The sparse attendance at the auction didn't strike Liu Ming as odd.
After all, just meeting the requirements of being at least in the latter stage of the Condensing Liquid phase or having the backing of a valley-based merchant had already eliminated most outsiders who were merely curious or wanted to join the commotion.
Among those present, there were likely quite a few who were companions or belonged to the same faction. The actual number of participants intent on bidding for the spiritual weapons probably did not even reach a hundred.
Even so, there were as many as a dozen individuals within the cave whose cultivation levels Liu Ming could not discern, and there were also seven or eight whose mere presence made him feel slightly unnerved.
"It seems this place truly is a den of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. I need to be extra vigilant since I'm here alone!"
Liu Ming inwardly laughed wryly as he thought to himself.