Chapter 83: The Auction (Celebrating Alliance Leader 67832! )
Chapter 83: The Auction (Celebrating Alliance Leader 67832! ) After purchasing one hundred catties of excellent 'Crimson Blood Spirit Rice' as rice seeds, Fang Xi visited several more artifact shops.
His superior-grade artifact—the 'Golden Flood Dragon Sword'—had suffered a slight damage during his battle with Dugu Wuwang, and it would be best to repair it.
Alas, his current identity truly wasn't suitable for such a superior-grade artifact to see the light of day.
What's more. . . the Kou Brothers were still active near the Cultivation City!
Fang Xi therefore abandoned this idea.
"However, after the Profound Iron Shield was completely damaged, I still need to buy a mid-grade defensive artifact, and then pair it with an offensive artifact. Hmm, I should replace the Black Cloud Hood too."
As a mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivator, possessing a few mid-grade artifacts was quite reasonable.
In the Cultivation City, the price of mid-grade artifacts fluctuated between dozens of Spirit Stones.
Defensive artifacts, as usual, were more expensive than offensive ones, and special artifacts surpassed both.
"This shield is refined primarily from the shell of a first-order mid-grade spirit tortoise, and it also comes with a 'Water Elemental Barrier' spell. Sixty Spirit Stones really isn't expensive!"
The stall owner was a cultivator with two wisps of rat whiskers, his eyes glinting with shrewdness. He praised this mid-grade artifact to the heavens, claiming it could almost rival a legendary magic treasure.
Fang Xi, however, argued reasonably while haggling: "The Water Elemental Barrier is just a common, ordinary item. Besides offering strong defense against fire-attribute spells, what else is it good for? Knock off another five Spirit Stones, and I'll buy it!"
It wasn't that he genuinely cared about a few Spirit Stones, but the persona of a low-level Qi Refinement cultivator needed to be properly maintained.
Just as Fang Xi's mouth was getting dry from talking, a series of clear bell sounds suddenly rang in his ears.
Ding-a-ling. . .
"Fellow Daoist Fang!"
Ruan Xing Ling's voice was as clear as a silver bell: "Looking for artifacts?"
"Yes. . . recently it's been. . . so I'm preparing to get a good protective artifact. " Fang Xi intentionally spoke vaguely, but Ruan Xing Ling knew that he was preparing for the upcoming great battle.
"The quality of the artifacts sold at these stalls is just average. . ."
Ruan Xing Ling shook her head.
"Fellow cultivator, how can you slander someone's good name out of nowhere? " The stall owner with the two wisps of rat whiskers wouldn't have it.
"This Green Tortoise Shield has flawed veins. . . and look here, there are traces of repair. . . it's a refurbished second-hand item, isn't it?"
Ruan Xing Ling pointed at a few spots and sneered.
"This. . . how about a discount, forty Spirit Stones? " The rat-whiskered cultivator knew he had met an expert and couldn't help but change his tune.
"I'll take it!"
Fang Xi's eyes lit up immediately as he said.
"Deal!"
The stall owner's eyes brightened; he hadn't expected to still make a sale.
...
After the transaction between the two was complete, Ruan Xing Ling, who had been quietly observing, spoke: "Fellow Daoist, if you wish to find high-quality artifacts, why not come to the auction? This humble one has reserved a private box. . ."
Naturally, everything sold at the auction was of excellent quality.
Fang Xi, however, offered a wry smile and declined: "This one artifact has almost depleted my entire fortune. As for the auction, I'd at most just be there to broaden my horizons. . ."
In reality, he had already secretly reserved a private box much earlier, concealing his identity, but there was no need to tell Ruan Xing Ling about this.
After all, one shouldn't show off their wealth, even if the woman was an ally!
"Since that's the case, I won't press the matter, Fellow Daoist."
Ruan Xing Ling gracefully departed, the silver bells on her person occasionally chiming with the breeze.
She had a feeling Fang Xi held a small secret; after all, it was rather unusual for a Spirit Farmer to continuously spend at a teahouse and even dream of becoming a landlord.
But everyone had sworn an oath, and knowing that he was a help at present was enough.
...
The day the auction began.
In the sky, various magical lights shimmered.
Spirit boats soared through the air one after another, docking at the edge of the Cultivation City.
There were also cultivators riding spirit beasts and stepping on flying swords, their long sleeves fluttering, appearing like immortals.
"Good heavens. . . look over there, those must be the flying boats of the three largest families among the Thirty-Six Islands: the Tai Shu, Yu Chi, and Xiahou families, right?"
"Even Yu Lingzi, a Perfected expert among the Rogue Cultivators, has arrived."
"This auction, I fear, will alarm the Zhong Clan Ancestor. Without a Foundation Establishment cultivator, it won't be suppressed. . ."
...
Amidst the clamor of the crowd, Fang Xi transformed into a broad-faced, imposing man, striding towards Dragon Gate Pavilion.
Along the way, Zhong Clan disciples dressed in black flying fish robes could be seen everywhere maintaining order.
"Esteemed guest, hello. Please present your invitation!"
Before Dragon Gate Pavilion, Zhong Wangu saw a large man in green robes approach with the powerful strides of a dragon and tiger. His heart couldn't help but be stirred, and he inwardly thought, "What a formidable man, this must be a powerful Body Cultivator. " Nonetheless, he still uttered the standardized welcoming words.
"Here!"
Fang Xi took out the invitation he had purchased at a high price.
"Ah, an esteemed guest for a private box! Please follow me to Room Xuanzi Sixteen!"
Zhong Wangu took the invitation and immediately led Fang Xi to a row of private rooms. After opening the door, the gurgling sound of flowing water wafted out.
Inside the private box, there was surprisingly a pond, connected to the outside via a water channel, where carp with scales like green jade idled and swam.
"Esteemed guest, these are our clan's Green Jade Carp! " Zhong Wangu said with a beaming smile: "For every esteemed guest in a private box, our clan offers a complimentary plate of fish sashimi. . ."
"Not bad."
Fang Xi sat down, thinking to himself, "As expected of a Foundation Establishment family that started by selling fish, they never forget to promote their spirit fish at every moment."
"Here are the bidding spirit slips. If you are interested in any auction item, you can write down the amount and give it to a spirit fish, which will then carry it to headquarters. . . There is absolutely no risk of leakage!"
Zhong Wangu explained further.
Only then did Fang Xi realize that this auction actually employed a silent bidding method, where the highest bidder ultimately won.
'True. . . openly shouting bids would indeed invite too much animosity. '
'With this silent bidding method, even after you get an item, you won't know who is human and who is ghost. . . '
'From this, it's clear that the conflicts between the major cultivation forces in Myriad Islands Lake are not intense, and the Zhong Clan has no intention of provoking a great war. . . This is good! '
This Myriad Islands Lake, he had chosen correctly.
Fang Xi sat down cross-legged, very satisfied.
Zhong Wangu bowed and exited. Not long after, the scene of the auction stage appeared within a bronze mirror inside the private box.
On the auction stage, a plump middle-aged man was beaming with smiles, courteously speaking pleasantries and wishing everyone prosperity.
"I am Zhong Wanjun of the Zhong Clan! Greetings, Fellow Daoists. This humble one will be hosting this auction, and I hope all of you can acquire items to your liking. . ."
Although this person appeared to be very skilled in social graces, his cultivation was overflowing with spiritual power, having surprisingly reached the Perfected stage of the tenth level of Qi Refinement!
Fang Xi closed his eyes to meditate. After waiting for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, he heard the clang of a gong, and the auction officially began!
"Next up is the Minor Barrier-Breaking Pill. . . used to break through the bottleneck from mid-stage Qi Refinement to late-stage Qi Refinement, suitable for cultivators of all types of cultivation methods. Starting bid: four hundred Spirit Stones!"
Zhong Wanjun described the ingredients and origins of this Minor Barrier-Breaking Pill. . . even mentioning which renowned alchemy master it came from, all with an entertaining flair that showed no hint of awkwardness.
At this moment, Fang Xi also saw the spirit slips beside him.
If one was interested in this Barrier-Breaking Pill, they could write down their desired price and give it to a Green Jade Carp.
The highest bidder would win in the end, and they would settle their accounts upon leaving.
"Not bad, not bad. . . This way, aside from the Zhong Clan itself, the possibility of leakage is very small. . ."
"Perhaps I can buy more things?"
Fang Xi counted the contents of his storage bag and found he still had three hundred and eighty-seven Spirit Stones.
'Well. . . turns out I'm still a poor wretch, can't even afford the starting bid. . . '
He let out a bitter laugh and continued to watch the show.
"The Azure Fire Sword. . . a first-order superior-grade artifact, fresh from the furnace, incredibly sharp, and imbued with a 'Blazing Flame Art'. Starting bid: one hundred and fifty Spirit Stones. . ."
"A first-order supreme-grade defensive talisman—the Vajra Talisman! It can withstand a full-strength strike from a Qi Refinement Perfected cultivator, truly an excellent item for self-defense and preserving one's life! Starting bid: forty Spirit Stones. . ."
...
Indeed, every item at the auction was of excellent quality, giving Fang Xi the feeling that his trip had been well worth it.
However, while these items were good, they were still a notch below the 'Minor Barrier-Breaking Pill' that had created a sensation at the beginning.
This was a common tactic for merchants: starting with small, high-quality items, then releasing a large quantity of goods, occasionally creating surprises, and finally saving the grand finale items for last.
When the Vajra Talisman appeared, Fang Xi casually filled out a spirit slip for one hundred low-grade Spirit Stones and handed it to a carp, just for fun.
The carp, holding the spirit slip in its mouth, swam surprisingly fast.
He tasted the spirit fish meat while admiring the auction items, considering it a way to broaden his knowledge.
A moment later, Zhong Wanjun began to introduce another item:
"A heavy sword forged from extra-terrestrial meteorite iron!"
He laboriously lifted a dark, massive sword to display. This sword was two meters long and as wide as an adult's palm, looking just like a door plank.
The most crucial part was that, with Zhong Wanjun's cultivation, even if he wasn't a Body Cultivator, the strength in his arms was considerable, yet lifting this sword still seemed to require some effort from him.
"Whew. . . This sword is forged from extra-terrestrial meteorite iron. This meteorite iron has peculiar properties; it cannot contain magical power, nor can arrays be inscribed upon it, but it is extremely hard. . . Later, an artifact refiner found another approach and melted it down to forge this heavy sword. It weighs two hundred and thirty-six catties, its blade is incredibly sharp, and it is exceedingly sturdy; even a superior-grade artifact would find it difficult to damage it in the slightest. . ."
"Our pavilion has appraised it and believes this sword is at least comparable to a superior-grade artifact and is most suitable for Body Cultivators. . . Starting bid: two hundred Spirit Stones!"
...
Listening to the description, Fang Xi's eyes brightened.
He was a Body Cultivator too!
Relying solely on his fists for combat indeed felt a bit lacking. This sword, however, would be just perfect for him.
As for the weight?
Ever since he became a Grandmaster, his arms could wield immense power, making it effortless for him to lift rocks weighing several tons.
"I'll just bid three hundred. . . Oh no, I don't have enough Spirit Stones anymore. Forget it, I can always use demon beast materials as collateral then."
Fang Xi quickly filled in the number and handed it to the spirit fish.
According to his knowledge, there weren't many Body Cultivators in Treasure Ship Market, so there shouldn't be many vying for it.
At this moment, Zhong Wanjun on the stage picked up a jade bottle and introduced: "A bottle of Crimson Ape essence blood. This Crimson Ape is a first-order superior-grade demon beast. Don't let this small bottle fool you, it's actually refined from its entire body's blood. . . Starting bid: three hundred and fifty Spirit Stones!"
"This is. . . one of the essence blood types recommended for cultivating the *Myriad Beast Body* to the third layer?"
Fang Xi, who had purchased jade slips for the relevant cultivation methods, immediately recalled this, his gaze turning somewhat dangerous: "Is this Zhong Clan. . . fishing? Or are they even trying to fish for me?"
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