One after another, more Phoenix Tear Fruits were brought on stage, each nestled within ornate jade trays and radiating waves of gentle heat. The auction hall turned frenzied, with cultivators and representatives of powerful clans driving up prices with barely a moment between bids.
"Six thousand!"
"Seven thousand two hundred!"
"Eight thousand five hundred!"
The prices for each fruit soared with increasing desperation, some even selling for over nine thousand spirit stones as competition grew fiercer with each round.
Mei Lin handled it all with poise, her melodic voice keeping the pace brisk and engaging. As the ninth Phoenix Tear Fruit was sold, a hush slowly began to settle over the hall, the anticipation thick in the air.
Then, with a radiant smile, Mei Lin raised her hand and stepped forward once more. "Distinguished guests," she said, her voice resonating with excitement, "we now come to the final item of today's Golden Clover Auction."
The stage lights dimmed as a single spotlight illuminated a crystal pedestal now being slowly unveiled. A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.
"This," Mei Lin continued, "is a Phoenix Tear Fruit that is over fifty thousand years old."
The room erupted in stunned murmurs, some even questioning if they'd heard her correctly.
"All previous fruits pale in comparison. This one is a relic of a bygone age, saturated with Yang essence of such purity and intensity that even silver grade alchemists would covet it."
Even the most composed cultivators leaned forward, eyes wide, breaths held. The value of this fruit far exceeded everything they had seen at the auction.
Mei Lin let the anticipation build before announcing, "The starting bid is ten thousand spirit stones!"
A tense silence hung in the hall for only a heartbeat before the bidding war exploded.
"Ten thousand!"
"Fifteen!"
"Twenty thousand!"
"Thirty-five thousand spirit stones!"
The numbers climbed rapidly, voices overlapping as clan representatives and lone cultivators threw out bids like spears in a battlefield. The sheer age and potency of the Phoenix Tear Fruit had inflamed the crowd's desire beyond reason.
"Fifty-five thousand!"
"Sixty-two thousand!"
"Seventy thousand spirit stones!"
Just as things reached a fever pitch, a gentle yet confident voice rang from one of the concealed VIP rooms.
"One hundred thousand spirit stones."
Gasps swept through the auction hall like a storm. All eyes turned toward the mysterious VIP room, trying to see through the veils of privacy, but none could.
In the room itself, Kieran blinked in surprise, his eyes shifting to Roulan, who lowered the paddle with a playful smirk on her lips. "You bid?" he asked.
Baixue tilted her head, equally puzzled. "Why? We have more than enough of those fruits already…"
Roulan giggled softly, her golden eyes dancing with amusement. "If the price goes up, so does our profit."
Kieran stared at her for a moment, then burst into quiet laughter. Baixue chuckled too, shaking her head. "Mischievous little fox," she murmured, affection in her voice.
Outside, the hall had gone silent. No one dared to top such a staggering bid.
In his private room, Prince Caleb shot to his feet the moment he heard Roulan's unmistakable voice echo across the hall. His face twisted in annoyance.
"Damn it! That was her!" he growled, slamming his fist against the armrest. "I thought she wouldn't bid once the price got too high!"
He narrowed his eyes, then sneered. "Fine. Let's see how much wealth you're hiding."
He raised his paddle sharply. "Two hundred thousand spirit stones!"
Gasps erupted once again. The tension in the auction hall reached a boiling point.
Almost immediately, Roulan's sweet voice floated out again from the VIP room. "Two hundred and ten thousand."
Caleb gritted his teeth. "Two-fifty."
"Two-sixty," came the playful response, followed by a soft laugh.
Each bid was like a spark to dry tinder, and Roulan stoked the flames with effortless grace. She felt that the voice bidding against her was vaguely familiar and somehow annoying.
Caleb's jaw clenched tighter with every counter. "Three hundred thousand!"
"Three-twenty."
"Three-seventy!"
"Four hundred."
By now, even the crowd had gone silent, watching the absurd back-and-forth with bated breath. No one else dared to interrupt the duel.
Finally, the bidding reached a staggering five hundred thousand spirit stones.
Roulan paused, smiling triumphantly to herself, and then said nothing.
Caleb waited, chest heaving. When no further bids came, he raised his paddle one last time, voice almost trembling with a mix of fury and elation. "Six hundred thousand spirit stones!"
The gavel struck.
"Sold!"
In his room, Prince Caleb let out a breathless laugh, his lips curling into a victorious smirk. "Hah! I got it."
Little did he know, the fruit he had just bought for a small fortune was one that the very girl he was planning against had casually tossed into the auction lineup.
On the stage, Mei Lin stepped forward with a radiant smile. She raised her slender arms to quiet the lingering murmurs of excitement still rippling through the crowd.
"With that," she announced, her melodic voice carrying through the vast hall, "we conclude this year's Golden Clover Auction. On behalf of the Golden Clover Guild, I sincerely thank all of our honored guests for attending."
She gave a graceful bow. "May fortune favor your cultivation,"
The crowd erupted into polite applause, and the curtains slowly began to close on the stage, signaling the auction's end.
As the crowd began to disperse, a well-dressed attendant came to Kieran's private room and bowed deeply. "Honored guests, please follow me to receive your payment."
Kieran gave a slight nod, and with Roulan and Baixue flanking him, the trio followed the attendant through a side corridor lit by warm lantern light. Their path led them to a grand office adorned with intricate wood carvings, silken drapes, and golden accents that whispered of immense wealth and power.
Inside, Mei Lin sat gracefully behind a polished jade-inlaid desk, her elegant posture unshaken even in private. Sheamus stood beside her, hands clasped respectfully, and gave a courteous nod to the newcomers.
"Master Kieran," he said with a smile, "allow me to formally introduce Lady Mei Lin—the eldest daughter of the Lin Merchant family, who stand at the very peak of the Golden Clover Guild." He then turned to Mei Lin. "And this is Kieran Long, a son of the prestigious Long Clan."
Mei Lin's amber eyes lingered on Kieran for a moment longer than necessary, her practiced smile softening ever so slightly. So this is the man behind the phoenix tear fruits... she mused inwardly. Handsome and composed.
Mei Lin's expression shifted from cordial to professional. "As agreed beforehand, the Golden Clover Guild will retain twenty percent of the final proceeds," she said. "That leaves eighty percent for you."
She busily looked over the sales records for the day's auction.
"Your items fetched a total of one million, one hundred and forty thousand spirit stones. After deducting our share, your cut comes to nine hundred and twelve thousand."
Sheamus stepped forward and respectfully presented a sleek storage ring to Kieran. "The full amount is inside. You may check to confirm."
"No need," Kieran said, slipping the ring on his finger.
Mei Lin's smile returned, eyes glinting with admiration. "A very profitable transaction, Master Kieran. Should you have more to offer in the future, the Golden Clover will always welcome you."