Chapter 33 - Small Auction

"Fifty-five gold kins!"

"Sixty-five gold and 1 silver kins."

"You... Eighty gold kins!"

"Hahaha, if this friend really desires that scroll so much, then I won't compete," laughed Gang Zheng. He was having real fun with that elder from Dou family.

The so-called "antique" showcased at the dias wouldn't cost more than 12 golds, but the rivalry between Gang Zheng and Dou Han worked for the benefit of the auctioneer.

"80 golds one... 80 golds two, and 80 golds three! This antique goes to elder Han from Dou family," his excited voice, which got louder and faster near the ending rang throughout the auction hall. The auctioneer was feeling great today and so was Gang Zheng sitting beside me.

"Nephew Fang's taunting techniques are truly effective. I didn't expect Dou Han to be affected so much," he complimented, leaning towards me. The chair seemed too small for his body, this man was really huge.

Shaking my hands, I modestly replied, "This junior just happened to think of a few things Elder Zheng wouldn't busy himself with."

Indeed, it was I, the 'wise and brave' Benfang who reminded (not advised) Gang Zheng to taunt his competitor. There was a subtle difference in these wordings. I'd have sounded presumptuous to his prideful loftiness had I used an advising tone.

We were in one corner a large circular balcony of the second floor. There were a lot of practitioners above and around my ranks here. Thankfully, only one viscera purifying practitioner was present and he was the supervisor of this auction. All thoughts about stealing the auction items would be discouraged with him here.

"Up next, we present the handsome and muscular Ah Wang from the southern wolf family. This traitor, selling the family's secret techniques-"

The auctioneer couldn't finish his sentence as he was drowned by the ladies shouting out 'golds' as if they owned the Town Lord's treasury.

"20 gold-"

"Don't be so cheap, this young lady here-"

"Shut up bitch, I'll give 40 golds!"

"Bah, 75!"

And so on... The competition was fierce. It wasn't everyday that a male slave with such a desirable body came to their hands. These 'aunties' ignored the coughs of elders and kept on bickering.

It was only today that I'd seen high-ranking female practitioners. All of them placed heavy emphasis on their looks even though they despised men. Almost all males who reached a higher cultivation were old with little vigour to spare.

Oh heavens, there was a shortage of geniuses! I was nearly tempted to make a temporary harem before I dissmissed that idea. They were kind of too old for my youthful tastes. I was a selective man, I only chose the beautiful and young.

After successfully 'convincing' me to do his backhanded job, Gang Zheng had brought me to a small auction which started a month ago, and happened every week until the fair's official opening. It would end with the annual Pinchu auction where the real goods would be showcased.

So there wasn't much to expect by coming here today. It was more of an entertainment for the wealthy than anything else. These people from different families wanted to flex their purchasing power. They weren't competing for items but for reputation instead!

'Yet it seems these ladies have forgotten about the families' face...' I glanced at the crazed women who had hyped the price up to 170 golds already.

This was such an outrageous price that made me seriously think about opening an auction house of my own. I could see myself getting silly with all that money, just like that auctioneer on the floor below. Even a man at the day of his marriage wouldn't smile so widely compared to what expression he had at this moment.

Finally, the price capped at 185 golds, causing him to revert back to his professional status. The man slave was brought by a fairly young (mid 30s) woman from Lin family.

Ah Wang was like an actual beast. He banged the cage in which he was kept with his metal chains that bound him. Though only at rank 3, he was aggressive enough to alert the other practitioners standing on the first floor.

'The more you struggle, the more they'll enjoy,' as a fellow man, I could understand how humiliating it might be to be bought as a sex slave.

'But, who told him to become a traitor and get himself caught? He brought this upon himself. What a loser...' people rarely were worthy of my sympathy.

I could judge them because I'd experienced the lowest of lives and levelled up by sheer commitment to become a dignified, a greater, and better scumbag than I was earlier.

Hah, if one is to be truly reprehensible, then he mustn't stop at just one crime. As a traitor, this Ah Wang was a total failure. He only sold his family's techniques and didn't sell the family itself.

I shook my head and waited for the next item. Another antique? It seemed this whole day was meant to be a disappointment.

...

We came out of the auction house after an hour. Gang Zheng bought a vase for his daughter and a map of unknown origins because why not? He might hit a jackpot if it was a treasure map.

'What a waste of money,' I, for myself, didn't have any particular interest in the items auctioned. They were all too expensive for me currently. I'd have asked for a loan from Gang Zheng if something had caught my fancy. But oh well, the real auction wasn't so far.

'Soon... very soon,' my eyes glinted. I was fortunate to have gotten my hands on Lia poison. I wouldn't have to depend on Gang family, this poison would solve a lot hassle for me...

"Elder Zheng, this junior has a few things to settle at Yellow Rocks Mansion. It seems I won't be able to accompany elder to home," I cupped my hands at him. I didn't really know how people properly bade goodbye here. If only it was just a wave of hand like on earth...

Gang Zheng appeared a little dissatisfied when I said that. Still, he had no direct authority over me, so he could do nothing if I wanted to go my way. Also, he was going to owe me a favour later... he couldn't make me carry that dumb vase, right?

'Heh, as if I didn't know what you were up to...'

I didn't look at him when went different paths from the marketplace. He could've brought a servant but he wanted to make use of me. I could tell he was a bully in his childhood.

This time, I didn't go by the usual road and instead took a long-cut way to the Mansion. I hadn't seen where the Town Lord stayed.

I was also curious why that person from Tong family came here. I had heard rumours that he was a young master at meridian opening stage and only a few ranks below the Town Lord.

'Only something valuable that could assist in cultivation would attract a person whose next stage is qi gathering...' I highly suspected he would join this fair just for the local resources available here.

Southern Shang fair was the smallest, the least popular and mostly ignored by the clans of Shang desert. I had learned a lot more by myself about the political situation of this region after Gang Bing's small introduction.

'Whoever he is, he knows something most practitioners in the city don't,' I thought, glancing at the large closed gates of Dou family. Dou Chai, son of an elder lived here.

I strolled past the peaceful courtyard wondering if Dou Chai was the son of Elder Han. The thought made me chuckle, they didn't seem alike in any way though.

That day, Er Guo had only said "Elder Dou" and not specified the first name.. It was most likely that young master Chai's lackey just didn't know the full name at all.