Chapter 310: Sell a Magic Shield First

If it could be said that skill books were targeted at a grander audience beyond the regular clientele of Master Fang’s shop, then putting a piece of equipment up for auction here was purely a matter of joining in on the spectacle.

Of course, one could not rule out the potent collective atmosphere of an auction house, combined with the theatrical stoking of the auctioneer; even if the exact same group of people were bidding, such factors could easily drive the final price to dizzying heights.

For the cultivators of the Half-City, this was a distinct urban culture and habit nurtured by their grand environment, and it could also be seen as the vast divide between the professional and the amateur.

As for Fang Qi, he had simply tags along to broaden his horizons, taking the opportunity to see if there was anything he personally required—items like the "Bone of the Mighty" and "Deep-Sea Black Iron," or perhaps even some Spirit Essence. He had already secured the Flood Dragon Bone from Huangfu Tao, but as for the rest...

If fortune favored him enough to cross paths with them, he would naturally have to claim them. Otherwise, by the time everyone reached level forty or fifty and the Sand City Hegemony still could not be held, he, as the proprietor, would appear terribly incompetent.

After all, this was his true calling.

Passing through a classical, fragrant wooden corridor into the inner chamber, the auction hall itself was not grand in scale, but it was adorned with exquisite refinement.

The identities of the esteemed guests present needed no elaboration; even those who were not the lords of great factions were cultivators of exceedingly high cultivation and status. Under the soft amber glow of the lanterns, refined spiritual fruits and various pastries were laid out upon their respective seats.

Even here, Fang Qi encountered a few familiar faces—for instance, Liu Ningyun, who had mysteriously vanished from sight of late.

"Hmm? Senior Brother Duan!" From a seat not far away, a slightly plump cultivator called out. "Look over there. Isn't that the lad who came to ask for directions while standing atop a sword last time?"

"It is actually him?!" Duan Lan cast a cold, resentful glare at Proprietor Fang, who was currently exchanging pleasantries with his acquaintances. It was this very brat who had stolen his thunder back then!

Before he could voice his displeasure, a flurry of whispers erupted from nearby:

"Wow, Junior Sisters, look! Isn't that the man who flew past on a sword last time?"

"How marvelous! I wonder which sect or clan teaches such a technique!"

"A solitary man and his sword, traversing the vast skies—it is simply too elegant and carefree!"

"To think such a cultivator exists in this world!"

"Senior Sister Ye, look quickly! Right over there!"

They were on the verge of turning into infatuated admirers.

Veins bulged upon Duan Lan’s forehead, his mouth twitching as he slammed his wine cup heavily onto the table. "Truly, one wears out iron shoes in a fruitless search, only to find it without any effort at all!"

"Clamoring so loudly, where are your manners!" An elder cultivator in grey robes immediately glared fiercely at the youngsters.

"Uh... disciple... has forgotten themselves." The young maidens hastily shut their mouths.

Only then did the grey-robed cultivator stroke his beard and speak. "Flying by treading a sword... this old man has indeed heard of a cultivator who did so, one who once caused a great upheaval in Black Dragon City and defeated the Heavenly Maiden of Nanhua with a single strike. It is said he deployed a sword technique known as the Divine Sword Lightning Controlling True Spell. Its power is boundlessly fierce; even compared to the Heaven-Uniting Grand Sword of our Haoran Sect, it does not pale in the slightest. I wonder if the rumors hold true."

"Father, the Heavenly Light of Nanhua is a supreme marvel of this contemporary age, and it holds its ground equally against our Haoran Sect's Heaven-Uniting Grand Sword," a young boy of about twelve or thirteen nearby reminded him. "To be able to defeat Senior Sister Liu, that Divine Sword Lightning Controlling True Spell... how could it merely be on par with the Heaven-Uniting Grand Sword? It is clearly superior..."

The grey-robed cultivator’s face twitched violently. "..."

A chorus of gasps arose from the surrounding disciples:

"So he is actually that formidable?!"

"At such a tender age, his cultivation has already reached such a realm..."

"Too incredible!"

"I wonder whose disciple he might be..."

"..."

Meanwhile, at the table directly adjacent to the Haoran Sect, a young Daoist clad in black-and-white Daoist robes watched with eyes as sharp as burning torches, his expression cold and solemn.

"Senior Brother, is that the mysterious cultivator who defeated Fairy Liu? He doesn't look like much..."

"It is said he even proclaimed Fairy Liu as the number one of the younger generation on the spot. Pure arrogance!"

"..."

...

"Achoo!" Proprietor Fang, who was currently chatting with Huangfu Tao, suddenly sneezed. "Why do I suddenly feel like I'm the center of attention?"

"Everyone who came today is here for the auction. Who would be looking at you, Alliance Master?" The girls nearby, led by Ruan Ning, were evidently unaware that Proprietor Fang’s fame had already swept through the Morning Star Sea outside of Half-City, and they cast him looks of utter disdain.

Ruan Ning whispered, "Even if they are, they’re probably looking for revenge."

"I heard Sister Liu was also bullied by the Alliance Master..." Su Zhi whispered gossip from the side.

"How many years older are you than her? Bullying the young as an elder—to think you could do such a thing!"

"I swear to..." Proprietor Fang felt a sudden urge to hit someone. "Can you lot keep your voices down! And do I really look that old?"

Aren't we all young people here?

"The auction is beginning!" Mo Tianxing could bear it no longer and intervened from the side. "In this old man's view, the Alliance Master’s age is at most within two hundred years, which cannot be considered..."

"Enough..." Proprietor Fang was beginning to doubt his own existence. I really am a young man! Believe me, alright?

"Watch the auction, watch the auction!" Proprietor Fang had no desire to explain any further.

Under the brilliant interplay of lights, the one hosting the auction was revealed to be a woman clad in a silver-white long dress.

"A foreigner?" Fang Qi was struck with surprise. Yet, looking at her features, she did not seem like one; she possessed a slender face and willow-leaf brows that held a profound Eastern charm. However, she bore a mane of slightly curled brown hair, coupled with eyes as deep and green as a lake, seemingly capable of ensnaring one's soul. Her flirtatious glances seemed to kindle the deepest desires within a man's heart with every blink.

Complemented by her jade-like skin, which surpassed the whiteness of frost and snow, purity, bewitchment, and maturity seemed to blend seamlessly into every alluring aspect of her presence. The form-fitting, silver-white gown that trailed along the floor further accentuated her curvaceous silhouette, rising and falling like mountain ridges, blessed with the spiritual grace of heaven and earth. Every single detail was so flawlessly precise that even a young man like Proprietor Fang felt his blood quicken.

Her ruby lips parted slightly, revealing two sharp fangs. Amidst her enchanting aura, there was a touch of playfulness. "Welcome, everyone, to the Hidden Heaven Pavilion Auction."

"Still staring!" Proprietor Fang suddenly saw a pair of hands waving relentlessly before his face, instantly blocking his view. "Do you still want your eyeballs?"

"This proprietor was merely considering what race she belongs to!" Fang Qi rolled his eyes at Ruan Ning beside him. "I heard that in Half-City, demons and monsters can walk the world in broad daylight. Could this be a demon?"

The surroundings fell into a sudden stillness, falling inexplicably quiet, a silence that bordered on the uncanny.

Even upon the face of the grey-robed cultivator from the Haoran Sect, and that of Daoist Master Xichi of the Nanhua Sect, a trace of revulsion and indignation surfaced.

"Now, allow me to introduce the first item for auction." A silver-robed elder stepped forward, presenting a transparent orb to her. Within the orb, tendrils of smoke twisted and turned, shaping into one distorted human face after another. "The Corpse Soul Orb..."

For such objects, Fang Qi naturally lacked even the slightest shred of interest. The disciples of the great sects of the Morning Star Sea expressed nothing but disgust and displeasure in their eyes. Only a few unorthodox cultivators of sinister demeanor bid for such items, a pattern that persisted until the fifth lot.

"The next treasure to be auctioned may be somewhat peculiar." The woman raised her delicate hand, and a phantasm of a book with a yellow cover materialized before her.

"The Magic Shield. This is an exceedingly powerful defensive spell. It has been rumored that a cultivator of the True Lake Realm, with the aid of this shield, can withstand a full-strength strike from a Divine Sea Realm cultivator. After practical testing by our pavilion's manager, Jin Wu, the efficacy is indeed verified. The starting bid is five thousand spirit crystals."

"What?!"

"To think such a defensive spell exists?"

"How much time is required to cast it?"

"What is the effect if a Divine Sea Realm cultivator practices it?"

"How long does it take to master this technique?!"

Not only did the unorthodox cultivators who had just bid for the Corpse Soul Orb turn their gaze, but many grand factions also shifted their full attention toward it.

Daoist Master Xichi remarked in surprise, "To think such a spell exists? This Hidden Heaven Pavilion truly possesses everything rare and strange... If the price does not soar too high, I believe our Nanhua Sect ought to purchase it."

At that moment, Mo Xian was sipping her tea, and she nearly sprayed it across the face of the person opposite her. "The Magic Shield?!"

Wasn't that the very book that dropped during the monster assault on the city last time?! Why hadn't she thought to play it back then?! The girl next to her had casually picked one up at the time!

Beside her, Liu Ningyun’s expression turned extraordinarily vibrant: when she last checked, it was only two thousand spirit crystals a book, and now the starting bid alone was five thousand?!