"Good evening, everyone. I'm Huai'an, the innkeeper of Wangshu Inn.
"Normally, Wangshu Inn is just a place for you to stay and eat. We've never held an auction before.
"But it so happens that several large commerce guilds from Liyue are gathered here today.
"They noticed that our inn is filled with distinguished guests, some of whom are quite famous.
"So, they proposed holding an auction here to liven things up by showcasing some rare treasures.
"Of course, I couldn't refuse such a great idea. I even shamelessly took on the role of auctioneer. I hope you don't mind."
Innkeeper Huai'an started with a lot of formalities, which made everyone feel bored. They urged him to get on with it, as their food was getting cold.
They didn't care about the reasons for holding the auction; they were just there for the excitement.
"Alright, let's get started with the first item. It's a 'Brilliant Diamond Gemstone's Fragment' provided by the Jinhua Commerce Guild.
"As we all know, when a Vision holder wants to surpass their current limits, they need elemental materials corresponding to their Vision.
"This 'Brilliant Diamond Gemstone's Fragment,' however, is compatible with all seven elements, making it an extremely rare and valuable material.
"I'm sure many Vision holders here tonight might be interested. So, without further ado, the starting bid is 100,000 Mora. Let's begin!"
The innkeeper Huai'an signaled the staff to bring out a small box. When the lid was lifted, it revealed six irregularly shaped, golden-yellow crystals.
"Oh, it seems the Jinhua Commerce Guild is being quite generous, setting the starting price so low."
"They're just putting on a show. This kind of universal material is in high demand, and the final price won't be low. I saw seven or eight Vision holders here earlier. Even if they don't need it now, they will in the future."
"Exactly!"
The surrounding crowd buzzed with discussions. Nolan overheard two men in merchant attire at the next table talking, and a thought struck him.
If these Brilliant Diamond Gemstone's Fragments are universally compatible, then buying them for Fischl might be a good idea.
"Hey, Lumine, isn't this the material you used for your breakthrough last time?" Paimon floated up to get a better look at the item Huai'an had presented, sounding a bit surprised.
She was referring to the time right after they met, before they reached Mondstadt.
Nolan was surprised as he looked at Lumine. He remembered that she, capable of controlling all seven elements, used some unusual materials for her breakthroughs.
If he recalled correctly, it was indeed this kind of golden Brilliant Diamond Gemstone's Fragment.
Hmm, this means Lumine needs these materials for her breakthroughs too. Fischl might have to wait since she can use other Electro materials, but Lumine seems to need this specific kind.
He wondered if this was the only downside of being able to control seven elements.
"Yes, it is. I didn't expect to find such materials at this auction. I'm determined to get them," Lumine said excitedly, pausing from eating her stir-fried noodles and licking her lips.
The night breeze gently moved the ribbons behind her, and the soft curves of her shoulder blades were highlighted by the moonlight and lantern light.
"200,000!"
Just as Lumine and Paimon were talking, a young man a few tables to their right called out a bid.
He had a Dendro Vision hanging on his chest.
Nolan instinctively glanced at him with his golden Eye of Judgment.
*[Level: 26]*
Not weak at all. It seemed he was also preparing for future breakthroughs. After all, finding the necessary materials when reaching the level 40 limit could take a lot of time, so preparing in advance was normal.
"Wow, what should we do? The price doubled in an instant. Do you have enough Mora?" Paimon looked anxiously at Lumine, her hand frozen mid-bite with a Lotus Crisp.
"When we returned to Mondstadt the day before yesterday, I sold all the materials we had collected from defeating monsters to the association. Now I have around one million Mora. I hope it's enough," Lumine said, a hint of worry on her fair face.
The last time she used a Brilliant Diamond Gemstone for a breakthrough was purely by chance, finding it in a Hilichurl camp. She hadn't encountered any since then.
So, she didn't want to miss this opportunity.
"No problem, I have a few hundred thousand Mora as well. If it's not enough, I can lend you some," Nolan offered with a smile.
At the current market price, these Brilliant Diamond Gemstone's Fragments should be around one million Mora. Their combined Mora should be sufficient.
"Thank you." Lumine's face brightened at his words.
[Lumine Has Developed Good Feelings Towards You, Obtained 250 Affection Points. Current Affection Level: Lv.6 (505/600)]
Soon, others started bidding, increasing the price by tens of thousands each time. Quickly, the first auction item's price reached 1.1 million, surpassing its market value.
Since the market couldn't always supply these materials, a bit of overpricing was normal.
"Anyone else?" Huai'an called out from the stage.
Despite his voice not being loud, everyone in the room heard him clearly, indicating his strength wasn't to be underestimated.
Nolan curiously checked him out, discovering Huai'an was level 53.
Not a Vision holder, yet reaching this level implied his mastery of martial arts was top-notch.
"One million, one hundred and fifteen thousand!" Lumine quickly placed her bid.
"Alright, one million, one hundred and fifteen thousand, any more bids?" Huai'an asked.
The open-air restaurant fell quiet as everyone continued eating. The Vision holders, who needed the material, seemed to think the price was too high and didn't continue bidding.
Unlike Lumine, they didn't absolutely need this material for their breakthroughs. Other elemental materials were available.
"Phew, it seems we've got it," Paimon sighed in relief, patting her chest.
But suddenly, a voice from their right rear called out, "One million, three hundred thousand!"
"What?!" Paimon jumped, quickly turning to see who the audacious bidder was.
It was a young man with dark blue short hair, wearing a matching thin shirt and white short boots. When he noticed their gaze, he smiled back at them from a distance.
"Who is that boy? Why did he raise the price so much?" Lumine asked, turning back in frustration.
That must be Xingqiu, Nolan thought, recognizing the boy who looked exactly like the character in the game.
Unexpectedly, just yesterday Sun Yu sent a letter saying they could seek his help if needed, and now they encountered him by chance.
The golden Vision of Judgment revealed he was level 39, suggesting he also needed these breakthrough materials.
"That boy seems quite wealthy. We can't keep increasing by only 50,000 Mora. The upper limit is 1.5 million; otherwise, we won't have enough for Liyue Harbor," Nolan reasoned.
Lumine had one million Mora, and he had 700,000. They needed to save 200,000 for future expenses.
(End of Chapter)
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