The auction started with a true treasure from an Amaranthine Eternal, quite a high starting point.
For many sects, an artifact of this level would be their defining treasure. Most wouldn’t even have one.
Only first-rate sects had access to something like this.
The starting price was already 300,000 stones, effectively eliminating many members of the audience from bidding.
Nevertheless, there were still more than one thousand members who were at least at the Eternal level.
“310,000.” Someone bid.
“350,000.” Another immediately followed up.
“380,000.”
It didn’t take long before the bid went up to 1,000,000 - more than three times the starting price. This was only the beginning as well.
Many were left speechless after seeing this, especially those from a humble background.
These cultivators from a second-rate or third-rate sects found 300,000 stones to be a monstrous sum already, let alone 1,000,000. These big shots treated money as if it was nothing.
“So many rich people here.” The first-timers sighed in admiration, having broadened their horizon.
“This is nothing yet. The powerful emperors and Everlastings haven’t joined. Just wait, you’ll be amazed in no time.” Someone next to him said.
The first-timers agreed with this statement. Sure enough, the ones in the pavilion didn’t bother looking at this treasure, clearly not impressed by it.
Finally, it was sold for 1,230,000 stones. This final price was above the pocket of some sect and clan masters.
They initially thought that the items they wanted would only go for one to two million stones at best. Now, just the first has already reached this mark. Those later should demand a much higher price.
The second item was a young bird with a golden, fiery peak. It had scaly-looking feathers on top of a serpent-like tail.
“Golden-beak Crimson Crow!” A sect master immediately recognized the bird and shouted. This attracted the attention of the crowd.
“You have good eyes, Sect Master Yun.” The auctioneer gave him a flirtatious glance: “This is a three-month-old Golden-break Crimson Crow, pure in bloodline since we incubated ourselves. It is still wild with a very thin strand of the phoenix bloodline. Once matured, there is a chance that it might become a Golden-break Divine Crow. It starts at 500,000 coins. Same 10,000 increase.”
A few emperors and Everlasting finally glanced down, seemingly interested in this young bird.
“600,000.” One Everlasting from the last generation bid 100,000 over the starting price.
“1,000,000.” Another did a huge jump. This ma.s.sive price increase excited the crowd.
“What? A regular spot?” People were surprised to see that the bidder was sitting in a normal chair on the ground.
They saw a youth wearing expensive clothes, trying his best to ostentatiously display his wealth. He didn’t care that it was an Everlasting bidding earlier.
“Worker, I want to be a VIP right now!” He shouted.
Some older experts slightly frowned with disapproval in response. Everyone knew that money alone wasn’t enough to receive a VIP letter from Arrogance; one needed enough power to back it up.
However, if one spent enough at the auction, they could gain VIP status at the discretion of the auctioneer.
“Honored guest, reaching the next status requires spending two million and up on a winning auction.” A worker answered the arrogant youth.
“1010,000.” Another sect master bid.
“2,000,000. Anyone else wants to play?!” The youth shouted.
“2,100,000.” One unhappy Eternal grimaced and said.
“3,000,000.” The youth acted as if he had too much money to spend. The crowd became astonished.
No one else joined because this price exceeded the value of this particular bird. After all, it wasn’t easy to improve the bloodline of this bird.
“Worker, get me up there now!” The youth impatiently said.
“Crack! Crack! Crack!” The youth was teleported to an empty seat in the front row.
This seat then started morphing into a more extravagant chair, the same type enjoyed by the sect masters.
As long as one paid enough money at the auction, they could show off and sit down on the same level as other masters or even emperors. This was the power of money. One could buy glory and honor from it.
“Worker, I want to go up there where the emperors are.” The youth was clearly unhappy about just being in the front row and pointed up at the sky.
“The Eternal level is 30,000,000 stones. The emperor level requires imperial stones - 5,000,000 and up.” The worker answered.
“Okay, let’s go, hurry.” The youth said before looking at the auctioneer and revealing: “Beauty, I, Tang Ben, like s.e.xy girls like you the most.”
“You’re too kind, Young n.o.ble Tang.” The auctioneer politely smiled, ignoring the improper comment.
The third auction item was finally brought onto the stage - a pill bottle.
“These are Energy Consolidation Pills refined by Blazing Master, suitable for older Eternals. 30 pills in total, 800,000 to start, 10,000 minimum increase.” The auctioneer said.
“850,000.” One Eternal said.
“900,000.”
“1,000,000.”
“2,000,000.”
The Eternals started bidding since the auctioneer was right. These pills were perfect for older Eternals who have reached their cultivation limit. They required external help in order to break the bottleneck.
Meanwhile, Blazing Master was a famous Alchemist in Immortal Lineage. His pills were rare and expensive, normally already sold the moment they came out of the cauldron. Thus, all these Eternals wanted to jump in.
“8,000,000.” The rich youth named Tang Ben eventually bid.
Everyone became curious about his ident.i.ty and stared at him.
No one else joined in after this bid so he won it. This continued for several more auctions.
Finally, his status rose again as his chair turned into a floating throne. Now he was on the same level as the other Eternals.
“Not bad, a much better view.” He seemed quite pleased with himself.
This pompous act earned him some disdain from the crowd. In their eyes, this Tang Ben was nothing more than an uneducated parvenu.
However, it was quite strange for him and his family to have this much money. He didn’t receive an invitation letter so his clan shouldn’t be prestigious.
A few Eternals activated their heavenly gaze in order to look at him. They found that his cultivation was nothing unexpected.
How did he get so much money then? His background and cultivation were both mediocre.
“There’s something strange about this brat.” The bull said.
Li Qiye only chuckled and didn’t respond.
This general confusion permeated the crowd but no one said anything.
Tang Ben won the next several items as well. This infuriated some of the cultivators who really came specifically for the auction.
“Yeah, I have money. What about you?” He taunted at the experts glaring at him.