Aksai Had heard a lot about the Elysium Auction House during his brief interactions with the city’s inhabitants.
It was said to be the place where rare and valuable items were auctioned off to the highest bidder. Of course, most of these items were acquired from the 3rd order cave.
It was likely only those who didn’t like revealing their identities and yet wanted to get the best price for their valuable item would opt for selling something through auction houses. After all, the auction houses received their fair share of commission from the sellers and sometimes even from buyers as well.
Emerald Cove was earning good profits. Aksai also had also sold out many of his precious resources he cultivated inside the Everwood farm to random buyers, which had earned him loads of Spirit stones. Given his recent acquisitions and the items he was hoping to find, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.
With a nod to himself, Aksai approached the grand entrance. Two imposing guards stood at either side of the large double doors, their expressions stoic. They wore matching uniforms, each bearing the insignia of the auction house, and they eyed Aksai with professional detachment as he neared.
“Good day,” Aksai greeted, his voice calm and polite. “I would like to participate in the auction.”
One of the guards nodded and gestured toward a side door. “Registration is through there. You’ll need to present your identity token and pay the entry fee.”
Aksai complied, handing over his identity token and a few Spirit stones as the entry fee. The guard inspected the token briefly before nodding and returning it. “Enjoy the auction,” he said, stepping aside to let Aksai pass.
Inside, the auction house was a marvel of opulence. The main hall was vast, with rows of plush seats arranged in a semi-circle facing a large stage. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm, inviting glow over the room.
Aksai could see that the seats were filling up quickly with a mix of wealthy merchants, influential cultivators, and curious spectators. He figured out that some interesting things were about to get auctioned off and someone had tipped off the upper echelons inside the city about them. Only such business tactics could draw such a massive crowd.
‘My disguise should hold unless there’s some Core Formation Lord present in the audience who wants to know everything about me the moment he lays his eyes on me. I should just act casually and grab a seat.’
Aksai found an empty seat toward the middle of the room, giving him a good view of the stage without drawing too much attention to himself. As he settled in, he observed the other participants.
There were men and women of various ages, some dressed in fine silks and adorned with jewels, others in more practical attire, indicating their status as seasoned adventurers or traders.
There were traditional cultivators belonging to various sects as well. They wore the long robes of their respective organizations. Aksai could see that there were the disciples of the Big Five: Purple River Sect, Sun Ocean Society, Green Glory Palace, Eastern Limiya Gate, Western Limiya Gate. There were disciples from other smaller sects and forces as well.
A murmur of anticipation filled the air as a finely dressed auctioneer stepped onto the stage. He was a tall, slender man with a charismatic smile and a commanding presence. With a flourish, he greeted the audience.
“Welcome, esteemed guests, to the Elysium Auction House! We have a magnificent array of items up for bid today, including rare artifacts, ancient scrolls, and exquisite treasures from across the realms. Without further ado, let us begin!”
The auctioneer clapped his hands, and an attendant brought out the first item—a beautifully crafted jade pendant said to enhance the wearer’s Spirit flow. The bidding started immediately, with hands shooting up all around the room.
Aksai watched with interest as the auction progressed, noting the items that piqued his curiosity. He remained patient, knowing that the most valuable items would be revealed later in the auction. Finally, an item caught his attention—a set of rare, alchemically treated scrolls, rumored to contain lost techniques of spirit refinement.
The auctioneer’s voice rang out. “Next, we have a set of ancient scrolls, believed to be from the lost sect of the Verdant Hills. The starting bid is 100 Spirit stones.”
Aksai’s heart quickened. He had fed many books, random text materials, scrolls, and verbal information to his database. Thanks to the neural link fabric, he quickly fetched all the known information he had on the lost sect of the Verdant Hills.
‘A long-forgotten sect from the past that was known to specialize in wood-element techniques and elixir concoctions? This… this should be interesting,’ Aksai closed the spectral screen in front of him and smiled.
This was exactly the kind of treasure he had been hoping to find. He raised his hand, joining the bidding war that quickly escalated. The competition was fierce, with several other participants clearly interested in the scrolls.
As the price climbed higher, some bidders began to drop out, their interest waning. Aksai remained resolute, his mind calculating the value of the scrolls against his remaining resources. Finally, with a bid of 5000 Spirit stones, he found himself as one of the last two contenders.
The auctioneer’s eyes sparkled with excitement. “Do I hear 5100? Going once… going twice…”
The other bidder, a wealthy-looking merchant, hesitated before shaking his head, conceding defeat.
“Sold! To the gentleman in the middle row!” The auctioneer announced, pointing to Aksai.
Aksai nodded in satisfaction as the attendant brought the scrolls to him. He handed over the required Spirit stones, feeling a sense of accomplishment.
The auction continued, but Aksai’s focus was now on the valuable scrolls in his possession. He had come to the city seeking opportunities, and it seemed that luck was on his side.
Aksai had already been warned by the auction house that the scroll set was old and worn out, and the language used in the scrolls was archaic, making most of its content downright impossible to understand.
Plus, there were some Essence Equation runic writings that were obviously encrypted using ancient techniques. This was the reason Aksai had found it relatively easy to get his hands on the scrolls.
However, Aksai bought the scrolls despite their obvious flaws. This was because he had the neural link fabric to rely on.
He knew he would be able to decode these scrolls one day as long as he kept sandboxing the scripts and encrypted information using his cheat-like ability.
All he needed was time and a quiet place.