The Auction Begins

The Auction Begins

Today was the day the auction began. Ye Yun washed up early, left the inn, and headed straight for the auction venue.

"Truly impressive!"

When he arrived at the auction venue, Ye Yun was stunned by the building. Not far ahead stood a five-story structure, its entire exterior adorned with carved beams and painted rafters, covered in lifelike flowers, birds, and trees. It was no less grand than the buildings of the Purple Extreme Sect.

Many people attending the auction were already lining up to enter. Seeing this, Ye Yun joined the queue.

After waiting for more than ten minutes, it was finally Ye Yun's turn. He stepped forward.

"Esteemed guest, do you have an invitation? If not, you will need to pay an entrance fee of one hundred taels of silver."

A maid explained this to him. Ye Yun froze for a moment, then took out one hundred taels of silver from his robe and handed them to her.

The maid accepted the silver and took a wooden plaque from the table behind her, handing it to Ye Yun. The number sixty-five was marked on it.

"Esteemed guest, you may enter with this wooden plaque. Once inside, please take your seat according to the number on it."

Ye Yun looked at the plaque in his hand, nodded, and walked into the building.

Inside the auction hall, the venue was divided into three levels. Several hundred auction attendees sat in the first-floor hall, while the second and third floors were reserved for distinguished guests of the various merchant associations.

Following the number on his plaque, Ye Yun found his seat. The moment he sat down, a maid brought him fruit and tea.

Watching people continue to stream in, Ye Yun could not help looking forward to the auction. First, he hoped the Storage Bag he had put up for auction would fetch a good price. Second, he hoped to buy some treasures that would be useful to him.

After waiting for more than half an hour, the auction finally began.

At the front of the first-floor hall, a black curtain slowly parted, revealing a broad auction platform behind it.

A man walked out from behind the platform. Ye Yun took a look and discovered that he was Master Huang from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion.

"Greetings, esteemed guests! Thank you all for attending this auction. My surname is Huang, and it is my honor to preside over this event. I sincerely wish that everyone may acquire the items they desire. Now, the auction officially begins. Please bring forth our first auction item." After Master Huang spoke at length from the stage, the auction officially began.

As his words fell, a group of maids carried up a tray covered with black cloth and placed it on the table before Master Huang.

"This is our first auction item today. What could it be?" Master Huang introduced it as he lifted the black cloth, revealing the true face of the first item.

It was a longsword that glinted with a cold light. It measured three feet and two inches long, with a green hilt and a blade that radiated sharp, piercing edge.

"This is a mid-grade treasure weapon. This sword is called the Azure Edge Sword, forged from azure steelstone. Its only defining trait is sharpness. Among treasure weapons of the same grade, few can rival its edge. Today, bidding starts at thirty thousand taels of silver. Friends who are interested may begin!" Master Huang skillfully introduced the item to everyone.

"I bid thirty-five thousand taels of silver!"

"I bid forty thousand taels! This sword is mine for the taking!"

"Bah! I bid fifty-one thousand taels! What good is boasting? Do you even have the money?"

For a time, bids rang out one after another throughout the auction hall. Yet the voices did not seem chaotic; instead, they carried an orderly rhythm. Everyone competed and raised their bids for the items they loved.

So this is an auction. If you never come, you will never experience this kind of atmosphere. I wonder how much the Storage Bag will sell for when its turn comes. Ye Yun had no interest in the Azure Edge Sword, because he already possessed the better Shadow Sword. Watching so many people call out bids for the things they desired, he could not help sighing inwardly.

"I bid eighty thousand taels of silver."

"This esteemed guest has bid eighty thousand taels of silver. Is there anyone offering more? A weapon suited to oneself is truly something that can only be encountered by chance, never sought after. Eighty thousand taels, going once! Eighty thousand taels, going twice! Eighty thousand taels, going three times! Sold! Congratulations to this esteemed guest for securing an item you like. It will be delivered shortly. Now, please bring forth the second auction item." After Master Huang called the bid three times, the Azure Edge Sword was ultimately sold to someone for eighty thousand taels of silver.

At this moment, the second auction item had already been brought up. When the black cloth was lifted and everyone saw what lay beneath, all those present were shocked.

"A three-hundred-year-old White Jade Ginseng, a second-grade mid-grade spirit herb. Consuming this ginseng can strengthen one's foundation and replenish one's vital essence, reinforcing the foundations of martial cultivation. It is the finest choice for all Body Tempering Realm martial artists. Bidding starts at fifty thousand taels of silver. Begin!" Master Huang introduced it to the crowd.

"Heavens, there is actually a three-hundred-year-old White Jade Ginseng!"

"I never expected such a treasure to appear at today's auction!"

Ye Yun's heart also churned with emotion. If he had encountered this item half a year ago, he would have bought it even if it meant emptying his entire fortune. Unfortunately, he had already broken through to the Qi Refining Realm. Strengthening one's foundation and replenishing vital essence, reinforcing the foundations of martial cultivation—put another way, it meant improving one's talent for martial cultivation. Its importance to a martial artist needed no explanation.

After the shock passed, frenzied bidding erupted in the auction hall.

"I bid sixty thousand taels of silver."

"Sixty thousand taels? You have the nerve to say that? I bid eighty thousand taels!"

"I bid eighty-five thousand taels!"

After a round of bidding, the price of the White Jade Ginseng soared to one hundred and twenty-three thousand taels of silver.

At that moment, a voice came from a room on the second floor. From the sound of it, the speaker should have been an old man.

"I am the Second Elder of the Imperial Capital Zhou Family. I bid one hundred and thirty thousand taels of silver. I hope everyone will grant me this favor."

As soon as that voice rang out, a brief silence fell over the hall.

But before Master Huang could call the bid, a woman's voice came from another room on the second floor.

"Old Ghost Zhou, you have the nerve to bid like that? Aren't you afraid of disgracing your Zhou Family? Others may fear your Zhou Family, but my Duan Family does not! I bid one hundred and thirty-five thousand taels of silver!"

"Hmph, Duan Qingxue, you crazy woman! Do you think this old man is afraid of you? I bid one hundred and forty thousand taels of silver."

"Old Ghost Zhou, who are you calling a crazy woman? You are the crazy one! Your whole family is crazy! Today, I'll fight you to the bitter end! I bid one hundred and sixty thousand taels of silver. Do you dare follow?"

Instantly, the entire auction hall erupted. Although White Jade Ginseng was uncommon, it was generally worth around one hundred and thirty thousand taels of silver. But now it had been driven up to one hundred and sixty thousand taels, greatly exceeding its value.

On the auction platform, Master Huang was already blooming with joy inside. He immediately called out, "This esteemed guest has now bid one hundred and sixty thousand taels of silver! One hundred and sixty thousand taels, going once! Is there any esteemed guest willing to bid higher?"

Inside a private room on the second floor, the Second Elder of the Imperial Capital Zhou Family was preparing to raise the bid again with a face full of fury when a man behind him stopped him.

"Uncle, this has already exceeded our reserve price. We still need to save our money for that item. It would not be wise to keep bidding."

After hearing this, the Zhou Family's Second Elder gradually calmed down. He shouted toward the private room opposite him, "Duan Qingxue, this old man will not lower himself to the level of a crazy woman like you. You can have this White Jade Ginseng. Even with it, that fool of a son of yours still won't be able to break through to the Qi Refining Realm."

"Bah! Who are you calling a fool? Your son is the fool! If you can't afford it, stop spouting nonsense here!" Duan Qingxue cursed back.

In the end, this farce came to an end with the Zhou Family's Second Elder backing down.

This morning, something delayed the update, so I would like to apologize to all readers. I'm sorry, and I hope everyone will continue to support me. Please recommend and bookmark it. Thank you!

(End of Chapter)