(A/N: I won't make excuses, I was super busy IRL and didn't have time to write, so I hope you guys and gals can understand. Join our discord to talk with fellow readers and complain about my release schedule.
Link: discord.gg/SC9HNKVj5e
)
Li Huang and the others were filled with excitement as they made their way to the balcony reserved for the Heavenly Sword Sect. One of the most significant occasions on the divine central continent was the Golden Phoenix auction. It offered cultivators the chance to purchase extraordinary and powerful items that could aid them in their quest to become more powerful.
They were greeted by the sight of rows upon rows of seats, all of which were occupied by cultivators hailing from a wide variety of families and sects as they made their way up to the balcony. Li Huang looked around the throng of people in an attempt to recognize anyone, but there were simply too many individuals for him to make out anyone in particular. He had heard about this auction for months, yet he was still surprised by the sheer scale of it as he watched the crowd.
He was sure that Han Junhui and Peng Borong would surely be there, as they would need quite a few treasures for Junhui so that he could get more powerful as soon as possible.
'I'm not sure if this is what they want to do; they might only want to spend time together for a few years.' Li Huang thought, 'Then again, for a cultivation genius like Han Junhui, it would be quite depressing to see everyone improve but himself.'
Elder Zhong Zedong guided the party to the seats that had been allotted to them, and once they arrived, they took their places among the other members of the Heavenly Sword Sect. When Li Huang looked around at the other members of his sect, who were all powerful cultivators in their own right, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. The Li family was about to engage in war with the Xu family, and they had no intention of bringing the Heavenly Sword Sect into their conflict in any way, shape, or form. On the other hand, things might turn out differently for the Xu family, who might come out on top if this conflict escalates and gets out of control. Having that in mind, Li Huang had a strong sense of duty to protect his fellow sect members, and he was determined to do whatever he could in order to prevent the Xu family from bringing the Heavenly Sword Sect into the conflict.
As the auction began, Li Huang leaned back in his seat, letting out a sigh of contentment. He had always enjoyed auctions, and the Golden Phoenix auction was sure to be a memorable experience. The first item up for auction was a rare herb that was said to have incredible healing properties. As the bidding began, Li Huang watched with interest, wondering how high the price would go.
It wasn't long before the herb was sold for an exorbitant sum, much to the delight of the seller. The item was not something that Li Huang was interested in, so he refrained from betting on anything the whole time.
Cai ZhenKang, who didn't know Li Huang's inner thoughts, couldn't understand why he, of all people, would just sit and watch the auction when he was someone who would buy anything.
If Li Huang were to hear Cai ZhenKang's thoughts, he would be dumbfounded. Although he bought things that might seem worthless to others, they were really priceless treasures that could help him or his friends and family get stronger, so it wasn't a waste of money in any way.
Cai ZhenKang, on the other hand, had no idea about the [Peeping Eye of Heaven] at the time, so he was bound to believe Li Huang had a spending problem.
"Hey, Huang. Don't you want to buy a few things?" Cai ZhenKang asked, patting Li Huang on the shoulder.
Li Huang narrowed his eyes, and he didn't get what Cai ZhenKang meant by that.
"Wasn't this just the first item? I don't need it, so I didn't participate in the betting, but that doesn't mean that I won't bet on other items if they catch my eye." He said the last part both figuratively and literally. The herb wasn't that good when he checked it with the [Peeping Eye of Heaven] and the price kept getting higher, so it would be a waste of funds to buy it right now.
"Oh!" Cai ZhenKang gave a nod. In all honesty, he was more or less addicted to the thrills of betting against others, so he was very much looking forward to Li Huang's bets.
"Yeah, also, I need to save my spirit stones for the big items tomorrow." With a big smile, Li Huang said. He knew for sure that there would be at least one big item tomorrow.
"Hahaha, let's hope it's a beautiful axe!" Cai ZhenKang smiled and lightly patted Li Huang on the shoulder.
The auction continued on, with various items being sold one after the other. There were weapons, pills, and even a few ancient artifacts that caught Li Huang's eye. Although he wasn't in the market for any of these items, he couldn't help but admire the craftsmanship. It was when the herbs were back on display that Li Huang started betting fervently, increasing his bets until he won. He had been waiting for herbs to come back up, as he was in desperate need of a few for his alchemical experiments with the training method he found in the eternal chasm. Li Huang was confident that if he used these herbs in his training method, it would help him reach higher levels of power than ever before, so he didn't hesitate to bet on any herb that could help him in that regard.
Until now, the auction was relatively normal, and it wasn't one-sided for a family, sect, or person; but for the next half hour, every herb that caught Li Huang's eye was bought by him. It was to the point that people would give up on betting for that item when Li Huang would start betting on it.
Of course, the larger families and sects were not so reserved as to let Li Huang do whatever he wanted, but since there was no competition between them and Li Huang for an item, they simply laughed at others' misfortunes.
By the end of the herb auction, Li Huang had amassed a wide variety of herbs. Li Huang's buying frenzy had caused panic among the other families and sects at the auction, as their chance to purchase what they needed was quickly disappearing.
After that, Li Huang didn't bet much, and his fellow disciples would bet from time to time. He didn't think there would be anything else worth buying today. This, in turn, made others happy as they could buy more items without Li Huang competing with them. His stance also had a positive effect on his fellow disciples, who saw him as an example of someone who could restrain himself even when faced with the temptation to buy something.
Although each and every person in the auction house had different thoughts about Li Huang's actions, he was simply content with the herbs he had bought and wanted to make sure that he didn't overspend.
He couldn't be more wrong. Around this time, an item was brought to the stage, and Li Huang stood up involuntarily. His eyes widened as he observed the object on the platform, recognizing it immediately.
Just as Li Huang was in awe, the audience collectively murmured in surprise, captivated by the new item that had been brought before them.
The auctioneer came forward, and everyone in the audience stopped chatting among themselves to see what she had to say.
"This item is the last item of the day, and it is the special one we prepared for this year's auction." The lady said, and everyone couldn't help but want the item she was holding even more.
It wasn't just a matter of usefulness; it was about people talking about your family or sect getting that one. Looking at it like that, it was a bragging right for anyone who would be able to buy it.
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