"The number of people in the entire Jia Ma Empire qualified to attend an auction of that level is few and far between."
Ya Fei, who was accompanying him, commented with a gentle smile.
Zhou Changqing nodded in agreement, then turned to face her. "Sister Ya Fei, I heard you're hosting this auction? Back to your old profession? Did Clan Head Teng Shan give you any trouble?"
"You're overthinking things, Little Brother Changqing. Thanks to you, I've been promoted to a full-fledged Supervisory Elder. And from now on, I'll be responsible for all matters concerning you."
Ya Fei smiled, her every glance radiant. Her alluring, watery eyes could make a man's resolve crumble.
Taking a step forward, she adjusted the collar of his robe. "The auction is about to begin, so I should head over now," she said softly. "I'll come find you after it's over."
"Alright, go on."
Watching her graceful, swaying figure depart, Zhou Changqing couldn't help but mutter to himself.
"What an enchantress. She's getting harder and harder to resist."
"That old fox, Teng Shan, he's certainly a shrewd one. Pulling a stunt like this... he's trying to make me feel indebted to the Mittel Clan."
After glancing at the situation outside one more time, Zhou Changqing found a soft chair and sat down, sipping fine tea and eating fruit as he waited for the auction to start.
From this position, he had a clear view of the entire auction stage below.
Medusa sat beside him, her beautiful eyes also surveying the auction hall.
It wasn't that Medusa had never attended an auction before, but those were events from a long time ago. She had spent the recent years in seclusion, focused on her cultivation.
Furthermore, this was the heart of the Jia Ma Empire. The Snake-People Tribe would not set foot here unless absolutely necessary, to avoid causing trouble.
After a few moments of observation, however, Medusa lost interest. She had seen countless grand spectacles in her life; once the novelty wore off, she found it dull.
She extended her hand toward Zhou Changqing.
Recognizing the familiar gesture, Zhou Changqing immediately knew what she wanted. He circulated his Dou Qi and offered up the day's portion of lightning Qi.
By now, the two of them had developed a tacit understanding.
He would exchange his lightning Qi for her protection.
Should he encounter any particularly troublesome issues, Medusa would step in to resolve them.
To trade a bit of lightning Qi for the protection of a Dou Zong expert was a deal Zhou Changqing would take any day.
Soon, a charming and pleasant voice drifted up from below.
"Esteemed guests, welcome to the Mittel Auction House. I am Ya Fei, the auctioneer for this Xuan Tier auction..."
It had to be said that Ya Fei's social skills and rhetorical artistry were of the highest caliber.
With every smile and gesture, she ignited the atmosphere, and the entire venue grew fervent with excitement.
She didn't waste time with pleasantries, however. After a brief, casual chat, she moved on to the main event.
The first item was brought to the stage, and the auction officially began.
The item was a primary ingredient for a certain fourth-tier medicinal pill. It was quite precious, serving as a nice appetizer for the event.
As such, not many people participated in the bidding; most of the guests held back, waiting.
Even so, the medicinal herb still sold for a price of sixty thousand gold coins.
As more items were brought out, the auction grew livelier, and many more people began to participate.
The main reason most of the attendees were here was to bid on items they needed.
As for the final, headlining item, that was something far beyond their reach. They were here partly to broaden their horizons and see for themselves if the weapon, which the Mittel Clan had hyped up to be something miraculous, was truly as powerful as claimed.
Zhou Changqing, who had initially been somewhat interested, grew bored after a while and closed his eyes to recover the lightning Qi he had just expended.
Though the auction was lively, the process was largely the same for every item. Watching it was a waste of time.
An unknown amount of time passed.
Ya Fei's voice sounded once more.
"Hehe, next up is the grand finale of our auction. I'm sure you have all heard the rumors and are quite curious about what a so-called 'Monster Core Armament' is. I won't keep you in suspense any longer. Let's begin."
Clap, clap.
With a soft clap of her hands, a maidservant walked up carrying a long, rectangular box.
Taking the box and dismissing the maid, Ya Fei swept her gaze across the auction hall with a beaming smile.
At that moment, nearly every person in the hall had their eyes fixed on that box, their expressions a mixture of curiosity, disbelief, and fervent anticipation.
Ya Fei was quite satisfied with this. Wasn't this the exact effect she had gone to such great lengths to create with her promotional efforts?
Click.
She opened the box and placed it on the counter, announcing loudly, "Everyone, this is the Monster Core Armament! A precious sword forged with a special technique and inlaid with a high-level, third-tier Monster Core!"
"As for its power, I'm sure you all have a general idea, so I won't go into further detail."
"This high-level, third-tier Monster Core Weapon will not be auctioned for gold coins. Instead, we will be trading for it, with priority given to smithing materials. Furthermore, the value of the materials must not be less than that of a third-tier medicinal pill!"
Everyone present, from those in the common seats below to the distinguished guests in the private rooms, stared intently at the item in the long box.
It was a beautiful longsword, bluish-white in color, with patterns like flowing clouds and gentle breezes etched across its surface. A verdant green Monster Core was embedded within it.
Judging by its appearance and luster alone, it was indeed a fine sword.
However, without witnessing its power with their own eyes, no one in the audience made a sound.
Smithing materials equivalent in value to a third-tier pill... never mind their rarity, the sheer value was a bit too steep for most people here.
To trade something so valuable for an unverified weapon understandably made them hesitate.
The smile on Ya Fei's face did not waver despite the sudden lull. She continued to scan the hall, waiting for someone to make an offer.
Just as the atmosphere fell silent, a voice suddenly rang out.
"Lady Ya Fei, although we have heard of this weapon's effects, we have not witnessed them with our own eyes. We're all a bit uncertain if this weapon is truly worth the price."
"Therefore, if I may be so bold, I would like to request that Lady Ya Fei demonstrate it for us. It would certainly open our eyes. If you do, I'm sure everyone here would be more than willing to bid. What do you say?"
The speaker was a well-dressed, respectable-looking middle-aged man.
He rose from the dense crowd and cupped his hands in a salute toward Ya Fei.
His voice was infused with Dou Qi, allowing it to carry far and wide, easily reaching every person in the auction hall.
Upon hearing this, many people's eyes lit up. This man had voiced the exact concern on their minds, and they quickly began to chime in.
"Yes, yes! How can we dare to bid without seeing it for ourselves? The Mittel Clan has an excellent reputation, but a demonstration would put our minds at ease."
"Indeed, indeed."
"Lady Ya Fei, surely your auction house won't refuse? We all wish to witness the prowess of this Monster Core Weapon. Even if we cannot obtain it in the end, it would make the trip worthwhile."
In an instant, the hall erupted into a clamor, with voices chattering from all directions.
Ya Fei maintained her poised demeanor, smiling as she watched the bustling crowd.
This was exactly the moment she had been waiting for.
None of them knew that the first person to raise the question was someone she had arranged to be here.
"Please, calm yourselves. Since the Mittel Clan dared to promote it this way, we would naturally not deceive you."
"However, since you have all made this request, if I were to refuse, it would make it seem as if the Mittel Clan has something to hide."
"In that case, I shall grant your request and demonstrate the power of this Monster Core Weapon for you all."
Ya Fei raised a hand to gesture for silence, and the hall quieted down.
At the same time, her gaze swept across the venue, and her voice rose considerably. "However, for a demonstration, I will need a volunteer to assist. Otherwise, it will be difficult for you to truly appreciate the weapon's power."
"My friends, is there anyone here willing to come up and give it a try?"