Chapter 34 – Ginseng Baby

“Distinguished guest, since you have shown us the golden disc, you have the exemption rights to any down payment that is less than 100 gold coins. This is the rule of our store. You just need to sign the entrusted Letter of Commitment.” Mr. Wu specified.

“Thank you!” Xu Yi had to admit that money could bring him certain privileges.

“You’re welcome. What else can I do for you, my dear guest?” Mr. Wu bowed to him again.

“My boss needs some heavy weapons and a piece of well-made protective clothing.” Qinghua interrupted him.

For Xu Yi, the main purpose of this trip was to equip himself, before he’d receive the invitation letter from the Black Dragon Palace. Since Xu Yi had been through several fights with opponents from different levels, he began to be aware of the importance of weapons and techniques. Although, at the very beginning of his cultivation, he didn’t believe in weapons and techniques, now things had changed .Considering the limit of time, this was the most expedient resort.

Xu Yi had to find a balance between his offensive and defensive abilities, so he required both offensive weapons and defensive protective clothing. Sometimes, the difference in weapons and techniques would alter the outcome of a fight.

“Mr. Yi (based on Xu Yi’s fake name ‘Yi Xu’), I won’t take the risk of devaluing your nobleness by showing you these mundane items. A timely arrival is better than an early one. In an hour, there’ll be an auction, where the selling items are all carefully selected. Trust me, you should take a look there.” Mr. Wu recommended Xu Yi to take part in their auction.

“Auction?” Xu Yi pondered, “I’d be glad to be a part of it.”

Xu Yi knew the items displayed in auctions were all rare and precious, and he might even encounter some useful weapons or medicines.

Soon, Mr. Wu went out and a young lady with a low-cut dress stepped in, holding a large piece of hooded cloak and a small red plate. She bent over towards Xu Yi, revealing her cleavage.

“My distinguished guest, to ensure the privacy of the transactions as well as the identity of our customers, we provide you with these two items. The cloak is used to cover your face, so that no one at the auction will be able to recognise you. This little red plate is made of some magical material, currently it is blank, correct? However, later, as soon as the auction begins, there will emerge a number on the surface of this plate, which will be your participant number. Even the store will have no clue who won the final bid.”

Xu Yi was impressed by their considerate services, it was no wonder that this place was swarmed with customers.

The young lady refilled the teacup and left the room.

Looking around, there were all kinds of fruits and snacks stacked up high on the table, so Xu Yi decided to ask the servants to pack some for him. Xu Yi wanted to share the delicious food with his gluttonous little girl, Autumn. Later, he lied down on the chair and closed his eyes, attempting to get some rest while he was waiting.

Meanwhile, Qinghua was continuously walking in circles, like an upset mouse locked in a barred cage.

“Stop! You’re making me dizzy. Why don’t you just sit down and have a rest? I still have tasks for you later, which means, you still have the opportunity to make more money.”

Xu Yi knew what Qinghua was worried about. Since there was no bargaining allowed at the auction, Qinghua would have no chance to earn extra commissions.

“Come here, take this sword and sell it to this store.” Xu Yi took out the sword he had taken from the young lord in black clothing.

Xu Yi’s swordsmanship was immature, so he regarded this sword as a useless prop. After all, he believed in the strength of his fists, rather than that of the sword. Plus, the sharpness of this sword was incomparable, which made Xu Yi feel confident in obtaining a high price for it.

Qinghua held the sword and scrutinized it with great care. He knew that this was not a normal item and he was confident that he’d sell it at a justifiable price.

“Believe me, my boss. I will sell it at a high price!” Qinghua took the sword and ran out.

“Mr. Yi, it’s time for the auction. Please follow me.” The young lady said, as she entered the room once more.

Xu Yi put the cloak on and covered his head, before he walked through a secret tunnel; finally, he arrived in a plainly decorated room. There were thirty soft chairs in total, plus a long table here.

All the walls, as well as the furniture, were painted white. Perhaps, the designer was a minimalist, who was worried that the audience would be distracted by colorful pictures and dazzling ornaments.

Xu Yi randomly seated himself in the rear rows. Several minutes later, most of the seats were taken, while all of the participants were dressed in a similar fashion – a hooded cloak.

Suddenly, Xu Yi sensed a strong flow of qi, blending in with the smell of blood. He figured that he must be surrounded by superior cultivators from higher realms. Because, the last time he had this feeling, was when he fought with Shirong.

Xu Yi’s heart bumped rapidly, as he was rather excited to see the items. Surrounded by those experienced cultivators, he became more and more excited. He focused his attention on the long desk, anxiously awaiting for the arrival of the first item.

Soon after, the last two guests had entered from behind and the back door was closed. Suddenly, the front door opened and an old man in a silver gown emerged, and behind him there were ten bunny girls carefully lined up, each holding a covered item.

The old man delivered a concise but enthusiastic opening speech, before he announced the bidding of the first item.

Upon the long table, a brown woodcarving was displayed. Intriguingly, it was sculptured in the shape of a fat baby - legs, hands and hair were all delicately carved in the wood. It was such an adorable baby.

Xu Yi narrowed his eyes and exclaimed: “Ginseng Baby! [1]”

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[1]: Picture reference for the ginseng baby.

http://english.cri.cn/12394/2014/08/05/2982s839072.htm