Auction

The auction was being held at the He Family Merchant Guild in the Inner City.

According to Li Tong, the He Family Merchant Guild was the largest merchant guild in the city. It had now monopolized freight transport at the dock as well, truly raking in gold by the day.

Before long.

The carriage stopped before a resplendent three-story wooden building.

Because an Auction was being held that night, carriages filled the space before the merchant guild. Those coming and going were all dignitaries and nobles of Linjiang City.

It could be said that without a certain status, one could not even enter this wooden building.

A lineage like Qin Yang's, which only scraped by in the Outer City, could not even receive news of an Auction.

Though the Inner City and Outer City appeared to have no barriers between them, in truth, an invisible high wall stood in the way.

Even Li Tong could only be considered a minor figure here.

He and Qin Yang arrived before the merchant guild and presented their invitation.

"So it is Master Li. Please enter."

After confirming that the invitation was genuine, the guard at the entrance smiled and gestured inside.

Once they entered the merchant guild, a maid led the way. Before long, they arrived in an antique-style hall.

The hall was decorated with great care. Landscape murals hung on the walls, potted plants formed little scenic displays, and rows of redwood chairs had been arranged throughout.

Several areas were partitioned off by screens.

At the far end of the hall stood a wooden platform roughly thirty centimeters high.

"Only the several great lineages of the Inner City, or those few from the County Office, are qualified to enter the areas behind those screens."

Li Tong spoke softly.

Qin Yang nodded slightly, his gaze constantly sweeping over his surroundings.

Many people had come that night, and nearly all the chairs were occupied.

Judging from their attire, they were either pot-bellied wealthy merchants or burly martial artists.

Silhouettes could also be seen moving behind the screen-divided areas.

Given Li Tong and Qin Yang's status, they could only sit in some obscure corner.

Qin Yang was more than happy with that. It let him observe everything more clearly and carefully without drawing attention.

Not long after the two sat down, the Auction officially began.

A tall woman in a light-blue long dress stepped onto the wooden platform.

After offering some customary opening remarks, she had someone bring up a painting.

"This painting is Deer in the Forest, painted by Mister Yunlu."

"I believe everyone knows of Mister Yunlu. He was a painter from three hundred years ago, skilled at painting all kinds of animals. This Deer in the Forest was one of his representative works."

The woman spoke at length upon the wooden platform.

But Qin Yang was almost asleep from listening.

He had no interest whatsoever in calligraphy and paintings. Listening to it felt like listening to a heavenly scripture.

"The starting price for Deer in the Forest is five hundred taels of silver."

"Our honored guests may begin bidding."

The woman smiled.

"Seven hundred taels!"

"Eight hundred taels!"

"One thousand taels!"

People throughout the Auction venue began placing bids one after another.

To Qin Yang's surprise, the painting ultimately soared to one thousand eight hundred taels of silver.

There really are plenty of filthy rich tycoons in the Inner City.

No wonder they look down on the Outer City.

Qin Yang grumbled inwardly.

After that came all manner of precious treasures, rare Herbs, jadeite, jade, and the like, each priced dearly.

After more than ten items were auctioned in succession, the atmosphere gradually grew heated.

The woman smiled faintly. "Next comes the main attraction of this Auction."

"I believe everyone has been looking forward to it for a long time."

"A Qi Gathering Cultivation Method—the Turtle-Snake Art!"

As soon as her words fell, a fierce-looking man with slanted eyes walked up carrying a wooden box.

"That man is called He Xuan. I heard he is a Gathering Qi expert."

Li Tong spoke quietly.

"A Qi Gathering Martial Artist."

Qin Yang studied him curiously.

In the Inner City, only forces with Qi Gathering Martial Artists could be considered major powers.

As for Blood Moving Martial Artists like Qin Yang, they did not count for anything at all.

However, He Xuan's aura was restrained, and Qin Yang could not make out anything for the moment. He could only shift his gaze away from him and onto the wooden box.

"This Turtle-Snake Art is a Second-Rate Qi Gathering Method. It emphasizes the alternation of yin and yang, contains countless transformations, and holds unfathomable mysteries."

"The starting price is ten thousand taels of silver."

The woman smiled.

She did not even have He Xuan open the wooden box to let everyone glimpse the Turtle-Snake Art's true appearance before beginning the bidding.

"Twelve thousand taels!"

A middle-aged man stood up directly, looking determined to obtain it.

"Hmph. Fifteen thousand taels."

A cold snort came from one of the rooms behind the screens.

The moment that number was announced, a stir rippled through the Auction venue.

The Qi Gathering Cultivation Method sold at the previous Auction had only gone for fifteen thousand taels. Yet this Turtle-Snake Art had matched that price after only two bids. By the time it was sold, it would likely reach a sky-high figure.

Sure enough, the middle-aged man said in a deep voice the next moment, "Sixteen thousand taels."

"Seventeen thousand!"

Another wealthy merchant stood up.

For a time, the Turtle-Snake Art's price rose step by step, making Qin Yang's heart pound in alarm.

"It is only natural for a Qi Gathering Cultivation Method that has reached the second-rate grade to fetch this price."

Li Tong sighed softly.

Naturally, he wanted to help Qin Yang secure the Turtle-Snake Art, but his own assets were limited. He could do nothing to help.

Qin Yang nodded lightly.

Methods of internal cultivation had always been more precious than external martial techniques.

In a small city like Linjiang City, a first-rate Qi Gathering Cultivation Method could never possibly appear.

This Second-Rate Qi Gathering Method was already considered top-tier.

Qin Yang was equally determined to obtain it.

But he still needed to wait a while longer.

"Twenty-three thousand taels!"

"My Huang Family will definitely take this Turtle-Snake Art."

"I hope everyone will give us some face!"

A rough voice rang out from behind one of the screens.

"The Huang Family of the Inner City."

Qin Yang's eyes narrowed.

"I heard that the Huang Family's Qi Gathering Cultivation Method is of a very low grade, perhaps a third-rate Qi Gathering Method. That is why they crave this Turtle-Snake Art so desperately."

Li Tong spoke softly.

"It seems this Turtle-Snake Art already has a master destined for it."

Qin Yang also lowered his voice.

After that rough voice sounded, no one else at the Auction placed another bid.

After all, twenty-three thousand taels of silver was practically a sky-high price. Even a great Inner City lineage would likely suffer a severe loss of vitality if it wanted to produce that much silver.

After counting down three times, the woman on the wooden platform announced that the Turtle-Snake Art had been purchased by the Huang Family.

The Auction ended there, and the people in the venue began leaving one after another.

Qin Yang and Li Tong also departed in their carriage.

"Uncle Li, what is the Huang Family's background?"

Inside the carriage, Qin Yang asked casually.

"The Huang Family are major landowners. Most of the farmland around Linjiang City belongs to them, and they are also the city's largest grain merchants."

"Grain prices in the city are so high now largely because the Huang Family hoards grain and drives up the prices."

When Li Tong mentioned the Huang Family, his words clearly carried disgust and contempt.

"For the sake of making money, the Huang Family has truly become utterly devoid of humanity."

Qin Yang sneered as well.

"The Huang Family has bled so heavily this time. I think grain prices will only rise even higher afterward."

"Nephew, listen to me. Once you return, stockpile grain first. Otherwise, you may find it difficult to buy any grain in the future."

As a businessman, Li Tong possessed sharp instincts.

"If this continues, the people of the Outer City will have even less chance of survival. Things will only grow more chaotic."

Qin Yang sighed faintly.

"In the eyes of those great Inner City lineages, the lives of Outer City people are worthless."

"As long as it does not affect the Inner City, it does not matter how chaotic the Outer City becomes or how many people die."

Li Tong said.