Auction House

-FROZEN LAKE SECT'S DUNGEON-

It took her a while to stop crying. You can't see it from her face but she really is has a soft heart. She appreciates little things.

"You call it a little thing? It's a grand energy core... if not because I want to guarantee your safety, I won't even give you the idea to give it to her." Right, thank you my greatest master.

"Since she will start cultivating soon, it would take months before she consumes the energy core so it would be better to leave her alone for now. Since night has about come, I don't think the guards would bother her and because of the illusion art, she's safe." It's a good thing that my master has planned it all along.

"I told you I got you. Now, we have to leave this place. Just enter the storage ring again and tell Bei to toss the ring outside by the cell window." Damn it to hell! That's like the best idea I have heard today! You're like a professional criminal!

"Now now, no need to flatter your master."

Finally, Bei stopped crying. "Thank you so much for this! I swear you won't regret helping me!" Now now...

"I believe you. I hope we get to know each other more but for now, you better cultivate. I'll leave for the time being so enjoy cultivating." Then I handed her one of the Tier 1 Gathering Enhancement Rune to increase her cultivation rate.

She just smiled and started cultivating.

By the way, master, since my cloak can hide aura, can I use soul energy gathering cultivation?

"Yes, you can grab a couple of energy crystals from the cultivation room and put it on your pockets so when you cultivate, you don't have to gather energy from around you but instead, you gather from the energy crystals inside your cloak" Then I'd probably wear this always from now on! Time to leave and cultivate!

...

I've managed to get out of the place with my master's plan. After I got out of my cell, there's only a wall between me and my freedom. All I have to do is jump over it using Endless Art. With this art, I could use the strength of my legs making me jump higher.

"Nice thinking. You better practice and master higher steps to make that skill stronger. Also, one of these days, you have to visit the Skill Pavilion. You need to learn Weapon Arts." Is my Martial Arts not enough?

"It's more than enough but martial arts alone won't make you a great being. As the comprehension of laws, higher steps of martial arts, higher cultivation of energy realms, and higher body refining realm, there are more ways to get stronger. There's also what they call "Weapon Intent". When you use a specific weapon over and over again, you will be able to comprehend and gain more knowledge about the weapon, once you reach a certain level of knowledge, you will be able to release a specific weapon intent. This Weapon Intent is proof that you master your weapon, making you one with the weapon." That's a lot of weapon talk. I'll make sure to keep that in mind though but first, I have to visit the auction house.

With the cloak of the unseen, it's pretty much easier to move. I wasn't able to attract anyone's attention but it's making me a little bit shady.

After a while, I managed to reach the center of the city. It's getting a little bit late but when I somehow found the auction house, there's a bunch of people outside.

-FROZEN LAKE AUCTION HOUSE-

"Don't push through! Everyone can enter as long as you have a badge!" I heard before that auction house is often busy when it's the start of the month. I didn't bother to know why.

"It's because, at the end of the month, sects usually provide their disciples with a stipend to spend. They also provide them with pills and currencies like energy crystals to cultivate. Also, it's a good place to visit to see and get to know more about treasures." Ohhh... that's why they have enough resources to visit the auction house.

"Since this is your first time at an auction house, there should be a door for those who want to put items on auction." There! I found it. There are two guards in front of it. Should I get worried?

"You've come this far. I will make sure you'll be alright."

And so I decided to appear in front of the guards.

"You're not allowed to be in here. Show us your badge." Badge huh...

"Tell them you're a traveler and you're going to sell quality items." Right!

"I'm a traveler and I'm about to sell some quality items." They somehow looked at me from head to toe. But wow, my voice changed as well! This cloak is on fire!

The guards looked at each other and... started to laugh.

"Gahahaha! You?! You don't even have an energy aura and you're telling us that you're a traveler? Whoever you are, you should stop messing around. This place isn't for beggars like you." Uhhh... master, why should your cloak look like a beggar's?

"Of course, it's because it's made so you won't get noticed." And be laughed at, I guess...

"Here, show this to an appraiser." I handed one of Tier 1 Energy Gathering Runes. This should get them to shut up.

He grabbed the rune and... "What is this shit?!" Fuck?! Did he just threw it on the ground! I've made it with great effort you fucking asshole!

"I told you to stop messing around, did I?! If you don't get out of here, I'll deal with you myself!" Shit... what a lucky day to have an asshole idiot guard!

I shouldn't attract too much attention. Still, I'm pretty pissed. I turned around to pick up my talisman.

"Wait! Isn't that a rune?" Someone who just came here saw my talisman.

"Elder Runemaster Chitang Yu, we're sorry you have to witness that. This fellow keeps on bothering us. Please go inside, the auction manager is waiting for your arrival." Two-faced bitch of a guard! This elder is also present in the sect's main hall when they delivered the sentence to me. Based on his surname, he should be from the Pond Peak.

/Chitang Yu / 80

Frozen Lake Sect's Elder Runemaster / Pond Peak Elder

8th Layer of Body Refining Realm

7th Layer of Spirit Core Realm/

"Can I have a look of that talisman?" I handed him the talisman. He's the runemaster elder, he should be knowledgable of-

"This rune has soul power infused to it! And with super rare strokes... this is a Tier 1 Energy Gathering Enhancement Rune!" Suddenly, he bowed to me and gave back the rune! What the hell is happening?!

"It's good to meet an expert like you visiting Frozen Lake Sect. Even I couldn't gauge your cultivation realm." I don't know what to say, I just stayed silent for a bit. Though this cloak is really awesome, he assumes that I'm strong just because he couldn't gauge my cultivation realm and because of the runes he saw.

"That's because when a cultivator is higher by 2 stages of realm, they couldn't gauge the person, so even for a Spirit Core realm, he wouldn't be able to sense a Sea Realm." So, that's why he's respectful knowing that he's gambling and base from the rune alone, it was enough reason to act accordingly.

Then the elder looked at the guard who was mean to me earlier. Then...

*COLLAPSE* The guard suddenly fell to his knees and lost consciousness! This elder used Soul Thorn towards the guard!

"I hope, we didn't do anything to offend an expert like you. Please come with me and let me introduce you to the Treasury Elder instead." Even a Tier 1 Rune would make a runemaster excited.

"Since your sect only has tier 1 defenses, just imagine the looks on their faces when they see your tier 2 runes." I don't think they're ready for that, master.

"I'll trouble you this time, Runemaster Elder." I was lucky he's here.

"You don't have to say that, we'll provide whatever you need. Come come." Elders are cruel against the weak but like dogs when presented with knowledge and power.

We passed the entrance while the other guard trembles in fear bowing to us. Tsk...

...

We entered the auction house and being the most wealthy establishment, this is the first time I've seen so much glitter all over the place. It's a fancy way of living. They say that even the strongest have a price.

"But the strongest always rule. Since this world is a lower realm, wealth can only be used to buy energy. Your goal in this world is to gather energy as fast as possible but it might take years. I have 2 more early Earth Realm Energy Cores in the storage ring. Unlike Bei, your base energy foundation isn't used to absorbing a huge amount of energy which would harm your body. It's better to use it when you reach the Pristine Spirit Realm." It is said that it takes a year to reach per layer of Innate Realm. With my cultivation Technique, how long would I be able to reach the Pristine Spirit Realm?

"They say that because they probably provide those from Innate Realm with only a few Energy Crystals to use each month plus, you have to spend a load of gold coins to buy Energy Crystals as well which most outer disciples can't save due to living expenses and other necessities. Since they don't have enough resources for it, they only rely on natural energy outside of their sect but since Innate Realms are the weakest, they couldn't travel too far making their source of natural energy scarce." That explains it. And since I'll be rich soon, energy crystals and cores will be plenty for me to use.

We stopped walking and we finally met a familiar elder from the main hall as well.

"Please meet the Auction House Master and the Frozen Lake Treasury Elder, Chitang Jin." Also from the Pond Peak. Is it just me or he shines like gold? Though, he looks confused.

/Chitang Jin 70

Frozen Lake Sect's Treasury Elder / Pond Peak Elder

6th Layer of Body Refining Realm

5th Layer of Spirit Core Realm/

Elder Yu looked at him like he was signaling something after he saw him confused. "I believe we haven't met. You must be an important person for Elder Yu to invite you directly here." Being wealthy, I couldn't sense any respect coming from his words since I look like a beggar.

It would be fun to mess with him a little bit. "Am I hearing a condescending tone from you? Is this how you greet a stranger here?" His face suddenly has changed. I can tell that he's thinking that I'm out of his league to even respond.

"Maybe this stranger isn't as important as he seems-" Then he was stopped by Elder Yu.

"Aheem, this man right here has something to sell at the upcoming auction, am I right?" He looked at me and smiled. He's also trying to hint that he's sorry about the other elder's attitude towards me but since I have something they regard as highly rare runes. I'll embarrass this elder.

"That's my disciple!" You got that right, master! I'm tired of being bullied. It's time for a payback!

"I better leave the sect. I don't mind visiting the other sects who would welcome me." I turned around and...

"Wait, I think Elder Jin is about to apologize." Elder Yu released a strong aura but somehow, I'm not affected. This cloak could also prevent aura from affecting me!

"That's a spirit grade accessory for a reason." Really nice, master!

"What-" Suddenly, Elder Jin lost his composure. He's scared of Elder Jin.

"Kneel." Elder Jin's face suddenly lost all of its pride.

He knelt in front of me. "I'm sorry that I have offended you. It won't happen again." That's what you get, you dog.

"You can stand now. So, are we ready to do business?" Elder Jin's hands rubbed each other showing he's ready to see what I can offer.

"Please, come inside." Now, Elder Jin became as kind as a puppy. Sometimes, you just have to hurt their pride to show them who's boss.

We gathered on a small expensive looking table while Elder Jin gathered some tools to appraise what I'm about to show them.

"Here." I showed them Tier 1 ice elemental resistance and 1 ice elemental boost, and Tier 1 energy gathering enhancement runes. This should be enough, I guess?

Elder Yu stopped Elder Jin from checking the talismans as he already knew their uses."You don't have to appraise these, Elder Jin. These are Tier 1 Runes that boost the power of the law of ice while this one increases the defense against the law of ice but the most impressive one is this... energy gathering enhancement rune. This one would definitely the best item tonight." Elder Jin's eyes suddenly widen and his jaws almost dropped to the floor. Now, who's the not so important person?

Out of nowhere, he rushed in front of me while I sit on a chair. He knelt to the floor once again... "Please... Please forgive my rudeness earlier. I didn't know any better. If you could forgive me, today's transaction won't be charged and whatever you need from the treasury, we'll find it for a good price." He sure knows how to ask for forgiveness since today's transaction would boost their reputation. I didn't know the energy gathering enhancement rune would be this precious.

"You don't have to do that. I find a liking to this sect anyway so I'll be staying for awhile here. If today's transaction would be good, I will visit the auction more often and even sell one of these." This time, I showed them the tier 2 energy gathering enhancement rune but...

"Elder Yu! Are you ok?!" Elder Jin is trying to shake Elder Yu as he became a statue looking at my rune while his jaw dropped to the floor.

...