Chapter 1347: Auction Competition

As the scattered seats on the first floor gradually filled up, the auction was ready to begin.

A charming young woman stepped onto the stage and bowed to the audience.

Ye Liuyun glanced at her cultivation level and saw it was Sea Transformation Fifth Rank. A woman with Sea Transformation is rare here!

"Esteemed guests, I am tonight's auctioneer Yi Na! Please look after me!" the woman said in a clear voice.

Ye Liuyun noticed that many in the audience recognized the woman, and some greeted her. Others teased, "Everything on stage is an auction item. I wonder if Miss Yi will auction herself as well?"

"Ha ha, then I'll be the first bidder!" others joined in the heckling.

Yi Na merely smiled, unfazed, likely accustomed to such occasions.

"I, a humble girl, am deeply grateful for your generosity! However, tonight's items are far more interesting than I am! Please be patient, I will introduce them one by one!"

Then Yi Na got straight to the main business.

Someone tried to tease Yi Na again, but the Elder maintaining order suppressed them with a threatening aura.

Yi Na first offered some pills as filler, then gradually began auctioning items of substance.

When Earth Tier weapons appeared, the atmosphere in the hall rose toward a boil.

An Earth Tier spear sold for a sky‑high price. Ye Liuyun thought it too expensive and unnecessary to buy such external gear.

When the Earth Tier techniques went up for auction, he began to pay attention.

However, the first items auctioned were two Earth Tier palm techniques; Ye Liuyun found their power average and did not bid.

Nevertheless, people in several private boxes snapped them up, each at a sky‑high price.

After Yi Na finished auctioning the two techniques, she scanned the private boxes and took a deep breath.

She thought to herself, "None of tonight's big buyers have bid yet! Let's see how they react to the next items!"

As the auctioneer, she naturally knew who sat in the boxes.

But Ye Liuyun, that young gentleman, and the three boxes he suspected belonged to the City Lord, had heard nothing so far.

"Next, the technique I'm auctioning is actually a Heaven Tier technique…"

She deliberately paused to gauge the crowd's reaction.

"Heaven Tier technique? My heavens!"

"We probably can't afford it, just look!"

A murmur of discussion rose from the audience.

Yi Na then raised her voice with satisfaction, continuing, "But since a portion is missing, we'll auction it as an Earth Tier technique."

"Half a technique? How do we cultivate it?"

"Exactly! If you can't cultivate it, you'll get your money back, right?"

Someone in the audience asked curiously.

Yi Na smiled, "We had an expert verify this technique. It can be cultivated because the foundational part refines True Essence. The latter includes complementary footwork and palm methods, but can only be cultivated up to the Yuan Dan Realm. Higher realms require a different technique!"

After her explanation, the hall instantly boiled over!

"A foundational cultivation technique of the Heaven Tier!"

"It also includes palm and foot methods, cultivable up to the Yuan Dan Realm!"

Everyone present was astonished.

To them, the Yuan Dan Realm already marks the city's top tier; thus the technique's allure was obvious.

"Hurry up with the starting price, I can't wait!" someone shouted from below.

Yi Na immediately said, "Opening price: ten premium Spirit Stones!"

"Huh? Premium Spirit Stones?"

"So we can only watch after all!"

When the opening price was announced, the audience erupted again.

But this time, Yi Na fell silent, standing quietly aside, waiting for bids.

"Eleven premium Spirit Stones!" the middle‑aged man finally began bidding.

Yi Na bowed slightly toward the private box.

"Invincible City Lord!"

Someone in the lower hall instantly recognized the voice as that of their City Lord Qiang Wudi!

The venue fell silent at once.

"Indeed the City Lord, and he seems quite imposing in the city!" Ye Liuyun thought.

Even though others fear him, he doesn't mind; whatever he wants will be won.

Before he could bid, an elder of a great family spoke, "I, a humble old man, will also compete with the City Lord! I bid twelve premium Spirit Stones!"

"Ha ha ha, since the old yellow‑head has joined, we'll add to the fun: thirteen premium Spirit Stones!" another powerful faction entered the bidding.

The others did not bid further.

In the scattered seats on the first floor, someone whispered, "These great families bid as if they were low‑grade Spirit Stones; we can only watch!"

"And if not? Even if you have the money, can you take the item away?"

"Exactly, I can't afford it anyway, just enjoy the spectacle!"

Upstairs in the private boxes, the three major forces had already raised the price to eighteen premium Spirit Stones.

"Chang and Huang families, are you going to compete with the City Lord to the end?" Qiang Wudi's voice rang out again, clearly displeased.

"We wouldn't dare! How could we challenge the City Lord! Ha ha, but an auction is won by the highest price! Surely the City Lord won't use his authority to bully anyone at the auction!"

The elder of the Chang Family laughed, reminding the City Lord that this is an auction where money speaks.

Among these major forces, various entanglements exist; whoever obtains the Heaven Tier technique will elevate their clan's strength a notch, and all others will easily give up.

Soon, the three parties lowered the price again to twenty‑five premium Spirit Stones.

"Chang Laotouer, are you deliberately causing trouble?" the elder Huang Laotouer also began to get anxious.

"Huang Laotouer, I name my price; if you can't afford it, just stand aside! What do you call that causing trouble? I named a price you can't afford—that's the trouble! Yet I happen to be able to pay, ha ha!"

This elder surnamed Chang was clearly well prepared, with plenty of Spirit Stones.

Huang Laotouer, infuriated, twitched his beard, yet was helpless. The price had already exceeded his budget, and he could no longer keep up.

Then, City Lord Qiang Wudi and the elder Chang raised the price again to thirty premium Spirit Stones.

"Thirty‑three premium Spirit Stones!" Qiang Wudi directly added three more premium Spirit Stones.

The elder Chang, seeming very wealthy, unhurriedly shouted a price of forty premium Spirit Stones.

"Whoa! It's up to forty!" the Martial Cultivators below erupted in a chorus of sighs.