14. The Auction Begins

During the night, Mo Fei continued to study magic, hoping to find the common ground between magic and the Jade Void Technique, and to create a cultivation method suitable for this world. However, the creation of a new technique was no simple task.

He made no progress that night. The following day, after breakfast with Kane, Mo Fei decided to visit the Mage Guild of Moko City. After all, his own experience with magic was still limited; perhaps by observing more and deepening his understanding of magical knowledge, he might find inspiration for his new cultivation method.

The location of the Mage Guild was easy to find—the towering mage tower served as a beacon visible from afar. The two of them had little trouble locating the guild.

Compared to the Mage Guild of Longyan City, the imperial capital, the one in Moko City seemed much quieter and less lively. Moko City, being a coastal frontier town, simply couldn’t match the environment and atmosphere for cultivation found near the imperial academy and the capital’s mage guild.

At the entrance, Mo Fei displayed his badge as a wood-element mage to the receptionist, gaining smooth entry into the guild.

It was then that an elderly man in gray robes, emerging from the inner hall, took notice of Mo Fei. “Young man, I don’t believe I’ve seen you before. Is this your first time visiting our guild?”

Seeing the kindly, benevolent face of the old man, Mo Fei paused. His attention, however, was immediately drawn to the badge pinned to the old man’s chest—a green insignia adorned with seven gleaming golden stars. This signified that the man was a wood-element archmage. To think that in such a remote coastal city, he’d already encountered more than one seventh-rank expert: first the manager at the auction house, and now this archmage.

“Good day, esteemed Archmage. My name is Mo Fei, from the Imperial Academy. This is indeed my first visit to Moko City,” Mo Fei replied humbly.

“Oh, young man, I am Covey, Head of the Mage Guild here in Moko City. You may call me Elder Covey. May I ask what brings you to our guild?” the old archmage inquired.

“Elder Covey, I’ve reached a bottleneck in my magical cultivation, so I left the academy to travel the continent and broaden my horizons. Today, I came to the guild hoping to visit your library,” Mo Fei answered honestly.

“Heh, it’s rare these days for young people to settle down and read magical texts like you do! Our Moko City Mage Guild may not match the Imperial Guild in strength, but when it comes to the library’s collection, we are second to none. Since you are so inclined, you are welcome here anytime,” Elder Covey replied with confidence. Indeed, Moko City’s thriving commerce and constant flow of travelers had ensured the library’s holdings could rival anywhere else.

Mo Fei entered the library, and the dazzling array of magical tomes filled him with delight. He spent the entire morning there. Not only were there countless books he’d never seen before, but also many insights and reflections left behind by predecessors—just what Mo Fei needed most at that moment.

It was only in the afternoon that Mo Fei reluctantly emerged from the library. Though he wished to continue immersing himself in the sea of magic, the auction was set for that afternoon, and he was even more eager to witness it.

After bidding farewell to Elder Covey, Mo Fei left the guild. Kane was already waiting for him at the entrance, and together they made their way to the auction house.

Inside the venue, Auction Hall No. 1 was already bustling with noise and excitement. The crowds of spectators and bidders had filled the hall to capacity.

It took some effort for the two to reach the registration desk to collect their number plaques. Upon arriving, they discovered that the young lady in charge was the same one who had assisted them at the reception the previous day. She recognized Mo Fei and Kane immediately. After all, Kane’s striking appearance was impossible to forget—warriors of the Tauren race were rare sights in Moko City.

“Good day, sir! The manager instructed us yesterday that if you came to attend the auction, you would be assigned to VIP Room No. 3!” The young woman looked at Mo Fei with a hint of excitement. He was young, noble, and a mage—no wonder the manager had given him special attention. What’s more, he was rather handsome. How could a girl her age not feel her heart flutter?

Mo Fei preferred to keep a low profile and avoid too much attention, but seeing that Manager Mo had prepared a private room just for him—and glancing at the crowded hall—he gladly accepted the arrangement.

Guided by an attendant, the two were led to VIP Room No. 3 on the second floor.

Upon entering, Mo Fei couldn’t help but marvel—this was truly a VIP suite. The environment and amenities were worlds apart from the main hall. In the center of the room stood a long, plush sofa covered in snow-white beast fur. On the table before it were an array of delectable foods and fine wines. A magical display screen hung on the wall opposite the sofa, allowing guests to watch the auction proceedings, and a controller beside the sofa enabled them to participate in bidding. The current bids were displayed in real time on the wall facing the auction stage.

Mo Fei waved off the attendant who wished to remain in the room to serve them, and immersed himself in the images on the magical display. Kane, meanwhile, was already investigating the food and drink.

Soon, the display showed a stooped old man taking the auction stage—it was none other than Manager Mo himself. The hall erupted with murmurs and speculation; it had been a long time since Manager Mo had personally presided over an auction. His sudden appearance suggested something truly valuable was up for bid, or perhaps the presence of a distinguished guest.

Ignoring the audience’s chatter, Manager Mo dispensed with lengthy formalities and declared the auction open. His very presence as host was publicity enough—there was no need for further fanfare.

The first item was quickly brought on stage.

“The first lot is a longsword forged by the dwarven master craftsman, Grandmaster Luban. Made from a variety of rare ores, it is exceptionally sharp and even enhances battle energy. This is an extraordinary weapon. The starting price is fifty thousand gold coins, with each bid increment no less than one thousand,” Manager Mo introduced.

“Fifty thousand gold,” someone in the audience immediately called out.

“Fifty-one thousand!” “Fifty-two thousand!” “Fifty-five thousand!”...

With the first bid placed, the atmosphere in the hall warmed up quickly. Everyone present was well-heeled, and a weapon crafted by Grandmaster Luban was sure to ignite fierce competition.

“VIP Room No. 4 bids one hundred thousand gold. Any higher offers?” Manager Mo announced as the new bid appeared on the display outside VIP Room No. 4.

The crowd immediately turned to look in that direction, and the bidding abruptly stopped. No one wished to offend the powerful or wealthy individuals who occupied the VIP rooms over a single sword.

Inside VIP Room No. 4, five warriors of Swordmaster rank stood respectfully on either side of the sofa, while a young man lounged with a beautiful, golden-haired woman in his arms, watching the proceedings with a smirk.

“A bunch of paupers—why come to an auction if you can’t afford to bid?” the young man sneered.

“One hundred thousand gold going once, going twice, one hundred thousand gold—VIP Room No. 3 bids one hundred and ten thousand! Any higher bids?”

Just as Manager Mo was preparing to declare the first lot sold to Room No. 4 for one hundred thousand gold, the display for Room No. 3 suddenly flashed the new bid of one hundred and ten thousand.

Mo Fei, upon seeing the sword, had immediately decided to bid on it. Curious about the auction, he’d wanted to make the first offer, but had struggled for a while to figure out the controls—thus the last-minute bid. It wasn’t that he was particularly fond of the sword, but rather that he wanted to win it as a gift for Vivian. When he first arrived, Vivian and her companions had helped him greatly; now he had found a weapon perfectly suited to her, and it was only fitting to present it as a present.

The young man in Room No. 4, who had just finished mocking others, was left red-faced by this sudden reversal.

“VIP Room No. 4 bids one hundred and twenty thousand. Any higher offers?” Manager Mo continued, noting the new bid.

The identities of the VIP room occupants were, of course, well known to the auction’s management. Room No. 4 housed Harry DeLyn, the infamous second son of the DeLyn family in Moko City—arrogant and unruly by virtue of his family’s influence. Now he’d encountered the mysterious young man in Room No. 3, and it seemed he was about to get a rude awakening. Watching the display, Manager Mo wasn’t surprised to see Room No. 3 continue to bid.

“VIP Room No. 3 bids one hundred and fifty thousand...”

Before Manager Mo could finish, the furious Harry had already bid one hundred and sixty thousand.

“VIP Room No. 4 bids one hundred and sixty thousand. Any further bids?”

The tension was palpable throughout the hall; no one had expected fireworks over the very first lot.

“Could it be that this sword has some special quality, worth such fierce competition between these two figures?” one audience member wondered aloud.

“You don’t get it,” another observed confidently. “These big shots just want to grab the opening lot and assert their dominance, laying the groundwork for snatching the real treasures later on!” Though this explanation was far from the truth, it was not without its logic.

As expected, Room No. 3 raised the stakes yet again. “VIP Room No. 3 bids two hundred thousand gold. Any further bids?”

In Room No. 4, the lead among the five sword-wielding bodyguards restrained the young man who wanted to continue bidding.

“Master, our main target isn’t this sword. There’s no need to waste more gold here and make a powerful enemy. If he tries to obstruct us later in the auction, our losses will only mount,” the guard cautioned.

Manager Mo counted to three, and seeing no further bids from Room No. 4, finally announced that the first lot had been won by VIP Room No. 3 for two hundred thousand gold.