The people in private room number ten were in a frenzy, pinching the philtrum and channeling spiritual energy, desperately busy.
In private room number one, Zi Lingling was in high spirits. She picked up a spiritual fruit from the fruit platter and bit into it with a loud crunch.
"Next, please have the staff bring up the third auction item!"
As Ming Lan's voice fell, the graceful woman once again carried in a tray.
On the tray lay a palm-sized fragment of an unknown material. However, the uneven edges indicated it was a piece of a larger item.
Ming Lan said somewhat awkwardly, "Everyone has seen the third auction item.
This is a part of some object, but I regret to say that even our appraisal master cannot identify what it is.
We are putting it up for auction because we discovered that the fragment exudes a very ancient aura.
Now, I declare the bidding open. The starting bid is thirty thousand spirit stones, with each increment no less than ten thousand spirit stones!"
As she finished speaking, the hall erupted in discussion, but no one made a bid.
"What does Lin Xian Wine House mean by putting up an unidentified fragment for auction?"
"Exactly! Even you don't know what it is or what it's for, so what's the point of us bidding on it?"
"You can't say that. Although Lin Xian Wine House is auctioning it, they aren't forcing anyone to buy it!"
"That's true. This thing is a gamble. If you're lucky, it might be a fragment of a divine artifact. If you're unlucky, it's just a piece of scrap."
"Even so, who's willing to gamble? Forty thousand spirit stones is not a small sum. Who would waste their spirit stones for fun?"
...
The crowd murmured, but Zi Lingling's expression turned peculiar.
A thought appeared in her mind: "Buy it!"
The source of this thought was the nascent world in her dantian.
Could it be... her nascent world had its own consciousness?
Shocked, Zi Lingling sent her own thought to the nascent world.
"Are you conveying your thoughts?"
There was no reply.
Just as Zi Lingling thought she was hallucinating, the thought reappeared in her mind, "Buy it!"
Zi Lingling smiled.
This time, she was certain that the thought originated from the nascent world.
It seemed there were secrets hidden within her nascent world that she didn't yet know.
Never mind, now was not the time to investigate.
Since no one was bidding on the fragment, Ming Lan intended to declare it unsold.
"Since there are no bids, I declare the third auction item to be... unsold!"
"Wait!" Xuanyuan Zhe's voice came from private room number one.
A hint of joy appeared on Ming Lan's face. "May I ask what instructions this distinguished guest from private room number one has?"
Xuanyuan Zhe looked at Zi Lingling strangely.
He couldn't understand why Zi Lingling was suddenly interested in this fragment.
Zi Lingling offered no explanation, but merely nodded affirmatively.
Helpless, Xuanyuan Zhe could only brace himself and say, "Forty thousand spirit stones. This young master will take the fragment!"
As his words fell, the auction hall exploded again.
"Is this person out of their mind? Forty thousand spirit stones for something whose identity is unknown?"
"You said it! Rich people really know how to have fun!" Su Dan Novel Network
"You can't say that! Perhaps this young master recognizes its origin?"
"Tsk! Then why don't you bid? Maybe you'll really find a treasure!"
"I'm not crazy! You go bid!"
"..."
Not only were the crowd discussing, but even Ming Lan asked incredulously, "Does the young master confirm?"
Xuanyuan Zhe gritted his teeth and repeated loudly, "This fragment, this young master wants it!"
"Very well! Since the young master is sure, then Ming Lan congratulates the young master!"
As Ming Lan spoke, she was about to finalize the deal, but was interrupted once again.
"Wait!"
This time, it was Zi Jinling from private room number ten who interrupted Ming Lan.
By the time the fragment was brought to the auction stage, she had already been revived by others from Lingxiao Mountain.
"What? Does the distinguished guest from private room number ten wish to participate in the bidding?" Ming Lan asked with displeasure.
One must know that this fragment was originally going to be unsold.
As the auctioneer, Ming Lan's performance was tied to the unsold items.
Therefore, when Xuanyuan Zhe wanted to bid on the fragment, Ming Lan was surprised and then secretly delighted.
Now, this troublesome item, which had finally found a buyer, was being held back by Zi Jinling. How could Ming Lan be happy?
Not losing her temper on the spot was already a testament to her professional ethics as an auctioneer.
Thus, Ming Lan used her words to provoke Zi Jinling.
Zi Jinling did not answer Ming Lan but said towards private room number one, "Young master, may I have a word with you?"
Xuanyuan Zhe looked at Zi Lingling, intending to ask if Zi Lingling wanted to acknowledge Zi Jinling.
Zi Lingling held the spiritual fruit in her hand, but it remained suspended in mid-air, clearly lost in thought.
Xuanyuan Zhe said helplessly, "This young master is pressed for time and has no leisure to listen to the young lady's lengthy discourse."
"You!" Zi Jinling's anger surged.
"Young lady" was a humble term when she used it, but coming from Xuanyuan Zhe, it carried a mocking tone.
Furthermore, Xuanyuan Zhe's rejection was blunt and direct, slapping her face soundly.
Yet, she couldn't react, as she had no idea of Xuanyuan Zhe's identity, nor could she fathom the relationship between Xuanyuan Zhe and Zi Lingling.
Zi Jinling took a deep breath and said, "Young master, although Zi Lingling is good-looking, she has a venomous heart and uses cruel methods to kill..."
"Enough!"
Xuanyuan Zhe roared, "If you want to bid, this young master will accompany you. If you want to stir up trouble, then shut up!"
Zi Jinling sobbed, "I just don't want the young master to be deceived. Why must the young master be so angry?
I can guarantee that the fragment is definitely not for the young master himself, but for Zi Lingling.
But Zi Lingling is merely using you. The young master should be cautious!"
Xuanyuan Zhe's expression turned ugly, and he said angrily, "This young master's affairs are not for you to dictate! You should mind your own business!"
Zi Jinling said, "Why must the young master..."
"Enough!"
Xuanyuan Zhe roared, interrupting her words, and said to the auction stage, "Auctioneer Ming Lan, may you announce it now?"
Ming Lan smiled, "Of course. I declare..."
"Zi Lingling, you made me pay double the price to buy the Purple Dragon Kui, and now you want to use this young master to buy this fragment at the lowest price. I won't let you have your way!" Zi Jinling said hysterically.
Zi Lingling sneered, "You won't let me have my way?"
She took a bite of the spiritual fruit in her hand, saying dismissively, "If you don't want me to have my way, then you can increase the price. Let's see if I follow your lead!"