The auction drew to a perfect close

"Congratulations, City Lord, on winning the second-tier low-grade magic treasure, the Scarlet Flame Saber, for thirty thousand low-grade spirit stones!"

On the stage.

Xiang Yin excitedly announced who had won the Scarlet Flame Saber.

As her words fell.

The Miao and Liu Lineage heads sat back down, their faces crestfallen.

Thirty thousand spirit stones!

They could afford it, but their Lineages would surely suffer damage to muscle and bone!

Besides, the other party was the City Lord of Guangyang City. Offending the City Lord at all costs was no laughing matter!

But... a second-tier magic treasure!

Thinking of how this immensely precious second-tier magic treasure had regrettably slipped through their fingers, both men felt a bitter taste in their hearts.

Perhaps they would never encounter another opportunity like this...

"Alas!"

Both men sighed in unison.

"Congratulations on acquiring a treasure, City Lord!"

"Congratulations, congratulations!"

"A fine sword for a hero! With the second-tier low-grade Scarlet Flame Saber in hand, City Lord, you're like a tiger given wings!"

"..."

As the auction for the Scarlet Flame Saber drew to a close.

The people around the City Lord who had won it immediately offered their smiling congratulations.

Previously, this City Lord had already been Guangyang City's only Spirit Sea Realm cultivator.

Now, equipped with a second-tier low-grade magic treasure, he likely had no match left in all of Guangyang City!

So.

However much they buttered him up, it was worth it!

Just then.

Some sharp-eyed people suddenly noticed a lean figure slowly walking toward the stage.

"It's Auction House Master Gu! He's going up..."

"Hmm? Could there be more treasures to auction?"

"Gasp! Sit properly, quick..."

A quiet ripple of murmurs arose.

Soon, everyone in the auction house saw the mysterious Auction House Master Gu walk onto the stage.

Several prominent figures immediately brightened at the sight and hurriedly sat up straight, their expressions solemn.

They thought.

This auction house master still had more items to auction!

Moreover, anything that warranted Auction House Master Gu personally presiding over its auction had to be extraordinary!

A great many people shared this thought.

So.

By the time Gu Fan stood in place, the entire auction house was silent enough that one could hear a crow or sparrow, everyone gazing at him eagerly.

Seeing this.

Gu Fan shook his head with a smile, then said, "First, as the master of this auction house, I welcome you all and thank you for honoring the Profound Heaven Auction House with your presence. Our preparations were rushed, so some items failed to satisfy you. Allow me to offer my apologies!"

As he spoke.

He bowed slightly, observing every courtesy.

"Auction House Master Gu, you mustn't! If even a second-tier magic treasure couldn't satisfy us, wouldn't that make us people whose ambitions towered higher than the heavens?"

Seeing Gu Fan bow, the City Lord's expression changed. He hurriedly stood and waved his hands.

Even though he was Guangyang City's City Lord.

He absolutely could not accept a bow from a descendant of the royal capital's Gu Lineage.

Seeing him act this way.

Some who did not know Gu Fan's identity were utterly astonished.

They had never seen this man, who was the very heavens of Guangyang City, treat anyone so courteously!

There was even... a hint of reverence mixed in!

Nevertheless.

Most people still felt somewhat disappointed.

From Auction House Master Gu's words, they understood that this auction was over, with no further items to auction!

As for another auction as grand as this one in the future.

They feared they would never see one again!

Naturally, something as precious as a second-tier magic treasure would essentially never appear at the Profound Heaven Auction House again either.

Moreover.

Most thought Auction House Master Gu had only painfully parted with that second-tier magic treasure because the proceedings had looked rather poor. Otherwise, why would he have added another item at the very end?

At this thought.

Several prominent figures also shook their heads slightly in regret.

"Please sit down, City Lord."

Gu Fan smiled faintly. Once the other man sat down, he swept his gaze across the gathering and solemnly announced a new auction house rule!

"Everyone! From now on, the commission on items sold at Guangyang City's Profound Heaven Auction House..."

"We will change our previous 5% commission... to a 1% commission on auction items!"

At the three major auction houses.

Regardless of who brought an item to auction, the auction house took 5% of the final sale price as commission, which was also a major source of income.

Take the Profound Heaven Auction House, for instance.

Seventy percent of its income came from commissions.

One could well imagine.

Reducing the commission from 5% to 1% would inevitably cause the auction house's income to plummet!

It might even... fail to make ends meet!

But the benefits were equally obvious.

Guangyang City bordered the Black Forest. When mercenary groups and adventurers entered the Black Forest and obtained treasures, they would choose to auction them if they had no use for them or needed money.

With the Profound Heaven Auction House charging only 1% commission, whom would these people choose?

Compared with the 5% commission charged by the other two major auction houses, they would naturally choose the Profound Heaven Auction House!

And the more auction items there were, and the more precious they were, the better it was for Gu Fan!

His system could select auction items for returns ten times a day.

If things stayed as they had been before, with only four or five items gathered in an entire week, wouldn't he be losing out terribly?!

Only by auctioning ten items every day could Gu Fan make a sure profit without losing out!

As for auction items becoming a dime a dozen in such a short time?

Gu Fan would use the critical-hit return rewards to show Guangyang City's people... what it meant to have deep pockets and swagger!

When Gu Fan's words spread through the auction hall.

For a moment.

Everyone was stunned by what he had said!

Only a 1% commission?

Then if they brought treasures to the Profound Heaven Auction House to auction, wouldn't they receive 4% more money afterward than at the other two major auction houses?!

That little difference was not to be underestimated!

For a thousand spirit stones, they could receive only nine hundred and fifty at the other auction houses.

But at the Profound Heaven Auction House, they could receive nine hundred and ninety!

Forty low-grade spirit stones were enough for a trip to the royal capital aboard a treasure ship!

Among these people, the leaders of several mercenary groups were the most pleasantly surprised.

They spent more than half of every year in the Black Forest. One could well imagine how many treasures they obtained there!

Added together, those treasures were worth an inestimable sum!

If the Profound Heaven Auction House charged only 1% commission, they would naturally choose Profound Heaven!

"Auction House Master Gu, do you mean what you say?"

Someone from the Mad Wolf Mercenary Group immediately stood and asked.

"Of course I do."

"Good!"

The Mad Wolf leader gave a hearty shout and sat down happily.

Nobody was a fool. Naturally, they would choose whichever place earned them more money.

However.

Where some were pleased, others were displeased.

The masters of the other two major auction houses looked exceedingly grim.

One lost his composure and stood. "Auction House Master Gu, this isn't right! If you lower your commission to 1%, what are our two auction houses supposed to do?"

Faced with his challenge, Gu Fan shrugged and said innocently, "Business calls for ruthless competition, of course. If you don't like it, you can follow suit."

"Follow suit?"

The two men were nearly driven mad with anger by Gu Fan.

The Profound Heaven Auction House had already been Guangyang City's foremost auction house, leaving them to settle for second and third.

And now.

It had gone even further and lowered its commission to 1%. How were their two auction houses supposed to survive?

"Madman! Madman!"

"A 1% commission! With so little, let's see how long your Profound Heaven Auction House can hold out!"

"There's no need for you two to trouble yourselves over that."

Gu Fan smiled faintly, then faced the entire gathering and spoke again. "Oh, right, everyone! The Profound Heaven Auction House's rule of holding one auction a month has changed too. Starting now..."

"Profound Heaven Auction House will hold one auction every day!"

"As for the items, they certainly won't disappoint you!"

As those words fell.

Everyone in the auction house stared blankly at him once more.