8. White Auction Hall
At the beginning of the practice, one must refine one's own essence and eliminate impurities in the body.
The average person starts to cultivate at the age of twelve. If they are younger than twelve years old, their essence and qi are insufficient, and the meridians in the body have not fully grown, so they cannot cultivate.
The best time to build a foundation is before the age of forty.
After the age of forty, the function of the physical body begins to decline, and the possibility of building a foundation gradually decreases. Until the age of sixty, the hope of building a foundation is basically lost.
This is why Tyler is trying to speed run cultivation. But it took an Year to reach stage one.
The Qi-refining period is the beginning of cultivation and is subdivided into nine layers, the first, second, and third layers are the initial stage, the fourth, fifth, and sixth layers are the middle stage, and the seventh, eighth, and ninth layers are the late stage of Qi refining.
"Steamed buns, warm and fluffy..."
"Top quality rouge, more fragrant than flowers and sweeter than honey..."
The sound of peddling rang out from the surrounding area, Tyler and Priscilla walking on a crowded plaza that was extremely lively and bustling where they sell unusual mortal and cultivation products. They are talking about Appraisers.
An appraiser should be skilled in identifying and evaluating rare treasures, artefacts, magical items, and cultivation techniques. They might possess profound knowledge of ancient lore, mystical symbols, and magical properties, allowing them to discern the true value and potential of various objects.
To start an Auction Hall, an Appraiser is very much needed. To test the authenticity of the product. Tyler White has spent more money just to hire one temporarily.
"You still didn't get an appraiser?" Priscilla asked.
"I am looking for someone with good experience." Tyler replied.
As they were talking about it, they entered a hall. The furnishings in the hall were quite luxurious, and the ground was paved with beautiful dark red bricks, while several massive and intricately crafted palace lanterns were hanging from the ceiling.
There were also many gemstones embedded into the walls, but even with the palace lanterns and gemstones acting as light sources, the area was still rather dim.There were several dozen large chairs crafted from precious wooden materials in the hall.
In front of these chairs was a short stone platform, upon which was placed a rectangular table, and behind the table were three empty chairs.
"Wow, fancy." Priscilla said.
"Of course I borrowed some money." Tyler said. But it was a lie as he recalled a certain memory.
---
"Another bag of spirit stones! Another bag of spirit stones!" Tyler happily put a bag of spirit stones inside the copper pot and took out the copies one by one with delight.
A few hours later
The room was filled with bags of spirit stones and in the centre, Tyler with a bored expression like a puppet he copied more bags of spirit stones.
"Another one... Wow, I am Rich... Haaaa" He couldn't help but yawn.
"It's damn boring."
---
"Junior brother, there are some Appraiser masters in our sect. If you want I can recommend some." Priscilla told proudly.
Tyler thanked her. Her smugness got bigger, she didn't notice that sly old Tyler was smirking because if he wanted an Inner disciple as a worker, only another Inner disciple like Priscilla could bring one. So he intentionally led her to that topic.
Just like that, in a day, a disciple from the inner sect arrived. He looked like he was in his thirties but he is definitely older than he looks.
"Fellow brother, Xie" Priscilla welcomed him and told him about the job. He agreed easily, because he got paid immediately.
"Hello Mr.Xie." Tyler greeted him. After some words of some random topics. Mr.Xie asked him about the auction things.
Tyler hesitated to say something, but before he could say anything Priscilla led him to the treasure room, which Tyler pointed to her earlier. She didn't go inside before, but now she is eager to check. They entered the treasure room, but there was no treasure at all.
"Where is the treasure?" Priscilla asked in confusion.
"*cough* Since it's new auction house yet to be opened. It is still under negotiation." Tyler said with an embarrassed expression.
Priscilla and Mr. Xie's mouth twitched. This guy perfectly has everything that is needed for an auction house like workers and hosts. But not the treasure. They were dumbfounded.
"Trust me, trust me. I will be back with treasures today. " He said and ran out.
"My junior brother is too clumsy." She sighed and Mr.Xie chuckled.
---
"Hello. Remember we talked about the auction?" Tyler entered a shop and talked to the worker.
The worker greeted him and led him to the owner inside.
"Welcome, my friend. It seems you really started the auction house." A fat man who was wearing a bright gold and blue dress sitting on the couch while eating fruits looked at him and said,
"That's my plan from the beginning." Tyler replied and he sat on the opposite.
The fat man nodded like he didn't care and signalled his servant. The servant went inside and brought two cups of spirit tea and left it on the table and left quietly.
After that the fat man looked at the tea for a while and gulped.
"You can drink the tea." Tyler said slowly after noticing the fat man expression.
"Thank you. Thank you." The fat man thanked him and drank it happily.
"That's yours.. I am the guest here." Tyler mumbled to himself in a low voice. It looked like the role had reversed.
The servant then brought a big rectangular box. Tyler opened it and saw 4 bells in it tied up in a small shrine-like holder.
He swept a sleeve through the air to release a gentle breeze, which swept over the pavilion, causing all of the 4 bells on the holder to sway and chime.
The sound was very pleasing to the ears initially, but Tyler quickly noticed that something wasn't quite right.
"It is not even doing anything." Tyler said.
"This is the only most valuable treasure I have. It is a nascent level treasure. But the problem is the original set is 24 bells." The fat man said with a smile.
"So it's an incomplete treasure." Tyler said.
"Sorry that's all I can do." Fat man replied without a smile on his face.
Still Tyler bought the bells and left the place. After he left another man entered the room.
"Thank you sir." That man said,
The fat man waved his hand and said, "Well I really hope that you will buy many things from my shop. That new auction house is gonna become a laughing stock soon. Your auction house will prosper."
The man is none other than the competitor for Tyler's auction house. He used his connection and asked all the shops in the 'Immortal Gathering Point' not to give anything good to the newly emerged auction house.
Meanwhile Tyler came back and without even looking at his senior sister and others he ran to his office and closed the door and started the restriction.
He took his copper pot out. The fist size copper pot expanded into football size. He then removed the bells from the holder and placed them inside the copper pot.
" 4 x 6 = 24 " He mumbled and made 44 copies. He then kept the 24 for himself and took the remaining 20 copies + 4 original and went to the treasure room.
"Mr.Xie please appraise this." He placed 24 bells on the table.
"Nascent level treasure." After a few minutes, Mr.Xie blurred out.
Both Priscilla and Mr. Xie's mouths gaped at the sight of the nascent-level treasure. Their junior brother had just stepped out for a moment, and he brought back a nascent-level treasure? Are nascent-level treasures something that can be bought like onions in the street?
"Junior brother. Where did you get these?" Priscilla asked.
"Sorry senior. The customer said not to reveal his identity." Tyler replied with an apologising smile.
She nodded in understanding expression and was not offended. It was normal for people doesn't want to share their identity when revealing treasure like this.
"How does it work?" Priscilla asked. As she flickered her finger, the bells floated and shook.
"No wai-" Before both boys could stop her the 24 bells rang.
All Tyler can remember was beautiful music of bells to ear before he fainted. Because he is the one with lowest cultivation he couldn't withstand even a tiny bit of power of the treasure.
The chiming of the bells should've gradually subsided over time, but instead, it was only growing louder and louder, until eventually, each strike was as loud as the strike of a gong, striking everyone with a sense of dizziness and disorientation.
It seems that these 24 bells are a set of spiritually disruptive treasure.
"Oh no, Junior Brother Tyler!" She shouted loudly and picked him up in panic.
Tyler woke up in a few hours. His senior sister is looking down with guilt. But Tyler didn't mind, he is looking forward to the auction.
But sadly not even one customer attended the auction.