45 The Auction

Cha Ming and company returned to the auction house after noon the next day. The street leading to the auction house was much busier than the previous day. Instead of trickling in to set up their stalls, everyone arrived together just before the start of the auction. Most people had been registered the previous day, and as a result the traffic flowed much more smoothly.

After a short wait, Cha Ming and company arrived at the entrance of the beautifully decorated auction house. He had failed to notice its beauty the first time he came, as he had been preoccupied with selling his wares. Unlike most buildings in town, which were made from carved stone, the auction hall was fabricated with expensive wood.

The wood had been carved with intricate patterns, both decorative and runic, and they meshed together seamlessly. While the wood was dark, the carved runes had been stained a bright purple to complement golden fixtures. The building could only be described as majestic.

To gain entrance this time, all Cha Ming did was flash his bidding paddle, which identified him as a silver-level bidder in the upcoming auction. After entering, they proceeded to the seating area. It was entirely different than the cheap, undecorated hall in which the trade meet was held.

The rows up front were reserved for those with silver bidding paddles. Those with silver paddles had a proven level of strength, and their seating area was much less crowded than those used by the less powerful mercenaries. This was not their destination, however. They ignored the lower seating area and proceeded to the private booths. Given how well he and Hong Lai had hit it off, Cha Ming saw no reason to turn down his invitation.

After inquiring with one of the attendants, they soon arrived at a wooden door carved with a ferocious mastiff. There were only twelve booths in the auction house, one for each of the twelve guardian animals. Each year was named after one of the animals, and each one was featured five times in a sixty-year cycle. The five rotations had something to do with the five elements.

The attendant knocked on the large wooden door, and it was immediately opened by Hong Lai, who greeted them with a cheerful smile. "Cha Ming, Gong Lan, it's so good to see you!"

Cha Ming clasped his hands and bowed respectfully. "The pleasure is all ours. How could we refuse your gracious invitation?"

After exchanging pleasantries, Hong Lai quickly ushered them in and served them tea. They drank in silence for a quarter hour, then another soft knock sounded on the door. Two unfamiliar young men were ushered in by their host.

The duo clasped their hands in greeting to Hong Lai. "Greetings, Master Uncle Hong," they said in unison.

Hong Lai waved his hand in response. "No need for formalities. Let me introduce you to two new friends." He motioned toward Cha Ming and Gong Lan.

"This is Cha Ming and Gong Lan. They've come from Green Leaf City to join the rescue mission. We met when Cha Ming gave me some advice on calligraphy while crafting a fifth-grade protective treasure." He then motioned toward the two youngsters.

"Cha Ming, Gong Lan, these two are my apprentice-nephews. My master had five students, and although he has retired, his legacy lives on with me, my apprentice-brothers, and my apprentices and apprentice-nephews.

"The one on the left with the longer hair is Sima Qian, and the aggressive-looking one on the right is Wu Jin. They have both volunteered to participate in this expedition. As such, they are also your competitors in this auction."

The short-haired Wu Jin was expressionless. Sima Qian, however, laughed modestly and said, "Uncle Master, I would hardly call us competitors. Spiritual blacksmiths burn spirit stones to learn their craft. Truth be told, Wu Jin already has everything he needs and is participating out of curiosity. On the other hand, I only wish to participate and obtain a seventh-grade spirit weapon at less than market price."

The pair of apprentice-brothers seated themselves opposite Gong Lan and Cha Ming. The booth's seating was semicircular. This way, they would always be facing the auction stage. An ornate semicircular table was located in front of them. Hong Lai had already served tea on this table, and various snack dishes had been placed there for the booth's occupants. While Huxian had wanted to gorge himself as soon as they entered, he was scolded by Cha Ming and forced to withdraw rations from his collar.

Wu Jin, despite his simple-minded appearance, was extremely observant. "Your pet fox is quite extraordinary!" he said in admiration. "While I'm not very proficient at crafting artifacts, combat is my true passion. I can tell that I surely wouldn't last more than three rounds against it! Furthermore, it's just a baby!"

His comments prompted looks of admiration from Hong Lai, Sima Qian, and Wu Jin. The baby fox, unware of what was happening, looked at them with a puzzled expression.

Cha Ming laughed. "I assure you, he's only a regular spirit fox. He did, however, experience a fortuitous encounter. While wandering the spirit woods near Green Leaf Academy, we happened to discover a demon blood ginseng. Huxian almost died after consuming it! He survived out of sheer luck. Afterward, he experienced a period of rapid growth. Perhaps he will be lucky enough to evolve into a demon beast when he grows up."

This lie had been rehearsed many times in the past. After all, not many baby spirit beasts were born with so much innate strength and potential. Revealing Huxian's identity might rouse jealousy in even the most honest cultivators.

Fortunately, before anyone had a chance to question his lie, the rowdy auction hall suddenly quieted down. They were silenced by an extremely beautiful woman wearing a red dress. The dress was tight-fitting, accentuating her generous proportions and well-toned figure. The woman's long black hair was fastened behind her head with a jade pin. Her cherry-red lips had been painted to match her dress.

After entering the stage, she spoke out in a magically amplified yet melodious voice.

"My fellow adventurers, welcome to today's special pre-mission auction. This auction has been sponsored jointly by our very own Han Jinlong and Zhang Yifeng, who will also be participating in the upcoming mission.

"As all of you may know, this auction has been launched by our leading artisans to rescue their dear family members, whom they have not heard from in many weeks. In order to increase the chances of success, they have spared no expense in hosting this auction. As such, except for the final two items in this auction, any weapons or pills that are sold will not be identified by their craftsmen. Unlike the shops in this city, these exquisitely crafted products will be auctioned off at a starting price of eighty-five percent of their list price.

"If this isn't enough, I have received a guarantee from our two hosts that within each grade, at least ten percent of the items have been crafted by them personally! After the expedition, they will be more than happy to identify these personally crafted weapons. Such a memorable item would be a priceless addition to anyone's collection!

"Regarding all other weapons, each of these are guaranteed to be crafted by one of the top twenty weapon craftsmen in the city. It is impossible to see these as normal weapons, however, because these limited-edition items, while beautiful, are also inscribed with a commemorative decoration. The resale value of these items cannot be doubted!

"The following items will be auctioned off in this special batch:

Third-grade medicinal pills—one hundred bottles

Fourth-grade medicinal pills—fifty bottles

Fifth-grade medicinal pills—ten bottles

Sixth-grade medicinal pills—five bottles

"Specialized pill-crafting session with Zhang Yifeng—ten units. Please note, this includes labor but does not include materials, which can either be supplied or bought at cost. One crafting session includes the creation of three cauldrons of medicinal pills.

Third-grade spirit weapon—one hundred units

Fourth-grade spirit weapon—fifty units

Fifth-grade spirit weapon—ten units

Sixth-grade spirit weapon—five units

"Specialized weapon crafting session with Han Jinlong—ten units. Please note, this includes labor but does not include materials, which can either be supplied by the cultivator or bought at cost.

"Without further ado, we'll begin this auction with the first item—one bottle of twenty lesser healing pills. These pills are ideal for treating injuries such as large lacerations and small fractures. They can effectively treat anything short of a severed limb, internal organ damage, or meridian trauma. Don't risk your life without sufficient insurance—buy some healing pills!"

With a wave of her hand, a small ornately crafted bottle was launched onto a pedestal. The mysterious device, sensing the presence of an item, projected an enlarged three-dimensional image of the bottle and its contents. The green pills were shaped like dodecahedrons. Decorative flower patterns were carved into the surface of each pill. These served no function, though. Unlike spirit weapons, spirit pills could not be reforged after their creation.

"Sixty-eight spirit stones!"

"Seventy spirit stones!"

"Seventy-five spirit stones!"

Multiple bids were made instantly. Unfortunately for the bidders, it was difficult to find cheaply-made medicinal pills in town. The stock of practically every shop had been completely exhausted due to the recent influx of mercenaries. After multiple rounds of bidding, the price finally settled at one hundred and five spirit stones, roughly thirty percent higher than the list price.

"It's not a bad way to make money. With so much excitement, these prices are going through the roof," Cha Ming commented. He was also regretting his prior purchases. The small amount of spirit stones he spent previously might have been enough to tip the scales for customized services in his favor.

"You can't say that. In reality, this auction won't even cover fifty percent of the costs," said Hong Lai.

"Oh? How so?" asked Cha Ming.

"Well, think about it this way," Hong Lai continued. "You're a sixth-grade talisman artist. If someone asked you to craft a bunch of first-grade talismans, would you do it? Perhaps for a friend or relative. However, your time is better spent crafting higher-level talismans. Even crafting items at a loss for practice is a better use of your time.

"In fact, my retired teacher has incurred a substantial loss for this auction. He crafted two of the sixth-grade spirit weapons, which might fetch two or three mid-grade spirit stones. The weapons he crafts normally sell for tens, even hundreds of mid-grade spirit stones. He only made these because the craftsmen in Fairweather consider themselves to be one big family. They made these weapons to encourage more participation."

"I see what you mean. Perhaps I would make low-level talismans as a favor, nothing more." Cha Ming was solemn for the remainder of the pre-auction. The price of the sixth-grade spirit weapons reached thirty to forty thousand spirit stones. This made Cha Ming very nervous—would he need to liquidate some soul alloy or crystalized elemental essence to cover the price of his bid? After all, the amount in question didn't even include materials! Perhaps he had been too naïve in assuming he could successfully purchase one of the ten slots.

Once the pre-auction came to an end, there was a one-hour intermission. The regular guests were invited for a buffet-style meal in an event hall within the auction house. A special meal was served in each of the twelve VIP booths. Everyone enjoyed their meal with great gusto.

"Brother Lai, might you know where I can find an appraiser in this auction hall?" Cha Ming asked while retrieving a green bean with his chopsticks.

"Oh? What would you like appraised? I'm very curious, since most people would have registered goods they want to liquidate with the auction house," Hong Lai said while grabbing a piece of beef and stuffing it in his mouth.

"Well, I've been told by a friend of mine that an item I possess has a cash equivalent," Cha Ming said. "He's usually pretty good with these things, but he failed to mention the exchange rate." He was truly confused by Wang Jun's attitude toward his crystalized elemental essence. However, Cha Ming had never inquired about it because it was an ideal cultivation resource when used with an energy-gathering formation.

"Let's see it, then. There are no strangers here," Hong Lai said.

Cha Ming nodded and produced a light-blue stone. Hong Lai shot him a surprised look and shook his head.

"There is no need for an appraiser. This is a common cash currency," Hong Lai replied. "Crystalized elemental essence is worth roughly ten mid-grade spirit stones per refined stone that size. It's priced by weight, since there is no standard cut."

The hell? Why didn't Wang Jun tell me such an important detail? He would never have sold those talismans if he'd known he had such a large amount of cash! He would have also bought tons of pills at the auction. With no legitimate route to vent his anger, he had inadvertently yelled at Huxian via voice transmission. Huxian wasn't amused at the outburst and began to sulk.

"Are you okay there?" Hong Lai asked. "You spaced out all of a sudden."

"Nothing, nothing. I was just surprised. I have a few of them, and I didn't realize they were worth so much," Cha Ming replied. No one asked how many "a few" was, as prying into someone's wealth was considered rude.

Following the intermission, the second part of the auction began. This session featured a variety of rare treasures and higher-level wares.

Gong Lan, who wasn't looking for anything in particular, took a fancy to a pair of sabers called the Blood Drinking Blades. The auctioneer had introduced the weapons as a top-grade spirit weapon, which suffered from a serious drawback: amplified baleful aura. Many users of the blades had gone insane from bloodlust. For Gong Lan, however, it was a perfect fit. She purchased them for the very low price of eighty-eight mid-grade spirit stones.

Cha Ming's talismans were popular, as predicted. On average, they fetched 145% of list price, or 152 mid-grade spirit stones. While it pleased him that these goods were popular, his newfound fortune caused him to regret selling these life-saving treasures. Unfortunately, he had already commissioned their sale. As the seller, he was not qualified to buy back his item.

To his surprise, the stoic Wu Jin purchased three such talismans. When Cha Ming inquired about it, he sighed and shook his head before replying. "My younger sister is at the third level of qi condensation, but she insisted on participating in this rescue mission. I've been told that the mission is extremely dangerous. However, she says she won't stay close to me on the battlefield, as it will stunt her growth in the long term.

"Moreover, I've tried to give her protective treasures countless times in the past, but she is very picky. Perhaps only Master Uncle Hong Lai's goods stand a chance at passing her evaluation, but they are always expensive and in very short supply. In addition, too many single-use protective treasures start interfering with each other. I'm hoping that these talismans you made obtain her approval.

"At the very least, these wind-affinity talismans are very useful, and very rare. An instant increase in movement speed is very hard to come by. Where did you ever learn to craft these Cloud Step talismans?" Wu Jin inquired.

"They are something I made on a whim, based on a movement technique I practice. You praise me far too much," Cha Ming said while chuckling wryly. It had been an accidental creation from one of his practice sessions, and the Cloud Step runes he used to practice his calligraphy happened to produce a useful talisman.

"It looks like you lucked out, Wu Jin," Hong Lai chimed in. "If the auctioneers had known that this was an original and unique creation, the price would have doubled! Make sure you tell your sister this detail. She always loves purchasing my newest works."

They continued to discuss things in a relaxed manner for quite some time, and no longer paid attention to the ongoing auction. Suddenly, however, Cha Ming's attention was roused by the voice inside his head. It was the red-bearded man who lived inside the Clear Sky Brush.

"Cha Ming, make sure you get your hands on the treasure being auctioned in lot 76, no matter the price!" The excitement in the man's voice startled Cha Ming, as this was the first time he had ever heard him so agitated.

"No matter the price?" Cha Ming asked. "You mean that this treasure is more valuable than getting medicinal pills to aid my breakthrough or forging a soul-alloy staff?"

"Much more than that," he replied. "You might not know it, but you're currently a dead man walking. You've agreed to share tribulations with your fox friend, but you haven't made any plans on how to face it! He's already so much stronger than you. Has it ever occurred to you that by the time he faces his tribulation, Huxian will be a peak god-level spirit beast with the power of his second tail, while you might only be at the sixth or seventh level of qi condensation?

"Without sufficient preparation, you're going to get blown to bits! This treasure can help you through this first tribulation. Unfortunately, it can't do everything for you. It's a priority to get your cultivation up as fast as possible, in addition to the Seventy-Two Transformations Technique. The weapon can wait."

Cha Ming paled at the revelation. "Can Huxian not delay his breakthrough?"

"What do you mean, delay? That kid, even if all he does at this point is sleep and breathe, he'll naturally break through with ease. For a spirit beast at his level, there's no such thing as holding back. This is just a part of him naturally growing up. If you don't keep up, you'll both end up dead."

As if emphasizing his point, the auctioneer's melodious voice sounded out. "One hundred and ten mid-grade spirit stones going once. One hundred and ten mid-grade spirit stones going twice."

"One hundred and thirty mid-grade spirit stones!" Cha Ming shouted out in a hurry, to the surprise of everyone sharing his booth.

"Are you sure you want to buy this treasure?" asked Hong Lai. "It has been around the auction block a few times. Every time, someone 'borrows' the item for a few months only to return it in frustration. I dare say that I've personally seen it auctioned off twelve times!"

There was no use regretting, however. His sharp increase in price had dissuaded the single bidder, who was purely interested in seeing the famous item up close.

"Lot number seventy-six, sold to the man in the private booth!" the auctioneer announced. Just like that, Cha Ming's small fortune in mid-grade spirit stones had been viciously decimated. And he hadn't even seen the treasure that he bid on!

To succeed in any future auctions, Cha Ming would need to spend his crystalized elemental essence, which was extremely useful in his cultivation.