Chapter 2373: Chapter 2377: Bidding War
Canghai Trade Alliance’s auction.
Jiang Chen arrived here two hours before the auction started.
He has figured out that this auction does not require any invitation and can be attended freely. However, during bidding, one cannot bid thoughtlessly. If, after bidding, you cannot produce the items for auction or enough Spirit Stones, the Canghai Trade Alliance may have a friendly conversation with you.
At this moment, Jiang Chen is sitting in the last row of the auction hall, observing the people within the venue.
Although there are still two hours until the auction starts, nearly half of the seats are already filled, indicating the popularity of this auction.
Jiang Chen’s purpose for arriving early is not so much to participate in the bidding but rather to see if his task target, Fan Buzhuo, will appear. There are private rooms on the second floor of the auction hall. If Fan Buzhuo enters a private room upon arrival, it will be difficult for him to find. Therefore, he must arrive early and wait.
As time passes, the auction hall is now fully seated, and all the second-floor private rooms are occupied. Yet, Jiang Chen has not identified his task target.
With a slight furrow of his brow, Jiang Chen scans the hall carefully, his gaze pausing at three spots.
The first pause is on a figure shrouded in a black robe, with even the face covered completely, making it impossible to discern appearance. The second figure is a man wearing a bamboo hat, and the third is an elderly person.
Although his target is introduced as a young man under thirty, Jiang Chen does not only pay attention to young people but quietly uses Dragon Qi from his acupoints to envelop his Divine Sense and probe the aura of everyone in the hall. There are several hidden yet powerful auras present here, clearly of Unity Realm Stage strength, while dozens fit the description of Late Virtual Refinement Realm.
Uncertain whether the task target has advanced in realm, Jiang Chen focuses on the Late and Virtual Refinement Realm Peak stages. After elimination, room number 2 upstairs houses a Virtual Refinement Realm Peak expert with a domineering aura, seemingly condensed from spear techniques.
Simultaneously matching this spear technique aura and target details are the three individuals in the hall, where the elderly man’s aura is the most hidden and sharp. Jiang Chen senses an elusive Spear Path intent within him, akin to his own Supreme Realm insight, a pious comprehension of ’intent’.
Because of the presence of Spear Intent, Jiang Chen can’t help but focus more on the elderly man, and although not thoroughly inspecting, he notices some traces of disguise.
For a cultivator, altering appearance is easy. If Divine Sense sweeps across a face, simple disguises can be seen through, but Jiang Chen is only at Mid Divine Infant Realm, and subtly sensing each person’s aura is his limit. Excessive probing could alert those above Late Virtual Refinement Realm, potentially causing unnecessary trouble.
If he finds his task target, it’s good; but if the one investigated turns out not to be the target, there might be conflicts.
"Really don’t know why the academy issued such a task."
Jiang Chen mutters softly, patiently waiting while observing those three figures in the hall.
Swish!
Suddenly, a figure appears at the front of the auction stage.
The previously noisy hall immediately quiets down, with everyone’s attention on the figure on the auction stage.
On the stage is a middle-aged man with a scholarly look, dressed in long robes which make him appear somewhat ethereal.
"Welcome to the auction of the Canghai Trade Alliance. I am Zhang Qiushan, the president of the Sky-Cleaving City sub-association, hosting this auction. I hope everyone can be satisfied when leaving."
After a sweeping glance, the man smiles and clasps his hands with a light bow: "Not to delay everyone’s time, the auction begins now."
A Unity Realm Stage expert hosting an auction?
Jiang Chen paused, then understood. It seems the Canghai Trade Alliance knows the attraction a Spirit Treasure Divine Weapon holds, prompting some precautions.
Glancing at the corners surrounding the auction stage, Jiang Chen senses two hidden yet powerful aurae, evidently two Unity Realm Peak experts guarding the location.
"The first item is a small trinket."
Zhang Qiushan smiles faintly and withdraws a mask thin as cicada wings from his Space Ring, transparent in color, with faint spiritual power waves on it.
"This mask is called ’Thousand Faces’, a famous artifact of the infamous villain Thousand Faces Blade Emperor from Qingyang Prefecture. This Spiritual Artifact has no offensive or defensive capabilities, but one function: once worn, it can freely change appearance and shield Divine Sense perception from cultivators below Unity Realm Peak."
Upon hearing this, Jiang Chen is slightly startled, a gleam in his eyes.
This ’Thousand Faces’ truly is magical; it’s an indispensable Divine Artifact for stealth operations, judging by timing, his senior brothers should be arriving at the forest outside Sky-Cleaving City in two days.
If he had this ’Thousand Faces’, it would save a lot of trouble in the upcoming actions!
With eyes narrowing slightly, Jiang Chen silently marvels; no wonder the inner circle city holds such treasures, the first auction item is an artifact, albeit seeming somewhat redundant.
"The starting price for this ’Thousand Faces’ artifact is fifty thousand Inferior Spirit Stones, with each increase no less than one thousand. The bidding starts!"
Zhang Qiushan casually announces the low price, then waits with a smile.
"Fifty thousand!"
"Fifty thousand one hundred!"
Following Zhang Qiushan’s words, scattered bidding calls sound in the hall.
Though ’Thousand Faces’ is an artifact, its function indeed appears somewhat redundant; cultivators cultivate both body and mind, generally unwilling to obscure their appearance, fearing it may violate their foundational intentions, causing instability in their Dao Heart, resulting in fewer bidders.
"Sixty thousand!"
As the bidding just reached fifty-five thousand, an elderly shout raised the bid to sixty thousand at once, attracting everyone’s gaze.
Jiang Chen expressed a slight surprise, also glancing at the bidder, coincidentally the elderly man among his observation targets possessing spear intent.
"Hmph! Those who hide their heads love such hidden tools!"
Suddenly, a mocking voice echoed from room number 2 upstairs, promptly joining the bidding: "Seventy thousand!"
Jiang Chen showed a curious expression as those two observation targets were now in competition, a matter to watch closely.
