The Auction Begins

Preparing an auction was an extremely complicated affair.

Besides, the Profound Heaven Auction House had held an auction just seven days ago.

Gathering enough items for another auction in so little time was simply unrealistic!

Even after scraping things together here and there, the entire auction house had only managed to assemble four auction items!

Among them...

One was even a rusty hundred-refined saber picked up from a corner!

At that moment...

Zhu Huai stood at the back of the auction house, staring blankly at that ordinary, rusty hundred-refined saber.

Gu Fan's words about putting this ordinary saber up for auction still echoed in his mind.

At that moment, his face had truly turned green!

Fortunately, though...

Gu Fan had not gone out and bought ordinary objects in bulk to make up the numbers.

This was mainly because the system did not recognize such tricks that went against the original purpose of an auction.

Still...

Aside from the four items they had scraped together...

Zhu Huai was also thankful that Young Master Gu had taken a first-tier high-grade pill from his own possessions, barely bringing the total to five auction items.

One had to understand...

A first-tier high-grade pill!

In this tiny Guangyang City, that was something exceedingly precious!

With this pill, the auction would not look quite so disgraceful!

But even so...

Zhu Huai still felt that the road ahead was shrouded in darkness.

Because...

"Lineage Head Miao! This is an invitation to the heroes from our auction house master!"

At the Miao Lineage, one of Guangyang City's three great Lineages.

A maid from the Profound Heaven Auction House handed an invitation to the Miao Lineage head.

He accepted it solemnly.

The Profound Heaven Auction House had branches throughout the Great Qian Dynasty and could be counted among its most powerful forces.

Even for a maid, he showed every courtesy and received her in person!

Taking the invitation to the heroes, Lineage Head Miao's lips twitched slightly.

Heroes?

What heroes could there possibly be in Guangyang City?

But he held his tongue and instead asked in puzzlement, "Miss, may I ask... what occasion is your auction house holding this time?"

"Lineage Head Miao, it is like this. Our auction house's new master has come from the royal capital, so the steward has lavishly decorated the auction house to welcome our master and wash away the dust of his journey. We also hope that all the great Lineages of Guangyang City will honor us with their presence..."

The maid mechanically recited the words she had memorized from Gu Fan, her eyes utterly lifeless.

This long speech, several hundred words in all, was something Gu Fan had repeatedly insisted they memorize.

Its general thrust was to establish Gu Fan as an important figure from the royal capital!

You little Lineages had best know what was good for you and attend tonight's auction at the Profound Heaven Auction House!

Although that was what it meant...

After some polishing, it sounded exceedingly polite and tactful!

Sure enough!

Upon hearing that Gu Fan had come from the royal capital, Lineage Head Miao's eyes lit up.

"Might I ask... is this Auction House Master Gu a member of the Gu Lineage of the royal capital?"

"Yes, Lineage Head Miao."

"Excellent, excellent! Sorry for the trouble, but please inform Auction House Master Gu that I will certainly attend tonight!"

Lineage Head Miao immediately clapped his hands with a smile and readily agreed.

Someone from the royal capital-this auction was certain to be extraordinarily grand!

Even the items offered at the auction would probably be exceedingly precious!

With that thought, Lineage Head Miao was already preparing to bring plenty of spirit stones that evening to hunt for treasures!

What had happened at the Miao Lineage...

Also played out among all the major forces in Guangyang City.

The three great Lineages, the two major auction houses, and the city lord's residence.

Besides these, Gu Fan had also instructed the maids to distribute invitations to the heroes among all the other minor forces, including the mercenary groups!

With so many people...

Out of consideration for him, surely that rusty hundred-refined saber would not go unsold?

Time flowed like water.

Guangyang City was soon draped in a layer of night.

Lights glimmered outside the Profound Heaven Auction House.

At the entrance...

People streamed in and out, with imposing mounts and carriages stopping there from time to time, their passengers striding into the auction house!

"Lineage Head Miao! You came too..."

"Hahaha, City Lord, please, after you!"

"Oh! Miss! Might I ask where Auction House Master Zhou has gone? Why isn't he here?"

"Auction House Master Zhou went to the royal capital. Auction House Master Gu is in charge now..."

"I see. Then... where is Auction House Master Gu?"

"Just head inside. Our master is already seated, waiting for everyone!"

A flurry of conversation sounded at the entrance.

After chatting and laughing for a while, the patriarchs of several great Lineages followed a maid into the luxurious auction house.

Upon entering the hall...

They immediately saw a young man in splendid clothing seated in the center of the very front row.

The young man's eyes were lightly closed, his sword-like eyebrows resembling keen blades waiting to leave their sheaths, exuding a piercing sharpness.

Yet in contrast to those aggressively sharp eyebrows, his face was incomparably serene!

With such features, although his complexion was deathly pale, one could tell at a glance that he was extraordinary!

Thinking this, the patriarchs followed the city lord forward.

"Young nephew, might I ask whether you belong to the Gu Lineage, one of the royal capital's seven great Lineages?"

Opening his eyes...

Gu Fan saw several imposingly dressed middle-aged men standing beside him. Several had eyes full of eagerness, with traces of respect deep within them.

However...

One man was neither servile nor overbearing as he looked at him with a smile.

"Are you the city lord of Guangyang City?"

"Indeed."

"So you are the City Lord. Forgive my discourtesy!"

Gu Fan forced a smile and cupped his hands.

His smile was perfunctory, and after that polite greeting, he turned away without another word.

This attitude immediately made the smiles freeze on their faces.

But soon, they looked at Gu Fan with even greater eagerness.

Such a distant, cold manner-this was precisely the bearing someone from the royal capital ought to have!

If they could attach themselves to him, wouldn't even a few scraps slipping through his fingers let their own Lineages fly onto a branch and become phoenixes?!

Just as the patriarchs were about to shamelessly say something more...

Zhu Huai, the steward who had been so busy he could scarcely tell heaven from earth, finally arrived to take charge.

All afternoon, he had seen Gu Fan sitting in that seat without moving. Coupled with his pale complexion, he had roughly surmised that this new auction house master probably had some difficulty he could not speak of.

Thus, he hurried forward to exchange pleasantries with them.

After some effort, these men finally withdrew their lingering gazes from Gu Fan and followed the maids to their seats.

Aside from these leading figures of Guangyang City...

People from the other two major auction houses, the various minor Lineages, mercenary groups, and guests who had come to join the excitement also arrived in the hall one after another, quietly awaiting the auction's opening.

It could be said...

That tonight, most of Guangyang City's prominent figures had come to the Profound Heaven Auction House!

And at the sight of this...

Zhu Huai, standing silently at the back, was on the verge of crying aloud.

With so many important figures here, once they learned that the auction items were all low-end goods...

Wouldn't... the Profound Heaven Auction House's reputation be ruined?