The Great Auction Battle!

Cultivators both rich and powerful have gathered inside Jiangshan's auction house to see what kind rare wonders the establishment had stocked up on.

Divided into three floors, the 1st floor for walk ins and the 2nd for reservations. The third happens to be where the city's influential people gathered. And in one it the 3rd floor's gaudy V.I.P. room is where the married couple are seated.

Overlooking the sale happening down below from the comfort of their seats, Lin was elated as she sipped the sweet rice wine granted by the house.

"It's too early in the day to be inebriated like that." Liuming admonished, the calmness of her tone was evidence that she wasn't upset in the slightest, merely giving her wife a piece of her mind.

"Does it bother you? Then I'll stop." Lin put her cup down. If it was anyone else she would have stood her ground, arguing that she could drink whenever the hell she wanted. This time, Lin was on a date with her wife. They might be new at this, they surmised that the secret to a successful marriage was a give and take.

"No. Carry on. Just make sure you don't get drunk. I don't want to deal with a scandalous wife."

"Pfft. Me, scandalous? I don't have a single scandalous bone in my body!"

"Oh, you don't? Remind me again who stormed into our family estate and had my father beat senseless?"

Lin nonchalantly sipped her wine, "Hey, I was completely sobber back then. And your father is a dick, he deserved it."

"That...that is true." Liuming was about to rebut but decided against it. A giggle was shared between them when they realized that their evaluation about Liuming's father aligned.

+++

The black haired woman at the center of the podium gestured her hand at the pedestal. On top of it was a medium ranked pill called 'Qi Barrier Pill'. Similar to physical cultivators, it can surround you with an aura of your qi element that can take a certain threshold of Qi attacks before breaking.

"Let's start with this wonderful Qi Barrier Pill! The opening bid should be at 500 spirit stones!"

The patron wearing a red hat at the 1st floor raised, "600 spirit stones!"

"600 for the gentleman with the red hat!" The auctioneer announced.

"700!" A woman weaning blue robes on the 2nd floor raised.

"700 for the fine lady on the 2nd floor! Anyone else!?"

While the patrons started the bidding commotion for the pill down below, the married couple remained laid back and delighted in each other's company instead.

Right next to the jar of rice wine was a tray of grapes, another on the house gift for the two. Liuming picked one and was immediately assaulted by its delicious fruity sweet but with a hint of sour flavor.

. "These grapes are really good!" Liuming handpicked one and positioned it close to her wife's mouth where she could bite it from her fingers. "Here, try some!"

Lin's teeth touched her wife's fingers as she grabbed it with her own mouth, "Yeah, that is sweet. We definitely should buy something instead of simply lounging around in this room."

After being given such lavish food and drinks, the last thing that they would want is to be labeled as cheapskates. They represent the union of the two prominent families after all.

"Are there any specific goods that you are interested in?" Liuming asked, taking another piece of grapes. Perhaps Lin was in need of a pill or a weapon?

"Unless you manage to sell yourself at the podium below, I don't think any of the auctioned products here would entice me."

Liuming chuckled at the romantic absurdity of Lin. It was cheesy, but what's the harm in playing along?

Leaning in close, Liuming tilted her head in a curious fashion, "Then whatever will you do if someone outbids you?"

"For you, I would gladly give all the An family's spirit stones."

Liuming laughed, it was all a hypothetical but serious look Lin's eyes made Liuming's heart flutter. Thus, she welcomed Lin's advance for a kiss.

After almost an hour of flirting, a worthy product has finally caught their attention. The scroll with a golden sheen on the podium exuded elegance, containing such a mighty technique within.

"Saving the best for last, this scroll has been unearthed in an ancient ruin, dating several centuries old!" Enthusiasm dripped from the announcer's voice, hinting at the scroll's awesome power. "There is one caveat, the technique within is tailored only for those possessing ice qi. That said, this technique should decimate your foes in an inescapable explosion of ice! The bidding starts at 5,000 spirit stones! Any takers!?"

Lin put down her cup of wine as she and Liuming exchanged glances. What they needed to do was as clear as day. Both of them are relieved, looks the auction house would get compensated for the food and drinks after all.

Through the bamboo blinds covering their booth, Lin raised her offer, "10,000 spirit stones for the scroll."

Double the price on the first raise, a devastating blow to those who would think of claiming the scroll! Lin highly doubted that there are any ice qi practitioners that would dare go against her offer.

"Ooooh, we've got a high roller on our hands! 10,000 spirit stones for the lady in the vip booth number 2. Anyone willing to match the offer?" All smiles, the auctioneer was elated for 10,000 was more than enough of their estimated profit.

Smug in her victory, Lin once again sipped wine from her cup. The silence that ensued meant only that her plan to overwhelm those who would dare bid against her worked. Any moment now the auctioneer should declare the scroll to be theirs…

"I bid 20,000 spirit stones for the scroll."

…Until another bid shattered the silence, alongside the cup in Lin's hands, making the leftover liquor spill on her robe.

"20,000 spirit stones for the cheongsam wearing beauty on the first row! Will our V.I.P. in the second booth match the offer?"

You bet Lin would match the offer, but first she needed to see who dares to outbid her. Striding with an agitated gait, she swept the blinds to peer into the public view and see firsthand who she was up against.

Lin gasped in disbelief, of course, if anyone else would spend that much amount of spirit stones for a technique that isn't even aligned with their qi element, it would be them.

"Liuming, come close, you have got to see who is betting against us."

"Who is it? Let me see…*Gasps*...it's them!"

Locking eyes with those above the vip room, Yanmei flashed them a smirk as the two high rollers finally made themselves known.

"Wait a minute, aren't those two part Xiao's harem? They're like us!" Luqing exclaimed, sitting right next to her foxy lover.

"Indeed, but a major difference is that we cannot lose against them."

The competitiveness in Yanmei's gaze was something Luqing found dashing, it resonated with her.

"I like that look in your eyes! We can always snatch the scroll from them if we can't win the bid! Those two are weak as shit, it's like taking candy from a baby!"

"What…we will be doing no such thing! We will win fair and square and prove that we are superior lovers in terms of financial prowess!" The appalled Yanmei rebutted.

"Yeaaah…I have no prowess in that department."

It was Yanmei's turn to gasp in disbelief. Her lover is as broke as hobo! Will Yanmei have to take those two alone!?

"40,000 spirit stones." Liuming announced her bid. Even she was adamant that the scroll should be obtained by them.

Just like any fight, there is a strategy involved in auctions. You increment your bid, raising it by a hundred or a thousand, measure the limits of your opponent so you can edge above it. But this double bidding was pure brute forcing! Nonetheless, Yanmei has to step up, fight them in their own terms or else she would look beneath the brats!

"80,000 spirit stones for the scroll!" The agitated Yanmei shouted.

But before the auctioneer could announce, both the cultivators above bid in unison, delivering the finishing blow.

"We bid 160,000 for the spirit stones."

A few moments later…

Sinking into her seat, Yanmei sighed, "I can't believe we lost."

"Like I said, there's a way to obtain that scroll if you truly want to, Yan Yan."

"And ruin our connection with them!? We're not doing that." Yanmei composed herself. "What do you say we come and congratulate them on their victory?"