It had to be said that Luo Tianhong of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect was a master of the auction block.
With the very first lot, he seized the momentum, quelling the clamor of the hall and arresting everyone's attention with a magic treasure right out of the gate.
How could ordinary rogue cultivators have ever witnessed a spectacle like this?
For a time, the entire hall was stunned.
As the bids were called out one after another, many people unconsciously felt their storage bags, weighing whether they would ever in their lifetimes have the chance to take part in bidding of this caliber.
Still, the previous bids had remained within a normal range. Everyone had gradually come to accept that reality. After all, those bidders were wealthy Foundation Establishment cultivators, many backed by powerful gangs or influential clans.
Yet when the shout of "Eighty thousand!" echoed through the hall, every pair of eyes locked onto Private Box Eight.
A direct leap from fifty thousand spirit stones to eighty thousand!
Such an unreasonable, domineering bidding tactic undoubtedly displayed the occupant's absolute determination to claim the prize.
In an instant, the entire floor erupted into a frenzy. Only the Foundation Establishment cultivators who had been bidding fell into silence.
A magic treasure naturally commanded a price far beyond any dharma artifact. Even a top-grade dharma artifact rarely surpassed ten thousand spirit stones.
However, for a low-grade magic treasure—and an offensive one at that—a price exceeding fifty thousand was already inflated to an absurd degree. Eighty thousand was enough to purchase a decent defensive magic treasure. For a time, not a single person spoke up.
Up on the white jade platform, Luo Tianhong smiled faintly.
"Eighty thousand, going once!"
"Are there any other bids, fellow Daoists? This treasure was crafted in Tianfan City; its quality is unconditionally guaranteed."
"None?"
"Eighty thousand, going twice!"
In Private Box Eight, after Mi Shuhua abruptly shouted the bid of eighty thousand, an awkward silence settled over the room. Everyone knew that as a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Mi Shuhua had deep pockets. But who would have imagined that he would offer such an astronomical sum on the very first lot? Even Mi Junping could not help wondering whether her father was being too hasty.
Yet Mi Shuhua did not care in the least what they thought. His eyes, usually gentle and kind, were now as still and cold as an abyss, fixed firmly on Luo Tianhong upon the stage.
He wanted nothing more than to hear the words "Sold!"
Yet Luo Tianhong seemed intent on keeping the crowd in suspense.
"Eighty thousand spirit stones, going twice! This magic treasure comes with no lingering entanglements. Once bought, there will never be enemies knocking on your door to cause trouble—on this, I stake the reputation of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect."
"Furthermore, its might is vast and majestic, perfectly suited for Foundation Establishment cultivators."
As he spoke, he injected a streak of spiritual power into the weapon.
The wheel in his hand spun rapidly, bursting with a brilliant violet-gold radiance. Identical duplicate wheels flew forth in succession. Hundreds converged into a shimmering sea. Their razor-sharp aura seemed almost capable of cleaving empty air, dazzling all who beheld it.
The silent Foundation Establishment cultivators seemed to stir once more.
"I have been at Foundation Establishment for eighty years and never owned a magic treasure. This is my chance. But eighty thousand spirit stones..."
"I already possess an offensive magic treasure; what I lack is defense. As fine as this weapon is, it is not what I need. Calm down, stay calm!"
"No rush. Even though I lack a magic treasure, there are several more coming later in this auction. Let us wait and see!"
"Box Eight must be Old Man Mi. He has the Mountain Breaker Gang gathering resources for him, so his wealth far outstrips mine. I cannot outbid him for this treasure."
In the end, still no one bid. Not a single voice rose to offer even one more spirit stone.
Luo Tianhong smiled helplessly and recalled the summoned wheels.
"Eighty thousand, going three times!"
"Sold!"
"Congratulations to the fellow Daoist in Box Eight! From this moment on, this low-grade magic treasure belongs to you. May it serve you well along the path of cultivation to slay demons and uphold the Dao."
With those words, the atmosphere in the hall grew lively once more. And inside Private Box Eight, Mi Shuhua, who had grown somewhat annoyed by Luo Tianhong's stalling, finally beamed. His aged face crinkled into a smile as radiant as a blooming chrysanthemum!
Up on the white jade platform, Luo Tianhong handed the Heavenly Moon Purple Gold Wheel to an attendant maid and brought out the next item. The second lot was not nearly as precious as a magic treasure, but thanks to its unique utility, it provoked eager bidding among numerous Qi Refining cultivators. The room gradually bustled with excitement.
...
Inside the box, Mi Shuhua received the violet-gold wheel from the maid's hands, trembling with excitement he could barely suppress. In his nearly two centuries of striving in Dahe Market, he had reached the mid Foundation Establishment stage, yet he had never possessed a magic treasure to call his own—possessing the name of Foundation Establishment without the full might to match. Wang Haichao of the Great River Gang was nothing more than a junior upstart, yet dared to confront him to his face. Was it not simply because Wang took advantage of his lack of a magic treasure?
Now, he was a true mid Foundation Establishment cultivator armed with a magic treasure, unafraid even of late Foundation Establishment!
From now on, who wouldn't accord him extra respect whenever they crossed paths?
Seeing him so elated, Mi Junping could not help feeling happy for her aging father. From this day forth, the Mi family would also be a Foundation Establishment clan with an heirloom magic treasure!
Sikong Shoujia, a man of broad experience, could not resist asking, "Gang Leader, an ordinary low-grade offensive magic treasure usually runs fifty to sixty thousand spirit stones at most, does it not? Isn't this one overpriced by far?"
"Overpriced?" Mi Shuhua laughed heartily. "Haha! That is only because they lacked the eyes to recognize a true treasure."
He stowed the magic treasure into his storage bag for now. Once he returned home, he would take it into his dantian and slowly nurture it with his spiritual power and spiritual sense!
Having said that, he offered no further explanation, leaving Sikong Shoujia, Luo Chen, and the others intensely curious. Could the Heavenly Moon Purple Gold Wheel possess some other wondrous property, beyond being merely an offensive weapon? If so, why hadn't the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect made it known to fetch an even higher price? And where had Mi Shuhua learned of it?
Perhaps sensing their wandering thoughts, Mi Shuhua pondered for a moment before turning the conversation to another topic.
"There is an art to bidding at an auction.
"If your pockets are shallow, there is little to say: simply act according to your means. What you cannot compete for, you never will.
"If you are immensely wealthy, you can afford to contest every inch slowly; what should be yours will still be yours.
"But if you sit awkwardly in between, you must employ technique. Either seize the momentum early, or strike late to preempt the rest. What I did just now was to abruptly hike the price to the limit of my ability, demonstrating resolute confidence while presenting everyone with an inflated cost.
"Perhaps it truly was overpriced, but what sort of setting is this?
"An auction!
"With countless people competing, most lots will inevitably end up inflated anyway. Rather than letting others drive the price up step by step, it is better to take the initiative yourself.
"Of course, that applies to resources you absolutely must acquire. What about things that are merely optional?
"Take the dharma artifact they are auctioning right now, for instance. How do you think you should bid on that?"
Under Mi Shuhua's guidance, Luo Chen and the others put themselves in the buyer's shoes, contemplating how best to bid on items. It had to be said that this experience proved tremendously enlightening. The hammer prices of the next few lots aligned almost exactly with Mi Shuhua's predictions.
One could only say that the older ginger was indeed spicier!
Roughly an hour later, the first round of the auction concluded.
During the intermission, the white jade platform became exceptionally busy. Cultivators from the Sword Pavilion bustled about, arranging a wide variety of goods across the stage like stall vendors.
Looking at the wares, Luo Chen and the others understood at once. Unsurprisingly, this was the stage for auctioning the rogue cultivators' resources! The dharma artifacts Wang Yuan had handed in were arranged in a corner.
Before long, Luo Tianhong stepped onto the stage.
The second round differed from the detailed introductions of the first. Luo Tianhong mostly glossed over the items, simply reciting their rank, name, general purpose, and starting price before moving on.
Then came the bidding. He made no effort to build suspense; as soon as the bids stalled even briefly, he would swiftly declare the lot sold.
Sikong Shoujia's Tier 2 spirit herb was the first to sell, purchased by an incognito Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Wang Yuan's dharma artifacts also sold well, with eight or nine out of ten finding buyers. Consequently, he reaped a handsome sum, pocketing several thousand spirit stones in an instant.
Luo Wudi and Mi Junping's goods, on the other hand, drew few bidders, and many went unsold. They could only accept it helplessly. In a venue like this, resources that seemed decent on ordinary days simply failed to catch anyone's eye. Wang Yuan had sold so much precisely because he had set his starting prices relatively low.
After the second round ended, a troupe of female cultivators arrived during the intermission to perform songs and dances. The cultivators of the Jade Cauldron Sword Pavilion also distributed an abundance of pastries to every cultivator present.
To this, Luo Chen could only marvel that there was good reason why the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect raked in spirit stones. Even if one bought nothing, merely coming in to broaden one's horizons was worthwhile.
Of course, had Luo Chen known that attending the auction required an entry fee of one spirit stone, he wouldn't have been praising the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect's conscience.
"The third round of the auction begins now!"
"The first segment features various rare treasures and spirit herbs provided by Fellow Daoist Mi Shuhua of the Mountain Breaker Gang.
"Altogether, there are three Tier 2 demon cores, three wrought iron cores, one tameable cub of the Tier 3 demon beast silver-maned horse... and ten bottles of mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills concocted personally by Danchenzi, Head of the Mountain Breaker Gang's Pill Hall.
"Everyone, you may place your bids!"
The third round consisted of items provided by the local major factions. As the largest and oldest rogue cultivator gang in Dahe Market, the Mountain Breaker Gang naturally took the opening slot.
A stir rippled through the hall upon hearing the list of items. Tier 2 demon cores were undeniably valuable, and several Foundation Establishment cultivators bought them without hesitation. The wrought iron cores were also fine materials, prompting Wanbao Pavilion's private box to shout out handsome bids without holding back. The silver-maned horse foal was even more coveted. If properly raised, centuries later, it would become a Tier 3 demon beast rivaling a Golden Core cultivator!
It had to be admitted that Mi Shuhua, as a veteran Foundation Establishment cultivator, was indeed a man of immense means. Earlier, he had bid eighty thousand and happily secured a magic treasure, and now he turned around and produced a mountain of fine goods that would likely recoup a hefty portion of the cost.
Yet while others were shouting bids, Luo Chen sat completely dumbfounded inside Box Eight.
"Head of the Pill Hall—Danchenzi?
"Since when did I have such a title?"
...
"What, don't you care for this Daoist title?"
A Daoist title!
Meeting Mi Shuhua's smiling gaze, Luo Chen suddenly understood.
This was not some earthly, martial outlaw moniker like Descending Mountain Tiger or Heart-Devouring Tiger; it was a formal Daoist title. Generally, only great sects with ancient lineages or powerful rogue cultivators and unorthodox figures adopted such titles. The last Daoist title he had heard of belonged to Qing Yuanzi, author of the Qingyuan Alchemy Exposition. That man, too, had taken the Daoist title Qing Yuanzi because of his profound attainments in the Dao of Alchemy.
Who would have thought that Luo Chen now had a Daoist title of his own?
Luo Chen could not help saying, "It's not that I dislike it, just..."
"You're curious why I gave you a Daoist title, aren't you?" Mi Shuhua seemed to read his confusion. He remarked leisurely, "While your existence is hardly a secret among the local factions of Dahe Market, those factions mostly abide by the rules. But among the rogue cultivators attending this auction, there will always be those who don't. Revealing your real name and cultivation stage too early would only bring unwanted trouble."
Put that way, it did make sense.
"Besides, if the Jade Marrow Pills are to sell well, they need the backing of an alchemist with gravitas. Danchenzi sounds quite fitting to me."
Luo Chen opened his mouth, rendered speechless.
After all that, Mi Shuhua was merely playing the exact same trick Luo Chen had used before! Back then, Luo Chen had borrowed the name of Master Yunhe from the Hehuan Sect to sell his Myriad Wonders Pills. Now Mi Shuhua had fabricated an impressive-sounding grandmaster alchemist named Danchenzi for the sole purpose of peddling Jade Marrow Pills.
His gaze turned toward the hall. Sure enough, several people were inquiring about the effects of the Jade Marrow Pills. Upon learning that mid-grade Jade Marrow Pills were only effective for early and mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, many lost interest. However, a few Foundation Establishment clans showed keen interest, each buying a bottle or two to test the effects back home.
Luo Chen realized that Mi Shuhua had withheld the earlier batches of Jade Marrow Pills instead of selling them, choosing to present them at the auction not to fetch an exorbitant price, but to build a reputation.
As expected, these Foundation Establishment cultivators are all shrewd operators!
He had never even considered such an angle before. It wasn't that he lacked intelligence; rather, his cultivation stage had kept him from accessing higher circles. To place an elixir of ordinary efficacy like the Jade Marrow Pill onto the auction block, Mi Shuhua must have privately reached an agreement with the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect cultivators under certain terms.
Thinking along these lines, Luo Chen suddenly connected this to the earlier matter of the magic treasure. Mi Shuhua's advance knowledge of the Heavenly Moon Purple Gold Wheel's hidden properties had likely been leaked by a Jade Cauldron sword cultivator as well.
And if one looked deeper?
The Jade Marrow Pills were difficult to sell?
Because behemoths like the Spirit Herb Pavilion and the Medicine King Sect were keeping watch.
What if the Mountain Breaker Gang borrowed the banner of the Jade Cauldron Sword Sect?
Perhaps the ties weren't deep—maybe only one or two Foundation Establishment sword cultivators were involved—but that was more than enough.
In that case, a cut of the profits from the Jade Marrow Pills probably belonged to some Jade Cauldron sword cultivator sitting right in this hall.
Thoughts sprouted like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, and Luo Chen's reasoning grew sharper by the moment. Without realizing it, the pills he concocted had already drawn the attention of numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators!
Reflecting on that, he felt somewhat fortunate that he had joined the Mountain Breaker Gang early on. At least he still enjoyed relative freedom.
While he pondered, the third round of the auction came to an end. The fourth round, featuring lots provided by sect cultivators, commenced.
This time, Wang Yuan and the others beside him began to bid. Luo Chen saw with his own eyes Wang Yuan spend a lavish two thousand spirit stones to purchase a medicinal elixir that, according to Luo Tianhong, provided immense benefits for body refinement.
"This segment features lots provided by Wanbao Pavilion.
"I trust Wanbao Pavilion's illustrious name requires no introduction from me!
"There are ten items in total: two large storage bags, each with a capacity of ten cubic paces, starting at ten thousand spirit stones apiece..."
A large storage bag with a capacity of ten cubic paces!
Luo Chen's eyes lit up. But when the final winning bid was only twenty thousand spirit stones, he grew puzzled.
"In Wanbao Pavilion, isn't a one-pace storage bag priced at ten thousand spirit stones? Why did a large storage bag sell so cheaply?"
Mi Shuhua smiled faintly. "That is merely the retail price, and only for rogue cultivators. How could a storage bag truly be worth that much?"
"Eh?"
"Storage bags are indeed precious, but only to ordinary low-tier rogue cultivators. In truth, sect cultivators purchase them in bulk, at a unit price of no more than a thousand spirit stones."
Looking at the bewildered Luo Chen, Mi Shuhua explained, "If you get your hands on a secondhand storage bag and try to sell it, no one will pay a high price. If you bring it to Wanbao Pavilion, they won't even buy it back."
Luo Chen frowned. "Then why do they mark the price so high?"
"They set it so high precisely so low-tier rogue cultivators can't afford it, of course!"
Luo Chen was even more baffled. Shouldn't merchandise be priced reasonably?
Mi Shuhua sighed and gave him a hint. "Low-tier cultivators don't possess much wealth—perhaps a dharma artifact or two, and a few talismans, all easy enough to carry. The only thing others covet is the spirit stones they earn. But spirit stones have physical bulk; carrying more than two hundred becomes extremely cumbersome.
"Nor will anyone leave their spirit stones hidden at home when they go out, just waiting for someone to break in and steal them.
"Under those circumstances, unable to afford a storage bag, what do they do?"
Luo Chen hesitated a moment, then answered, "Spend the spirit stones on pills, dharma artifacts, talismans, and other resources to strengthen themselves? Or exchange them for mid-grade spirit stones that are easier to carry?"
"Setting the latter aside, let us look at the former. From whom do most rogue cultivators buy those things? The market stalls? The black market? Or the sect shops?"
Luo Chen was no fool. Having received such clear hints from Mi Shuhua, he caught on immediately.
To prevent unwieldy spirit stones from being stolen, low-tier rogue cultivators would certainly seek to convert them into personal strength. And when they bought those cultivation resources, the spirit stones flowed right back into the hands of the major sects.
Seeing Luo Chen's sudden realization, Mi Shuhua remarked with feeling, "A sticker price of ten thousand spirit stones is actually quite ingenious. Early and mid-stage cultivators can't afford it; late-stage cultivators have the ability to protect their belongings, and if they save long enough, they can buy one. As for Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators like us, buying one is hardly a strain, and through internal channels, it is far cheaper still."
Damn profiteers!
Whether it was Wanbao Pavilion or the sects manufacturing the storage bags, every last one of them was an unscrupulous merchant!
Luo Chen cursed inwardly.
And then, his gaze was captivated by an item put up by those very profiteers.
"The Four Elements Cauldron, a top-grade dharma artifact!
"This cauldron possesses extraordinary versatility: it can serve as an offensive artifact while also boasting defensive capabilities. Furthermore, it can be used for alchemy!
"It was crafted by Elder Huyan Zhuo, a Golden Core Master of Tianfan City. Originally intended as a magic treasure, the inscribed formations proved incompatible, leaving the finished piece at top-grade.
"Any interested fellow Daoists may join the bidding.
"Starting price: three thousand spirit stones!"
As Luo Tianhong announced the cauldron's origin, functions, and rank, murmurs rose across the hall. But soon enough, they faded into silence.
The cauldron certainly had many uses, but truth be told, it was a jack of all trades and master of none. It did a little of everything, yet excelled at nothing. Qi Refining cultivators seeking focused power had little interest in it. And for Foundation Establishment cultivators, only peak-grade dharma artifacts or true magic treasures could tempt them.
Yet in Box Eight, Luo Chen's eyes shone with sharp anticipation.
This item belongs to me!
Having thought that, he fixed an eager, pleading stare on Mi Shuhua.
"Gang Leader, there's still an empty alchemy room in the Pill Hall!
"If we had this cauldron, every month I could refine more pills for the gang, earn more spirit stones, and ensure our brothers are well fed and warmly clothed through this freezing winter!
"Gang Leader, it isn't expensive, and hardly anyone is bidding. We can't let it slip by!
"Opportunity knocks but once..."
Mi Shuhua's cheek twitched. That damned tone of voice was infuriatingly familiar!
Chapter 104