Attending the Auction, Acquiring the Divine Sword

The etiquette lady's voice rang out once more: "Thirty-five thousand Gold Soul Coins. Are there any higher bids?"

Qian Lingche raised his paddle again: "Forty thousand Gold Soul Coins."

The young man was clearly unwilling to back down; he raised his own paddle, his voice laced with provocation: "Forty-five thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

His gaze locked directly onto Qian Lingche, a smug smile curling his lips as if to say, "Let's see if you have the guts to keep up!"

Qian Lingche's expression remained calm, completely indifferent to the provocation. He lifted his paddle gently, his tone detached: "Fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins."

The atmosphere in the venue turned tense instantly. Everyone held their breath, their eyes darting back and forth between Qian Lingche and the young man.

It was clear that these two had locked horns, and neither was willing to concede.

The young man gritted his teeth, a flash of malice in his eyes, and raised his paddle again: "Fifty-five thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

Qian Lingche remained unhurried: "Sixty thousand Gold Soul Coins."

What a joke, he thought. He'd finally come out to enjoy himself, not to be pushed around.

The young man's face had turned rather ugly; clearly, this price had exceeded his expectations.

He glared at Qian Lingche: "You... why are you fighting me for this?"

Qian Lingche smiled faintly: "Weren't you the one who provoked me first? Besides, at an auction, the highest bidder wins. If you can't afford a higher price, then you'll just have to let it go to me."

The young man was choked into silence, his face flushing a deep red. He gritted his teeth, but in the end, he did not raise his paddle again.

If he spent nearly a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins on a trinket like this, his father would surely beat him to death.

The etiquette lady's voice chimed in at the perfect moment: "Sixty thousand Gold Soul Coins. Are there any higher bids?"

"Sixty thousand Gold Soul Coins, going once."

"Sixty thousand Gold Soul Coins, going twice."

"Sixty thousand Gold Soul Coins, going three times!"

"Sold! Congratulations to this gentleman!"

Qian Lingche nodded, while the young man shot him a fierce glare before sitting back down in a huff, clearly feeling extremely resentful.

A-Tai chuckled in a low voice from the side: "I didn't expect you to have this side to you, kid. That guy is probably furious."

Qian Lingche replied speechlessly: "At an auction, it's all about one's own ability. If he can't handle the frustration, he only has his own lack of funds to blame."

As the auction progressed, one rare item after another was sold off, and the atmosphere in the hall gradually reached a climax.

Finally, the etiquette lady's voice rang out again, carrying a hint of excitement: "Distinguished guests, next is the grand finale of today's auction—the 'Feather Crystal Sword' personally crafted by Master Lou Gao!"

As her voice fell, two attendants carefully carried a long sword onto the circular stage.

The sword was crystal clear, its blade appearing as if it were carved from crystal, emitting a faint, chilling light.

The etiquette lady's voice was filled with reverence: "This Feather Crystal Sword is the result of ten years of painstaking effort by Master Lou Gao, forged from the only existing Feather Crystal Stone."

"It is incredibly durable; it is said that it can withstand an attack from a Titled Douluo without sustaining damage. It is a true divine weapon! The starting bid is ten million Gold Soul Coins!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a collective gasp echoed through the hall.

A starting bid of ten million Gold Soul Coins was enough to make most people shrink back.

However, for those with true power, the value of this sword was far beyond that.

Qian Lingche's gaze fell upon the Feather Crystal Sword, a hint of a smile flashing in his eyes. He said to A-Tai: "The name of this sword suits me quite well."

A-Tai said in the consciousness space: "I saw the material for this sword back in the day; it is indeed rare. Bid for it, you won't lose out."

Sure enough, someone soon raised their paddle, their voice trembling with excitement: "Twelve million Gold Soul Coins!"

"Fifteen million Gold Soul Coins!"

"Twenty million Gold Soul Coins!"

The bidding voices rose one after another, and the price was quickly pushed to a new height.

Qian Lingche remained sitting quietly in his seat, not rushing to make a move.

Finally, when the price was pushed to thirty million Gold Soul Coins, the bidding in the hall gradually thinned out.

Only then did Qian Lingche raise his paddle: "Fifty million Gold Soul Coins."

As soon as he spoke, everyone's eyes turned toward Qian Lingche. Fifty million Gold Soul Coins—this was already an astronomical figure.

The young man who had previously competed with Qian Lingche gritted his teeth, a look of resentment flashing in his eyes, but in the end, he did not raise his paddle again.

The etiquette lady's voice rang out once more: "Fifty million Gold Soul Coins. Are there any higher bids?"

"Fifty million Gold Soul Coins, going once."

"Fifty million Gold Soul Coins, going twice."

"Fifty million Gold Soul Coins, going three times!"

"Sold! Congratulations to this gentleman!"

The etiquette lady wore a smile, her voice crisp and pleasant: "Distinguished guests, today's auction has come to a successful conclusion! Thank you all for participating."

With that, the etiquette lady bowed slightly and stepped off the circular stage.

At the same time, an attendant in uniform walked up to Qian Lingche and said respectfully, "Sir, please follow me to process the payment."

Qian Lingche nodded and stood up. "Let's go."

He followed the attendant into a luxuriously decorated room, where a middle-aged man sat at a desk with a file laid out before him.

Seeing Qian Lingche enter, he immediately stood up with a respectful smile on his face. "Sir, congratulations on winning today's grand finale item—the Feather Crystal Sword."

"The other soul tool, valued at six hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, is on the house. Please confirm your payment method."

Qian Lingche nodded, took a black-gold card from his pocket, and handed it to the middle-aged man. "Charge it."

The middle-aged man took the card, inspected it carefully, and then signed the file.

He respectfully returned the card and the file to Qian Lingche. "Payment is complete. Here are your receipt and the voucher for the item. Please wait a moment; the item will be delivered shortly."

Qian Lingche took the items and nodded. "Many thanks."

A moment later, two attendants walked in, carefully carrying an exquisite sword case.

They placed the case on the table and gently opened it, revealing the crystalline Feather Crystal Sword inside.

Qian Lingche stepped forward and reached out to grip the hilt. Feeling the extraordinary nature of the blade, a flash of satisfaction crossed his eyes. "Truly a fine sword."

He placed the Feather Crystal Sword back into the case and said to the middle-aged man, "Thank you. Please tell Si Long for me that I shall take my leave."

Since he had already obtained the item he desired, there was no need to seek out Lou Gao for an appointment.

The middle-aged man bowed slightly. "Safe travels, sir. We look forward to your next visit."

Qian Lingche walked out of the Blacksmith Association. The sky outside had already darkened, but his mood was exceptionally bright.

Just as he was about to leave, a voice suddenly called out from behind him: "Stop right there!"