Unbeatable Martial Emperor

C7 – Auction House

The Heaven and Earth Auction House was renowned for its vast array of rare treasures, cultivation techniques, weapons, and premium Pills. Yet, it was unheard of for anyone to act out of line within its walls. This was true not only for the Whalespell branch but also for the branches in Steelgrave and even the Royal Capital. The reason behind this impeccable record remained an enigma.

Min Zhenkang was escorted into the auction house by the doorman, marking his first-ever visit. The Whalespell branch held small auctions daily, medium-sized ones every ten days, and grand auctions monthly.

On this particular day, a medium-sized auction was in full swing, with the hall packed to the brim. A maidservant approached at that moment.

“Xiao Cai, please take this gentleman to Elder Di,” instructed the doorman to the approaching maidservant, then left Min Zhenkang to his own devices as he exited the auction house.

“Sir, please come with me,” the maidservant said, leading the way.

“Excuse me, miss, but what is Elder Di’s role here?” Min Zhenkang inquired, his curiosity piqued as they walked.

“You’ve come to have a Pill appraised, haven’t you? Elder Di is our esteemed appraiser, specializing in Pills,” the maidservant answered with courtesy.

“I see,” Min Zhenkang acknowledged.

He followed her to a small building and was gestured inside. The interior was compact, divided into two tiny rooms with just a small window for communication.

No sooner had Min Zhenkang taken a seat than an elderly voice emerged from the window, “Sir, what kind of Pill would you like to have appraised?”

It appeared that word of his visit had preceded him; Elder Di was already informed of his intentions, even his gender, without a word spoken.

“Could you please assess the value of this?” Min Zhenkang requested, producing the last of his Altering Muscle Powder from his Bag of Heaven and Earth.

Elder Di examined the Altering Muscle Powder for a moment before saying, “This is a first-grade Pill of high quality, known as Altering Muscle Powder. It typically goes for 100 Mysterious Stones on the market. If you wish to auction it at our Heaven and Earth Auction House, you could fetch around 110 Mysterious Stones. However, our auction house does take a 10% commission from the final sale price.”

“Let’s proceed with the auction,” Min Zhenkang decided, preferring not to scour the market for buyers. Despite the auction house’s steep commission, he appreciated the security and convenience of the transaction.

“Very well, we’ll set up the auction immediately. A maid will escort you to the auction hall shortly, where you can observe and even participate in the bidding,” Elder Di informed him before a maid entered the room.

“Sir, right this way, please,” said Little Cai, the same maid as before.

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Without a word, Min Zhenkang followed her to the auction hall on the first floor. Once she had shown him to his seat, she discreetly withdrew.

With time to spare before the auction commenced, Min Zhenkang sat back, closed his eyes, and began to meditate.

Ding, ding, ding…

A seasoned auctioneer, an elderly man nearing sixty, stepped into the auction pit. He had been a fixture at these events, expertly wielding the gavel for many years.

Accompanying him were over a dozen maids, each carrying a tray covered with a golden dome.

“Cough, cough. Please settle down, everyone. I may not be much, but I have the honor of presiding over today’s proceedings,” he began with the customary opening remarks.

“Elder, there’s no need for false modesty. Everyone knows you’re the most experienced auctioneer we have. Let’s get on with the auction,” someone called out from the crowd, their voice laced with good-natured ribbing.

“Yes, Elder, please start the auction. We’ve all been waiting eagerly!”

“Alright, the auction will now officially commence. But first, let me go over the rules. I will introduce the items up for bid and start with a minimum price. Then, it’s up to you to bid fairly and competitively—the highest bid wins.” With the crowd warmed up, the auctioneer launched into the auction.

The first item up for auction is a weapon known as the Mystical Ice Spike, crafted from millennium-old Mystical Ice. It’s particularly beneficial for warriors attuned to water or ice, potentially boosting their combat strength by 20 to 30%. We’ll start the bidding at 50 Mysterious Stones, with each subsequent bid increasing by at least five Mysterious Stones. Let the auction begin.” As the elder presented the item, a maid stepped forward, removing the golden cover from the tray she carried.

“I’ll start with 55 Mysterious Stones,” came a bid from the crowd, immediately after the elder’s introduction.

“60 Mysterious Stones here.”

“Seventy Mysterious Stones.”

“One hundred and ten Mysterious Stones.”

The bidding escalated quickly until it hit a sudden peak at 110 Mysterious Stones. It seemed to be the ceiling for the Mystical Ice Spike’s value, as further bids ceased.

The room fell silent, indicating the Mystical Ice Spike had reached its expected pinnacle.

“110 Mysterious Stones going once. Are there any further bids?” the elder called out, scanning the room.

“110 Mysterious Stones going twice.”

“110 Mysterious Stones for the third and final time.”

With a resonant thud, the elder declared, “Sold to the gentleman over there,” as he brought down the gavel onto the small wooden block before him.

“Next on the block is the Skywind Kick, an intermediate Yellow Rank cultivation technique. This technique can enhance one’s speed and could be life-saving in dire situations. Bidding starts at 100 Mysterious Stones, with increments of no less than five Mysterious Stones.”

“Isn’t that the Feng Family’s technique from Heaven Wind Town? How did it get here?” a voice from the crowd questioned upon hearing the item’s name.

“Who can say? Perhaps the Feng Family misplaced it.”

“But should we bid on it? Doing so might offend the Feng Family.”

“Elder, our Feng Family’s technique was inadvertently lost by one of our own. To see it surface here for auction seems quite improper,” a voice laced with veiled threat emanated from the VIP section.

“The Heaven and Earth Auction House has a longstanding policy of not inquiring about the origins of our items. We appraise and price them without prejudice. The highest bidder wins, a principle well-known to all. Surely, Clan Head Feng, you’re not unfamiliar with this rule?” The elder met Feng Nuo’s thinly veiled threat with a calm and steady response.

“Humph, let’s get the bidding started. One hundred and ten Mysterious Stones.”

“One hundred and twenty Mysterious Stones,” chimed in another voice from the VIP section.

“One hundred and fifty Mysterious Stones.”

“Friend, this technique belongs to my Feng Family. It was inadvertently lost by one of our own. I’d appreciate it if you could extend some courtesy,” Feng Nuo interjected.

“One hundred and sixty Mysterious Stones.”

“My apologies, but I have a keen interest in the Heaven Wind Leg technique as well. I hope Clan Leader Feng can forgive my persistence,” came the reply from another determined bidder.

“Two hundred Mysterious Stones.”

“Friend, let’s see who can outbid whom!” Feng Nuo declared.

“Two hundred Mysterious Stones is well beyond the value of the Heavenly Wind Kick,” someone muttered under their breath.

“It looks like the Feng Family is resolute about reclaiming the Heavenly Wind Kick. It’s yours.”

The previous bidder bowed out.

“Thank you, friend. Hmph,” the Feng Family member grudgingly accepted. They hadn’t planned on spending so much, but the price had been driven up to two hundred Mysterious Stones. Nevertheless, it was their family’s technique, and they couldn’t just let it slip away.

The elder watched the proceedings with a smile spreading across his face. The appraiser had valued the technique at one hundred and sixty Mysterious Stones, yet it had fetched a final bid of two hundred.

Following tradition, he tapped the small wooden gavel three times on the podium, confirming the new owner of the Heavenly Wind Kick.

The auction continued with several more lots, none of which caught Min Zhenkang’s interest. He remained seated, eyes closed, conserving his energy.

The highest bid of the day went to a Soul Devouring Tiger’s beast core, which sold for two hundred and eighty Mysterious Stones.

“The next lot is a Pill, the Muscle Meridian Cleansing Powder. While it’s a Rank One Pill, it’s invaluable for those below the Martial Spirit Stage. My appraiser has confirmed its high quality, just shy of top-grade. For anyone below the Martial Spirit Stage with severe meridian or bone injuries, this pill ensures a full recovery, regardless of the severity. Bidding starts at fifty Mysterious Stones, with increments of no less than five Mysterious Stones.”

“Fifty-five Mysterious Stones.”

“Sixty Mysterious Stones.”

The bidding war reignited. On Suanikos, the profession of alchemist reigned supreme, and for every cultivator, Pills were indispensable.

Thus, the price of the Altering Meridian Cleansing Powder soared from fifty to a hundred Mysterious Stones within minutes, before the pace of bidding gradually slowed.

“One hundred and ten Mysterious Stones.”

Suddenly, Min Zhenkang’s ears perked up at a familiar voice. It was coming from the VIP room on the second floor—the unmistakable voice of Min Qi.

The room fell silent for a long stretch, with no further bids. As the elder was poised to finalize the sale with a third strike of the gavel, a voice from another box shattered the quiet, “One hundred and fifteen Mysterious Stones.”

Min Qi’s gaze shifted to the box that had raised the bid. He recognized the voice as Liu Shuai Kou’s, patriarch of the Guo family and father to Guo Tao.

As Min Qi prepared to bid again, Min Huiyu at his side interjected, “Big brother, I know you’re doing this for Zhenkang, but bidding any higher would surpass the Pill’s worth. We’ll have other opportunities if we miss out this time.”

Min Qi wavered, torn. As the head of the Min mansion, he had already drawn criticism for tapping into family resources for Zhenkang’s sake. Persisting down this path would inevitably lead to his ousting as head, leaving him powerless to assist his son.

So, Min Qi stepped back from the fray.

The elder, anticipating another flurry of bids, was met with silence instead and reluctantly declared the sale.

Liu Shuai Kou, who had expected Min Qi to counter, found himself the victim of his own ploy. Spending over a hundred Mysterious Stones on something of no use, he had indeed shot himself in the foot.

With the auction’s outcome, a weight lifted from Min Zhenkang’s shoulders. His interest in the auction waned, his pockets now as empty as his expression.

Seeing the outcome, Min Zhenkang’s anxiety finally eased, and he lost any remaining interest in the auction. After all, his pockets were now as empty as his face was clean. So, he headed backstage to collect his one hundred and four Mysterious Stones.