13: Chapter 13 bought one
The next day.
At Duobao Pavilion, Chu Feng agreed to the Pavilion Master's proposal and expressed that he would give it his all.
This made Pavilion Master Shen Hongyue quite gratified.
Although, she was only holding a trial-and-error mindset.
After meeting the Pavilion Master, Chu Feng did not leave; instead, he found the little secretary, Secretary Han Jiangxue, intending to buy some Materials.
"Our Duobao Pavilion is holding an internal auction in three days, mainly for Guest Elders and certain VIPs. The auction list is already out. If Guest Elder Chu is interested, you can take a look."
Secretary Han Jiangxue handed over a Jade Slip.
Chu Feng took it and probed inside with his Divine Sense.
There were many items on the auction list: Medicinal Pills, Magical Artifacts, Materials, Cultivation Technique Jade Slips, and even a few rare curiosities.
His gaze swept over it quickly, suddenly stopping on one entry.
[foundation establishment pill]: Profound Rank Low Grade realm-breaking Medicinal Pill, can increase a Qi Refinement Perfection Cultivator's chance of Breakthrough to the Foundation Establishment realm by thirty percent. Starting price: One hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
A foundation establishment pill!
Cheng Sanniang was already at Qi Refinement Perfection; a foundation establishment pill was a necessity.
Although the auction price certainly wouldn't be cheap, he had to obtain it.
Continuing down, another item caught his attention.
[Mystic Spirit Root Female Cultivator (Contract Included)]: Named Bai Yafei, nineteen years old, eighth level of Qi Refinement, clean background, voluntarily sold herself into servitude due to Family misfortune. Starting price: Thirty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
There was a brief introduction and a recorded image afterward.
The young woman in the image had a clear and beautiful face, but her eyes were hollow, carrying a lingering look of despair, as if she no longer held hope for anything.
"Mystic Spirit Root... eighth level of Qi Refinement..." Chu Feng's thoughts raced.
If he bid for this woman, not only could he add a member with good potential to the Family, but he could also greatly accelerate the System's upgrade speed!
"I need to attend this auction," Chu Feng said to Secretary Han Jiangxue.
"Very well, Guest Elder Chu. The auction begins in three days at the Hour of Wei, located in the auction hall on the third floor of Duobao Pavilion. This is your entry token." Secretary Han Jiangxue seemed prepared and took out a silver token.
Chu Feng put away the token and handed Secretary Han Jiangxue a list of Materials.
While Secretary Han Jiangxue went to prepare the Materials,
Chu Feng saw an interesting skill, [Elementary Puppet Explanation].
Spirit Talismans plus Puppets seemed like a very good way to fight.
In an instant, Chu Feng made his decision.
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During these three days, besides his daily Cultivation, Chu Feng studied the "Elementary Puppet Explanation."
Relying on the 15x Comprehension Ability bonus from the Level 3 System, he learned rapidly, already mastering the principles of Puppets and several simple methods for crafting Yellow Rank Low Grade Puppets.
Of course, to craft combat Puppets, he still needed a lot of practice and material investment.
Early morning.
Chu Feng instructed the three women to watch over the house and headed to Duobao Pavilion alone.
The auction hall on the third floor of Duobao Pavilion was decorated elegantly yet luxuriously. The floor was covered with soft beast-skin carpets, and the walls were embedded with night-luminescent pearls, providing soft light.
Dozens of people were already seated in the hall. Most of their cultivation levels were at the Late Stage of Qi Refinement, though a few had obscure auras and were likely Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
Everyone wore the uniformly distributed bamboo hats and masks that shielded Divine Sense, clearly intended to protect privacy.
Chu Feng found his seat and sat down, quietly waiting for the auction to begin.
Soon, a middle-aged Cultivator wearing a brocade robe with a fair, beardless face stepped onto the auction stage; he was one of Duobao Pavilion's managers.
After a few simple pleasantries, he went straight to the point.
"The first item, Yellow Rank High Grade Magical Artifact 'Green Peak Sword,' forged from Blue Steel mixed with a bit of profound iron, sharp and resilient. Starting price is fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, with each bid increase no less than five stones..."
The auction proceeded in an orderly fashion.
The first dozen or so items were standard Magical Artifacts, Materials, and Medicinal Pills; the competition wasn't particularly fierce.
Chu Feng did not make a move, only observing silently.
"...Next is the fifteenth item, 'foundation establishment pill'!" The manager raised his voice as a maid walked onto the stage carrying a jade tray, upon which sat an exquisite jade bottle.
The atmosphere in the hall grew noticeably more heated.
Many Late Stage Qi Refinement Cultivators sat up straight.
"The effects of the foundation establishment pill surely need no further explanation from this old man. Starting price, one hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones! Each bid increase must be no less than five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!"
"One hundred and five!"
"One hundred and ten!"
"One hundred and fifteen!"
The price was quickly driven up.
foundation establishment pills were hard currency at any time, especially in a place like Hongyue City where Loose Cultivators gathered.
Ultimately.
This foundation establishment pill was secured by Chu Feng for the price of one hundred and fifty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
The auction continued.
"The twenty-third item is rather special."
The manager's voice took on a subtle tone. "One Mystic Spirit Root female Cultivator, named Bai Yafei, nineteen years old, with an eighth level Qi Refinement cultivation."
"This woman has a clean background and has voluntarily signed a servant contract. The buyer can use the contract to require her to complete reasonable instructions that do not endanger her life. Starting price, thirty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones!"
A young woman wearing a plain white dress was brought up.
Her head was bowed, her long hair falling to cover most of her face. Her figure was slender, and her exposed wrists were so pale they were almost translucent.
She stood there quietly without any extra movement, but that sense of deathly stillness and emptiness radiating from her core could be clearly felt by Chu Feng even from a distance.
A wave of whispers broke out below the stage.
Auctioning living people was not rare in Hongyue City, especially female Cultivators with Spiritual Roots, who were often more popular than some Magical Artifacts or Medicinal Pills.
However, presenting one directly as an auction item in a formal auction like Duobao Pavilion's was somewhat unusual.
"Thirty Mid-Grade Spirit Stones," someone quickly bid.
"Thirty-five."
"Forty."
The price rose steadily.
A female Cultivator with a Mystic Spirit Root, at the fifth level of Qi Refinement, and with a signed contract, was worth a great deal.
Buying her back to propagate offspring was a very good choice.
Chu Feng was in no hurry to bid; he was observing.
When the price was raised to sixty-five Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, the bidders began to thin out.
"Seventy," Chu Feng spoke for the first time, his voice altered by the mask to sound somewhat deep.
Someone glanced at him.
"Seventy-five," someone from another direction raised the bid.
"Eighty," Chu Feng followed up calmly.
"Eighty-five!" That person seemed to hesitate but still added to the bid.
"One hundred." Chu Feng directly added fifteen Mid-Grade Spirit Stones.
This price caused the hall to fall silent for a moment.
Paying one hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones for a Mystic Spirit Root female Cultivator wasn't outrageous, but it certainly wasn't cheap either. Many people began to weigh their options.
The manager on the auction stage looked around. "One hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones, are there any more bids? One hundred once... one hundred twice... one hundred three times! Sold! Congratulations to this Fellow Daoist!"
Chu Feng's heart settled.
One hundred Mid-Grade Spirit Stones was expensive, but it was worth it.
Soon, a maid brought a contract to Chu Feng.
Chu Feng checked that everything was correct and paid the Spirit Stones.