"So, why did you suddenly come to the Royal Star?"
Inside the flying device, Dongfang Haoyue turned to look at Qin Tian, with a hint of curiosity in his voice.
The major development project on Mingwang Planet was imminent, and as a key figure in this project, Qin Tian logically shouldnât have left Mingwang Planet.
Qin Tian said flatly, "Iâm here to find someone."
"Who?" Dongfang Haoyue pressed.
"Your sister."
Dongfang Haoyueâs face darkened instantly, and then he pouted, saying sulkily, "If you donât want to say, forget it."
He knew very well that Qin Tian definitely wasnât in the Royal Star for that reason, but since the other party didnât want to say it, he didnât bother to ask further.
"Let me tell you about the upcoming auction; I must say, your timing couldnât have been better," Dongfang Haoyue changed the subject, "This auction is a high-end event held by Christieâs, with extremely high entry barriers. Only a small group of people are eligible to bid; even most direct lineage members of the Golden Clan donât qualify."
"The auction items cover multiple fields: Golden Level Spiritual Martial Techniques, high-tier magic secret manuals, heavenly materials and earthly treasures, seventh-grade elixirs, top-notch spiritual artifacts, and cutting-edge technological equipment."
He paused, then added with a smile, "Since youâre here today, I can bring an extra person with my invitation, so we might as well go and join in the fun. Maybe youâll come across something you like."
"Mm." Qin Tian nodded with a slight smile,
"Iâve indeed never attended an auction of this level before. Thanks."
"Itâs no big deal." Dongfang Haoyue chuckled, gazing downward, "Weâve arrived."
The flying device slowly descended, eventually stopping in front of a modest building â this was Christieâs Auction House.
It lacked the flamboyance of typical high-end venues, built entirely with rare off-white stone. The walls were polished smooth and fine, with an understated yet indescribably luxurious touch from the simple gilt scrollwork around the doorframe.
There was no exaggerated sign at the entrance; only a matte black metal plaque on the left side, embossed with the bold, gold-lettered words "Christieâs."
The vintage copper floor lamps on either side cast a soft light on the stone walls, adding steadiness and elegance.
The pair stepped off the flying device, reaching the entrance, where two guards in black formal uniforms bowed in greeting, speaking respectfully, "Young Master Dongfang." Clearly, they recognized Dongfang Haoyue.
Dongfang Haoyue nodded slightly, handing over two invites.
The guards accepted them, scanned them with the verification device nearby, and the device emitted a soft "beep" as a green light lit up.
The guards immediately stepped aside, gesturing, "This way, please."
Qin Tian followed behind Dongfang Haoyue, entering the auction house with the guards.
Once inside, they were overwhelmed by a sense of opulence in stark contrast to the subdued exterior.
The floor was laid with whole slabs of white marble, polished to a mirror finish, reflecting the crystal chandeliers above. The chandeliers were made from numerous high-quality-cut crystals, refracting the lights into colorful auras, illuminating the entire hall.
The columns on either side were coated with a thin layer of gilt, entwined with intricate relief vines, exuding richness.
The walls between the columns were adorned with beautifully framed timeless artworks, each equipped with specialized temperature and humidity control devices.
Though there were no titles beneath the paintings, Qin Tian, even with no understanding of art, recognized several.
These were masterpieces he had only seen in historical texts and holographic images, now genuinely hanging before him, making him marvel at the deep heritage of Christieâs Auction House.
The guards guided them further inside. Qin Tian initially expected to be led into a spacious auction hall crowded with people, but instead, he was brought into a private box.
Upon entering, Qin Tian noticed the room was spacious and extremely comfortable.
Sitting on the sofa, he glanced around the suite and remarked with a smile, "Not quite what I imagined."
"What, did you think itâd be a crowded hall with people raising paddles to shout out their bids?" Dongfang Haoyue sat across, teasing, "Ordinary auctions might still use that setup, but high-end auctions use virtual bidding; youâll see soon enough."
With the auction not yet started, they took the time to chat.
Remembering business, Dongfang Haoyue asked, "Qin Tian, according to our previous agreement, the Dongfang Family has successfully cultivated ten thousand Cold Trees. But strangely, no matter what we try, these trees canât absorb external cold to form ice crystals. Is there a trick to it?"
"Thatâs right, only I can awaken these Cold Trees," Qin Tian admitted frankly.
"I knew it."
Dongfang Haoyue chuckled. This answer was expected, yet he couldnât help but feel a sense of amazement.
The Dongfang Clan was the strongest in the cosmos when it came to Spirit Plant research. They had successfully cultivated not just ordinary spirit plants, but even several semi-god-level spirit plants.
Who wouldâve thought that such a small Cold Tree would stump all the clanâs elders, not one of them able to awaken it?
Despite this, his confidence in the clanâs collaboration with Qin Tian grew.
Previously, he worried that if other forces could decipher the Cold Tree and cultivate it independently, the Dongfang Clan and Qin Tianâs early advantage might quickly erode, losing their monopoly.
Now it seemed that concern was unnecessary â if even the Dongfang Clan couldnât manage it, other forces had even less chance. Without Qin Tian, even if they cultivated Cold Trees, they would just be stuck with them.