"Wanjin Auction House"
This was the largest and most famous auction venue in Yan City, owned by the Wanjin Chamber of Commerce. Every day, countless rare treasures changed hands here.
Lin Yiqing threaded his way through the crowded throng. Vendors' cries rang out all around him. Qingyang Town simply couldn't compare to such a bustling scene.
The Wanjin Auction House was divided into an outer and an inner section. The outer section usually consisted of ordinary trading stalls, where common goods were sold. Now and then, someone might stumble upon a bargain, but the odds were slim.
The inner section was the actual auction venue, with its own auctioneer and exclusive service. Naturally, the items up for auction were all valuable.
"Little brother, come take a look at this treasure!"
Suddenly, a simple-looking man grabbed Lin Yiqing. His clothes were plain, and his arms were stuffed full beneath his robes.
"Uncle, I'm broke!"
Lin Yiqing rolled his eyes. What era was this? That trick was ancient.
"Hey, little brother, I'm really not a swindler. I came to you because you have an extraordinary air about you. Take a look at my item before you decide!"
The middle-aged man looked anxious. He hurriedly opened his robe to show what he was carrying.
Lin Yiqing saw a small tripod about a foot tall tucked against the man's chest. Strange beasts were carved all over it, and it was covered in rust. It looked extremely old.
Lin Yiqing couldn't help giving it a closer look, but he was speechless. Wasn't this just an ordinary bronze tripod?
"Uncle, are you trying to fool me because I'm young?"
With that, he hurriedly broke free and tried to leave, but the middle-aged man stubbornly followed him.
"Little brother, take another look. This really is a treasure! I dug it out of an ancient tomb, but my family fell on hard times, so I'm selling it. Just five hundred Yang Yuan Stones. You can't lose out, and you won't get cheated!"
The middle-aged man kept talking as they walked. Lin Yiqing was getting annoyed by the harassment and was just about to push him away when his heart suddenly lurched.
Just now, he had instinctively probed the man with his mental power, but that wisp of mental energy had vanished like a stone sinking into the sea!
"What's going on?"
Lin Yiqing hesitated. Either this man was a powerful expert, or there was something unusual about the item.
"Five hundred Yang Yuan Stones is too much. Fifty, at most!"
Lin Yiqing pretended to look impatient. He wanted to see what the man was really up to.
"Deal!"
A bitter expression appeared on the middle-aged man's seemingly honest face, but his hands moved without hesitation. He shoved the Small Tripod into Lin Yiqing's hands and held out his palm for payment.
"..."
Lin Yiqing was stunned. What was going on? Had he just paid too much?
"Sigh, even children get cheated these days..."
"Morals are declining, and people's hearts are no longer what they used to be."
The onlookers sighed as they watched. That scoundrel had tricked someone again!
"Haha, another big sale! I actually got fifty Yang Yuan Stones for this thing!"
After walking a short distance, the middle-aged man excitedly rubbed his hands together. The honest expression vanished from his face, replaced by a lecherous grin.
"You bastard!"
Lin Yiqing had been keeping the man under surveillance with his mental power. Seeing that, he nearly spat up blood. What happened to that honest face?
Lin Yiqing put away the Small Tripod and went straight into the inner hall. He didn't want to see the man again; otherwise, he was afraid the palm he could throw with his Late Earth Yuan Stage strength might get out of control!
I hope they have some suitable martial arts for sale at this auction!
Lin Yiqing thought to himself. He already had no shortage of cultivation techniques; what he lacked was high-grade martial arts and Mental Secret Techniques, and that was a major factor limiting his strength.
After walking down a long passage, Lin Yiqing took a black bamboo hat out of his Universe Bag and put it on. Better safe than sorry.
The entire inner hall was circular, and the venue was enormous. At a glance, it looked like it could hold several hundred people. In the middle stood a circular raised platform. There weren't many people yet, so the seats were still sparsely occupied.
Lin Yiqing chose a secluded corner, then closed his eyes and waited for the auction to begin.
About half an hour later, the hall was packed, yet extremely quiet. Looking around, he saw that most people, like him, wore bamboo hats.
Lin Yiqing pondered this and couldn't help murmuring, "So the stories really were true! A bamboo hat is practically an essential item in a cultivator's daily life."
Just then, an old man in a white brocade robe stepped onto the central platform and smiled as he cupped his hands to the crowd.
"Haha, welcome to the auction at our Wanjin Auction House. This old man will be hosting today's auction!"
After he spoke, the old man waved toward the rear. A line of pretty maids emerged, each carrying a tray.
"Get started already, Elder Qin. We're all old acquaintances. Let's see what good things you have for us today!"
"Exactly..."
Quite a few people at the auction had only come for the novelty. Seeing the auction begin, they immediately called out.
"Heh, since you're all so eager, let's take a look at today's first item: the Red Tooth Blade. It was forged by a Four-Seal Rune Master from the fangs of a demon beast, the Fire Python Tiger, and inscribed with an Armor-Piercing Rune. The starting bid is six hundred Yang Yuan Stones!"
Elder Qin lightly brushed his sleeve, then gently lifted a palm-sized bone blade from the first maid's tray and displayed it to the crowd.
The bone blade was as white as jade. Most wondrous of all, a small rune was engraved on its surface: the Armor-Piercing Rune!
"Eight hundred Yang Yuan Stones!"
"One thousand..."
The atmosphere at the auction soon heated up, and one item after another was sold.
Lin Yiqing couldn't help growing anxious. He was counting on this auction to buy a high-grade martial art.
Perhaps sensing what Lin Yiqing was thinking, Elder Qin picked up a scroll of beast hide from the tray of a maid beside him and smiled at the audience.
"Next up for auction is a Fifth Grade Martial Art, the Thousand River Moon Reflection Sword! Once mastered, its sword intent can transform into a moon, making its wielder invincible in attack! The starting bid is three thousand Yang Yuan Stones!"
As soon as Elder Qin finished speaking, the crowd immediately grew excited. Fifth Grade Martial Arts were rare even in Yan City!
"Three thousand five hundred Yang Yuan Stones!"
"Four thousand Yang Yuan Stones..."
In an instant, four or five people began bidding. Lin Yiqing grew anxious. He had barely more than two hundred Yang Yuan Pills left to his name.
"Elder Qin, I'm very interested in this martial art, but the current price is far beyond what I expected. Could you see if this item of mine might be accepted in exchange?"
Lin Yiqing hurried to his feet and cupped his fists toward Elder Qin. He didn't have enough Yang Yuan Pills, but he was deeply tempted by this martial art.
With that, he took a book from his Universe Bag and tossed it to the other man. It was the Spirit Refining Chapter.
Elder Qin took it and glanced through it. He couldn't help pausing, then furrowed his brows.
"It's certainly a rare item, but I'll have to ask the owner of the martial art. Would you mind waiting a moment, young friend?"
Seeing Elder Qin give way, Lin Yiqing couldn't help but feel relieved. Since the other man was willing to ask, he still had a chance.
"Of course. Whether or not the owner agrees, I'm grateful to you, Elder Qin," Lin Yiqing hurriedly replied.
Elder Qin nodded, then headed toward the rear. Such matters were quite common at this auction house.
Many auction attendees didn't have enough money for a transaction, so they offered items in exchange.
As long as both buyer and seller agreed, the Wanjin Auction House wouldn't interfere. The corresponding service fee, however, still had to be paid.
A short while later, Elder Qin returned to the hall and first smiled as he cupped his hands to the crowd.
Then he announced loudly, "The owner of the martial art greatly admires this young friend's item. Therefore, this young friend has won the martial art!"
Before you continue