Translator: I corrected the color in Qingyu’s name in Chapter 12. It should be Cyan-winged Roc.
—-
“Without hiding anything from our esteemed guests, this auction is hosted by the Tianxing Trading House in Fengyun City. It originates from a second-tier city, and although it’s just a branch here, its connections are extensive. Typically, they organize an auction every year or two, and the items they offer are very rare and hard to come by…”
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian exchanged a meaningful glance.
Wu Shaoqian: It’s indeed an auction organized by Tianxing Trading House.
Zhong Cai: The introduction sounds very familiar. Could it be you’ve heard similar promotions before?
Wu Shaoqian: It seems… that’s the case?
With the money settled, the attendant’s explanation became very detailed.
After finishing, he politely asked, “Here are the auction catalogues. Would you two guests like one?”
Zhong Cai became interested and asked, “Are all the records on it complete?”
The attendant quickly replied, “The trading house has too many resources, so not everything is included. But anything above third-grade and rare items are all listed. And this is the latest catalogue, with updates and revisions several times. Barring any surprises, there won’t be any further changes.”
Zhong Cai raised an eyebrow. “How much?”
The attendant knew he had made a sale and eagerly said, “One gold coin, sir.”
Zhong Cai threw a gold coin to him.
The attendant happily caught it, poured tea and water attentively, and then withdrew obediently.
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian leaned against each other, their heads together, flipping through the auction catalogue.
Wu Shaoqian said, “This restaurant should also be one of Tianxing Trading House’s properties.”
Zhong Cai nodded. “If the attendant can bring out the catalogue, most likely. But it’s also because we’re generous with our spending. I reckon he did this on purpose so we’d consider participating. With this, if we see an item we like but didn’t bring enough money, we can raise more.”
Wu Shaoqian smiled. “A Cai is so wise.”
Zhong Cai continued flipping through the catalogue, muttering, “Flattery.”
The two of them weren’t in a hurry, waiting for their food to arrive while leisurely perusing the catalogue.
Indeed, the information from Wu Tianqi’s great-grandfather was correct. There was indeed a third-grade Mu Huo being auctioned.
Zhong Cai recalled his own heritage, observed the images of the auction items, and judged that this Mu Huo was probably in the mid-grade among its grade, which was already considered quite good.
Wu Shaoqian said, “Several fourth-grade resources are listed after it, which shows how precious it is. I’m afraid there will be quite a few people competing for it…” He couldn’t help but tease, “A Cai, you better be prepared in case your gold isn’t enough and you have to use your Xuanzhu. Don’t be too heartbroken.”
Zhong Cai touched his nose and grumbled somewhat reluctantly, “I’m not that obsessed with money!”
But… he felt that He will indeed be spending a lot of money this time.
And, he must buy it.
Zhong Cai forcefully suppressed his sense of heartache.
In places where the Qi of Heaven and Earth is more abundant, larger cities naturally form, with more resources and faster cultivation for practitioners. Similarly, alchemists would not be as scarce here as they were in Kunyun City.
Therefore, once many Mu Huo items were discovered, they would probably flow directly into the larger cities, to be divided up by those alchemists, and very few would be circulated down to the smaller cities.
For Zhong Cai, unless he and Wu Shaoqian had some extraordinary encounter in the future, or if he got lucky with a sacrifice draw, this strand of Mu Huo would be the best he could access now. It would last him a long time.
Most importantly, while Zhong Cai could afford it, the Wu family could also protect him.
The two of them glanced at each other again, both unable to help but smile.
Then, they tacitly flipped quickly to the last few pages.
Before long, they successfully found the fifth-grade mid-grade Xuzhi Dan – the grand finale treasure.
Zhong Cai smiled broadly and said, “Qingkong has completed the mission smoothly!”
—Although according to the agreement, once the Qingkong Puppet didn’t show up for the rendezvous, it meant the Xuzhi Dan had successfully entered the auction. But now, seeing the images of the item in the catalog, they could truly confirm it. After the auction ends, the Qingkong Puppet will bring back the large sum of money!
Wu Shaoqian chuckled and glanced at him, saying, “After we finish eating, let’s immediately go to a local Wu family store and pass the news back.”
Zhong Cai restrained his joy and pondered, “Passing on the news is easy, but the auction starts tomorrow night. The Elder might need to use some ingenuity to catch up.”
Wu Shaoqian shrugged, “Passing on the news is all we can do. Don’t worry about the rest.”
Zhong Cai agreed with that.
Just like how the Wu family casually provided a fourth-grade treasure garment to protect his buddy back then, they are now providing a casual purchasing channel. Whether it works out or not will depend on the Elder’s efforts.
Putting this matter aside, the two continued flipping through the catalog. Once their food arrived, they leisurely ate.
After the meal, they headed to the Wu family store together.
—In general, such shops are also the ‘eyes’ of the main families, to avoid delayed communication, there are naturally direct methods of contact. The Wu family shop was the same, able to ‘meet’ with the Wu family’s guardians through a mirror.
The shopkeeper of the Wu family shop was also from the main line of the Wu family, very experienced, and would not easily offend anyone.
Even though Wu Shaoqian was disabled, his attitude was still polite.
“Master Shaoqian, I hope you are well.” The shopkeeper of Wu greeted with a smile and bowed. “What brings you here today?”
Zhong Cai looked at this person and saw that there was no insincerity in his eyes, so he felt okay about him.
Wu Shaoqian handed over a booklet and said, “I’m accompanying A Cai to the auction. There is a Xuzhi Dan in the auction catalogue we saw, which should be useful to our ancestor.”
The shopkeeper of Wu’s expression changed slightly. He quickly flipped through the booklet and compared it with the one he had obtained earlier. Sure enough, there were more items added later, and his brow furrowed involuntarily.
However, he did not neglect Wu Shaoqian and quickly thanked him, saying, “Thank you, Master Shaoqian, for reminding me, otherwise I would have missed it.”
Shaoqian didn’t say much, just waved his hand casually and left with Zhong Cai.
The shopkeeper hurriedly instructed the people in the store and quickly went to the secret room to send a message.
The auction involved resources, and the shopkeeper naturally paid attention. Previously, whenever special items appeared, he informed the family as soon as possible.
But the Xuzhi Dan had just been added recently, only appearing in the latest batch of auction catalogs. The catalog in the shopkeeper’s hand was from an earlier period and did not include this item. Information about new auction items, after all, is handled by the Tianxing Trading House’s branch stationed in Fengyun City. Therefore, they will only notify the major forces in this city early, as a gesture of respect to these forces. Whether other city forces can find out depends on their luck.
If Shaoqian and the others had not come to inform him, the shopkeeper would also have confirmed the changes in the auction items before the auction began. However, this auction catalog was not deliberately reserved for any particular force, and other forces would also block the news. It would probably take a lot of time to inquire about the news, and sending the news back would be a step late. By then, he would only be able to attend the auction by himself.
However, it was difficult for the shopkeeper to gather enough auction funds, and even if he could gather enough money and win the medicine, it was uncertain whether he could successfully take it away.
—-
The Wu Family.
The mirror keeper quickly relayed the message to the family head, Wu Mingzhao.
Wu Mingzhao was taken aback and said in surprise, “Did Shaoqian go out of his way to deliver this reminder?”
The messenger respectfully replied, “Yes, family head.”
Wu Mingzhao nodded, “Understood. You may leave now.”
The person acknowledged with a “yes” and immediately left.
Wu Mingzhao sighed softly, “We’ve somewhat neglected that child.”
Ada, standing nearby, offered words of comfort, “Young Master Shaoqian has always been devoted to the Wu family.”
Wu Mingzhao nodded again and said no more.
Despite his sighs, he had no intention of improving Wu Shaoqian’s treatment or using his own resources to support him.
After all, what’s done is done, and he saw no future for him. With a large number of descendants, resources could only be allocated to those with potential to maintain his generation’s dignity.
Currently, Wu Mingzhao placed his highest hopes on Wu Dongxiao.
With Wu Dongxiao’s talent, he could become the strongest in the Wu family. If another descendant could emerge to take over the family head position, it would be even more beneficial for the family… but that candidate still needed to be chosen carefully.
Without hesitation, Wu Mingzhao, accompanied by Ada, personally went to the retreat of the two ancestors.
He stood respectfully outside the towering stone hall and dutifully presented the news.
Currently, the living ancestors of the Wu family were one male and one female. The male ancestor, Wu Yuanxiao, was 811 years old, and the female ancestor, Wu Baifeng, was 792 years old, both at the mid-stage of the Fusion Realm.
The lifespan of a Fusion Realm cultivator is a thousand years. Given their current level, it was difficult for them to advance further before their lifespan ended—especially for Wu Yuanxiao, whose missing arm presented a significant obstacle to breaking through.
However, both of them are resolute and strong-willed. With more than a couple of decades left to live, how could they give up on advancing so easily?
Wu Yuanxiao had persistently sought a Xuzhi Dan, and Wu Baifeng, needing Wu Yuanxiao’s assistance, had been equally proactive in helping. Therefore, upon hearing the news of the Xuzhi Dan—especially one that could be acquired if they had enough money—they were naturally overjoyed.
From within the stone hall came Wu Yuanxiao’s hearty laughter: “Good, good, good! Your timely news will be remembered by this old man!”
Wu Mingzhao quickly replied, “This junior does not dare to claim credit.”
Wu Yuanxiao laughed again and tossed out a mustard seed bag, saying, “I can’t let you go unrewarded. Take these little trinkets and have some fun.”
Wu Mingzhao respectfully accepted the bag, thanked him, and promptly withdrew.
Back at his own residence, Wu Mingzhao inspected the mustard seed bag.
—It contained a full ten thousand Xuanzhu.
For a Fusion Realm powerhouse, this was merely the price of an ordinary fifth-grade pill, but for Wu Mingzhao, as an Enlightenment Realm cultivator, the most expensive resource he needed was only about five Xuanzhu.
Such a large amount of Xuanzhu would sustain his cultivation for a long time.
The greatest advantage of being the family head, aside from acquiring the more profitable family properties, was having more opportunities to interact with the ancestors. Even the smallest of their discarded items could bring tremendous benefits to their descendants.
Wu Mingzhao took out three hundred Xuanzhu and gave them to Ada, smiling, “This is your share. Practice diligently and achieve Enlightenment Realm soon.”
Ada was already at the ninth level of the Palace Aperture Realm, not far from Enlightenment Realm. Without any hesitation, he accepted the Xuanzhu and gratefully said, “Thank you, Family Head.”
Wu Mingzhao chuckled, “Why be polite between us?”
Ada felt even more relieved. After a moment’s hesitation, he quietly reminded, “Young Master Shaoqian took Master Zhong to the auction. I’m afraid it’s for that strand of third-grade Mu Huo. Should the family provide some support for Master Zhong?”
Wu Mingzhao pondered for a moment and shook his head slightly.
“Master Zhong is currently most suitable for a first-grade Mu Huo. Even if he wishes for a second-grade one, the family can offer some support. But now he wants to bid for a third-grade. If we support him further, it would be hard to justify to others.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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Wu Mingzhao smiled, “Shaoqian used to save up a lot. If he can help Master Zhong buy Mu Huo, their friendship will be even stronger, won’t it? If things don’t go well, after Master Zhong reaches the second level, the family can step in.”
Ada agreed wholeheartedly, “And if Master Zhong successfully obtains the Mu Huo this time, after he reaches the second level, the family can also find many other resources for him. He will certainly be reasonable about it.”
Wu Mingzhao nodded approvingly.
—-
Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian rested in the courtyard for a day.
Xiang Lin, carrying a bag full of mustard seeds, went to the auction house, displaying a million in funds and obtaining a silver entry pass.
— The auction is divided into different specifications, and there are also various types of entry passes. The most common ones require a display of a hundred gold worth of background to possess, which is the gray entry pass, and can only be seated in the lobby on the first floor; then there is the black entry pass with a background of ten thousand gold, in the elegant seats on the second floor; next is the silver entry pass with a background of a million gold, in the elegant rooms on the third floor; finally, there is the gold entry pass with a background of ten thousand Xuanzhu, for the grand elegant room on the top floor.
In the evening, the two only brought Xiang Lin and went to the location of the auction together.
Along the way, many carriages were heading towards the auction house, and their carriage blended in without attracting any attention.
After nearly half an hour, they finally arrived at the main street.
The auction house was a majestic circular building with multiple large gates.
The group presented their silver entry passes at the entrance and were guided up to the third floor through a side corridor by a beautiful young woman.
Tianxing Trading House was skilled in managing its subordinates. Although the serving maid who received them noticed that Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian were not high in status, and their attire was not particularly luxurious, she showed no sign of judging them by appearance. She spoke softly and gently the whole way, showing both warmth and a bit of enthusiasm.
Zhong Cai glanced at her and felt her service attitude was acceptable, but he didn’t think much more about it.
The maid quickly led them to their respective elegant room and respectfully served them tea and snacks.
Zhong Cai tasted the snacks and found them average. He instructed, “Don’t try to fool me with something cheap. Bring me the best you have.”
The maid immediately responded and instructed a few words to the guards at the door.
Before long, the guard personally brought in a tray, which the maid accepted and carefully arranged in front of the two.
On the long table were not only five plates of exquisite snacks that were delicious in color, fragrance, and taste, but also two cups of delightful aromatic tea. Additionally, there was a beautiful flower-patterned booklet that provided descriptions and prices of the various teas and snacks.
Zhong Cai held the booklet close to Wu Shaoqian and quietly asked, “Some of these look quite good. Any recommendations?”
Wu Shaoqian replied softly, “Qianzi Cake, Fengmi Tuan, Zilian Su, these three taste good. But they’re already on the table, no need to order more.”
Zhong Cai nodded understandingly and set the booklet aside, helping himself to the snacks.
“Just one bite…” He picked up an unfamiliar snack shaped like a plum blossom and stuffed it into Wu Shaoqian’s mouth.
Wu Shaoqian chewed twice and swallowed.
Zhong Cai observed and found that his expression was relaxed, so he took another one for himself and said vaguely while chewing, “… one bite for me.” Then he savored it, swallowed it, and finished the second half of the sentence with a smile,”The taste is actually quite good.”
Wu Shaoqian: “…” What could he do? He let Zhong Cai feed him another piece he hadn’t tried yet and reluctantly tasted it, then gave his assessment, “This one’s good too.”
Zhong Cai happily continued eating.
The remaining three kinds were all delicious snacks. Zhong Cai still fed Wu Shaoqian, but this time it wasn’t a “taste test,” rather they shared them together.
The two were accustomed to such interactions and didn’t think much of it, but in the eyes of others, it seemed a bit sticky and affectionate.
The maid stood quietly behind them, and upon seeing this scene, she revealed a look of realization.
So, these two guests have such an ambiguous relationship.
Zhong Cai rubbed his arms and inexplicably got a bit of goosebumps.
On the other hand, Wu Shaoqian glanced sensitively towards the maid — but since she didn’t seem to have any ill intentions, he didn’t detect anything amiss.
However…
Wu Shaoqian instructed, “There’s no need for you to stay here. You may leave.”
The maid obediently said, “Yes, if you have any further instructions, please ring the bell.”
As she spoke, she pointed to a string of silver bells nearby.
Zhong Cai smiled and said, “Got it.”
The maid quickly exited the elegant room and went outside.
Xiang Lin, who had been silent all along, quietly and calmly followed her out, closed the door tightly, and stood guard outside.
Meanwhile, Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian leisurely leaned back and almost simultaneously sank into the large soft cushions, comfortably waiting for the auction to begin.
—-
Soon, the auctioneer appeared in the auction house.
He was a peak Enlightenment Realm treasure-keeper, Guan Ying.
The middle-aged man had a scholarly appearance and a refined temperament. Due to his strength, ordinary cultivators dared not cause trouble.
Guan Ying didn’t beat around the bush. He smiled and said, “Tianxing Trading House welcomes all esteemed guests. The auction is now beginning.” He briskly introduced, “The first item up for auction is a second-grade pill, the Tian Xue Dan, of mid-grade, suitable for practitioners of the Ice attribute in the Palace Aperture Realm. Starting price is fifty gold, with bidding increments of no less than one gold. Please place your bids.”
In the next instant, bids came from many cultivators on the first and second floors, competing eagerly.
“One hundred gold!”
“One hundred and five gold!”
“One hundred and twelve gold!”
…
“One hundred and thirty-five gold!”
The first bidder doubled the price immediately, which was not surprising. After all, even the cheapest second-grade pills cost over a hundred gold. Bidding in small increments of a few gold was just a waste of time. It was better to go all in at once and carefully consider subsequent bids.
There were many practitioners cultivating ice attribute techniques. Even if they weren’t doing so themselves, they could bid for those close to them.
Pills with special attributes were rare, and most cultivators didn’t want to miss out, especially since this one was of mid-grade.
As a result, the competition was quite fierce.
In just a few breaths, the price climbed to over one hundred and fifty gold.
After a few more bids, someone finally shouted, “One hundred and fifty-nine gold!”
The entire venue fell silent.
Guan Ying brought down the auction hammer and smiled, saying, “Since no one else is bidding, then the Tian Xue Dan belongs to this guest.”
—-
Zhong Cai leaned shoulder to shoulder with Wu Shaoqian, and upon hearing the bid, nudged Wu Shaoqian’s arm, saying, “Hey, look, the Tian Xue Dan is surprisingly expensive in the auction.”
Wu Shaoqian nodded knowingly and replied with a smile, “Is it easy to refine among second grade pills?”
Zhong Cai nodded, “As long as there’s enough Bainian Hanbing Crystal, a second level alchemist can slowly grind out this kind of pill. I originally thought the market price for low-grade ones would be around a hundred gold, and increasing by one or two dozen gold for mid-grade ones would be reasonable.”
So, seeing the price of the mid-grade Tian Xue Dan skyrocket to one hundred and fifty gold, with such a premium markup, how could Zhong Cai not be surprised? The production of this thing doesn’t require much technical skill.
Zhong Cai chuckled, “With the market booming like this, I’ll refine some once my strength advances a few minor realms.”
Wu Shaoqian raised an eyebrow, “Then I’ll look forward to it.”
Zhong Cai also raised an eyebrow and sighed, “This auction is really lucrative.”
Seeing his envy, Wu Shaoqian smiled and suggested, “You work hard, and in the future, we’ll hold an auction specializing in pills. I’ll be the auctioneer, and I’ll get you the highest prices for all your pills.”
Zhong Cai had never thought about it like that before, but hearing Wu Shaoqian’s proposal, he couldn’t help but feel a bit excited.
“You’re handsome. Who knows, maybe you really can get me a high price!”
Wu Shaoqian tapped the back of Zhong Cai’s head and said impatiently, “We’re selling pills, not my face, alright?”
Zhong Cai teased him with a wink.
Wu Shaoqian couldn’t hold back a smile when he saw that.
The two continued to chat and laugh while enjoying their snacks.
—-
Meanwhile, the auction below continued without interruption.
“The second item up for auction, a second-grade, fifth-level rare beast, the Qing Bei Cang Wolf, with a contract seal, starting at five hundred gold—”
As Guan Ying spoke again, a cage was pushed forward by a group of cultivators from the back.
Inside the cage lay a giant wolf over twenty feet long, with a full iron-gray body and a streak of greenish-blue on its back. It had a fierce demeanor and a strong aura.
The Qing Bei Cang Wolf is difficult to break through its bloodline restraints to reach third-grade; at most, it can only achieve the peak of second grade’s strength. However, it has a long lifespan, up to two thousand years, and is adept at running and extremely agile, making it a great asset to assist cultivators in battles.
With the contract seal, if a family or a hunting group bid to purchase it, they could rotate it among suitable cultivators for generations.
There were many bidders, and soon the bidding rose from five hundred to eight hundred and thirty gold.
Finally, it stopped at eight hundred and forty-two gold.
—The one who bought it was a seemingly insignificant small family.
Next was the third item: a third-grade talisman, the Mountain-Breaking Talisman.
Starting at fifty gold, it sold for eighty-three gold.
Then came the fourth, fifth, and sixth items…
All were second grade resources. From bidding to the end of the auction, it didn’t take long.
Tianxing Trading House lived up to its reputation. Each auction item passed through swiftly like water, each having its audience. None went unsold, and they all fetched decent prices.
“The fifty-sixth item up for auction, a second-grade, seventh-level rare beast egg of a Feitian Falcon, starting at fifty gold, with bid increments of no less than one gold each time.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, please place your bids.”
Guan Ying smiled as he stroked the gray, speckled, round beast egg.
An hour had already passed, and this was the first time a rare beast egg appeared at the auction.
If it were an adult Feitian Falcon, the starting price would surely be above three hundred gold. However, as it was a rare beast egg, the price was naturally much lower.
Since it came from a second-grade, seventh-level rare beast, its potential was higher than that of an ordinary beast egg.
The advantage of a rare beast egg is that it easily recognizes its master, and with careful nurturing, the Feitian Falcon has a chance to mutate.
Ordinary Feitian Falcons are gray-black, but once mutated, they become entirely crimson-feathered and are then renamed Feitian Chi Falcon, with the potential to grow up to fourth-grade.
Any cultivator who knew a bit about this rare bird couldn’t help but be tempted.
A fourth-grade rare bird is comparable to a cultivator in the Suspended Illumination Realm!
This time, bids came not only from the first and second floors but also from the third floor.
“Eighty gold.”
“Eighty-eight!”
“One hundred!”
“One hundred and thirty!”
“Two hundred!”
—-
Zhong Cai had been listening casually, but at this moment, he suddenly straightened his back.
Wu Shaoqian was startled, “What’s the matter? Are you interested?”
Zhong Cai perked up his ears and said, “Old Wu, doesn’t the voice of the person who just bid two hundred sound familiar?” He immediately added, “There, he bid two hundred twenty! And again, two hundred forty!”
Wu Shaoqian hadn’t been paying attention initially, but seeing Zhong Cai’s keen interest, he listened too.
“Is it that guy?”
Zhong Cai burst out laughing, “Yes, the one you don’t remember who you shot an arrow at before.”
Wu Shaoqian’s expression turned sour, “If we encounter him in the wild, I’ll kill him.”
Zhong Cai leaned back against Wu Shaoqian lazily, “If we do run into him, we’ll definitely take action. But for now, we can have a bit of fun.”
Seeing Zhong Cai’s mischievous smile, Wu Shaoqian understood immediately.
Zhong Cai tapped the nearby sound transmission array, and in a disguised voice, placed a high bid, “Five hundred gold!”
This price could already match that of an adult second-grade rare bird.
—-
Behind the screen in the private booth, Lu Dingxing’s face was grim.
It’s just a rare beast egg, even if it has great potential, the final price should be around three or four hundred gold. Who would directly bid five hundred gold? Are they burning money?
However, the voice came from the third floor. Gritting his teeth, Lu Dingxing thought it might indeed be someone with money to burn.
Lu Dingxing wanted to bid on this beast egg to present it as a gift to Liao Yunfei.
A few days ago, Lu Dingxing knew he had lost a lot of face and probably left a bad impression on Liao Yunfei. Moreover, he had left her behind directly afterward. If he didn’t make some amends, their original rapport would be completely lost!
A girl of Liao Yunfei’s caliber would be too much of a pity to give up on.
Of course, Lu Dingxing also considered that if things didn’t work out with Liao Yunfei, he could still use the beast egg to court another low-tier Di-ranked girl.
This rare beast egg was perfect for Lu Dingxing. It wouldn’t exceed his financial capacity and was impressive enough as a gift.
But Lu Dingxing never expected someone to come in and block his way.
Considering his goal and calculating his finances, Lu Dingxing finally placed another bid.
“Five hundred and fifty gold!”
—-
Zhong Cai listened carefully and could hear the frustration in Lu Dingxing’s voice, which made him laugh and lean against Wu Shaoqian.
But he wasn’t about to let Lu Dingxing off the hook that easily, so he immediately placed another bid, “Five hundred and seventy.”
Wu Shaoqian supported him and said helplessly, “Aren’t you afraid he’ll stop bidding?”
Zhong Cai shrugged nonchalantly, “He definitely has a purpose for wanting this thing. If he stops bidding, I’ll buy it and block his plan. If he grits his teeth and bids again, I’ll make sure he spends more. Either way, he bleeds, and I feel satisfied.”
—-
“…Five hundred and eighty gold.”
“Six hundred~”
“Six hundred one…”
“Seven hundred.”
Only two bidders remained.
Lu Dingxing felt extremely frustrated. A rare beast egg was already an extra expense, and a few hundred gold was already a painful price.
But now, it was already seven hundred.
Lu Dingxing’s expression kept changing, and he was already thinking of giving up, but there was still some reluctance. He wanted to struggle a bit more.
“Seven hundred one.”
Then, the person bidding against him sneered.
“Eight hundred.”
From laughter to the bidding, it seemed like they were mocking Lu Dingxing.
Lu Dingxing felt like everyone behind the screen was watching and mocking him. His face turned red, and a feeling of shame and anger overwhelmed his mind.
He couldn’t lose face anymore!
“Eight hundred fifty!”
“One thousand~”
“One thousand one!”
“One thousand two…”
One was in a hurry, the other leisurely.
When the leisurely one finally stopped bidding, Guan Ying smiled and hammered down, saying, “One thousand seven hundred gold, the Feitian Falcon beast egg belongs to the customer from the second floor.”
At the sound of this, Lu Dingxing immediately snapped back to reality.
He…
He spends one thousand seven hundred gold to buy a mere second-grade beast egg?
The knock on the door outside sounded, indicating that the courier was ready to come in for the transaction.
Lu Dingxing deeply regretted his decision, but he didn’t dare offend the Tianxing Trading House and could only let the person in.
—-
Zhong Cai laughed so hard he hiccuped.
“This guy is so easily provoked, hahaha!” He was practically rolling on the floor with laughter. “I just wanted him to bid around a thousand gold, who would’ve thought he’d lose his head like that? I couldn’t resist, and ended up prolonging the bidding, didn’t I?”
Wu Shaoqian patted his back, also smiling.
Though not a big deal, Zhong Cai’s little stunt was indeed quite amusing.
Lu Dingxing probably wanted to save face, but he likely ended up losing even more face.
—-
The auction continued unaffected by this little incident.
Another half an hour passed, and more than ten items were auctioned off.
From the beginning until now, the vast majority of items were second-grade resources, with only two first-grade resources interspersed among them—a first-grade rare herb with a long age and a special first-grade top-grade pill.
—-
The items were auctioned off one by one…
Zhong Cai leaned on Wu Shaoqian’s shoulder and yawned.
Wu Shaoqian chuckled, “What’s wrong? Are you tired of watching?”
Zhong Cai yawned again, bored, “Can’t blame me, maybe it’s because we got too many good things from the draw. The items coming out now just feel a bit lackluster.” He turned his head curiously, “This is my first time attending an auction. You’ve participated in others before, right? Are they all this boring?”
Wu Shaoqian replied, “Among the ones I’ve attended, this one is considered high-standard. The others were even more ordinary, and the number of items couldn’t compare. There are still many resources to go through. It will probably continue from tonight until tomorrow afternoon or evening.”
Zhong Cai’s mouth twitched, “I thought there were many, but I didn’t expect there to be so many. There must be at least ten times the number of items in the auction catalog.”
Wu Shaoqian grinned.
Suddenly, Zhong Cai thought of something and asked curiously, “By the way, with such a long auction time, how do other people endure it?”
Wu Shaoqian revealed a subtle expression.
Zhong Cai poked him in the arm again, displeased, “Are you playing riddles with me?”
Wu Shaoqian helplessly said, “Usually, those with some money bring a lot of people.”
Zhong Cai didn’t immediately understand, continuing to look at him.
Wu Shaoqian straightforwardly clarified, “With a beauty by your side, naturally you won’t be bored.”
Zhong Cai: “……”
Suddenly, he understood.
Zhong Cai was somewhat unwilling to accept this. Just now, he hadn’t even thought of it—
Somehow, a competitive spirit suddenly surged within him. He snorted and said, “That’s not necessarily true. I also have a beauty with me, yet I still feel bored, don’t I?”
Wu Shaoqian smiled slightly, then the competitive spirit got to him as well.
So, he leaned close to Zhong Cai’s ear and softly said, “I can also keep you from being bored. Want to try?”
A warm breath fell on Zhong Cai’s ear, and a scene suddenly flashed through his mind—something he hadn’t really considered before about the wedding night, leaving him momentarily dumbfounded.
Wu Shaoqian, realizing Zhong Cai’s lack of response, felt a bit embarrassed and found it difficult to move forward…
The two of them stiffened for a moment, then very tacitly changed the subject.
Zhong Cai: “What are we filming now?”
Wu Shaoqian: “Let me see… It seems to be a second-grade medicinal herb.”
Zhong Cai: “I think I have that one.”
Wu Shaoqian: “Then there’s no need to bid, haha.”
They exchanged a glance, feeling a slight warmth in their ears for no apparent reason.
Fortunately, the next item up for auction appeared, a talisman brush—starting price of two hundred gold, with increments of no less than ten gold.
Zhong Cai immediately set aside other thoughts and said to Wu Shaoqian, “Old Wu, look, it’s a high-grade second-grade talisman brush. You’ve been wanting to learn talisman crafting, right? A better talisman brush would be more convenient.”
Wu Shaoqian also dismissed other thoughts and focused on the talisman brush.
Indeed, it was a good talisman brush, with a relatively gentle temperament. Although it was second-grade, his peak Heavenly Induction Realm strength could make good use of it. It was indeed suitable for him.
In just a few exchanges between them, the bidding downstairs had already reached four hundred gold.
Zhong Cai quickly activated a voice transmission formation and loudly proclaimed, “Five hundred gold!”
Bids from below echoed one after another.
“Five hundred and twenty!”
“Five hundred and thirty!”
“Five hundred and fifty!”
Zhong Cai was determined to win the talisman brush and raised the price again.
“Seven hundred!”
Other competitors seemed to hesitate for a moment, but talisman brushes, such mystical tools, were most suitable for talisman makers. A high-quality second-grade one could be used for a long time, and now that a good quality one had appeared, many people naturally didn’t want to miss out.
Moreover, compared to alchemists, entry into talisman making was actually simpler, so naturally, there were more people involved.
And so…
“Seven hundred and fifty!”
“Eight hundred!”
“Eight hundred and thirty!”
There were many more bids, and their determination was clear.
Zhong Cai wrinkled his nose and shouted, “One thousand gold!”
“One thousand one!”
“One thousand one hundred and fifty!”
“One thousand…”
Zhong Cai: “One thousand five hundred!”
“One thousand six hundred…”
“One thousand…”
Zhong Cai: “Two thousand!”
Wu Shaoqian leaned against the side, took a sip of tea, and his eyes carried a gentle smile.
Making acquaintances is easy, but forming friendships is difficult.
The reason Zhong Cai and Wu Shaoqian were able to overcome the gap in their status and become close friends is not only because their personalities complement each other well, but also because many of their viewpoints are aligned. Otherwise, if one side always had to tolerate the other, over time, it would be difficult to maintain a stable mindset. Naturally, their interaction wouldn’t be as comfortable, and they would gradually drift apart.
Among these various viewpoints, their views on spending are very important.
Despite Zhong Cai’s previous diligent accumulation of resources and Wu Shaoqian’s seemingly extravagant and carefree spending, which appear contradictory, in reality, both of them belong to the type who must provide the best resources for themselves and for important people under current conditions.
In addition to this, they never keep accounts with each other.
For example, in the past, when Wu Shaoqian was wealthier, he was willing to give Zhong Cai the best, which Zhong Cai gladly accepted. Now, with Zhong Cai having more sources of income, he is also willing to give Wu Shaoqian the best, which Wu Shaoqian similarly accepts gladly.
Now, at the auction, the two encounter suitable resources.
Wu Shaoqian doesn’t think there’s any problem with spending all his assets to bid for a third-grade Mu Huo for Zhong Cai, and Zhong Cai doesn’t think there’s any problem with bidding a high price for a talisman brush for Wu Shaoqian, even though he doesn’t yet know Wu Shaoqian’s potential as a talisman maker.
Despite the other bidders being quite enthusiastic, Zhong Cai was more determined than them.
After intense bidding, Zhong Cai naturally emerged as the winner.
Total expenditure: 3,800 gold.
As the auction hammer fell, Zhong Cai revealed a smile.
Soon, a maidservant knocked on the door and brought in the talisman brush.
Zhong Cai paid her the full amount of gold, finalizing the transaction.
The maidservant exited, respectfully closing the door behind her.
Zhong Cai held the talisman brush and happily handed it to Wu Shaoqian, saying, “Old Wu, try the feel of it?”
Wu Shaoqian took it and infused a strand of spiritual energy into it.
The spiritual energy circulates smoothly within the talisman brush, which has peculiar runes inside that can be adjusted in two levels. When using the first level, it is no different from a first-grade talisman brush. When one crafts second-grade talismans, it can be adjusted to the second level.
Wu Shaoqian was very satisfied and said, “It feels great.”
This made Zhong Cai even happier.
—-
Compared to the good mood of the two, on the other side of the elegant box on the second floor, there was someone feeling quite depressed.
Behind a screen of flowers and birds, several young men and women were seated on intricately carved wooden chairs, all looking displeased.
The young man in white clothes threw his teacup onto the table angrily and said, “Why does someone have to compete with me over this talisman brush! It’s only a second-grade item, and they’ve pushed the price up to nearly four thousand. Is that necessary?”
The girl beside him, with a gentle demeanor, comforted him, saying, “Master, don’t be upset. Although that talisman brush isn’t bad, it’s not the best either. How about after the auction, I accompany you to Tianxing Trading House to pick one? Maybe we can find something more satisfactory.”
The young man in white snorted but didn’t respond.
The young man in blue opposite him patted his shoulder and also reassured him, “It seems like it was bid from some room on the third floor. Must be one of those wealthy kids who don’t care if it’s suitable or not. Qinglei, there’s no need to get upset with people like that.”
The young man in white felt a bit better after hearing this.
—-
Unbeknownst to them, half an hour had passed.
Guan Ying took out a box and opened it in front of the numerous guests, smiling as she said, “A third-grade treasure of heaven and earth, the Youdan Hua Wu, of superior quality. If anyone is interested, you can start bidding. Starting price is 20,000 gold, with increments of no less than 100 gold.”
After a moment of silence, the bidding frenzy erupted.
Zhong Cai stood up again, feeling invigorated.
Wu Shaoqian was a bit curious; The enthusiasm in this guy’s eyes is overflowing. Is Youdan Hua Wu some kind of special treasure?
Zhong Cai’s hand rested on the voice transmission array, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on the auction stage, ready to bid at any moment.
Wu Shaoqian hesitated for a moment but decided not to disturb Zhong Cai.
Then, he saw Zhong Cai directly bid “50,000 gold,” and when competing with others, he raised the bid by at least 1,000 gold each time.
The bidding below was intense, and even after surpassing 80,000 gold, no one gave up.
Gradually, the bidding climbed above 120,000 gold, and finally, the bidding slowed down to just a few scattered bids…
Without hesitation, Zhong Cai declared, “160,000!”
At that moment, the other competitors finally gave up.
Zhong Cai breathed a sigh of relief, released his hand, and let out a breath.
It was then that Wu Shaoqian asked, “What kind of celestial material and earthly treasure is this that got you so excited?”
Zhong Cai rolled his eyes at Wu Shaoqian.
Wu Shaoqian was taken aback.
Zhong Cai reached out and casually pinched Wu Shaoqian’s cheek, stretching out his words teasingly, “Come on—show me how moved you are, cry for me.”
After so many years of being good buddies, Wu Shaoqian knew instantly that this thing was probably very useful for him, and irreplaceable at that.
In an instant, Wu Shaoqian had a guess, “Is it the main ingredient for the third-grade Xu Ming Dan?”
Zhong Cai snapped his fingers, “Exactly!” He explained excitedly, “Look at the quantity, it can probably be refined three times. Although I can’t refine it for now, and even when I can, success within three attempts isn’t guaranteed. But since we’ve encountered it, let’s stock up and give ourselves more chances in the future.”
“zhong cai observed and found his expression relaxed…” did zc think wsq was tricking him into eating something he won’t like? my guy, between the two of you, you’re the troublemaker.
“we’re selling your pills not my face, alright?” lol that wsq only lightly thwacked zc’x head means this sort of ribbing is common and love that. zc is so forthright about wsq’s handsomeness, too!
god i love it when i see my little guys in cahoots. ramping up the price of the beast egg, they’re evil! >:) wsq’s life must have been so much more colorful with zc in it. no wonder he holds zc dear to his heart.
“usually, those with some money bring a lot of people.” they take turns watching?
“wu shaoqian straightforwardly clarified, “with a beauty by your side, naturally you won’t be bored.” ah. guh-ross! that’s at least semi-public in someone else’s home.
[so, he leaned close to zci’s ear and softly said, “i can also keep you from being bored. want to try?”
a warm breath fell on zc’s ear, and a scene suddenly flashed
through his mind—something he hadn’t really considered before about the
wedding night, leaving him momentarily dumbfounded.
wsq, realizing zc’s lack of response, felt a bit embarrassed and found it difficult to move forward…
the two of them stiffened for a moment, then very tacitly changed the subject.] SIR! when you make an attack you need to FOLLOW THROUGH!
what was that? what was that??? why are they blushing like maidens as if they haven’t spent their wedding night together? oh em gee the first stirrings of romance? is that you?
the bidding for the brush. it says in the text that it must increase in increments of 10 gold but the text says “five hundred and two!” or “five hundred and five!” is it supposed to be 520 and 550 or did the author make a msitake?
“zc reached out and casually pinched wsq’s cheek,
stretching out his words teasingly, “come on—show me how moved you are,
cry for me.” i love this bit. what’s xu ming dan again?
<3
In Chinese, the character “青” (qīng) can indeed mean “azure,” referring to a range of blue, green, blue-green, or cyan colors. It’s a versatile character encompassing various shades within that spectrum. The specific shade of blue or green can often be determined by the context in which “青” is used. For example, “青山 (qīng shān)” refers to “green mountains,” while “青天 (qīng tiān)” refers to the “azure sky.” . For Qingyu, the author explains the fur as 青色.
There is a note, Xu Ming Dan is a pill to extend life
thank you for responding! neat to know about the nuances of qing.
ahhh, that’s the one that extends 10, 30, 50, and 80? that was ages ago. thank you for reminding me.
i will admit: i don’t knoe how i missed the clicky pop-up note. i guess i was too distracted at how wsq tried to flirt back and didn’t follow through lol
The money, my mistake. Will fix
Thanks for the chapter!
Can someone remind me what xuanzhan is or what it is used for? Thanks for the chapter!
Xuanzhu? It is 玄珠, used for cultivation and currency. 10,000 Gold = 1 Xuanzhu
Yeah that’s the one. Is it like a pill or a plant or something?
It is a type of magical pearl or bead. It wasn’t mentioned in the context, just referred to as a currency and a tool for cultivation. However, through research, it is found that in Chinese mythology and folklore, Xuanzhu are often depicted as precious gems or pearls with magical properties. They are said to possess various powers, such as warding off evil spirits, granting immortality, or enhancing one’s cultivation.
Oh, they are here to spending money~
Thank you for your translation 💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖💖
Oh, it’s the first hint of romance since the wedding night
So Father Wu got 10,000 xuanzhan for passing on information his son delivered to him but won’t help his son bid for an item because it would be “hard to justify” to others. What a greedy bastard.
Fr he’s such an embarrassment to parentkind… on top of that bitch didn’t even credit Wu Shaoqian for the find
Quick correction: the girl who was talking to angry white clothed man called him ‘Husband’ 夫君, not master.
This one can be “master” or “husband”. Later he will hug another young man so… I used “Master”. If in the future, he sure has a wife then I will change this one to husband 🙂
OvO I learned something new today!