The Auction Begins
In the early morning of Yuānjīng City, the sea breeze carried a salty humidity, and sunlight pierced through the thin mist, sprinkling over the bustling streets. Fa and his party stood by the window of the Sea Breeze Inn, gazing at the distant auction venue—a magnificent building with walls inlaid with magic crystals, emitting a faint blue glow. After five days of money-making competitions, they had gathered 2,569,390 gold coins, far short of the 20 million gold coin threshold to enter the auction. However, a wooden box discovered by Fa contained a deep-sea magical beast core crystal, which became their entry ticket.
The day before the auction, the team went to the Lilaide Auction contact point to submit the magic crystal. The person in charge was an elderly man wearing round-framed glasses, with an "Appraisal Magic Mirror" dangling from the tip of his nose. The moment he took the crystal, the lenses burst with golden light, and even his beard stood on end: "Deep-sea magical beast core! Youngsters, do you know how many gold coins this can exchange for?" He held up five fingers, "At least fifty million! But the auction house has rules: holders of rare treasures can enter for free—but only three people can go in, and there's a 10% commission on each transaction."
After confirming its value, the group returned to the inn as dusk dyed the sea surface red. Tisk's war hammer "Burning Vine" slammed heavily on the table, shaking the candlestick: "Why do we have to stay behind! My war hammer can smash the door open!"
"Calm down, Tisk." Arya gently stroked his heated arm, the "Transmission Leaf Ring" in her green hair flashing with the movement, "The auction hall has 'Expulsion Incantations'; forcing entry will get you bounced away. Besides, we don't know if the Doomsday Rebirth organization will show up..."
After discussion, Fa, Rex, and Salsa were selected as representatives to enter the auction hall, while the other three—Arya, Tisk, and Kayla—stayed at the inn, participating in remote bidding through communication crystals.
Fa handed the communication crystal to Arya, whispering: "Arya, if there's anything unusual at the auction, tell us right away." Arya nodded, gently holding Fa's hand: "Be careful, Fa. We'll guard outside." Tisk patted his war hammer "Burning Vine," boldly saying: "If those Doomsday Rebirth guys dare to cause trouble, I'll smash them flat!"
Kayla suddenly gripped Fa's wrist; this usually cold-faced lightning-attribute warrior showed a rare plea in her eyes: "If there's anything shadow-related, please prioritize bidding... My father's notes mentioned that the Doomsday Rebirth organization often uses such things to deceive people."
The next day, the auction officially began. Fa, Rex, and Salsa donned "Illusion Masks" to blend into the crowd. The masks were beast-hide carved into bird-face shapes, with "Mist Crystals" embedded in the eye sockets that distorted vision, ensuring others couldn't see their faces clearly. The auction venue's perimeter was heavily guarded, with guards in golden armor holding magical weapons, their sharp gazes scanning every entrant.
Nobles and dignitaries arrived one after another, and Fa's group of three stepped in. The moment they entered the hall, Fa was breathless from the sight. The golden dome hung with hundreds of "Starlight Chandeliers," each composed of hundreds of magical shards, their lights weaving into a flowing galaxy. The floor was covered in deep red velvet carpet, columns on both sides entwined with glowing vines, and the air filled with a mix of cedar incense and rose essential oil. Nobles successively entered the second-floor boxes, their luxurious gowns' gems and metal decorations jingling, including humans in beast hides, mages in pointed hats, and even soul-body nobles in ghost sedans.
The Auction's Opening
"Dong—"
The copper bell inlaid with hundreds of seven-colored gems rang through the hall, and a host in a purple velvet robe stepped onto the stage. He held a gem-inlaid wooden staff, the "Ruby Crystal" at its tip flickering faintly: "Welcome to the 76th Lilaide Auction! Today, we will showcase the rarest treasures of the Murelet Continent, each one subverting your understanding of 'rarity'—first, please prepare your gold coins, honored guests! Now, behold the first lot!"
First Lot: Azure Gem
The curtain slowly rose, revealing an azure gem on a velvet cushion. The gem was about the size of a pigeon egg, with wave-like ripples surging deep inside, emitting azure light as if condensed from the soul of the deep sea.
"The 'Dream Tear' of the abyssal merfolk from the Shadow Sea!" The host's voice rose, "It's said that the holder can hear the singing of deep-sea spirits and avoid sea disasters! Starting bid—five million gold coins!"
The hall boiled over. A fat noble in an ostrich-feather gown raised his sign first: "Six million!" A coquettish laugh came from a second-floor box: "Seven million, this gem matches my blue silk gown perfectly~"
Bidding started among everyone in the hall, quickly climbing to eight million gold coins. Fa whispered to Rex: "This gem has strong energy fluctuations; it might also be a deep-sea magical beast core." Rex nodded, his mechanical eye flashing blue, analyzing: "Energy purity at 30%, but slightly inferior to our magic crystal." Finally, the gem sold for ten million gold coins. The buyer was a person in an iron mask, with scale-like skin exposed at the collar—likely a reptilian noble.
Second Lot: Memory Enhancement Potion
Next, a crystal bottle was brought on stage, containing a pale purple liquid emitting faint magical fluctuations. The host announced loudly: "Memory Enhancement Potion, permanently boosts the user's memory and perception, ideal for mages and scholars, starting bid three million gold coins!"
Fa felt Salsa's soul body tremble slightly. This was exactly the item Salsa obtained in the money-making competition, submitted as a special commodity to the auction. "Three million five hundred thousand!" "Four million!" Bids rose one after another. After bidding began, the price quickly rose; a noble in a box shouted: "Five million!" Another followed: "Six million!" Fa saw an old mage in a pointed hat frequently raising his sign, his young attendant whispering anxiously, probably desperate to break through a magical bottleneck.
After fierce competition, "Eight million first! Second! Sold!" The host's staff knocked the table, "Congratulations to the guest in box three!" Finally, the old mage won it for eight million gold coins. Fa breathed a sigh of relief, whispering: "Not a bad price; our efforts weren't in vain." The Team's Bidding Determination
Third Lot: 'Shadow Cloak' from the Undead Desert!
This was a pitch-black robe, the fabric seemingly ordinary but glowing with faint purple light under the lamps. The host explained: "Wearing it allows invisibility in shadows for ten minutes, suitable for nocturnal operations—starting bid ten million gold coins!"
Fa whispered to Salsa: "This would help your soul body stealth." Salsa's soul body trembled lightly: "If we get it, stealing information would be safer."
Bidding started at ten million, quickly soaring to fifteen million. Fa raised his sign: "Sixteen million!"
"Seventeen million!" A masked person's voice was icy, from box five. Fa saw the person wearing a skull ring on their fingertip, with gray spots of undead magic on the cuff—someone from the Undead Mages' Guild.
She gritted her teeth: "Eighteen million!" The hall gasped, and the undead mage hesitated for a moment before angrily waving to give up.
"Sold!" Salsa's soul body conveyed gratitude: "Thank you; this will make us stronger."
Fantastic Treasures Take Turns: From Swift Pets to Exotic Wonders in Heated Competition
"The next segment of the auction will subvert your imagination of 'mounts'!" The host returned to the stage, lightly waving his staff, and the curtain slowly parted, revealing a glass dome shrouded in "Wind Barrier Incantation," "First, behold—the 'Swift Phantom Leopard' cub from the Gale Plains!"
Inside the dome, a silver cub was curled on a blanket, with pale blue wind spirit wisps floating from its ear tips and tail end. When it lifted its head, amber pupils flashed a stream of light, and the stone slab beneath its feet showed web-like cracks—that was the air pressure impact from stepping into the air to accelerate.
"The Phantom Leopard, when adult, can tread air in the wind at speeds up to three hundred li per hour!" The host's voice was impassioned, "Even more special, it can form a mental link with its owner, taking a fatal wound for them in crisis! Starting bid eight million gold coins!"
The hall instantly boiled. A female hunter in light leather armor raised her sign first: "Nine million! This is exactly what my demon-hunting team needs for scouting mounts!"
"Twelve million!" A robust male voice came from a second-floor box; Fa looked up and saw a white-bearded chamber of commerce president stroking the armrest, with two attendants beside him, "Our caravan is always attacked by magical beasts crossing the sand seas; this leopard can escort the goods!"
Bidding fiercely rose to twenty million gold coins when a foreign noble with a feathered serpent headdress raised a golden number plate: "Thirty million! This leopard will become our festival's sacred beast!"
Finally, the cub sold for thirty-five million gold coins. Fa heard Tisk tsking on the other end of the communication crystal: "Good grief, that price could buy ten carts of war hammers!" Arya chuckled lightly: "It's said Phantom Leopards recognize only one master in life; hope this noble can tame it."
The next lot stirred another climax—the "Lightning Lizard Egg" appeared. This football-sized egg had gold and silver lightning patterns on its shell, placed on a special "Conductive Copper Plate" that occasionally sparked tiny arcs.
"A exotic beast from Thunder Canyon!" The host explained, "After hatching, it can spray paralyzing plasma, and its four-footed run is like lightning across the earth, perfect for thrill-seeking adventurers! Starting bid five million gold coins!"
This time, the main bidders were young nobles. A viscount with pink-dyed hair waved his number plate: "Seven million! I want to ride it in the noble hunting tournament!"
"Nine million!" His neighbor—a count in an eagle mask—sneered, "You should worry if it'll electrocute you to charcoal first."
Finally, the lizard egg was won by an adventurer for twelve million gold coins; he excitedly high-fived his companions: "With this, I'll bring it to every banquet from now on!"
The following lots were varied: a small bottle of "Fountain of Life" that could cure all diseases (starting bid ten million, final thirty-two million), "Lava Armor" hand-forged by a dwarf smith (starting bid nine million, bought by a barbarian leader for eighteen million), and a "Cloud Sea Mirror" that could predict weather (starting bid four million, won by a merchant ship captain for twelve million).
Auction Midpoint Climax
During the intermission, servers pushed silver trays around, with desserts and fruit wines chilled by ice magic. Fa bit into a "Delicate Dessert," feeling mint-lemon flavor burst on his tongue, his gaze sweeping the surroundings as the hall's atmosphere grew more heated. —Nobles whispered, discussing the upcoming "mysterious lots."
Eighth Lot: Storm Bow
"Eighth lot, the 'Storm Bow' from the ancient elven battlefield!" The host unveiled the cloth, eliciting gasps from the hall. It was a long bow bent from silver-white branches, with pearl-glowing strings, wind element spirit war patterns carved on the arms, and emerald phoenix feathers at the ends.
"It's said to be held by the elven hero 'Wind Whisperer' Ryan; arrows shot summon small tornadoes!" The host's voice soared, "Starting bid fifteen million gold coins!"
Fa looked at the communication crystal, whispering to Arya: "Arya, this bow suits you well; what do you think?" Arya's voice came through, with a hint of excitement: "Yes, Fa. I can feel it!" Arya's voice was unusually excited, "The wind element fluctuations are pure, three times stronger than my current bow! This bow can enhance my wind magic; I want to try." Fa nodded, saying to Rex and Salsa: "We'll try bidding for this bow."
Bids soared from fifteen million to twenty-two million. When Fa raised his sign, he saw a dwarf noble glaring from across, his beard's gold rings trembling: "Twenty-four million! Kid, this bow is only for warriors!"
Rex leaned in: "He has the 'Iron Beard Battle Group' emblem on his waist; they specialize in hunting aerial magical beasts, indeed need a strong bow."
"Twenty-five million." Fa raised steadily, palms sweating.
The dwarf noble hesitated, consulted his attendant, then angrily dropped his sign: "Fine, you win!"
"Sold!" The host smiled brightly, "The Storm Bow goes to the guest at table sixteen!"
Laughter came from the communication crystal: "Thank you! Once I learn the tornado arrow technique, I can protect you all better!" Fa heard Tisk yelling beside her "Treat us to ale when back," and couldn't help but curve his lips.
Tenth Lot: Star Chart Navigation Disk
Next came the tenth lot, eliciting gasps as it appeared. It was a bronze disk engraved with star maps, edges inlaid with blue gems, emanating an ancient and mysterious aura. The host introduced: "Star Chart Navigation Disk, a relic of the Glow School, guides sailors through mists, starting bid twenty-two million gold coins!"
This was exactly the treasure Rex found at the abandoned port. He whispered to Fa: "Didn't expect it to be worth so much." Bidding was exceptionally fierce; collectors jumped in, a human scholar shouted: "Twenty-three million!" An elven noble added: "Twenty-four million!" Finally, it settled at thirty-five million gold coins, won by a mysterious person in a box. Fa gazed at the lot on stage, a surge of anticipation in his heart.
In the latter half of the auction, Fa's group decided to bid on every item crucial to them.
Fifth-to-Last Lot: Starfall Iron Crystal
At this point, the host's voice came clearly through the communication crystal: "The last five lots—behold this fallen miracle from the skies!" Four burly men carried an iron chest on stage; the moment it opened, the inn wall's projection vibrated violently, and Tisk's beard stood up—a wheel-sized crystal lay within, with ice-blue and crimson halos surging inside, like imprisoned polar and volcanic forces.
"Starfall Iron Crystal! Said to contain dual powers of ice and fire!" The host's voice trembled, "Suitable for forging legendary weapons, starting bid twenty-one million gold coins!"
Tisk suddenly lunged at the projection, his nose almost touching the crystal image: "Look at those flow patterns! It's the 'Ice-Fire Entwined Pattern'! Fa! Listen! This ore must be handled with the 'Dwarf Triple Forging Method': first smelt in lava fire, then quench in extreme northern ice spring, finally..."
"Tisk, calm down!" Fa pressed his earpiece, suppressing laughter, "We need you to tell us bidding strategy—what's the boost to Burning Vine?"
"Boost?" Tisk's eyes shone like a furnace, "Put it this way! If my war hammer now is a 'water-boiling iron pot,' adding this meteorite makes it a 'lava-spewing volcano!'" He raised his war hammer "Burning Vine" to demonstrate, the iron head glowing dark red under the inn lights, "Remember the dent from fighting Grum and Rock last time? Reinforced with this meteorite, it can withstand not just magma, but even dragon breath for a third!"
Rex's prosthetic eye scanned the crystal in the hall, mechanical sounds whirring: "Detected 'compression patterns' on the mineral surface, indeed suitable for high-intensity magical impacts."
"Fa!" Tisk's voice suddenly lowered, with rare sincerity, "This might be the best forging material I've encountered in my life. If we miss it..."
"We won't miss it." Fa firmly raised his number plate, "Arya, prepare remote bidding assistance; Rex, monitor hall magic fluctuations constantly; Tisk, tell us the max psychological price."
"Thirty-five million!" Tisk exhaled white vapor from his beard, "That's my limit from selling 'Iron Beard Chariot' parts!"
Bidding started at twenty-one million. A dwarf noble in the hall raised: "Twenty-two million! Anvil Clan claims ownership!"
Tisk's projection distorted instantly; at the inn, he angrily swung his hammer: "Old geezer! Your clan's smiths can't even forge horseshoes properly!"
Fa, hearing the curses in his earpiece, suppressed laughter and raised: "Twenty-three million!"
The hall atmosphere heated up. The dwarf noble and Tisk cursed across the communication incantation, surrounding nobles glancing sideways. When Fa finally shouted "Fifty million," the opponent angrily flung his sleeve and gave up.
"Sold!" The host's gavel fell, and a booming crash came from the inn—Tisk excitedly swung his hammer, smashing through the wooden floor, exposing the dirt layer below.
"Awesome!" His voice came through the crystal, accompanied by splashing dirt, "Once I get the meteorite, first engrave 'Tisk · Melting Ice Fury' on the hammer handle! Then forge three spare iron nails in case the head falls off... Oh right! Rex, need some meteorite for your mechanical arm? I can shape it into gears!"
Rex sighed lightly: "Thanks, but prioritize your war hammer. We need your 'Burning Vine' to release dual ice-fire impacts in the next battle."
"Leave it to me!" Tisk thumped his chest, beard rings jingling, "In three days, I'll transform Burning Vine! Then watch—when the hammer strikes, ice-blue cold flames will freeze enemies' feet first, then fire blasts send them to the heavens!"
Salsa's soul body in the hall chuckled lightly through the communication crystal: "Remember to control the force, Tisk. Last time you swung too hard and injured three allies by mistake."
"That was an accident!" Tisk's ear tips reddened, "This time I'll engrave 'Restraint Incantation' on the hammer side, guarantee no friendly fire—unless you're standing in the enemy pile!"
Fa watched the staff remove the meteorite from the display, warmth surging in his heart. Though Tisk couldn't be there in person, participating remotely through the communication crystal made the team's collaboration even tighter. This Starfall Iron Crystal was not just a powerful material, but a vessel for Tisk's passion and dreams as a dwarf craftsman.
He whispered to the communication crystal: "Thank you, Tisk. In time, your war hammer will be our strong pillar against evil."
Tisk's voice choked: "I should thank you... No one's ever valued my forging dreams like this. Once done, I'll make you all proud!"
Arya chuckled beside: "We're already proud, Tisk. But now, please climb out of the floor hole first—we need to head to the auction to claim the Starfall Iron Crystal; it's only a ten-minute walk."
A yelp came from the inn: "Wait! I didn't mean to! Filling the floor now... Preparing to head to the auction."
Fa shook his head with a chuckle, turning to Rex and Salsa: "Alright, Tisk's part is perfectly settled. Next, focus on the remaining lots—especially that deep-sea magical beast core. No matter the price, we must pay close attention, as it might be key to uncovering some secrets."
Second-to-Last Lot: Deep-Sea Magical Beast Core
As the auction neared its end, when the host announced the "second-to-last lot," the hall's atmosphere reached boiling point.
"Deep-Sea Magical Beast Core Crystal—extremely high energy purity, usable for forging top-tier weapons or powering large magical machinery!"
The moment the crystal was placed on stage, Fa felt the wooden box in his bosom vibrate violently, resonating with the display crystal. This crystal was larger than theirs, with surging momentum in the deep blue light, and even ancient rune-like light patterns floating on the surface.
"Starting bid one hundred million gold coins!" The host almost roared.
"One hundred twenty million!" A beastman noble waved his furry arm, teeth decorations on his collar jingling, "I want to use it to forge our tribe's guardian idol!"
"One hundred fifty million!" An icy voice from box seven; Fa looked up and saw a man in black satin gown behind the curtain, a hourglass ring flashing on his finger—surprisingly with the Doomsday Rebirth organization's mark.
"Two hundred million!" Another box echoed an aged yet powerful bid; Fa turned and saw a white-haired old king supported by attendants, the gems on his crown reflecting the crystal's light, "I want to forge an indestructible protective wall for the kingdom!"
Bids surged like a frenzy, finally won by someone for two hundred fifty million gold coins. The hall erupted in applause; Fa heard Rex whisper: "This value exceeds imagination; the Doomsday Rebirth organization won't let the winner go easily."
Salsa's soul body whispered: "Such heat will attract all forces' attention, including those we're seeking."
Final Lot: Winged Tear and Conspiracy Unveiled
"The final lot, the legendary winged fragment—'Winged Tear'!"
On the crystal stand, an oval gem emitted soft silver-white light, as if condensed from sky clouds. The host's voice lowered: "Said to be a remnant of the Winged Clan's sacred relic, containing the source of wind magic, allowing the holder temporary flight—starting bid one hundred fifty million gold coins!"
Fa instantly felt a familiar energy fluctuation, unease surging in his heart. This sensation was extremely similar to the aura detected during battles with Xist and Crum. Rex's prosthetic eye flashed slightly, whispering: "Aura abnormal; possibly enchanted with tracking incantation."
Bidding was exceptionally fierce; an elven noble bid first: "One hundred eighty million!"
"Two hundred million!" A masked voice from box nine, with undeniable dominance.
Fa stared fixedly at box nine, seeing silver hair flash through the curtain gap—a middle-aged man with a flute-like pendant around his neck, faintly engraved with the Sea Clan's mark of the Vortex Sanctuary, extremely similar to the map seen in the Steelmelt City's palace library. Fa's heart stirred; this person's identity was related to the Sea Clan, perhaps key to reaching the Shadow Sea.
Finally, the gem sold for four hundred fifty million gold coins. As the host announced the winner, he noticed several black shadows quickly leaving from the back door—precisely the Doomsday Rebirth members who entered earlier.
"They've been targeted." Fa whispered to Rex and Salsa beside him, tone vigilant. Rex's mechanical eye flashed blue, calmly analyzing: "Doomsday Rebirth people just left; highly likely ambushing outside. My scan shows abnormal energy fluctuations backstage; someone must be active nearby." Salsa's soul body trembled slightly, whispering: "That merchant's bodyguard team is strong, but if opponents are Doomsday Rebirth, they won't last long. Should we intervene?" Fa pondered briefly, his star eyes sweeping the hall, nodding firmly: "We need intel. This merchant might know clues to the Shadow Sea; we can't let him fall into Doomsday Rebirth's hands. Split up—I'll go backstage first to claim gold and lots; you two secretly track and protect the merchant."