The maid stopped in front of the private room and bowed slightly. “Respected guests, please enter.”
“Young Master, this is your gold-plated jade card. Please keep it safe.”
Luo Qingyu reached out to take the jade card from the maid, casually slid it back into her storage ring, and nodded slightly. “Thank you for your trouble.”
The maid added with a smile, “Young Master, the Jinzhi Auction House will be hosting an auction shortly. You may wait here comfortably.”
Luo Qingyu waved her hand. “I understand. You may leave first.”
The maid acknowledged and withdrew, gently closing the door to the private room.
The group stepped into the elegant and spacious private room. The interior was exquisitely decorated, and a viewing barrier stood at the front, offering a clear view of the auction hall below.
Ye Qiao curiously walked over to the barrier and poked her head out to look down, unable to help but click her tongue in wonder.
Mu Zhongxi looked around and lowered his voice. “Man, this private room is way too grand.”
Ming Xuan fanned himself and sighed with emotion. “So many wealthy people can't even get into the Jinzhi Auction House, yet we actually managed to get in today.”
Xue Yu chimed in, “Indeed, it's all thanks to Fourth Junior Brother.”
Zhou Xingyun nodded along in agreement upon hearing this.
Luo Qingyu chuckled. “Alright, alright. I told you earlier that I'd show you what true wealth looks like.”
“Everyone, take a seat. The auction is about to begin.”
The group sat down one by one, looking through the spiritual energy barrier at the hall below.
Before long, an auctioneer dressed in a brocade robe stepped onto the high platform in the center of the hall. His voice, infused with deep spiritual energy, reverberated throughout the entire Jinzhi Auction House.
“Welcome, everyone, to the Jinzhi Auction House!”
“We have a wide variety of treasures taking the stage today, including top-grade magic tools, rare materials for artifact refining, and hard-to-find spiritual plants, among other things!”
“Without further ado, let us present the first item immediately!”
Two maids slowly walked onto the high platform carrying a jade tray, upon which lay a piece of ore glowing with a faint green light.
The auctioneer gestured with his hand and introduced it loudly.
“Our first item is Qinglan Essence Iron! It is an excellent material for refining high-grade magic tools, with a starting price of eight hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones! Everyone, please place your bids!”
Ye Qiao leaned against the barrier, her eyes wide with curiosity. “Wow, is this piece of iron really that valuable?”
Mu Zhongxi leaned forward to watch and asked in a low voice, “Fourth Senior Brother, you know the most about artifact refining. Is this material worth buying?”
Luo Qingyu shook her head slightly and said softly, “The quality of the Qinglan Essence Iron is excellent, but I have plenty of it stored in my storage ring. There's no need to compete for it.”
“If any of you want it, you can try bidding.”
Bids were already echoing one after another from the hall below.
“Eight hundred and twenty thousand high-grade spirit stones!”
“Eight hundred and thirty thousand!”
...
The price continued to climb, quickly reaching nine hundred and fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones.
Ming Xuan fanned himself and smiled. “It seems quite a few people want this essence iron.”
Before long, no one bid higher, and the auctioneer struck his gavel. “Nine hundred and fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones! Going once! Going twice! Sold!”
The maid took away the Qinglan Essence Iron, and immediately after, another maid brought up a jade box.
The auctioneer announced loudly, “The second item is a thousand-year-old Dew-Condensing Herb! Consuming it can stabilize a cultivator's foundation, and it can also be used to refine pills! The starting price is one million high-grade spirit stones!”
Ye Qiao's eyes lit up, and she tugged on Xue Yu's sleeve. “Third Senior Brother, this herb looks really good!”
Xue Yu nodded. “A spiritual medicine that stabilizes one's foundation is indeed rare.”
Luo Qingyu calmly watched the rising bids below, unhurried. “Let's wait and see. There should be better things later.”
The bidding below grew more intense as cultivators from all sides placed their bids. Ultimately, the Dew-Condensing Herb was claimed by a black-robed cultivator for seven million high-grade spirit stones.
After three treasures were auctioned off in succession, the auctioneer gestured for a maid to present a magic tool.
The tray was uncovered, revealing a simple, ancient-patterned white jade folding fan resting quietly upon it, its ribs flowing with a faint, lustrous white spiritual light.
The auctioneer introduced it loudly, “Our next item is the Flowing Cloud Fan! A high-grade magic tool that excels in both offense and defense. A single wave can release wind blades, and it can also deploy a spiritual energy barrier, making it extremely suitable for close combat! The starting price is five million high-grade spirit stones!”
Inside the private room, Ming Xuan, who had been lazily waving his ordinary folding fan, instantly locked his gaze onto the Flowing Cloud Fan. He leaned forward slightly, his eyes filled with longing.
He murmured, “What a fine item. I've always wanted an offensive fan-type magic tool, and this one looks perfect.”
Ye Qiao keenly noticed Ming Xuan's expression and turned to Luo Qingyu. “Fourth Senior Brother, it looks like Second Senior Brother really likes this fan.”
Luo Qingyu's lips curved slightly. “Since Second Senior Brother likes it, we'll take it.”
Below, bids began to trickle in.
“Five million two hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones!”
“Six million high-grade spirit stones!”
As the price steadily climbed, Luo Qingyu lightly tapped her fingers on the table. Utilizing the private room's transmission array, she calmly called out, “Ten million high-grade spirit stones.”
As her voice echoed from the private room, the hall fell dead silent for a brief moment. Quite a few people looked up toward the third-floor private rooms.
The remaining few competitors hesitated for a moment. Realizing their financial resources were no match, they gave up on bidding one after another.
The auctioneer's spirits lifted. “Ten million high-grade spirit stones! Going once! Going twice! Sold! This Flowing Cloud Fan belongs to the honored guest on the third floor!”
Ming Xuan was both surprised and delighted. He turned to Luo Qingyu. “Fourth Junior Brother, did you really buy it for me?”
“That's a whopping ten million high-grade spirit stones.”
Luo Qingyu smiled faintly. “It's fine. It's just a fan. No need to be polite.”
The maid quickly delivered the Flowing Cloud Fan to their private room.
The auction proceeded in an orderly fashion, and Luo Qingyu placed bids from time to time when the moment was right.
A thousand-year-old Bixia spiritual plant fell into Xue Yu's hands; a brush made of parasol wood was won and gifted to Ye Qiao; and a crimson magic robe went to Mu Zhongxi.
When it was Zhou Xingyun's turn, his eyes fell upon a simple, ancient sword tassel. This item was highly valuable, capable of withstanding a full-strength blow from a Nascent Soul Realm cultivator. Seizing the opportunity, Luo Qingyu placed a bid and successfully secured the sword tassel.
The five of them had returned with a bountiful harvest, and the atmosphere inside the private room was lively.
Ming Xuan played with his brand-new Flowing Cloud Fan, unable to put it down. Ye Qiao rubbed the talisman brush in her hands over and over, her heart filled with joy.
Just then, on the high platform, the auctioneer gestured for everyone to quiet down, his expression turning solemn.
“Everyone, next is our final grand finale item of the day!”
Two guards worked together to carry over a massive jade platform. Resting quietly in the center of the platform was an elegant black oil-paper umbrella. Intricate cloud patterns were engraved upon its canopy, and a trace of spiritual energy wafted around it.
The auctioneer's resonant voice rang throughout the hall, “The Xuancang Imperial Umbrella! A supreme treasure of unparalleled offense and defense!”
“When opened, it can block any attack below the Nascent Soul Realm. When spun, it can unleash a deadly gale of astral winds. It is truly a perfect balance of offense and defense!”
“The starting price is ten million high-grade spirit stones, with each increment no less than one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones!”
As soon as those words were spoken, the entire auction hall instantly erupted into an uproar.
Ye Qiao's eyes widened, and she sucked in a cold breath, quietly tugging at Luo Qingyu's sleeve. “Fourth Senior Brother! A starting price of ten million high-grade spirit stones? That's terrifying!”
Ming Xuan also looked shocked. “As expected of the grand finale treasure. The price gap is massive right from the start.”
Luo Qingyu's gaze fell upon the Xuancang Imperial Umbrella. Lost in thought, she quietly waited for the crowd below to bid.
“Ten million one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones!”
“Twenty million two hundred thousand!”
The price climbed all the way to fifty million high-grade spirit stones, and the clamor of bidding gradually quieted down.
Just then, an arrogant male voice rang out from one of the private rooms on the second floor. “Fifty-five million high-grade spirit stones!”
The entire hall instantly fell silent. Everyone turned their heads to look toward that private room.
Ye Qiao leaned against the barrier and whispered in surprise, “Someone actually bid that high!”
Luo Qingyu remained calm. Infusing her voice with spiritual energy, she unhurriedly called out, “Sixty million high-grade spirit stones.”
The person in the neighboring private room did not hesitate in the slightest, immediately raising the bid. “Sixty-five million!”
Luo Qingyu calmly bid, “Seventy million.”
The male voice carried a hint of impatience, passing clearly through the spiritual energy barrier. “I am a member of the Yue family! I am determined to obtain this umbrella. Why don't you show some respect to the Yue family and yield the Xuancang Imperial Umbrella to me? The Yue family will surely show our deep gratitude in the future!”
He deliberately brought up the prestigious name of the Yue family, hoping to use the clan's reputation to force Luo Qingyu to back down and suppress her with their influence.
But Luo Qingyu completely ignored the so-called face of the Yue family. Unmoved by the threat, she unhurriedly raised the price again. “Eighty million.”
The Yue family cultivator in the neighboring private room's face darkened.
He had thought that by declaring the Yue family name, the opponent would tactfully back down. He never expected this person to be entirely fearless, stubbornly holding onto the price!
He knew full well that the Xuancang Imperial Umbrella, with its dual offense and defense, was an extremely rare treasure. He absolutely could not afford to lose it.
For the sake of his family's reputation and the treasure, he could only steel himself and continue to throw money at it.
“Eighty-five million!”
“Ninety million!”
“Ninety-five million!”
The price soared crazily, stacking up layer by layer.
The Yue family cultivator grew increasingly panicked with every bid he called, but he was riding a tiger and couldn't get off. He couldn't stop. Finally, he gritted his teeth and roared, “One hundred million high-grade spirit stones!”
This single bid instantly shocked the entire auction house into dead silence!
All the cultivators on the first floor were dumbfounded. Even the auctioneer's hand shook for a brief moment. One hundred million high-grade spirit stones was an astronomical price!
Just when everyone thought Luo Qingyu would continue bidding, a faint smile curved her lips as she nonchalantly transmitted her voice across the entire hall:
“Since Fellow Daoist Yue likes it so much that you're willing to spend a fortune to compete for it... I shall yield it to you.”
A commotion rippled through the hall.
Snapping back to his senses, the auctioneer quickly raised his gavel, his voice trembling with excitement:
“One hundred million high-grade spirit stones, going once!”
“One hundred million high-grade spirit stones, going twice!”
“One hundred million high-grade spirit stones, going thrice! Sold!”
“Congratulations to our honored guest in Private Room Two on the second floor for successfully securing our grand finale treasure—the Xuancang Imperial Umbrella!”
As the gavel struck, the neighboring Yue family private room instantly fell dead silent!
The Yue family cultivator's face flushed red and white. Before long, his vision went black, and he fainted outright.
The two attendants beside him were terrified. They hurriedly rushed forward to support him, calling out anxiously, “Young Master! Young Master, are you alright?!”
After a brief pause, the first-floor hall instantly erupted into uncontrollable, roaring laughter!
“Hahaha! The person on the second floor was literally fuming to death!”
“He tried to use the Yue family's name to suppress others, but ended up getting thoroughly scammed!”
“The honored guest on the third floor is too good! Driving the price up to the limit and then just dropping out!”
The laughter from the first floor echoed throughout the entire hall.
Inside the private room, the others shook with suppressed laughter.
Ming Xuan gently waved his newly bought Flowing Cloud Fan, holding back his laughter. “Fourth Junior Brother, that move of yours was truly adding insult to injury.”
Xue Yu's eyes were filled with amusement. “Trying to bully others with their influence only to be played like a fool. The Yue family has completely lost face today.”
Mu Zhongxi clicked his tongue in wonder. “Throwing away one hundred million spirit stones just to save face. That's enough to upgrade our cafeteria meals for hundreds of years.”
Ye Qiao couldn't help but burst out laughing. “He wanted to rely on his family to suppress others, but ended up losing his pants in the process!”
Standing to the side, Zhou Xingyun heard their words, and the corners of his mouth curved up slightly.
Luo Qingyu looked at the color of the sky outside and said, “Let's go. We've bought everything we need.”
“We should head back too, or the elders will start worrying again.”
With that, the group followed Luo Qingyu out of the Jinzhi Auction House and headed toward the Wenjian Sect.
Rate on N.U.
