CH 30

The ordinary seats under the stage were soon filled up. Mu Chen saw the doors of the auction being closed. From this moment onwards, the auction would only allow entry but not exit.

“Is it about to start?” Ye Shi muttered, holding his chin and darting his eyes around curiously. 

As a young boy, Ye Shi couldn’t help feeling excited to see such a grand scene for the first time.

Mu Chen nodded, “Yes.”

“Thank you all for coming, I now announce the official opening of the auction. Let’s call out the first item of this auction, a third-grade talisman, the Royal Wind Talisman!”

“This talisman was drawn by a third-level Talisman Master, and it can increase the speed of cultivators below Martial Spirit by twenty times.” 

“What does twenty times the speed mean? I don’t think I need to say more. Third-grade Royal Wind Talisman, the starting bid is 10,000 spirit stones!” The auctioneer on the stage said in a loud and clear voice.

Twenty times the speed, what does that mean? It means that it’s the best tool to escape after encountering a powerful enemy. It means that it’s the best weapon to escape after killing or setting fire. It means that with this talisman you may have an extra life!

Mu Chen narrowed his eyes. There was not even a single third-level Talisman Master in Mo City, so the preciousness of this talisman could be imagined.

Ye Shi opened his mouth wide and said incredulously, “10,000 spirit stones, the reserve price for the first auction item is 10,000 spirit stones!”

Mu Chen smiled, “This is the first item of the auction. It’s more precious, so it’s a little expensive.”

Ye Shi bristled and glared at Mu Chen in disbelief, saying, “Is this a little expensive? This is very expensive.”

Mu Chen nodded and said, “……yes, very expensive, very expensive.”

Mu Yuanfeng was very willing to spend money on Mu Chen, especially after Mu Chen crossed over. Mu Yuanfeng felt that his son had turned over a new leaf and no longer spent money recklessly, so he was even more generous to Mu Chen, fearing that he would drag his son down in terms of resources. Even so, Mu Chen’s available funds were only five thousand spirit stones. 

“Eleven thousand.”

“Twelve thousand.”

“Fifteen thousand.”

“Twenty thousand.” 

……

“Fifty-three thousand.”

…………

After a brief silence, a series of bidding sounds were heard, and soon the price of the Royal Wind Talisman was pushed up to more than 50,000 spirit stones. Toward the end, biddings were mostly called from the first-class compartments, where the prominent figures of the big families in Mo City were sitting. 

Mu Chen found that there were also people bidding in the compartment where Mu Ke, Mu Yuanfeng, and Mu Yuanhang were sitting.

Ye Shi stared wide-eyed and full of indignation as he grumbled, “A bunch of cowards, they only know how to buy talismans to escape, so useless and lacking in ambition.”

Mu Chen rubbed his nose and echoed, “Yes! Yes! These guys are all worthless.”

Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen coldly, “Can you buy it?” 

Mu Chen hurriedly shook his head and said, “Can’t afford it.” Even at the reserve price, he could only afford to buy half the paper.

“You can’t even afford it, and you dare to say that people are worthless.” Ye Shi said, looking at him with his eyes narrowed.

Mu Chen: “……” I was just going along with you, wasn’t I?

Ye Shi sighed and slumped over the table in frustration, “I can’t afford it. I can’t even afford to eat meat.” 

Mu Chen looked at Ye Shi and took the opportunity to say, “Why don’t you come to live with the Mu family? I can’t say about something else, but I can still afford a bowl of meat.”

Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen with disgust and sneered, “What, do you think I’m disgracing you outside?”

Mu Chen laughed dryly and said, “How could that be? I’m just afraid that you’re working too hard. I’m heartbroken for you!”

Ye Shi snorted and shot him a disapproving look, saying, “I won’t go to your house, I’ll keep killing pigs at the restaurant.” 

Mu Chen glanced sideways, thought for a moment, and coaxed, “You kill pigs at the restaurant every day, and they may not give you a single piece of pork to eat. Why don’t you come and live with me, and I’ll have the kitchen make you a pork knuckle every day?”

Ye Shi swallowed his saliva, calmed down a bit, glared fiercely at Mu Chen, and said angrily, “Who do you think I am? Am I so easy to buy? You think you can fool me with just a pork knuckle?”

Mu Chen turned his eyes away and then put up two fingers, saying, “Or else, two pork knuckles.”

Ye Shi’s breathing became heavy, his eyes wavered, and his heart pounded. Ye Shi licked his lips and gritted his teeth, “Don’t try to tempt me, I won’t be tempted by you, you bastard.” 

Muchen looked at Ye Shi without blinking, weighed his options for a long time, and said, “Add a roast chicken.”

Ye Shi cruelly stepped on Mu Chen’s foot and Mu Chen jumped up, “What are you doing?”

Ye Shi stared at Mu Chen round-eyed. Under his gaze, Mu Chen finally shut up.

Ye Shi was furious and clutched his shirt. Mu Chen had gone too far in seducing him, how could he resist the temptation! Ye Shi grunted coldly and turned his head away. 

The auction was proceeding in an orderly manner, and the Royal Wind Talisman was finally auctioned off at a price of 67,000 spirit stones.

…………

After the Royal Wind Talisman was sold, the second item in the auction was much more mundane, an exquisite talisman pen made with the hair of a blood-tailed deer and a precious golden silk wood shaft. It was auctioned off for 1500 spirit stones.

Next, all kinds of weapons, pills, and talismans were brought up, and the auction carried on one round of climax after another. 

A dagger, about a foot long, was put up on stage.

As soon as the dagger was brought out, Ye Shi’s eyes lit up.

“This dagger, named Longquan, was made by the Master Weapon Refiner, Wuya. It cuts iron like mud and seals the throat with blood. The starting price is 300 spirit stones.” The auctioneer said simply.

“Five hundred.” As soon as the auctioneer’s voice fell, Mu Chen immediately made a bid for it. 

Zhuang Yu, who was sitting under the stage, frowned, “That seems to be Mu Chen’s voice.”

Chen Moran nodded, “That’s right, it should be him.”

Zhuang Yu narrowed his eyes and said, “Doesn’t he use a sword? Why is he interested in daggers?”

“I don’t know.” Chen Moran shook his head. 

The price was quickly pushed up to eight hundred, and the dagger was finally taken by Mu Chen for twelve hundred spirit stones.

“Mu Chen is quite rich.” Chen Moran said sourly. Previously, he had asked to borrow some spirit stones, but Mu Chen refused to lend them. Now he was spending so many spirit stones on a broken dagger.

The auction house’s staff brought the dagger to the private room and exchanged it with Mu Chen.

Ye Shi sat on the side, trying to pretend not to care, but his eyes were still unconsciously fixed on the dagger, full of desire. 

“Here you go.” Mu Chen handed the dagger to Ye Shi.

Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen, “Are you giving it to me? Why?”

“Don’t you like it? I’ll give it to you if you like it!” Mu Chen said naturally.

“What the hell are you up to?” Ye Shi looked at Mu Chen with suspicion. 

Mu Chen laughed, tilted his head sideways, and said teasingly, “Of course, I’m up to no good.”

Ye Shi glared at him, snatched the dagger from his hand, and said, “You gave it to me yourself, I won’t pay you back.”

Mu Chen nodded, “Don’t worry, If I say it’s for you, then it’s yours.”

At his words, Ye Shi put the dagger away contentedly. 

“Next, Ice Lotus Water. This bottle of Ice Lotus Water is made from the most precious of the ice lotuses, the Thousand Leaf Lotus, after it has withered, and is of great benefit to practitioners of water-based techniques. The starting price is 2000 spirit stones.” The auctioneer’s voice was clearly heard in the box.

Mu Chen’s face changed. Ye Shi looked at him and felt a little strange inside.

The fastest channels for news to spread, besides brothels, were restaurants, and Ye Shi, who worked in one, had known for a long time that Zhuang Yu wanted the Ice Lotus Water. He also knew that a few of the rich young masters around him were trying to help him.

“Three thousand.” As soon as the auctioneer’s voice fell, a clear and beautiful voice sounded. 

It was the young lady of the Shui family, Shui Linglong, who practiced the Ice Heart Technique, and if she obtained the Ice Lotus Water, it would be of great benefit.

“Three thousand five hundred.” Chen Moran’s voice rang out.

“Four thousand.” Shui Linglong frowned and countered immediately.

“Four thousand five hundred.” Chen Moran’s voice rang out again, but it sounded a little weak. 

“Five thousand.” Shui Linglong was determined to win.

“Five thousand one hundred.” Chen Moran gritted his teeth.

The bidding paused for a moment, then resumed, “Five thousand two hundred.” Shui Linglong said.

Mu Chen’s eyes narrowed. Shui Linglong should have reached her limit. The original text said that the person who fought with Shui Linglong for the Ice Lotus Water was Mu Chen and that Shui Linglong held a grudge against the original owner because of this incident. 

Mu Chen tilted his head. He was determined not to participate in the competition for the Ice Lotus Water. I wonder if Zhuang Yu will still be able to get the Ice Lotus Water without his help.