570: Chapter 570 Auction

"The tickets for tonight's auction."

Manager Qiu replied with a smile.

"An auction?"

Xiao Weiqing looked at Ji Sheng with an inquiring gaze.

Ji Sheng explained, "After the Purple Sea closes, some treasures are kept for personal use, some are bartered, or used as favors, but most of them flow into the trading market."

"Among them, some rare, top-tier treasures will enter the auction, which is where Manager Qiu and his associates make their profit."

"You should know that the prices I get when exchanging at Manager Qiu's place are never lower than what the Holy Land offers for buybacks."

Xiao Weiqing thought for a few seconds and added, "If it's an auction, the price of the treasures will exceed the market price, right? Then it would be better to exchange them at the Holy Land."

"Let Manager Qiu explain this, as it involves their operational methods."

Manager Qiu smiled, "It's not a secret."

Xiao Weiqing listened quietly, waiting for what came next.

Manager Qiu didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Xiao Weiqing, tell me, what happens if a member of the Fourth Heaven wants to exchange for something beyond their authority?"

"For example, Divine Crystals can only be exchanged by members of the Fifth Heaven, and there are quota restrictions."

"You must know that the members of the Holy Land have complex backgrounds, and there are people from all kinds of civilizations. If everyone used low-Rank treasures to exchange for credits and then exchanged them for Advanced treasures—even though the Holy Land is wealthy, it wouldn't allow such a thing to happen."

Xiao Weiqing realized, "The auction is a channel—a channel to buy treasures that are beyond one's authority."

"Exactly."

Manager Qiu nodded.

Ji Sheng continued, "This is the reason why we come to Manager Qiu to exchange for credits. Based on the accumulated credits we exchange, we can increase our Rank for attending the auction."

"This Black Card is the highest Rank, an admission ticket for a Level 7 auction. One must accumulate one million credits to be eligible to get it."

"Otherwise, for some things, selling them to the Holy Land is the same; the price isn't actually much lower. Why exchange them for credits here, where there's even a risk of being ripped off?"

Manager Qiu pretended to change his expression, "Watch your mouth, kid. I've never ripped you off."

"Haha~~ Manager Qiu, slip of the tongue, slip of the tongue. I was talking about those unscrupulous merchants outside."

"You think the same of me in your heart, don't you?" Manager Qiu scolded with a smile, "Every time I exchange low-Rank treasures for you, I'm losing money."

Upon hearing this, Jate immediately said, "Manager Qiu, who would believe that? Even for white-quality treasures, if you sell them to a Level 1 civilization in a remote Star Domain, you'd still make a killing."

Manager Qiu didn't mind being exposed by Jate and just smiled, "Not at all, I'm just earning hard-earned money. For the development of Universe civilizations, I sell them very cheaply. You mustn't slander me."

"Indeed, Manager Qiu's reputation is reliable. For civilizations that have just joined, he never exploits them in transactions. This is the reason why I trust Manager Qiu," Ji Sheng emphasized.

Manager Qiu acknowledged this remark and gave Ji Sheng a thumbs up, "I love hearing that."

Xiao Weiqing noted this silently to the side, then looked at the Black Card in his hand and said, "Is my Black Card the same Rank as theirs? The credits I've exchanged don't even amount to 100,000."

Manager Qiu explained, "Saying it requires accumulating a million credits is just a figure of speech. Even for Geniuses like you, accumulating a million credits takes a long time."

"We issue invitation cards based more on potential. You have this potential, so why not give it to you directly?"

"Besides, you don't think the 70,000 credits in your hand are a small amount, do you?"

Manager Qiu pointed to Ji Sheng and said, "You can ask them. Even among Sixth Heaven members, who has 70,000 idle credits? After tonight, ninety percent of people won't have any left; they've all used them to improve their own strength."

"Remember, in the Holy Land, strength is always the top priority. If I could have entered the Sixth Heaven back then, I wouldn't be here talking about this little business with you."

"You are all Geniuses with hope of entering the Undying Realm; improving your strength is the top priority."

Xiao Weiqing nodded, strongly agreeing with Manager Qiu's statement. He had all of this, the Blue Star Civilization entered the Fifth Universe Civilization, including the preferential treatment from Manager Qiu now, all because of strength.

Ji Sheng said, "Then you didn't think highly of my potential back then, did you? You only gave me the Black Card on the third time."

"What do you think? When we first cooperated, you had just entered the Fifth Heaven, right? Do you think I should have given you a black invitation card?"

Ji Sheng didn't speak; he couldn't refute it because what Manager Qiu said was the truth. Putting himself in his shoes, he wouldn't have done it either.

At this moment, Jate said gloomily, "Don't bring it up. I only got the black invitation card on my fifth time, and that was by hitching a ride on Ji Sheng's Face."

"Haha~~"

Manager Qiu laughed heartily.

Ji Sheng also curled his lips upward, but didn't laugh out loud, saving Face for Jate.

The group chatted for a while longer.

The auction was about to begin.

"Manager Qiu, then I'll be off."

"Mm, take care. I hope you can all bid on treasures you are satisfied with tonight."

"I hope your words come true."

The three left the office.

"Are you going to the auction?"

The female secretary, who had been waiting at the door, asked respectfully.

"Yes, Sister Yu."

"Follow me."

Ji Sheng was puzzled, "Sister Yu, where to?"

Usually, they needed to take the elevator to the 99th floor and then walk to the 100th floor; the Level 7 auction was on the 100th floor.

"By taking the boss's elevator, you can go directly to the 100th floor."

"Hmm?"

Ji Sheng raised an eyebrow and immediately fell into deep thought, then looked sharply at Xiao Weiqing.

This wasn't his first time here, but he had never taken the exclusive direct elevator. As far as he knew, no other Sixth Heaven members had taken it either.

Why was today an exception?

The reason could only be because of Xiao Weiqing.

Thinking back to the office just now, Manager Qiu gave Xiao Weiqing the black invitation card—was it really just because he was optimistic about Xiao Weiqing's potential?

How could he judge Xiao Weiqing's strength? One must know that there are Geniuses who enter the Sixth Heaven through the Ascension Battle every year.

There is no shortage of people like Xiao Weiqing.

"Is something wrong?"

Xiao Weiqing was a bit confused by Ji Sheng's gaze.

"It's nothing, let's go. The auction is about to start."

The three followed the female secretary to an elevator that looked very ordinary on the outside.

The elevator seemed to have been waiting here for a long time.

"Please!"

"Thank you."

The female secretary watched the elevator close and only returned after it went up to the 100th floor.

"Knock knock~~"

"Come in."

"Manager, the three of them have already gone up."

"Mm, I see. You may go."

The female secretary hesitated for a moment and asked curiously, "Manager, why did you let them take the exclusive elevator to the auction this time? You never let Ji Sheng before..."

Before she could finish speaking.

The female secretary was stopped by a look from Manager Qiu.

"Don't ask what you shouldn't."

"I... I understand, Manager." The female secretary's Face turned pale, and she silently exited the office.

After the female secretary left.

Manager Qiu tapped a few times, and a virtual old man appeared in front of the desk.

"Manager Qiu."

"Uncle Jiang, I told you, just call me by my name."

The old man didn't speak.

Manager Qiu shook his head helplessly, then said, "Tomorrow, have Xiao Yu go to Ansa Star."

The old man was slightly stunned and only reacted two seconds later. He really couldn't connect Xiao Yu with Ansa Star.

Because Xiao Yu had been serving as Manager Qiu's secretary for over two hundred years.

But the old man didn't ask any more questions, just lowered his head, "Understood."

The scene fell quiet.

Neither of them spoke.

After a while.

Manager Qiu sighed softly, "Hint to her that she can return in two hundred years."

"Understood."

The old man still only used three words.

"Mm, that's all."