The first floor of the Ancient Tower was very spacious, taking up almost a third of the street.
At the center stood a circular platform. Around this platform, countless chairs were arranged. The deep red columns on both sides were carved with lifelike golden dragons. Various famous paintings hung on the side walls, landscapes full of trees and deep forests.
Dozens of fragrant flowers decorated the hall, filling it with their scent.
Looking up, the pavilion had three levels. The third floor was private, used only by the Wan Clan and not open to the public.
Along the dragon-carved columns was a staircase that led up to the second floor, which had many private booths. Each room had names based on natural themes, wind, rain, thunder, lightning, plum blossom, orchid, bamboo, chrysanthemum, and so on.
Xu Zimo looked around. There were probably several dozen rooms in total.
Following Manager Wan, the group was led to the booth named “Bamboo.”
The room wasn’t very large. It had a wooden table with a plate of fruit on it. Around the room were a few cushioned chairs made of cloth. Near the corridor side was a window meant for viewing the auction downstairs.
The lighting was soft, and there was a faint fragrance in the air.
"Young Master Lin and everyone, this will be your booth. If you need anything, just call me," Manager Wan said with a smile.
"Thank you, Manager Wan," Lin Feng nodded slightly.
After Wan left, Lin Feng turned to Xu Zimo and said, "I brought spirit crystals from the sect to buy a Sky Lotus Flower. Father said I could give you one million spirit crystals to buy whatever you need."
"Got it," Xu Zimo nodded.
As time passed, the seats on the first floor filled up. More and more big names were arriving on the second floor too.
Among them were the Scarlet King Huo Xuan, the refined man and purple-dressed girl Xu Zimo had met earlier when fighting the green flood dragon.
He still didn’t know who they were, and frankly, didn’t care to find out.
As for spirit crystals, Xu Zimo had plenty stored in his God World. When he destroyed Heaven-Severing Sacred Ground and other powers, he had collected billions of spirit crystals.
His storage rings couldn’t hold them all, so he just dumped them in his inner world. He rarely needed to use them, so he had never paid much attention.
…
Once everyone had arrived, sounds of clanking echoed from the platform.
Something slowly rose from within the platform.
An old man in a red robe walked out from the side. He looked energetic and full of life.
His voice echoed through the hall: "I am Wan Shiyuan. Those who often attend our Wan Clan’s auctions should recognize me. Let me still introduce myself. I will be the auctioneer for today’s event. Let me say a few things first, we’ll be clear from the start. This auction is strictly payment for goods, no exceptions. As long as the item doesn’t have a defect, we do not accept any returns."
After finishing his speech, he waved his hand, and a cover on the platform was lifted.
Lying there was a bright red fruit.
"The first item: Dragon Scale Fruit. Perfect for strengthening the physical body. Whether you're a meridian cultivator below Genesis Palace realm, or buying for a younger generation just starting out, it’s worth getting. Starting price: 10 spirit crystals. Each bid must increase by at least 10."
As soon as he finished, someone raised a sign and shouted, "20 crystals!"
"I bid 50!"
…
In the end, a cultivator bought the Dragon Scale Fruit for 100 spirit crystals.
No one else tried to compete. Not because they didn’t have the money, but because the price was fair. Unless someone really wanted it, no one would overpay.
"The second item is a martial skill called Monument-Breaking Palm. A palm strike like a heavenly monument, fists that shatter mountains and rivers. Starting bid: 50 spirit crystals. Each increase must be at least 50."
As soon as the words landed, the crowd started getting excited.
The Wan Clan's auction strategy was clever, they started with smaller items and saved the big ones for later.
Even these cheaper items were well-selected.
Dragon Scale Fruit and Monument-Breaking Palm weren’t rare treasures, but they were rare enough that big shots didn’t care, while everyday cultivators found them valuable.
In short, everything being auctioned was of the "rare but not priceless" kind.
…
As item after item was auctioned off, most of the crowd had already spent a large portion of their money.
Wan Shiyuan knocked the metal gong on the stage and said loudly, "The next item is a little special."
With a wave of his hand, a bell-shaped object appeared on the stage.
"This came from the God-Demon Battlefield. It contains divine energy, but the bell itself is broken and doesn’t function. We’re auctioning it as-is and do not guarantee anything. Starting bid: 100 spirit crystals. Bid increments can be whatever you like."
After hearing this, the room went silent.
"They’re seriously trying to sell this broken thing? Are they that desperate for money?"
Someone muttered.
"Hey, no one’s forcing you to buy. Who knows, it could be a hidden treasure. It’s up to you."
"I bid 100 crystals," a man from a booth in the corner of the second floor called out.
"100 crystals. Anyone else?" Wan Shiyuan asked again.
"Even if we can’t test what it does, it might have a hidden function. At worst, a few hundred crystals isn’t a big loss."
"200 crystals."
"300 crystals."
More people from the second floor started casually placing bids.
"1,000 crystals," Xu Zimo called out, raising his bidding plate.
Hearing that, many who were just testing the waters gave up.
But in the corner of the first floor, a woman wearing a conical hat stood up and kept bidding.
"1,100 crystals."
"2,000 crystals," Xu Zimo called again.
"2,100," the woman still continued.
"10,000 crystals," Xu Zimo said casually with a wave of his hand.
"You’re crazy. Spending 10,000 on some piece of junk?" Lin Feng couldn’t help but speak up.
"What do you care? Didn’t father say I could use a million crystals? Just pay up," Xu Zimo replied calmly.
After that, the woman on the first floor went quiet.
She seemed to be weighing the pros and cons.