Auction

Xia Ming's purpose was simple: he would take one of his remaining Mana Source Potions to Myriad Phenomena Trading House for auction!

Mages truly were a money-burning profession. Xia Ming had come to understand that deeply. Of the ten thousand gold coins Anthony had given him, he had spent two-thirds in this period. He might as well try auctioning off a Mana Source Potion and earn some spending money.

More importantly, Xia Ming also wanted to see whether there were any suitable treasures at the auction—and take the opportunity to experience an auction in this world.

Still dressed in an outfit that concealed him from head to toe, Xia Ming entered the resplendent main hall of Myriad Phenomena Trading House. Before he had lingered for long, the welcoming lady who had received him before immediately came forward.

"Honored Apothecary, is that you?" Since Xia Ming was entirely hidden beneath a black robe and cloak, the welcoming lady's tone was somewhat uncertain.

Xia Ming said, "I've brought a potion to auction at your establishment this time."

A potion?

The welcoming lady's expression shifted slightly. "Honored Sir, I cannot make the decision on this matter. Please come with me to the second floor to meet our manager." Knowing that the mysterious person before her was a master apothecary, she naturally did not dare act presumptuously, and understood that this was not something she could decide.

"Lead the way."

Under countless watchful eyes, Xia Ming followed the welcoming lady up to the second floor once again. Quite a few people in the hall witnessed this and began whispering and discussing among themselves. Directly invited to the second floor by the welcoming lady, while dressed in such a mysterious fashion—naturally, it left much to the imagination.

Upon reaching the second floor, Xia Ming was invited into a private guest room. A moment later, Yuna entered, still clad in a fiery red dress. She approached with graceful, delicate steps, swaying with endless charm.

"Sir, we meet again." Yuna let out a string of silver-bell laughter. This woman was especially skilled at displaying every part of herself in the most alluring manner, her mature feminine charm impossible to fully describe.

Xia Ming silently cursed, What a seductress, then said, "That's right. Consider this me accepting your invitation. I brought the item this time." With a flip of his hand, the bottle of Mana Source Potion appeared in his palm.

"This is..." Yuna stared at the potion, her body trembling as excitement entered her voice.

Xia Ming smiled. "This is a Mana Source Potion."

"Sir, may I inspect it?" Yuna asked politely.

Xia Ming did not mind in the slightest. Inspecting the goods was also an auction house rule, so he said, "Do as you please. Examine it."

Yuna carefully accepted the crystal bottle and slowly, gently opened it. She leaned in to take a sniff, and rich magical elements immediately flooded the entire room.

At some point, a slender silver needle had appeared in Yuna's hand. She inserted it into the crystal bottle and stirred lightly, the expression on her face changing from initial surprise to shock.

"This bottle of Mana Source Potion..."

"What is it?" Xia Ming frowned. There should not have been any problem with the potion he had concocted.

Yuna truly had fallen into deep shock. Naturally, she was not shocked because there was something wrong with the potion, but because it had exceeded all her expectations. Mana Source Potions had a characteristic—the higher their purity, the deeper their color and the richer the elemental aura they emitted.

"The purity of this Mana Source Potion..." Yuna had never seen a Mana Source Potion of such high purity! Its profound blue color, its dense elemental essence—such a bottle of Mana Source Potion was absolutely a masterwork unlike anything Yuna had ever seen in her life.

When Yuna looked at Xia Ming again with those seductive eyes, they were already filled with deep reverence.

He was definitely a master-level apothecary!

An apothecary master who might not even be found across the entirety of Azure Flame Island!

Having assigned such a status to Xia Ming, Yuna's attitude grew even more respectful. She gave Xia Ming a warm, eager smile. "Sir, do you wish to auction this Mana Source Potion?"

"That's right. Take it and sell it. Can you have it auctioned as soon as possible?"

"Of course. Sir, take this to Auction Hall No. 3. An auction is currently being held there, and your potion will certainly fetch an excellent price..." Yuna's lips curved into a smiling arc as she gave Xia Ming a bow. A deep cleavage was revealed at her collar, snow-white and smooth, enough to make one's blood surge and throat run dry.

What Yuna handed Xia Ming was an exquisite violet crystal jade token, engraved with magical inscriptions and crafted with extraordinary delicacy.

Yuna explained with a light laugh, "This is a guest token from our Myriad Phenomena Trading House. It is a gift for you, Sir. With this guest token, you will receive distinguished treatment at any branch of Myriad Phenomena Trading House, and all handling fees will be halved."

Xia Ming chuckled inwardly. It had to be said that Yuna knew how to handle matters. After discovering that Xia Ming was a major patron, she did her utmost to win him over, yet without making it obvious or deliberate enough to provoke distaste.

Yuna instructed the welcoming lady, "Nana Li, accompany Sir to the private guest room of Auction Hall No. 3."

Xia Ming nodded to the welcoming lady, Nana Li. Led by her, Xia Ming entered Auction Hall No. 3, where an auction was indeed underway.

The moment he entered, he saw a surging sea of people and constant commotion. Clearly, this auction was in full swing.

The auction hall was enormous, able to accommodate a thousand people. It was presently packed to the brim, with heads gathered together in conversation and discussions endlessly rising and falling.

The auctioneer was a plump man in bright clothing, his face flushed with vigor. With an inflammatory voice, he described an item that was not particularly rare as though it were something out of heaven and earth, sending its price climbing like a rocket.

At last, the item was sold with the strike of a hammer for ten thousand gold coins. The atmosphere in the auction hall once again reached a peak, and the scene became even more heated.

At that moment, an attendant entered the hall and whispered several words to the plump auctioneer. The man's eyes lit up, excitement flashing through them.

"Everyone, I have just received some special news." The plump auctioneer cleared his throat and gave a mysterious smile.

Clearly, this plump man was exceptionally skilled at stirring up the atmosphere. His words worked even better than a Silence spell—the hall instantly fell quiet, so silent that a silver needle hitting the ground could be heard.

The plump man smiled as he clapped his hands. An attendant beside him promptly came forward carrying a crystal tray, upon which sat the very potion Xia Ming had concocted!

"Everyone, our trading house has just acquired a precious treasure. I believe you will all be extremely interested." The plump man spoke in a bewitching tone.

When the crystal bottle was opened, elemental sprites immediately emerged. The rich magical elements left everyone astonished, while knowledgeable buyers had already turned grave.

"That's right. This potion is precisely one of the potions most fervently sought by respected mages—the Mana Source Potion!" the plump man announced loudly.

Like a cup of cold water abruptly brought to a boil, the fervor of the crowd instantly exploded.

Even Xia Ming was startled. He had never expected Mana Source Potions to be so popular. It seemed he had still underestimated their rarity.

"Ahem, ahem." The plump man put on a show of clearing his throat, then cried out with heartfelt flourish, "Most worth mentioning is that this Mana Source Potion is the crowning work of a mysterious master apothecary. Its purity is rare in this age, making it even more precious and difficult to obtain than ordinary Mana Source Potions. None of you must miss this opportunity!"

The plump man's words pushed the atmosphere to another peak. Xia Ming could not help feeling both amused and exasperated. These people truly knew how to hype things up—his identity had transformed in the blink of an eye into that of a mysterious master apothecary.

"Starting bid: twenty thousand gold coins! Each increase must be no less than one thousand gold coins! No upper limit!"

With the hammer's final word, the auction for the Mana Source Potion officially began...