Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Auction
"You cultivate all day and night. Aren’t you bored? Let me tell you, this auction is being held by the Liuyun Kingdom’s number one commerce association, the Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association. There will be all sorts of rare treasures and curious trinkets. Plus, it’s a huge, once-a-season auction. Tsk tsk, I even heard they’ll be auctioning off snake-women."
As Chen Xing spoke, he opened a booklet. Sure enough, the front page featured several scantily clad snake-women, revealing large patches of their snowy-white skin. Their figures were bewitching, and they each looked as delicate and boneless as could be, truly evoking a sense of pity and desire.
If any lecherous man saw this, he would be consumed by flames of passion, unable to control himself.
Just like Chen Xing, whose eyes were gleaming as he spoke right next to Ye Xuan’s ear, "I heard that these snake-women are very well-behaved after being trained. And their bodies are so soft they can perform all sorts of positions. Tsk tsk, they’re the finest delicacies on earth."
Ye Xuan chuckled. ’This Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association really knows how to grab people’s attention, coming up with something like snake-women.’
These snake-women were, in fact, women who possessed the bloodline of an ancient snake clan. People with this type of bloodline were extremely rare near the Liuyun Kingdom, but on the continent, they were innumerable.
"Chen Xing, what are you talking about?"
Just as Chen Xing was enthusiastically explaining the finer points of these snake-women, a sharp voice suddenly came from outside the door. Leng Yingying and Feng Rouyi walked in together.
"Ahem, nothing." Seeing them, Chen Xing quickly flipped the promotional booklet over. "I was just telling Master Xuan about the Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association auction in three days. I was introducing him to the treasures that will be there. Master Xuan, look at this bow. It’s called the Golden Extremity Iron Wire Bow, a Third Level Profound Soldier. A single arrow can slay a Tier Three Demon Beast. Its power is limitless! And this stone, shaped like an eye—it’s said to be a Heart Gaze Stone bought from the Thirteen Nations Alliance. It’s the main ingredient for refining the Celestial Eye Pill. That Celestial Eye Pill is a Third Grade Pill. Once you take it, it can increase your vision by ten percent and let you see even more clearly in the dark. And this secret manual..."
Chen Xing rambled on eloquently, putting on an act.
At first, Ye Xuan just smiled, but when he heard Chen Xing mention the Heart Gaze Stone, his eyes instantly lit up. He glanced at the promotional booklet and, sure enough, there on the page was an eye-shaped stone. What else could it be but a Heart Gaze Stone?
Joy instantly bloomed in Ye Xuan’s heart.
’What a stroke of luck.’ He had just been worrying about the Heart Gaze Stone, but in the blink of an eye, news of it had appeared. It was like being given a pillow just when you were feeling drowsy.
"Ye Xuan, we heard about this auction too and were planning to go take a look. Why don’t you come with us?" Leng Yingying said immediately.
Chen Xing waved a hand. "Ladies, don’t even think about it. Master Xuan is a very busy man. Where would he find the time to attend some auction? We’re as close as brothers, and I just spent ages trying to convince him, but he didn’t budge. Even if you two are beauties, I’m afraid..."
Before Chen Xing could finish, Ye Xuan cut him off. "Chen Xing, when is this auction? I want to go!"
Chen Xing’s jaw dropped, his expression frozen. With a mournful look, he said, "Master Xuan, you’re choosing beauties over your bro!"
He had invited Ye Xuan earlier, and Ye Xuan had flatly refused. But the moment Leng Yingying suggested it, he was eagerly asking for the time. Chen Xing felt his heart take a heavy blow.
Having discovered news of the Heart Gaze Stone, Ye Xuan could finally put his mind at ease.
The auction was to be held in three days. During those three days, Ye Xuan didn’t do anything else, instead busying himself with processing the materials he had obtained earlier.
On the morning of the third day, Ye Xuan, along with Leng Yingying, Feng Rouyi, and Chen Xing, arrived at the location of the Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association’s auction.
The Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association was the number one commerce association in the Liuyun Kingdom, and it was said to have an extremely powerful background.
The auction had not yet begun, but the square in front was already a sea of people, a testament to just how popular the Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association’s auctions were.
In reality, the Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association held a small auction every ten days, a medium-sized one every month, and a large-scale one every quarter.
Beyond that, there was also an annual super-sized auction. Their goal was to maximize the value of certain in-demand items through these auctions.
Furthermore, attending the auction required an entry fee, which was a considerable source of income for the Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association, not to mention it also helped boost their reputation.
"Master Xuan, when I heard you were coming to the auction, I booked four VIP seats well in advance. Otherwise, it would’ve been hard for the four of us to sit together, wouldn’t it?" Chen Xing produced four iron tokens and flashed them at an auction attendant. The attendant immediately led the four of them toward the VIP section at the back.
The VIP section, located above the regular seating, was a luxurious hall. The positions were better, and the view was more expansive.
Above the VIP section were private boxes. However, those boxes weren’t for just anyone. They couldn’t be bought simply by having money.
The private boxes at the Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association’s auction house were reserved for individuals with a certain standing in the Liuyun Kingdom.
For someone like Chen Xing, managing to buy four VIP seats was already quite an impressive feat.
"I didn’t expect you to be so well-prepared," Ye Xuan said, glancing at Chen Xing. He had planned to attend the auction, but he hadn’t thought about the details.
Chen Xing chuckled slyly. "Master Xuan, but of course. And, uh..."
He fumbled around in his clothes and pulled out a tattered receipt. "This is the bill for the VIP seats. You’re the rich one, so you can reimburse me!"
Ye Xuan’s face darkened. Beside him, Leng Yingying and Feng Rouyi were also dumbfounded.
This Chen Xing was really one of a kind.
Chen Xing grinned, not the least bit embarrassed. "Master Xuan, you know I don’t have much spending money. One seat costs three thousand Profound Coins! Four is twelve thousand! That’s enough for me to cultivate in the Cultivation Tower for a long time."
His shamelessness left even Ye Xuan speechless.
The four of them quickly arrived at the VIP area.
Leng Yingying and Feng Rouyi’s eyes lit up. The VIP area wasn’t just simple rows of seats like the area below. Instead, it was constructed to look like a collection of elegant pavilions.
The pavilions were clustered together, each one containing a varying number of seats—a minimum of two and a maximum of eight. In the middle of the seats was a stone table laden with fruits and tea for the guests to enjoy.
In this way, each pavilion was like a simple private box. The only difference was that a proper box was completely separate, while here, many pavilions shared the entire VIP area.
Most importantly, people in the private boxes could see all the guests in both the VIP area and the regular seating area.
And the VIP area could see the regular area below.
As for the regular area, it was impossible to see either of the sections above.
This simple seating arrangement laid bare the hierarchy of status and the disparity between the noble and the common.
Just as Ye Xuan and his group approached the VIP area, a pair of eyes from a private box above immediately spotted him.
This person was none other than the Sixth Prince, Zhao Gang.
Upon seeing Ye Xuan, a cold sneer formed on his lips.
A while ago, he had been fuming, waiting bitterly for Ye Xuan to show his face, but he never expected Ye Xuan to go into seclusion for three whole months.
Gradually, his focus on Ye Xuan had waned. He never thought he would unexpectedly run into Ye Xuan at the Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association’s auction today.
In the Sixth Prince’s private box, aside from himself, there were five or six other men and women, each one dressed in fine silks and brocades, clearly either rich or noble.
Seeing the Sixth Prince’s expression, one of the young men smiled and said, "Your Highness, what is it that you see? Do tell us."
As he spoke, he followed the Sixth Prince’s gaze and his eyes lit up. "Haha, so Your Highness has spotted such beauties. Your Highness is truly a man of broad tastes and exceptional affections."
The others also turned to look. A young man in a blue robe chuckled as well. "I have long heard of Your Highness’s sharp eye, and seeing it today, it is indeed true. We had not even noticed those two women in the crowd, yet Your Highness already spotted them. I am truly impressed."
The group fell over themselves to flatter Zhao Gang, but they had no idea that the more they flattered him, the more upset he became.
The matter of his lower body injury was a taboo topic for him. He had long since issued a gag order, so the news had not spread. Now, hearing everyone’s flattery, his heart couldn’t help but bleed.
"Hmph." He snorted coldly, his gaze turning frigid. "I wasn’t looking at those two women, but at the young man in the green robe."
"Hmm?" Everyone present was suddenly taken aback.
"Not long ago, this person offended me. It’s just that I, this Prince, could never find an opportunity for revenge. I never thought I’d finally see him again today," Zhao Gang said through gritted teeth.
"Oh?" The group was even more astonished. "Your Highness, what is this person’s background?"
They all knew Zhao Gang’s vengeful nature, one that sought payback for the smallest slight. Hearing that this young man had once offended him and was still walking around perfectly fine, they couldn’t help but be extremely puzzled.
"He has no significant background. He’s just a country bumpkin. However, he’s a student at the Profound Spirit Academy and was hiding in there before, so this Prince never had the chance to act."
"How is that difficult?" One of the young men stood up with a smile. "Your Highness, he’s merely a country bumpkin. I am acquainted with the manager of this Celestial Cauldron Commerce Association. Just watch how I vent Your Highness’s anger for you."
With that said, the young man left the private box with a smile on his face, clearly off to make arrangements.
Naturally, Ye Xuan’s group of four was oblivious to what was happening in the private box.
After taking their seats in their pavilion, the four of them sampled the refreshments. Soon, the auction began.
Chen Xing and the others were buzzing with excitement. Only Ye Xuan remained calm and composed.
Ye Xuan wasn’t particularly interested in the items at this so-called auction. With his discerning eye, there were very few things that could actually catch his fancy. If it weren’t for the Heart Gaze Stone, he wouldn’t have even bothered to come.
