049 The Auction
The Yellow Dragon Festival was in full swing. Drums thundered through the streets, while the scent of roasted meats mingled with the sharp tang of incense. Lanterns swayed overhead, casting golden light on dancers below. Everywhere I turned, revelers drank, laughed, and celebrated as if the world knew no sorrow.
Naturally, that was when an enforcer arrived, ensuring the end of my peaceful day.
"Daoist Da Wei," he greeted, offering a crisp martial bow. "It is time."
I gave him a flat look. "Let me guess. The auction?"
His face remained a mask. "This way, please."
Without another word, he led me away from the main street, through winding alleys that twisted like a cultivator's meridian path. The music and merriment faded, replaced by hushed murmurs behind shuttered doors. Finally, we stopped before a plain wooden entrance. The place looked unremarkable, the kind no one would spare a second glance.
The enforcer turned, bowing again with more stiffness than before. "The elders of Sword Canopy Sect and Cloud Mist Sect request your presence."
I eyed the door. "And the auction?"
He gestured vaguely. "Next door."
I narrowed my eyes. "Right next door?"
"Yes."
His tone was calm, but I noticed the subtle tremble in his fingers. Interesting. For an enforcer trained to show no emotion, he was practically shouting with nerves.
Hmmm… Not to toot my own horn, but I had an inkling it was because of me…
To think I would have that effect on people, which was not unexpected. Still, surprising.
I clapped him on the shoulder. "Relax. They're not going to duel in the middle of a tea room. Or that I'll eat you or anything. So no need to get nervous around me."
He nodded, a bit too quickly.
I pushed open the door and stepped into what turned out to be the back entrance of an inn. The air smelled of aged wood and freshly brewed tea. A servant was already waiting and motioned me forward.
"This way, honored guest."
He led me through a quiet corridor and stopped before a private room. With practiced grace, he slid the door open.
Inside, Long Xieren and Pan Xia sat in meditative silence. Eyes closed. Breaths measured. Cultivators pretending at peace. Cute.
I leaned against the doorway, arms folded. "Alright. What do you want?"
As if on cue, their eyes opened.
Pan Xia spoke first, voice as smooth as polished jade. "Daoist Da Wei, we wish to atone for past offenses."
Long Xieren inclined his head. "We've come to understand our folly. If possible, we hope to begin anew… as allies."
I arched an eyebrow. "That so?"
Pan Xia reached into his sleeve and retrieved a storage ring, sliding it across the table without ceremony. "One of my disciples delivered this from the sect," he said with a calm smile. "Within are several cultivation methods we're willing to share… with friends."
I picked up the ring, letting my Divine Sense brush against its surface… and froze.
Something was off.
Normally, accessing a storage ring required effort, at least a bit of qi to probe the space inside. Without the owner's consent, it was like trying to force open a locked gate. Even for someone strong, there'd be resistance. That was the rule. That was how I understood it from Gu Jie's small lectures.
But this time, I slipped in without the slightest pushback.
It was effortless. My awareness sank into the ring like dipping a hand into water. No need to channel qi. No resistance. No barrier.
Just… open.
I found it weird, because I'm not even a cultivator. On top of that, I'm incapable of wielding qi. I peered to the contents of the Storage Ring offered to me.
Scrolls. Jade slips. Pills. All neatly arranged inside. My Divine Sense passed through it all without interference, as if the space itself acknowledged me as its master.
I pulled back and frowned.
I've always known my Item Box was a cheat, something I brought from my old world, or maybe something that came with me. But this? If I could extend that same access to other people's storage rings…
No. That couldn't be right.
Storage rings had safeguards. Soul imprints. Wards. You couldn't just waltz in like it was your bedroom.
Could you?
My gaze flicked back to Pan Xia. "This wasn't just for goodwill, was it?" I asked. "I assume this is payment for the Jia Yun treatment?"
His smile widened, eyes betraying nothing. "Naturally."
…Fair enough. I slipped the ring onto my finger. No need to get greedy.
Long Xieren leaned forward, eyes serious. "As for me," he said, "I've no treasures to offer. Only my blade. You brought me back from death. That is a debt no cultivator should carry unpaid. Should you ever call upon me. Be it in peace or war, against man or heaven, I will come."
I gave him a nod. Sentiment was nice and all, but between a sword oath and actual resources, I'd take the jade slips.
"So then," I said, tapping the table with one finger, "you two don't mind if I join the auction?"
They exchanged a glance.
"What's being sold that could drag the three greatest sects of Riverfall Continent all the way to Yellow Dragon City? Far as I know, none of you ever gave this place a second thought."
Pan Xia's smile faded just slightly.
Long Xieren's gaze turned sharp.
A beat passed in silence.
Something was definitely up.
They didn't really have a choice. After all, this two dunderheads kept on being disrespectful to me for some time. Yep, words were just words, but it was still annoying. The point was, I dared them to behave out of hand and I'd disqualify them from the auction by casting Divine Word: Rest on one of them and then kicking the shitter on the other. Given the current circumstances and recent events, I imagined they'd happily welcome my participation in this auction… in hopes of gaining my friendship.
To surmise, they were scared of me.
Pan Xia was the first to speak.
"I heard a rumor," he said, leaning forward, voice low, as if even the walls might be listening. "A cultivation method will be auctioned, one unlike any seen before. It doesn't conform to the established Dao. Something… unprecedented."
I raised a brow. "That vague rumor was enough to drag you across the continent?"
Pan Xia smiled, the corner of his mouth twitching like a man who'd bet more than he wanted to admit. "That vague rumor is precisely why I had to come. Techniques are many, but true breakthroughs are rare. If this one is real, Cloud Mist Sect will rise above the rest."
Reasonable enough.
I turned to Long Xieren. "And you?"
"A weapon," he said simply.
"…That's it?"
"A powerful weapon." His eyes narrowed, arms crossed. "A sword of unknown origin. One that resonates with sword intent."
I frowned.
"Possibly a spirit weapon," he added. "Or perhaps something greater. The Sword Canopy Sect doesn't ignore swords with legacy."
I let that sink in. Their reasons weren't bad. But more importantly, from what I'd heard through Jiang Zhen, the Isolation Path Sect had their eyes on something in this auction too.
Which meant all three major sects of Riverfall Continent were here, in Yellow Dragon City, for the first time in… ever.
I silently prayed none of the auction items turned out to be from LLO. If I saw a single cursed system token or dimensional gacha orb, I might lose my mind.
Just then, an attendant entered with smooth, practiced steps. He offered a bow so crisp it could slice tofu. "Honored guests, the auction is about to begin. Please allow me to escort you to your seats."
Long Xieren and Pan Xia rose with ease, moving like men who'd done this dance a hundred times. I followed, and we were led through a quiet passage that opened into an elevated chamber.
It was clearly reserved for the few who mattered.
Only a handful of seats sat at the forefront: luxurious, spaced deliberately, granting dignity without indulgence. No cheap ostentation. Just weight. Power.
One of them was already occupied.
Lei Fen.
He lounged with one leg crossed, fingers drumming against the armrest as his sharp gaze scanned the hall below. When he spotted me, he smirked, but didn't speak.
Long Xieren and Pan Xia took their seats, backs straight, expressions unreadable. I remained standing for a beat longer, then turned to the attendant and spoke low.
"I'd like to auction off a few items myself."
The attendant's expression flickered for the briefest instant from surprise to quickly suppressed astonishment. "Would the honored guest be willing to offer a list for appraisal?"
I considered. "Cultivation materials. Rare herbs. A few items of interest to those walking the martial path. Nothing cursed. Probably."
He gave a polite nod, though I caught the subtle twitch in his brow.
"Very well. I shall inform the auction master. If the timing permits, your wares will be included."
"Good." I settled into the remaining seat, quietly activating my Divine Sense to scan the auction hall. "Go ahead," I said, pulling a small pouch from my Item Box. "Let's see what they think of these."
He received it with both hands and left without delay.
I leaned back in my seat, arms crossed, watching the hall through half-lidded eyes. My thoughts drifted to the contents of the pouch and to the few lessons, conversations, and arguments with Gu Jie or Jiang Zhen.
And then there was the Golden Sun Pavilion that allowed me to read lots of stuff…
Dusts. Bone fragments. Odds and ends I'd looted from various battlefields. None of it seemed extraordinary to me, but this wasn't Earth, and this sure as hell wasn't Lost Legends Online. I'd read enough cultivation stories by now to know: rarity here followed no logic I could fully trust. What looked like trash to me might be priceless to someone else.
Some items were completely unfamiliar: herbs that shimmered faintly under mysterious power, minerals that hummed with spiritual resonance, and beast parts steeped in traces of lingering will or cultivation intent.
But then… There were other things.
Materials I recognized.
Components I'd seen back in LLO. Not just vaguely similar, but identical. Names included. World-Infused Bone Dust. Whispering Spirit Residue. A so-called Heavenly Thunder Crystal that might as well have been a Lightning Essence Shard from the game, pixel-perfect.
It was disorienting.
You'd think another world would be entirely alien. That nothing would line up. But here? Patterns kept surfacing. Echoes of a system I thought I'd left behind. Too consistent to be a coincidence. Too familiar to ignore.
I didn't have long to dwell on it.
A man stepped onto the auction platform.
He wore plain robes, not poor, but aged with time and wear. His silver hair was unkempt, his face lined with the years. He moved with the quiet confidence of someone who had done this for decades and stopped caring what others thought long ago.
I couldn't sense his cultivation directly, still hadn't cracked that part of the local system, but from his bearing alone, I could tell: this wasn't a man pretending to be old. He was old. Genuinely. Fully. And yet… composed, solid, sharp.
He raised a hand to quiet the already hushed hall.
"My name is Song," he said, his voice dry but steady. "Though most here call me Old Song."
A beat passed as he scanned the room, eyes pausing for just a moment longer on the sect seats.
Then he offered a faint smile.
"I will be the host of tonight's auction."
Old Song stood before us, unimposing in his loose, weathered robes. His silver hair was short and wild, his face creased with the weight of many years. But his sharp and steady eyes held the kind of calm born from a life few could survive intact.
There was something about him. Something layered. I squinted, studying his form, until the realization clicked into place.
Gu Jie had gotten my mundane books from an Old Song.
...Huh. Small world.
If this was the same man, then he was the reason I had those dusty records and obscure scrolls on cultivation theory, tomes filled with diagrams, archaic debates, and insights into ancient paths long forgotten. That alone made him far more interesting than your average senior cultivator.
Old Song cleared his throat, voice roughened by time but unwavering. "Before we begin, allow me to introduce myself properly. I am but an old man who has worn many names: soldier, merchant, civil official, fixer."
He gave a faint smile, as if the titles were a joke told too many times.
"In my youth, I wandered far and lived carelessly. Now, here in Yellow Dragon City, I am simply Old Song. This auction exists through my arrangements and under the protection of Governor Ren Jin."
Ah. That explained the sense of officialness to it. If he had Ren Jin's backing, then this event was more than a gathering of curious merchants. It was sanctioned.
"But beyond my ties to the Governor," he continued, "I am also a member of the Adventurer's Guild."
I blinked.
Wait. What?
Here? In the middle of xianxia land?
Old Song chuckled, clearly catching my reaction. "Surprised? I would be too. The Adventurer's Guild is little known in these territories, but it exists, scattered, quiet. I've established a small branch here in Yellow Dragon City. A modest thing, but growing."
I stared, trying to process the words.
An Adventurer's Guild. In a realm dominated by sects, clans, and divine bloodlines.
In Lost Legends Online, the Adventurer's Guild was a semi-neutral organization for mercenaries, explorers, and dungeon raiders. Not a ruling force, but one with influence. Influence that lets you bypass sect politics and act freely, assuming you have the guts for it.
If the same held true here…
I had questions. So many questions. Did they have ranks? Missions? Contribution points? Was there a guild card with stats? A board with sealed quests? Could I freelance?
But as much as I wanted to raise a hand and start interrogating the old man like this was a Q&A session, I kept my mouth shut.
This was still an auction.
And whatever secrets Old Song held, they weren't going anywhere just yet.
Old Song continued, voice unwavering, steady with the confidence of a man who had stood before emperors and criminals alike. "This auction serves a purpose beyond mere trade. It is a demonstration, an offering of competence. A message to Governor Ren Jin and the powers of this land… that the Adventurer's Guild has value."
He smiled, thin and deliberate. "And for that, I am deeply grateful to the esteemed sect elders, honored guests, and influential figures gathered here today."
I glanced sidelong at Pan Xia and Long Xieren. Neither so much as flinched. No surprise, no curiosity. Either they knew about the Guild already, or they simply didn't care.
Old Song's voice took on a more formal cadence now, like a speech he had recited dozens of times. "The Adventurer's Guild is an organization devoted to charting the unknown. Exploring lost lands. And most importantly, protecting the people from the ever-growing threat of demonic beasts and ancient monsters."
Polished. Practiced. Smooth as silk.
I could respect the hustle. He knew his audience: warriors, merchants, scholars, and politicians. He was hitting every note, selling not just an organization, but a legacy in the making.
After a few more lines about nobility and mutual benefit, he transitioned without missing a beat. "Now, let us begin."
Finally.
"The first set of items to be presented," Old Song announced, "comes from a contributor who wishes to remain unnamed."
My eyebrows lifted.
Wait, what? Mine already?
I hadn't even figured out what I wanted from the sale. I'd practically dumped that pouch on them like someone pawning off junk at a flea market, and they were putting it front and center?
A familiar attendant moved beside me, posture respectful as they leaned in. "Honored guest, these are the estimated returns for your contributions."
They handed me a small slip. I scanned it quickly.
...Huh.
Not bad. Definitely not junk-tier. Of course, it wasn't like I had a clear idea what was its market value should be. Attending this auction would educate me or give me a feel of how Spirit Stones were valued. Still, someone out there was about to spend a stupid amount of money on what I had just considered backpack clutter. I gave a quiet hum of approval and slid the slip into my sleeve.
As I leaned back into the plush chair, Old Song lifted a shimmering shard of pale-blue crystal high into the light.
"The first item: a fragment of what our appraisers believe to be condensed Lightning Essence… but unlike any we've seen before. We have named it, tentatively, the 'Heavenly Thunder Crystal.'"
I smirked.
Yeah, good luck explaining that to a cultivator who's never played Lost Legends Online.
I hoped he made a more convincing description of the item. I should have offered a description myself if it was to hype the product more, but I was unable to do so because of circumstances.
Eh… It was fine, I guess…
Old Song turned slightly, his voice crisp and clear. "We will begin the bidding at twelve thousand spirit stones. Twelve thousand! Do I have an opening offer?"
The auction had begun.