Chapter Twenty-Eight: The Auction

For the past three days, Su Fan had not visited the teahouse for tea, instead spending his time studying formation diagrams and practicing arrays that required no materials. After all, he was preparing to attend the auction; though he possessed enough spirit stones to purchase the necessary items, he feared encountering shameless thieves along the way. Even if he succeeded in buying the materials, he might not be able to bring them back.

In the inn’s backyard stood a young woman dressed in pale pink, silently surveying the medicinal herbs planted in each corner of the courtyard. These were all basic herbs, their spiritual energy not particularly dense, but the considerable planting area allowed waves of aura to emanate. For reasons unknown, this aura seemed to swirl around the courtyard, filling it with a fragrant scent.

Within his own sanctuary, Su Fan stirred his divine sense, smiling faintly, and in a flash, arrived at his room on the second floor. After days of observation, Su Fan had come to understand the inn’s architecture thoroughly. It was surrounded by a massive formation; once one mastered its controls, every change within the inn could be seen clearly. With a thought, he could travel anywhere inside, and he sensed Fan Ruoyu’s arrival. He returned to his room first, then entered the backyard from outside, unwilling for outsiders to discover his sanctuary. The abundance of spiritual energy made it rare and precious, and should others learn of it, greed would surely arise. Though he was acquainted with Fan Ruoyu, Su Fan was cautious by nature; his actions were hardly surprising.

“Miss Fan, thank you for waiting,” Su Fan said with a gentle smile as he approached.

Fan Ruoyu turned and glanced at him, saying, “I hadn’t realized you were so meticulous—this little courtyard is arranged with such elegance. You’re almost like a young lady yourself.”

Su Fan forced a wry smile and waved his hand, shooing away a bird searching for food in the courtyard. “Let’s go,” he said, producing a token.

Fan Ruoyu narrowed her eyes and smiled, “Take my hand.”

Su Fan hesitated, puzzled. Fan Ruoyu blinked and nonchalantly brushed her sleeve. “I’m just afraid we’ll get separated if there are too many people inside.”

Su Fan paused, then reached out to grasp her soft hand, nodding to signal he was ready. Together, they infused their divine sense into the token.

A violet light streaked across the courtyard, leaving behind a faint purple afterimage.

A drum sounded, and the violet light landed, gradually revealing two clouds of black mist.

“It’s so eerie here—just like the Palace of the King of Hell in those old songs,” Fan Ruoyu whispered.

Su Fan said nothing, scanning their surroundings. Clouds of black mist drifted by, sometimes singly, sometimes in groups. Su Fan tried probing with his divine sense, but it was blocked, as if by some invisible barrier.

Clearly, the black mist served to conceal identities.

They walked forward, and soon, lights appeared in the distance. Fan Ruoyu hurriedly pulled Su Fan’s hand and ran toward the glow.

A massive door loomed before them, like two small mountains, flanked by two smaller doors. Two middle-aged men stood guard at the entrance, unshrouded by the black mist—evidently, auction guards. Su Fan moved quietly toward the door.

“Token,” one guard said expressionlessly. Su Fan handed it over.

The guard’s expression changed slightly as he returned the token. “This way,” he said, indicating the left door.

Fan Ruoyu, like Su Fan, entered through the left.

Inside was a vast plaza, ringed with viewing platforms. The central space was a square stone stage.

The platforms were filled with people. Following the instructions on his token, Su Fan found his seat.

By coincidence, Fan Ruoyu sat beside him. After they settled, she smiled inexplicably.

Su Fan paid her little mind; he admitted he could never fathom her thoughts.

He looked toward the stone stage, noticing his seat was rather special. From this vantage, he could see everything on the auction floor, while to either side there were blind spots. The area blocked divine sense, so even if one tried, they could not see all the offerings.

More importantly, there were few people around him—some seats even empty—while the sides were crowded.

“Today marks the Mo Family’s third auction. Thank you all, friends, for joining us,” announced the auctioneer, a young man.

After his welcome, the man glanced toward Su Fan’s seat, nodding in acknowledgment.

Su Fan’s doubts were dispelled—this was thanks to Mo He. But what about Fan Ruoyu? He attributed it to the mysterious withered elder she spoke of. Though he hadn’t met this elder, Su Fan sensed he must be formidable. The man had never met Su Fan, yet knew he would attend the auction, and could even command Fan Ruoyu, whose cultivation matched Su Fan’s. Such a person, in Su Fan’s mind, was truly extraordinary.

The hall gradually quieted. Su Fan swept his gaze, estimating nearly a thousand attendees. He sighed inwardly: “I wonder if I’ll find what I seek today.”

He glanced at Fan Ruoyu, feeling a sudden stir in his heart: “Everyone here is cloaked in black mist, and my divine sense cannot penetrate. Why can I see her?”

Just then, she looked at him, smiling as she saw his furrowed brow. “You’re only now noticing?”

Su Fan’s eyes sharpened; he sent a divine sense message: “What’s going on?”

Fan Ruoyu chuckled softly, “Do you know why I came with you?”

Without waiting for his reply, she smiled radiantly. “That day, the withered old man returned and told me he’d met a young man who was fated to cross paths with me.

I didn’t believe him, so I sought him out. Nothing happened. The old man said the time wasn’t right. I waited a month or two; still nothing, so I stopped believing him.

A few days ago, he gave me a token and told me to find that young man and go somewhere with him—I’d understand then.

I asked, what if the young man won’t go? He said, he definitely will.

I asked how I’d know if we were fated. He just smiled and said, ‘You’ll know when you get there.’ That’s why—you’re the young man he spoke of.”

“Who is the withered old man?” Su Fan frowned, deeply uneasy, feeling as if he’d been watched and manipulated all along. He disliked the sense of being seen through. First, there was the mysterious elder at the inn, now this withered old man. The former was gone, but this one he hadn’t even met.

Fan Ruoyu, seeing Su Fan’s grave expression, gradually subdued her own smile. “He forbade me from revealing his identity,” she said quietly, gazing at the stone stage.

Su Fan was about to press further when a crisp voice sounded from the platform.

“The first lot today is a low-grade inner armor, with a defensive array left by a late Foundation Establishment expert. It can withstand a full-strength strike from an early Foundation Establishment cultivator. Starting price: eight hundred low-grade spirit stones.”

“One thousand.”

“One thousand five hundred.”

...

“Any bids higher than fifteen hundred?” Silence filled the hall—after all, it was only low-grade armor.

It was sold for fifteen hundred spirit stones. Next, a low-grade martial technique went for three thousand.

“Next, three superior-grade beast skulls, starting at one hundred spirit stones each.”

Hearing “skulls,” Su Fan quickly prepared to bid, but a distant voice called out, “Two hundred spirit stones, I’ll take all three.”

“Three for seven hundred.”

No one bid further. Su Fan hurriedly called out, “Three for eight hundred.”

The crowd murmured, but no one raised the price. Su Fan grew tense; if someone bid, he would not be able to buy the wild beast blood.

In the end, Su Fan acquired the skulls for eight hundred spirit stones.

“Next, today’s finale—a drop of low-grade wild beast essence blood. Starting price: five hundred.”

Hearing the price, Su Fan felt helpless. He had only fifteen hundred spirit stones total. After buying the skulls, seven hundred remained. The starting price for the blood was five hundred; he could only hope the bidding wouldn’t go too high.

“Five hundred fifty.”

Only one person bid, then silence. It was unsurprising; though the blood was precious and useful, it was not suitable for ordinary cultivators—those lacking cultivation risked being harmed by it.

Seeing this, Su Fan’s eyes brightened. He whispered, “Six hundred.”

Across the hall came a soft sound of surprise.

The hall was quiet, so it was clear. Su Fan quickly tried to probe with his divine sense toward the voice, but was blocked.

“Six hundred. Any other bids?” The auctioneer looked displeased, asking helplessly.

“Six hundred fifty.” From the area of the earlier voice, a bid was called.

Su Fan’s eyes narrowed. “Seven hundred.”

“Seven hundred fifty.” The other seemed to be deliberately competing, bidding carelessly.

Su Fan gave a bitter smile and stopped bidding. Beside him, Fan Ruoyu asked, “Is that item very important to you? Should we just steal it afterward?”

Su Fan smiled wryly and waved his hand. He considered himself honorable and disliked such methods.

Fan Ruoyu merely chuckled and said no more. As they spoke, the wild beast blood was sold to the bidder opposite.

“The auction ends here. Please infuse your divine sense into your token to teleport out.”

The auctioneer waved his long robe and descended from the stage.

Su Fan smiled softly at Fan Ruoyu, taking her hand.

They activated their tokens, gradually fading from the platform. Moments later, they landed, the tokens in their hands turning to ash and slipping through their fingers.

The bright moon hung overhead, surrounded by wild grass. Su Fan swept the area with his divine sense and said, “We’re outside Luocheng; let’s hurry back to the city.” Fan Ruoyu nodded.

From a patch of wild grass nearby, three people emerged. One young man sneered, “Two early Foundation Establishment cultivators—you two didn’t dare make a move, and you had to call me to help.”

The other two hurried to flatter him: “We only feared Mo He might interfere, so we invited you, young master, to assist.”