"Of course I'm willing!" Tian Can replied without hesitation.
"I can offer mine as well," Queen Lingjing nodded.
"Count me in!" the drunkard chimed in, then added, "But, Emperor, could I also buy some spirit wine from you?" In his eyes, money meant far less than fine liquor — he wanted as much as he could possibly get his hands on.
No one objected.
Although it was their first time attending, none of them were fools. Everyone instinctively understood that this Mysterious Auction House would likely become something extraordinary in the future. To bring cultivators from all corners of the world together — that alone was priceless. Even beyond the auctioned treasures, just the intelligence and news that could be exchanged were invaluable. In critical moments, a single piece of information could save a life.
Sometimes, intelligence was even more important than rare treasures.
This was also a place to communicate with fellow cultivators — a rare and invaluable opportunity. Debating the Dao with peers could deepen one's own understanding and comprehension of the Great Dao.
To trade an item one had no use for, in exchange for goodwill — it was a deal worth making.
Besides, it wasn't like they were giving it away for free. Ten million Eternal Coins — that was an astronomical price. Who wouldn't be tempted? If they couldn't complete the set themselves, exchanging it for wealth was the next best option. It was a win-win situation.
In no time, sums like twenty million, thirty million, even sixty million Eternal Coins appeared in piles, dazzling the crowd. Everyone immediately pocketed their share, smiling with satisfaction.
This was the good stuff.
When Zhaocai the Fortune Cat saw it, he nearly drooled on the spot, wishing he could snatch it all for himself.
And just like that, the remaining five Wish Dragon Balls fell into Yi Tianxing's hands.
"Unfortunately, we're still missing the Seven-Star Dragon Ball," Yi Tianxing said as he gazed at the six orbs before him. "Fellow Daoists, should any of you find the Seven-Star Dragon Ball in the future, this emperor will gladly pay for it — as many as you can bring."
It was the last missing piece, and also the hardest to acquire.
"Wait a minute — I have one!"At that moment, Zhaocai suddenly spoke up. With a flash of light, a Wish Dragon Ball larger than all the others appeared in front of him. Golden stars shimmered across its surface.
"One, two, three… seven — it's the Seven-Star Dragon Ball!"Tian Can counted, astonished.
Unbelievably, the final piece was here.
"Wonderful. Thank you for your generosity, fellow Daoist. This one is worth seventy million Eternal Coins."A smile crept across Yi Tianxing's face.
He hadn't expected to complete the set during this auction. But Zhaocai had brought a pleasant surprise. As expected, the cat's collection of rare treasures was beyond comprehension. As long as they didn't reveal it, no one could guess. Not even fate itself could predict the cat's secrets.
Anything related to him was hidden.
"Deal!"Zhaocai (Lucky Cat) beamed, his eyes narrowing with joy.
Money was his life.
To exchange a pretty little bead for so many Eternal Coins — totally worth it. A fantastic deal. He vowed to pay more attention to collecting these shiny glass beads. They were money in disguise.
"The Seven-Star Dragon Ball is really complete now..."Even Yi Tianxing was shocked. This casual attempt had ended in a complete set — a rare and delightful surprise. It meant that once he returned, he could finally attempt a wish and discover the limits of the Wish Dragon's power. From then on, he'd have a better grasp of what it could do.
At that moment, everyone was in high spirits.
Zhaocai had earned a fortune in Eternal Coins, while Yi Tianxing had completed the Dragon Balls — and with the Eternal Coins now in circulation, their influence would spread even further. The kingdom of Great Yi would harvest endless fortune and destiny in return. What was given out in wealth would be returned in luck — a beautiful exchange.
Afterward, they chatted about interesting tales and voiced various needs — requesting others to help them search for specific items before the next gathering. Everything could be directly traded then.
It was less of an auction and more of a cross-regional gathering, a mutual trade fair. The auction formality was secondary. The core purpose was communication and resource exchange.
Take the Seven-Star Dragon Ball, for instance — had this not been held, collecting them all might have taken hundreds or even thousands of years. Yet here, it was done in an instant. Incredibly efficient.
Not long after, Yi Tianxing announced, "Fellow Daoists, today's gathering ends here. The next will take place at the same time tomorrow — within a month's time. By then, new guests may join us. The Mysterious Auction House exists for trade and communication, regardless of race or grudges. Once you leave, if you encounter others and want to settle old scores, that's your business. We don't interfere outside these walls. This place exists only for exchange."
With that, he formally defined the nature of the auction house.
Here, everyone was a guest. Outside, it was up to fate.
"Until next time."Queen Lingjing and the others nodded — they understood and accepted the rules.
Everyone had gained something from this. It was a fruitful gathering.
In a flash, the ten guests disappeared. Only ten thrones remained — waiting silently for their owners to return.
"This is a treasure indeed. Holding the Mysterious Auction House truly brought unexpected surprises today — not small ones, but great ones," Yi Tianxing looked at the seven gleaming Dragon Balls, his heart burning with excitement. He could barely wait to summon the dragon.
In a forest, a plump cat appeared out of thin air.
Looking around, he saw he was back in the exact spot he'd vanished from earlier. Nothing had changed.
He immediately checked his surroundings, and once satisfied that it was safe, he pulled out a glittering Eternal Coin and bit it gently. The texture was perfect. He sighed in satisfaction, eyes narrowing with joy.
He carefully stored it away and vanished.
His goal: to gather more rare treasures. In a year's time, there would be another bountiful harvest.
He wanted more Eternal Coins — countless coins, the more the better. The more, the merrier.
In the deep sea trench, Blood Dragon King reappeared.
He was still bound by iron chains. Clearly, entering the Mysterious Auction House hadn't broken his imprisonment. The surrounding restrictions were still intact.
"Time to test whether these seal-breaking treasures can cut through my chains."
Hope gleamed in his eyes.
With a flash of light, the Myriad Transformation Shears appeared in front of him. They soared into the air, snapping toward the chains.
Clang! Clang! Snap!
In a series of crisp sounds, the chains began to snap cleanly. It was swift and precise — the shears' edge irresistible. All glyphs and seals were effortlessly countered and broken.
In moments, all the chains were gone.
This treasure was a one-time item. Once activated, it lasted only one quarter of an hour before it self-destructed. In that time, he had to sever every restriction and escape the seabed.
The seal was strong — but the shears were stronger.
Before long, most of the barriers were destroyed. A massive blood dragon burst from the sea, emanating terrifying demonic energy. Fury blazed in his eyes.
"I'm finally out! Those hypocritical old bastards used me as a training prop for dragon juniors — they've gone too far! I, the Blood Dragon King, swear to turn the seas upside down. If I back down, I'll write my name in reverse!"
He bared his teeth in a cold smile.
He had waited far too long for this day.
"I must maintain my connection with the auction house. I'll definitely attend the next one — I'll use this year to collect even more treasures and reap another windfall!"
He now fully understood the auction house's value. Without it, he'd still be trapped. It was a true stroke of fortune, and he would never let it go.
He had to grasp it tightly.
On Mirror Mountain, Queen Lingjing reappeared, a coin in hand and a smile on her face.
"Interesting… truly interesting. The coming days won't be boring. Having access to this place is quite the privilege."
Her words reflected how much she valued the Mysterious Auction House.
Others felt the same. Every participant had gained real, tangible benefits. None of them were foolish — they knew the importance of such a resource hub.
"Perhaps the Mysterious Auction House should evolve further… maybe into a mysterious storefront, where the Great Yi Dynasty's specialties can be sold. That would create another powerful channel of distribution."
Yi Tianxing sat on his throne, deep in thought.
The Mysterious Auction House held immense potential and openness. Everything within it moved according to his will. Its growth and power would depend on his careful stewardship.