049 The Auction

049 The Auction

The Yellow Dragon Festival was coming along nicely. Drums echoed through the streets, and the scent of roasting meats mixed with the sharp tang of incense in the air. Lanterns hung in long rows, flickering as performers danced below them. Everywhere I looked, people were laughing, drinking, and celebrating like there wasn’t a single problem in the world.

And then an enforcer picked me up.

“Daoist Da Wei,” the man said with a crisp bow. “It is time.”

I blinked at him, then sighed. “Let me guess. The auction?”

The enforcer’s expression didn’t change. “This way, please.”

I followed him as he led me off the main street, weaving through winding alleys that twisted like a labyrinth. The noise of the festival faded, replaced by the distant murmur of private conversations behind closed doors. Eventually, we arrived before a nondescript wooden door, the kind I wouldn’t have looked at twice if I passed by.

The enforcer stopped and turned to me, his posture stiff. He offered another martial artist’s bow. “The elders of Sword Canopy Sect and Cloud Mist Sect wish to speak with you.”

I glanced at the door, then back at him. “And the auction?”

“The auction will commence next door over.”

I squinted. “Right next door?”

“Yes.”

Something about the way he said it caught my attention. I took a closer look at him—he was standing straight, disciplined, but his fingers were twitching slightly at his sides. The enforcer was nervous.

I patted his shoulder. “Calm down. I doubt they’ll start fighting in the middle of a meeting.”

He gave a stiff nod but said nothing else. Well, whatever. No point in making this any more awkward than it already was.

I pushed open the door and found myself in the back entrance of an inn. The scent of tea and wood polish filled the air. Before I could take more than a step inside, a servant waved me over from a distance.

“This way, honored guest,” the servant said, leading me down a quiet hallway.

We stopped before a private room. The servant slid the door open, gesturing for me to enter.

Inside, Long Xieren and Pan Xia sat in silence, their eyes closed, their breathing steady. Meditating? Or just pretending to? Either way, this was going to be interesting.

I crossed my arms and leaned against the doorframe. “What do you guys want?”

Long Xieren and Pan Xia opened their eyes at the same time.

Pan Xia spoke first, his voice smooth and polite. “Daoist Da Wei, we wish to make amends for how we treated you before.”

Long Xieren nodded. “Indeed. We have realized our mistake and hope to establish a friendly relationship.”

I raised an eyebrow. “That so?”

Pan Xia reached into his sleeve and retrieved a storage ring, sliding it across the table toward me. “A disciple of mine rushed to bring this from our sect. Inside are cultivation methods we are willing to share with our friends.”

I picked up the ring and inspected it with my Divine Sense—only to immediately freeze.

Something felt… off.

Normally, one needed qi to probe a storage ring. A weak cultivator could barely get a reading without the owner’s permission. A stronger cultivator might be able to brute-force their way inside, but it would still require effort. That was how it was supposed to work.

So why did I just… slip in?

It was effortless, like reaching into my Item Box. My consciousness extended into the ring’s space as if it were a natural part of me. I didn’t need to channel qi. I didn’t even need to focus. It was just… there, responding to my thoughts alone.

I scanned through the contents—scrolls, jade slips, a few medicinal pills. No resistance. No interference.

Weird.

I withdrew my Divine Sense and frowned. My Item Box had always been a cheat-like ability, but this? If I could extend this connection to any storage ring, that meant… No. That couldn’t be right. Storage rings had security measures. They couldn’t be that easy to access.

Could they?

On second thought… wasn’t this supposed to be payment for healing Jia Yun?

I squinted at Pan Xia. He smiled.

…Eh, I shouldn’t be greedy.

Long Xieren then shifted forward, his expression serious. “As for me, I can offer nothing but my sword. You brought me back to life. That is a debt I cannot ignore. If ever you have need of my might, even at the risk of my death, I will answer your call.”

I nodded, appreciating the sentiment. But between a favor and actual resources, I’d rather take the stuff.

"So the two of you don’t mind me joining the auction?" I asked, slipping the storage ring onto my finger. "What’s so interesting anyway that the honorable three biggest sects in the Riverfall Continent came all the way here? From what I heard, this is the first time your sects have ever bothered with Yellow Dragon City."

Pan Xia and Long Xieren exchanged a glance.

Pan Xia was the first to speak. "I heard a rumor." He leaned forward, lowering his voice as if someone could be eavesdropping. "A mysterious cultivation technique will be auctioned. One that doesn’t conform to the conventional paths. Something… unprecedented."

I raised a brow. "That vague description got you to travel all the way here?"

Pan Xia smiled. "That vague description is the reason I

had

to travel all the way here. There are countless techniques in the world, but true breakthroughs are rare. If this one turns out to be legitimate, the Cloud Mist Sect will benefit greatly."

Fair enough.

I turned to Long Xieren. "And you?"

Long Xieren crossed his arms. "A weapon."

"...That’s it?"

"A powerful weapon," he clarified. "A sword of unknown origins, one that resonates with sword intent."

I frowned.

"Possibly a spirit weapon," Long Xieren said. "Or perhaps something greater. The Sword Canopy Sect doesn’t ignore weapons of high caliber, especially ones with history."

I hummed, mulling over their reasons. From what I heard of Jiang Zhen, Isolation Path was after a certain treasure as well.

Which meant all three of the major sects in Riverfall Continent had set their sights on this auction.

I prayed in my heart they weren’t stuff from LLO or I’d go crazy…

An attendant stepped into the room with practiced grace, offering a polite bow. "Honored guests, the auction is about to begin. Please allow me to escort you to your seats."

Long Xieren and Pan Xia rose without complaint, moving as if this was something they had expected. I followed after them, and we were led through a side passage into a more private area. The moment I stepped inside, I realized just how exclusive this section was—there were barely a handful of people present.

Four dedicated seats were arranged at the forefront, each spaced just enough to provide a sense of importance without being excessive. It was clear these were reserved for significant figures, and the attendant led us directly to them.

Lei Fen was already there.

He sat with one leg over the other, his gaze sharp as he observed the auction hall below. The moment he saw me, he gave a knowing smirk but said nothing.

Long Xieren and Pan Xia took their respective seats without hesitation, each settling in with the air of seasoned cultivators who had done this many times before. Meanwhile, I turned to the attendant and leaned in slightly.

"I’d like to sell a few resources," I murmured.

The attendant’s expression barely flickered, but I could tell they were mildly surprised. "Would you be willing to provide details on what you wish to auction, honored guest?"

I thought about it for a moment. "Materials mostly. Some rare herbs. A few useful items for cultivators."

The attendant nodded. "If you permit it, we can have an appraiser inspect them before the auction begins."

"Sure," I said, slipping a small pouch from my item box. "Let’s see what they think of these."

The attendant accepted it with both hands and swiftly left.

I leaned back in my seat, arms crossed, as I thought about the items I had handed over.

Dusts. Bone fragments. Some odds and ends I had looted from the battlefield. Nothing that seemed particularly extraordinary to me, but I had read enough books regarding ‘treasures’ and ‘items’ in this world to know that rarity wasn’t always determined by my own standards.

Some things were completely unfamiliar to me—mystical herbs with names that didn’t match anything from

Lost Legends Online

, strange minerals imbued with spiritual properties, and qi-infused beast parts that held traces of the creatures’ past cultivation.

But then there were things I

had

seen before.

Materials that looked suspiciously like the crafting components from

LLO

—hell, some of them even had the same names when I appraised them. World-Infused Bone Dust. Whispering Spirit Residue. Even a so-called ‘Heavenly Thunder Crystal’ that looked identical to a Lightning Essence Shard from the game.

It was strange.

You’d think being sent to another world would mean

everything

would be foreign. That I’d be stumbling blind through a land of complete mystery. But no—there were patterns here. Things that felt oddly familiar, even if I couldn’t quite put my finger on

why

.

I didn’t have time to dwell on it further, though.

An old man stepped onto the elevated stage in front of us, wearing drab robes that had probably been expensive

once

. His short silver hair was unkempt, but his posture held the effortless confidence of someone who had been doing this for years.

I still didn’t have a clear way of detecting power levels in this world, but I’d like to think I passed my perception check pretty well. The man in front of us was

genuinely

old—not just one of those cultivators who looked ancient but were actually in their prime.

“My name is Song,” the old man introduced himself, his voice steady but slightly hoarse with age. “But please, call me Old Song.”

He let that hang in the air for a moment before offering a thin smile.

“I will be the host of this auction.”

Old Song stood before us, an unimposing figure draped in drab, loose-fitting robes. His silver hair, short and unkempt, framed a lined face that bore the weight of years. His expression was calm, his eyes sharp, carrying the weariness of someone who had seen far too much.

I squinted at him. Something about him felt

off

—not in a dangerous way, but like he was a man who had lived many different lives and wore each one like a layer of armor.

And then it hit me.

Gu Jie had gotten my mundane books from an

Old Song

.

Huh. Small world.

If it was the same guy, then he was the reason I had my hands on those historical records and oddball texts about cultivation theory. That alone made him more interesting than the average old man.

Old Song cleared his throat, his voice steady but tinged with an age-earned rasp. “Before we begin, let me introduce myself properly. I am but an old man who has worn many hats in his lifetime—a soldier, a merchant, a civil official, and, at times, a fixer.”

He smiled faintly, as if remembering past troubles with a sense of amusement. “In my younger days, I was known by many names. But here in Yellow Dragon City, I am simply Old Song. This auction? It exists because of my influence and the protection of Governor Ren Jin.”

So, he had a good relationship with Ren Jin. That explained a lot.

“But beyond my ties to the Governor,” Old Song continued, “I am also a member of the Adventurer’s Guild.”

I blinked.

Hold on.

Adventurer’s Guild?

Here? In xianxia land?

That was… unexpected.

Old Song chuckled at my expression, as if he could read my thoughts. “Surprised? I would be, too. The Adventurer’s Guild is not as well-known in these lands as it is in the more distant regions of the world, but it exists all the same. I have set up an offshoot branch here in Yellow Dragon City, though its presence remains small for now.”

I stared at him, trying to process this.

An Adventurer’s Guild. Here.

In

LLO

, the Adventurer’s Guild was basically a catch-all organization for mercenaries, explorers, and dungeon raiders. It wasn’t strictly a governing body, but it had

influence

. The kind of influence that probably let people bypass sect politics and work independently.

If the same principles applied here…

I

really

wanted to raise my hand and ask a million questions.

Adventurer’s Guild? In Yellow Dragon City? How did that even

work

in a land ruled by sects, clans, and imperial authority? Did they have rankings? Missions? A point system?

But as much as I wanted answers, I wasn’t about to interrupt the auction.

Old Song continued, his voice steady, carrying the weight of experience. “This auction serves more than just the purpose of trade. It is a demonstration—one meant to prove my usefulness to the Governor and to show that the existence of the Adventurer’s Guild within Yellow Dragon City is

worth permitting

.”

He smiled, the expression full of subtle calculations. “For that, I am deeply grateful for the presence of esteemed sect elders, honored guests, and influential figures gathered here today.”

I glanced at Pan Xia and Long Xieren, wondering if they knew about this Guild’s existence. They didn’t seem surprised, which meant either they

did

know, or they just didn’t care.

Old Song continued, “The Adventurer’s Guild is an organization dedicated to uncovering lands long forgotten, charting the world as we know it, and—most importantly—protecting the people from the threats of demonic beasts and monsters.”

His words carried the smooth cadence of a well-practiced speech, painting his organization in the best possible light.

I could respect the hustle.

After a few more lines about noble causes and grand ambitions, Old Song finally moved on. “Now, let us proceed with the auction.”

The first set of items to be auctioned were—surprisingly—mine.

That was fast.

I hadn’t even thought much about how much I was going to get. It was a last-second decision to sell them, and we hadn’t discussed the details of my cut.

A familiar attendant approached me quietly, leaning in to whisper. “Honored guest, these are the calculated estimates for your share of the proceeds.”

I took a look at the numbers, humming thoughtfully.

Not bad. Not bad at all.

Feeling satisfied, I leaned back, watching as Old Song began introducing the first of my items to the audience.