The Ink Fragrance Tower in Wuning City was hosting a grand auction today. Representatives from most of the major families and powers in Wuning City were present, with even cultivators from other cities in the East View Domain rushing over.
The Ink Fragrance Tower was similar in nature to the Immortal Treasure Pavilion, but their business scope was broader. They sold everything from magical artifacts and elixirs to rare refining materials and spiritual herbs, with varying degrees of quality.
Therefore, at regular intervals, the Ink Fragrance Tower would select some of the rarer treasures from their acquisitions and offer them for sale through auctions.
The Ink Fragrance Tower was located on a bustling street in the eastern district of Wuning City. When Zhang Fan arrived with Luo Xiaoxiao at its entrance, a large crowd of cultivators had already gathered.
The Ink Fragrance Tower did not set any entry barriers for its auctions. Cultivators of any status or realm could participate, but an entry fee of one hundred thousand spirit crystals was required, allowing up to two attendants.
The one hundred thousand spirit crystal entry fee could be used to offset expenses incurred within the venue. If no purchases were made, the fee would not be refunded.
Although there were no entry barriers, this exorbitant fee kept the vast majority of cultivators outside. After all, the net worth of most Golden Core realm cultivators barely reached several hundred thousand spirit crystals.
Consequently, any cultivator willing to pay the one hundred thousand spirit crystal entry fee had at least a million spirit crystals in assets and approached the auction with a determined mindset to secure their desired item.
After all, if they left the auction without making any purchases, the one hundred thousand spirit crystals would have been wasted.
Zhang Fan's appearance immediately drew the attention of many cultivators present. After all, the incident that occurred in Wuning City more than ten days prior had already spread throughout the city.
After crippling the second young master of the Wang family, the Wang family patriarch had not sought retribution and had chosen to endure, leading many to speculate that the young man must have an incredibly powerful background, one that even Wang Juetian, a peak Tribulation Nascent Soul cultivator, feared and dared not provoke.
After paying the one hundred thousand spirit crystals, Zhang Fan entered the auction hall with Luo Xiaoxiao. Guided by an attendant, Zhang Fan took a seat in a relatively rear position.
Inside the hall, many cultivators noticed Zhang Fan and Luo Xiaoxiao and began to whisper amongst themselves. Zhang Fan heard every word but paid no mind.
Luo Xiaoxiao, however, seemed somewhat uneasy. To her, a young girl who had yet to cultivate, the auras emanating from everyone around her felt incredibly powerful, filling her with apprehension.
"Master, why are they all looking at us?" Luo Xiaoxiao asked timidly, sitting beside Zhang Fan.
"Don't mind them. When your cultivation becomes strong enough, they won't even have the courage to look directly at you, let alone discuss you," Zhang Fan replied with a smile.
"Fellow Daoist Haotian, you have indeed come," a clear voice called out. Shangguan Jing, dressed in a flowing gown adorned with cloud patterns, gracefully approached. Despite her feminine attire, it could not conceal her alluring figure and her spirited demeanor.
Her appearance immediately drew the attention of many cultivators in the hall. However, most seemed to recognize Shangguan Jing's identity and dared not approach to disturb her.
"Fellow Daoist Haotian, your style of conduct remains as bold as ever," Shangguan Jing said with a light laugh as she took the seat next to Zhang Fan.
Luo Xiaoxiao's bright, watery eyes widened in confusion. She couldn't understand why this elder sister addressed her master as "Fellow Daoist Haotian" when her master's name was Zhang Fan.
"Your Immortal Treasure Pavilion is doing well; you've kept your word," Zhang Fan replied with a smile.
From Shangguan Jing's words, Zhang Fan realized that the Immortal Treasure Pavilion had seen through his identity, which was within his expectations.
After all, when he had presented the Star Gate Luo Yun Spear and the Mountain River Seal for sale, he had been prepared. However, he also believed that the bounty offered by the Black Sand Cave Heaven was not enough to make the Immortal Treasure Pavilion betray the trust it had accumulated over many years.
The absence of assassins seeking him in recent days was sufficient proof of this.
Shangguan Jing did not dwell on the matter. Instead, her gaze shifted to Luo Xiaoxiao. "Fellow Daoist Haotian, you've taken this young girl as your disciple? She is truly fortunate."
"We had a connection, so I took her in. Fellow Daoist Shangguan, as an elder, wouldn't you prepare a meeting gift for my disciple on your first encounter?" Zhang Fan said playfully.
Shangguan Jing couldn't help but smile. She hadn't expected Zhang Fan to be so familiar. "I was in a hurry, so I didn't really prepare anything."
"However, I see this young girl hasn't cultivated any techniques yet. I might have a treasure that could suit her."
Shangguan Jing took out a crystal-clear spiritual fruit from her storage artifact. "Consider this Verdant Cleansing Fruit a meeting gift."
"Fellow Daoist Shangguan, such a precious gift upon your first offering is too kind. I shall shamelessly accept it on Xiaoxiao's behalf," Zhang Fan said, his hands moving swiftly.
"Thank you, Miss Sister," Luo Xiaoxiao said crisply from the side, looking somewhat dazed and not fully understanding the situation. However, she knew she should thank someone for a gift, so she spoke out.
Zhang Fan had originally planned to buy some spirit fruits for Luo Xiaoxiao to cleanse her marrow and refine some elixirs for her before she embarked on the path of cultivation.
The Verdant Cleansing Fruit gifted by Shangguan Jing was excellent, worth over a million spirit crystals on its own, making it extremely precious.
The two chatted for a while longer until a woman in red ascended the auction stage. The hall gradually quieted down as everyone knew the auction was about to begin.
"I believe many of you present are not attending our Ink Fragrance Tower's treasure auction for the first time. However, Hong Yi would still like to remind everyone of a few rules."
"First, regarding the auctioned items, we hope everyone bids within their means."
"Second, regardless of the item's price, each bid must increase by at least ten thousand spirit crystals."
"Third, if a bid is made three times without a response, the gavel will fall, signifying the end of the auction."
"Very well, Hong Yi has finished explaining the rules. We shall now officially begin the auction."
The woman in red, Hong Xiu, gently waved her hand, and a pair of enormous hammer-shaped spiritual artifacts appeared on the auction stage. The woman in red introduced, "This spiritual artifact is called the Spirit Yue Hammer. It is a pair of intermediate-grade spiritual artifacts, and among intermediate-grade artifacts, they are considered top-tier. When wielded together, the twin hammers can unleash the power of a high-grade spiritual artifact. The starting bid is three million spirit crystals."
"These twin hammers are quite suitable for me. Three and a half million spirit crystals!" a booming voice echoed from below. Everyone looked towards the voice and saw a burly man clad in animal skins.
"Four and a half million!" As soon as the man in animal skins finished speaking, another voice, unwilling to be outdone, replied, increasing the bid by a million.
"I am the one who uses hammers! These twin hammers should be mine! Five million!" the man in animal skins growled at the other bidder.
"Ridiculous! Why don't you ask the Ink Fragrance Tower to give them to you! Five and a half million!" another cultivator retorted fearlessly, adding mockery.
"While the quality of these twin hammers is good, they are ultimately only intermediate-grade spiritual artifacts. To unleash the power of a high-grade spiritual artifact with them won't be easy. I estimate six million spirit crystals is the absolute limit; anything more would be a loss," Shangguan Jing said softly.
Zhang Fan nodded. A top-tier intermediate-grade spiritual artifact would cost around two million, and these large twin hammers, originating from the same source and best suited for a practitioner who uses twin hammers, wouldn't command a much higher price.
The woman in red on stage watched the scene with a smile. Such situations were commonplace at auctions, and they welcomed them, as it led to higher prices for the auctioned items.
The man in animal skins hesitated slightly. He thought about how he had already cultivated a Nascent Soul but still lacked suitable artifacts. He couldn't afford high-grade spiritual artifacts, so he couldn't let these twin hammers slip away. Gritting his teeth, he bid, "Five million eight hundred thousand!"
"If you bid again, I'll let you have it!" the man in animal skins declared, fixing his gaze on the other bidder.
The other bidder smiled and said nothing.
The hall fell silent. It was clear that this price was approaching the limit; no one was foolish enough to overbid.
"Five million eight hundred thousand, first call..."
"Five million eight hundred thousand, third call..."
With a thud, the gavel fell, and the first item was sold.
...
ps: There was a typo in the previous text. Luo Xiaoxiao should be named Luo Xiaoxiao. I hope this does not affect the reader's experience.