The next second, Qiao Sang raised her paddle
"5 million."
Yu Ke turned her head in astonishment.
While 5 million wasn't an extraordinary amount, the girl in front of her was simply too young, looking like a minor.
Even if her elders had given her the money, adding 2.4 million to the first bid for a single Dark Gloom Crystal—wouldn't she really get beaten once she got home?
The auctioneer, Tang Shu, felt a moment of blankness when she saw who had raised the paddle.
What on earth?
A school uniform?
Professionalism allowed her to recover in 0.01 seconds. Tang Shu smiled and announced, "Number 67, 5 million, first call."
The crowd cast subtle glances at the girl who had just bid, and in a tacit agreement, none of them raised their paddles to increase the price.
Although an SS-grade Dark Gloom Crystal was rare, it wasn't impossible for them to obtain one if they spent some time and effort.
Everyone here was a person of status; bidding against a minor in full view of the public would seem somewhat beneath them.
Normally, some might buy it for their collection even if they didn't need it, but today, no one made a move.
"Number 67, 5 million, second call!"
Seeing that no one was bidding, Tang Shu added, "This Dark Gloom Crystal is SS-grade. Whether it's the contained gloom energy or the integrity of the crystal surface, it's something rarely seen on the market. If you miss this chance, who knows when you'll encounter another."
The crowd looked at one another, but still, no one raised a paddle.
*No way, is no one going to fight me for it? I can't feel the joy of auctioning at all...* Although Qiao Sang complained internally, she felt relieved and silently took a bite of the pastry Little Treasure Hunt had just brought over.
"Number 67, 5 million, third call!" Tang Shu brought down the gavel. "Congratulations to Number 67 for the successful bid!"
*I got it!* Qiao Sang was excited inside, but she remained calm on the surface, wearing an expression that said, "I knew it would turn out this way."
If Yu Ke had been astonished before, she was now utterly shocked.
An SS-grade Dark Gloom Crystal might not be worth 5 million on its own, but anything above S-grade was so scarce that the price was driven up every time one appeared. Historically, a crystal of this grade at an auction would typically sell for around 7 million.
But today, no one bid?
Could it be that the family this girl belonged to was extraordinary, and others were giving her face by not bidding?
At this thought, the look in Yu Ke's eyes toward Qiao Sang changed instantly.
Soon, a staff member approached.
Led by the staff member, Qiao Sang walked into a private room.
After every item was sold, the buyer was required to immediately sign the "Auction Transaction Confirmation," pay the full price, and retrieve the item.
"Hello, the total is 5 million," the staff member said respectfully.
Qiao Sang produced a Black Gold Card.
The staff member froze.
...
While Qiao Sang was in the room handling the paperwork, inside a VIP box above, a man with triangular eyes turned to the person beside him and asked
"I remember your grandson has a Nightmare Baku. Why didn't you buy this Dark Gloom Crystal for him?"
The man beside him, who looked to be in his thirties, took a sip of tea and said, "At this critical juncture, I don't want to spend several million on a single Dark Gloom Crystal."
The triangular-eyed man fell silent; he knew what "this critical juncture" implied.
...
Having obtained the Dark Gloom Crystal, Qiao Sang was in a great mood. Returning to the auction hall, she felt that time was passing faster.
Unknowingly, the auction reached its finale.
On stage, Tang Shu whipped off the red cloth covering the trolley and announced loudly, "Next is the grand finale of our auction: the Zephyr Compass!"
A silver compass designed with three interlocking rings, all of which could rotate, appeared beneath the red cloth.
The moment the object appeared, Qiao Sang vaguely noticed that the breathing of everyone present hitched.
Yu Ke's eyes widened as she looked at the item in disbelief.
No wonder everyone had been so conservative in their bidding after the initial Poison Spike Earth Dragon Egg!
It turned out a Zephyr Compass was appearing at this auction!
*What is a Zephyr Compass...* Qiao Sang took a bite of her pastry, thinking to herself that this thing wasn't mentioned in the catalogs.
Seeing the girl beside her still looking completely calm, Yu Ke finally couldn't help but whisper, "Why aren't you reacting at all?"
Qiao Sang looked at her. "What reaction do I need?"
Yu Ke was shocked again. "This is a Zephyr Compass!"
Just as Qiao Sang was about to ask what a Zephyr Compass was, Tang Shu began the introduction on stage
"The Zephyr Compass, a compass capable of locating a Qingqing-ni. There are only 32 in the entire world. This particular Zephyr Compass is the one once used by Master Yuan Yazhang."
"As is well known, Qingqing-ni only exist within Secret Realm No. 16 of the Hollow Region, and Secret Realm No. 16 only opens once every thirty years."
"There are only two years left until the next opening of Secret Realm No. 16. I believe everyone should be very interested in this compass that can find a Qingqing-ni."
Hearing the last sentence, the crowd thought: *No kidding, who wouldn't be interested in a Zephyr Compass?*
The items at the Muzhen Auction were kept secret before the auction, but the people present were not ordinary. To attract more high-quality clients, the Muzhen Auction would leak information about some items in advance.
Over 70% of the people present had already received news that the Zephyr Compass would be auctioned; most of them had come specifically for this.
Seeing the crowd stirring with anticipation, Tang Shu smiled and spoke: "Zephyr Compass, starting price: 110 million!"
*Holy crap, the starting price is 110 million...* Qiao Sang was greatly shaken. She didn't know what a Zephyr Compass or a Qingqing-ni was, but she knew the value of money!
Qiao Sang immediately pulled out her phone and searched for "Qingqing-ni" to see what on earth it was.
"..." Yu Ke was completely defeated. She never expected that the girl in front of her would not only remain calm about the Zephyr Compass but would actually start playing on her phone!
【Qingqing-ni: A legendary Fairy-type beginner pet from the Hollow Region. A darling of the wind, though it is easily influenced by surrounding wind conditions. A gentle breeze brings a peaceful mood, while a gale makes it irritable. In short, the stronger the wind, the more irritable the mood.】
【It loves to drift along with the wind and can pass through even the smallest gaps like the wind itself.】
【It is said that Beast Tamers who contract with it will similarly be loved by the wind.】
Looking at the content on her phone, Qiao Sang instantly understood why the starting price of the Zephyr Compass was so expensive.
Setting everything else aside, the word "legendary" alone made it worth the price.
Others were certainly aiming to contract a Qingqing-ni.
If there were a chance to contract a legendary pet, forget 100 million—many people would likely be willing to go bankrupt for it.
After all, with a legendary pet, there were countless ways to make money if one wished, and the chance to encounter a legendary pet probably only happened once in a lifetime.
Not to mention that in the Hollow Region, the sky was the most favored domain among land, sea, and air.
People here frequently flew around in the sky on the backs of their pets. Contracting a Qingqing-ni and being loved by the wind would multiply the safety factor while in the air.
*But no matter how good this thing is, it has nothing to do with me. The scariest thing about some items is having the money to buy them but not the life to use them...* Qiao Sang put down her phone.
By this time, the price had already been bid up to 370 million.
"Are you not interested in the Zephyr Compass?" Yu Ke, having hit a wall twice, refused to give up and whispered.
She hadn't forgotten her purpose for coming here: socializing!
The girl in front of her was extraordinary in every way; she was 100% from some great family. Getting on her good side was definitely the right move!
"I'm interested," Qiao Sang said.
Yu Ke was skeptical. "Then why aren't you reacting at all?"
*You were just playing on your phone!* Of course, she didn't say that out loud.
Qiao Sang replied, "Maybe I'm just good at controlling my facial expressions."
Yu Ke's mouth twitched slightly, but she tried to keep the conversation going. "I wonder who will win the Zephyr Compass."
Qiao Sang thought for a moment and said seriously, "Probably someone with a strong enough background that they aren't afraid of being robbed."
Yu Ke paused, caught between laughter and tears. "How could it be robbed? This is the Muzhen Auction!"
"What's wrong with the Muzhen Auction?" Qiao Sang asked, puzzled.
Yu Ke said in an enlightened tone
"This is your first time attending the Muzhen Auction; your family must have forgotten to tell you. Every single item at the Muzhen Auction is placed under a curse by the Cursing Night Spirit. Aside from the person who wins the item, anyone who obtains an auction item through illegal means will be cursed and meet a violent end."
"What?" Qiao Sang was stunned. "Is there no way to lift the curse?"
Yu Ke smiled
"Why do you think the Muzhen Auction is so famous? The Cursing Night Spirit behind this has lived for at least a century; its proficiency in cursing is definitely at the Esoteric level. Unless a pet stronger than the Cursing Night Spirit appears—one that also possesses a skill like 'Purify' to lift curses—anyone slightly weaker would likely suffer a backlash."
"Even if a pet happened to have a 'Purify' skill trained to the Esoteric level, they wouldn't dare try it lightly."
"You have to realize, this is a Cursing Night Spirit that has lived for over a hundred years. Who can guarantee a 100% success rate without backlash?"
Qiao Sang was silent for a few seconds, then hypothesized
"If—and I mean *if*—someone paid someone else to rob the auction item, and then received the item through them, would something happen?"
*Why is a minor thinking about so much? She couldn't possibly be planning to do that...* Yu Ke paused and silently shifted her hips away, saying
"Aside from the person who wins the item, anyone who obtains it through illegal means will be cursed, regardless of how many hands it passes through."
At this point, feeling uneasy, she emphasized: "Anyone!"
*Heavens! What have I missed...* Hearing this, Qiao Sang felt immense regret for being too cautious earlier and not bidding on that pile of treasures!
"Number 255, 567 million, second call!" At that moment, the auctioneer's voice reached her ears.
As if suddenly awakened, Qiao Sang resolutely raised her paddle: "600 million!"
Yu Ke: "!!!"
This youthful voice caught the few remaining bidders off guard. Everyone turned abruptly and saw the minor in the school uniform.
Everyone: "???"
Everyone present was stunned, including Tang Shu on stage.
"Whose child is this? Doesn't she have any elders to manage her?"
"I've never seen that school uniform; it doesn't seem to be from the top ten universities in the Imperial Capital."
"This bid probably doesn't count, right?"
For a moment, the crowd became restless.
Before Tang Shu could regain control, a voice came from a VIP box: "610 million."
"620 million," Qiao Sang followed immediately.
"Can someone please handle this? Should we verify their funds first? Otherwise, people will just shout random prices, and when the parents are called to pay, what if the parents don't recognize the bid?" someone in the hall complained.
Tang Shu remained silent for a moment, just as she was about to speak.
At that moment, the voice of a staff member came through her earpiece: "Continue the auction. The child is holding a Black Gold Card from the Federal Ding-Shi Bank."
Tang Shu: "!!!"
"Number 67, 620 million, first call!" Tang Shu shouted.
This... the crowd fell silent. Judging by the auctioneer's attitude, could this child actually afford the money?
"Number 67, 620 million, second call!"
"630 million." The voice from the VIP box spoke again.
"700 million." Qiao Sang raised her paddle.
"710 million."
"800 million."
"Number 67, 800 million, first call!" Tang Shu's face was flushed with excitement.
The VIP box fell silent.
"Number 67, 800 million, second call!"
"810 million." The voice from the VIP box spoke once more.
Qiao Sang raised her paddle without hesitation: "900 million."
Everyone's mind went blank.
The minimum bid increment at the Muzhen Auction was 500,000. Who on earth jumps up by 90 million?!
*Ahhh! How much is the commission on 900 million!* Tang Shu looked ecstatic, as if she could hear her own heart pounding violently.
"Number 67, 900 million, first call!"
"Number 67, 900 million, second call!"
"Number 67, 900 million, third call!"
Tang Shu slammed the gavel down heavily. "Congratulations to Number 67 for winning the grand finale of our auction!"
Uproar broke out everywhere.
Led by the staff, Qiao Sang entered the room to sign the confirmation and collect the item.
Everyone waited at the entrance of the building, refusing to leave.
Their expressions varied; they still found it hard to believe that a minor, without the accompaniment of an elder, could produce so much money.
*Was I just sitting next to someone incredibly important... I've talked to her so much, it wouldn't be too much to ask for her contact info, right... Which family's direct descendant is she...* At the entrance, Yu Ke peered inside from time to time, looking nervous.
Meanwhile, through Little Treasure Hunt's space movement, Qiao Sang was already sitting on Ya Bao's back, flying back to the hotel.
...
Moting Hotel.
*900 million... If this were back when I didn't have an unlimited card, I'd probably have to think for half a day about spending 90,000...* Qiao Sang sat on the bed, stared at the Zephyr Compass for a while, set it aside casually, and then entered the Beast Codex with her consciousness.
Ten seconds later, Qiao Sang's consciousness returned to reality. She opened her eyes, carefully opened the box containing the Dark Gloom Crystal, and looked at Little Treasure Hunt
"Little Treasure Hunt, come here."
"Hunt~"
Hearing its Beast Tamer's voice, Little Treasure Hunt put the ants back into the ring and floated over obediently.
Qiao Sang placed the Dark Gloom Crystal in front of it and said seriously, "It's time for you to evolve."
"Hunt..."
Little Treasure Hunt froze. It looked at the Dark Gloom Crystal, then at its Beast Tamer, then back at the crystal, then back at its tamer, and suddenly its eyes filled with tears.
"Hunt hunt!"
The next second, Little Treasure Hunt lunged into Qiao Sang's arms.
"What's wrong?" Qiao Sang was bewildered.
"Hunt hunt!"
"Hunt hunt!"
Little Treasure Hunt cried out twice.
It had just realized that the thing bought tonight was for its evolution!
It was so useless, actually needing an item to evolve! Big Brother Ya Bao and Lu Bao didn't need anything!
Qiao Sang: "..."
Qiao Sang explained, "There are many pets that require items to evolve. Using an item doesn't mean you're useless; many pets that evolve via items are more powerful than those that evolve naturally."
"Hunt hunt?"
Little Treasure Hunt looked up and sniffled.
*Really?*
Qiao Sang smiled. "Of course."
"Hunt hunt!"
Little Treasure Hunt's eyes instantly became fervent.
It was finally going to reclaim the second-place position!
Qiao Sang: "..."
Little Treasure Hunt reached its paw toward the Dark Gloom Crystal in the box.
The moment Little Treasure Hunt touched the Dark Gloom Crystal, a brilliant white light filled the room.