It wasn’t long before an elderly man emerged from the backstage.
“I am Xie Zhang, and I will be your auctioneer tonight. It is my honor to be here with all of you. Tianbao Auction House has spent an entire month preparing for this event, gathering a wealth of rare treasures. I believe everyone is looking forward to the auction tonight.
Without further ado, let the auction begin!”
Xie Zhang kept his introduction brief and swiftly moved on to the first item.
“Our first auction item is the Three-Leaf Vitality Herb. This herb has the effects of promoting blood circulation, detoxification, beauty enhancement, and longevity. If you wish for your beloved to remain youthful and beautiful, this is the perfect gift for her.
Of course, it has numerous other health benefits that I won’t elaborate on.
The starting bid is 1,000 taels of silver, with a minimum increment of 100 taels per bid!”
“1,200 taels!” The moment Xie Zhang’s voice fell, someone immediately placed a bid.
“1,500 taels!”
“2,000 taels!”
The bids came in one after another, but Tang Yan sat there, staring blankly at the herb on display.
It was a single-stemmed plant with three thick, vibrant green leaves, exuding a fresh and lively aura.
As an alchemist, the moment Tang Yan laid eyes on the herb, his keen intuition sensed a faint, pure energy radiating from it.
A Three-Leaf Vitality Herb! And the starting bid is only 1,000 taels?!
Tang Yan had to resist the urge to shout in excitement. Could it be that the people of this world didn’t even know the true value of this herb?
Its main function wasn’t enhancing blood circulation or maintaining beauty. Its real power lay in strengthening one’s mental energy!
In cultivation, a person possessed three essential energies: Essence, Qi, and Spirit. While Qi could be cultivated through training, Essence and Spirit were extremely difficult to refine. For an alchemist, having strong mental energy was crucial.
And the Three-Leaf Vitality Herb’s greatest effect was precisely that—it tempered and strengthened one’s spirit!
Among alchemists, it was better known as the Spirit Refining Herb, a priceless treasure that could easily fetch a fortune.
“8,000 taels! Any further bids?”
“8,000 taels, going twice!” Xie Zhang called out.
The opening item of the auction was considered mediocre by most people. The fact that it had already reached 8,000 taels was quite surprising. Xie Zhang was content with the price and was just about to bring down the hammer when—
“50,000 taels!” Tang Yan blurted out.
Silence.
Xie Zhang was stunned.
Zi Yun, sitting beside him, was stunned.
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The entire auction hall was stunned.
Is this guy insane?!
He didn’t bid earlier, yet now, at the last second, he suddenly raised the price by more than six times?! The herb was only at 8,000 taels, and even if he had raised it to 10,000, no one would have competed with him. But 50,000 taels?!
The crowd’s expressions turned strange. This young master of the Tang family, who had recently been making a name for himself in Cloud City, turned out to still be the same reckless fool!
“Tang Gongzi, this is the Tianbao Auction House. Once a bid is made, there’s no taking it back,” Xie Zhang warned, his brows furrowed.
Xie Zhang had heard of Tang Yan’s notorious reputation as a wastrel and was worried that he might be playing games.
Tang Yan realized he had bid too high, but compared to the herb’s real value, 50,000 taels was still an absolute steal! He casually took out a silver note worth 50,000 taels and slapped it onto the table with an air of extravagance.
“I’ve got plenty of money to burn. The more I spend, the better I feel!”
Everyone in the hall simultaneously broke into cold sweat.
By tomorrow, Tang Yan’s title as Cloud City’s number-one wastrel would be firmly established once again.
Xie Zhang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Thanks to Tang Yan’s impulsive bid, this might just be his most successful auction yet. An item worth no more than 10,000 taels had just been sold for 50,000!
“50,000 taels, going once!”
“50,000 taels, going twice!”
“50,000 taels, sold!”
Xie Zhang finally struck the gavel, feeling both relieved and amused. While 50,000 taels wasn’t a significant sum for the Tianbao Auction House, such an outrageous markup was a rare sight.
“You must be insane,” Zi Yun muttered, looking at Tang Yan with disdain.
“Heh, women just don’t understand these things,” Tang Yan replied smugly, crossing his legs in satisfaction.
Seeing that Tang Yan had no intention of explaining himself, Zi Yun simply rolled her eyes and ignored him.
“The next item up for auction is a Purple Heart Jade Pendant. This pendant is made from deep-sea jade from the Southern Ocean and has been meticulously carved by a master craftsman. It has a calming effect on the mind and promotes inner energy circulation, aiding in cultivation.
The starting price is 3,000 taels, with a minimum increment of 100 taels per bid!”
As Xie Zhang’s voice fell, the second round of bidding began.
Tang Yan scoffed. Purple Heart Jade? What a joke. It’s all just a placebo effect. He leaned back in his chair, waiting for the more valuable items to be auctioned.
As the auction continued, Tang Yan purchased three more herbs, each of which carried immense hidden value.
Zi Yun, being from the prestigious Purple Bamboo City and used to seeing rare treasures, wasn’t impressed by anything so far. She remained silent throughout the bidding.
As the auction neared its climax, Xie Zhang’s voice rang out once again.
“Now, we move on to the highlight of tonight’s auction. I’m sure everyone will be very interested in this item.”
“What is it, Master Xie?” someone in the crowd impatiently called out.
Seeing that he had successfully piqued their curiosity, Xie Zhang finally revealed the item.
“This is a martial arts technique known as Thousand Mountain Fist. After expert appraisal, we have confirmed that this is a partial martial arts manual.”
A murmur of disappointment rippled through the crowd.
While martial techniques were highly coveted by all cultivators, a fragmented technique was far less valuable. Not only would it be less effective, but there was also the risk that it would be impossible to master.
Sensing their diminishing enthusiasm, Xie Zhang quickly added, “However, we are fortunate that this manual contains the opening chapters, meaning it can still be practiced to completion!”
Hearing this, the disappointed expressions in the audience quickly turned into renewed anticipation.
Tang Yan’s heart began to race. This was exactly what he had been looking for—a solid martial technique!
“Master Xie, what is the rank of this technique?”
“The final item of the auction must at least be of the Yellow Rank, right?”
Discussions erupted throughout the hall.
Xie Zhang didn’t keep them waiting this time.
“The Thousand Mountain Fist is a powerful battle technique with incredible destructive potential. While the manual is incomplete and only contains the first two techniques, it still reaches the level of Yellow Rank—Mid Tier!”
Yellow Rank—Mid Tier!
The entire hall fell silent for a moment before a wave of heated discussions broke out.
Even the four great families of Cloud City had very few martial techniques of this caliber. Smaller clans and sects would be lucky to have even a high-tier Mortal Rank technique.
This auction was about to become a battleground.
“The bidding starts at 100,000 taels, with a minimum increment of 1,000 taels per bid. The auction begins now!” Xie Zhang declared.
“200,000 taels!”
The first bid had already doubled the starting price.