The Flowing Cloud Auction House was where the Flowing Cloud Pavilion held its auctions. Its address was next to the Flowing Cloud Pavilion, and the private rooms followed the same rules as those in the Bright Moon Tower, with only one room on the fifth floor.
When Ling Luoyi arrived, many people were already queuing outside the Flowing Cloud Auction House to enter.
She had arrived by carriage today. If it were before, the Ling Estate's carriage would not have attracted any attention.
However, after Ling Luoyi's return, the Ling Estate's status had soared. As such, countless people watched her carriage with curiosity or hidden intentions as it traveled.
Ling Luoyi paid no mind to it. She alighted from the carriage, ignored the surrounding gazes, and walked to the entrance. She presented her invitation and was immediately led to her private room.
A server escorted her to the fourth floor, and no one bothered her along the way.
The fourth floor had only nine private rooms. The server led her to the room in the center of the fourth floor and said, "We've arrived, Eldest Miss Ling. This room has the best location on this floor, as specially instructed by the Young Pavilion Master."
"Please thank your Young Pavilion Master for me."
"Yes."
Ling Luoyi entered the private room. The room was spacious enough to accommodate fifteen people simultaneously and was attended by four beautiful maids.
Ling Luoyi sat down and waited for the auction to begin.
A quarter of an hour later, the auction officially commenced.
A seductive woman walked onto the high stage. She appeared to be in her early twenties. While not possessing top-tier beauty, she was exceptionally alluring and charming, the kind of person who could easily stir a man's blood and make him act recklessly.
"Greetings, everyone, and welcome to the Flowing Cloud Auction. Zui Niang offers her respects."
The woman's greeting elicited screams from the entire audience.
"Zui Niang, I came just for you!"
"Zui Niang, start quickly. This young master has brought plenty of money today, prepared to win your smile. You must remember me."
"Yes, yes, start quickly."
...
Zui Niang smiled charmingly, causing the crowd to scream again.
"Alright, everyone, please be quiet." Zui Niang waved her hand, signaling for quiet. Once silence was restored, she said, "I'm sure you're all eager. Zui Niang won't keep you waiting. Please welcome the first auction item."
As Zui Niang's voice fell, a maid carrying the first auction item slowly walked out.
Zui Niang removed the red cloth, lightly tapped the auction hammer, and announced, "The first auction item is the Grade Four Wind Walking Boots. They are of superior quality. For those below the Spirit Master realm, they can increase speed by at least twofold. For Spirit Masters, they can increase speed by at least fifty percent. The starting bid is one hundred and fifty orange crystal coins. Each bid must increase by no less than fifty orange crystal coins!"
"Two hundred orange crystal coins!"
"Three hundred orange crystal coins!"
"Five hundred!"
...
In the end, the Wind Walking Boots were sold for seven hundred orange crystal coins.
The market price for the Wind Walking Boots was only three hundred orange crystal coins; this was a doubling!
It was indeed profitable.
Ling Luoyi felt a bit drowsy. These items truly did not catch her eye; their grades were too low. Some of them were even her own pills.
If it weren't for Li Shu being her partner, she wouldn't have come.
However, the Flowing Cloud Auction House... she seemed to have heard the name somewhere, but she couldn't recall where.
The auction continued to be lively, but Ling Luoyi did not place any bids.
Soon, it was time for the final auction item, which was the Spirit Flower Fruit provided by Ling Luoyi.
On stage, Zui Niang's voice rang out.
"The final auction item is the Spirit Flower Fruit. It can increase mental power by at least thirty percent and is applicable to any grade. The starting bid is two thousand orange crystal coins. Each bid must increase by no less than five hundred orange crystal coins!"
"Three thousand orange crystal coins!"
"Four thousand orange crystal coins!"
"I bid five thousand!"
...
This time, there were not many bidders. Although items that enhanced mental power were rare, only alchemists and similar professions would need them. They had little effect on ordinary spirit cultivators, so only they and those who wished to curry favor with them were bidding.
After a round of bidding, the price of the Spirit Flower Fruit had reached one hundred thousand orange crystal coins. The bidding had significantly decreased, with only the President Lin of the Alchemists' Guild, President Chen of the Artisans' Guild, and President Wei of the Beast Tamers' Guild participating.
The last bidder in the first round was President Wei of the Beast Tamers' Guild.
Since the prices of items sold today were much higher than anticipated, and the price of the final item was too high, the Flowing Cloud Auction House did not want to earn too little. Therefore, even though a rest period had been given, they allowed two quarters of an hour for people to return to their estates to retrieve funds.
People in other private rooms sent for money from their estates. Ling Luoyi remained seated, watching. Zui Niang on stage also went down to rest.
Ling Luoyi's lips curved upwards, her long eyelashes obscuring the mischievous smile in her eyes.
One hundred thousand orange crystal coins. That was not enough.
The two quarters of an hour passed quickly amidst the anxious waiting of everyone.
Zui Niang returned to the stage and said, "I believe everyone is ready to bid on the final auction item. The current highest bid is one hundred thousand orange crystal coins from President Wei of the Beast Tamers' Guild. Each bid must increase by no less than one thousand orange crystal coins. The auction continues!"
"One hundred and ten thousand orange crystal coins!"
"One hundred and twenty thousand orange crystal coins!"
"One hundred and fifty thousand orange crystal coins," Chen Duanmian's voice rang out, soft and gentle, befitting his personality.
"President Chen, is that all your Artisans' Guild has? I bid two hundred thousand!"
The people on the first floor gasped. An increase of fifty thousand at once! As expected of President Wei, as expected of the Wei family.
President Wei of the Beast Tamers' Guild, who was also the twin brother of the former head of the Wei family and the current head's paternal uncle, as well as the Wei family's Great Elder, Wei Yujia, was staring directly at Chen Duanmian's private room, his eyes filled with palpable anger.
Chen Duanmian, that old man, had unilaterally stopped trading with the Wei family. However, they could not act against Chen Duanmian, as that would mean making an enemy of the Artisans' Guild. Now, they also could not act against the Ling family, as that would mean making an enemy of the entire continent.
Just wait! If Eldest Miss Ling could not fulfill the needs of those people, they would be able to wash away their current humiliation.
The scene fell silent for a moment, then someone began bidding again.
"Two hundred and twenty thousand."
"Two hundred and fifty thousand!"
"Three hundred thousand! Who dares to compete with me!"
How arrogant.
However, it was only three hundred thousand orange crystal coins, which was not the result she desired.
Watching their bidding gradually slow down, Ling Luoyi felt a bit displeased. When would it reach what she wanted?
Of the Ling family's debt of three hundred and forty thousand yellow crystal coins, nearly sixty percent was owed to the Wei family. Over two hundred thousand yellow crystal coins, which was more than two hundred million orange crystal coins, she had to get it back!
"One thousand yellow crystal coins."
Ling Luoyi finally bid. However, this price made them hesitate.
"What?!"
"That's one million orange crystal coins!"
"Who made that bid?"
"It seems to be from the central private room on the fourth floor, but wasn't that room empty?"
"That room hasn't made a sound all evening. It seems they are determined to get it!"
...
President Wei slammed his fist on the table, causing the fruit platter on it to fall to the ground.
"Who is in the next room?!" President Wei roared.
"Master, we don't know."
"Great Uncle, we don't know either."
Wei Chutian, the eldest young master of the Wei family, said, "Great Uncle, should we go and ask?"
"Go!"
The Wei family's guards quickly went to inquire.
In the private room to the right of Ling Luoyi's, Chen Duanmian recognized the owner of that voice.
"It seems this old man won't have to make a move."
The young girl beside him asked curiously, "Grandpa, do you know who it is?"
"Xiao Yu, that girl is about to start playing tricks."
"Ah?"
Ling Luoyi's voice was not concealed at all, so those who recognized it in the auction house did so.
"That voice sounds like the Eldest Miss of the Ling family?"
"That's right. I just saw someone from the Flowing Cloud Auction House escorting her upstairs. It should be her."
...
The people downstairs were discussing animatedly. Even those in the private rooms who hadn't seen Ling Luoyi knew who it was. Thinking of the animosity between the Ling family and the Wei family, they all settled in to watch the show.