Rebuilding the Immortal Cultivator Clan Chapter 1863: 1400: Auction (Part 2)

The vibrant essence of human vitality filled the air above, gradually drawn into the Daoist magic network to bolster its strength.

Li Zhirui wandered down The Great Tao; it took quite some time before he reached the store offering the goods he sought and strode inside boldly, inquiring: “Shopkeeper, do you have cloud brocade? I want the finest quality!”

“Of course, please, esteemed guest, step inside. We can chat leisurely in the private room; there’s definitely a design and pattern here that you’ll love.” The attendant replied with eager warmth.

The explanation was straightforward: top-grade cloud brocade carried a hefty price tag! This customer was clearly a big spender!

But to his surprise, once Li Zhirui settled into the private room, his opening words stunned the attendant, filling him with uncontainable astonishment and joy.

He declared: “I wish to buy fifty bolts of the finest cloud brocade—does your shop have that much?”

“Fifty bolts? Sir, are you certain you didn’t misspeak?” The attendant composed himself and couldn’t resist confirming.

“No error—it’s exactly fifty bolts!”

Li Zhirui clarified: “I hail from outside Daqian; I’m journeying here to fetch presents for the younger generation. Passing through Jinzhou by chance, I thought this cloud brocade would suit them perfectly.”

“Well…”

The attendant lacked the authority to decide; he could only respond: “Esteemed guest, kindly hold on; I’ll summon the shopkeeper to talk it over with you.”

“By all means.”

He rushed out of the private room, dashed off to locate the shopkeeper, and shared this exciting news.

“Fifty bolts? Do you know anything about this fellow’s origins?” The shopkeeper showed surprise too but stayed calmer than the attendant; after pondering briefly, he probed into the visitor’s identity.

“He’s a cultivator from a foreign land.”

“A cultivator from abroad?”

The shopkeeper arched his brows faintly and declared, “I’ll meet him personally before deciding.”

“Pardon the delay; we regret any inconvenience and seek your understanding.” He opened with apologies upon entering the private room.

Li Zhirui waved it off and asked: “It’s fine, but I’m curious if the shopkeeper can supply fifty bolts of the top-quality cloud brocade?”

“Absolutely! Our establishment maintains strong ties with the Xiu Family; forget standard cloud brocade—we even stock pieces handcrafted by Xiu Family masters!”

“Oh?”

His gaze sparkled at once, and he pressed: “Might the shopkeeper be open to selling them? If the cost is fair, I’ll take every bolt woven by the master!”

“Ha ha.” The shopkeeper let out a pair of laughs; did he truly believe the master’s cloud brocade was so readily available? He possessed just three bolts, each a prized possession of the store, not for casual sale.

In essence, such treasures couldn’t be acquired with mere coin; additional terms were essential.

Noticing the shopkeeper’s reluctance, Li Zhirui let it slide without pressing and shifted to asking about the cost for those fifty bolts of cloud brocade.

“Seeing your genuine interest, we’ll hold back some stock, but we can provide the other thirty-six bolts to you—what do you say?”

After weighing options, the shopkeeper offered: “If that falls short, I can recommend another shop.”

“No need; thirty-six bolts of cloud brocade will do.”

The shopkeeper inclined his head, produced an abacus, and calculated rapidly; moments later, he announced: “Each bolt of cloud brocade costs a thousand gold pieces, or equivalently, six pieces of Loose Immortal Grade Spiritual Objects.”

“Hmm.” The amount aligned with Li Zhirui’s anticipation; he skipped bargaining, consented, and retrieved six pieces of Loose Immortal Grade Spiritual Objects from his Storage Magical Treasure, setting them on the nearby table.

Shortly after, attendants delivered thirty-six bolts of cloud brocade, yet what lay before him was a compact jade box, merely four or five inches across.

The Human Dao Mo Family, drawing from Storage Magical Treasures, had devised similar containment devices; the simplest and tiniest was this wooden storage box, boasting an internal space of about a yard.

‘The Human Dao Hundred Schools indeed possess remarkable craftsmanship; it’s no surprise they stand firm against the Cave Abyss Sect.’ Li Zhirui mused inwardly.

With the deal sealed, he readied himself to depart.

Suddenly, the shopkeeper interjected: “Esteemed guest, given your generous purchase and our shortfall in fulfilling your full order, we present this entry pass as a token of apology.”

“What sort of entry pass?”

“Tonight, Cloud Brocade City hosts a grand auction; countless rare Spiritual Objects will appear, and even master-woven cloud brocade pales in comparison. You might find what you seek to remedy any disappointment.”

“My thanks to you, shopkeeper!”

Li Zhirui accepted the entry pass without delay; he was eager to witness the Human Dao Empire’s auction firsthand.

Exiting the fabric store, he selected a secure and comfortable inn to lodge in.

“Cloud Brocade Auction Hall!”

Perched on the bed’s edge, he examined the entry pass, noting its venue, timing, and unique verification features, before tucking it away securely.

…

The following day and evening, Li Zhirui skipped meditation or cultivation in his quarters; he roamed Cloud Brocade City on foot instead.

Spanning immense territory, the city tested even his robust physique to traverse fully, unveiling its profound legacy!

Clans thrived comfortably, with widespread prosperity; likely from constant immersion, locals excelled in trade, and females shone in weaving crafts.

He observed too the Xiu Family and traders’ exalted standing among the populace.

Naturally, a single day and night offered scant depth, granting Li Zhirui mere surface insights into numerous aspects.

…

Moments passed swiftly, ushering in the auction’s scheduled evening on the second day.

Cloud Brocade City imposed no nightly restrictions, so unlike Daqian’s typical towns, it blazed with lantern glow under the full moon, lively as daylight.

The auction venue stood conspicuously, simple to locate, and Li Zhirui reached it promptly.

Though merely a basic ground-level ticket, entry was secured at least.

Inside, he saw a Hundred Schools disciple shelling out considerably for a seat, so what grievance could arise from this complimentary pass?

Bit by bit, crowds streamed in, filling the vast hall until it brimmed with attendees.

With a swish!

Spotlights flared onstage, revealing the evening’s emcee stepping forward—a burly middle-aged figure who resembled less a trader’s heir and more a polished warrior from the Military Family.

Bang—

The auctioneer slammed his wooden gavel and commanded: “Silence!”

“Now, I’ll present the lots for tonight’s auction; the opening piece…”

He halted briefly, then continued: “A full pelt of fire fox fur; as you know, it wards off any chill during the harshest winter nights, bidding starts at ten thousand silver!”

Bidding remained mild, with scant participants vying.

Observing this, Li Zhirui arched a brow; for one to helm an auction, prowess was undoubtedly present.

Subsequently, various rare mundane treasures went under the hammer, stirring the mood as more attendees yielded to excitement and began raising paddles.

“Those prior lots served as mere starters; now arrives a truly invaluable treasure!”

The auctioneer delivered his initial grave announcement before dramatically lifting the crimson cloth and proclaiming with fervor: “The lifetime cultivation insights of the Xiu Family master!”

“From our joint assessment, assimilating this wisdom offers substantial odds of breakthrough, attaining true mastery!”

Boom—

Consider the Xiu Family’s unrivaled prestige in Jinzhou; for the auction house to unveil a master’s lifelong cultivation legacy, how could fervor not erupt?

Especially with the promise of enhanced prospects to ascend to mastery and earn venerated status!