In Fengxian City, Junzi Tower's status is almost on par with that of the Fengxian City Lord.
Bai Ling Tan Mansion operates on trade routes, naturally inextricably linked to commerce. Although not publicly announced, the relationship between Junzi Tower and Baihua Valley is obvious.
If Bai Ling Tan Mansion's trade is the behemoth of the entire Xilan Province, then this small Junzi Tower is the blood vessels that make up this behemoth.
Although small, it is indispensable.
When Ming Qi arrived at Junzi Tower, it was already morning.
The Junzi Tower auction was naturally the focus of all Fengxian City, and the crowds were naturally numerous. Ming Qi could tell at a glance that the cultivators present were not just from Bai Ling Tan Mansion; they came from all directions, and even further afield.
Ming Qi slowly ascended the luxurious, long, white jade steps leading to the entrance. He was immediately greeted by a beautiful woman in glamorous attire. She enthusiastically introduced Junzilou and presented him with a brochure and an admission ticket.
Like the other cultivators, Ming Qi also received an exquisite admission ticket.
Having an admission ticket effectively qualified him to participate in the auction, but Ming Qi knew that Junzilou's auctions had VIP seating of varying levels. Anyone who spent a certain amount of Yuanjing at Junzilou would receive distinguished VIP treatment.
VIP treatment encompassed many aspects, but the most important of these was personal privacy.
Once promoted to VIP status, one could enter a specially designated VIP seating area, providing significantly greater security no matter what valuable item they were bidding on.
Although Ming Qi was currently wealthy, he was not a VIP of Junzilou because he had never purchased anything there.
Ming Qi didn't care, however. After receiving his ticket, he followed the crowd into Junzi Tower.
The Junzi Tower's auction room was located in the main hall on the first floor. This facilitated seating arrangements and provided ample space for the VIPs seated on the second floor. The entire second floor was dedicated to VIPs, each clearly numbered. This allowed anyone in a VIP room to bid simply by using their room number, ensuring perfect confidentiality.
Of course, Ming Qi didn't have that privilege right now.
Finding a random seat, Ming Qi carefully observed the people around him.
The auction hadn't even begun yet, but the entire hall was already packed. Some cultivators, unable to find a seat, simply stood there, waiting for the auction to begin.
Ming Qi sensed several powerful auras surrounding him. The owners of these auras were at least two or three realms higher than Ming Qi. Seeing so many powerful Xiantian masters remaining so discreetly within the crowd, Ming Qi couldn't help but wonder if the Junzilou auction was even more appealing than he'd imagined.
Carefully restraining his aura, Ming Qi kept his strength at the level of a newly arrived Xiantian cultivator, and deliberately suppressed his Yuanli fluctuations. This made anyone who tried to test him think he was just a junior cultivator with limited Yuanli.
After preparing everything, Ming Qi estimated that the auction would still be some time before it began, so he simply closed his eyes to rest.
But before long, he felt someone nearby, clearly addressing him.
"Hello, my master would like to invite you over."
Hmm?
The voice was sweet and crisp. Ming Qi opened his eyes to find a neatly dressed and beautiful girl, about fifteen or sixteen, standing respectfully before him, her gaze fixed on him.
"Me?"
Although the other person was clearly staring at him, Ming Qi still raised his hand and pointed at his nose uncertainly. He suspected the lovely little girl had made a mistake. He didn't know anyone in Fengxian City, so why would someone invite him? Moreover, the girl's attitude was extremely respectful, which made him even more surprised.
"Yes, my master is in VIP room number 66 on the second floor. He's been waiting for you for a long time." The girl smiled sweetly as she spoke, seemingly amused by Ming Qi's surprise and confusion.
"Can I ask who your master is?"
Ming Qi didn't move, but asked first. He felt that at least he had to know who invited him, otherwise, if he went rashly, he might fall into a trap.
"You'll find out when you go."
The girl said, making a gesture of invitation.
Ming Qi still didn't move. He just looked meaningfully at the beautiful girl before him. She just stared at him quietly, without making any move.
"It seems my master is right. You won't go easily!"
The girl pouted, then added, "So my master said he holds absolutely no ill will towards you."
Looking at the girl's expectant eyes, Ming Qi was silent for a moment, then smiled faintly and said, "I won't go. Take me to tell your master to thank him for his kindness."
The reason Ming Qi refused was simple: he had already guessed who it was.
This girl, clearly a maid, possessed a cultivation level of the eighth level of the Acquired Realm, and her clothing and accessories were truly magnificent. It was conceivable that only one person in Fengxian City could afford such a high-class maid.
That person was the Lord of Fengxian City!
As for why the Lord of Fengxian City noticed Ming Qi, that was even simpler: the Lord's chief steward had seen him at the Fenglai Restaurant.
He could also roughly guess that the Lord of Fengxian City invited him: either to slay a demon or to win him over.
Of course, the first possibility was less likely. If the Lord of Fengxian City intended to capture Ming Qi and bring him to Jinchuan Baifu to claim the reward, he would definitely not choose to engage with Ming Qi in such a setting.
As for wooing him, Ming Qi was merely passing through Fengxian City. If he couldn't find any useful treasures in Fengxian City, he would leave immediately.
For Ming Qi, Fengxian City was merely a scenic spot on his journey, nothing more.
Precisely for these reasons, he didn't accept the other party's invitation.
The girl was clearly surprised by Ming Qi's refusal, but perhaps because she had been warned to be polite beforehand, she might have left in anger.
"Well, since it's inconvenient for you to go, I'll convey your wishes to my master."
The girl smiled and turned away.
Ming Qi, too, acted as if nothing had happened, not dwelling on the matter.
A short while later, with the resounding sound of a hammer, the auction officially began.
With the sound of the hammer, the entire hall immediately fell silent. Ming Qi, following the crowd's gaze, looked up at the tall auction booth in the center.
On the wide, tall booth stood a man and a woman.
The man, judging by his features, appeared to be in his twenties, with a dignified bearing and distinguished demeanor. He exuded a natural sense of authority.
The woman standing beside the young man looked like a young girl in her teens, but Ming Qi could tell from her eyes that her true age was far from a teenager.
The woman was incredibly beautiful, naturally alluring and captivating, yet facing the countless piercing eyes present, her eyes remained completely calm. This unwavering composure spoke volumes.
A woman who ignored the men's slightly aroused gazes possessed a mature demeanor that only comes with the tempering of time.
The woman stood there, naturally dignified.
The young man who had just made the hammer strike was the one who had gripped the hammer firmly in his hand, his equally deep eyes scanning the crowd.
"Hello everyone, my name is Zhuiyue, and I welcome friends both old and new."
Simple and plain, yet filled with magical power. With just one sentence, Ming Qi noticed that the eyes of the countless cultivators present instantly brightened, some even enthusiastically chanting the slogan of Fairy Zhuiyue.
Fairy Zhuiyue.
Yes, Ming Qi also felt this way at this moment, because the aura this woman exuded was irresistible even to an innate cultivator.
Aura, in this context, seemed to transcend mere cultivator strength.
Listening to the roaring cheers from the crowd, Zhuiyue calmly spread her hands. Once the roars died down, she spoke in a voice imbued with magical power: "Zhuiyue is deeply grateful for your presence at Junzilou's auction. We have carefully prepared a wealth of treasures for you this time. We hope you will have a pleasant and enjoyable bidding experience."
Zhuiyue's few words served as the opening remarks for the entire auction. After these words, she got straight to business, announcing the placement of the first lot on the stand.
Junzilou was truly wealthy. The auction stand was a rectangular stone platform cut from rare obsidian. The mere sight of it gave off a sense of treasure. Imagine if a precious treasure were placed on it, the obsidian and the treasure would complement each other beautifully, creating an unexpected effect.
At this moment, two girls in glamorous attire carried out a tray covered with a red cloth and placed it on the obsidian display.
The two girls placed the tray down and turned to leave.
The first treasure had not yet been revealed, but judging from its appearance, it was not large, possibly a rare metal or a rare elixir.
Ming Qi tried to use his spiritual sense to detect what lay beneath the red cloth, but found it impossible. The entire center of the auction hall seemed completely sealed off by an invisible barrier, preventing even his amplified spiritual sense from penetrating.
After a few attempts with no results, Ming Qi gave up. After all, the answer would be revealed soon. Zhuiyue hadn't immediately removed the red cloth, simply to whet everyone's appetite.
Finally, after a few more words that piqued everyone's desire for the treasure, Zhuiyue reached out to the obsidian display.