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

The vibrant aura of human vitality saturated the heavens, gradually drawn into the Daoist magical web to enhance its might.

Li Zhirui wandered along The Great Tao; after quite some time, he reached the store offering the goods he wanted and stepped inside confidently, inquiring: “Shopkeeper, do you have cloud brocade? I want the top quality!”

“Certainly, honored guest, please enter the shop. We can talk it over leisurely in the private chamber; there's bound to be a design and pattern here that catches your eye.” The clerk replied with eager warmth.

The explanation was straightforward: the highest grade cloud brocade isn't inexpensive! This fellow is a big spender!

But to his surprise, once Li Zhirui actually stepped into the private chamber, his opening words stunned the clerk, filling him with uncontainable surprise and excitement.

He heard him declare: “I wish to buy fifty bolts of the finest cloud brocade; does your establishment have them?”

“Fifty bolts? Sir, are you certain you didn't miscount?” Once he regained composure, the clerk had to question.

“No error, it's exactly fifty bolts!”

Li Zhirui clarified: “I'm not a native of Daqian; I'm journeying through to fetch presents for the young ones. I passed by Jinzhou by chance, and this cloud brocade seems perfect.”

“Alright…”

The clerk lacked the authority to decide; he could only respond: “Honored guest, kindly hold on; I'll summon the shopkeeper to negotiate with you.”

“Proceed.”

He rushed out of the private chamber, dashed to locate the shopkeeper, and shared this thrilling news.

“Fifty bolts? Do you know anything about that man's origins?” The shopkeeper showed astonishment too but stayed calmer than the clerk; he pondered briefly before probing the customer's identity.

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

“A cultivator from abroad?”

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

“Pardon the delay, we regret our earlier lapse and seek your understanding.” He opened with an apology upon entering the private chamber.

Li Zhirui waved it off and replied: “It's fine, but I wonder if the shopkeeper can supply fifty bolts of the finest cloud brocade?”

“Absolutely! Our shop maintains tight ties with the Xiu Family; forget regular cloud brocade—we even stock pieces handcrafted by Xiu Family experts!”

“Is that so?”

His gaze sparked instantly, and he added: “Might the shopkeeper be open to selling them? If the cost is fair, I'll take every bolt crafted by the expert!”

“Ha ha.” The shopkeeper laughed lightly; did he truly believe the expert's handiwork was that simple to acquire? He possessed just three bolts, each a prized possession of the shop, not for casual sale.

In plain terms, such items couldn't be had with mere coin; additional terms were necessary.

Noticing the shopkeeper's reluctance, Li Zhirui let it drop and shifted to asking about the cost of those fifty bolts of cloud brocade.

“Seeing your genuine interest in purchasing, 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 thirty-six isn't sufficient, I can recommend another shop.”

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

The shopkeeper inclined his head, pulled out an abacus, and calculated rapidly; soon he announced: “Each bolt of cloud brocade costs a thousand gold pieces, or six units of Loose Immortal Grade Spiritual Objects if paying in those.”

“Understood.” This amount fell within Li Zhirui's anticipated range; he skipped bargaining and consented, then retrieved six 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 case, merely four or five inches across.

The Human Dao Mo Family, drawing from Storage Magical Treasures, had devised various storage tools, the tiniest and most basic being this wooden storage case, boasting an internal volume of roughly a yard.

‘The Human Dao Hundred Schools 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: “Honored guest, given your generous spending and our inability to fulfill your full order, we present this entry pass as a token of amends.”

“What kind of entry pass?”

“Tomorrow evening, Cloud Brocade City hosts a grand auction; it'll feature numerous rare Spiritual Objects, where even the expert's personal cloud brocade seems commonplace. You might find what you're seeking there to ease any disappointment.”

“My thanks to you, shopkeeper!”

Li Zhirui accepted the entry pass without delay; he truly wished to witness the Human Dao Empire's auction firsthand.

Upon 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, schedule, 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.

The city sprawled across immense grounds, taxing even his robust physique to traverse fully, revealing its profound foundations!

Clans thrived comfortably, with the majority enjoying modest wealth; likely from constant immersion, they excelled in trade, and females shone in weaving crafts.

He observed the Xiu Family and traders holding unmatched prestige among the locals.

Naturally, a single day and night proved too brief, granting Li Zhirui merely a surface grasp of numerous aspects.

…

Moments raced past, and the auction's evening on the second day arrived swiftly.

Cloud Brocade City imposed no night curfew, so unlike typical Daqian cities, it glowed like daylight under the full moon, alive with plentiful lantern flames.

The auction venue stood out boldly and was simple to locate, allowing Li Zhirui to arrive promptly.

Though it was 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 why grumble about this complimentary pass?

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

With a swish!

Spotlights blazed on the platform, and the evening's emcee emerged steadily, a burly middle-aged fellow who resembled no trader's heir—more akin to an elite warrior from the Military Family.

Bang—

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

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

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

Bidding stayed mild, with just a handful participating.

Observing this, Li Zhirui arched a brow; to serve as auctioneer, the man surely wielded proven expertise.

Subsequently, various rare, everyday treasures went under the hammer, slowly heating up the mood as more bidders got swept up in the fervor, launching their offers.

“Those prior lots were just warm-ups; now comes a truly invaluable treasure!”

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

“And from our joint assessment, assimilating this wisdom offers a strong possibility of breakthrough, attaining true mastery!”

Boom—

After all, the Xiu Family commanded ultimate reverence in Jinzhou; for the auction house to unveil a master's lifelong cultivation legacy, how could it not ignite frenzy?

Especially with the promise of heightened odds to advance to mastery, earning venerated master status!