**Chapter 21: Auction**

Certainly, here are the corrected questions:

1. Do you read this on the app or the browser?

2. Which is your favorite Venerable, and why? (Great Love does not count)

3. Which is your least favorite Venerable, and why?

4. Did you enjoy this chapter?

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After the doors were closed, it didn't take long for a young and beautiful woman to walk on stage. Judging by the rings on her hand, she held rank 2.

"You may be Fei Yu clan Gu Masters, you may be rogue cultivators, you could even be from my Ren Clan. But tonight, this does not matter. I welcome everyone to the Ren Clan Auction."

"Now, before we start, let me refresh the auction's rules."

"Every item has a minimum price; no bid can be under that price. Some items may have increments in which you can bid."

"For example, an item may have a minimum price of 100 primeval stones, with every bid required to raise the price by at least 10 primeval stones."

"You can give up a bid with a simple shout of the number you wish to bid. This applies to everyone except the V.I.P.s in the private rooms; they can bid through the Gu prepared in all private rooms beforehand."

"If you give up the last and highest bid, you have won the item and are expected to pay for it."

"Any attempts at intimidating other participants in this auction are disallowed," she said with a serious tone that left no room for discussion.

"The auction will start with items suitable for rank 1 Gu Masters and work its way up the ranks in chronological order."

"There will be a 15-minute break every three hours."

"Now, without further ado, let us start the auction."

*Private Room Nr. 73*

"Wei, let me know if you see a Gu that you like, and I will try to buy it for you."

"Thank you, Father."

"Also, pay attention to the bids and prices; this is useful information for a Gu Refiner as well…"

"I will keep that in mind."

The private room, well, it served its function, probably about 20 m², with a comfortable couch facing the auction.

'This wall is interesting, kind of like a one-way mirror, but achieved through the effects of a Gu.'

The only thing that stood in front of us was a little table with two rank 1 Gu on it. One was to bid on Gu in the Auction, and the other called a servant to the room so that we could order drinks or food.

'I just wish these people would leave me alone with those Gu for a few days, so that I could study them… But no, there is an auction wanting my attention.'

Two mortals rolled a podium covered with a cloth onto the stage and then promptly left.

"Now onto our first item of tonight…"

'Hehehe… it had to be special for them to put it first, but this, I did not expect…'

"For those of you who do not know, this is the Second Live Gu. It is a one-time-use Gu that can only be used by rank 1 Gu Masters and is also expendable."

"Its effect is to revive a Gu Master once they have died. This Gu must be used upfront; if the Gu has been used on you, you can die, but you will instantly revive in your peak health condition."

"This upfront use of the Gu can only be done on a rank 1 Gu Master, but if this Gu Master advances, it would still work."

"If you revive with the help of this Gu at rank 2, you will revive with some injuries, and if you revive at rank 3, you will revive with heavy injuries."

"It has no effect on a rank 4 Gu Master. And the starting bid is 5,000 primeval stones."

'What a broken Gu. What path is it? Definitely human path, but that cannot be the only one… Hmmm.'

'Also, 5,000 primeval stones… that is a lot…'

Not even a second after I had thought that, I heard the young woman on stage shout out bids.

"6,000 primeval stones."

"6,500 primeval stones."

"7,000 primeval stones."

"7,500 primeval stones."

"9,000 primeval stones."

'What? You could buy a rank 3 Gu for that… and an expensive one too…'

"10,000 primeval stones."

"10,100 primeval stones."

"10,300 primeval stones."

After the 10 thousand mark, the bidding seemed to slow down considerably, but then I saw it, out of the corner of my eye…

My father picking up the Gu to bid…

"What are you trying to do… waste your money??"

"No, son, it is just primeval stones… to me, your life is much, much more important."

"11,000 primeval stones."

'I knew this was a bid my father had done…'

In this moment, I actually lost my composure, and my shock must have been written on my face, as my father said.

"Remember, primeval stones can always be earned back, but life is something you only have one of. When you started your journey as a Gu Master, I said that I would support you with all my strength and wealth, and I meant that. So even if I have to spend everything I have to help you, I will."

While this was going on, the auction came to a stop at 12,300 primeval stones.

"12,300 primeval stones going once."

"12,300 primeval stones going twice."

"12,300 primeval stones going three times."

"Sold for 12,300 primeval stones."

"Hahaha…"

"I guess I will have two lives from now on…'

"Thank you…" I mumbled, barely audible, and then we just sat in silence as the Second Live Gu was taken off the stage and replaced by another podium covered with a piece of cloth.

This time it was a Green Copper Relic Gu, it sold for exactly 2,000. The Auction took only about 5 minutes, and after it was done, there was a knock on our door.

*Knock*

*Knock*

*Knock*

"Come in," said my father, as if he was expecting the visitor.

In came a young male Rank 1 Gu Master, who bowed and said:

"Elder Zhen, I have come here to deliver the Second Live Gu and collect the payment."

"Hmm…" said my father as he waved his hand, sacks and sacks of primeval stones appearing in the room as he did.

"The Gu?"

The young Gu Master did not dare to delay in front of the powerful Rank 3 Elder and handed over the Second Live Gu.

Then he, in turn, waved his hand, and all the money disappeared; he promptly left after.

'Must be a Gu the auction house lent him…'

"Wei, come here and use this Gu, right now…"

'I definitely will not have a chance to cheat and secretly sell that Gu while my father is watching… pity.'

"Yes, father!"

I walk up to my father, take the Gu into my hand, and inspect it for a moment. It was about 10 centimeters tall and looked like a poorly crafted voodoo doll. And then there was this creepy sound it made, as if it had already accepted that its only purpose is to die, over and over again… forever.

'Please don't be painful…' I thought as I poured my primeval essence into the Gu.

As soon as my primeval essence touched the Second Live Gu, it teleported into my Aperture. Once there, it began to slowly melt into a black tar-like substance and conglomerate above my Aperture.

Once the whole Gu was gone, all that remained was a black ball floating above my Aperture.

'No pain until now, maybe those one-time-use Gu are not that bad…'

I had not finished thinking that before:

*Boom*

The black ball exploded all over my Aperture wall, and before I knew it, pain overwhelmed my mind.

'Ahh, shit, this hurts so much…' I thought as I gritted my teeth, so hard that I thought they would break any moment.

In that moment, I did not notice it, but my father looked calm, as if he expected this to happen.

I just continued to grit my teeth and clench my fist, as I hoped for the pain to pass away quickly. Meanwhile, in my Aperture, the black Gu was being absorbed by my Aperture walls at record speeds.

*Uhg* I let out a grunt as the pain rapidly subsided after one minute passed.

'Another one for the list…. Wait, no, this is a human or maybe heaven path Gu…. Shit.'

'I guess it is not another one for the list, as Heaven's Will was on my list since the beginning.'

"How much of the auction did I miss?"

'Humph… at least he looks a bit impressed by my nonchalance…'

"You have missed 2 Gu, all of them were for attack though, so I would say you have not missed much."

Without keeping the conversation going, I sit back down and focus on the auction again.

'I might be a bit pissed, as I have suffered a lot of pain just now, but I get it, it was necessary to use the Gu right now. Every minute that it is not used is a potential to have it stolen or lost in another way. One can never know what goes through the heads of someone who is desperate, but does not have the money, for instance…'

"Now, honored guests, next to be auctioned is the Freezing Cube Gu. For those unaware, it is a storage Gu that specializes in storing and freezing food over long periods of time."

"The starting price is 200 primeval stones, and every bid must be at least 10 primeval stones more than the last."

"Start."

"250 primeval stones."

"260 primeval stones."

"280 primeval stones."

This auction was slower, and more rank 1 worthy, if you will. At least the prices were reasonable for a rank 1 Gu.

'I don't need that Gu… so let's wait this out…'

From there, it went fast. One Gu after the other was auctioned off and delivered to their new owners, against payment of course.

Fiery Explosion Gu – sold for 430 primeval stones

Rage Strength Gu – sold for 690 primeval stones

'This one was a surprise to me as it makes the Gu Master using it lose their mind while it was in use…'

'Generally, the prices were high, most even over the 500 primeval stone mark that was normal for rank 1 Gu. This has to do with the fact that only the rare and exceptionally powerful Gu are even in this auction.'

Night Empowerment Gu – sold for 1,200 primeval stones

'This was one I was greedy for, as it enhanced other Gu when it was night, but the price was getting a bit too much for its true value.'

Root Healing Gu – sold for 700 primeval stones

'A nice healing Gu, the user would grow roots out of their feet and use the earth to heal. The negatives are that it restricts movement and cannot be used on other people. These were things I could live with, though.'

'We had managed to buy it rather easily because there was only one other person bidding for it, who gave up after bidding 650 primeval stones.'

"The next Gu will be the Delayed Hunger Gu…."

"…"

"…"

"Start."

My father did not look that interested in it because we both understood one simple fact: this Gu would not be bought by a Fei Yu clan Gu Master.

It just had a use that was too good to be true for those merchants; it delayed hunger of Gu for over a month, which at the end of the day saved them from feeding one rank 1 Gu at all between stops of their caravan.

This is very useful for Gu whose foods are expensive or difficult to store on the sea for long periods.

'I would not be surprised if some rank 3 or 4 Gu Master tried to buy and refine it into a higher-ranking version of itself.'

"2,000 primeval stones."

'Huh? This was a bit much even for this…'

'Not to mention as a first bid?? What the…'

'This person really needs it; should I risk it and go even higher?'

"Any other bids?" asked the young Auctioneer.

'No, the risk is too high, and I really don't want to be poor for 6 months waiting for the next caravan to sell this Gu to.'

"2,000 primeval stones going once."

"2,000 primeval stones going twice."

"2,000 primeval stones going three times."

"Sold for 2,000 primeval stones."

'She called it out, so it is someone from a private booth… '

'Probably someone that really needed this Gu for some reason… not that I am complaining, 2,000 primeval stones are 2,000 primeval stones.'

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