Feeling deceived

"Pfft..."

The masters of the two major auction houses could not help laughing aloud.

More mundane goods?

The Profound Heaven Auction House was practically courting death!

When had the items at their two auction houses ever been anything less than first-tier mid-grade treasures?

Even the worst were first-tier low-grade!

Yet in this auction, the Profound Heaven Auction House actually had only one first-tier mid-grade sword technique.

Although, in a real comparison, this incomplete sword technique could also be called a first-tier top-grade sword technique.

But as fellow auctioneers, how could they not know the tricks auction houses played?

Still, this was good.

Having Gu Fan, who knew neither the height of heaven nor the depth of earth, serve as master was far better than having that old master, who was as shrewd as a fox, return!

At that moment, the two of them...

Were already rather looking forward to seeing how long this man from the royal capital would take to bring the Profound Heaven Auction House crashing down.

"One low-grade spirit stone! For just one spirit stone, you can take home this delicious red milk fruit..."

On the stage.

Seeing that no one was bidding, Xiang Yin still kept a smile on her face and did her best to keep things going.

Her words, however, drew a chorus of boos from the hall.

They could buy a whole handful with mundane currency at the marketplace. Why waste precious spirit stones?

Seeing this, Xiang Yin could not help feeling somewhat hopeless onstage.

And just as she was about to declare the red milk fruit unsold...

A voice rang out, bringing her a measure of pleasant surprise.

"One low-grade spirit stone!"

It was a bid!

Xiang Yin turned to look and saw the head of the Miao Lineage raising his paddle.

He noticed her gaze as well, then smiled and nodded at Xiang Yin before turning his attention to Gu Fan in the seat of honor.

As luck would have it...

Gu Fan also turned to look at him just then.

Their eyes met.

Lineage Head Miao immediately gave him an exceptionally sincere smile.

Gu Fan nodded slightly in return, acknowledging him.

He really was quite surprised.

He had thought the red milk fruit would go unsold, yet Lineage Head Miao had actually bought it!

After all...

The system would only return a reward if an item was successfully auctioned off.

If it went unsold, naturally there would be no return reward!

Fortunately, Lineage Head Miao had played the good Samaritan at the critical moment.

At that moment, those in the hall who noticed Lineage Head Miao's actions also came to a sudden realization.

So... he had bid on the red milk fruit to befriend Auction Master Gu, who had come from the royal capital!

No matter what...

Auction Master Gu was someone from the royal capital, and the benefits behind him were immense!

Yet Lineage Head Miao had exchanged nods of greeting with him... for just one spirit stone!

At this thought...

Some people immediately felt rather regretful.

For just one spirit stone, they could have caught Auction Master Gu's attention. How had they failed to think of such a bargain?

What a huge loss!

"Congratulations to Lineage Head Miao on winning this red milk fruit for one low-grade spirit stone!"

Xiang Yin hurriedly brought down the gavel, then spoke again. "Next is our fourth lot, entrusted to the Profound Heaven Auction House by an anonymous guest-an ordinary iron sword!"

"..."

The auction house fell silent.

Everyone watched Xiang Yin quietly, their faces utterly expressionless.

They now seriously suspected that this auction house was playing them for fools!

The red milk fruit was one thing, but now an ordinary iron sword?!

Aside from ordinary people, who needed this thing? What were cultivators like them supposed to do with it?

Cut meat?

Or trim their nails?

Even more infuriatingly, if they used a little too much force, this ordinary iron sword might just snap with a crack.

However...

Amid this silence...

The head of the Huang Lineage spoke. "One low-grade spirit stone!"

Without even asking the starting price, he began bidding outright.

It was only an ordinary iron sword, a cheap thing that mundane currency could buy. Paying spirit stones for it was already paying a premium!

Hearing this, everyone in the hall turned toward the Huang Lineage head.

After placing his bid, he immediately turned his gaze toward Gu Fan in the seat of honor.

And, to their pleasant surprise, Gu Fan exchanged nods of greeting with the Huang Lineage head as well.

At this sight, everyone in the auction house immediately grew excited!

One spirit stone to exchange greetings with an important figure-now that was a worthwhile deal!

And so...

A bizarre scene unfolded inside the Profound Heaven Auction House.

"Next, we will auction our fifth lot, entrusted to the auction house by an anonymous guest-a mundane item..."

"One spirit stone!"

"I bid two!"

"Three low-grade spirit stones!"

"..."

"Congratulations to this guest on winning it for three spirit stones..."

As Xiang Yin's congratulations ended, that guest happily exchanged nods of greeting with Gu Fan.

Even after the greeting, he remained visibly excited, as happy as could be.

Those around him were all filled with envy.

And so...

The sixth... seventh... eighth... and ninth lots were all successfully auctioned off.

The guests were overjoyed to exchange nods of greeting with an important figure.

Gu Fan was also delighted.

Because every time an auction concluded, the system's voice rang out in his mind.

"First-tier low-grade demonic beast, black snake, successfully auctioned. Congratulations to the host on triggering a twentyfold critical return and obtaining... a second-tier low-grade demonic beast-Black Baleful Intent Snake!"

"Mundane item, red milk fruit, successfully auctioned. Congratulations to the host on triggering a twentyfold critical return and obtaining... a first-tier high-grade heavenly treasure-Azure Flame Fruit!"

"Mundane item, iron sword, successfully auctioned. Congratulations to the host on triggering a hundredfold critical return and obtaining... a second-tier top-grade magical treasure-the Heart-Questioning Sword!"

"Mundane item..."

"..."

Meanwhile...

Inside the auction house.

Although every item had been successfully auctioned off...

Some of the guests were growing increasingly impatient.

They did not care about exchanging nods of greeting with the great Auction Master Gu. They wanted treasures!

Wasn't bidding on treasures the whole reason they had entered the auction house?

And so...

When Xiang Yin announced onstage that the tenth lot was also a mundane item, their feelings of being deceived finally erupted in full!

"What kind of bullshit auction house is this?! How many lots has it been, and they're still mundane goods? What would a cultivator like me want with this stuff?! What an utter disappointment! I'm leaving..."

"An auction house this big, supposedly the finest in Guangyang City, and it actually auctions mundane goods? Hmph! I'd say its reputation doesn't match reality!"

"I'm leaving! This auction house is just making fools of us. We'd have been better off not coming!"

"You're leaving already? Don't rush. What if they auction a second-tier treasure later?"

"A second-tier treasure? Who could bring so many second-tier treasures out for auction? Do you think they're cabbages? Hmph! What a waste of my time..."

"..."

And then...

Amid the angry voices, people in the hall kept rising and heading outside indignantly.

They were leaving early!

Moreover...

Some guests who had been watching quietly also shook their heads and followed them out.

They had never been interested in auctions of mundane goods.

Now that someone had taken the lead in leaving, these people naturally took the offered slope to dismount from their donkeys and left along with them.