Chapter 16: The Auction Begins
The sun had barely dipped below the horizon when the Golden Nimbus Pavilion began to glow with soft spirit-light, drawing cultivators like moths to a flame. Tonight, the grand auction was finally set to begin.
Flux and Ryo approached the towering entrance, where golden patterns shimmered across twin doors like flowing rivers. Spirit arrays pulsed faintly beneath their feet.
"They've got real stuff tonight," Ryo said, voice lowered. "Movement techniques, high-grade pills... maybe even a treasure pulled from some ancient ruin. Could be our shot at something rare."
An attendant in starlight-thread robes greeted them with a bow. "Honored guests. Welcome to the Golden Nimbus Pavilion. Your seats are in Hall B, Section Three."
They followed her through a wide corridor paved in polished jade. Spirit lamps shaped like blooming lotuses cast a gentle glow across the walls. Soon, they stepped into the main auction hall—a spacious amphitheater filled with tiered seating and a central stage. Floating plaques above each seat denoted cultivation levels and bidder numbers. Rows were etched with soft isolation formations, allowing private conversation.
Flux and Ryo found their seats in the middle rows. Not flashy, but with a solid view of the stage.
Flux remained quiet, eyes scanning the crowd. Dozens of cultivators filled the room—sect robes, rogue attire, family insignias. The subtle scent of sandalwood incense curled through the air.
From across the hall, a small group of Blue Mist disciples caught his attention. At their center sat Xavier Reu, calm as still water, sipping tea without a hint of interest.
Ryo groaned. "Great. Xavier's here. Guess that means we can expect sky-high bids on anything remotely rare. Doesn't he usually have something better to do?"
Before Flux could reply, the lights dimmed slightly. A middle-aged woman stepped onto the stage, indigo robes gleaming with silver thread. Her voice rang out clear and composed.
"Esteemed guests, cultivators of all paths—welcome to the Golden Nimbus Grand Auction. Let us begin."
---
Lot One: Alchemical Furnace – Firevein Bloom
An ornate furnace was wheeled in, floral engravings glimmering in the stage lights.
"Intermediate-tier alchemical furnace. Excellent heat retention. Minor fire affinity array. Suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators."
Bidding opened at 500 low-grade stones and rose steadily before a Jade Rain Temple disciple won it for 960.
---
Lot Two: Spirit Weapon Set – Twin Moon Daggers
"These spirit-forged daggers were recovered from a Silver-Eyed Serpent den. They're tuned for speed and stealth."
Two women from rival sects exchanged venomous glances as the bidding escalated in sharp jumps. A masked rogue cultivator eventually secured them for 1030 low-grade spirit stones.
---
Lot Three: Foundation Establishment Pill
An attendant brought forth a sealed jade bottle resting atop crimson velvet. Silver talismans flickered across its surface.
"This is a third-grade Foundation Establishment Pill," the auctioneer announced. "Refined by Alchemist Wie of Verdant Valley. It eases the breakthrough process and stabilizes qi flow during advancement."
"Opening bid—300 low-grade spirit stones."
"350!"
"400!"
"550!"
"600!"
The numbers rose fast, mostly from outer-sect disciples and rogue cultivators. Tension stirred in the air as desperation surfaced.
"700!"
"800!"
Ryo let out a low whistle. "You'd think they were auctioning off a nascent soul pill. Some of these folks are betting their future on this."
Flux sipped his tea, silent, eyes flicking across the bidders—spotting who was confident, who was bluffing, and who was near panic.
Ryo leaned over. "Hey... what grade pill did you use for your breakthrough?"
Flux didn't look over. "Didn't use one."
Ryo blinked. "Wait, seriously? No pill at all?"
Flux nodded.
"What about your tribulation? You must've had something—a treasure, a talisman, at least a formation umbrella?"
Flux stirred his tea slowly. "None of those."
"…So you just got struck?"
"I was meditating."
Ryo stared at him. "You meditated through thunder tribulation?"
"Very grounding experience."
Ryo slumped back in his seat. "You're a menace or you're a liar."
---
Lot Four: Unknown Pendant
The tone of the auctioneer shifted.
"This item was recovered from the South Whispering Wastes. Its function and origin are unverified."
An attendant unveiled a pendant glowing with a soft green hue, etched with vein-like runes. A hush fell over the hall.
Many cultivators leaned back, uninterested. Some scoffed openly.
"I've seen this before," someone muttered. "Last year, same trick. Some glowing bauble that turned out to be a dead formation core."
"Or a decoy seal stone. They keep pulling this stunt—glow and mystery, no function."
A few buyers who had been burned in past auctions crossed their arms, unmoved. The crowd's skepticism weighed heavy in the air.
Then—
"Four hundred low-grade spirit stones," Xavier Reu said, his voice calm and clear.
The room fell into silence. No one dared challenge it.
Flux watched as the pendant was stored in a flash of light and swept into Xavier's ring. The top disciple stood, turned, and walked out.
"He didn't stay for anything else," Ryo murmured.
Flux narrowed his eyes. "He got what he came for."
---
Lot Five: Movement Technique – Miststep Flow
"A top-tier Foundation Establishment technique focused on evasive footwork and qi acceleration."
Flux raised his plaque.
"Seventy middle-grade spirit stones," the auctioneer called.
"Eighty."
"Ninety!"
"Ninety-five."
"One hundred," Flux said.
Silence.
The rival bidder sighed and withdrew.
"SOLD to Seat Forty-Seven."
Ryo chuckled. "So you do have taste."
Flux nodded. "It pairs well with sword movement."
---
Lot Six: Sword Technique – Whirling Crescent
"A wind-based blade art focused on spinning arcs and burst slashes. Ideal for agile swordsmen."
The bids came fast.
"Eighty-five middle-grade!"
"Ninety!"
"Ninety-five!"
"One hundred!"
Flux hesitated. Then raised his plaque. "One twenty."
A rogue cultivator in the front row frowned, weighed his pouch—and conceded.
"SOLD."
Ryo grinned. "Now you're just showing off."
Flux sipped his tea.
---
Later Lots: High-Tier Treasures
The auction shifted into rarer items. The crowd quieted as spirit stone thresholds climbed.
Lot Eleven: A sealed bottle of Spirit Flame Essence—used for crafting fire-path items. Sold for three high-grade spirit stones.
Lot Fifteen: A defensive talisman set capable of blocking three full-strength attacks from an early Golden Core cultivator. Opening bid: three high-grade. Final bid: twenty.
Lot Seventeen: A cracked array fragment from a pre-cataclysm ruin. Useless for now—but packed with ancient runes. A formation master from a hidden sect secured it with ten high-grade stones and a promise of future trade.
Flux attempted to bid on a water-path defensive artifact—an elegantly carved jade turtle shell—but a masked elder immediately offered ten high-grade stones, ending all competition.
Flux exhaled. "That's excessive."
Ryo shook his head. "These old monsters are either rich, paranoid, or both."
---
By the time the final lots approached, the air in the room was thick with the heat of bids and the weight of missed chances. Some cultivators had already left in frustration. Others clung to hope for a last-minute miracle.
Ryo leaned back, drained. "I'm dizzy. The spirit stones spent tonight could fund a small sect for a year."
Flux didn't answer—already calculating how best to integrate his new techniques into training.