The auctioneer was a Golden Core Perfected One dressed as a manager. His aura was so well restrained that the audience could see only a round-faced old man, without judging the depth of his cultivation.
He was thoroughly experienced and came straight to the point. ‘Everyone knows the reputation of the Dragonflight Trading House’s grand auctions. I won’t waste words. We’ll present the lots, and you may bid.’ He paused briefly. ‘As always, all prices are calculated in lower-grade spirit stones. Those who lack enough stones may offer rare treasures as collateral, but their value will be appraised by the trading house at market rates, with no arguments permitted. Anyone who tries to take advantage of the proceedings should not expect us to show mercy.’
He established the rules in a few concise sentences.
Another bell rang, officially beginning the auction.
The round-faced elder remained composed, clearly accustomed to grand occasions. A Foundation Establishment woman emerged from an inner chamber with a tray, which he took and placed upon the platform.
The tray was covered in exceptionally thin gauze, yet even spiritual sense directed at it could not penetrate the fabric and reveal the contents.
The old man muttered an incantation and swept away the covering.
A streak of multicolored light immediately shot skyward, dazzling the audience until their eyes almost hurt.
Several people exclaimed:
‘A complete set of spirit artifacts!’
‘A set of flying swords!’
‘Look at that spiritual radiance. They must be upper-grade spirit artifacts!’
‘Such a precious item for the very first lot! Dragonflight Trading House truly deserves its reputation!’
Those exclaiming naturally came from the lowest section. They either lacked experience or possessed limited cultivation. The old monsters had extensive collections of their own; although they acknowledged something special about the set, they were hardly dazzled.
Xu Ziqing also studied the swords for a moment. Having ranked well in the sect competition, he had received numerous rewards, including upper-grade spirit artifacts. But he had only heard of complete sets, particularly sets of flying swords, which were exceptionally rare.
The round-faced elder seemed accustomed to this response. He pointed at the tray and explained evenly, ‘The Crimson Fire Immortal-Refining Sword Array consists of thirteen upper-grade spirit swords forged from rare spirit ores including red gold, with three parts of Yang-Fire Flowing Crystal. In the hands of a Fire-attribute cultivator, the refined array is comparable in power to a treasure artifact.’
‘They were forged from red gold?’
‘What a lavish undertaking! They even added Yang-Fire Flowing Crystal, which gathers Fire qi. Cultivating with it would yield twice the result for half the effort!’
‘What a pity they’re suited to Fire cultivators. If only they were Earth-attribute, I could use them…’
The old man’s explanation had barely finished when the audience began discussing the swords.
Many cultivators were eager to act. They stared at the array with such longing that they seemed ready to seize it and take it home for immediate refinement!
Once the audience was sufficiently excited, the elder announced, ‘The opening price is one hundred thousand lower-grade spirit stones, with minimum increments of one thousand. Please begin bidding.’
That starting price was surprisingly cheap for an entire sword array. Dragonflight Trading House had practically offered it at a discount to stir up the atmosphere.
Seeing the Crimson Fire Immortal-Refining Sword Array priced so attractively, cultivators immediately called out their bids.
‘One hundred thousand lower-grade spirit stones!’
‘One hundred thirty thousand!’
‘One hundred eighty thousand! Those who can’t afford it shouldn’t compete with this old man!’
‘Perfected One, you’re joking. Surely we can all afford a mere hundred thousand or so spirit stones! I bid two hundred thousand!’
Each bidder sounded determined to win the item.
The price rose rapidly, soon doubling the starting bid. People continued competing fiercely.
The round-faced elder stroked his beard with a smile, in no hurry at all.
Inside their room, Xu Ziqing glanced around and noticed that Xuan Ze’s followers seemed uninterested in the sword array.
After a little thought, he found that unsurprising. This was only the first lot. Setting aside the Nascent Soul ancestors, the others were Golden Core cultivators accompanying an imperial prince and must have received many excellent things. A sword array of this kind would hardly impress them.
Those most eager to obtain it were likely independent cultivators and lower-ranking disciples of various sects.
After another round of competition, a long-bearded elder finally acquired the array for three hundred twenty thousand lower-grade spirit stones, no small price. He smiled kindly toward a charming young girl at his side. Fire qi circulated around her, and her expression was endearingly innocent. She appeared to be his junior, for whom he had purchased the array.
Xu Ziqing glanced over and then looked away.
The round-faced elder brought out another tray and uncovered the next lot.
This time it held a pair of hooks, both upper-grade spirit artifacts. Unlike the earlier sword array, they were precious for their unusual form: one long hook and one short, both sharp weapons suitable for Water-attribute cultivators. Water techniques tended to be gentle, and even when they had offensive power, they generally employed flying swords. Such specialized weapons were therefore attractive. Furthermore, the hooks were beautifully forged and could turn water into ice without requiring the user to change techniques, making them even more unusual.
Accordingly, the opening price was two hundred thousand lower-grade spirit stones. After a burst of competitive bidding, a woman secured them for five hundred eighty thousand. A green veil covered her face, and she carried herself elegantly, suggesting a large sect or powerful family. Her decisive bidding revealed substantial wealth.
Numerous precious objects followed, mostly unusual upper-grade spirit artifacts prized for extraordinary power or special uses.
Only when those were finished and treasure artifacts appeared did a few Nascent Soul ancestors begin bidding.
This first selection consisted of immortal-path magical treasures. Many bid, while others waited. In truth, it was merely an appetizer, with rarer treasures still to come. Those who had not obtained anything they wanted simply looked forward to the next offering.
Sure enough, the second selection was soon brought out.
Six trays were placed in a row on the platform, rather than being brought out individually. This only heightened the suspense and made the audience more impatient.
The round-faced elder departed unhurriedly, replaced by a burly man in leather armor, his dark chest bare and his face rather fierce.
His aura was bizarre. He was a demonic cultivator!
Xu Ziqing’s pupils contracted, and his heart tightened.
Instinctively, he looked at his senior brother.
He remembered that Yun Lie was exceptionally upright and never spared demonic villains once he encountered them, eliminating them without mercy.
Yet Yun Lie’s expression did not change. Even the faint murderous qi surrounding him remained undisturbed.
Noticing Xu Ziqing’s gaze, Yun Lie understood his thoughts and transmitted, ‘He has committed no evil in my presence. Naturally, I will not kill him.’
Xu Ziqing paused, then understood.
Of course. Even if someone cultivated the demonic path, Yun Lie would not attack merely because of that unless he witnessed wrongdoing or knew of an infamous crime. His senior brother was upright, not indiscriminate. Xu Ziqing’s concern had clouded his judgment.
He smiled, feeling inclined to chat, and asked, ‘Senior Brother, are the next items perhaps related to the demonic path?’
Yun Lie nodded slightly. ‘They should be demonic-path artifacts.’
Sure enough, just as Yun Lie finished, the burly demonic cultivator waved his arm and stripped the gauze from the first three trays. Thick demonic qi surged upward, gathering a layer of black clouds beneath the hall’s ceiling.
Wails like those of ghosts and spirits sounded from within. Countless evil thoughts seemed to gather there, and any strand of spiritual sense attempting to penetrate the clouds was instantly devoured!
The scene was uncanny. Yet the demonic cultivator inhaled deeply with an expression of intoxicated pleasure. Only after a moment did he turn back, suppressing the greed in his eyes. ‘Those who follow the same path have probably already recognized these items.’
He had scarcely spoken when voices rose below.
‘A Ten-Thousand-Ghost Banner!’
‘No, not ten thousand yet, though it’s still powerful. There must be a thousand ghosts within it, a wondrous treasure refined by the Ghost Spirit Sect’s secret arts!’
‘Exactly. If it’s a Thousand-Ghost Banner, it belongs to the Ghost Spirit Sect! Only the sect’s core disciples would ever be granted one!’
‘Could a core disciple of the Ghost Spirit Sect have been killed?’
The crowd was astonished. The Ghost Spirit Sect was a foremost major sect of the sinister demonic path, notorious for its exceedingly cruel disciples. The Ten-Thousand-Ghost Banner was its sect-protecting treasure, and even subsidiary banners were entrusted only to disciples of considerable standing. Such disciples were invariably ruthless and vicious. Unless one had died, how could such a secret treasure have been lost?
Only after enjoying the crowd’s alarm did the burly demonic cultivator speak. ‘You’re correct. Someone secretly sold these three subsidiary banners of the Ten-Thousand-Ghost Banner to Dragonflight Trading House several days ago. Each contains a thousand ghosts and possesses extraordinary power. For cultivators of the demonic path, the malignant energies within can be used to refine demonic divine abilities, accelerating cultivation immensely.’
He bared his teeth in a sinister smile. ‘Starting price: one million three hundred thousand lower-grade spirit stones. Minimum increase: one hundred thousand. Distinguished guests, please bid.’
As soon as he finished, he seized one Thousand-Ghost Banner and gave it a shake.
Several hideous ghostly heads suddenly emerged from its black surface, opening their mouths as if ready to lunge out and devour anyone nearby!
An invisible pressure spread outward like ripples on water.
Seeing the three demonic banners, Xu Ziqing was suddenly overcome by unease.
The clouds of black qi felt deeply ominous. Even from the platform, they seemed capable of drawing away souls. When those ghostly heads emerged, an especially horrifying aura erupted, making his head swim.
He immediately bit the tip of his tongue. A cooling sensation descended from above his head and drove away the dizziness.
Yet shock remained in his heart.
At that very moment, a hoarse voice suddenly sounded from a room opposite theirs on the third floor.
‘What belongs to the Ghost Spirit Sect should naturally be reclaimed by the Ghost Spirit Sect.’