127: Auction

An elderly man dressed in a deep blue robe with graying hair and beard stepped out from behind the auction stage. His face was lean and refined, his eyes were piercing, and his aura was harmonious and long-lasting; he was actually a Martial Artist at the Late Stage of the Jiaojin Realm.

"That is Elder Xi of Jubao Pavilion, a senior auctioneer. He has a sharp eye and is very eloquent; he holds great prestige in the commandery city," Lei Hao introduced in a low voice.

Elder Xi stood still and cupped his hands to all sides. His voice was gentle yet clearly reached every corner: "Distinguished guests, I am Xi Wenyuan. On behalf of Jubao Pavilion and the Lei, Lin, and Fang Families, I welcome you all to this autumn auction. The rules remain the same: the highest bidder wins, and there are no regrets once the gavel falls. Should there be any disputes, the three families will jointly arbitrate."

He paused for a moment and continued, "There are twelve items in this auction, all of which are rare treasures. Without further ado, please look at the first item—"

A beautiful maidservant walked onto the stage carrying a tray covered with a red silk cloth. Elder Xi lifted the silk, revealing a long sword about three feet in length and completely azure in color.

Even before the sword was drawn from its scabbard, a bone-chilling sharpness emanated from it, causing those near the auction stage to shiver involuntarily.

"The Cold Jade Sword, forged from North Sea Cold Iron mixed with century-old cold jade. When the sword was completed, it was quenched in a cold spring for seven-times-seven, forty-nine days," Elder Xi announced loudly. "This sword is peerlessly sharp and possesses its own icy Sword Qi. It provides a massive boost to Martial Artists who Cultivate yin-cold or water-attribute Cultivation Techniques. The starting price is five thousand taels!"

As soon as he finished speaking, someone on the first floor immediately raised a placard: "Five thousand five hundred taels!"

"Six thousand taels!"

"Six thousand eight hundred taels!"

The bidding rose one after another, quickly breaking eight thousand taels. Ultimately, it was bought by a female Martial Artist in a water-blue dress for nine thousand three hundred taels.

Chen Linsheng watched quietly, a slight ripple of emotion in his heart.

A single sword for nearly ten thousand taels of silver. This was only the opening; the prices of the treasures to follow could only be imagined.

The next few auction items were each extraordinary.

The second item was a set of 'Gold Thread Soft Armor,' woven from gold thread mixed with ice silkworm silk. It was thin and tough, capable of resisting slashes from ordinary blades. The starting price was four thousand taels, and it eventually sold for six thousand five hundred taels.

The third item was a remnant manual of a Cultivation Technique—the first three layers of the 'Blazing Sun True Astral Art.' It was said to be an advanced derivative of the Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall's signature technique, the Blazing Sun Art. Although incomplete, its value was extremely high. Two Elders from the Blazing Sun Martial Arts Hall personally stepped in and purchased it for the high price of twelve thousand taels, clearly determined to obtain it.

The fourth item was a portion of 'Earth Core Spiritual Milk,' contained in a cold jade box. There were only three drops, but it had the effect of nourishing the Meridians and warming the Divine Soul, which would be of great benefit for a Breakthrough of a Bottleneck. The competition was particularly fierce, with several private rooms on the second floor participating in the bidding. Ultimately, it was taken by Yu Linfeng for eighteen thousand taels.

Chen Linsheng did not raise his placard once throughout the process, merely observing in silence.

While these treasures were good, their prices far exceeded his current net worth—his entire savings plus his martial hall contribution exchanges only amounted to a bit over three thousand taels. More importantly, while these treasures were precious, they weren't necessarily the most suitable for him. He practiced the Hunyuan Martial Dao and had a massive Foundation; what he needed were resources that could further solidify his base and temper his Physical Body, rather than pure offensive Sharp Weapons or attribute bonuses.

Lei Hao seemed to see through his thoughts and smiled, "Brother Chen, don't be in a hurry. The main event is coming later."

Sure enough, when the seventh auction item was brought onto the stage, Elder Xi's voice became a bit more solemn.

The red silk was pulled back, revealing a metal bar about two feet long, dark red in color, with faint flame patterns flowing across it.

"This item is an 'Abyssal Crimson Flame Iron' ingot," Elder Xi said slowly. "It originates from the depths of the southern border's volcanoes, forged by earth fires over a century. Its texture is incredibly hard, and it naturally possesses scorching flame power. It is an excellent material for forging fire-attribute Spirit Weapons. It weighs thirty-seven catties, and the starting price is fifteen thousand taels!"

A low murmur of surprise immediately rose from the first floor.

A Spirit Weapon ingot! This was a core material capable of forging a true 'Spirit Weapon'!

Spirit Weapons were different from ordinary weapons; they possessed an internal spirituality and could resonate with a Martial Artist's blood qi, unleashing power far beyond that of common weapons. A true Spirit Weapon was often a treasure that money couldn't buy.

"Sixteen thousand taels!"

"Eighteen thousand taels!"

"Twenty thousand taels!"

The bidding reached a fever pitch almost instantly. Not only were many Martial Artists on the first floor competing, but the private rooms on the second floor also raised their placards one after another.

Ultimately, this piece of Abyssal Crimson Flame Iron was bought by a private room on the second floor labeled 'A-3' for the astronomical price of thirty-two thousand taels.

Chen Linsheng took a deep breath.

Thirty-two thousand taels... that was enough to buy a sizable residence in the commandery city.

"Now that is a truly good item," Lei Hao remarked with a click of his tongue. "Unfortunately, the attribute doesn't match me, otherwise I would have wanted to compete for it."

The eighth auction item was a fragmented spear technique manual—the first six forms of the 'Army Breaker Spear Art.' According to Elder Xi's introduction, this spear technique was passed down from the Army Breaker Marquis Manor of the previous dynasty. Its Moves were sharp and its Killing Intent was extremely heavy. Although it was a remnant, if one could grasp its essence, its power would certainly not be inferior to an ordinary Profound Rank Martial Skill.

Chen Linsheng's heart stirred slightly.

Spear techniques were precisely his main focus. The name 'Army Breaker Spear Art' also faintly resonated with the Army Breaker Manor.

The starting price was eight thousand taels.

Chen Linsheng hesitated for a moment and raised his placard: "Eight thousand five hundred taels."

This was his first bid of the evening.

However, someone immediately followed: "Nine thousand taels!"

"Nine thousand five hundred taels!"

The bidding quickly broke twelve thousand taels. Chen Linsheng sighed inwardly and lowered his placard.

In the end, his financial resources were limited.

Ultimately, this remnant spear manual was bought for fifteen thousand taels by a middle-aged spearman with a sharp aura.

Lei Hao patted his shoulder: "Brother Chen, don't be discouraged. With spear techniques, suitability is what's most important. This 'Army Breaker Spear Art' has too much Killing Intent; it might not fit your path."

Chen Linsheng nodded: "I understand."

The auction continued. The ninth and tenth items were both rare Spirit Medicines, with closing prices above ten thousand taels.

When the eleventh auction item was brought up, a rare hint of mystery appeared in Elder Xi's expression.

"Everyone, this next item is somewhat special." He slowly pulled back the red silk.

On the tray was a fist-sized metal block, completely dark gray, with its surface covered in fine silver spots. The metal block looked unremarkable and even a bit rough, but upon closer inspection, those silver spots seemed to be slowly flowing, like a galaxy in the night sky.

"This item is called 'star-sinking iron'," Elder Xi's voice carried a hint of solemnity. "It originates from the Meteor Crater in the Western Regions. Rumor has it that it was formed when a meteorite from beyond the heavens fell and fused with the metals of the earth's veins. This iron has an extremely dense texture, weighing more than three times an equal volume of refined iron. What's even rarer is that it has excellent conductivity and receptivity for blood qi and true vigor. It is a top-tier material for forging personal armor or heavy weapons."

He paused and continued, "However, this iron is extremely difficult to forge. It requires special earth fires for smelting, and the requirements for the blacksmith's Skill are very demanding. The starting price is twelve thousand taels."

A brief silence fell over the first floor.

Many people had heard of star-sinking iron; it was indeed good stuff. But it was difficult to forge; if one couldn't find a brilliant master blacksmith, buying it would just be getting a piece of scrap iron. Furthermore, the starting price of twelve thousand taels deterred many people.

Lei Hao's eyes lit up, and he leaned in to whisper in Chen Linsheng's ear, "Brother Chen, this star-sinking iron is perfect for you!"

Chen Linsheng's heart stirred. He didn't know much about forging, but hearing Elder Xi's description, this iron had good blood qi conductivity. If it could be forged into personal armor, perhaps it could further enhance his defense or even assist in the circulation of blood qi.

But the price... "Twelve thousand taels," someone on the first floor made a tentative bid.

"Thirteen thousand taels," another voice followed.

The bidding climbed slowly, and when it reached fifteen thousand taels, it stalled.

Clearly, most people were weighing the pros and cons.

Lei Hao suddenly raised his placard: "Sixteen thousand taels."

Chen Linsheng was startled: "Brother Lei, you are..."

Lei Hao grinned and lowered his voice: "Brother Chen, you are now a candidate for the Army Breaker Manor; as your brother, I have to give you a congratulatory gift. This star-sinking iron is perfect for you to use to upgrade that 'fierce wind' bow or to forge a set of personal armor. Our Lei Family has a Great Master blacksmith we work with who can handle this iron. I'm bidding with my Family authority, so I can get an internal discount; the actual cost won't be that high."

Chen Linsheng felt a warmth in his heart and was about to speak, but Lei Hao waved him off: "Don't refuse; if we're brothers, don't be a stranger. Your Martial Examination is imminent; having an extra layer of protection is always good."

In the end, no one else raised the price. The star-sinking iron was won by Lei Hao for sixteen thousand taels.

Elder Xi dropped the gavel and smiled, "Congratulations to the guest in room A-7."

As the auction neared its end, the final grand finale item was brought onto the stage.

It was actually a plant that was entirely icy blue and shaped like an orchid, contained in a cold jade pot, emitting a visible white cold mist.

"A thousand-year 'Ice Heart Orchid,' grown in the depths of the far northern glaciers. It takes three hundred years to sprout, three hundred years to mature, and four hundred years to bloom," Elder Xi's voice carried a hint of emotion. "This flower contains extremely pure icy Spiritual Qi. It is a supreme treasure for Martial Artists practicing ice-attribute techniques, and it can also purify fire toxins and stabilize the mind. The starting price is twenty thousand taels!"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cold female voice came from private room 'A-5' on the second floor:

"Twenty-five thousand taels."

Everyone was stunned. A five-thousand-tael increase in one go—what a grand gesture!

Chen Linsheng, however, felt the voice was somewhat familiar.

Lei Hao whispered, "It's Mu Qingxue. The Qiushui Sword Sect's techniques are of the cold attribute; this Ice Heart Orchid is indeed of great benefit to her."

Sure enough, the bead curtain of room A-5 moved slightly, and a cold, water-blue figure could be vaguely seen.