Chapter 14: The Beast Ring
Accompanied by a female attendant, Mo Yu slowly entered the ongoing auction. As for the cloaked figure he encountered earlier, Mo Yu guessed with high certainty that it was Xiao Yan.
Given Yao Lao's abilities, it wouldn't be difficult to create a pill that could catch the attention of the Mite-er Auction House.
Upon entering, the bright environment dimmed, and a wave of noise engulfed Mo Yu, who preferred quiet, causing him to frown.
The auction hall was quite large, easily accommodating hundreds, if not thousands. In the center, illuminated by lights, a beautiful woman in a red dress was describing the functions of the item in her hand with a sultry voice that made one's bones tingle.
Under her delicate voice, the price of an otherwise unremarkable item was rapidly rising.
Mo Yu found a quiet corner and sat down, his gaze sweeping over the beautiful woman on stage.
The chief auctioneer of the Mite-er Auction House: Ya Fei. She was a well-known beauty in Wu Tan City, with a mature charm that made many men fall for her.
Seeing this, Mo Yu calmly settled into his seat and found a comfortable position to enjoy the pleasant scene.
In the original novel, there were many beautiful characters, but in terms of pure seductiveness, Ya Fei stood alone...
As he sat there, Mo Yu suddenly frowned, smelling something unpleasant.
Turning his head slightly, he saw a man sitting not far from him, hidden in the shadows, staring at Ya Fei with heated eyes.
"Is this... a creep?" Mo Yu muttered under his breath, smirking under his cloak.
In his three lives, this was the first time he had truly encountered such a scene.
Feeling the need to distance himself, Mo Yu shifted slightly, and the odor began to dissipate.
His eyes then casually glanced over the items Ya Fei was auctioning. Suddenly, something caught his interest.
"This is the Mountain River Stone, verified by the Mite-er Auction House. While its exact use is still unknown, it would make an excellent collectible."
"The starting price is 3,000 gold coins. Let the bidding begin," Ya Fei said with a charming smile, subtly elevating the value of the mysterious stone.
However, the experienced crowd wasn't so easily swayed. Few were willing to part with 3,000 gold coins for an item of unknown purpose.
Some men considered bidding to win Ya Fei's favor but hesitated when looking at their wallets and the steep price.
Ya Fei's expression turned slightly awkward, as such moments of silence were rare for her.
The Mountain River Stone might have been deemed valuable by the appraiser, but without any known purpose, selling it for cheap would feel like a loss.
Just as Ya Fei was caught in a dilemma, a rich and charming male voice suddenly broke the silence.
"3,000 gold coins, I'll take it!"
That voice, disguised as a middle-aged man, was none other than Mo Yu.
While others might not know the stone's purpose, Mo Yu knew all too well.
On the Dou Qi Continent, there was a rare item called the 'Na Ring,' made from a material called Na Stone. It housed a small, rare space that could store non-living items.
But on the Shen Xiao Continent, where the art of beast taming thrived, there was something known as the 'Beast Ring,' capable of storing living creatures like magical beasts!
And the Mountain River Stone was a crucial material in crafting the Beast Ring!
In his previous life, beast-taming sects would have paid a fortune, even billions of gold coins, for such a large piece of Mountain River Stone. Three thousand gold coins was practically a steal!
Crafting a Beast Ring was no challenge for Mo Yu either.
After Mo Yu made his bid, Ya Fei visibly relaxed, casting a charming smile in his direction. Without giving anyone a chance to react, she quickly declared, "Sold for 3,000 gold coins!"
Not sure whether she was worried someone would try to outbid him or feared Mo Yu might change his mind, her swift hammering decision left Mo Yu amused.
This seemingly mature and seductive woman had a rather cute side after all...
After acquiring the Mountain River Stone, nothing else at the auction caught his interest.
He shifted his gaze from Ya Fei and let it wander around the auction hall.
"Oh, Xiao Yan?" His eyes stopped for a moment when he spotted a cloaked figure in the distance. Mo Yu recognized him as Xiao Yan but had no intention of greeting him. In this kind of setting, it was best to pretend they didn't know each other.
As Mo Yu continued to survey the room, he noticed that not only had Xiao Zhan, the patriarch of the Xiao family, personally attended, but the leaders of the other two major families in Wu Tan City, the Jia Lie family and the Ao Ba family, were present as well.
"It seems my Xuan-Class Dou Technique will fetch a good price!"
Mo Yu's heart stirred, and he raised an eyebrow, a smile playing on his lips.
With the three most influential families in the city here, the auction was bound to get heated.
...
Meanwhile, under Ya Fei's skillful hosting, the auction remained lively and exciting.
"Haha, ladies and gentlemen, we've just received a new item for auction, one that I'm sure will pique everyone's interest." After completing the previous sale, Ya Fei suddenly announced with a smile. She waved her hand, and an attendant quickly brought over a jade tray holding a small white jade bottle.
"This is a Second-tier pill, Foundation Elixir, effective for those below the Dou Zhe level. Soaking in this elixir while cultivating can significantly speed up training without damaging one's foundation!" Her red lips parted, releasing a seductive voice that sent shivers down the spines of the audience.
Hearing this, Mo Yu's heart stirred. He wasn't interested in buying it, but he recognized it as the item Yao Lao had crafted for Xiao Yan to auction.
Since it was made by Yao Lao, the price was bound to be high.
As expected, the three major families fiercely competed for it.
In the end, Xiao Zhan, the patriarch of the Xiao family, secured it for 40,000 gold coins.
Seeing this, Mo Yu couldn't help but click his tongue. The pill-making business was indeed profitable on the Dou Qi Continent.
If the opportunity arose, Mo Yu thought, he might explore becoming an alchemist in this life.
"Haha, and now, we present one of the highlight items of today's auction!" After storing the jade bottle away, Ya Fei waved her hand again, and the lights on stage dimmed. She bent down slightly and retrieved a tray. On it rested a simple black scroll.
"Xuan-Class low-tier movement Dou Technique: Nine Flashes of the Wandering Dragon!"