The auctioneer, clad in a long red dress, showcased her curvaceous figure to perfection, making her presence on the auction stage akin to a flickering flame.
“Welcome, esteemed guests, to the auction hosted by Cloud Eagle Trading House. I am Esther, your auctioneer for today, and I would like to express our gratitude on behalf of Cloud Eagle Trading House for your attendance.
Without further ado, I present to you an auction item—the Rational Lightning Shield. The Rational Lightning Shield is a mid-level magicalized item that contains 11 runes bundles. Allow me now to demonstrate its capabilities.”
As another lady delivered a small box, Esther opened it and held it in front of herself for all the guests in different directions to see.
Instantly, everyone’s gaze focused on the auction item resting in front of her chest.
“Cloud Eagle Trading House is well-prepared.”
As the auctioneer further showcased the defensive performance of the lightning shield, Ivan had to admit he was somewhat tempted. A mid-grade magicalized item with eleven runes bundles was just one short of becoming a high-level magicalized item. It was possible that he could deduce a complete runes sorcery array from it.
Sorcerer Solomon didn’t even twitch an eyelid at his words.
“The starting bid is one thousand magic stones, and each bid must increase by no less than one hundred magic stones—the auction begins now!” Esther concluded the demonstration and announced the start of the auction with great enthusiasm.
“Two thousand magic stones.”
“Three thousand magic stones.”
“——“
The bidding price soared, quickly surpassing eight thousand magic stones.
“Aren’t you interested? Why aren’t you bidding?”
“Do I look like a fool to you? The price has already exceeded that of a mid-level magicalized item.”
Ivan didn’t bid at all from the beginning to the end. Although the item was good, the price was somewhat outrageous. Moreover, he wasn’t particularly versed in Lightning-type element particles and saw no need to spend a fortune on it.
While some mid-level magicalized items might only require a thousand magic stones, the final transaction price of the lightning shield exceeded ten thousand magic stones. The price was excessively inflated, and he suspected the auction house had employed several plants.
Following the first auction item, the atmosphere in the auction hall heated up.
“Next up is the second item—the Withered Fire Potion. It has been confirmed that the Withered Fire Potion can help increase the advancement rate when ascending to be a sorcerer, by twenty percent, up to a maximum of twenty percent.”
“The starting bid is one thousand magic stones.”
“I bid two thousand magic stones.”
“Two thousand one hundred magic stones.”
“——“
Which family doesn’t have an apprentice they value? A potion capable of increasing the advancement rate by twenty percent was undoubtedly a rare find. The rise in price wasn’t as rapid as before, but it couldn’t stifle the enthusiasm of the crowd.
Ivan saw clearly that this potion had significant side effects and uncertainty, nowhere near as reliable as the Black Magic Wind Bundle Array dais he had created. In the end, it sold for 3100 magic stones, a price that made him whistle in disbelief.
“Up next, let’s see what the auction item is. Ah, it’s 5 rare high-grade magic stones, a premium magic stone not typically found in ordinary magic stone mines. Who’s interested? Who’s ready to take action?
The starting bid is 50,000 magic stones, and each bid must increase by no less than 500 magic stones—the auction begins.”
According to theoretical exchange rates, 5 high-grade magic stones are equivalent to 50,000 low-grade magic stones. Given their rarity, the trading house directly set the starting price at 50,000 magic stones, an operation without any issues.
“Fifty-nine thousand magic stones.”
“Fifty-nine thousand magic stones, is there anyone else who wants to bid?”
“The guest in room number five bids sixty thousand magic stones, sixty thousand now. Can sixty thousand magic stones take away these rare high-grade magic stones?”
Sorcerer Solomon’s suite was number five, and Ivan, who was bidding, saw the price directly displayed on the crystal glass, making it crystal clear for all to see.
“Sixty-one thousand magic stones.”
“Sixty-one thousand five hundred magic stones—who else?”
It turned out there were quite a few affluent sorcerers, likely some from major sorcerer families.
Ivan glanced at Solomon and, seeing him unperturbed, he heaved a sigh of relief internally. These high-grade magic stones happened to be of use to him.
“Sixty-nine thousand magic stones.”
“Seventy thousand magic stones. Room number five bids seventy thousand magic stones, the guest in room number five seems determined to win.”
“Seventy thousand five hundred magic stones.”
“——“
“Seventy-five thousand magic stones—the bid is still from room number five.”
“Does anyone else want to make an offer? Seventy-five thousand magic stones going once, seventy-five thousand magic stones going twice, seventy-five thousand magic stones sold—congratulations to the guest in room number five.”
Inside suite number five, seeing matters settled, Ivan fully relaxed.
Continue your story on empire
“It’s expensive.”
“It can’t be helped, this is an auction. If the price were lower, the item wouldn’t fall into my hands.”
Magic stones are currency, and also a resource that can stimulate the increase of spiritual power with a wide range of uses. While they’re sometimes indispensable, most of the time, high-grade magic stones can be replaced by mid-grade magic stones.
Ivan understood—the auction house was full of spoilers, determined not to relent until a high price was reached, not shying away from having their own people buy back the item to sell again later.
The trading house’s methods were low-end, yet effective.
Ivan headed to the transaction room on the side of the auction hall, using potions in place of magic stones to complete the transaction.
By the time he returned to his private room, the sixth item had already begun its auction.
It was a set of mental power potions named ‘Howl of Despair,’ and with Ivan’s knowledge, it was not hard to discern that the potion ingredients definitely involved human taboo, which made him somewhat displeased.
However, the potion still sold for a fairly high price to a sorcerer.
“Coming up is a recipe for a mental power potion— ‘Grievance of the Newborn.’ The ingredients are simple. I guarantee in the name of the trading house that all original materials can definitely be gathered in Moon Pincer Peninsula. Interested sorcerers may come forward to take a look,”
Upon hearing Esther’s words, many in the private room and hall were tempted and walked towards the auction platform to see for themselves.
The trading house would, of course, not display the entire recipe, only to let people see what the original materials involved.
“The so-called ‘Grievance of the Newborn’ is the power contained within the resentful spirits of infants.”
As Ivan was about to take action, he heard Solomon’s words and paused, then sat back down in his seat.
The essence of a sorcerer’s power increase is the stimulation of spiritual power growth. Some sorcerers don’t care if the original materials are bloody or cruel, nor do they care if their actions betray the Human Clan.
“Sorcerer Solomon, would such behavior be prohibited outside of Moon Pincer Peninsula?”
“It would, but it cannot be completely stopped. To a sorcerer, ordinary humans are as fragile as lambs,”
Ivan also understood in his heart that, for most sorcerers, as long as such things were not done overtly and did not harm the interests of any force, the matter would probably be left unresolved in the end.
The essence of Danaila is that of a true, survival-of-the-fittest world.
The continued rise in the takeout auction price undoubtedly confirmed the two’s conversation.
As time went on, one item after another sold, with many so-called ‘fantastic items’ appearing in between. These were actually items with some peculiar aspects that had not yet had their uses figured out.
“It seems you’re not interested in any of it?” Ivan noticed that Solomon had not bid even once, simply watching the show.
“What do you think?” Solomon replied as a matter of course, “I just came to try my luck, but it seems that stumbling upon a windfall is something that only happens in stories. It was a wasted trip.”
Ivan felt that he had stated the obvious.
These unknown items were likely to have flowed over from outside Moon Pincer Peninsula, having passed through countless hands before. The sorcerers in the auction hall were not fools; they would not be easily fooled.
The bidding reached a new low.
To this, Esther was unconcerned—the trading house’s only concern was to sell the item.
“The next item up for auction— the Gate of Netherworld Blood. Interested customers may come forward to take a look.”
The so-called ‘Gate of Netherworld Blood’ was a metal door covered with crystal stone fragments, colored gray-copper, only thirty centimeters tall, with obvious blood stains and ink stains on it, and faint patterns and several cracks.
It had to be said that the presentation of the item was realistic, resembling an ancient door that had been sealed.
“I’ll take a look,”
“Together.”
Ivan took a distant glimpse and suddenly became interested, not expecting Solomon to follow him out of the room as well.
Like many other sorcerers, the two approached the auction stage to closely observe the Gate of Netherworld Blood. They couldn’t detect a significant aura from it, yet they could feel a faint sealing power.
After a dozen seconds, the two exchanged glances and leisurely returned to the private room.
Ivan didn’t notice that among the sorcerers who had gone up to the auction platform, someone thoughtfully looked at him.
“Guess who I found?” The person returned to his seat, checked the pocket where something had stirred, and eagerly informed his companion: “The one who has a bounty of six sets of mental power potions on him. He’s got quite the nerve.”
“Bad luck for him. This time, there won’t be six other sorcerers to help him out, haha.”
“We won’t need six this time, let’s see who’s nearby.”
The two covertly exchanged words for a while and quickly reached a consensus—the few sets of mental power potions were as good as theirs.
In private room number five, Ivan was completely unaware that he had exposed his trace. His attention was on the auction of the Gate of Netherworld Blood, where bids had already started.
“Sorcerer Solomon, are you interested in this item?” Ivan turned his head to ask.
“Sorcerer Ivan, what do you think the Gate of Netherworld Blood could be?” Solomon counter-asked.
“I don’t know, I’m a bit interested in the metallic material that makes up the door. Whether to obtain it or not, that’s the question,”
“The cracks run through the whole door. Indeed, only its material can be taken. I won’t partake in the auction—you may as you like,”
Auctioning these unknown items was quite a gamble, and besides, it was a severely damaged door. It was within reason for Solomon to be uninterested.
Having heard this, Ivan didn’t hesitate to join in the bidding against a few others.
“1900 magic stones for the third time, congratulations to the guest in room number five.”
Afterward, Ivan made another trip to the transaction room and took the unknown item into his possession.
In the subsequent auction, the universe stone he wanted did not appear.
Seeing the finale coming up soon and anticipating possible turbulence after the auction, not wishing complicacies, Ivan suggested to Solomon to take leave and discreetly headed towards the exit of the auction house.
Many others had the same idea and stepped out of the auction hall as well.