Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Auction (Congratulations to the 67832 Alliance Leader!)_1 Chapter 83: Chapter 82: Auction (Congratulations to the 67832 Alliance Leader!)_1 After purchasing a hundred catties of high-quality ‘Red Blood Spirit Rice’ as seeds, Fang Xi visited several more magical artifact shops.
His superior magical artifact—the ‘Gold Dragon Sword’—had sustained minor damage during the battle with Dugu Wuwang. It would be best to have it repaired.
However, it really wasn’t appropriate for Fang Xi’s current identity to be seen with a superior magical artifact.
Moreover… the Kou Dual Fierce were still active near the market! Fang Xi, therefore, dismissed the idea.
“But after the Black Iron Shield was completely damaged, I still need to buy a medium-grade defensive magical artifact, to pair with an offensive one. Yes, the Black Cloud Cap also needs to be replaced.”
For a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator, possessing several medium-grade magical artifacts was quite reasonable.
In the market, the prices of medium-grade magical artifacts fluctuated between dozens of Spirit Stones.
Defensive artifacts were customarily more expensive than offensive ones, and special artifacts exceeded both.
After some searching, Fang Xi picked up a ‘Green Turtle Shield’ at one of the stalls!
“This shield is forged from a first-grade medium-quality Spirit Turtle shell as the main material and also comes with a ‘Water Element Cover’ spell. Sixty Spirit Stones is really not expensive!”
The stall owner, a cultivator with two whisker-like beards, eyes gleaming shrewdly, praised the medium-grade magical artifact to the skies, almost likening it to legendary treasures.
Fang Xi bargained persistently, “The Water Element Cover is just common goods. Other than being particularly strong against fire-based spells, what use is it? Drop another five Spirit Stones and I’ll buy it!”
It wasn’t that he really cared about the few Spirit Stones, but he needed to maintain the appearance of a small-time Qi Refining cultivator.
Just as Fang Xi was negotiating until he was blue in the face, a series of crisp bell sounds suddenly rang in his ears.
Dinglingling…
“Mr. Fang!”
The voice of Ruan Xingling was as clear as silver bells, “Are you trading for magical artifacts?”
“That’s right… I’ve been thinking lately… I need to prepare a good defensive artifact for protection,” Fang Xi deliberately spoke vaguely, but Ruan Xingling knew he was preparing for an upcoming great battle.
“The quality of the magical artifacts sold at these stalls is just average…”
Ruan Xingling shook her head.
“Fellow cultivator, how can you tarnish another’s reputation out of thin air?” the bearded stall owner retorted, not willing to let things slide.
“This Green Turtle Shield, the veins are flawed… And look here, there are signs of repair… It’s a second-hand refurbishment, right?”
Ruan Xingling pointed out several spots, snickering coldly.
“This… How about a little cheaper, for forty Spirit Stones?” the bearded cultivator, recognizing a knowledgeable buyer, immediately changed his tune.
“Bought!”
Fang Xi immediately brightened up and agreed.
“Deal!”
The stall owner’s eyes lit up, not expecting to make a sale.
…
After the transaction was completed, and with Ruan Xingling silently observing, she finally said, “If you’re looking to trade for fine magical artifacts, why not go to the auction? I’ve booked a private room…”
The auction would naturally feature fine items.
Fang Xi simply smiled bitterly and declined, “This one magical artifact has nearly depleted my entire wealth. As for attending the auction, I can only go to feast my eyes…”
In reality, he had already disguised his identity and secretly reserved a private room, but there was no need to tell Ruan Xingling that.
After all, it’s wise not to flaunt one’s wealth, even if this lady was part of the same group!
“If that’s the case, then I won’t force you,” Ruan Xingling said as she gracefully walked away, the silver bells on her body chiming with the wind.
She had a hunch that Fang Xi had secrets, considering how a Spirit Farmer such as himself spent lavishly at the tea house and even thought about becoming a landlord—it was somewhat out of the ordinary.
But as everyone had sworn oaths to aid each other, that was enough for her.
…
On the day the auction began,
In the sky, various magical lights from spells flickered.
Spirit Boats arrived through the air, one after another, docking at the edge of the market.
There were also Immortal Cultivators riding Spiritual Beasts and treading on Flying Swords, each with fluttering sleeves, looking like Immortals.
“Wow… look over there, are those the flying vessels from the three largest families of the Thirty Six Islands—Taishu, Yuchi, and Xiahou?”
“Even Yu Lingzi, a Qi Refining Great Perfection master among Individual Cultivators, has come.”
“This auction is likely to stir the Ancestor of the Zhong Family. Without a Foundation Establishment cultivator to maintain order, it will be hard to control…”
…
Amidst the bustling crowd discussions, Fang Xi, having transformed into a square-faced imposing man, strode towards Dragon Gate Attic.
All along the way, one could see Zhong Family Disciples clad in dark mage robes maintaining order.
“Welcome, esteemed guest. Please present your invitation!”
In front of Dragon Gate Attic, Zhong Wangu saw a green-robed large man walking with an air of dominance. His spirit was captured by the man’s vigor, thinking, what an impressive fellow, surely a formidable body cultivator, yet he still spoke the customary welcome.
“Here!”
Fang Xi presented his expensively purchased invitation.
“Ah, a guest of the private room. Please follow me to Room Xuanzi Number Sixteen!”
Taking the invitation, Zhong Wangu immediately led Fang Xi to a row of private rooms.
Upon opening the door, the sound of rushing water streamed forth.
Inside the private room, there was actually a pond that connected to the outside world through a channel, where carps with scales like green jade wandered and swam about.
“This distinguished guest, these are our Green Jade Carps!” Zhong Wangu said with a beaming smile, “Each guest in the private rooms receives a serving of fish slices from our house…”
“Not bad.”
Fang Xi sat down, thinking to himself that the Foundation Establishment family that started off selling fish is truly committed to promoting Spirit Fish at all times.
“Here is the bidding slip. If the guest is interested in any auction item, you can write down the amount and give it to the Spirit Fish, which will carry it to the headquarters… There is no risk of leakage!”
Zhong Wangu added another explanation.
Fang Xi only then realized that this auction was actually adopting a secret bidding process, where the highest bid in the end wins.
‘It’s understandable… Open bidding really does provoke too much hatred.’
‘With this secret bidding process, even if you win, you won’t know who is a friend and who is a foe…’
‘From this, it can be seen that the contradictions between the major Cultivation powers of Thousand Island Lake are not intense, and the Zhong family has no intention of igniting a war… This is good news!’
This Thousand Island Lake was indeed the right choice.
Fang Xi sat cross-legged with satisfaction.
Zhong Wangu bowed and exited. Before long, the scene of the auction stage appeared within a copper mirror inside the private room.
On the auction stage, there was a portly middle-aged man who was all smiles, uttering pleasantries in a way that seemed to charm wealth and good fortune.
“I am Zhong Wanjun of the Zhong family! Greetings to all Sires, I will be overseeing this auction and hope that everyone will be able to purchase the items they desire…”
Although he seemed like an adept conversationalist, his body was overflowing with Spiritual Power, and he was actually at the Qi Refining tenth level of Great Perfection!
Fang Xi closed his eyes to rest and after a stick of incense had burned down, he heard the sound of a gong – the auction officially began!
“Small Breakthrough Pill… used for breaking through from the middle to late stage of Qi Refining, suitable for Cultivators of various cultivations, starting bid four hundred Spirit Stones!”
Zhong Wanjun narrated the ingredients and origins of this Small Breakthrough Pill… it even came from the hands of a renowned Alchemy Grandmaster, and his description was quite engaging, not awkward in the least.
By then, Fang Xi also saw the bidding slip beside him.
If he was interested in the Breakthrough Pill, he could write his price on it and hand it to the Green Jade Carp.
The highest bidder at the end would win and settle the payment upon leaving.
“Not bad, not bad… In this way, the probability of information leakage is very small, aside from the Zhong family itself…”
“Perhaps, I could buy even more items?”
Fang Xi counted the Spirit Stones in his Storage Bag and found that he still had three hundred and eighty-seven pieces.
‘Well then… turns out I’m still a poor fellow, unable even to afford the starting price…’
He chuckled bitterly to himself and continued watching the auction.
“Green Fire Sword… a first-grade superior magical weapon, freshly forged, exceedingly sharp, with an attached ‘Fierce Flame Technique,’ starting bid one hundred and fifty Spirit Stones…”
“First-grade, top-quality defensive Talisman—Vajra Talisman! It can withstand a full-force blow from a Qi Refining Great Perfection Cultivator, truly a premium item for protecting one’s life! Starting bid forty Spirit Stones…”
…
Indeed, every item in the auction was exquisite, giving Fang Xi the feeling that his trip was not in vain.
However, as superb as these items were, they were still a notch below the initially shocking ‘Small Breakthrough Pill’ that started the auction.
This is a common tactic used by merchants: start with small exquisite goods, followed by mass sales with occasional surprises, culminating in a grand finale item.
Fang Xi casually filled out a bid of one hundred low-grade Spirit Stones for the Vajra Talisman and gave it to the carp, just to join in on the fun.
The carp hastily swam away, carrying the bidding slip in its mouth.
He tasted the Spirit Fish meat while observing the items up for auction, enriching his own knowledge.
Shortly after, Zhong Wanjun introduced another item:
“A greatsword forged from Extra-Terrestrial Meteorite Iron!”
He struggled to lift a dark, heavy sword for display. The sword was two meters long, as broad as an adult’s palm, and looked akin to a plank of wood.
Most importantly, even with Zhong Wanjun’s Cultivation level and considerable arm strength, despite not being a body cultivator, he seemed to have some difficulty handling the sword.
“Huff huff… This sword, forged from Extra-Terrestrial Meteorite Iron, possesses a strange quality. It cannot conduct Magic Power or bear talismanic inscriptions, but it is extremely hard… Later, a Talisman forger took an unconventional approach, melting it into this heavy sword, weighing two hundred and thirty-six pounds, with an exceedingly sharp blade and extraordinary toughness. Even a superior magical weapon would have difficulty causing it the slightest damage…”
“After appraisal, our attics consider this sword to be at least comparable to a superior magical weapon and particularly suitable for body cultivators… Starting bid two hundred Spirit Stones!”
…
Listening to the description, Fang Xi’s eyes suddenly brightened.
He was a body cultivator too!
Relaying solely on his fists to fight was indeed lacking in flair; this sword would be just right for him.
And the weight?
Ever since becoming a Grandmaster, he had the strength to lift tons of rock with ease.
“Let’s bid three hundred… Oh no, I don’t even have enough Spirit Stones. Well, if it comes to it, I can always pay off with Monster materials.”
Fang Xi quickly filled out a bid and handed it to the Spirit Fish.
Based on his knowledge, there weren’t many body cultivators in the Baochuan Market, so there should be little competition.
At this moment, Zhong Wanjun on the stage picked up a jade vial and began his introduction: “A vial of Red Ape Essence Blood. This Red Ape is a first-grade, superior Monster beast. Though it’s only this small vial, it’s refined from the creature’s entire blood… Starting bid three hundred and fifty Spirit Stones!”
“Is this one of the recommended types of Essence Blood for cultivating to the third level of ‘Ten Thousand Beasts Body’?”
Fang Xi, who had purchased related cultivation jade slips, immediately recalled this and his eyes took on a dangerous gleam, “This Zhong family… could they be fishing? Or even fishing for me?”