C20 The Fight!

Wicks: And now, the final item of today's auction—the Spiritplum!

This remarkable fruit can enhance one's spiritual energy, cultivation, and insight into martial arts. Harvested from the Violet Spirit Mountain in the Floating Mountains, it can aid both Martial Masters and Warlords in their martial arts journey.

Wang Feng faintly recalled Lee mentioning that the First Land harbored several potent spiritual herbs capable of boosting martial arts cultivation and advancing one's martial realm.

"This is a magic fruit I must acquire. Sadly, it seems out of reach for Chen Ren!"

In his private room, Chen Ren was visibly frustrated. Despite Liu Wenying's attempts to calm him, he was inconsolable, nearly driven to madness.

Wicks announced in his seasoned voice, "The opening bid for the Spiritplum is one million gold coins!"

The room erupted into excitement at the one million mark. Many among the elite families could easily afford this price, each possessing substantial wealth.

Chen Ren entered the fray, "My bid is 1.2 million!"

Gone was his previous commanding presence. It was clear to all the noble families present that Chen Ren was stretched thin financially, yet they were determined to outbid him.

"I bid 1.5 million!"

"I bid 1.8 million!"

Chen Ren was seething with rage, "These people are blatantly challenging me!"

Wang Feng's voice resonated with a surreal clarity, "I bid three million!"

Yaji chimed in teasingly, "Really? Are you planning to indenture yourself to our auction house?"

"Of course not! I have something to show you."

Wang Feng produced a list before him.

"Here's the list of weapons you're looking for. Everything in the Obsidian Market's inventory is listed here."

Wang Feng scrutinized the list and made his selection.

"I'll take the Greensteel Blade!"

Yaji laughed, "That's quite the bold request. I'm not sure you can cover the cost!"

Wang Feng quirked an eyebrow, "Well then, how much? Name your price!"

"You've got quite the eye, Wang Feng," Yaji remarked.

"This sword," she continued, "was unearthed from the tomb of a noble in the Northern Dynasty, at the cost of dozens of lives from our Obsidian Market. After being appraised by Wicks and several renowned experts in the field, we discovered that it's a six-star spirit weapon!"

"The asking price is ten million gold coins!"

Wang Feng nearly leapt to his feet. "What? Ten million? You can't be serious!"

"Ha, I'm not joking at all. This is the crown jewel of the Obsidian Market! It's not something we sell lightly."

"A spirit weapon commands that price, particularly one of such high quality. If you doubt it, feel free to inquire at other auction houses!"

"Ha, I'll take your word for it," Wang Feng said with a shrug.

"For ten million, let's do this: I can offer you other pills to offset the cost of the weapon. How does that sound?"

"Do you have other pills?" Yaji inquired.

"Absolutely! I have more." Wang Feng replied, pulling out a pale blue pill from his sleeve – the very Tide Turner Elixir that Lee had given him a few days prior.

Yaji examined the pill closely before passing it to Wang Feng. She wasn't well-versed in the nuances of pills, so she decided to call in an expert – Wicks.

Meanwhile, the auction for the remaining five sets of Ironhide Potion drove the price higher and higher, nearly reaching 400,000 gold coins each.

In total, the sales amounted to two million gold coins. After subtracting the 300,000 gold coins paid in advance, Wang Feng's share came to roughly 1.1 million gold coins. Coupled with the previous sum from Chen Ren, he now had a total of 2.2 million gold coins.

When Wicks arrived, having been summoned by his assistant, he promptly inspected the pill.

"This! May I ask, what kind of pill is this?" Wicks asked, visibly shaken with excitement.

Yaji was taken aback; there existed a pill that even Wicks was unfamiliar with.

"This pill is known as the Tide Turner Elixir."

"Oh!"

"Quite the fitting name," Wicks exclaimed.

In a hushed tone, Yaji informed Wicks: "It's a Level Three Blademaster pill. But its efficacy is outstanding, known for safeguarding the heart and spleen. It's valued at 100,000 gold coins."

Yaji leaned in and whispered to Wicks, "100,000 gold coins? That's even pricier than the top-tier Ironhide Potion?"

Wicks gave a subtle nod in agreement.

Wang Feng proposed, "For now, I'll leave the Greensteel Blade here. Once I've gathered enough pills of equal value, I'll return to trade with you. Does that work for you?"

"Fine, come back to the Obsidian Market when you've collected enough pills to exchange for the Greensteel Blade. I'll hold onto it for you," Yaji agreed, extending her hand for a shake. "It's a deal!"

Thanks to the gold coins Yaji provided, Wang Feng was well-positioned to contend with Chen Ren for the magic fruit. On display were two magic fruits, one red and one white, resting peacefully on the auction stage.

"I bid three million gold coins!" Wang Feng declared.

A hush fell over the crowd once more, so quiet that the proverbial pin drop could be heard.

"Three million! Who is this high roller? He's really going for it. Does he own a mine or something? He's loaded," someone murmured in awe.

Wicks's voice broke the silence, "Now, we'll begin the countdown!"

"Five!"

"Four!"

"Three!"

"Two!"

"One!"

"Sold! The Spiritplum now belongs to this gentleman!"

A purple tray was delivered to Wang Feng's exclusive booth. He received a ring capable of storing gold coins, its dark red hue glinting with a subtle blue light, appearing particularly bewitching in the ambient light.

"Please take care of your ring," the auction house servant said with respect.

"Understood," Wang Feng replied, accepting the ring.

Yaji presented a gold card edged in purple, taken from the servant. "This is our Obsidian Market's VIP card. It entitles you to certain benefits, including a 50% discount on all purchases made here."

"Thank you, I'll take it," Wang Feng responded, pocketing the card.

No sooner had Wang Feng stepped out of the Obsidian Market than Chen Ren and Liu Wenying were lurking in the shadows, keeping a close eye on him.

Chen Ren sneered, "You dare to compete with me for an item? You'll pay the price! And you may not realize it could cost you your life!" With a menacing gesture, Chen Ren licked his lips, bit down, and savored the taste of his own blood.

"Let's go! Follow me!" Liu Wenying led the way with Chen Ren commanding from behind. But they hadn't gone far when Yaji and her associates stopped them in their tracks.

"What do you want?" Chen Ren demanded.

Chen Ren queried, "Oh, you're not aware of our intentions?"

Yaji countered, "You can't just kill an esteemed guest of the Obsidian Market."

Chen Ren snapped open his fan, displaying a beautiful landscape painting, and retorted, "Since when did your auction house start making new rules? Are you now trying to control what guests do outside as well? Is the Obsidian Market overstepping its bounds?"

Yaji gave a sweet smile and teased, "Don't you understand why? Could it be that the young master of the Marquis Chen's household lacks intelligence?"

Chen Ren gestured for Liu Wenying and the others to halt, pondering why the Obsidian Market would dare to cross him, or why they were so desperate to prevent him from pursuing the man in black.

"Wait! The man in black!" A sudden realization struck Chen Ren.

"Could he be the mysterious alchemist who's been the talk of the town?"

Chen Ren panicked at the thought of the Marquis finding out he had offended a noble and gifted alchemist. "We must leave at once!" he exclaimed, leaving Liu Wenying and the others bewildered.

Watching Chen Ren hastily depart, Yaji pursed her lips and sighed, "Such a slow reaction. No wonder the Emperor has grown distant from Marquis Chen."

Wang Feng's courtyard remained pristine, now home to Deng Jiu and his daughter, Deng Chanyu, who lived nearby. The autumn breeze scattered the leaves of the wutong trees, heralding the deepening fall. Wang Feng stepped over the fallen leaves as he returned.

"It looks like the courtyard could use some repairs," he mused.

Wang Feng inquired of Deng Chanyu, "Is Lee around?"

"Oh, you mean Old Lee? He's in the alchemy chamber, working on a new pill."

"Good. You carry on with your tasks. I'll go check on Old Lee."

Deng Jiu had just stepped out from Old Lee's when he encountered Wang Feng approaching!

With a respectful gesture, Deng Jiu greeted him, "Young Master!"

Wang Feng replied, "Ah, there's no need for such formality! I need to speak with Lee." He then proceeded to Lee's room.

By mid-afternoon, Wang Feng and his companions had assembled in the courtyard for a meal. A spread of dishes awaited their enjoyment. Initially, Deng Jiu hesitated, believing that it was improper for a servant to dine with his master. Yet, Wang Feng firmly brought everyone together around the table in the quaint courtyard. The sumptuous feast had been prepared by Deng Chanyu's father, Deng Jiu himself.

The aroma of the meal wafted through the air, filling the entire yard with a convivial atmosphere. For Wang Feng, those who joined him at the table were like his own kin.

Suddenly, Wang Mingzhu, who had just come in search of Wang Feng, was greeted by the enticing scent.

"What's that smell? It's wonderful!"

"Brother Wang Feng, are you all having lunch?"