Auction House Attendant's POV
I looked at the person standing before me.
There were traces of dark energy lingering on his body, making it difficult to discern his identity. More than that, it seemed he was using some kind of technique—or more likely, an artifact—to conceal his strength and appearance.
Still, I found myself quite curious about him. And although I wished to investigate his identity and power further, I held myself back. One reason was our own policy. After all, the auction house, at least publicly, follows a strict confidentiality code, as is customary.
Another reason was that you never truly know someone's real strength—or their hidden background. In a world like this, it's crucial to tread carefully, especially in an auction house that deals in rare items.
So, I engaged him in light political conversation, attempting to build rapport while trying to gather more information.
However, he quickly cut me off.
"Miss, the auction is about to begin. Why don't we get straight to the point?"
His voice, with a slightly androgynous tone, interrupted me.
Hearing that, I stopped and asked him to show me what he intended to sell.
He pulled out several pill vials. Upon seeing them, I placed them in a small appraisal artifact. While not as accurate as a real alchemist, the tool could still evaluate their purity and Qi content.
A few seconds later, the pills had been assessed.
Their grades ranged from being useful to Foundation Establishment cultivators to Golden Core stage.
There were pills for physical healing, mental restoration, and Qi replenishment. What surprised me wasn't just the pills themselves—some of which even a small kingdom like ours could produce at this level—but rather their purity.
Although the tool didn't show the exact ranking, the Foundation-level pills were marked as high-grade, and the Golden Core ones fluctuated between mid and high-grade.
Pill purity makes a significant difference for cultivators—it allows for smoother absorption and reduces the number of impurities that need to be expelled from the body. Moreover, the effects are far better than simply consuming raw herbs.
These pills weren't impossibly rare, but even so, their value—especially given their purity—would be considered high in a small kingdom like ours.
I adjusted my expression and looked at him.
"It's true that these pills are rare in such purity and definitely useful. But I'm not sure how much value they can fetch or whether they are suitable for auctioning here."
Of course, the quantity was decent, but it was still a question worth asking, since these pills could be substituted with others.
Then I heard his reply, a few seconds later.
"It's still a fair trade, and by no means a weak offer. I don't think it's as bad as you claim. As long as you sell them as a batch, the price will rise, especially due to the purity. After all, high-grade pills are still rare in this kingdom."
I looked at him—and he hit the mark perfectly. Since he didn't seem to be holding anything back, I planned to accept the sale and offer him a standard seat at the auction.
"However…"
His voice made me pause. I watched as he brought out another box—actually, three boxes.
Inside each one was a single, beautiful pill—green with hints of yellow and red.
Staring at them, I couldn't identify the type, so I looked at him for clarification.
"Our kingdom is called Blue Griffin, and within this continent, you know as a trader that we aren't exactly a powerhouse. These pills are rare in this part of the continent, where Qi is thinner and resources scarcer."
He paused.
That gesture put me on alert—and slightly irritated—since it made it clear the power was in his hands.
"They're called Rebirth Pills. One is low-grade, one mid grade and another high-grade. Their effect is to purify the user, increasing their sensitivity to the Dao, and enhancing their body's ability to absorb Qi and build cultivation foundation.
It is said that low-level cultivators can become highly talented, and even natural geniuses may be able to surpass others with ease. However, it can only be taken once."
My eyes widened.
The Rebirth Pill was something I had only heard rumors of—supposedly existing outside our kingdom. In fact, even there, according to a mercenary friend of mine, they were extremely rare.
Even more shocking was the fact that one of them was high-grade.
My astonishment made me jump from my seat and move closer to the pills, eyes gleaming.
Without hesitation, I called a friend—an alchemist.
"Just a moment, I need to summon someone to verify their authenticity, along with a higher-ranking official."
Upon hearing this, the man looked at me.
I suddenly felt a wave of killing intent surround my body—but it vanished just as quickly. Still, the warning was clear: Don't try anything foolish.
And despite my greed… for him to offer such a pill here, his power had to be extremely high.
"Alright. I'll wait."
Without delay, he waved his hand and retrieved all the items.
I quickly walked out, ordering the servants to treat him as a high-ranking VIP.
MC POV
I sat calmly.
There was still some time before the auction started, and I was curious about their reaction.
While waiting, I pulled out an item that looked like a jade stone.
It was a formation—one of the highest-grade and most powerful ones I had ever created. I had spent a long time perfecting it, using the highest-tier energy stone available in the Mortal Realm, along with rare minerals and expensive materials for inscribing the formation symbols.
With just a small amount of Qi, the formation could release power equivalent to the peak of the Golden Core realm.
It had both defensive and offensive functions, though it was primarily created to fight stronger opponents—and to allow me to escape if needed.
For now, I hid it beside me. Umbra remained concealed in my shadow, ready to assist if anything happened.
A few minutes later, two people entered the room.
One was a middle-aged man with an arrogant aura. The other was an even more beautiful and powerful woman than the previous attendant—her cultivation clearly at the Golden Core stage.
Although weaker than my grandfather, it was still an advanced level of cultivation.
The alchemist also seemed to be in the Golden Core realm, but I noticed his Qi was unstable, indicating that his foundation was likely forced through the use of external resources.
That's a sadly common situation for people in auxiliary professions—especially among cultivators.
My eyes focused on the woman.
Her cultivation base was solid and strong—I sensed that she was in the early Golden Core realm (between the first and third stages).
As for her identity, I recognized her as one of the famous Elders from one of the other three Duke families—the very same family that owned this auction house.
I remained calm. I hid my most powerful formation plate and brought out a less rare one—still strong enough to display early-stage Golden Core power. I also had a few poisons stored as backup.
I was grateful to be both a Formation Master and an Alchemist—it's always good to have your own means of defense.
Even if they're weaker compared to those young masters backed by ancestors with terrifying power…
Clearing my thoughts, I focused on the two of them.
With a charming and seductive smile, the woman spoke:
"So, you're the one selling something that sounds like a legend? May I take a look?"
Looking at her, my gaze shifted to the man.
His Dao of Alchemy didn't seem strong—I sensed he was barely nearing the apprentice level, still not quite there.
That meant he was weaker than me in terms of Dao comprehension and overall profession.
As for other evaluation aspects, like recipe knowledge and experience, I couldn't tell at a glance.
"Of course," I said, waiting for her to introduce the alchemist.