157: Chapter 147 Auction Place (Please Subscribe) 157: Chapter 147 Auction Place (Please Subscribe) “Mo Wen, I didn’t get the chance to go on stage either, so let’s enjoy watching their competition,” said Sun Zi’an with a smile, showing no signs of stage fright.
A person acquainted with the princess is truly different—so approachable and amiable.
“Sure, let’s cheer for them from down here,” Mo Wen replied, not looking down on the other for merely being a disciple in the Qi Cultivation Stage.
“Luo Yaxuan, let’s hope we don’t get matched against each other.
But if we do, we can have a good fight,” said Lai Jianlin, truly wanting to test his skills against Luo Yaxuan after not seeing him for a few years.
“Mhm, I am willing to oblige,” Luo Yaxuan replied with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, curious to see who would win or lose if he were to compete against Lai Jianlin, who had entered the Immortal Sect.
While they were chatting, the fortune teller following Luo Yaxuan and the others stopped and pretended to look for a booth.
The fortune teller thought that he could easily deal with them, one being a Foundation Establishment Stage disciple and the other in the Qi Cultivation Stage.
But with two additional Foundation Establishment Stage individuals, the odds of winning were uncertain, and he did not want to take the risk.
He had initially only intended to kill Immortal Sect disciples to turn them into ghost cultivators in his Hell Palace, increasing his army of ghosts and spirits to fight against demonic beasts.
He felt that the Immortal Sect’s grand competition presented a perfect chance, given the large crowds staying in the area—all gathered in one place, the death of one or two individuals would seem quite normal!
Unbeknownst to Luo Yaxuan and his servant, having encountered an acquaintance, they had dodged a calamity.
They were strolling along the main street of Immortal Venerable City, even venturing into the shops to browse.
Although Luo Yaxuan and Lai Jianlin were sons of first-tier and second-tier families respectively—they even had family shops in Immortal Venerable City.
They would not get in touch with their family shops unless it was a time of crisis to avoid causing any trouble.
Many families conducted their shop business in secret, not giving their rivals a chance to strike.
This time, Lai Jianlin had brought Mo Wen and other disciples from the Immortal Sect, led by an Elder in charge of the group.
Ding Ling, the only female disciple in their team, had come to Immortal Venerable City with her master and fellow brothers.
The Immortal Sect also had accommodations for the disciples—a civilian residence where both Elders and disciples were staying.
Lai Jianlin and Mo Wen had also snuck out secretly.
They visited one shop after another, and of course, if they saw something good, they would buy it—money was not an issue for either Lai Jianlin or Luo Yaxuan, who had brought enough funds.
They intended to buy some great finds in Immortal Venerable City, which they could later gift to others.
“Luo Yaxuan, when are you going back to visit your family?”
“After this competition is over,”
“That’s what I’m thinking too.”
As Lai Jianlin and Luo Yaxuan browsed through shops, they would chat occasionally.
This was their best chance to talk, having not seen each other for several years and feeling as though there were a lot of things they wanted to discuss.
If they hadn’t just had a full meal before coming out, they would have chosen to stay in a restaurant, eating while talking.
After walking through several streets, they came upon a concealed auction venue and decided to go in for a look.
Despite looking like an ordinary shop from the outside, perceptive individuals would notice it was protected by an illusion array.
It was a three-story auction venue.
Upon entering, they found the main hall on the first floor, which sold jewelry—nothing like ordinary civilian jewelry.
These were precious magical treasures fashioned into jewelry, available for purchase if one took a fancy to any piece.
Luo Yaxuan and Lai Jianlin picked out two items, thinking of buying gifts for their mothers and grandmothers.
When Mo Wen and Sun Zi’an saw the hefty price tags, they didn’t dare buy anything.
They moved on to the second floor, which sold pills and various magical treasures—also available for purchase if one had the money.
They simply chose to watch and didn’t buy anything.
Finally, they went up to the third floor.
There was an attendant by the stairs who, before they ascended, gave them masks to put on.
The four of them reached the third floor, where there was a door they could enter.
Stepping through this door was like entering another world.
It was like being in a hall of illusions, with a stage at the very front—a bidding area.
There were many seats below the stage, filled with people eager to auction items or to buy them.
The four of them sat together, with Lai Jianlin and Luo Yaxuan considering whether they would purchase something good if it came up.
Mo Wen and Sun Zi’an were there purely for the experience.
On stage, a pill called “Nourishing Soul Pill” was being auctioned; this pill was suitable for those with unstable souls and was also used by ghost cultivators.
The bidding started at 100 lower-grade spirit stones and went up to the price of 100 mid-grade spirit stones, with just one pill in a jade bottle.
Mo Wen and Sun Zi’an realized just how valuable pills were, pitying their lack of alchemy skills.
Luo Yaxuan merely observed, exchanging a glance with Lai Jianlin; they didn’t need such a pill.
In the end, the Nourishing Soul Pill was sold for 300 mid-grade spirit stones to a cultivator dressed in black.
“Next, we have a magic artifact up for auction, named Invisible Vajra.”
This little figure turned transparent and enlarged under the manipulation of the auctioneer.
The Invisible Vajra took on an unseen form, and the auctioneer along with it, before reappearing from within it.
Whether attacked by fire or water, the Invisible Vajra had defensive functionalities and could actively attack enemies.
It was also able to enclose and protect its master within.
The auctioneer then put away the Invisible Vajra and started the auction at the price of 100 lower-grade spirit stones.
“Lai Jianlin, do you find it appealing?” Mo Wen was curious if Lai Jianlin would buy it.
“No,” Lai Jianlin shook his head.
One reason he didn’t find this magic artifact appealing was that despite its high-end appearance, it wasn’t very powerful.
If there was a reflecting mirror, it could easily reveal the opponent’s magical treasure.
“Oh…” Mo Wen thought that it was indeed expensive, and he wouldn’t buy it either.
Luo Yaxuan, however, watched quietly.
The items being auctioned here were nothing special, certainly not comparable to the magical treasures crafted by his family’s artifact refiners.
He didn’t lack magical treasures, so why waste the money?
The Invisible Vajra was ultimately sold for 100 mid-grade spirit stones.
“Next up for auction are women from different races.”
After the introduction by the host, two women were brought onto the stage in cages, both strikingly beautiful with blonde hair and blue eyes.
Auctioning these caged women was a type of human trafficking act, capturing beauties from foreign lands to sell them as slaves or as playthings for some.
When the two caged women appeared, the already bustling atmosphere beneath the stage grew even more heated as people eagerly raised their bidding signs.
Luo Yaxuan watched the two caged women, their timid appearances, and the crowd below, hands aloft, vying to purchase them.
The slave women were mute; they wished to scream but could not speak, perhaps because a mute point had been sealed.
At this moment, knowing what lay ahead, their future appeared even more terrifying as they watched the crowd below.
Lai Jianlin observed the two foreign women, thinking they probably weren’t from the same country as the short figure they had encountered earlier inside one of the doors.
It was Lai Jianlin’s first time seeing people from such a different race, and he felt a pang of pity for them.