1507 Tian Qiyuan
In an auction house somewhere in Eighth Heaven, a tall figure wearing a fiery red mask approached one of the workers there and said, "I have a weapon that I would like to sell here."
Without turning his head, the worker glanced at this figure and gave him a quick assessment. The figure, shrouded in a ragged cloak that seemed to have been scorched by fire, stood there with an air of mystery. His cultivation, a mere Golden Immortal, didn't seem to match the unique aura that emanated from him, leaving the worker perplexed. Content held by .
"If you want to sell your trash, you can go elsewhere. This place isn't a place for beggars either, so scram." The worker sneered.
"..."
The masked figure's voice rang out, clear and defiant, in response to the worker's mocking words, "Oh? So, this place is so grand that it deems a weapon crafted by the Exalted Blacksmith, Tian Qiyuan, to be trash? I suppose I'll heed your advice and find a more appreciative place elsewhere."
The masked figure's voice was loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.
"What? A weapon crafted by the Exalted Blacksmith? Is that true?!"
"The last one was sold over five hundred years ago! And it was an Ancient-grade treasure that fetched a price that rivals even peak-quality Empyrean-grade treasures!"
"Who called a weapon crafted by the Exalted Blacksmith trash?! Get over here, and let me give you a good beating!"
"Every time a treasure related to the Exalted Blacksmith is revealed, it sends ripples through the Nine Heavens, igniting fervor and awe. Even the most successful auction house, the Mystic Jade Auction Pavilion, would get on its knees and beg for one to be sold there! Yet, in this tiny place, they dare to call one useless."
The worker standing before the masked figure immediately turned pale upon hearing the people around him, his body trembling uncontrollably.
"W-why didn't you say it was a weapon created by the Exalted Blacksmith in the first place?! You must be lying to save face!" The worker refused to believe the person in front of him would have something so valuable.
The masked man didn't utter another word and retrieved a beautiful purple sword. The moment the sword appeared, the atmosphere in the auction house shifted, as if it were in the presence of something extraordinary.
The worker choked on his own saliva after seeing the sword, and loud gasps of shock could be heard in every direction.
"I-it's a Mythic-grade weapon!"
"This refined aura! That flawless appearance and the distinctive signature on the blade—it's undeniably a treasure crafted by the one and only Exalted Blacksmith, Tian Qiyuan!"
"It's finally happened! The Exalted Blacksmith has finally stepped into the rank of Grand Blacksmith! He's only one step away from becoming a Divine Blacksmith like Heaven and Earth Blacksmith and Eternal Blacksmith!"
To advance in rank as a blacksmith, one must successfully craft a treasure corresponding to the desired rank. For example, crafting a Spirit-grade treasure earns the title of Apprentice Blacksmith, while crafting Earth-grade treasures elevates one to Expert Blacksmith.
"Please! Let me buy it off you! I will pay you as much as you want!"
The people in the auction house surrounded him and started offering to buy the sword, all of them offering unbelievable amounts of money for it.
However, the masked figure merely shook his head and said, "If you want it, fight for it."
The people there exchanged glances with each other and prepared to turn the auction house into a battlefield.
Seeing this, the masked man quickly continued, "I mean with your money—in a proper setting. It was going to happen in this auction house, but it will have to be delayed due to circumstances. But this is a good opportunity to spread the news more."
"P-please wait a moment, esteemed guest!"
Someone suddenly approached him in a hasty manner, his body soaked in sweat.
"I am the manager of this auction house! Please do not leave! I will execute this useless fool who doesn't have eyes! Please give us another chance! We won't disappoint you again!"
The masked man looked at the manager and, without saying a word, turned around and walked out of the building, leaving the manager utterly devastated.
"Any auction house blessed by the Exalted Blacksmith's treasure would inevitably acquire a massive amount of reputation, but this place actually dared to chase such an opportunity away. What a pity."
The other customers also started walking out of the auction house shortly after, as they did not want to be associated with the auction house.
News of this event quickly spread like wildfire throughout the Nine Heavens. In order to save whatever face and reputation they had left, the auction house forced the worker who chased away the masked man to kneel on the streets until his inevitable death.
Meanwhile, the Mystic Jade Auction Pavilion extended a public invitation to the masked man, imploring him to grace their auction house with the sale of his extraordinary weapon.
The masked man accepted their invitation and scheduled the auction to begin in one month, allowing people worldwide some time to prepare.
Once news spread, not only did people flock to the Mystic Jade Auction Pavilion, but even powerhouses from the Ninth Heaven made the journey to the Eighth Heaven solely to participate in the auction.
From renowned families to powerful sects to individual collectors, a sea of people made their way to the Mystic Jade Auction Pavilion the moment they heard about the auction.
While the rest of the world was scrambling to gather enough money for the auction, Tian Qiyuan spent his time strolling through the street like a tourist, stuffing his mouth with all sorts of food.
A month passed in the blink of an eye, and so many people showed up to the auction that the Mystic Jade Auction Pavilion had to hastily change its location just to accommodate more participants. Yet, there was not enough space for everyone, so many had to participate from afar through treasures.