Chapter 53: Eight Directions Pavilion
"So many spirit stones, isn't he afraid I'll run with them?" Song Changsheng joked, weighing the Qiankun bag in his hand.
"He agreed after learning your identity. He believes your reputation is worth more than these ten thousand spirit stones."
Song Changsheng grinned. If he were a loose cultivator, he would definitely choose the ten thousand spirit stones, but he was a disciple of the Song clan, the grandson of Song Xianming, and the son of Xia Yunxue.
"Let's see what he wants first." Song Changsheng took out the jade slip from the Qiankun bag and pressed it against his forehead. What he saw was an unremarkable black stone.
Such stones could be found by the roadside, if not a thousand, then at least eight hundred. Could it truly be some kind of treasure?
He asked, somewhat doubtfully, "Can this thing really be put up for auction?"
Zhu Yiqun shrugged. "These are all clues provided by that senior. He said that if this item doesn't appear at the auction, the Heart Protection Pill is still yours. Seeing how confident he is, the clues should be reliable."
"Alright, then I'll wade into this murky water." Song Changsheng made up his mind. After bidding farewell to Zhu Yiqun, he returned to the Seeking Treasure Pavilion to quietly await the start of the auction.
...
In Drifting Cloud Market, although it was ostensibly governed by the six major Foundation Establishment powers, everyone knew that the Eight Directions Pavilion was the true behemoth.
After all, in the Ziyu Realm, human cultivators, from the moment they initiated Qi into their bodies and stepped onto the path of cultivation, had to pass through several realms, Foundation Establishment, Purple Mansion, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation, and Void Refinement before they could ascend to the upper realms and become true "Immortals."
Ascension was a low-probability event; the "Immortals" who had ascended from the entire human race could be counted on two hands. And among the Dao lineages they passed down, only five have survived to this day, revered as the Five Great Sacred Lands.
The entire human cultivation world was thus divided into five major continents, each guarded by one of the Five Great Sacred Lands. The Sacred Land of the Southern Continent was the "Yang Clan."
The Yang Clan was the undisputed leader of the human race's southern region, residing at the pinnacle of the human pyramid.
Below the Sacred Lands were what people typically referred to as top-tier powers. Only forces with current Void Refinement grandmasters or those that had previously possessed them could be classified as such.
The Eight Directions Pavilion was one of them. Although they currently had no Void Refinement powerhouse in residence, they possessed profound heritage and their shops were spread throughout the world, with their presence even felt in a remote borderland like Ling Province.
Their scope of business was incredibly broad and auction houses were among them.
In Drifting Cloud Market, the Eight Directions Pavilion, relying on its profound background and formidable strength, had crushed numerous large and small auction houses, establishing itself as the sole dominant force.
They stipulated that a small auction would be held once a month, and a large auction once every three years. The so-called small auctions involved accepting commissions from cultivators within Ling Province and earning a commission.
Large auctions were different; besides commissions from others, the Eight Directions Pavilion would also release a portion of its own treasures for bidding. There were all types, truly all-encompassing.
Each large auction would attract cultivators from all corners of Ling Province in droves.
The one Song Changsheng was participating in was merely the monthly small auction, which was not as popular, yet more likely to draw unwanted attention.
Dressed in the black robe Zhu Yiqun had given him, he arrived early at the auction house under the Eight Directions Pavilion.
This auction house was built with great grandeur, comprising three floors. The first floor was accessible to everyone, while the second floor required either a distinguished background or significant strength. For instance, the six major Foundation Establishment powers native to Ling Province each had a fixed private room on the second floor.
Song Changsheng could have entered his clan's private room, but that would have been too conspicuous. He quietly found an unassuming corner and sat down, patiently awaiting the start of the auction.
No sooner had he taken his seat than a figure, also clad in a black robe, approached him and asked, "Friend, is this seat next to you taken?"
Hearing the familiar voice, Song Changsheng was momentarily stunned. He pulled the person into the seat beside him, lowering his voice, "Why are you here?"
Zhu Yiqun chuckled. "I came to cover for you, of course."
"The sheer foolishness! Don't you know the risks involved? Why did you get yourself mixed up in this?" Though moved in his heart, Song Changsheng didn't want him to get involved.
"What's there to be afraid of? No matter how powerful those people are, can they be more formidable than my old man's enemies?" Zhu Yiqun said nonchalantly.
Song Changsheng still wanted to persuade him, but the next moment, the auction house doors closed, indicating the auction was about to begin.
"Sigh," Song Changsheng sighed helplessly, only able to engrave this favor deeply in his heart.
Thump!
The hammer striking the platform produced a crisp sound, and the previously noisy hall instantly fell silent. All eyes converged on the figure standing by the central auction display.
It was a woman dressed in a light-colored palace gown, her figure graceful and well-proportioned, with a high bun, a standard melon-seed face, and a pair of mesmerizing phoenix eyes beneath slender brows. Her cherry lips revealed even teeth and a charming smile adorned her face.
Holding a small wooden hammer, she gazed around and said in a sweet voice, "I thank all fellow Daoists for attending today's auction. This humble one's name is Su Rou, and I am the auctioneer for this event. It is a great honor to preside over this auction, and I hope to bring good fortune to all fellow Daoists.
I announce that the Eight Directions Pavilion Auction now begins.
Now, let us look at the first item for auction. This is a second-rank low-grade magical tool on the verge of transforming into a spiritual tool. The starting bid is one thousand spirit stones, and each bid must not be less than two hundred spirit stones. Bidding now begins."
As Su Rou's words fell, the hall immediately erupted. A magical tool on the verge of transforming into a spiritual tool, what a grand opening!
"One thousand five hundred spirit stones!" someone immediately raised their bid.
"I offer two thousand!" "Two thousand five hundred."
...
Under the frenzied bidding of the crowd, the price of the magical tool quickly soared to fifteen thousand spirit stones, and the price continued to climb. It was finally acquired by a Foundation Establishment cultivator on the second floor for twenty-three thousand spirit stones.
This price had already far exceeded that of a low second-rank magical tool, demonstrating the allure of spiritual tools to everyone.
The auction began with a bang, igniting the atmosphere. The next few items also sold for extremely high prices.
Song Changsheng also spent five hundred spirit stones to acquire a second-rank metal ingot. After that, he remained a detached observer, quietly waiting for his target to appear.
As the auction drew to a close, Su Rou produced a small box and opened it before the crowd. "Fellow Daoists, this auction item was transferred from another auction house in Great Qi.
After a joint appraisal by several of our pavilion's treasure appraisers, it was confirmed to be a treasure, but due to its unknown value and origin, it has failed to sell several times. This item has a starting bid of one thousand spirit stones, and bidding can be made freely. All fellow Daoists, please bid at your discretion."
Her words greatly surprised the attendees, as the Eight Directions Pavilion had never before offered such an "irresponsible" auction item, which naturally piqued everyone's interest.
All eyes turned to the dark, unremarkable object lying in the box...
(Chapter End)