With only a few minutes left before the au began, a attendaered Tang Xi and Tang Wei's private box. Dressed in an immacute uniform, he bowed respectfully before handing over two translut jade slips, taining the list of items to be aued that evening.
— "Ladies alemen, this is the list of items for tonight's au. I hope you enjoy and have a pleasant stay," — the attendant said before silently taking his leave.
Tang Wei examihe jade slip carefully, his gaze lingering o item listed. He furrowed his brow slightly before enting:— "I see this au has some unusual items... No wonder representatives of the great families are here."
Tang Xi followed her father's gaze to the highlighted item: a sed-level, low-grade spiritual whip. For many warriors, owning a reliable on could mean the differeween life ah in battle.
— "It seems we'll have quite the spectacle tonight," — remarked Tang Xi, eained by the anticipation.
The building's lights abruptly dimmed, plunging the room into profound silence. A single spotlight illumihe ter of the stage, revealing a graceful and fident figure. The aueer, a strikingly beautiful woman, wore attire deliberately chosen to draw attention, while her melodious and smooth voice echoed throughout the hall:
— "Good evening, dies alemen! My name is Rin Bao, and I'll be your host tonight. Without further ado, let us begin the au!"
Her greeting was met with murmurs and covetous gnces from the lower floor. Rin Bao maintained her professional smile, ign the malicious ents and fog on what truly mattered: the bids.
— "The first item of the evening is a vial taining nine Minor Recovery Pills of medium quality. These pills, crafted from rare spiritual herbs, restore vast amounts of Qi instantly. The starting bid is 50 spiritual stones."
Tang Xi watched the fierce bidding for the pills as the room buzzed with increasingly higher offers. The atmosphere was charged with tension aement, refleg the importance of the Minor Recovery Pills in critical situations. Their potential to save lives in battles where seds were vital was evident to everyone present.
Tang Xi leaned forward slightly, her eyes fixed oage as she pohe differeween these pills and the on Qi Pills widely used by cultivators of all levels.
Qi Pills, she thought, were reliable aile tools. They gradually replenished small amounts of spiritual energy, stabilizing the Qi flow in the body without signifit risks. Affordable, accessible, and effit, they were the go-to resource for daily training and less intense bat. Their usage didn't demand much caution, making them the standard choiost cultivators.
In trast, Minor Recovery Pills were entirely different. Their effects were nearly instantaneous, rest vast amounts of Qi within seds. In desperate situations where every moment was critical, these pills could turide of a battle. However, this power came at a cost: excessive use could overload a cultivator's meridians, causing severe colpses and even perma physical damage. Moreover, produg these pills required rare spiritual herbs and advanced skills, making them expensive and less accessible.
This trast expined why, despite their efficacy, Minor Recovery Pills hadn't repced Qi Pills as the primary resource for cultivators. They were a trump card for emergencies, not a frequent-use item.
Tang Xi smiled faintly as these thoughts crossed her mind. The battle for the pills eventually ended, with the item selling for a substantial amount. However, her true curiosity was still to e.
Item after item, the excitement in the room grew. Yet, none of the private box octs made a move until one of the most anticipated items resehe Spiritual Iron Thorn Essence, a material ideal for crafting robust and highly durable armor.
— "500 spiritual stones!" — decred an aged voice from the Shang family's private box.
Murmurs immediately arose from the lower floor.— "That's Elder Shang Zhi!" — whispered one cultivator.— "Yes, and he's apanied by Shang Hua-Yen, the direct daughter of the Patriarch."
Others quickly chimed in.— "Hua-Yen is known for her arrogance. She treats everyone like dirt and uses her sister's o do as she pleases."— "Her sister, Shang Hua-Ren, is entirely different. A genius and disciple of the Valley of Spiritual Herbs. But her only fw is being too indulgent with Hua-Yen."
Tang Xi listeo the gossip with a discreet smile, sav a snad using her keen hearing to catch every word.
The Amber Natal Milk
At st, the item Tang Xi had been waiting for was announced:
— "Ladies alemen, the item is the rare Amber Natal Milk! This substance allows for a smooth spiritual or physical adva without any side effects. The starting bid is 300 spiritual stones, with minimum is of 10 stones."
The annou caused an immediate otion. Tang Xi remained silent, watg as the first bids were pced. Sensiension, her father spoke calmly:— "Don't worry, daughter. My people are already taking care of it."
Before she could respond, a feminine, arrogant voice echoed through the hall:— "600 spiritual stones! Let's see who dares to pete with me."
It was Shang Hua-Yen. Her defiant tone silenced many bidders, who feared g with the Patriarch Shang's vindictive daughter.
But, to everyone's surprise, a new voice emerged:— "800 spiritual stones."
Hua-Yen narrowed her eyes, visibly annoyed.— "You dare pete with me? Very well, let's see how far you'll go!"
A fierce bidding war ensued, quickly driving the price to exorbitant levels. When it reached 2,000 spiritual stones, Elder Shang Zhi intervened:— "Don't fet our primary goal."
Relutly, Hua-Yen withdrew, but not without issuing a thinly veiled threat:— "gratutions on your treasure, but remember, you must stay alive to use it."
The aueer, relieved at the high price achieved, annouhe winner: a mysterious man in a bck cloak.
All eyes turo the enigmatic buyer. Many sidered him easy prey, already scheming ways to ambush him after the au. Others, more cautious, pondered who he really was.
To everyone's astonishment, the man headed for the upper floor, seemingly towards the private boxes.
Tang Xi, watg closely, felt a wave of curiosity. Who was this man?
