Auction 2

As the vibrant and alluring lady took the stage, she introduced herself as Li Wei, the host of the first part of the auction. She emphasized that the detailed descriptions of the items up for auction could be found in the brochures given to everyone at the entrance, and she would only highlight key points during the event. With a graceful wave, gracefully raised her hand and waved the brochure for everyone in the hall to see, and couple moments later she made the brochure vanish into a spatial ring.

"Mei, come back to reality" I gently called out to my maid.

Mei snapped out of her reverie and composed herself.

"I apologize, young master, I got lost in thought" she said, looking a bit embarrassed.

"Take a look at the brochure. If there's anything that catches your eye, we'll participate in the bidding" I told her.

"Yes, young master" Mei quickly opened the brochure and skimmed through its contents.

"I'm not entirely sure, but I would suggest acquiring a couple of items that could be useful for our new place. For instance, there's a 1000 old refreshing and spirit-enriching array produced by the Clear Sky Sect. They were renowned for their exceptional arrays, which unfortunately haven't been replicated since. Also, I heard you want to make herb garden, so we should get some seeds of both herbs and trees. And we must definitely get the acceleration growth array, though it's modern, there aren't many available in our region from the Western Continent."

I nodded in agreement. "Those sound like excellent choices. Let's keep an eye out for those items during the auction" I replied.

As the bidding began, the hall came to life with excitement, and I kept a keen eye on the proceedings, ready to act when the right items came up. Meanwhile, I couldn't help but wonder about Ye Chen and his plans for the auction. Something told me he had more in store for tonight.

As I perused through the brochure, a particular painting caught my eye. It depicted a beautiful Neko girl, a cat-human hybrid, with four exquisite tails. The artwork was from the Vague Continent, and it was said to contain encrypted water breathing techniques. While I wasn't particularly interested in the technique itself, the allure of the charming Neko girl and the enigmatic painting appealed to my aesthetic sensibilities. Perhaps having such a captivating piece of art in my collection would be a delightful addition.

Next on my list was an alchemist's furnace produced by the Clear Sky Sect. It wasn't a particularly expensive item, but I couldn't help but entertain the idea of delving into alchemy myself. Who knows, maybe I could become an accomplished alchemist, or at the very least, use the furnace to roast nuts, ahaha.

Then there was the vase with a mysterious origin, slightly cracked at the top but boasting an impressive age of 120,000 years. The fascination with ancient artifacts prompted my interest, though I'd only consider bidding if the prices stayed reasonable. After all, I had no intention of acquiring pricey useless old things.

As the auction continued, Mei successfully purchased everything she needed to start creating our garden. I, on the other hand, managed to acquire the Neko painting for 14,300 spirit stones, a fair price considering its beauty. I got the alchemist's furnace for 7,500 spirit stones. Surprisingly, no one seemed particularly interested in it, but that was to my advantage.

However, the most intriguing item was the ancient vase. Initially, when the bids were around 5,000 spirit stones, I made a couple of bids out of curiosity, but then I refrained from further involvement. To my astonishment, as the bidding escalated to more than 10,000 spirit stones, I noticed that not only was I taken aback, but many others in the room were as well. What was even more surprising was that Ye Chen was among those genuinely interested in acquiring the vase. Another unfamiliar bidder also appeared to be keen on the item.

"Mei, go and find someone, or head to the second VIP section. If I'm not mistaken, Ye Chen is there. Tell him that if he needs assistance in purchasing the vase, I'm willing to lend him up to 100,000 spirit stones, but he'll be in debt to his dear brother," I said with a broad smile.

"Sir?" Mei was puzzled. "Why would you do that? And why would he agree?"

"Don't worry, Mei. If he ends up owing me a favor, it will be to our advantage in the future, trust me. Besides, this item will eventually end up in my possession one way or another. We're simply acquiring it at a discount while gaining a potential favor from him" I chuckled.

Mei pondered for a moment and then sent a spiritual message somewhere using her bracelet. After about 30 seconds, she responded, "The message is delivered, Master. He was surprised at first, then laughed and said something along the lines of 'hahaha, good things happen to good people. Why am I not surprised? That kid is not bad! ahahah' He also expressed his gratitude and assured that he'll remember this kindness, even if he doesn't end up using the offer. But if needed, he won't hesitate to accept it."

As the auction's first phase almost came to an end, Ye Chen ended up acquiring the vase for 25,000 spirit stones. I sat there, contemplating why this vase was so important to him. What could be the significance of it that the protagonist decided to take it? At that moment, the last few lots were being sold off, and some interesting items were purchased at relatively high prices, including expensive spirit herbs and several Ascension of Spirit(mc cultivation major lvl +5) level cores, which were quite rare. There were also some sword techniques and spirit skills sold for 20,000 to 50,000 spirit stones. I briefly considered buying something from this selection, but ultimately decided against it. I had enough cultivation resources at the moment, and I was counting on my system to provide further opportunities.

I eagerly anticipated the end of the first phase, eager to see what surprise lots would be unveiled in the second part of the auction. Cultivators from various sects and prominent families usually came for these undisclosed items, as they could be true treasures, including valuable pills. I was hoping to find something interesting for myself in the second phase.

As the auction attendees settled down for a break between the two phases, I leaned back in my seat, observing the crowd and mentally preparing for what was to come. It was exciting to be part of such an event, surrounded by powerful cultivators and influential figures from the world of cultivation. With Mei by my side, I felt ready to seize any opportunity that presented itself during the rest of the auction. Ah, the thrill of being a cultivator in a world full of possibilities!