Chapter 452: Gentle Breeze Compass
Chapter 452: Gentle Breeze Compass (Combined)
The next second, Qiao Sang raised her paddle:
"Five million."
Yu Ke turned his head in shock.
While five million wasn't an astronomical sum, the girl in front of him was far too young, looking like she hadn't even reached adulthood yet.
Even if her elders had given her the money, wouldn't she get a beating for bidding 2.4 million more on a Dark Crystal the first time it was called?
Auctioneer Tang Shu was momentarily taken aback when she saw who had raised the paddle.
What?
School uniform?
Her professional demeanor kicked in, and she recovered in 0.01 seconds, smiling and announcing, "Number 67, five million, first bid."
The crowd subtly glanced at the girl who had raised her paddle, and no one else bid, as if they had all silently agreed.
An SS-Class Dark Crystal was rare, but they could still obtain one with some time and effort.
They were all prominent figures and didn't want to lose face by competing with a minor in front of everyone.
If it were any other day, some might have bought it for their collections even if they didn't need it, but today, no one made a move.
"Number 67, five million, second bid!"
Seeing no other bids, Tang Shu said, "This SS-Class Dark Crystal, with its dark energy and flawless crystal surface, is something you won't find on the market. Miss this opportunity, and who knows when you'll see another one."
The crowd exchanged glances, but no one raised their paddle.
Qiao Sang, despite her internal complaint that the auction wasn't as fun as she'd hoped, felt relieved and quietly took a bite of the pastry Treasure Seeker had just brought her.
"Number 67, five million, third bid!" Tang Shu brought down the hammer. "Congratulations to Number 67 on a successful bid!"
Got it! Qiao Sang was inwardly elated but maintained a calm exterior, acting as if she had expected this all along.
If Yu Ke was initially surprised, he was now genuinely shocked.
While an SS-Class Dark Crystal might not be worth five million, items above S-Class were so rare that their value always soared whenever they appeared. In the past, such a Dark Crystal at an auction would typically sell for around seven million.
But today, no one had bid?
Could it be that this girl's family was so influential that others were giving her face by not bidding?
With this thought, Yu Ke's gaze toward Qiao Sang changed.
Soon, a staff member approached.
Qiao Sang followed the staff member to a room to complete the transaction.
After each item was successfully bid on, the buyer must immediately sign the "Auction Sale Confirmation" and pay the full amount to retrieve the item.
"Here you go, the total is five million", the staff member said respectfully.
Qiao Sang took out her Black Gold Card.
The staff member was taken aback.
...
While Qiao Sang was processing the transaction, in a Vip box above, a man with triangular eyes turned to the person beside him and asked:
"I remember your grandson has a Nightmare Tapir. Why didn't you bid on the Dark Crystal for him?"
The man, who appeared to be in his thirties, took a sip of tea and replied, "I don't want to spend a few million on a Dark Crystal at this critical juncture."
The man with triangular eyes fell silent, knowing what his companion meant by "this critical juncture."
...
Qiao Sang's mood was light as she left with the Dark Crystal. She returned to the auction hall, and time seemed to pass more quickly.
Before she knew it, the auction was nearing its end.
Tang Shu on the stage lifted the red cloth from a cart and announced loudly, "Next, we present the highlight of this auction, the Gentle Breeze Compass!"
A silver compass with a triple-ring design, where all three rings could rotate, appeared under the red cloth.
The moment it was revealed, Qiao Sang noticed the crowd's breathing quicken.
Yu Ke's eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the item on stage.
No wonder everyone was so conservative in their bidding after the Spine Dragon Egg!
It turned out that the Gentle Breeze Compass was actually up for auction this time!
What exactly is a Gentle Breeze Compass... Qiao Sang took a bite of her pastry, thinking that this thing wasn't even mentioned in the catalog.
Seeing the Girl beside her still calm, Yu Ke finally couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "Why aren't you reacting at all?"
Qiao Sang looked at her, "What reaction do you expect from me?"
Yu Ke was shocked again, "This is the Gentle Breeze Compass!"
Just as Qiao Sang was about to ask what a Gentle Breeze Compass was, Tang Shu on the stage began to introduce it:
"The Gentle Breeze Compass, a compass that can find Qingqing Ni. There are only 32 of these in the world, and this one was once used by Yuan Yazhangmaster."
"As everyone knows, Qingqing Ni only exists in the 16th Hidden Realm of Hollow Plains, which opens only once every thirty years."
"The next opening of the 16th Hidden Realm is only two years away, and I believe everyone is very interested in a compass that can find Qingqing Ni."
Hearing the last sentence, everyone thought, "No kidding, who wouldn't be interested in the Gentle Breeze Compass?"
Muzhen Auction House kept their auction items confidential until the auction, but the people present were no ordinary individuals. To attract more high-quality customers, Muzhen Auction House would leak some information about the items in advance.
Over 70% of the people present had already received the news that the Gentle Breeze Compass would be auctioned, and most of them were here for that very reason.
Seeing the eager looks on everyone's faces, Tang Shu smiled and said, "Gentle Breeze Compass, starting bid: 110 million!"
Damn, the starting bid is 110 million... Qiao Sang was greatly shocked. Although she didn't know what the Gentle Breeze Compass or Qingqing Ni were, she certainly knew the value of money!
Qiao Sang immediately took out her mobile phone to search for "Qingqing Ni", wanting to find out what it was.
"..."
Yu Ke was completely at a loss, never expecting that the Girl in front of her would not only remain calm about the Gentle Breeze Compass but would also start playing with her phone!
[Qingqing Ni, a fairy-type basic familiar from Hollow Plains, the child of the wind. However, it is easily influenced by the surrounding wind conditions. A gentle breeze keeps it calm, while a gale makes it irritable. In short, the stronger the wind, the more irritable it becomes.]
[It loves to ride the wind, able to pass through even the smallest gaps like the wind itself.]
[It is said that a Beastmaster who bonds with it will also be favored by the wind.]
Reading the information on her phone, Qiao Sang instantly understood why the starting price of the Gentle Breeze Compass was so high.
Without even considering its other qualities, the word "legendary" alone was worth the price.
Others were definitely bidding to bond with Qingqing Ni.
If there was a chance to bond with a legendary familiar, people would be willing to bankrupt themselves, not just spend 100 million.
After all, with a legendary familiar, the opportunities to make money would be endless, and the chance to encounter one might only come once in a lifetime.
Not to mention that the people of Hollow Plains loved the sky the most.
They often rode their familiars into the sky, and bonding with Qingqing Ni, which was favored by the wind, would greatly increase their safety in the air.
However, no matter how good something was, the worst thing was having the money to buy it but not the life to use it... Qiao Sang put her phone away.
At this moment, the bid had already reached 370 million.
"Are you not interested in the Gentle Breeze Compass?" Yu Ke, who had been rebuffed twice, didn't give up and asked in a low voice.
She didn't forget the reason she came here: to network!
The girl in front of her was extraordinary in every way, 100% from a prominent family. Cultivating a good relationship with her would definitely be beneficial!
"I'm interested", Qiao Sang said.
Yu Ke was somewhat skeptical. "Then why haven't you shown any reaction?"
You were just playing on your phone a moment ago! Of course, she didn't say this out loud.
Qiao Sang replied, "Maybe I just have good control over my facial expressions."
Yu Ke's lips twitched slightly as she struggled to continue the conversation. "I wonder who will end up with the Gentle Breeze Compass."
Qiao Sang thought for a moment and said earnestly, "Probably someone with a strong enough background who isn't afraid of being targeted."
Yu Ke was taken aback, finding it both amusing and exasperating. "How could anyone be targeted? This is the Muzhen Auction!"
"So what if it's the Muzhen Auction?" Qiao Sang asked, puzzled.
Yu Ke spoke with a knowing tone. "It's your first time at the Muzhen Auction, and your family must have forgotten to tell you. Every item at the Muzhen Auction is cursed by the Cursed Night Spirit. Anyone who tries to obtain an auctioned item through illegal means will be cursed and die a terrible death."
"Really?" Qiao Sang was taken aback. "Is there no way to remove the curse?"
Yu Ke smiled. "Do you think the Muzhen Auction is so famous for no reason? The Cursed Night Spirit has lived for over a century, and its curse proficiency is definitely at Mastery level. Unless there's a familiar stronger than the Cursed Night Spirit with a cleansing skill at Mastery level, even a slightly weaker one could suffer from backlash."
"Even if there were a familiar with a cleansing skill at Mastery level, they wouldn't dare to try it easily."
"Think about it, this is a Cursed Night Spirit that has lived for over a century. Who can guarantee that the curse can be removed without backlash?"
Qiao Sang fell silent for a few seconds, then hypothesized, "If, hypothetically, someone paid someone else to steal an auctioned item and then passed it on, would they be cursed?"
Why is this minor thinking so much? Is she planning to do something like that... Yu Ke paused, subtly shifting her seat away. "Anyone who obtains an auctioned item through illegal means, regardless of how many times it changes hands, will be cursed."
At this point, she emphasized, "Anyone!"
Heaven! What have I missed... Hearing this, Qiao Sang regretted her earlier caution, wishing she had bid on all those treasures earlier!
"Lot 255, 5.67 billion, second bid!" the auctioneer's voice rang out.
Qiao Sang suddenly came to her senses and raised her paddle. "6 billion!"
Yu Ke: "!!"
This young voice caught the remaining bidders off guard. Everyone turned to look, seeing the minor in the school uniform.
Everyone: "???"
Everyone was stunned, including Tang Shu on the stage.
"Whose child is this? Doesn't she have any elders to keep an eye on her?"
"I've never seen her school uniform before. She's not from one of the top ten universities in the Imperial Capital."
"Her bid shouldn't count, right?"
The crowd began to stir.
Before Tang Shu could regain control, a voice from one of the Vip boxes said, "6.1 billion."
"6.2 billion", Qiao Sang quickly followed.
"Doesn't anyone have any control over this? Shouldn't we verify her funds first? What if she just shouts out prices and then calls her parents to pay, and they refuse?" someone in the hall complained.
Tang Shu was silent for a moment, about to speak.
At that moment, a voice from her earpiece said, "The auction continues. The child is holding a Black Gold Card from the Federal Titan Bank."
Tang Shu: "!!"
"Lot 67, 6.2 billion, first bid!" Tang Shu called out loudly.
This... Everyone fell silent, looking at the auctioneer's serious expression. Could this child really pay the price?
"Lot 67, 6.2 billion, second bid!"
"630 million." The voice from the Vip booth echoed again.
"700 million." Qiao Sang raised his bid.
"710 million."
"800 million."
"Bidder 67, 800 million, first call!" Tang Shu's face was flushed with excitement.
The Vip booth fell silent.
"Bidder 67, 800 million, second call!"
"810 million." The voice from the Vip booth spoke up again.
Qiao Sang raised his bid without hesitation: "900 million."
Everyone's minds went blank.
The minimum bid increment at the Muzhen Auction House was 500,000. Who would raise the bid by 100 million at once?!
Ah! What's the commission for 900 million? Tang Shu's expression was ecstatic, as if she could hear her heart pounding.
"Bidder 67, 900 million, first call!"
"Bidder 67, 900 million, second call!"
"Bidder 67, 900 million, third call!"
Tang Shu brought down the auctioneer's hammer with a thud: "Congratulations to Bidder 67 for winning the final item of our auction!"
A cacophony of voices erupted.
Qiao Sang, led by the staff, walked into the room to sign the confirmation and collect the auction item.
Everyone waited at the entrance of the building, unwilling to leave.
Their expressions were varied, still unable to believe that a minor, unaccompanied by an elder, could come up with so much money.
Was I just sitting next to someone really important... It wouldn't be too much to ask for a contact, right... Which family's direct descendant could it be... At the entrance, Yu Ke kept glancing inside, his expression tense.
Meanwhile, Qiao Sang, using Treasure Seeker's Spatial Shift, was already seated on Fangy, flying back to the hotel.
...
Moting Hotel.
Nine hundred million... If I didn't have my Unlimited Credit Card, I'd probably think twice about 90,000... Qiao Sang sat on the bed, looking at the Gentle Breeze Compass for a while before casually placing it aside. Then, he entered the Beastmaster Codex with his mind.
Ten seconds later, Qiao Sang returned to reality, opened his eyes, and carefully opened the box containing the Dark Crystal, looking at Treasure Seeker.
"Treasure Seeker, come here."
"Xun~"
Hearing its Beastmaster's words, Treasure Seeker put the ant back in the Ring and obediently floated over.
Qiao Sang placed the Dark Crystal in front of it and said seriously, "It's time for you to evolve."
"Xun..."
Treasure Seeker froze, looking back and forth between the Dark Crystal and its Beastmaster, then its eyes suddenly welled up with tears.
"Xunxun!"
In the next second, Treasure Seeker pounced into Qiao Sang's arms.
"What's wrong?" Qiao Sang was bewildered.
"Xunxun!"
"Xunxun!"
Treasure Seeker cried out twice.
It finally realized that the item bought earlier was for its evolution!
It felt so useless, needing something to evolve! Fangy and Lulu didn't need anything!
Qiao Sang: "..."
Qiao Sang explained, "Many familiars need artifacts to evolve. Using artifacts doesn't mean you're useless. Many familiars that evolve using artifacts are actually more powerful than those that evolve naturally."
"Xunxun?"
Treasure Seeker looked up, sniffing.
Really?
Qiao Sang smiled, "Of course."
"Xunxun!"
Treasure Seeker's eyes immediately lit up.
It was finally going to reclaim its position as the second-in-command!
Qiao Sang: "..."
Treasure Seeker reached out a paw toward the Dark Crystal.
The moment Treasure Seeker touched the Dark Crystal, a bright white light filled the room.
(End of Chapter)
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