Aside from a few young people, most of the guests seated underground were middle-aged. None of them seemed to be here to purchase or use the skills for practical purposes; they were here to witness what sort of skills these would become and how much they would fetch. This auction was making history, and everyone in Liluo City wanted to be part of it.
Yan Xiaobao watched as the large crowd trickled into a stream, leaving only one or two people to pass through the door at a time. He was starting to feel bored.
Finally, the guards closed the two large doors, and as the lights dimmed gradually, the room plunged into darkness.
This did not last long, however, as all conversations ceased, and a loud noise echoed through the hall. Multiple floating crystals lit up, casting soft light around the room, with the brightest illumination concentrated around the stage.
The manager stood at the very top of the stage himself. He clapped his hands repeatedly, a polite smile on his face, ensuring that the entire crowd’s attention was drawn to him.
"Ladies and gentlemen," started the manager, his expression sincere, "today’s auction features only two items, but these items far surpass anything that has ever been sold here at the Black Market Auction House."
The manager began pacing across the stage, his every word eagerly absorbed by the audience, who collectively seemed to be holding their breath.
"These items," he declared, "are as the rumors speak—two Memory Gems imbued with high-ranking skills." After saying this, the manager paused dramatically, allowing the crowd to savor the weight of his words.
"The first Memory Stone to be auctioned contains a martial arts offensive skill ranked within the King Ranking. This skill is called Qi Burst. It activates the full reserve of Qi possessed by a cultivator, releasing it in the form of either a kick or an attack."
As soon as the words "martial arts offensive skill ranked within the King Ranking" were uttered, the entire hall erupted in disbelief. However, it quickly fell silent again, as no one wished to miss the details of this attack.
Activating the entire cultivation base for an attack was immensely powerful. Far more powerful than most other attacks, it could be utilized in numerous ways. What shocked the audience even further was the potential versatility of the skill, yet when Yan Xiaobao observed their hopeful expressions, he couldn’t help but chuckle quietly. He fully understood how difficult it was to activate, meaning those who purchased the skill would almost certainly not be able to use it.
"We will auction this skill first," the manager continued, "but before we do, I would like to introduce the expert to whom we owe the opportunity to attain such an elusive skill."
As the manager spoke, he raised his hand, guiding the audience’s gaze to the balcony where "Li Fen" sat, her face concealed beneath a conical hat.
"Her name is Li Fen," the manager introduced, "and the mere presence of this expert in our small city demands our utmost respect and gratitude. She has granted us this opportunity, despite knowing no one in our fair city." Just as the manager was about to continue his praise of Li Fen, his speech was interrupted by a subtle laugh.
The laugh was not loud enough to be considered outright disrespectful, but it was certainly audible across the hall, prompting everyone’s gaze to shift away from Yan Xiaobao and toward the source.
He sighed lightly as he looked at Deng Wu, who remained smiling, with a subtle glint of amusement in his eyes.
"Miss Deng, do you find this expert amusing?" the manager asked in a menacing tone. He feared that "Li Fen" might leave a poor impression on the Black Market Auction House because of this young master. Yet, as a mere manager, he couldn’t afford to clash with the Deng Family.
"My apologies," Deng Wu said, wiping a tear from one eye, "You see, Li Fen and I are great friends. It’s a bit awkward to hear such lavish praise about her."
Deng Wu’s words rendered the entire room completely silent, and questioning gazes swept toward the enigmatic "Li Fen," who had been sitting still like a statue thus far.
Yan Xiaobao perfectly understood Deng Wu’s intentions. Deng Wu had no desire to expose Yan Xiaobao’s identity; rather, he wished to leverage the reputation of this extraordinary expert to bring some prestige and recognition to his family.
Considering that his true identity might be revealed if others uncovered his secret, Yan Xiaobao quickly decided that giving Deng Wu some face wouldn’t be difficult.
"Li Fen" nodded and then stood on the balcony. "It was by sheer chance that I encountered this remarkable friendship not long ago. I’m truly delighted to see his master manage to appear today."
After saying this, Yan Xiaobao returned to his seat and turned his head toward the manager. Upon hearing Xu Yue’s words, Deng Wu’s smile grew steadily wider, grateful for such a display. He bowed slightly toward his friend.
"I deeply apologize, manager," Deng Wu addressed the manager again. "Please forgive me for my interruption."
Deng Wu bowed deeply before returning to his seat, entirely indifferent to the envy, astonishment, or admiration he stirred among the crowd.
Though the manager had initially been met with opposition, he was now thrilled to have acquired new information about the enigmatic "Li Fen."
"Well then," the manager said, smiling at the guests, "let us commence bidding on this middle-level King Ranking skill without further delay. The starting bid will be ten spiritual gold coins!"