Chapter 4125 — Top-Grade Spirit Jade

As for Wei Zhao, he arrived separately with Cai Zhongxuan. He meant to bid on a few treasures at this rare auction gala, and by past experience such bidding was likely to offend people—and once he had the goods, others might covet them. If Wei Zhao appeared openly as the Heavenly Pill Pavilion's proprietor, it might bring trouble down on the pavilion.

"Pavilion Jia Number Twelve, this way please, the two of you." Ushers were posted everywhere in the venue, there expressly to serve the many dignitaries in attendance—not only guiding them in, but handling every auction-related matter afterward through dedicated one-to-one service, thorough and seasoned in the extreme.

It was Wei Zhao's first visit to Myriad Heavens Peak, and he was naturally struck speechless by the rare spectacle of those grotesque stone pavilions. Beside him, Cai Zhongxuan explained with a smile, "There are over a hundred pavilions and tea houses here in all, graded into four classes from best to worst—Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding. During the auction they are always allotted according to the strength and background of the participants. Those who receive a Jia designation can be counted on the fingers of one hand."

Wei Zhao nodded. By strength and standing alone, Cai Zhongxuan was no match for the true sect magnates, but this time he represented the Five Elements Merchant Guild, that colossal behemoth, so being assigned to Pavilion Jia Number Twelve was only reasonable.

At that moment Wei Zhao turned his head out of habit and saw that not far off, Di Xingdao was leading Tian Chan toward Pavilion Jia Number Nine—a ranking higher even than the one granted to the two of them!

On second thought, though, today's Heavenly Pill Pavilion might still be utterly beneath notice, yet it could not offset the weight of Di Xingdao's name. As a legendary master who had once dominated the Central Island as its vice-island lord, now healed and returned to the world, it was hardly surprising that the organizers valued him so highly.

Led by the usher, Wei Zhao followed Cai Zhongxuan up to Pavilion Jia Number Twelve. Its position was far higher than the ordinary pavilions, so the view was superb—a single glance took in everything, and the central auction stage lay very close indeed. A rare and excellent spot, to be sure.

Sipping tea and chatting idly with Cai Zhongxuan while watching the crowd below file in one and all, Wei Zhao could not help sighing inwardly: such spectacle, such grandeur—compared with this, the auction on the Far North Island was decidedly inferior.

A short while later, the Central Island Auction Gala formally began. When the auctioneer stepped onto the central stage, every eye in the hall lit up—she was a voluptuous beauty!

A gown of sheer white gauze, within which a fiery, exquisite figure showed faintly through; the dress swayed gently with the breeze, and the glimpses that flashed past, intentional or not, were enough to intoxicate and beguile. Especially since this woman was no callow girl of seventeen or eighteen, but a woman of about thirty, every inch of her steeped in a mature allure no man could resist.

Beside her stood another woman, equally lovely of face but far more scantily clad—a golden-haired girl holding a silver tray at her side, a perfect complement to the auctioneer's dignified, intellectual air. A most pleasing sight.

At this scene the men present swallowed hard, one and all. The organizers had clearly spared no effort: with just these two women standing on the stage, every gaze in the hall was already hooked fast.

Only Wei Zhao remained rather indifferent. Having known so many peerless beauties in his life, his resistance to charm far exceeded that of ordinary men. He had come to attend an auction, not to admire beauties.

"Distinguished guests, this year's Central Island Auction Gala formally begins. Now, please direct your attention to the first lot." Though the woman auctioneer looked dignified and saintly, her tone and voice were sweetly cloying, enough to melt the soul—and if one watched closely, one might even catch her lightly licking her lips in a most seductive expression.

Wei Zhao's attention, however, was not on her. His gaze fell upon the silver tray held by the golden-haired girl beside her. The red cloth was drawn back to reveal a weapon resembling a small blade.

"The first lot is the Meteor Blade, provided by the Grand Houses Consortium. This is a Foundation Establishment–stage weapon; its blade is thin and light as a wing, and once true qi is channeled into it, its speed is like a falling star—impossible to evade, unstoppable against any defense. It is the first choice of many close-combat specialists. The starting price is three thousand spirit jades," the woman auctioneer introduced fluently.

This Meteor Blade looked rather fine! Wei Zhao praised it inwardly, though he had no intention of bidding for it.

True, he was short of Foundation Establishment–stage weapons at the moment, but Old Ragpicker was already halfway through forging one. There was little point in obtaining a Meteor Blade now—a weapon, unlike a pill, is not something you can simply buy and use; it takes a great deal of time in dedicated practice before it can be put to use in real combat.

Wei Zhao might not want it, but plenty of others were interested. After all, the Meteor Blade cut a very impressive figure.

"Three thousand one hundred spirit jades," someone promptly called out.

At this auction, the minimum increment on any bid was no less than one hundred spirit jades, so this could only be regarded as a trial bid.

"Three thousand two hundred spirit jades," someone immediately raised.

"Three thousand five hundred spirit jades," another followed, unwilling to be outdone.

Within mere moments, as the woman auctioneer kept drawing out bids, the price had been driven up to five thousand five hundred spirit jades.

Watching coolly from the sidelines, Wei Zhao noticed a pattern: all those calling out bids were clustered in the Ding-class pavilions, the lowest tier of the whole venue.

This was hardly strange. Among those who could enter the Central Island Auction Gala, great personages of deep background abounded; and anyone interested in a mere Foundation Establishment–stage weapon must themselves be only of the Foundation Establishment stage—here, naturally, they ranked among the very lowest.

In the end, the Meteor Blade was bought for six thousand spirit jades. Once the hammer fell, the blade was handed straight into the buyer's hands by an usher, while the man produced a spirit jade card and paid on the spot.

Wei Zhao raised an eyebrow at the sight. The procedure was simple and direct enough—cash on the barrelhead, payment and goods exchanged face to face. Still, the spirit jade card, a rarity in the North Island, seemed to be commonplace here on the Central Island.

"Now, please welcome the second lot, top-grade spirit jade provided by the Wantong Gala. The starting price is one thousand spirit jades—everyone, please look!" The woman auctioneer reached out and drew away the cloth, and there upon the silver tray a piece of top-grade spirit jade of extraordinary size lay revealed before all eyes.

In luster and quality alike, and in size and shape as well, this piece of top-grade spirit jade truly deserved the name "top-grade." The thick spiritual qi that drifted from it of its own accord could be felt clearly even from dozens of yards away. R1152