Linlang Pavilion, within the VIP booth on the fourth floor of the auction hall.
Xiao Chen stood in front of the window looking downwards. All the seats of the great hall were already filled up. There were sounds of chattering as they discussed amongst themselves. The auctioneer was already in place waiting for the right time to start the auction.
Xiao Chen spoke to the Universe Ring, “Sister Ao Jiao, you asked me to agree to that old man’s terms earlier. Why are you so quiet now?”
Earlier, before Xiao Chen could finish looking through the catalog, Ao Jiao’s voice sounded in his head, telling him to agree to the old man’s terms.
“Just do what I say; I won’t let you suffer any disadvantages,” Ao Jiao said unhappily as she floated out from the ring.
When Xiao Chen saw that she came out so blithely, he was startled. He said, “Hey, why did you come out? What is it? What if someone is watching?”
Ao Jiao stated, “If I do not want people to see me, they cannot see me. Furthermore, there is no one watching us here. You are too paranoid. That old man already took the pill and ran off somewhere.”
Xiao Chen relaxed, “The auction is about to start. Now can you tell me which three items to get?”
“What’s the rush? When it arrives, I will tell you. I’ll go out and take a look around first.” When Ao Jiao finished saying that she jumped out the window and floated away.
Seeing Ao Jiao daringly jump off like that, Xiao Chen felt like cursing. He wanted to jump after her and beat her up.
Unfortunately, not to mention being unable to defeat her, Xiao Chen did not even dare to jump out like that. There were thousands of people below. If he jumped out, he would be seen by everyone.
Complaining silently in his heart, the auction continued. The first item on auction was the inner core of a fire attributed Rank 4 Spirit Beast.
At most auctions, the first item of the auction would not be too good or too bad. If it was was too good, it would cause the expectations of the crowd to rise. If the next item was not able to astonish them, they would be very disappointed.
However, if the item was too bad, then it would cause the reputation of the auction house to go down. The crowd would think that there was nothing good. The more impatient customers might even immediately leave.
As for this first item, the inner core of a fire attributed Rank 4 Spirit Beast, it was an average item. Although it was not a precious object, it was also not something that was commonly seen in Mohe City.
The main usage for inner cores of Spirit Beasts was to refine medicines. The method of refining that Xiao Chen learned was different from this world. Thus, Xiao Chen was not too concerned with this Spirit Beast inner core.
Just as Xiao Chen started to feel bored, the auctioneer suddenly said, “Hear ye, hear ye! This Spirit Beast inner core is no ordinary Spirit Beast inner core. It is the inner core of a Rainbow Flame Python.”
“For people cultivating fire attributed techniques, it could directly raise the might of their flames by a level. It's worth is not comparable to those ordinary Spirit Beasts. The starting price is five hundred thousand silver taels. The auction will begin now. Each raise has to be at least fifty thousand silver taels.”
After the auctioneer completely introduced it, the atmosphere in the great hall turned very lively. No one expected that such a precious item would already appear at the beginning of this auction.
“Six hundred thousand!”
“Seven hundred thousand!”
“Nine hundred thousand!”
…...
Soon there were many people shouting out their bid. The price of this Rainbow Flame Python inner core rocketed to a million silver taels. Xiao Chen noticed that the VIP booth across from him was the fiercest in calling out bids. Every time a bid was called out, he would immediately follow up.
From Xiao Chen’s angle, he could not see the situation in the booth across from him. However, it was not a problem for Xiao Chen. He sent out his Spiritual Sense and the scene from inside the booth immediately appeared in Xiao Chen’s eyes.
There were five cultivators in that booth. Only the youth dressed in an embroidered gown was seated. The others were all standing beside him. Their faces were full of respect. This young man must be the Young Master of some clan. The people behind him were probably his escorts.
Out of these four people, three of them were Superior Grade Martial Disciples. The last one was actually an Inferior Grade Martial Master. Xiao Chen thought in his heart, Who was this youth? His escorts are so powerful, why have I never met him before?
“Second Young Master, I hear that this Rainbow Flame Python is the Spirit Beast with the highest purity of the fire attribute. Its inner core is where all the quintessence of its whole body is found. It would definitely be of great help to your cultivation.”
The handsome face of the youth revealed an indifferent smile. He had a calm that most youths lacked. He smiled and said, “Your tone is as though I have already obtained this inner core.”
One of the other escorts smiled, “In Mohe City, the Xiao Clan may be the strongest but when comparing financial abilities, no one can defeat our Tang Clan. Furthermore, the Promise of Ten Years is almost here. Once the Xiao Clan falls, our Tang Clan will be the indisputable number one clan in Mohe City.”
The Tang Clan Second Young Master did not dispute that. There was a proud expression in his eyes as he clenched his fist and said, “I need to get that Rainbow Flame Python inner core. Make a bid of 2 million silver taels.”
So, it was the Tang Clan’s people. No wonder they are so rich and overbearing, Xiao Chen thought in his heart. All these years the Tang Clan had earned a large amount from the fight between the Xiao Clan and Zhang Clan.
This Tang Clan’s Second Young Master was named Tang Feng. The Tang Clan had been very low-profile all these years. It was not strange that Xiao Chen was not able to recognize him.
Once Tang Feng gave his instructions, a bidding paddle was stretched out of the window. The paddle had red words on a white background; it looked very eye-catching.
[TL notes: A paddle, usually with a number on it, used to make bids at auctions by raising it when one wants to bid on an item. ]
The auctioneer below immediately saw it and shouted out, “VIP booth 13 calls a bid of 2 million! 2 million! Is there any higher bid?”
“This is the Rainbow Flame Python inner core. Is there no one else interested? Do note that in the entire Great Qin Nation, this kind of inner core is very rare.
The auctioneer called out for a few times. Seeing that no one raised their bid, he slowly started to explain the rarity of this inner core. However, there were no sounds of anyone raising the bid.
Although this inner core was rare, it was only useful for increasing the power of fire attributed techniques. It was useless to cultivators of other attributes.
If they were not a fire attributed cultivator, it would not be worth it. That is why no one bothered to call out a higher bid.
“2 million! Going once!”
“2 million! Going twice!”
Seeing that there were no further bids, the auctioneer gave up on further explaining and started the final countdown.
The Tang Clan Second Young Master in the booth revealed a pleased smile. Spending 2 million on a Rank 4 inner core... He was probably the only one that could afford this price.
“2 million! Going thri…” When the auctioneer was about to finish the third call, his expression suddenly turned to one of high spirits as he loudly shouted, “Booth 11 bids for 2.5 million!”
“2.5 million... Is there any bid for more than 2.5 million?” This Linlang Pavilion auctioneer was clearly well trained. The tone of his voice was very attractive.
Hearing someone call out a bid of 2.5 million, Tang Feng stared blankly for a while before smiling coldly, “Make a bid for 3 million. Every time the price is raised, raise it by another five hundred thousand. I want to see how long he can last.”
One of the escorts reported, “Second Young Master, that booth seems to belong to the Xiao Clan. I have seen Xiao Jian coming out of there before.”
Tang Feng’s eyebrows twitched as he played with the wine cup in his hands. Smiling wickedly , he said, “Interesting. That Xiao Jian seems to be cultivating a fire attributed technique as well. Looks like we cannot let him have it.”
Xiao Chen was actually not very interested in this Rainbow Flame Python inner core. The attribute of his Purple Thunder Divine Incantation was lightning. Consuming this inner core would not benefit him much.
As for his Purple Thunder True Fire, it was a lightning flame. It was different from regular flames. If he wanted to raise the might of his Purple Thunder True Fire, then he needed to consume lightning attributed energy. Not this fire attributed inner core.
It was just that he found the atmosphere of an auction interesting. When the two booths competed in bids, the price was actually raised to 4 million.
Who was so bold? To be willing to call out such a high price to buy such an inner core. Xiao Chen sent his Spiritual Sense to booth 11.
Very soon the situation in booth 11 appeared in front from Xiao Chen’s eyes. After he saw it, the corners of his mouth curled up as he said indifferently, “No wonder the competition was so tough. It is my big brother who wants this inner core.”
In booth 11, Xiao Jian’s forehead was already covered in sweat. He was originally determined to obtain the Rainbow Flame Python inner core. However, the situation had now largely exceeded his expectations.
Before the auction had started, he had seen news of this inner core from the auction catalog. This inner core would give the Fire Cloud Incantation he cultivated a qualitative boost.
Back when he asked the First Elder for it, seeing that the Promise of Ten Years was drawing near and that Xiao Jian needed it, the First Elder did not say anything else and gave him 4 million silver taels.
With 4 million silver taels, he thought that it would be easy to obtain this Rank 4 inner core. He had never expected such a situation to occur.
He called out 2.5 million, then Tang Feng immediately called out 3 million. When he called out 3.25 million, Tang Feng called out 3.75 million without hesitation.
Xiao Jian, who had just called out 4 million, felt his heart pounding in his chest very hard. This was his limit already. If his opponent increased the price again, he would not have another chance.”
“Please don't increase it any more. If I do not have this Rainbow Flame Python inner core, then how will I defeat that trash,” Xiao Jian said as he wiped his forehead, “Furthermore, I recently heard that that trash is already a Medial Grade Martial Disciple. I must obtain this Rainbow Flame Python inner core.”
When Xiao Chen heard this, he could not help but laugh. He could not understand. Xiao Jian had already become a Martial Master. Why was he so cautious against a Medial Grade Martial Disciple.
Could it be that when he lost that duel the last time, the shadow created in Xiao Jian’s heart was too big?
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