The inside of the flying vehicle was spacious. It was large enough to comfortably seat dozens of people. Within this wide interior were Jaekyung and Yeon Jung-hyeok, and also Yang Yo-hyeon, who had been busy handling various matters until now.
"There are many people."
"That's because cultivators from dozens of nearby islands are flocking here."
As they approached the auction house, the number of dots visible in the sky increased. But, wasn't flying forbidden on Star Rock Island? When Jaekyung glanced over, Yeon Jung-hyeok nodded as if he knew what he was thinking.
"As I mentioned before, unauthorized flight is prohibited within Star Rock Island.” Did that mean all those people had received permission? There were already dozens of dots in sight, so what was the point of having a permit?
Well, he had no room to talk, as he was also traveling comfortably in a flying vehicle.
"Is there an item you have your eye on?"
Yang Yo-hyeon asked.
"Hmm.
There are a few, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to get them.” As an esteemed guest of the Prosperous Treasure Guild, Jaekyung had received the auction list in advance. This was a privilege he could enjoy because the Prosperous Treasure Guild was one of the organizers of this auction.
There was no guide, and no one blocked their path. The name of the Prosperous Treasure Guild was recognized everywhere, but on this Star Rock Island, it wielded even greater influence than elsewhere. Jaekyung was well aware of this fact, which was why he had specifically chosen to attend the auction here.
“This way, please.”
Everything was perfectly prepared. He did not encounter anyone else, nor did he have to wait. He simply followed Yeon Jung-hyeok's lead, and before he knew it, he had arrived in a spacious room for esteemed guests.
"The auction will begin shortly. Please rest for a while until then."
Jaekyung sat in a plush chair and drank spirit wine. He didn't even glance at the simple refreshments prepared in the room. 'It's not working.’
Jaekyung secretly extended his divine sense, but it could not penetrate even slightly beyond the room. The same was true for his spiritual awareness, so he had to rely solely on his eyes and ears to grasp the situation.
Jaekyung was accustomed to perceiving his surroundings with his divine sense and spiritual awareness, so this situation felt as uncomfortable as a perfectly healthy person suddenly going blind. Forcibly calming his discomfort, he shifted his gaze, and his eyes were suddenly captivated by the cup in front of him.
His own face was reflected on the cup's smooth surface, specifically, his eyes. Vertically slit pupils, filled with ferocity, stared back at him.
'Drat.'
Jaekyung chided himself and closed his eyes. He had thought maintaining his transformed state was no longer difficult, but the moment things became slightly unfavorable, he quickly lost his composure. He was worried he might lose his reason during the auction.
'What if I really do?' It wasn't a joke; it seemed like a real possibility. What if, while he was earnestly bidding for an item he wanted, a clueless competitor kept raising the price?
Just imagining it made his blood boil. Could he maintain his transformed state in that situation? Gulp, gulp— After endlessly downing the spirit wine, Jaekyung soon picked up a second gourd.
The gazes of Yang Yo-hyeon and Yeon Jung-hyeok, who were watching him from the side, changed subtly. He closed his eyes, calmed his mind, and continued to drink the spirit wine. He lost track of how much time had passed.
It was a clear voice echoing from below that awakened Jaekyung from his deep immersion.
"Greetings to all the esteemed guests who have come to the Spiritshade Auction. I am Jwa Yu-min, and I will be hosting this auction.” When he opened his eyes, a beautiful middle-aged woman on the stage below was introducing herself with a picturesque smile.
He couldn't use his divine sense or spiritual awareness to gauge her realm, but from her confident and relaxed demeanor, he guessed she was likely a Foundation Establishment cultivator. 'In any case, it's finally starting.' When he came to his senses, he saw that all the seats below were filled with cultivators.
More than half were Qi Refining cultivators, but there was also a considerable number of Foundation Establishment cultivators. "Now, let us begin the auction." Jwa Yu-min's clear voice echoed, and an item was brought onto the stage.
“Spiritual Tough Silk. A spiritual material used in many ways. When mixed in during the Qi Refining Stage, it can greatly increase the durability of spirit artifacts and allow them to withstand higher temperatures of earth fire.
The bidding starts at 30 low-grade spirit stones, with increments of one low-grade spirit stone. Let the auction begin."
The moment she finished speaking, bids started coming from all over. The price, which started at 50, instantly surpassed 100 and even approached 200. Jaekyung watched the scene indifferently. He had no interest in things like spiritual materials.
He didn't know how to do artifact refinement, and he had no use for spirit artifacts, so no matter how good the spiritual material was, it didn't catch his eye. He just calmly watched the auction, which was slowly starting to heat up.
“A medium-grade spirit artifact, the Soul-Pressing Whip. Bidding starts at 3 medium-grade spirit stones.”
"The spiritual material Elegant Immortal Dew. Bidding starts at 2 medium-grade spirit stones."
The auction proceeded quickly. In an instant, a dozen items were sold. Half of them were for Foundation Establishment cultivators, but the other half were for Qi Refining cultivators.
Although Star Rock Island was one of the trading hubs in the outer regions of Western Twin Lake, there weren't that many Foundation Establishment cultivators. Moreover, while the cultivator factions on Star Rock Island were wealthy, they couldn't fill every auction with items that would satisfy Foundation Establishment cultivators, so filling a portion of the auction like this was customary.
“That’s right. In the end, the value of an item is determined by demand, so for cultivators who have hit a bottleneck, the price is not an issue.”
Hearing the words of Yeon Jung-hyeok and Yang Yo-hyeon, Jaekyung finally understood.
"51 medium-grade spirit stones. 51 medium-grade spirit stones. Anyone else? 51 medium-grade spirit stones. Sold!"
The Auspicious Spirit Pill was the start. A string of items that would make Foundation Establishment cultivators' eyes gleam appeared on the stage. Among them were a few items that even Jaekyung found tempting, to the point where he felt a lingering desire despite having already made up his mind.
“This is a young Wing-Splitting Fish. When fully grown, it is suitable for use as a mount, and if a bloodline reversion occurs, it could even become a Great Spirit Beast." A large water tank was brought onto the stage.
Inside was a small stingray with six wings, its eyes darting around nervously as if thoroughly frightened. “My good lady! Isn’t that a bit much?
Bloodline reversion?
Are you saying a one in ten thousand chance is still a chance?"
“That’s right.
Couldn’t you, our esteemed guests, be that one in ten thousand?" Scoffs erupted here and there, but Jwa Yu-min simply responded with a playful smile, brushing them off nonchalantly.
"Let's not drag this out and get right to it. A young Wing-Splitting Fish. Bidding starts at 3 medium-grade spirit stones."
For all the jeering before the auction began, the young Wing-Splitting Fish was quite popular. It wasn't because they expected something absurd like a bloodline reversion, but because the Wing-Splitting Fish itself was one of the best mounts available in Western Twin Lake.
In the water, it boasted a speed second to none among aquatic spirit beasts, could fly for short periods if necessary, and had a long lifespan, so anyone who could get one wanted one.
"22 medium-grade spirit stones!"
As the bids quickly rose, Yeon Jung-hyeok and Yang Yo-hyeon secretly observed Jaekyung's expression. They were worried he might feel uncomfortable. However, Jaekyung's face as he watched the auction was perfectly calm.
It wasn't a facade; his heart was genuinely undisturbed. The creature trapped down there was clearly a spirit beast, his kin. But whether they were kin or of other races, in the end, they were just strangers.
Compassion? Displeasure?
What were those things? On the contrary, his eyes gleamed as he watched the Wing-Splitting Fish being sold for a high price. He thought he might look to see if there were any Wing-Splitting Fish in his water territory if he got the chance.
An aquatic spirit beast that looked like nothing special was that expensive? 'I should find out if there are other creatures that sell for a high price besides the Wing-Splitting Fish.' Watching the young Wing-Splitting Fish sell for 41 medium-grade spirit stones, Jaekyung quietly licked his lips.