Chapter 86: Two Hundred Fifty

The auction began on the dot at eight.

The venue was the great hall itself. In front of it stood a low platform, evidently the dais, with a square table set upon it. Chen Jian stood beside the table, brimming with confidence.

The guests sat cross-legged in the hall, nearly all four hundred cushions occupied.

“Welcome, fellow martial artists, to our auction. I am Chen Jian, honored to serve as your host. As in previous years, this auction will chiefly feature rare and precious treasures. I should note one especially important matter: we have just received an extraordinarily valuable item. Please look forward to it.”

Chen Jian’s enticing opening at once captured the full attention of everyone present.

“As always, our side guarantees the authenticity of every item. Each lot will be called three times only. If no one bids after the third call, the lot is deemed sold. I will not waste words. Let us invite the first item.”

At his glance, a male attendant emerged from the rear of the hall carrying a tray. He strode briskly to the dais, placed a red-wood box from the tray onto the square table, bowed slightly to the crowd, and left.

Chen Jian lifted the red-wood box and slowly opened it, revealing a luminous pearl the size of a fist.

“The first lot, a night pearl.”

His words struck like a spark, and the martial artists erupted at once.

“Wow! Is it real?”

“Of course it is. The Unwavering Heart Academy has never put out a fake.”

“The very first lot is a night pearl. Looks like tonight will be interesting.”

...

“Lights out!” Chen Jian called sharply, and all the lamps in the hall were extinguished.

The hall fell instantly into darkness.

And yet, before the dais, a faint gleam still shimmered. Though weak, it was plain to all.

It was the light cast by the jewel within the box.

A hiss of astonishment rose through the hall.

The crowd again leaned together in murmured discussion.

Chu Tianfeng sat toward the rear of the hall, a trace of satisfaction on his face.

He had been the one to suggest starting with a night pearl.

He could not help it; his means were limited, so he had to auction the pearl first and turn it into a bit of spending money.

To others, the night pearl might indeed count as a treasure, but to him it was not even as valuable as a single Spirit-Revitalizing Pill.

Suddenly, Chu Tianfeng was jolted with alarm.

He clearly sensed a divine sense sweeping rapidly through the hall. More than that, it was exceedingly powerful, far stronger than his own.

A Heaven-Origin cultivator. At the very least, someone at the mid-Heaven-Origin stage.

Fortunately, that divine sense bore no malice. It skimmed over the crowd and did not linger.

Chu Tianfeng secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Good thing he had not brought Xiyazi; otherwise, even if the Heavenly Master Sect had failed to notice, this person surely would have.

He guessed this man was likely a senior monk from the Unwavering Heart Academy, present to keep order.

“Lights on!” Chen Jian roared again, and the hall immediately returned to brilliant illumination.

That divine sense withdrew in an instant. The martial artists remained unaware, still immersed in the shock of the night pearl.

Chen Jian looked around once more. “There is no doubt that this night pearl is genuine. Very well, let the bidding begin. The opening price is one hundred million yuan, with each increase no less than ten million.”

“Two hundred million!”

No sooner had Chen Jian spoken than someone in the hall raised a bidding placard high, while a rough voice rang out.

Damn it.

At least three hundred of the four hundred martial artists were cursing in their hearts.

The night pearl was indeed precious, and a ten-million increment would not have insulted it. Why leap by a full hundred million? It was plainly a shill.

Some also noticed the number on the bidder’s placard and could not help snickering.

Number two hundred and fifty.

That style of doing things fit the number perfectly. One digit more or less would not do. While they laughed, they also found themselves impressed by the auction house’s tactics.

“Two hundred and ten million!” someone said, unable to bear it, adding exactly ten million.

It was obvious this person was hinting that Number Two Hundred and Fifty ought to raise the bid more gently, just like himself.

“Three hundred million!”

Number Two Hundred and Fifty appeared utterly ungrateful, continuing to embody the spirit of two hundred and fifty indeed.

The hall burst into laughter.

Chu Tianfeng was laughing too. He felt this Brother Two Hundred and Fifty was simply adorable. The auction house ought to recruit more such brothers to liven things up.

“Thank you, sir. Fellow friends, does anyone else wish to bid?” Chen Jian’s voice came at the right moment. “Very well, three hundred million once... three hundred million twice... three...”

Suddenly, a voice from the front of the hall cut in: “Four hundred million!”

Wow.

Yet another rich one had appeared, and the crowd surged into another uproar.

Still, once they saw the bidder’s placard, they dared not talk too freely.

Number Ten.

Clearly, this was a VIP-level number.

The corners of Chu Tianfeng’s mouth lifted slightly as he watched with interest at Long Fei, who had raised the placard.

Number Two Hundred and Fifty had intended to bid again, but the person beside him stopped him with a wave of the hand.

Though unwilling, when he saw the placard in Long Fei’s hand, he ultimately chose to give way.

Thus the hall fell silent in an instant.

Chen Jian frowned slightly. Truth be told, he, like Chu Tianfeng, was fond of people such as Number Two Hundred and Fifty.

The auction house took a ten percent commission. The higher the final price, the greater their profit.

The Long family had suddenly burst in to snatch the prize; he was naturally displeased. But there was nothing to be done.

He knew full well the Long family’s standing in the martial world of the nation. They were not a clan to offend lightly.

Chen Jian gave a silent shake of the head and was just about to call the bid when—

“Five hundred million!”

Another voice suddenly pierced the front of the hall.

Placard number eight!

It was point versus counterpoint.

Chu Tianfeng glanced over casually. Unfortunately, he dared not use his divine sense, and could only judge from the back that this bidder was also young. As for his appearance or cultivation, he could tell nothing at all.

More murmurs began to rise.

“This is going to be good!”

“Haha! The Wang family has joined in too!”

“Dragon, Phoenix, Wang! Since the Long and Wang families have made their move, how could the Feng family stay absent?”

“Feng family, if you’re going to bid, then bid. Don’t let us look down on you.”

Someone even called out, “Feng Mingxue, I love you!”

The mood shifted on the spot, though someone immediately corrected him.

“Keep your voice down. You want to get thrown out?”

...

Chu Tianfeng listened, completely baffled.

Chen Jian stroked his beard and smiled, calling the bid again. “Five hundred million once...”

“Five hundred and ten million!”

A middle-aged woman’s voice suddenly rang out in the hall.

Placard number six!

Chu Tianfeng glanced over casually, but could only see a graceful back.

Others nearby were again whispering in discussion.

“Wow! The Feng family really has stepped in!”

“Of course. Only the Feng family can keep the Long and Wang families in check.”

“Heh heh, that’s right. Feng Piaopiao still has all her charm.”

...

At the table, Chen Jian had originally hoped for a spectacle when the Long and Wang families clashed, but to his surprise the Feng family stepped forward so quickly to play peacemaker. He felt rather helpless.

As expected, after the middle-aged woman of Number Six, Feng Piaopiao, made her bid, the arena quieted once more. Long Fei and Number Eight were tacitly restrained and did not contest her.

“Five hundred and ten million once, five hundred and ten million twice, five hundred and ten million three times. Sold! Congratulations to this lady for obtaining the first auction item.”

Chen Jian tried his best to sound pleased, congratulating Number Six, Feng Piaopiao.

Chu Tianfeng had no idea how much the night pearl was worth. To sell it for five hundred million already seemed excellent to him. In any case, he finally had money now. He could take part in the rest of the auction to his heart’s content.

The second item was then carried to the table. Chu Tianfeng quietly released his divine sense to inspect it—and was startled again.

Spirit stones!

Ten low-grade spirit stones, all of them!

Chu Tianfeng was thrilled.

He had all the pills he needed, but the spiritual energy between heaven and earth on Earth was pitifully thin. Relying solely on absorbing natural spiritual energy to cultivate was unbearably slow, like a turtle crawling.

But with spirit stones, everything would be different.

Ten low-grade spirit stones was admittedly a bit few, but even a fly’s leg is meat. Better than nothing.

I must get them.

He silently urged himself on.

“Vital energy stones. I won’t need to introduce this stone, I suppose; I trust fellow martial friends are all fairly familiar with it. Ten pieces per set. Opening price: one million, with each increase no less than one hundred thousand.”

Vital energy stones? A faint smile flashed at Chu Tianfeng’s lips.

“One million!”

No sooner had Chen Jian spoken than placard number six rose again.

The martial artists seemed to have reached a tacit understanding, and none of them joined the bidding.

This had already been anticipated by Chen Jian. One million per set was indeed somewhat low, but the various sects had obviously discussed it privately. Even if he was dissatisfied, there was nothing he could do.

“One million once...” Chen Jian had barely finished the first call when he was interrupted again.

“Two million!”

Everyone turned toward the sound and saw a placard raised high from a rear row of the hall.

Number One Hundred and Nine!

What was going on? A bidder with a number in the hundreds actually dared to come out and steal the bid? And steal from VIP Number Six, no less?

Everyone watched this reckless fellow with the delight of spectators awaiting a show.

Chu Tianfeng did not care what anyone thought, nor did he care what agreements existed among the sects.

He only wanted those spirit stones, and would stop at nothing to get them.

Money meant nothing to him; he did not care about it.

Feng Piaopiao also turned around to look at Chu Tianfeng.

Chu Tianfeng looked back at Feng Piaopiao.

But Feng Piaopiao too had a black veil over her face, and he could scarcely make out anything. He could not help grumbling inwardly.

Chen Jian gave Chu Tianfeng an approving look, then glanced around.

The hall was silent. No one responded.

Chen Jian had no choice but to slowly raise his right hand.

“Wait, two million one hundred thousand!” Number Eight held up his placard high.

Chu Tianfeng smiled faintly and immediately called out, “Two million five hundred thousand!”

The martial artists were speechless. They wondered if the affliction of two hundred and fifty had become contagious. Number Ten had finally stamped one out, and before a quarter of an hour had passed, another had crawled out.

“Hmph!”

Number Eight also turned around and glared viciously at Chu Tianfeng.

He was a long-faced youth, handsome in a way that perhaps even surpassed Chu Tianfeng, with phoenix eyes blazing with anger and thin lips twisted in resentment.

Long Fei and the others, meanwhile, looked at Chu Tianfeng with curiosity, not knowing what he was trying to pull.

Chu Tianfeng merely spread his hands and put on an innocent face.

At last, Chen Jian’s face broke into a smile.

“Two million five hundred thousand once, two million five hundred thousand twice, two million five hundred thousand three times. Sold. Congratulations to this friend for obtaining this set of vital energy stones.”

Soon afterward, a male attendant brought the spirit stones to Chu Tianfeng. Chu Tianfeng slipped them into his bundle and then transferred them into his ring.

Next came the third item.

To Chu Tianfeng’s surprise, the third lot was also spirit stones, again ten pieces.

However, the opening price had risen to two million five hundred thousand.

“Two million six hundred thousand!”

This time, the bidder was Number Thirty-Five, Duan Rui of the Yellow Mountain Sect.

Chu Tianfeng did not hesitate for a moment. He immediately bid, “Three million!”

“You...” Duan Rui was livid. “Friend, I am Duan Rui of the Yellow Mountain Sect. I hope you can carry those vital energy stones out with you. Hmph!”