3: Auction!

......

“System functions, please explore them yourself, Host! Bye-bye!”

After the System finished speaking, it fell silent.

“System! System!”

Wei Zhou tried calling out a few times, but there was no response.

Just as he was about to study the System's functions,

Mo Lao Liu scurried over, clutching his chest and panting as he spoke.

“Xiao Wei! Do you remember Li Mo? The one from the medicinal field next to yours, his medicinal plant yield for this quarter wasn't enough, so he's being sent to the front lines to fight!”

“I didn't expect him to suddenly lash out, severely injuring the two Disciples accompanying him before fleeing! But in the end, he still couldn't escape and was slain on the spot by a Foundation Establishment Immortal Master!”

“What a pity about that High Grade Storage Pouch. A Qi Refining eighth-level Cultivator, one can imagine he had many good things on him. It's truly a pity!”

Mo Lao Liu finally shook his head, speaking with considerable regret.

Wei Zhou hadn't expected that Li Mo, who had looked after him just a few days ago, would end up in such a situation.

“I remember Big Brother Li was quite kind. When I first entered the market, he took good care of me. It's truly a pity! To lose his life so young!”

“He also has a younger sister at home, who is quite beautiful. Her future days will be miserable!”

Wei Zhou couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

“Isn't that right! In a moment, she'll be auctioned off!”

Mo Lao Liu smacked his lips, tilted his head back, and took a swig of wine, speaking without emotion.

Wei Zhou didn't have much of a reaction; after all, such things are very common in the Immortal Cultivation world.

However, he thought to himself that Big Brother Li had taken good care of him before, so how could he not help his sister now that she was in trouble!

He swore, it definitely wasn't because he was lusting after her beauty! He just wanted to give her a warm home!

“Lao Liu! Where is the auction now? Quickly take me there.”

Wei Zhou said in a hurried and flustered manner.

“You kid, could it be that you're lusting after her beauty?!”

Mo Lao Liu tilted his head back, took a swig of wine, and looked at Wei Zhou suspiciously.

“No, no, didn't I receive care from Big Brother Li before! Now that his sister is in trouble, how can I not help!”

Wei Zhou said with an expression of righteous indignation.

This couldn't help but dispel some of the suspicion in Mo Lao Liu's heart.

“Alright, let's go!”

With that, Mo Lao Liu conjured a magic sword from his Storage Pouch, lightly tapped his toes, and landed on the magic sword.

Whoosh!

He shot into the sky, flying towards the inner market.

Wei Zhou also immediately conjured his magic sword and followed in Mo Lao Liu's direction.

Finally, he muttered,

“Lao Liu, wait for me!”

......

After a short while,

The two controlled their magic swords to land outside the market. After their identities were checked, they entered the market unimpeded!

Walking on the market road, various stalls stood all around.

Although it wasn't his first time here, he was still greatly envious.

Because this market was located on a second-tier High Grade Spiritual Vein, the Spiritual Qi concentration was at least a hundred times that of the outer shantytown.

Taking a breath of the air, his Qi Refining fifth-level Bottleneck, which had been stagnant for a long time, seemed to loosen!

After walking a few hundred more steps, the area ahead suddenly opened up.

A stage, similar to those in his previous life, stood in the center, exuding a magnificent Aura.

This was the Linruo Pavilion auction house, a commercial guild spread throughout the Immortal Cultivation world of Zhao Country, and it was even rumored that its enterprises were spread throughout the entire Immortal Realm.

Whether this was true or false, Wei Zhou had no way of knowing, as he was merely a small fry at the fourth level of Qi Refining.

Many Sect forces, or Loose Cultivators, would entrust items to them for auction, and Linruo Pavilion would collect 10% of the final auction amount.

“What are you still dazing for, kid? The auction is about to begin!”

Mo Lao Liu patted Wei Zhou's shoulder.

“Got it!”

Wei Zhou said with an air of calm.

Then the two walked to the front of the auction house, paid dozens of Spirit Sands, and entered the auction hall!

They casually picked a spot and sat down!

After a while, all the Cultivators had taken their seats, and the auction began.

On the auction stage, a spirited old man spoke loudly.

“Welcome, Fellow Daoists, to the Linruo Pavilion auction! This old man won't waste any more words, the auction officially begins!”

“The first item to be presented is the <Primordial Pearl>. Long-term wear can accelerate Spiritual Qi refinement and greatly increase Cultivation speed.”

As he finished speaking, a maid carrying a tray ascended the auction stage!

“Starting bid: Fifty Spirit Stones. Each bid increment must not be less than two Spirit Stones.”

The old man said loudly.

“I bid eighty Spirit Stones. Fellow Daoists, please give me some Face.”

A burly man with a full beard scanned the surroundings and spoke, subtly releasing his Qi Refining ninth-level Cultivation.

Everyone saw that he was a Cultivator at the ninth level of Qi Refining, not someone to offend, so no one else bid.

“80 Spirit Stones once, 80 Spirit Stones twice!”

The old man struck the wooden table with his fist.

“80 Spirit Stones thrice, congratulations to this Fellow Daoist for winning the <Primordial Pearl>.”

The old man gave the final word.

“After the auction, please proceed to the backyard to pay the Spirit Stones.”

Then, a graceful maid carrying a tray walked to the burly bearded man!

......

The subsequent auction items were taken one by one.

Wei Zhou was truly envious, but alas, his pockets were empty.

“The next item is <Unknown Ginseng>. Our Elder Great Master Zhuang has appraised it, and it only has a faint Spiritual Qi fluctuation; everything else is unknown.”

“Starting bid: 5 Spirit Stones.”

Time passed minute by minute, just as everyone thought this item was going to go unsold.

“I bid 5 Spirit Stones.”

Everyone looked at the young man in coarse linen clothes in surprise. That's right, it was Wei Zhou.

He had just detected through the System that this was a fourth-tier medicinal plant called <Wind Snow Ginseng>, which was priceless and a treasure that even Nascent Soul powerhouses would covet and drool over.

The process went smoothly; no one continued to bid, and Wei Zhou successfully acquired the ginseng.

The subsequent auction items were all things he couldn't afford, so Wei Zhou simply closed his eyes and feigned sleep.

It wasn't until the final auction item that he opened his eyes and looked towards the auction stage.

“Next up is one of our featured items, the <foundation establishment pill>, which can increase the success rate of Foundation Establishment by 50% after consumption.”

“Starting bid: Ten thousand Spirit Stones. Each bid increment must not be less than 500 Spirit Stones.”

“I bid eleven thousand Spirit Stones.”

A middle-aged Cultivator below the stage spoke.

“Eleven thousand Spirit Stones, don't bring that out to make a fool of yourself. I bid 15,000 Spirit Stones.”

A young-looking Cultivator scoffed.

The person was about to curse, but seeing that the speaker was Zhao Wei, the eldest young master of the Zhao Family of Foundation Establishment Dao, he quickly changed to a fawning expression.

“Young Master Zhao is right, it was indeed me making a fool of myself!”

After saying that, he slapped himself twice loudly.

After the small interlude, everyone continued to bid.

Finally, it was acquired by Young Master Zhao Wei of the Zhao Family for 22,000 Spirit Stones.

“Cough, cough!”

The old man on the auction stage coughed twice and said,

“The next item is Li Yaqiu, the sister of the criminal Li Mo.”

Immediately following, a young maiden was brought onto the auction stage, confined in an iron cage.

The maiden was beautiful and refined, exuding a cold Aura. She sat slumped in the iron cage, her eyes seemingly devoid of light.

The moment the maiden appeared, several greedy gazes from below the stage fell upon her graceful figure!

“I believe all Fellow Daoists are aware! And many Fellow Daoists have come specifically for this!”

“Without further ado, the bidding officially begins. Starting bid: 100 Spirit Stones.”

Everyone bid one after another, and the bidding finally reached 300 Spirit Stones.

Just as a burly bearded man was about to win the bid, Wei Zhou gritted his teeth and spoke.

“I bid 350 Spirit Stones.”

The burly man saw someone ruining his good deed and immediately exuded a fluctuation of Qi Refining fifth-level Cultivation.

Mo Lao Liu, next to Wei Zhou, immediately unleashed his Qi Refining sixth-level Great Perfection Cultivation, directly forcing the bearded Cultivator to stumble back repeatedly.

“Apologies, I did not intend to offend Fellow Daoist! I am truly sorry, and I hope you can forgive me!”

The burly bearded man clasped his hands and bowed to Wei Zhou.

Wei Zhou casually waved his hand, and the big man immediately felt as if he had been granted a great pardon, quickly running out of the auction house.

“350 Spirit Stones once, 350 Spirit Stones twice, 350 Spirit Stones thrice. Congratulations to this Fellow Daoist for winning the bid.”

“Please proceed to the backyard to pay the Spirit Stones!”

The old man bowed.

Wei Zhou followed the old man to the backyard, painfully taking out 350 Spirit Stones from his Storage Pouch, along with the 5 Spirit Stones for the ginseng he had just acquired.

Now, he only had a dozen or so Spirit Stones left, making him a complete pauper.