Auction Hall

Since it was a VIP room, there was a lot of space inside, and it was very comfortable and soothing. The lights were dim, and there was a strange, sweet fragrance that made their mind and bodies relaxed as they inhaled it.

There were two big, comfortable chairs the size of a sofa and a table in front of them, which held many delicacies and drinks. In the corners of the room, there were some chairs meant for an extra audience.

Shen Yu and Lan Ming took their seats on each of the sofas and looked at Ying Yue. Shen Yu looked at her with a complicated expression and asked.

"Do you really not want to sit here?"

Ying Yue was going to shake her head to show her refusal; after all, she was his shadow, so how could she sit beside him? However, when she looked into his eyes and saw the hope in them, she abandoned all her ideas. Shen Yu's happiness was what mattered to her, and it was above everything.

So, she smiled and came to take a seat beside Shen Yu. The chair was big enough to let both of them sit comfortably, but Ying Yue sat quite close to Shen Yu. He just laughed it off and put his hand around her slender waist.

Lan Ming looked ahead, trying not to see the obvious show of public affection. She didn't want to see it when she herself was single all her life and couldn't even find a proper partner. Still, she occasionally gave side glances at the duo and blushed. 

She cleared her throat and said.

"The Auction show will be starting soon."

Hearing her, Shen Yu turned to look at the stage of the Auction House. The VIP rooms had a special glass wall, which allowed them to see the other side, but the others couldn't see what was happening in the VIP room.

Shen Yu looked curiously at the auction house. This was his first time experiencing sitting in an auction house, so he was obviously very excited. In his previous life, he didn't even have money to go to theatres, so how would he actually go to auction houses?

The Crystal Water Auction indeed deserved its position as the biggest Auction House of Jade Province. Shen Yu had once seen the theatre, and this looked very similar to that.

There was a stage, and before it, there were ascending stairs on which chairs were placed, just like in the Theatre.

There were many chairs going way back, filled with a crowd of people. Everyone is trying to get in and get a seat. After all, these seats were open to anyone who wanted to come and the rule of First came First get applied here. Chairs were allotted to people who arrived early.

Others could either return or stand at the back of the chairs, which wasn't really a good position since they wouldn't be able to see the products listed in the auction clearly.

That was the ground floor. Rooms like boxes with giant black glass windows were constructed on the first and second floors.

They were the VIP rooms in which only the elite people sat.

As Shen Yu was observing, he caught the sight of two burly men closing the giant metal gate that led to the auction hall. 

It was the time for the Auction to begin.

And as Shen Yu guessed, the lights of the whole Auction House turned dim and almost dark. However, to cultivators like them, that much light was enough for them to see.

Soon, the audience also turned silent as they took their seats. VIP rooms were, as usual, too silent, and nobody knew if they were filled or not. All they could see was the number on top of them.

Suddenly, a beam of light fell on the stage, revealing an old man in sky-blue robes standing there. He was stroking his beard as his gaze passed on every one. A small smile played on his lips as he looked at everyone.

He then looked up at the VIP rooms and focused only on two: VIP room 3 and VIP room 5. These were the rooms in which very important people were sitting, and that's why he had come to personally host the auction.

Lan Ming raised an eyebrow, seeing the old man, and said.

"I didn't think the old man would personally come to host this auction."

"You know him?"

Shen Yu asked, seeing Lan Ming frowning.

"Yes, he's the head and manager of this branch of Crystal Water Auction House. His name is Zhou Zun, and he is at Foundation Realm, but he's very close to breakthrough to Core Formation Realm. That's why he's the head of a whole main branch of Auction House."

"I see, then it's certainly weird for him to personally host the Auction. Maybe it's because of you?"

Shen Yu guessed. But Lan Ming shook her head.

"Although I am somewhat of an important person, I don't think it's because of me. I have come to attend the auction in the past, and he never hosted any auctions. He only hosts the annual auctions."

"Hmm, that's definitely weird then. Well, we can't do anything; let's just wait and see."

Shen Yu shrugged. Lan Ming sighed and nodded. Shen Yu was right; they couldn't really do anything, so they might as well enjoy the auction properly.

The Old man named Zhou Zun waited for some time to let everyone settle down and spoke in his elderly, hoarse voice.

"I know some of you young blood are disappointed in seeing me instead of your beautiful Host, Xiang Ling, but bear with me. I'm already so old and will probably die, so endure me for now."

He then smirked and added.

"Not like your cursing me would do anything, Keke."

The audience laughed at that, and just like that, the auction began. The Auction in which the Divine Phoenix Empress got back her freedom.