Jade Pheonix's Auction House

The Heavenly Phenomenon lasted for only one more minute before it faded away. The people in the Immortal Realm began speculating about what they had witnessed.

"Could that have been a Heaven's Blessing? Is it possible that a new Godly Innate Talent has just been born?" someone wondered aloud.

"Nah, that was too extravagant for a Heaven's Blessing. It must be the birth of a Godly Treasure," another person chimed in.

The chatter among the people was incessant.

***

Min Qiu wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and wondered aloud, "So many shocking events have occurred today. What is happening?"

As Min Qiu finally regained her composure, she remembered her youngest daughter saying something absurd to a stranger she had just met. Although their family held a low rank, they still held some power in a small city. How could they allow their daughter to marry a stranger?

Even though Min Li had a weak Innate Talent, she would certainly grow up to be a beautiful girl. The family head, Min Qiu's husband, had already begun negotiations with the Yang family, a middle-ranked family in their neighborhood, regarding Min Li's future. Even if Min Qiu wanted her daughter to have the freedom to choose her own husband, it was impossible. When she looked at Min Li's happy face, she felt an even greater pain in her heart. And then she noticed the young boy named Song Shu approaching her. However, she sensed that this young boy's aura had completely changed, from unremarkable to as sharp as a steel blade. His presence made her inexplicably nervous.

"Little Shu, I apologize for my daughter's words. She's just a child and doesn't know what she's saying. Please disregard her nonsense," Min Qiu apologized.

"I understand. Don't worry about it," he replied with a smile.

"Thank you..." Min Qiu felt a sense of relief wash over her upon hearing his understanding response.

Lao Bai shook his head as he looked at her. "Oh dear, what a missed opportunity you've just had," he lamented.

***

"Big Brother Shu, can you please tell me a story?" Min Li asked.

"Of course! What kind of stories would you like to hear?" he replied.

"I want to hear stories about your life!" she exclaimed.

"Hmm, alright then. Let me tell you about the time I rode on a dragon..." he began.

"A dragon?! You really encountered one?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Of course! Who do you think I am?" he boasted, patting his chest.

He took a small chair out of his Storage Pouch and sat down, patting his lap, inviting Min Li to sit there.

Min Li hesitated for a moment as she looked at his lap, her face turning red. But that didn't stop her from joining him.

She sat on his lap and admired his handsome face, which was right next to hers. "What a great position to be in," she thought. If the girls in the Celestial Gods Realm saw this, they would surely be consumed with envy and may even destroy the Immortal Realm out of sheer jealousy...

"Alright, so there was this one time when I rode on a dragon named Shenlong. It all began when..." he started to tell her stories that may have seemed unbelievable to others, but Min Li listened with an eager expression, as if her hero was recounting his thrilling adventures.

***

Two days later, they finally arrived. Min Lian had an excited expression on her face. It was her first time in Xian Chengshi.

"Little Shu, what are your plans from here?" Min Qiu asked.

"Hmm, first I need to sell a few things, and then I'll go watch the Stairway to Heaven event," he replied.

At the moment, he had no money and needed to sell some useless items for future expenses. After that, he wanted to witness the Stairway to Heaven and then proceed to the Mortals Realm.

"Eh?! Big Brother Shu, you should come with us! I don't want you to leave yet!" Min Li instantly became sad.

"Li'er, you have already been bothering your Big Brother these past few days. He has his own things to do and can't follow us forever. Besides, he wants to watch the Stairway to Heaven event as well. You will see him again later," Min Qiu tried to persuade her.

"Your mother is right, Min Li. I will see you again in a few days. Until then, be a good girl," he assured her.

"....Okay," Min Li replied with her head down.

"Well then, it was a pleasure meeting your Min Family. Thank you for the company these past few days, and until we meet again!" he bid his goodbyes and walked away, with Lao Bai following him.

"Big Brother Shu..." Min Li still felt reluctant.

These past few days had been the most enjoyable moments of her life. She had met an unbelievably handsome young man whom she could call Big Brother. He had been incredibly kind to her, telling her thrilling stories and giving her an exquisite necklace. He even promised to marry her when she grew up.

Min Li couldn't wait to grow up and fulfill the conditions so she could stay with her Big Brother forever and ever...

"Let's go too; your father is waiting for us," Min Qiu said, starting to walk in a different direction.

"....Okay."

"Alright."

The sisters followed.

***

In the bustling center of Xian Chengshi, a square was filled with people eagerly awaiting the start of the Stairway to Heaven event. Some were even hoping to participate in it.

"Excuse me, sir, do you know where I can sell items for money?" a tough-looking middle-aged man asked a passerby.

The large man stopped to look at the middle-aged man in front of him, who seemed to be in search of a place to sell his belongings. In Xian Chengshi, there were many merchants trying to sell their wares, especially during this time of year when people gathered in large numbers. It was not uncommon for people like him to ask such questions.

"If you want to sell beast materials, any market around here that buys them will do," the passerby answered.

"Hmm, what about selling treasures?" the middle-aged man inquired.

The passerby was initially taken aback but then started analyzing the man in front of him. This man didn't appear to be a wealthy noble, so he was likely a Loose Cultivator who had stumbled upon some good fortune. Either he was foolish or extremely confident that no one could steal from him. The large man began devising a plan to rob this fool who openly spoke about his treasure in public.

"Hey, if I were you, I would reconsider whatever you're currently contemplating," the middle-aged man warned.

"Eh?" The large man felt a sudden surge of murderous intent directed towards him, causing his legs to go weak.

Sweating nervously, he quickly rectified the situation. "No, no, no. Honorable sir, you have misunderstood. I was merely pondering your question. In fact, I have just found the answer! The best place to sell treasures would be the Auction House. The Jade Phoenix's Auction House is undoubtedly the finest establishment for this purpose. They will be opening in two days and have already begun accepting items for sale today!" He spoke rapidly, hoping to appease the middle-aged man.

"Hmm, is that so? Which way is it?" the middle-aged man inquired.

"That way! It's about a mile away from here!" The large man pointed to his left.

"Okay, thank you," the middle-aged man replied.

The large man watched as the short white-haired man walked away. "Phew, that was close. I nearly offended a senior..." he muttered in relief.

***

"Young Master Shu, that's all the information he gave me," Lao Bai explained, relaying what he had heard from the large man.

"Very well, let's make our way to the Jade Phoenix's Auction House," Tian Yi declared, heading in the direction pointed out by Lao Bai.

"Yes, Young Master," Lao Bai acknowledged, following closely behind.

***

In front of a ten-story building, a crowd had gathered around four beautiful women dressed in red cheongsams. Each of them eagerly presented their valuable items for sale.

"I have a Heaven Ranked Sword to sell!" one of them exclaimed.

"I have pills that have been enhanced five times!" another boasted.

"I found this Magic Fan that can summon fire, and I'm willing to sell it!" a third one chimed in.

Merchants from all over were vying for a spot to sell their treasures in front of the prestigious Jade Phoenix's Auction House. This Auction House opened every two years, providing people with an opportunity to sell their valuable items while the Auction House took a percentage of the sales.

Only a limited number of one hundred items could be sold during each opening, making the competition for these spots fierce.

The Jade Phoenix's Auction House was not just popular because it was the only Auction House in the city. It was also backed by one of the Four Ancient Lands, the Azure Phoenix God Sect. Every two years, people from various backgrounds would gather here to participate in the auction and display their wealth. The seats for the auction were always sold out within a day of opening. However, this time, the auction was exceptionally crowded due to the imminent opening of the Stairways to Heaven in a few days, intensifying the competition even further.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please calm down!" one of the beautiful women called out, trying to restore order. "I will personally assess each treasure and determine if it is worthy of a spot among the limited one hundred items at the Jade Phoenix's Auction House. Please quiet down and form a line."

As the crowd began to quiet down, a handsome young man in the midst of the gathering raised his hand and displayed a bottle of pills. "I have a Primordial Heavenly Spirit Pill here," he announced proudly. "This pill can instantly elevate a Peak Bronze Immortal to a Silver Immortal!"

The four beautiful women's faces immediately changed upon hearing the young man's words. "Primordial Heavenly Spirit Pill?! Young Master, please let me see it!" one of them exclaimed.

"It's real! This is the Primordial Heavenly Spirit Pill!" another confirmed. "It has only been sold at the Jade Phoenix's Auction House five times in history! We are grateful to the Young Master for allowing us to sell this rare treasure. Please follow me to the VIP section."

The other three women looked at their colleague with envy. If they could find someone willing to sell something as rare as a Primordial Heavenly Spirit Pill at the Jade Phoenix's Auction House, not only would they receive a pay raise, but they might also earn a promotion in their positions. Who wouldn't want to come across such a valuable item?

"That was Jiang Cheng, a direct disciple of the Church of the Qilin God!" someone in the crowd whispered.

"No wonder he was willing to offer something so rare," another person remarked.

As Jiang Cheng left, people in the crowd began discussing the young man and his extraordinary offering.

***

Tian Yi and Lao Bai stood at the back, observing the bustling scene before them. Tian Yi couldn't help but wonder if the Jade Phoenix's Auction House would be willing to assist him in selling his own items, even if they were considered trash. However, after witnessing the excitement of the beautiful girls over something as small as the Primordial Heavenly Spirit Pill, he dismissed the thought. After all, what item in his Storage Pouch wasn't several times rarer than that pill? Even his trash had a rarity of at least three times greater.

Tian Yi patiently waited in the queue, surrounded by others eager to showcase their treasures. Finally, after hours of waiting, it was his turn. However, when he approached the beautiful girl, she frowned at him and bluntly told him not to waste her time.

Confused, Tian Yi was at a loss for words. He hadn't even shown her anything, so how did she know he was wasting her time? The beautiful girl glanced at the unremarkable boy standing in front of her and doubted whether he was in the right place. What could he possibly sell that would attract the attention of the Jade Phoenix's Auction House? Convinced he had nothing of value, she shooed him away without giving him a chance to present his item.

"But... I didn't even show you my item," Tian Yi frowned, feeling frustrated by her dismissal.

"What could you possibly show me? This is not a place for people like you to sell random junk," she rudely retorted.

Tian Yi stared at her with a mix of confusion and annoyance, while Lao Bai, his loyal servant, grew furious at the treatment his Young Master received. "You bitch! My Young Master didn't even show you what he was offering, and you're shooing him away?!" Lao Bai exclaimed, unable to contain his anger.

Offended by the insult, the beautiful girl's anger flared up. "What did you just call me?! Who do you think I am?!" she retorted, her voice filled with fury.

"I called you a bitch! So what?! Come at me!" Lao Bai retorted, rolling up his sleeves as if prepared to fight to the death.

Before the situation could escalate further, a clear voice rang out, cutting through the tension. A stunning young lady, captivating the attention of those around her, approached the group. She wore a revealing blue cheongsam adorned with a Phoenix design.

"Senior Sister Meng Ling! These two rude men cursed at me, calling me a bitch!" the beautiful girl pointed an accusing finger at Tian Yi and Lao Bai.

Meng Ling, the leader of the group responsible for managing the entrance, frowned upon hearing about the altercation. She looked at the pair who were being accused - a furious white-haired middle-aged man and an ordinary-looking young boy with a calm expression, as if unaffected by the accusations.

"May I ask who you two gentlemen are and why you are causing a scene in front of my Jade Phoenix's Auction House?" Meng Ling asked politely, seeking an explanation.

"Hmph, finally someone reasonable has arrived. Listen carefully! My Young Master waited for hours in line just to grace your Auction House with his divine treasures. Yet, before he could even utter a word, this woman here shooed him away! What kind of lousy service is this?!" Lao Bai unleashed his frustration, raising his voice as if he were complaining to a restaurant manager.

Meng Ling frowned upon hearing the situation unfold. Ignoring Lao Bai's cursing, she turned to her Junior Sister and asked, "Did you truly dismiss them without even speaking to them? Is this how our Jade Phoenix's Auction House conducts business?"

"N-no, Senior Sister... But just look at him! He's clearly a mortal, no matter how you look at him. What godly treasure could he possibly have? His possessions are mere trash in our eyes!" Her Junior Sister tried to justify her actions.

"No 'buts'! As long as they have something to present to our Jade Phoenix's Auction House, we will treat them with respect, regardless of their status as Immortals or not!" Meng Ling lectured her Junior Sister firmly.

"Yes, Senior Sister," her Junior Sister replied, bowing her head in acknowledgment.

Tian Yi observed the four door girls with a disdainful expression and shook his head. Since they didn't want him there, he would find another place to sell his items.

"Lao Bai, let's go. If they refuse to help me sell my Peak Grade Immortal Treasure, I'll find someone else willing to purchase it from me," he declared, turning away from the Auction House and commencing his departure.

However, before he could take more than a couple of steps, a booming voice halted him in his tracks.

"??!?!!? YOUNG MASTER, PLEASE WAIT!" Meng Ling, who was typically composed, shouted after hearing his words.

Peak Grade Immortal Treasure?! The Jade Phoenix's Auction House had only sold such an item once in its entire history! What was a Peak Grade Immortal Treasure? It was something that even the Ancient Immortals would vie for! Not to mention Golden Immortals, many Ancient Immortals didn't possess a Peak Grade Immortal Treasure.

If their Jade Phoenix's Auction House had such an item for sale this year, all the Ancient Immortal powerhouses would flock to the place without rest! This was a tremendous opportunity for their Auction House, and yet they had already offended the owner of the treasure before he even had a chance to reveal it! What a disaster!

If news of this reached the higher-ups, they would surely execute all four of her Junior Sisters, and perhaps even herself!