The next day, the auction began as scheduled.

The Treasure Gathering Square auction house, located in the heart of Lin’an Prefecture City, was a magnificent, circular building.

When Chen Qing and Shen Xiuyong arrived, accompanied by Qiao Hongyun, the entrance was already bustling with carriages and a steady stream of people.

The diverse crowd was dressed in fine silks and opulent robes; clearly, they were no ordinary people.

Among them were many disciples from Noble Families in their distinctive attire, walking into the auction house in an orderly fashion and greeting one another along the way.

A beautiful attendant in Treasure Gathering Square’s unique uniform was already waiting at the entrance reserved for the Haisa Sect. Upon seeing Qiao Hongyun, she immediately gave a graceful curtsy, her smile gentle. "Elder Qiao, please follow me. Your sect’s private box has been prepared."

Chen Qing thought to himself, ’Having a powerful background is great. We even get to use a VIP entrance to the auction house.’

Led by the attendant, the three of them walked up a wide corridor lined with a soft carpet, arriving at an elegant private box on the second floor.

The front of the box had a one-way crystal window, offering a clear view of the entire auction hall below while preventing anyone outside from peeking in. The privacy was excellent.

As they walked, Shen Xiuyong appeared casual, but he was quietly pointing out some of the noteworthy individuals in the main hall below and in the nearby boxes to Chen Qing.

"Look over there. That clean-shaven old man in the brocade robe is Wanchong Mountain, the ’Shockwave Hand,’ Vice Tower Master of Fengle Prefecture’s Rain Listening Tower. His Shockwave Palm Technique is renowned, and he’s a veteran Astral Force master. The young man next to him is his favorite disciple..."

"In the western corner, those people in crimson robes are from Pingyang Prefecture’s Fiery Sun Sect. The one leading them is their Instructor Elder, Huoyun Elder. He has a fiery temper, and the Fiery Sun True Gang he cultivates is even more powerful than our sect’s Li Fire True Astral, but it’s said to damage the lungs..."

"And that bladesman in black over there, see him? Don’t be fooled by his unassuming appearance. He’s nicknamed ’Jue Saber’ and is a Loose Cultivator who has risen to prominence in recent years. Many famous figures have fallen to his blade. He’s a loner with a withdrawn personality, but his strength is definitely not to be underestimated..."

Shen Xiuyong spoke with the familiarity of an expert. He concisely told Chen Qing about the various masters he knew or had heard of, their backing factions, the characteristics of their Cultivation Techniques, and even some anecdotes and rumors.

In his younger years, he had traveled far and wide in search of a breakthrough, attending countless auctions of all sizes. His knowledge was naturally extensive.

Chen Qing listened with rapt attention, his gaze sweeping over each person Shen Xiuyong pointed out, committing their faces, features, and affiliations to memory.

This information might prove useful someday.

Just then, his gaze sharpened.

Another group entered. At their head was an old woman wielding a Cold Jade Staff, her expression stern. A faint, chilling aura seemed to radiate from her. It was none other than the Grand Elder of Cold Jade Valley—Granny Hanzhuang.

The beautiful Ye Qingyi followed by her side.

But what drew even more attention were the masters from the Earth Element Sect behind them!

The leading old man wore earth-yellow robes with intricate mountain patterns embroidered on his cuffs. His aura was as heavy as a mountain, and a sharp glint flashed in his eyes as they opened and closed. His Cultivation was, shockingly, also at the Astral Force Realm!

"That’s ’Pan Stone’ Yu River, one of the Nine Elders of Earth Essence!"

Shen Xiuyong whispered, his tone grave. "One of the Nine Elders of Earth Essence from the Earth Element Sect. He cultivates the Panshi Heart Method, one of the sect’s four great Heart Methods. Its defensive power is astonishing, comparable to an Astral Force-level Hard Skill."

Chen Qing was certainly no stranger to Yu River; he had crossed paths with the Astral Force master once before.

Fortunately, it had been deep in the night. The two were some distance apart, and the moment the Gang Qi flared, Chen Qing had used the force to retreat, quickly vanishing into the darkness.

Hm!?

Suddenly, Chen Qing spotted a familiar figure in the crowd—Miao Zhicheng!

Miao Zhicheng’s name had long been etched into Chen Qing’s little black book, but he wasn’t the target today. The Wood Yang Jade was.

’I’ll let him run free for a little while longer.’

Soon, the auction hall was packed to the rafters, with people even standing in the corridors. The atmosphere was electric.

An old man in a brocade robe slowly walked onto the central auction stage. He was one of the Stewards from Treasure Gathering Square.

He scanned the entire hall, his resonant voice carrying to every corner. "Welcome, distinguished guests, to Treasure Gathering Square’s quinquennial grand auction! I am Qian Buyi, the Steward for this auction. I won’t waste any more of your precious time with idle chatter. Let the auction begin! I hope you all find the treasures you desire!"

With no further ado, the auction began.

The first item was a Lower-Grade Treasure Armor. It was woven from Hundred-refined Cold Iron mixed with golden thread, making it both flexible and sturdy. It could effectively resist slashes from sharp blades and impacts from True Qi, and was considered a top-quality piece among Lower-Grade Treasure Artifacts.

"The Cold Silk Iron Scale Armor! Bidding starts at thirty thousand taels of silver, with a minimum increment of one thousand taels!"

The moment his voice fell, a chorus of bids erupted.

"Thirty-two thousand taels!"

"Thirty-five thousand!"

"Forty thousand!"

In the end, the Inner Armor was sold for sixty thousand taels of silver to a wealthy-looking merchant in the main hall, getting the auction off to a great start.

Several more items followed, mostly well-aged Treasure Medicines and some rare materials. Although the bidding was fierce, they didn’t cause any major waves.

Soon, one item brought the auction to a small climax.

"Next up, the Upper-Grade Martial Arts, the Supreme Profound Finger Technique!"

Steward Qian’s voice rose a few notches. "This Finger Technique is specialized in breaking through Inner Family True Qi and True Astral! When cultivated to Great Success, a single finger can pierce Gold Stone. It is silent, insidious, and sharp—an excellent method for defeating your enemies! Bidding starts at eighty thousand taels! The minimum increment is five thousand taels!"

A Superior Martial Arts Secret Manual!

This was the kind of treasure that could bolster a Sect’s foundation! An additional powerful Martial Arts would give disciples more options and a greater chance of victory in battle. At a critical moment, it could even turn the tide of a fight!