CHAPTER 78: AUCTION

The morning of the auction arrived with the city in a frenzy. Streets that had once bustled now overflowed, every inn and teahouse filled to bursting with cultivators, merchants, and nobles from distant provinces.

Tian Lei stepped out from the inn, his robes neat, his bearing calm—yet the faint pressure around him made passersby unconsciously step aside. His breakthrough still lingered faintly in the air, hidden but not invisible to those with keen senses.

The auction hall loomed ahead, a towering structure of dark stone inlaid with golden patterns, its doors guarded by armored cultivators whose cultivation surpassed most of the crowd.

Inside, a sharp-eyed attendant in crimson robes immediately noticed him. She hurried forward, bowing slightly.

"Esteemed guest, the hall is packed to its walls today. Ordinary seating may not provide comfort. Would you perhaps require a VIP booth?"

Tian Lei nodded lightly. "Arrange one."

At his words, the attendant produced a black jade token, its surface carved with glowing sigils. With it, she led him up a flight of carved stairs, past the press of lesser bidders below, to a corridor lined with private viewing rooms.

Sliding open the door, Tian Lei stepped into a booth paneled with polished wood and shielded by a thin barrier of spirit light. From here, he could see the grand stage, the masses below appearing distant, their noise softened.

Settling into a cushioned seat, he let his gaze sweep the hall.

Not far from his booth, separated by another glowing barrier, he caught sight of another VIP box. Within, shadows stirred—an aura heavy and oppressive leaked faintly from inside. Whoever sat there was no common figure.

He looked at other VIP boxes and found the same trend, he ven saw his former partners in caravan mission seating on common seats together.

The maid bowed gracefully at Tian Lei’s side.

"Honored guest, do you require any refreshments or additional arrangements before the auction begins?"

Tian Lei merely shook his head. His expression remained indifferent, gaze still upon the other booths and seats. The maid curtsied lightly, then withdrew in silence, her steps vanishing into the hum of voices outside.

Half an incense stick later, the grand hall dimmed. A subtle glow spread across the auction stage, silencing the crowd in an instant. The anticipation in the air was palpable—every whisper swallowed by the weight of expectation.

At last, she appeared.

A woman in her prime, robed in crimson silk embroidered with golden cranes, stepped onto the stage. Her movements were deliberate, confident, the kind of grace that turned heads without effort. Her hair was bound high, adorned with a jade phoenix pin, and her lips carried the faintest curl of authority.

Many men in the hall sat straighter, eyes drawn toward her like moths to flame. Even some women, cultivators of no weak will, couldn’t help but study her presence.

Tian Lei narrowed his gaze.

The air around her wasn’t merely elegant—it carried an undercurrent of feral sharpness. The rhythm of her breathing, the way her aura pressed ever so faintly against the hall, all of it bespoke a trained predator dressed in silk.

"Respected guests," her voice rang like a zither string, clear and commanding, "welcome to the Mystic Sea City Auction. I am your host for this evening—Yu Feiyan."

A hush spread again, followed by low murmurs. The name was not unknown. For some, it carried prestige. For others, allure.

Behind his calm expression, Tian Lei’s brow lowered slightly. He had heard that name once before.

Yu Feiyan—also called the Scarlet Crane, famed not for blades and bloodshed, but for the art of beauty and persuasion. Her charm was a weapon, her grace a battlefield, and countless had lost themselves in both.

And now, she stood here, smiling.

"So... she’s the reason this city’s famous for its auctions," Tian Lei murmured under his breath. But then he dismissed the thought, closing his eyes for a moment, simply waiting for the event to begin.

Yu Feiyan’s voice soon rang out, smooth and clear, carrying easily through the grand hall.

"Honored guests, cultivators from near and far—I welcome you to the annual Treasure Gathering Auction, hosted under my name, Yu Feiyan." Her smile deepened, practiced yet radiant, commanding every gaze in the room. "Tonight, countless rare items will change hands. Some will bolster your cultivation, others may alter your destiny. I trust you have come prepared."

The murmurs below rose again, excitement brimming. From pills to spirit weapons, rumors of treasures had already spread through the city.

Tian Lei, however, remained steady in his seat, eyes half-lidded, measuring both the woman on stage and the atmosphere she so effortlessly controlled.

The hall quieted again as Yu Feiyan lifted a hand. A servant in black robes approached the stage, carrying a long jade tray covered with a silken cloth. With a delicate motion, Yu Feiyan pulled the veil away, revealing a crystal vial that glowed faintly from within.

"A Spirit Condensation Pill," she announced, her voice carrying power and poise. "Refined from over a hundred-year-old spirit herbs. This pill aids those at the Qi Core Creation Realm in condensing their foundation, strengthening meridians, and hastening breakthroughs."

A ripple of excitement spread like wildfire. Whispers filled the chamber.

"One of those already?"

"Such a thing... no wonder cultivators flocked from every corner."

"Who wouldn’t want to bid?"

The Spirit Condensation Pill was, in truth, nothing extraordinary. It was a common aid for those lacking talent, increasing the chance of successfully condensing a Qi Core—a crucial step in any cultivator’s path. Many stopped at this stage, unable to push beyond, and such a pill gave them hope.

Yet in the grander scheme, it was not rare. Among the crowd it stirred excitement, but within the VIP section, no one was particularly moved. The figures seated there remained calm, sipping their tea or simply watching with mild interest.

On the floor, however, bidding quickly escalated, as lesser cultivators fought eagerly for a chance at what they considered salvation. The hall echoed with raised prices, each more desperate than the last, until the vial finally went to a middle-aged cultivator in grey robes.

Yu Feiyan’s smile never faltered. With practiced grace, she motioned for the next tray to be brought forward.

The servant revealed a gleaming piece of jade, its surface faintly glowing with inscriptions. Yu Feiyan’s eyes swept across the hall as she spoke:

"Next, a defensive talisman of mid-grade quality. Capable of withstanding a full strike from a peak Qi Core Creation cultivator. For many of you, this may be the difference between life and death."

The audience leaned forward. This time, even some of the lesser VIP guests glanced with mild interest, though the true elites still remained composed.

The auction continued with steady rhythm. Pills, talismans, spirit stones, minor weapons, cultivation manuals of average grade—all paraded one after another. Each item sparked fierce competition among the lower floors, yet within the VIP section, the atmosphere remained tranquil.

Tian Lei sat with his usual calm, neither raising a hand nor shifting his gaze. Though many treasures had their worth, none stirred his heart. He merely sipped his tea, letting the commotion below pass him by.

Then, at last, something different appeared.

A servant carried forward a long wooden box, but when it was opened, murmurs rippled across the hall. Inside lay a broken blade, its surface dark with rust, edges jagged as though it had been shattered in some ancient battle. The metal looked ordinary, even dull—an item that might be dismissed as scrap in any blacksmith’s yard.

Yet when the box was set upon the stage, a faint, indescribable pressure seemed to linger in the air, like a whisper of something vast and long forgotten.

Yu Feiyan smiled faintly, her voice calm but laced with subtle intrigue.

"An unusual piece. Discovered in the depths of the Northern Wastes, its origin remains unknown. Though damaged beyond repair, it exudes traces of sword intent far surpassing its current state. Perhaps useless to most... but for one with true vision, it may hold hidden value."

The crowd laughed lightly, some shaking their heads.

"A broken sword?"

"Surely this is a joke."

"Who would waste their spirit stones on rusted scrap?"

But Tian Lei’s eyes, for the first time that night, flickered with subtle light. His fingers tapped once against his cup, a measured rhythm of thought.

"A broken soul weapon," he murmured under his breath. He could sense it clearly—the faint remnants of spirit once dwelling within the blade. Though shattered and stripped of its consciousness, the aura of what it once was still lingered. To most, it was no different from a corpse. To him, however, it was something more.

"There is also... a seal within," Tian Lei mused inwardly. "Its surface may be dead iron, but the core has not yet perished. If fortune favors me..."

On stage, Yu Feiyan gestured gracefully to the crowd.

"The starting price will be one thousand spirit stones," she announced. Her tone was calm, but few paid attention. To most cultivators, bidding so much for useless scrap was absurd.

The hall remained silent. Even among the bustling common seats, there was only mocking laughter.

"One thousand for rusted junk? Better to melt it down and make nails."

"Who would waste their savings like this?"