As the drumbeat ceased, Shang Liancheng clasped his hands and bowed to the guests, smiling broadly. "Esteemed guests, it's the end of the month once again. Surely, you all know what time it is, don't you?"
The familiar patrons seated around him immediately shouted, "An auction!"
Shang Liancheng chuckled heartily, "Exactly, our monthly auction!" He clapped his hands, and ten beautiful maidservants entered in a line, each carrying a tray covered with red silk, adding a layer of mystery.
Bai Siyao let out a soft "Ah" of surprise. So, Zhaixing Tower's auction had started this early. Shang Liancheng was indeed a shrewd businessman, turning it into a trademark. A thousand years later, whether buying or selling rare treasures, Zhaixing Tower was the first place many would think of.
"Auction!" Bai Siyang was as excited as a monkey, bouncing up and down. He'd heard about it before but had never witnessed one himself.
Bai Siyan also looked intrigued. "I wonder what treasures we'll see?"
Bai Siyao replied, "To us, they're all treasures. A place like Zhaixing Tower requires a certain wealth just to step inside. We're only here thanks to Elder Yi Ming's connection. Otherwise, we wouldn't even have the right to watch."
Bai Siyang, full of anticipation, said, "I may be broke, but you, Big Sis and Second Sis, you have money! Surely you can afford something, right?"
Bai Siyan remained calm. "Even if we could afford one or two items, what's the point? It's not worth spending it all here. Let's just enjoy the spectacle."
Bai Siyao wholeheartedly agreed with these words. Their eldest sister was always dependable. But for the two of them, the most important thing was still to focus on improving their cultivation. Everything else was secondary and unrealistic.
Of course, seeing the world was a good thing—it broadened their horizons and prevented them from being deceived in the future.
On the high platform, Shang Liancheng had already unveiled the first treasure. Bai Siyan and Bai Siyang's eyes lit up, unable to stop exclaiming in awe.
Bai Siyao, however, felt indifferent. Zhaixing Tower's auction was still in its early stages, and the standards were quite low. As someone of Lord Yumo's stature, she had little interest in anything below the Nascent Soul level.
As the crowd's attention focused on the platform, Bai Siyao started observing the private rooms on the second floor.
In the third room to the left stood many maids, and one of them had just peeked out earlier. Bai Siyao recognized her as a concubine of Young Master Mo Qi.
In the second room to the right, she caught a glimpse of a robe's corner—it seemed to belong to Baili Xu.
Another thing that piqued her curiosity was the central room. Moments ago, she had sensed a flash of fiery energy, somewhat resembling the Ji family from Fengqi Valley.
But this was Fengwu City, quite close to Fengqi Valley, so it wasn't strange for the Ji family to be present.
Having taken in the scene, Bai Siyao lost interest entirely and returned to her bowl of custard.
By the time she finished the custard, the third item had already been auctioned.
Young Master Mo Qi had yet to bid. Bai Siyao suspected that even if something caught his eye, he wouldn't dare make a move. What if the lesser sect master, Ling, decided to hold a grudge and embarrass him? Just then, a voice came from the second room on the right, "Ten thousand spirit stones."
Huh? Bai Siyao looked over in surprise. The item being auctioned was a Red Lotus Stone. It was an excellent material for crafting, but what would Lesser Sect Master Ling need it for? He didn't forge magical artifacts.
The starting price for the Red Lotus Stone was five thousand spirit stones, and reaching ten thousand was already a high bid. Everyone knew the second-floor guests were distinguished, so no one else dared to compete.
But before the words had fully landed, a maid appeared at the window of the central room and eagerly called out, "Twelve thousand."
It was as if she had been waiting for this moment.
Moments later, Baili Xu spoke again, "Fifteen thousand."
The maid wasted no time, "Eighteen thousand."
Bai Siyao raised an eyebrow, her interest finally piqued. How intriguing—someone had deliberately come to provoke Lesser Sect Master Ling. Did he have a grudge with the Ji family from Fengqi Valley? She hadn't heard of any such conflict.
Wait— the top three sects were regarded as the most powerful among the celestial schools. For example, the Danxia Palace, the Seven Stars Gate, the Tianyan Sect, and the Xuanbing Palace all deferred to them, and they even had a say in appointing sect leaders. Fengqi Valley's top sect was the Wuji Sect, meaning Lesser Sect Master Ling held a similarly prestigious position there.
What was this then? Internal strife? Though the guests in the hall didn't know who they were, they could see that the two parties were at odds and began to jeer.
"Raise the price! Don't lose!"
"They're not showing any respect. It's a slap in the face!"
Baili Xu paused briefly before continuing, "Twenty thousand."
The maid instantly followed with, "Twenty-two thousand!"
"Twenty-five thousand."
"Thirty thousand."
With each bid increasing by five thousand, it became clear the price for the Red Lotus Stone had long surpassed its value. Anyone who failed to see the enmity between the two would have to be blind.
Bai Siyan sighed. "These immortal clans really know how to throw money around. Spending tens of thousands of spirit stones just to win an argument—is it really worth it?"
Bai Siyang unconsciously patted his own pockets. He had a hundred spirit stones, and after indulging a bit on the journey, only ninety-two remained. These ninety-two wouldn't even make a splash here.
He felt deeply self-conscious. Back when people used to flatter him as a "Young Master," he'd felt so smug. Now, in this place, he was utterly insignificant.
After a while, Baili Xu bid, "Thirty-two thousand."
The situation had escalated, and the crowd grew more excited, shouting chaotically.
"Keep going!"
"Don't back down!"
"Adding only two thousand per bid—what an insult!"
As expected, the maid quickly followed, "Thirty-five thousand."
This time, Baili Xu didn't hesitate. "Thirty-eight thousand."
"Forty thousand!"
"Forty-two thousand!"
The bidding escalated faster and faster, as if both sides had become increasingly fired up, their bids soaring like a sword bound for the sky.
"Seventy thousand."
"Seventy-five thousand."
"Eighty thousand!"
"Pass."
The maid was about to bid again, the word "nine" almost on her lips, when she suddenly froze at that last word. "Ni...what?"
Baili Xu smiled faintly, "My master is generous. Since your esteemed master is willing to pay ten times the price for the Red Lotus Stone, we'll gladly let you have it. Are you satisfied?"
A burst of laughter erupted from the hall. The crowd, always eager for drama, chimed in with mocking remarks.
"Young master, how can you retreat in defeat? You can't lose face like this!"
"Miss, they played you for a fool! Your master just got swindled!"
"Eighty thousand spirit stones for one Red Lotus Stone? How about you give me eighty thousand, and I'll find you two or three more?"
"Don't be so stingy—how about five or six stones?"
Each jibe stung, clearly aimed at provoking the Ji family. After a brief silence, the sound of a curtain being yanked down came from the central room, followed by an angry female voice, "Ling Bufei, you tricked me!"
The words were filled with fury, making Bai Siyao chuckle.
So it was Miss Ji of the Ji family! Surely Lesser Sect Master Ling wouldn't hold a grudge against a girl? The Lesser Sect Master finally spoke, and unlike in her memory, his voice now carried a cold, haughty indifference. "What's Miss Ji saying? This young master was simply doing you a favor."