After they finished discussing the Li Family, Wei Xin suddenly brought up another matter.
"There will be an auction held at the market soon," she said casually.
"An auction? When?" he asked, immediately interested.
"In about a week, at the Commercial Hall in the Inner Market Area."
He hesitated. "Do I even have the qualifications to attend?" He knew that if Sister Wei mentioned it, he likely could go, but he asked anyway.
"Anyone can attend, as long as they can afford the entrance fee of ten spirit stones per person," she replied with a smile. "If you want to come, we can go together. I'll arrange for a private room, separate from the common crowd."
"Oh? If that's the case, I'd love to go!" he said, excitement sparking in his voice.
However, after a moment he frowned. "But Sis Wei, can I actually afford anything there?" The original owner of this body had never even dreamed of attending an auction, much less bidding.
"It depends on what you're aiming to buy," she answered lightly. "At your current level, you'd need at least a thousand spirit stones to bid freely without worrying too much. If you see something you really want, tell me I can lend you a few hundred if necessary."
He nodded appreciatively. "Thanks, Sister Wei. But if it's just around a thousand, I should manage."
Right now, after selling his talismans and clearing up loot from previous days, he had almost two thousand spirit stones tucked away in his storage bag.
He smiled proudly, patting his pouch with satisfaction.
'Perhaps I'm the richest mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator in the entire Cloud Market' He thought with a chuckle.
"Oh, Sis Wei, do you know what items will be auctioned?" he asked, curious.
Wei Xin thought for a moment. "I don't know the full details. But this auction is a joint effort between the market management and the three major local factions. Originally, it should have taken place earlier, but the Crimson Blade Gang requested a delay to organize the loot they seized from the Feng Family."
She continued, "This auction will showcase treasures from the three major factions, minor powers like the Lei Family, and even several prestigious shops."
"You can also submit your own items for auction," she added. "But they will conduct a strict evaluation. Only rare or expensive items are accepted."
"For example, if you want to auction a talisman, it must at least be a rare High-Grade First Rank Talisman, like a Sword Talisman. Ordinary High-Grade talismans won't make the cut."
Then, leaning closer and lowering her voice slightly, she whispered, "There's a rumor that the Cloud Sword Sect will be releasing some Foundation Establishment Pills and Foundation Establishment spiritual items during this auction."
He was stunned.
"What?! So if I have enough spirit stones, I could actually buy one?" His eyes gleamed with eagerness.
Wei Xin laughed lightly. "It's not that easy. The base price for a Foundation Establishment Pill starts at around ten thousand spirit stones. But in an actual auction? The price can easily soar to fifteen or even eighteen thousand."
"If the three major factions decide to compete," she added, her tone serious, "it could even reach twenty thousand spirit stones or more."
"For us Loose Cultivators, even if we worked day and night for decades, we might still fall short of that sum." She sighed softly, a hint of helplessness in her voice.
He frowned. "If the local factions are going to fight over them, wouldn't they just hoard all the pills and leave the rest of us with nothing?"
Wei Xin shook her head. "There are rules. In the Eastern Wilderness, auctions for Foundation Establishment Pills have a principle, the first pill auctioned cannot be bid on by major local factions. It's a way to ensure that loose cultivators or smaller powers have a chance."
She smiled slightly. "Of course, this rule also serves another purpose. The major sects prefer a balance of power, they don't want local forces growing too strong and too independent. It's a way to ensure that all forces stay wary of each other, rather than plotting rebellion behind closed doors."
He marveled at the revelation.
'Truly, those sects are worthy rulers. Every move they make is carefully calculated.'
"But Sis Wei," he asked thoughtfully, "If it really boils down to a battle of wealth, wouldn't the Li Family have the highest chance of winning?"
Wei Xin nodded seriously. "Yes. The Li Family's income isn't limited to the Cloud Market, they have businesses across several markets. Their Jade Spirit Bamboo, whether First or Second Rank, is in constant high demand."
"In fact," she continued, "the entire haul that the Crimson Blade Gang took from the Feng Family? It's only equivalent to about one year's worth of the Li Family's income."
"That's why the Li Family remains indifferent to the usual conflicts in the market. As long as it doesn't affect their core interests, they rarely get involved."
Then she added with a shake of her head, "However, the Li Family cannot bid for the Foundation Establishment Pill this time. It's an unspoken agreement. Because they were already bestowed a pill directly by the Cloud Sword Sect, they are barred from participating in this auction for fairness' sake."
He nodded thoughtfully. After a few more cups of tea, Wei Xin gracefully rose and bid farewell, leaving his courtyard quietly.
"I should gather more spirit stones," he muttered to himself. "Even if what I have is enough, it never hurts to have more."
He watched Sister Wei's silhouette disappear into the distance before heading back inside to tidy up.
.....
A week later.
At dawn, just as the first light of the sun peeked over the eastern horizon, he completed his usual morning cultivation and changed into his favorite Daoist robe.
Satisfied that everything was in order, he locked up his house and made his way toward the Inner Market.
After a while, he arrived in front of a familiar three-story building "Willow Leaf Teahouse"
Without hesitation, he stepped inside. The guards stationed at the entrance recognized him and allowed him to pass without question.
He climbed the stairs to the second floor, casually glancing around before quickly spotting the familiar figure near the window.
A beautiful woman in a light blue robe sat there, sipping tea as she gazed outside.
"Sister Wei," he called out softly, walking over with a smile.
.....