Download App
23.23% To Rise Again in the Apocalypse [BL] / Chapter 26: Chapter 11.1 - Auction House (Part 3)

Chapter 26: Chapter 11.1 - Auction House (Part 3)

Li XinWen was observing Xue Rui closely from his seat. Xue Rui was hunched forward in his seat wearing an uncomfortable yet happy expression. By this time, Li XinWen had somewhat figured out most of Xue Rui's behavior, and at that particular moment he could easily read Xue Rui. Especially when it came to his penchant for demonstrating his affection physically towards Li XinWen.

'He's acting all happy by himself… the fool!' he thought as he shook his head. 'I will let that kiss slide today… I'll consider that as payment, since he made sure that I was not taken advantage of by that sly manager. Perhaps this fool actually thinks that I have acknowledged his advances?' seeing the smile plastered on Xue Rui's face, he couldn't help but shake his head.

'He is indeed a fool. The only reason I did not pull my hand away was because I was busy reprimanding myself for almost falling for such a petty trick from the manager,' his thoughts continued as he closed his eyes exercising a lot of control over his desire to collar Xue Rui.

'Just you wait until I can use my full strength in the open Xue Rui… you won't be able to touch even a hair on my head… ha!' and he let out a sigh and managed a restrained smile.

They didn't have to wait long for the auction to begin. A smartly dressed man in his late fifties walked on stage and stood behind the lectern. He wore round-rimmed glasses and his hair was predominantly white including his mustache. He was a little bit on the pudgy side but was relatively tall. He fumbled with the microphone and smiled at the seated would-be bidders, as if the fumble was all part of an act to set up a relaxed and friendly mood in the hall.

The auctioneer's smile was replaced with a furrowed brow and he suddenly touched his left ear and looked down as if listening intently to something. This particular behavior by the auctioneer intrigued Li XinWen. From where he sat, he noticed something fixed on the auctioneer's left ear which roused his curiosity even further. He looked through the original's memories and came across a piece of information which clarified everything.

'Oh, so that's what they call an earpiece… a device you can use to listen to things privately…' Li XinWen thought to himself. He compared the earpiece with the transmission jade slip from Long Xing and noticed that though the earpiece was small and looked aesthetic, its functionality was inferior to the transmission jade slip, since the earpiece's capability depended on its distance from the source. However, what Li XinWen forgot was that there was something closer in comparison to the transmission jade slip - a technology called a mobile phone.

Suddenly, the sound of the gavel striking the wood block pulled Li XinWen out of his thoughts. "Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the 46th Auction of the Moqi Association," came the rich baritone voice of the auctioneer. "I'm sure all of you are excited to make your bid on the vast collection of items we have included for today's event. Without further ado, we will now officially begin! The first item on the list is the statue of Lucrais Forsàidh!" The auctioneer introduced the item with much flair and drama, which instantaneously grabbed the participants' attention.

A group of employees wheeled in a cart covered with cloth onto the stage. From its size, one can discern that the item under the cloth was quite big, but Li XinWen did not show even the slightest interest.

When the statue was uncovered, several gasps and murmurs started to fill the auction hall. Upon hearing the crowd's gasps and murmurs, Li XinWen was suddenly filled with curiosity. The reaction from the participants was similar to the reaction elicited from cultivators in Long Xing whenever they encounter a rare treasure during an auction. He narrowed his eyes and leaned a little forward to examine the statue from his seat.

"It is the last work of the well-known sculptor from the 1400s, Daniel O'Brolchain. As history would have it, Master Daniel died without ever getting married. A group of people found the statue after forcibly entering Master Daniel's lodgings because of the foul stench of rotting flesh coming from inside. Within the house, they found Master Daniel's corpse, the tools of his trade, and this unfinished statue," the auctioneer explained.

Then he rambled on that the statue brought with it a curse to whoever had ownership, which, once again drew gasps and murmurs from the participants. The auctioneer could not have been happier with this reaction from the crowd. As if baiting the participants, the auctioneer went on to share that although the previous owners died grotesquely, they did enjoy ten years of success in their lifetime.

He went on to tell tales of how one of the owners became a successful employee in his chosen career, another became a well-known entertainer, and the last owner even entered the list of the world's richest men within a week of obtaining the statue.

'Oh, I've got your attention now! Hook, line and sinker!' the auctioneer thought.

And he couldn't have been more right. With all the good things he just mentioned he could feel that the participants were now leaning more towards bidding for the statue. Except of course for Li XinWen who felt that the auctioneer was just exaggerating.

"Rui-ge, why did he lie and say the item is cursed?" Li XinWen asked.

"Hmm? Is that really an exaggeration?" Xue Rui asked. "It's a fact that the previous owners of that statue died in disturbing circumstances..." Xue Rui said with a smile, hoping to scare Li XinWen. Unfortunately, it did not have the desired effect since Li XinWen just snickered at his statement.

"Aiya… Rui-ge, you don't really think it's cursed do you?" Li XinWen asked Xue Rui, his expression teasing but full of gentle affection. "My, my, I never thought that Rui-ge also had this cute side to him. Don't worry, there is no curse on that statue. If it comes down to it, I'll be here to defend you from whatever curse there is," Li XinWen said, chuckling as he shook his head.

Faced with Li XinWen's teasing, Xue Rui turned red from embarrassment. Not only because of his failed attempt to scare Li XinWen with the curse but also because of the fact that Li XinWen said that it was cute.

'Oh my god, my heart!' thought Xue Rui. 'Did I hear Li XinWen correctly? He thinks my behavior was cute? No, calm down Rui… do not get your hopes up just yet… Oh, but isn't it alright for me to think for a while that it may be possible after all?'

Seeing Xue Rui's reaction to his teasing, Li XinWen couldn't help but be amused. 'Ah… you are too simple Xue Rui,' Li XinWen thought. 'Just a little teasing and you're already this happy? Perhaps I should refrain from teasing him lest he gets the wrong idea again?'

Regaining his composure, Xue Rui cleared his throat and said in response, "Of course not!" pretending to straighten his tie and adjusting his expression which made Li XinWen laugh just a little.

This little banter between the two could have gone on longer if it wasn't for the auctioneer's jovial announcement. "400,000 yuan, going once! 400,000 yuan, going twice! Sold for 400,000 yuan to the lovely lady at the back!" gesturing his gavel towards an elegantly dressed elderly woman, before striking the gavel against a sound block, signaling the item as officially sold.

'Oh, it sold for 400,000 yuan? That's quite high,' thought Li XinWen. 'That could have sold for much less in Long Xing, judging from the overall condition of the statue. I'm guessing it sold for a relatively high price because of the auctioneer's exaggeration. Mortals in the lower realms are so simple…'

His train of thought was interrupted when the auctioneer announced the second item. Although he was unable to catch the actual name of the item, he felt as if his spiritual senses suddenly heightened, as if he was alerted that something magical was within the premises, and Lan Yu's reaction from within his hand confirmed this. Li XinWen suddenly felt the vigorous pulses coming from Lan Yu, as streams of warm energy spread through his hand, it was as if Lan Yu was trying to communicate with him.

'I know Lan Yu… I can sense the same magical energy in the auction hall. We'd better get ready to duke it out in the bidding…' he said in his mind as his response to Lan Yu.

Li XinWen's eyes narrowed and examined the item brought in by the auction employees. Even without Lan Yu telling him, he already knew the nature of the item.

"Rui-ge, do you think ten million would be enough to outbid every other bidder for this next item?" Li XinWen asked, his eyes fixed on the still covered item. The spiritual energy radiating from the item was undeniable and Li XinWen knew that it was something that a cultivator such as himself will find very useful. Considering the state of this mortal world and the scarcity of spiritual energy, even a low-grade magical item would be precious and he need to obtain it no matter the cost.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
Lin_XiaoLong Lin_XiaoLong

What do you guys think the item is? Leave your comment!

Also, after this chapter, the release frequency of this story will become 3x a week! Released on Monday, Wednesday and Friday!

Chapter 27: Chapter 11.2 - Who dares to steal from this Laozi?!

When Li XinWen expressed his interest on the second item, Xue Rui raised his eyebrows; he looked at Li XinWen then directed his gaze towards the stage. The item was still covered and yet it looked as if Li XinWen already knew what it was.

He let out a small laugh and decided to tease Li XinWen. "What's this XinWen, do you have a sixth sense or something? Do you already know what the item is that you are willing to bid ten million for it?"

Realizing his misstep, Li XinWen decided to tease Xue Rui back "Haha… Rui-ge, you never know," he teased back before saying: "It's only because my intuition tells me that this next item is something precious."

"Touché XinWen," Xue Rui replied with a small laugh before continuing, "Considering that it's just the second item on the list, the price won't reach over ten million and its quality may not be as good, unless interested parties actually bid against each other until it reaches that amount."

"Ah… is that so? But I really must have it," Li XinWen expressed as a matter of fact, as he turned to look at Xue Rui.

For a moment Xue Rui thought he saw a different aura surrounding Li XinWen as the latter turned towards him. There was a glint of determination in Li XinWen's gaze and Xue Rui had to blink to make sure he was not seeing things.

"Right… of course, XinWen…" was all he managed to say.

The cloth, finally removed, revealed a cauldron, which to a mortal's eye, was made of bronze. But to a cultivator such as himself, Li XinWen knew that it was only the outer appearance. From his perspective, the cauldron was surrounded with magical energy, and he was certain that it was one of the legendary, twelve celestial cauldrons that had disappeared from Long Xing a long time ago.

'I knew it… If such an item was able to make its way to the mortal realm, then there is also a way for me to return to Long Xing,' Li XinWen thought, trying hard not to let his eagerness overflow.

The auctioneer's voice suddenly filled the hall as he provided a brief historical account of the second item.

"This cauldron dates all the way back to the Shen Dynasty. According to the historian who studied the archive found in QuanNi valley, an ancient shaman used the cauldron to create various poisons during that time, and one of his concoctions ended the Shen Dynasty's rule! This, in turn, led to the rise of the Min Dynasty. After close examination by experts, this cauldron has no other use except as a decorative item. The starting bid is..." Before the auctioneer could even finish his sentence, someone spoke out from the crowd on the ground level of the auction hall.

"I would like to buy it out!"

Li XinWen rose from his seat when he heard the offer put forth by someone from the participants on the lower level of the auction hall. He narrowed his eyes and searched for the individual as he leaned forward against the balustrade of their box.

'Who dares to steal my treasure!? Such audacity!' he thought, as he clenched the surface of the balustrade.

Similarly, all eyes focused on the young man who stood in the middle of the seated participants on the ground level. He was dressed in a dark, navy suit and his stance showed such a strong presence and confidence it was almost arrogant. Judging from his stature and facial features, he was only slightly older than Xue Rui. The man was well-built as can be seen from how the dark navy suit hugged the contours of his body.

The auctioneer was taken by surprise that it took him a while to respond to the young man's offer. Upon regaining his composure, he addressed the man, "I'm sorry sir, I'm not sure if I heard you correctly."

'This young master must be out of his mind! Perhaps he is not aware of how the auction works,' the auctioneer thought.

"I would like to buy out the item." the young man repeated without hesitation.

"My apologies, young master, however, this is an absolute auction. As such, items in our repertoire will go to the highest bidder," the auctioneer explained.

"Then I bid five million for the item!" the man offered and the hall was filled with whispers and murmurs from the participants.

'My my! For this item to snag a price of five million, the commission I'll get for this sale will be the biggest yet!' he thought greedily.

"Five million from the young master!" the auctioneer acknowledged as he tapped the gavel on the sound block. "Does anyone else want to bid against five million?"

Li XinWen stood on edge in their second level box as he listened to the exchange between the auctioneer and the man who offered a bid of five million.

'Five million is half of what the original Li XinWen has in his accounts. That's half!' he thought as he calculated Li XinWen's accounts and balances. 'Is the cauldron worth that much? Do I need the cauldron? Of course, I need it… no, I must have it!' he continued debating in his thoughts. Finally, he heaved a deep sigh, clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. 'I'm sorry Li XinWen but I must have that cauldron,' he said to himself. He closed his eyes and stretched his right arm as if to cast a spell and in a deep voice he announced: "Six million!"

The offer drew gasps from the crowd on the ground level of the auction hall and everyone directed their gaze to the second level box.

"Six million from the gentleman on the second level box number 3!" the auctioneer announced.

'This may be the most profitable auction yet! What is with this cauldron that these gentlemen are willing to spend their millions on a decorative item! Ah! Rich people are so unpredictable sometimes,' the auctioneer thought. 'But of course I am more than happy to have them bid against each other as my commission depends on the total sales.'

"6.5 million!" the man countered, his expression strained. It seemed that 6.5 million was the highest amount he can bid for the item.

Li XinWen was not about to be intimidated by such amount now that he was all fired up. 'Do not underestimate me. I will not give up such treasure easily,' he thought as he announced a counterbid of seven million.

"Seven million!" the auctioneer acknowledged.

The excitement and tension that filled the auction hall were almost palpable that some participants had taken out their handkerchiefs to wipe the sweat on their forehead. Several participants sat on the edge of their seats, and with bated breath, they waited as to who would win in the ongoing bidding war between the two fine-looking gentlemen.

"Does anyone want to offer a bid higher than seven million?" the auctioneer asked smiling and full of excitement while scanning the crowd.

The man in the dark navy suit was disconcerted and looked flustered after hearing the seven million counterbid. He closed his eyes as if in resignation and sighed heavily as he shook his head. He took out a handkerchief from his inside coat pocket and wiped the sweat on his upper lip as he took his seat, a dismal expression on his face. The old gentleman seated to his left felt his disappointment and offered reassurance by patting his back gently as if to say that he fought well. The dejected man smiled out of courtesy and nodded his head.

Xue Rui who had been observing Li XinWen go through the bidding war sat amused the entire time.

'This is the first time I've seen Li XinWen so passionate in something other than acting! If only he can direct that same passion towards me, life would be perfect,' he thought, as he let out an amused chuckle.

Li XinWen stood restless as he anxiously waited for a counterbid to his seven million offer, at the same time hoping that no one else makes a counterbid.

"Seven million! Anyone? Then seven million is the highest bid for this cauldron." the auctioneer said as he gestured to the item.

Upon hearing the auctioneer, Li XinWen stood up straight and heaved a sigh of relief. He smoothed out his coat and smiled, feeling victorious.

"Seven million going once! Going twice! And sold!" the auctioneer raised the gavel and was about to strike the block when out of nowhere someone shouted a counterbid that shocked every individual in the crowd including the auctioneer and Li XinWen himself.

"Ten million."

"Your mother! Who dares to outbid this Laozi?!!!" Li XinWen exclaimed in anger.


Load failed, please RETRY

Gifts

Gift -- Gift received

    Weekly Power Status

    Batch unlock chapters

    Table of Contents

    Display Options

    Background

    Font

    Size

    Chapter comments

    Write a review Reading Status: C26
    Fail to post. Please try again
    • Writing Quality
    • Stability of Updates
    • Story Development
    • Character Design
    • World Background

    The total score 0.0

    Review posted successfully! Read more reviews
    Vote with Power Stone
    Rank 200+ Power Ranking
    Stone 3 Power Stone
    Report inappropriate content
    error Tip

    Report abuse

    Paragraph comments

    Login

    tip Paragraph comment

    Paragraph comment feature is now on the Web! Move mouse over any paragraph and click the icon to add your comment.

    Also, you can always turn it off/on in Settings.

    GOT IT