventory to begin with. They'd only put it up for sale this time to get some use out of it, so she wasn't surprised by the result.

However, just as she was about to take the token away and end the auction, a voice suddenly rang out:

"Eleven thousand spirit stones."

At the sound of the bid, the host looked up abruptly, staring in surprise at the private box where Mo Shang and the others were seated.

The one who'd placed the bid was Gu Qingzhou. He had come to the auction for the sole purpose of obtaining this token...

"Someone really is an idiot?"

She hadn't expected anyone to spend spirit stones on a token whose purpose was unknown.

After a moment, the host came to her senses and, maintaining her professional composure, asked, "This gentleman has bid eleven thousand. Does anyone else wish to bid?"

But no one responded. After Gu Qingzhou's bid, the room fell silent.

"Congratulations to this gentleman on winning the token..."

And just like that, Gu Qingzhou easily won the bronze token.

At that moment, inside the private box, Gu Qingzhou stretched and rose from his chair. Looking at the others, he said, "Let's go. We've got what we came for."

"You came all this way just to buy that piece of junk?" Liu Ruyan looked at Gu Qingzhou strangely and couldn't help asking.

"I've got my own rhythm. Don't worry about it..." Gu Qingzhou waved a hand, clearly not intending to explain, and headed outside.

Mo Shang didn't ask anything. He followed behind Gu Qingzhou and headed out.

As a Reborn, Gu Qingzhou obviously knew what the token did; otherwise, he wouldn't have come to the auction specifically for it.

Mo Shang could also guess more or less what the token was for. Going by the usual novel tropes, it was probably some kind of key.

After leaving the private box, the four of them were led by a maid into a reception room.

"Please wait a moment, esteemed guests. The items you won will be brought over shortly."

The maid brought over warm tea and set it on the table beside them, then smiled and left.

After a short wait, several sets of footsteps suddenly drew nearer, coming from outside the reception room.

A moment later, the host from earlier entered with two burly men and a maid.

The two burly men were struggling to carry the Falling Star from the auction stage, while the maid held a tray bearing the bronze token.

The woman gave the four of them a polite smile, then said, "Sorry for the wait, esteemed guests. Please inspect the two items you won."

"I want the smoke token."

At that, Gu Qingzhou raised a hand slightly. The bronze token on the tray immediately lifted into the air without a breeze and landed precisely in his hand.

"The token's fine."

Gu Qingzhou weighed it in his hand, and after confirming there was nothing wrong, nodded to Mo Shang.

"You're always cracking jokes. I wonder who taught you..." Mo Shang rolled his eyes. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he realized something and promptly cut himself off.

After all, it seemed he was the one who had taught Gu Qingzhou those jokes in the future. They were things from Blue Star, and he was the only transmigrator who would know them...

Ignoring the other man, Mo Shang walked over to Falling Star, which stood as tall as a person, and placed one hand on it.

It wasn't as cold as he'd imagined. A faint warmth clung to Falling Star, perhaps because it contained an immense amount of Star Power. For some reason, it gave him a feeling of familiarity.

"Swipe the card."

After confirming that Falling Star was fine, Mo Shang nodded, then raised a hand and summoned a Black Gold Spirit Stone Card.

The woman's pupils contracted at the sight of the Black Gold Spirit Stone Card in Mo Shang's hand. She took it with a respectful expression.

"Certainly, esteemed sir."

Then, under everyone's gaze, the woman took out a device resembling a POS machine from Blue Star, swiped the card, and quickly completed the payment.

"All done, esteemed sir. This is our chamber of commerce's VIP card. You can enjoy discounts on any purchases you make at the Cangyun Chamber of Commerce. Please accept it."

After the payment was complete, the woman respectfully handed the Black Gold Spirit Stone Card and a pale-gold card to Mo Shang.

"Let's go."

Mo Shang took the cards and waved a hand, putting Falling Star into his spatial ring. He had no intention of staying any longer.

Seeing this, the others followed him out of the chamber of commerce.