Chapter 077: Paying the Tuition (Please Add to Favorites)

"Hehe," Lin Zhan didn't know why, but seeing Nightingale in this state made him want to tease her. He reached out to pat her head, smiling as he said, "I did bring some, but I'm not sure if it's enough."

"This feeling of being patted on the head is so comfortable," Nightingale lowered her head and enjoyed it, seemingly forgetting her young mistress's admonition that a woman shouldn't let a man touch her head so casually.

But spirit stones were still a major concern. "Young master, why don't you take them out and count? The bidding has already reached sixteen million; the competition is fierce."

Lin Zhan nodded. "Alright, I'll take them out and count. You can see if they're enough. There should be more in the storage."

A heavy thud sounded as the stones were set down, followed by Nightingale's startled cry, then a dawning realization as she clamped a hand over her mouth, struggling to suppress her laughter, shoulders shaking with mirth.

"Wow, high-grade spirit stones! Young master, this is more than enough! Hurry and put them away before someone sees."

The commotion carried through to the neighboring rooms. The guests occupying the prestigious Celestial Room No. 1 had already provoked envy; now, hearing such noises, their neighbors' minds turned ever more toward sordid conjectures.

With those sounds, their guess was that this nouveau riche bumpkin, who had somehow earned a spot in the top room, must be "bullying" the young lady in his box, and in a most brutish fashion—clearly a coarse fellow unaccustomed to proper society.

Earlier, when the bidding for the Peerless Elixir began, it was the Celestial Room No. 2 on the right that started, and soon the price soared as bids flew back and forth.

Now, inside Celestial Room No. 2, a young gentleman in elegant attire, his face pale and refined, was fuming as he shouted to his attendants, "Keep raising the paddle! And someone, go tell the neighbors to quiet down. They're banging the walls, crying, laughing—what is going on?"

The auction in Fuyang City always attracted sects from outside the Flaming Mountain Range. Between the Flaming Mountains and the Blue Ice Royal City, including the Misty Glacier, dozens of sects and schools were scattered, among them the Lingxiao Pavilion and the Thunder Sect, to which the pale-faced youth belonged.

He was none other than Lei Feiyang, the beloved son of Thunder Sect's master Lei Tian, and the sect's young master.

This was Lei Feiyang's first time undertaking a sect mission outside, bringing with him a team of dozens, including several bodyguards and a hefty sum of spirit stones, all in hopes of acquiring rare treasures at the auction.

He already felt frustrated being in the second box; now, hearing the commotion next door made him even more irate. Moreover, the bidding for the Peerless Elixir had reached a stalemate, with the young master Zhong Qi of Canglang Tower in Celestial Room No. 3 continually pushing the price higher.

After several rounds, the remaining competitors withdrew, leaving just two parties raising the bid by a million at a time.

"Twenty million spirit stones!" the white-robed young master from Celestial Room No. 3 called out, leaning halfway over the railing, head cocked, deliberately shouting toward Lei Feiyang.

"Forget the neighbors. Raise the bid!" Lei Feiyang was furious.

His steward, Gao Zhuo, had hesitated—being sent to warn the neighbors was no easy task. He was an old hand; anyone treated to Celestial Room No. 1 by the auction house was either powerful or held some advantage—not someone to be provoked lightly.

Confronting them without understanding their background could easily backfire.

Now, with Zhong Qi from Room No. 3 stepping up, the problem was somewhat diverted.

Yet Gao Zhuo remained troubled. The Thunder Sect had received internal news of an extraordinary item that would greatly boost their strength, so they had allocated a hundred million spirit stones for the young master to secure it at all costs.

Who could have guessed that upon hearing about the Peerless Elixir, the young master suddenly developed an interest in alchemy? If he continued to bid, it would surpass twenty million, and who knew how much more would be needed to win this as-yet unstudied elixir manual.

The sect's mission might well fail.

Thinking this, Gao Zhuo stepped quietly forward to remind him, "Young master, will our hundred million spirit stones be enough?"

"Do not try to stop me now! I will not swallow my pride. Raise the bid to twenty-two million!" Lei Feiyang glared and turned away, clearly incensed.

With no expression, Gao Zhuo turned and nodded to the young lady responsible for raising the bidding paddle.

Celestial Room No. 2's paddle was raised twice—twenty-two million spirit stones.

"Very well, Celestial Room No. 2 bids twenty-two million spirit stones!" Uncle Lian, presiding over the auction, felt his heart pounding.

This Peerless Elixir manual seemed impressive, but only a fated person could decipher it. Otherwise, it was just waste. He had worried it might not sell, but now the price had more than doubled.

"It should be reaching its limit," Uncle Lian murmured, glancing at the upper-level Celestial rooms.

Much of the auction hall mirrored his posture, waiting to see if the guest in Room No. 3 would raise the bid again.

Inside Room No. 3, Zhong Qi, young master of Canglang Tower, lounged comfortably, tossing grapes into his mouth one by one. Chewing, he said, "Ha! Lei Feiyang, that fool, how could he possibly be a match for me? This pointless Peerless Elixir manual will cost him a fifth of his spirit stones. That rare item at the end will be mine."

"Brilliant as always, young master. Lei Feiyang's first outing should teach him a costly lesson," the red-clad girl beside him laughed, nestling closer.

Everyone in the box was in high spirits—defeating a rival without a fight was immensely satisfying.

As everyone's necks grew stiff from craning, Uncle Lian finally moved, ending their suspense: "The Peerless Elixir manual, Celestial Room No. 2's final bid, twenty-two million spirit stones. If there are no further bids, it will be sold—"

Though many hoped the bidding would continue, the Peerless Elixir auction was about to conclude.

Necks finally relaxed as bodies and heads turned back, ready for the next lot.

Just as Uncle Lian was about to finish his sentence, a clear, resonant voice rang out from Celestial Room No. 1 above: "I wish to bid!"

A commotion followed—a woman's cry of pain, a thud, and the bidding paddle from Room No. 1 sailed over the railing.

"Young master, forgive me, Nightingale didn't mean to fall!"