Chapter 58 Land Auction

Inside the auction house, crystal chandeliers illuminated the entire space as bright as day.

The air was permeated with a mixed fragrance of various rare spices. Hundreds of private boxes surrounded the central auction stage, forming a crescent of stars around the moon.

Lin Chuan leaned against the soft couch of the Earth-grade private box, tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest while his gaze remained fixed on the auction stage.

Beside him, Zhang Lin was nervously rubbing his hands, fine beads of sweat seeping from his forehead.

"Sixty million! The distinguished guest in Earth-grade Box Number Three bids sixty million lower-grade spiritual stones!"

The female auctioneer's voice trembled slightly with excitement, "Are there any higher bids?"

This was the twenty-seventh lot of the evening—a thousand-year-old blood ganoderma.

Lin Chuan looked at the crimson medicinal herb, its surface shimmering with golden veins, projected through the crystal display, and the corners of his mouth ticked upward slightly.

The spiritual herb was eventually acquired by a Master martial artist for sixty-three million.

"That's three billion now."

Fatty's voice echoed in Lin Chuan's mind, "That young master of the Wan family has made quite a fortune tonight."

Lin Chuan nodded gently.

From the start of the auction until now, the twenty-seven rare medicinal herbs put up for sale—all cultivated exclusively by the Wan family—had reached a staggering total transaction volume of three billion lower-grade spiritual stones.

Every single one of these medicinal herbs was a high-tier treasure with special effects, and the Wan family, relying on their unique cultivation techniques, almost monopolized them.

"The item coming up next is one of the main highlights of the night."

The female auctioneer clapped her hands, and four strong men carried a tray covered with red silk onto the stage.

The moment the red silk was lifted, a collective gasp echoed throughout the auction house.

It was a jade-green long sword, the natural patterns on its blade flowing slowly like a living creature.

"Heaven-grade medium-tier spiritual weapon—Qingming Sword!"

The auctioneer's voice rose high with excitement, "Forged from nine-day profound iron, the sword spirit has already taken initial form! Starting bid, eighty million lower-grade spiritual stones!"

Even the barrier arrays within the private boxes could not block the wave of astonished exclamations.

Lin Chuan straightened his body, a flash of surprise in his eyes. A Heaven-grade medium-tier spiritual weapon was a rarity even in Moon-grade cities; he hadn't expected one to appear at an auction in Tianyun City, a mere Star-grade cultivation city.

The bidding quickly broke the hundred-million mark.

In the end, this Qingming Sword was won by a mysterious guest for one hundred and fifty million.

Over the next hour, the auction featured more than a dozen Earth-grade high-tier and Heaven-grade low-tier treasures.

There was a heart-protecting mirror capable of withstanding a full blow from a King-grade martial artist, a spirit-gathering jade pendant that accelerated spiritual energy recovery, and even a secret manual recording insights into breaking through to the Master martial realm.

Every high-priced transaction sparked a heated wave of discussion.

The atmosphere inside the auction house grew increasingly warm, peoples emotions constantly being driven higher.

"Honored guests,"

The female auctioneer, after the hammer fell on another lot, suddenly shifted to a more solemn tone,

"Next, we will conduct the most special auction of the night—the land transfer of Lord Zhao Wuyan."

The entire auction house fell silent in an instant.

Lin Chuan stopped tapping his fingers. He leaned forward slightly, his gaze turning sharp.

"As everyone knows, Lord Zhao Wuyan successfully broke through to the King-grade martial realm last month and will soon depart for the Moon-grade cultivation city, 'Xuanyue City'."

The auctioneer's voice clearly reached every corner,

"Therefore, Lord Zhao has decided to publicly auction all of his landholdings in Tianyun City."

A detailed map appeared on the crystal projection.

Lin Chuan narrowed his eyes, carefully examining every detail. The land was mainly distributed near the mountains east of the city, with eighty percent located in the outer city and twenty percent in the inner city, covering a total area of over twenty thousand mu.

"To facilitate your bidding, the land has been divided into twenty parcels, each of one thousand mu."

The auctioneer pointed to the area marked in red on the map,

"First to be auctioned is the outermost parcel of land near the eastern mountain range. This land is yet undeveloped, but the soil quality is exceptional, making it particularly suitable for cultivating medicinal herbs. Starting bid, twenty million lower-grade spiritual stones!"

As soon as the words fell, a lazy yet unquestionable voice came from Heaven-grade Box Number Three:

"Fifty million."

The entire auction house fell dead silent.

Not only had this price more than doubled instantly, but more importantly, everyone recognized the voice as belonging to Young Master Wan San.

Zhang Lin's face instantly turned pale.

"It's over,"

he whispered to Lin Chuan, "Young Master Wan San is determined to win this. We... should we just give up?"

Lin Chuan did not answer immediately; instead, he stared at the map in deep thought.

A moment later, the corners of his mouth curved into a meaningful smile: "Don't rush, the good show has only just begun."

Just as Lin Chuan expected, after Young Master Wan San quoted the exorbitant price of fifty million, no one dared to compete with him.

The first parcel of land quickly fell into the hands of the Wan family.

The next nine parcels were also land situated at the foot of the outer mountain range, and Young Master Wan San used the exact same tactic to easily secure them all at fifty million each.

"See that?"

Lin Chuan explained to the nervous Zhang Lin and the others, "Land at the foot of the mountain is best suited for growing medicinal herbs, which is precisely what Young Master Wan San needs most. But he won't swallow up all the land on the opposite side that is suitable for building shops."

When the auction reached the fifteenth parcel of land—the fifth parcel located opposite the eastern mountain range—Young Master Wan San predictably called out the price of fifty million.

"Fifty-one million."

Lin Chuan's voice suddenly rang out, echoing clearly through the auction house.

In an instant, hundreds of gazes snapped toward the Earth-grade private box where Lin Chuan sat.

Although the barrier array had been deactivated, the specially designed private boxes still prevented outsiders from seeing the interior.

Zhang Lin was so startled he almost slipped off his chair: "Lin—Lin Chuan! Have you lost your mind?"

Yet Lin Chuan remained calm and composed, picking up his teacup and taking a sip without batting an eye.

Dead silence filled the auction house as everyone held their breath, waiting for Young Master Wan San's reaction.

To everyone's surprise, however, Heaven-grade Box Number Three remained utterly silent.

"Fifty-one million going once... fifty-one million going twice..."

The auctioneer's voice trembled slightly, "Sold! Congratulations to the distinguished guest in Earth-grade Box Number Seven!"

The entire auction house erupted instantly.

Whispers broke out everywhere as everyone speculated wildly about the identity of this audacious bidder.

Inside the private box, Zhang Lin and the others were already breaking out in cold sweat. Lin Chuan, however, wore a satisfied smile:

"Look, didn't I say he wouldn't care about one or two plots of land?"

"B-But..."

Zhang Lin stammered, "That's Young Master Wan San we're talking about!"

Lin Chuan put down his teacup, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes:

"What the Wan family needs most is land for cultivating medicinal herbs. As for locations to open Wan Family Apothecaries, they don't need all that much space. The plot I snatched won't affect their core business at all."

In the subsequent bidding, Young Master Wan San still secured the sixteenth parcel—the final plot in the outer city—at the price of fifty million, as if the previous episode had never happened.

Yet when the final four inner-city land parcels began auctioning, Lin Chuan noticed the curtains of Heaven-grade Box Number Three flutter slightly.

"Interesting,"

Fatty chuckled in Lin Chuan's mind, "That kid is watching you."