After discussing the details of the auction with Teng Shan, he had someone lead Zhou Changqing and Medusa away to rest.
In the grand hall, only Ya Fei remained, recounting to Teng Shan her experiences of meeting and getting to know Zhou Changqing.
When he heard that Zhou Changqing had gone from a mere Dou Shi to his current level of a Dou Wang in less than two years, Teng Shan was at a loss for words, his mouth twitching.
On top of that, the man had forged an entirely new path from the profession of a blacksmith—that of an Artifact Refiner, one that could rival Alchemists.
To have such a fantastical, peerlessly talented individual appear right before his eyes felt almost dreamlike, giving him a sense of unreality.
His previous assessment of Zhou Changqing had been far too low.
In comparison, it felt like he had wasted all his years.
He let out a long, heavy breath.
Suppressing his turbulent emotions, Teng Shan looked at Ya Fei and said with great solemnity, "Ya Fei, from this day forward, you are officially promoted to Supervising Elder. You will be responsible for handling all matters concerning young friend Changqing. On this matter, I grant you the highest authority."
"Remember this! You must not, under any circumstances, allow even the slightest bit of friction to develop between him and our Mittel Family!"
"Yes! I understand!"
Ya Fei's heart pounded with excitement. She immediately bowed in acknowledgment.
Seeing this, Teng Shan smiled in satisfaction.
He had not paid attention to matters concerning Zhou Changqing before, causing him to miss out on such a great talent.
Now that the young man had already risen, even if they could no longer be the ones to offer aid in his time of need, they could still add to his splendor.
Coupled with his close relationship with Ya Fei, maintaining this connection would be a tremendous opportunity for the Mittel Family, one no less significant than producing another Dou Huang expert!
"Very well. Go and get some rest. We will need you to put your full effort into this Xuan-tier auction. There can be no mistakes."
"I will do my utmost. Then, Clan Head, I will take my leave."
The next day, a piece of news spread from the Mittel Auction House.
The Xuan-tier auction was about to begin!
Nearly every Dou Ling level faction in the city received an invitation, along with a list of the items to be auctioned.
The news even reached several major cities near the Imperial Capital, and numerous factions were now rushing toward the city.
For a time, the city was swept up in a wave of excitement. In every tavern and teahouse, acquaintances gathered to discuss the event.
"Have you all seen the list for the Mittel Family's Xuan-tier auction?"
"Of course! It's only a Xuan-tier auction, but the Mittel Family is making a bigger fuss than ever before. Though, if the items on that list are real, I suppose it's understandable."
"Xuan-tier auctions are held almost monthly. They can't compare to the Di-tier or Tian-tier ones, but the items are still far from ordinary. I haven't seen the list myself. Brothers, could I trouble you for a look?"
"Here, see for yourself. My jaw dropped the first time I saw it."
"What is this? A Tier 4 Monster Core Armament? What a strange name. Wait a minute! What the hell! Hiss! This weapon can allow anyone above a Dou Zhe and below a Dou Ling to temporarily wield the power of a Dou Ling expert? Is that for real?"
"Heh, shocked, aren't you? As for whether it's real, that's not for people like us to worry about. We can't afford it anyway. But given the Mittel Family's reputation, it's probably not fake. Why would they tarnish their own name?"
"That's true. Even if I can't afford it, I have to go see it. It would be a lifetime of regret to miss a glimpse of such a treasure!"
"Good point. But the Xuan-tier auction requires a capital verification of at least one million gold coins. Do you have that?"
"Er..."
"More than this terrifying weapon, I'm actually curious about who forged it. Look, the list says that all the weapons in this auction were provided by an Artifact Master."
"Artifact Master? Shouldn't it be a Forging Master?"
"Are you dense? Artifact Refiner, Artifact Refiner. Doesn't that sound familiar?"
"Hmm... The name is only one character off from Alchemist. Could it be an imitation?"
"Probably. But if this Artifact Refiner can truly create the so-called Monster Core Weapon on this list, then he's no less impressive than an Alchemist. He would be worthy of the title."
"Indeed. A weapon like that is even more valuable than a tier-four medicinal pill."
Meanwhile, upon seeing the auction list, a number of Dou Ling level factions immediately sprang into action, beginning to gather all sorts of precious forging materials.
A single weapon that could grant someone the destructive power of a Dou Ling, and could even provide a terrifying boost to an actual Dou Ling's combat strength—doubling it would not be an exaggeration.
If any Dou Ling level faction were to obtain it, they would instantly pull ahead of their peers!
How could they not be tempted?
No!
Though they remained skeptical, if it was real, this was not mere temptation. It was fanaticism!
Within the Jia Ma Imperial Palace.
Inside a luxurious bedchamber, two women were examining the auction list sent by the Mittel Family.
One had a graceful and slender figure, while the other was petite and delicate.
"An Artifact Refiner? A Monster Core Armament? I've never heard of such things. How interesting. Perhaps it's worth a look."
"Hmph, what's there to see? 'Artifact Refiner'… isn't that just piggybacking on the fame of us Alchemists? Just some charlatan seeking fame. If these weapons were so amazing, how come no one's ever seen them before?"
"Oh, you. The world is vast and full of wonders. Just because it didn't exist before doesn't mean it can't exist now, nor that it won't exist in the future. There are countless talented individuals out there; how can you generalize so easily? Besides, the Mittel Family wouldn't go so far as to spread such a lie and ruin their own reputation."
"Stop, stop! Imperial Sister, don't lecture me. I'm going to practice my alchemy. Bye! So there!"
Aside from the Jia Ma Imperial Family, the other first-rate powers in the Imperial Capital had also heard the news about the upcoming auction.
Although the Dou Wang experts leading these factions didn't pay it too much mind, their subordinates—the Dou Lings and Da Dou Shis—as well as the younger generation of disciples were all quite intrigued.
Many young masters and ladies made plans to attend the auction together on its opening day to satisfy their curiosity.
After several days of brewing, the hype surrounding the Xuan-tier auction had reached a fever pitch.
Just as the excitement was nearing its peak, the highly anticipated event finally began at the Mittel Auction House's headquarters, in the Xuan-tier auction hall.
In an instant, a massive flow of people surged into the auction house, heading for the venue in a lively and bustling scene.
Those of higher status, hailing from factions no weaker than the Mittel Family, entered through a special passage.
The Xuan-tier auction hall was located in the central part of the headquarters' complex. It occupied a vast area, no smaller than the stadiums of Zhou Changqing's past life, and was even more magnificent.
The bowl-shaped hall featured a central auction stage, with tiered seating sloping up and away from it.
Above it all, there were numerous luxurious private boxes reserved for guests from first-rate or top-tier powers.
Inside one of the private boxes.
Zhou Changqing looked down through the enormous one-way glass at the scene below and couldn't help but marvel.
"As expected of the Mittel Auction House headquarters. The sheer energy here is unmatched anywhere else."
"It's alright. This Xuan-tier auction is indeed a bit more lively than usual. But the Di-tier and Tian-tier auctions are much quieter."