Chapter 15: The Auction
Two days later, the Verdant Cloud Sect, led by two Golden Core realm elders, assembled ten Inner Disciples at the peak of Foundation Establishment, along with one hundred Qi Refining realm cultivators, and departed the mountain in a grand procession.
Even though the back mountain was not far from Verdant Cloud Sect, the sect still dispatched a flying vessel to display its might.
From afar, Lu You stood in his spiritual field, activating a Divine Eye Talisman as he watched the flying vessel leave. The worry in his heart eased somewhat after seeing such an imposing lineup.
"Am I being too paranoid? That strange-looking eye—against Verdant Cloud Sect's Foundation Establishment and Golden Core cultivators—might be crushed with a single finger."
The spiritual field area suddenly became desolate. After Han Tian's persuasion, all the remaining menial disciples who hadn't left chose to join the legacy tomb expedition. In the vast spiritual field district, only Lu You was left.
Over the past two days, Lu You had focused mainly on cultivating the Minor Five Elements Qi-Nourishing Technique. Aside from that, he reviewed talismans to refine his skills. Yet the image of that strange eye still weighed on his chest like a mountain.
"Forget it. I'll go down the mountain and take a look at the auction."
With an Evil-Repelling Talisman on his person, Lu You packed lightly, put on a long-brimmed leather hat that covered his ears, and wrapped a white veil around the back of his face. He then activated both a Divine Speed Talisman and a Light Rock Talisman. Like a hunting leopard, he moved through the forest, appearing and vanishing at intervals. What had previously taken half an hour now required only the time it takes to brew a cup of tea to reach the lower city.
What Lu You never expected was that the lower city was also extremely quiet. Aside from the Myriad Talismans Pavilion, not a single cultivator stall could be seen.
With no other choice, Lu You entered the Myriad Talismans Pavilion.
"Why are there so few people today?"
Inside the pavilion, the dark-skinned girl was gone, but the remaining female clerks were the same as before. Seeing someone enter, one of them came forward to greet him. Lu You didn't bother choosing and casually browsed the pavilion. Unfortunately, not only were there no new talismans on display, even the old familiar ones had gone up in price.
"Sir Immortal, didn't you hear what happened this morning?" the clerk said. "Verdant Cloud Sect cultivators arrived in the lower city aboard a flying vessel and announced that all rogue cultivators may also enter the legacy tomb. They even promised that if any rogue cultivator gains clues or treasures, the Verdant Cloud Sect will absolutely not seize them. If a rogue cultivator is willing to share clues or spoils, Verdant Cloud Sect will not only provide rewards, but may also bring that rogue cultivator along to cooperate."
The female clerk spoke as she introduced things, her face full of envy.
"If only I had a spiritual root. This time Verdant Cloud Sect dispatched ten peak Foundation Establishment cultivators, with two Golden Core realm cultivators overseeing everything. There definitely won't be any danger, this is practically a fortuitous opportunity falling straight from the heavens."
So many people were going. That was good. With rogue cultivators involved, Senior Sister definitely wouldn't end up as cannon fodder driven by Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even if cannon fodder was needed, it would be the rogue cultivators who went first.
Lu You felt a bit more at ease. Seeing that the Myriad Talismans Pavilion no longer had anything he urgently needed, he asked the clerk again, "I didn't have time to register yesterday. Can I still participate in today's auction?"
"So you've come for the auction, Sir Immortal," the clerk nodded. "Normally, that wouldn't be possible, but since so many cultivators have gone to explore the legacy tomb, a few slots have opened up. You just need to make up the registration fee of three hundred spirit stones."
This auction was truly guaranteed profit. Even if not a single item sold, the registration fees alone would fill their coffers. Even in the cultivation world, the gap between cultivators was so vast—some worked the fields for an entire year just to earn two and a half spirit stones, while others casually paid three hundred spirit stones just to enter an auction.
Lu You grumbled inwardly and handed over the three hundred spirit stones.
After counting them, the clerk took out a communication talisman and activated it. Before long, a Foundation Establishment cultivator arrived at an unhurried pace, wearing Verdant Cloud Sect robes.
"Fellow Daoist, please follow me." The Foundation Establishment cultivator led Lu You to a sealed room and then opened a passageway.
It turned out the auction was held underground beneath the Myriad Talismans Pavilion.
Handing Lu You a token, the cultivator said, "Whether or not you successfully bid on any items inside the Myriad Talismans Pavilion, fighting or seizing treasures is strictly forbidden. Otherwise, the Verdant Cloud Sect will pursue the offender. I am merely a disciple assigned here on duty by the sect. If you violate the Pavilion's rules, my master may personally intervene. Please consider this carefully."
So the Myriad Talismans Pavilion was backed by Verdant Cloud Sect.
Lu You understood immediately. No wonder the Pavilion could operate peacefully in the lawless lower city, this was a place under Verdant Cloud Sect's protection.
After entering the underground area, an even more beautiful female attendant came forward to guide Lu You into a private room. The auction hall of the Myriad Talismans Pavilion was designed with excellent privacy: every guest had a separate private room, all built in a ring around the central auction platform. This way, everyone attending the auction could see the items clearly, yet none could see who their bidding opponents were.
Most importantly, with attendants guiding them, whether entering or leaving the auction, everyone moved individually and in sequence. This method directly eliminated the possibility of bidders tailing one another. Even if robbing cultivators were lying in ambush outside, it would be useless, they wouldn't know whether you had successfully bid on anything at all.
'Just by spending an extra three hundred spirit stones, and it's already this safe,' Lu You couldn't help but sigh at the disparity of the cultivation world.
Before the auction even began, the beautiful female attendant who had just guided Lu You inside suddenly removed her long robe, revealing a cool, revealing outfit.
"Sir Immortal, the Pavilion also offers tea ceremony services. Here is the tea menu, whatever you need, just tell this servant."
The attendant was wrapped in nothing but a thin gauze. As for the tea menu, it was printed directly on the sheer fabric covering her chest.
It seemed he had praised this world's "order" a little too early.
Fortunately, Lu You was wearing a thick leather hat and a face veil, so no one could see his expression. He casually took out a pouch of spirit stones from his robes—there were at least a hundred inside, matching the prices he had glimpsed on the tea menu.
"You may leave. I just want to be alone."
"Sir Immortal!" The attendant's face turned pale with fear. "Please spare me, Sir Immortal! The auction house has rules—this servant must attend to you at all times. If I'm dismissed, it counts as violating the rules. At best, I'll be expelled from the Myriad Talismans Pavilion; at worst, I could be sold off to some unknown place. I beg you to show mercy!"
Lu You looked at her for a moment, then sighed.
"Stand to the side. Don't move, and don't make a sound. Otherwise, even if the Myriad Talismans Pavilion spares you, I won't."
Lu You understood the Pavilion's scheme now. This was a way of dragging people into the mire. Even if you kept yourself clean and avoided women, refusing outright meant endangering someone else's life. If Lu You had firmly rejected her, someone would likely have punished the attendant right in front of him.
He had heard of such tactics in his previous life. He hadn't expected them to exist even after changing worlds. After a whole chain of such maneuvers, anyone with weak willpower would end up half-pushed, half-persuaded into accepting the Pavilion's services—and become a regular customer.
Thinking about Verdant Cloud Sect backing an auction house like this, cold sweat seeped into Lu You's palms.
It seemed he had overestimated Verdant Cloud Sect's sense of propriety after all.