Chapter 62: The Auction

Du Jin carefully accepted the slightly yellowed parchment and projected his powerful divine sense upon it, scanning it swiftly.

A moment later, leaving a contingency plan, Du Jin moved with the speed of lightning, using his finger to lightly touch a concealed paper figurine tucked behind his back.

In the blink of an eye, the paper figurine seemed to spring to life, darting out from behind him with agile grace. Skillfully evading the gazes of the surrounding crowd, it slipped like a phantom straight into the robes of a nearby intelligence peddler.

Everything happened so fast that it was almost impossible for bystanders to notice any hint of what had transpired.

Having done this, Du Jin exchanged glances with the other two, nodding in mutual understanding as they prepared to leave the dimly lit and noisy black market.

However, just as they were about to take their first step, a deep voice abruptly rang out: "Everyone, please wait a moment!"

Following the voice, the three of them looked over to see an elderly man at the fourth realm, dressed in a black robe and bearing a weathered face, walking slowly toward them.

Although the old man appeared aged, his steps were steady.

Upon approaching, the fourth-realm elder smiled warmly at Du Jin and the others, saying, "Gentlemen, I wonder if you might be interested in attending the black market auction held here tonight? You might just find some unexpected gains."

Hearing this, Du Jin pondered for a brief moment before replying, "Does this black market auction of yours have any special features? If it is merely filled with antiques used by mortals, I am afraid it will fail to arouse our interest."

The fourth-realm elder smiled faintly, the wrinkles on his face relaxing as he spoke in a gentle tone: "Hehe, rest assured, sirs. This auction is tailored specifically for cultivators, so it is naturally not filled with commonplace mortal wares. I believe treasures capable of stirring your hearts will surely appear."

Upon hearing that it was an exclusive auction for cultivators, Liu An and Du Jin, who had previously been somewhat indifferent, instantly perked up, a gleam of anticipation flashing in their eyes.

"Please follow me, gentlemen." The old man smiled politely, making an inviting gesture. His gentle and kindly gaze swept across them, evoking an inexplicable sense of warmth and trust.

Seeing this, the surrounding cultivators consciously stepped aside to clear a spacious pathway. They gazed at Liu An and the other two with curious or envious looks, as if the trio were about to embark on a mysterious and wondrous journey.

Before long, the group arrived in front of a three-story building.

This structure possessed a unique architectural style and an imposing grandeur, forming a sharp contrast with the dimly lit and clamorous surroundings.

Most notably, a massive plaque hung above its entrance, bearing three boldly written characters inscribed in a flying, cursive script: Pavilion of Rare Treasures.

Stepping into the Pavilion of Rare Treasures, one found an atmosphere completely detached from the murky and chaotic vibe of the black market outside; here, it was brilliantly lit as if it were broad daylight.

On either side of the entrance stood two young maidens dressed in exquisite qipaos. With sweet smiles and elegant postures, they warmly welcomed every arriving guest.

Upon entering the interior, an eye-catching array of rare treasures filled the display stands and shelves. Some emitted peculiar radiances, while others carried an aura of antiquity.

Whether they were rare antiquities, precious medicinal herbs, or immensely powerful magical artifacts, every single one of them was enough to stir a deep yearning within the heart.

Passing through the first-floor hall and ascending the stairs at the corner, they quickly reached the second floor.

The entire floor was cleverly partitioned into numerous private little compartments. Each compartment featured an exquisite door bearing its own designated room number.

Guided by the mysterious old man, Liu An and his companions followed all the way until they stopped before compartment number three. Upon stepping inside, they found the interior space relatively compact yet exquisitely decorated.

Four chairs crafted from fine timber were arranged neatly together inside the room. Beside each seat, delicate mechanisms for participating in the auction bids had been thoughtfully installed. Finely crafted, these devices were clearly designed with great care.

At this moment, Liu An carefully observed the layout of the entire second floor. As it turned out, each compartment formed part of a complete circle. At the very center of this circle was an exclusive space reserved for the auctioneer to display various rare auction items.

Before long, having waited only a short while, they saw a graceful woman descending lightly like an immortal maiden from above, landing steadily right in the middle of the second floor. Seeing this, Liu An could not help poking his head out in curiosity to look upward, only to discover that the woman had descended from the third floor.

"Wow! Look over there, Senior Brothers! This place looks truly magnificent! There are even beautiful maidens specially assigned to serve fruit platters—this kind of treatment is just too luxurious!" Liu An exclaimed with a sigh.

"Respected guests, today's auction officially begins." A soft, charming voice rang out.

Shortly after, an attendant carefully carried out an exquisite jade bottle containing several longevity pills that emitted a faint, fluorescent glow.

The auctioneer's voice was melodious and pleasing to the ear as she introduced them: "These are longevity pills. Each one taken can increase one's lifespan by three years, making them exceedingly rare and precious elixirs."

"Bidding starts at five hundred lower-grade spirit stones, with each increment no less than two hundred."

In the world of cultivation, the exchange rate for spirit stones was always ten to one: one upper-grade stone could be exchanged for ten middle-grade stones, and one middle-grade stone for ten lower-grade stones.

"One thousand lower-grade spirit stones!"

"One thousand five hundred lower-grade spirit stones!" Competition within the city was not particularly fierce.

However, right at that moment, a young nobleman clad in brocade clothes impatiently called out from the floor, "Three hundred middle-grade spirit stones!" His voice carried an unquestionable dominance.

Soon enough, the longevity pill was sold at a high price.

Immediately following that, a mysterious beast egg covered in red silk appeared before everyone's eyes. The auctioneer gently lifted the silk, and a scorching wave of heat rushed toward them. The eggshell was traced with faint fiery patterns, clearly marking it as the egg of a blazing fire python.

An uproar swept through the hall as a white-haired elder slowly stood up, his voice steady and composed: "Eight hundred middle-grade spirit stones. I will take it." With that, his piercing gaze flashed with an unyielding determination.

Next, treasure after treasure was presented in a steady stream.

A maiden's tray quietly held a pristine and flawless medicinal herb—the Ice Lotus. Tiny ice crystals still clung to its petals, as if telling the legendary tale of its birth in the depths of a frigid glacier. A faint, chilly fragrance drifted from the Ice Lotus, instantly refreshing everyone's minds. All present knew that such heavenly treasures could only be found by venturing deep into the heart of frozen mountains and enduring untold perils.

Several glowing talismans were also displayed; those were third-grade space-splitting talismans. A gentle wave of such a talisman was said to be capable of tearing through space at a critical moment to escape a mortal danger.

Nearby, a miniature model of a third-grade dragon-trapping formation emitted flickering lights accompanied by the faint, muffled sound of a dragon's roar.