After all the regular participants had settled in, a beautiful woman with black hair appeared and walked up to the podium alone. She smiled and greeted everyone in attendance.

"Thank you all for coming to today’s auction. This event is being hosted by the Zhu Clan, the ruling family of Zhu City."

"My name is Ya Mei. I’ll be your guide through the entire auction process."

Some of the cultivators on the lower floor looked her over, clearly appreciating what they saw. Cultivator or not, beauty like that was hard to argue with.

She raised her head and looked up at the second and third floors, bringing both hands together in a respectful gesture.

"On behalf of the Zhu Clan, I’d like to express our sincere gratitude to our VIP Master Immortals for taking the time to join us today."

"We hope we won’t let any of you down," Ya Mei said.

Out on the balconies of the other private rooms, not a single VIP had brought a servant representative. Most of them had sent elders or disciples to represent their sects or bid on their behalf.

Only the VIP in room 20 was using an auction attendant as a representative, and that alone was enough to make plenty of other VIP participants curious about just who this mysterious guest was.

Lin Tian didn’t care. He could feel more and more soul essence qi orbs drifting past, pausing just long enough to peek into room number 20.

They’re really that curious about me. I should avoid drawing any more attention early on.

Keep things looking normal.

Ya Mei kicked things off with the opening items, introducing them one by one. Lin Tian listened without much effort since her voice was clear and loud enough to carry all the way to his room.

"We’ll begin our first auction session with a Mortal-grade Cultivation Technique scroll, specializing in fire element. The technique is called the Fire Spiral Cultivation Technique."

"We’re bidding on 10 low-grade spirit stones."

Several cultivators raised their hands and began placing their bids. Lin Tian listened. A Mortal-grade cultivation technique built around the fire element.

For a fire element sect disciple like those from Fenhai Sect, it might actually be worth something. But not for Lin Tian. One way or another, that technique wasn’t much use to him.

Yi Ling glanced over briefly and saw Lin Tian still focused on the green tea in his cup. He was probably listening, but a VIP participant like him was unlikely to be interested.

She didn’t know what he was after. So she stayed alert, just in case he decided to place a bid.

"Sold!"

"Next up is this piece of paper," Ya Mei announced.

"A wandering cultivator brought it to us. However, after our team checked it, all we found was a map with no markings or directions. There’s no qi aura stored in it whatsoever."

"Even so, we’ll still be putting it up for auction. We’re bidding at 15 low-grade spirit stones," Ya Mei explained.

Lin Tian’s breath caught. He stopped drinking and turned to the side, activating his qi aura vision.

Through both eyes, he could see clearly that the map was anything but ordinary. There were several central array nodes locking away its qi aura, making it nearly impossible for anyone to see what the map actually contained.

Could this be... a treasure map?

"So then, is anyone willing to place a bid?" Ya Mei asked.

If I can destroy the hidden array core, that map could lead me somewhere.

"Bid 20 low-grade spirit stones."

Yi Ling was a little surprised, but nodded obediently and turned to face the room, "VIP Participant No. 20 bids 20 low-grade spirit stones."

"Very well. 20 low-grade spirit stones. Does anyone bid higher?"

"30 low-grade spirit stones."

"Very well. 30 low-grade spirit stones. Anyone else?"

Lin Tian narrowed his eyes and looked toward the bidder. Just an Early Foundation Establishment cultivator. Not much of a threat.

If I bid any higher, the real value of that map might become obvious to the other VIP cultivators.

I’ll let him have it, then take the map from him once the event is over.

"Master Immortal?"

"No bid."

Yi Ling turned toward Ya Mei and gave a slight shake of her head, signaling that her master was no longer bidding. In the end, the mysterious map ended up in the hands of that cultivator.

Lin Tian had already marked him. There was no way the man was slipping past his attention.

Not long after, the auction continued, and Lin Tian placed a few bids here and there. Not because he wanted to buy anything, but to keep his behavior from looking suspicious.

The VIP cultivators only knew that Lin Tian was a Foundation Establishment cultivator. So it was only natural for him to act the part.

"Thank you all for your participation. The opening auction session has now come to a close," Ya Mei announced. "We will now move on to the main auction session."

"The rules are simple: only VIP participants may compete for items in this session."

"The highest bid takes the item. All grades of spirit stones are accepted," Ya Mei said.

Lin Tian took a long, slow breath and poured himself another cup of tea while he waited for things to get started.

Three auction attendants came out carrying the items: an Earth-grade Technique, a Tier-4 Pill, and a High-grade Earth Flame.

Yi Ling stepped closer to Lin Tian. "Forgive me, Master Immortal. I need to know which item you’re going after in this session."

"The High-grade Earth Flame," Lin Tian replied.

"Understood. Will you be bidding right away, or waiting for the other VIP participants to open first?"

"I’ll wait."

Ya Mei introduced the Earth-grade Technique to the room. It was a sword technique with two distinct stances, and more than a few VIP participants showed interest in getting their hands on it.

"We’ll open the bidding for 250 low-grade spirit stones," Ya Mei said.

The other participants rushed to bid within their limits. Lin Tian listened and read the room. Some were offering 300, 450, even 600 low-grade spirit stones.

"Fellow Daoist! You’d do well to step back and let this old man have his fun," a man from one of the other rooms said firmly.

"My apologies, Senior. My sect’s orders require us to obtain this technique, no matter what," the other participant replied.

"You’ve got some nerve!" the old man snapped, boldly releasing a wave of qi aura from his body.

The tension in the first main auction session went up quickly. Ya Mei tried to settle them down, coaxing them and offering an alternative. Both of them could bid using items or artifacts instead of spirit stones.

That caught their attention. They each brought out their best items to be fairly assessed by Ya Mei and the auction team.

"This sword is valued at the equivalent of 800 low-grade spirit stones," Ya Mei said.

"HAHA!" the old man laughed, "Sounds like your sect’s resources are pretty thin. Take a look at what I’ve brought."

Lin Tian turned and watched closely as the old man produced an artifact radiating a strong qi aura. Lin Tian’s eyes narrowed sharply.

The qi aura inside it... that’s a mid-grade artifact. But it’s not part of the imperial artifact set.

Ya Mei received the umbrella-shaped artifact and assessed its value. She announced that it came out to around 1,200 low-grade spirit stones.

No question about it. He’s walking away with that technique.

"Does any Master Immortal wish to place a higher bid?"

The old man’s opponent went quiet and cold, then turned away, a clear sign that he was giving up the bidding fight.

"Very well. This Earth-grade Technique goes to VIP Participant No. 7."

The old man looked genuinely happy as he claimed the technique. Lin Tian watched him. He was a Nascent Soul Master, so an Earth-grade Technique was clearly a good fit for him.

"Next is a Tier-4 Pill, useful for breaking through to the Nascent Soul stage or pushing further while already at the Nascent Soul stage. Compatible with all basic elements," Ya Mei said.

"We’re bidding on 500 low-grade spirit stones."

No sooner had Ya Mei set the opening price than Lin Tian was caught off guard by a voice coming from one of the other rooms. A VIP participant had opened with a high bid.

"Yunlan Sect bids 10 mid-grade spirit stones."

"10 mid-grade spirit stones? That’s the same as 10,000 low-grade spirit stones," another cultivator said.

"Yunlan Sect really does have resources to spare. No wonder they can throw out a bid like that," the others muttered.

Lin Tian narrowed his eyes and set down his tea cup, his curiosity getting the better of him.

What is Han Xin actually after?