Chapter 54

At noon, the sunlight shone directly on the ground, illuminating Huayun Pavilion, making it appear even more magnificent. Despite the scorching sun, countless people still flocked to Huayun Pavilion.

In front of Huayun Pavilion, the spacious auction hall was already filled with people. Those who were invited were either wealthy or noble, or held high positions and great power, or were all experts.

"Haha, it's my first time attending an auction at Huayun Pavilion. Just thinking about it gets me excited," Monkey said excitedly from inside the private box.

Shifeng, Yufatzi, and the others were not much better than Monkey. Through the glass walls of the private box, they could clearly see every move outside, but others could not see them.

Seeing those influential figures from the capital, who were usually the ones they looked up to, now sitting in the public seats, made him feel a deep sense of pride.

"Today, I'm borrowing Longchen's light. Otherwise, I might never have such treatment in my life," Shifeng also sighed.

Shifeng, after recuperating, had fully recovered. Not only that, he had never suffered such a blow before.

After this failure, he turned a disaster into a blessing, becoming even more determined. He broke through continuously, advancing to the third level of the Blood Condensation Realm, just one step away from the middle stage of the Blood Condensation Realm.

It's worth noting that Shifeng's father was only at the middle stage of the Blood Condensation Realm, and he had great expectations for Shifeng.

Actually, the reason Shifeng could break through so quickly was partly due to his own efforts, and partly due to Longchen's elixirs.

This time, Shifeng's suffering was due to Longchen's involvement. Feeling guilty, Longchen later secretly gave Shifeng a Foundation-Strengthening Pill.

This allowed him to stabilize his foundation thoroughly. The powerful effects of the elixir helped him break through the constraints and advance continuously.

"By the way, Longchen, why does Huayun Pavilion value you so much, giving you such a luxurious private box?" Shifeng asked, puzzled.

You must know that in this auction hall, which can accommodate tens of thousands of people, there are only ten private boxes, all reserved for extremely distinguished guests. Logically, Longchen should not have the qualifications to get such a box.

"Do you think this private box is free? Once the auction starts, we'll be bleeding money," Longchen laughed.

"Really? The items at the annual auction are all treasures. Even if we sold ourselves, we couldn't afford them," Monkey said in shock.

"Forget it, with your build, even if we sold you, you'd be the safest. Whether by weight or by parts, you'd be the safest," Yufatzi said.

"I'm not afraid, why should you be? We're with Brother Long. I think you're just worrying too much," Longchen laughed.

"Don't worry, no one will kick us out. Hey, he's here too," Longchen said, his eyes narrowing as he saw a familiar figure—Xia Changfeng.

That bastard is still here, Longchen thought, clenching his teeth. Now, Xia Changfeng had returned to his usual suave self, chatting and laughing with the First Prince, Xia Yang, as they entered.

Behind them was a graceful woman, none other than Xia Baichi, who had lost the alchemy bet to Longchen.

Following them were several guards, all in their thirties, but all were Blood Condensation Realm experts.

When Longchen saw one of them, his heart skipped a beat. He sensed a familiar soul fluctuation.

It reminded him of the hooded man who had used a hidden weapon to kill Li Hao and silence him. Although the man had worn a hood and Longchen couldn't see his face, and he had moved very quickly, disappearing in an instant, Longchen, as an alchemist, had an exceptionally strong soul power.

He didn't need to see the man's face; he could recognize him by his soul fluctuation. Each person's soul fluctuation was unique, a special ability of alchemists, as sensitive as a hound's nose.

"He's actually one of the First Prince's people."

Longchen's eyes narrowed. Could he be the mastermind behind this? As he was deep in thought, the First Prince had already entered another private box with Xia Changfeng.

"Look, the Fourth Prince is here too," Monkey said.

Through the transparent wall, Longchen saw the Fourth Prince and several other princes. However, he didn't see Chufeng, who was likely hiding to practice.

The Fourth Prince and the other princes also entered a private box, but not the same one as the First Prince and Xia Changfeng.

"Hehe, today we can also experience the luxury of being princes," Monkey laughed, feeling honored to sit in a private box alongside prince-level figures.

They all knew that the princes could enter the private boxes partly because of their noble status and partly because of their deep pockets.

At that moment, a tall, slender man with a pale complexion entered the hall. Although he looked to be in his forties, he still exuded a strikingly handsome aura.

However, his handsomeness had a feminine softness, which made Longchen feel a chill when he saw it on a man.

The moment the man entered the hall, the originally noisy hall became much quieter, and many people closed their mouths.

"This man is one of the strongest in Fengming Empire, Duke Ying, Ying Zhao," Shifeng said, his voice strained.

Duke Ying Zhao, Duke Wu Yi, and Duke Long Tianxiao were the three top-tier experts of Fengming Empire, inspiring awe.

Longchen's heart also skipped a beat as he turned to look at the man with the feminine softness. This was the strong man who was on par with his father.

He also recalled that Chu Yao had mentioned that Duke Ying was responsible for teaching them cultivation. He wondered if the marks on his body were his doing.

As Longchen observed Duke Ying, Duke Ying suddenly looked up and gazed at their direction. His narrow eyes sparkled, as if he could see through the walls and directly at the people inside.

Longchen's heart skipped a beat. What a sharp perception. No wonder he was one of the strongest in Fengming Empire. Although he wasn't a pill cultivator, his perception was terrifying.

After glancing at their private box, Duke Ying acted as if nothing had happened and slowly entered another private box.

More people arrived and entered the private boxes. According to Shifeng's introduction, one was a wealthy merchant, and a few others were local magnates.

Longchen nodded. After all, Huayun Pavilion was a business, and selling things at high prices was the key. It was normal to have high-end clients.

"Welcome, old and new friends, to our annual Huayun Auction. I, as the chief auctioneer of Huayun Pavilion, deeply appreciate your support."

A voice as clear as a nightingale echoed throughout the hall. First, they heard the voice, then a curtain on the stage slowly opened, revealing a beautifully dressed woman.

The moment she appeared, a chorus of exclamations erupted from the audience. She was an extremely beautiful woman.

Around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with willow-like eyebrows, phoenix-like eyes, a peach-like face, and a jade-like chin, her narrow eyes sparkled with a captivating allure.

What was most mesmerizing was her tight-fitting long dress, with a plunging neckline that exposed a large expanse of snow-white, tender skin.

If that were all, it would be enough, but the deep cleavage was even more irresistible, drawing people's eyes inward.

However, from her position on the stage, it was an unattainable angle. Many people in the audience secretly stood up, then sat back down in frustration, looking up at the private boxes with envy.

Yufatzi, Monkey, and the others were almost cross-eyed, even Shifeng's gaze was fixed. They pressed their faces against the transparent wall, and Longchen was worried they might break it and fall.

However, Longchen had to admit that the woman was very beautiful, though not as beautiful as Meng Qi, and slightly less so than Chu Yao.

But this woman had a natural allure and knew how to dress herself, fully displaying her assets. Her charm was terrifying, making her appear twelve times more alluring than her actual six points of beauty.

"Smack"

Longchen slapped Yufatzi's shoulder and scolded, "Can't you guys have a bit more ambition?"

Shifeng and the others finally came to their senses, quickly stepping back and putting on a serious expression. Yufatzi, however, said nonchalantly, "Brother Long, it's fine. The wall is very sturdy; it won't collapse."

"I'm not worried about the wall. I'm worried that if you keep looking, the water will be up to your ankles," Longchen pointed to a large puddle of drool on the floor, annoyed.

The group blushed and hurriedly returned to their seats, secretly admiring Longchen's self-control.

The woman, clearly used to such scenes, showed no surprise, not a hint of shyness. Instead, she said confidently,

"I am Yao Nianqian. Though I am not very talented, I have been appointed as the auctioneer for this auction. Please give me your support."

After speaking, Yao Nianqian swayed her willow-like waist and bowed to the audience, revealing a view that was usually only visible from the private boxes.

The audience was momentarily in a commotion, but unfortunately, Yao Nianqian's bow was very quick. Before they could react, she was already standing upright.

Longchen couldn't help but smirk. He was increasingly impressed by Huayun Pavilion. From Fugui to Qianfu, and now the chief auctioneer, they were all obsessed with money. This auctioneer's name, "Yao Nianqian," literally meant "want your money."

However, Longchen had to admit that Yao Nianqian was very skilled. Her mastery of men's psychology was truly expert.

Her half-revealing, half-concealing allure and her teasing demeanor almost stirred everyone's desires.

The auction hadn't even started, but many of the younger people were already breathing heavily.

At this moment, Longchen remembered why Fugui had been so confident that the items in their hands would sell for sky-high prices after the auctioneer's presentation. Now, Longchen believed it.

Seeing the entire audience following her rhythm, a smile appeared on Yao Nianqian's face. She clapped her hands, and the center of the stage slowly opened, revealing a small stone platform.