It must be said that the Mittel Family's business, which spans the entire Empire, truly has its unique advantages when it comes to trade.
Early the next morning, as soon as Mo Yu left the inn, he could hear discussions about the Mittel Auction House everywhere. Clearly, a great deal of advertising must have been done.
After passing through a few streets and asking for directions, Mo Yu, dressed in a black robe that largely concealed his face, finally arrived at a magnificent auction house after leaving the inn.
Compared to the auction house in Wutan City, this one was more majestic, taller, and more eye-catching in terms of architecture alone.
Seeing the auction house before him, Mo Yu momentarily lost himself in thought, and the image of a voluptuous woman in a red cheongsam slowly appeared in his mind.
Shaking his head, Mo Yu couldn't help but rub his chin and ponder for a moment about suddenly remembering Ya Fei. A few breaths later, he could only attribute it to the drawbacks of the Tian Gang Thunder Body at work.
Upon reaching the magnificent entrance, Mo Yu was about to enter when he was stopped by several guards. As expected of a Blackrock City auction house, even the Mittel Family's guards possessed the strength of a Dou Shi.
Since he had no invitation, Mo Yu was only allowed to participate in the auction after paying an entrance fee of a thousand gold coins.
Of course, for Mo Yu at this moment, a thousand gold coins was merely a drop in the bucket. Not to mention the gold coins he shared with Xiao Yi Xian in the mysterious cave, even Mo Yin's ring contained no less than a hundred thousand gold coins.
Mo Yu's entire net worth combined probably amounted to roughly four to five hundred thousand, which was even more than the savings of some smaller families.
Entering the magnificent auction house, just as Mo Yu was about to turn and enter the main hall, he suddenly heard gasps of admiration from around him and couldn't help but turn his head curiously to look.
In the VIP passage nearby, the guards of the Mittel Auction House were respectfully bowing in welcome. Mo Yu didn't have to wait long; the next moment, two figures, one old and one young, slowly entered.
The elder had a solemn and dignified face, and his strength was unfathomable. Especially on the emblem on the chest of his exquisite black robe, on the surface of an ancient Medicine Cauldron, four silver ripples were meticulously drawn!
A Fourth-Grade Alchemist. Mo Yu couldn't help but be startled. This person before him was actually a Fourth-Grade Alchemist. Such a status was quite extraordinary within the Empire.
Standing beside him like a Disciple was a delicate-looking young woman with long silver hair that reached her waist.
The young woman's eyes were as clear as the cold springs on a snowy mountain. She wore a tight-fitting silver gown. The silver clothing and her warm jade-like skin complemented each other, giving the young woman an undeniable, special, metallic, cold charm.
On the young woman's black robe, there was also a mercury ripple, signifying her status as a First-Grade Alchemist.
"It's Great Master Frank and Miss Xue Mei. I didn't expect Great Master Frank to be here, and Miss Xue Mei has also advanced to a First-Grade Alchemist."
"A renowned teacher produces outstanding Disciples. Miss Xue Mei becoming an official Alchemist at such a young age means her future prospects are limitless."
"Miss Xue Mei is so beautiful. With such exquisite beauty and extraordinary talent, it might even be possible for her to marry an Imperial Prince."
...
Hearing the exclamations from around him, Mo Yu nodded in sudden realization. So, it was the head of the Blackrock City Alchemist Guild and his beloved Disciple, who were responsible for testing Xiao Yan in the original work.
After knowing this, Mo Yu lost interest and turned to enter the venue.
Although a Fourth-Grade Alchemist was good, it did not enter Mo Yu's Dharma Eye. His Soul Power was only one step away from also reaching Fourth-Grade Alchemist.
The moment Mo Yu left, Frank's cloudy old eyes suddenly lit up. He then looked thoughtfully in the direction Mo Yu had left, a strange glint flashing in his old eyes.
"Strange, although this person is wearing a black robe, his age shouldn't be old, but there seems to be a terrifying Soul Power hidden within him, making me feel a trace of pressure. But this Soul Power should at least reach peak Third-Grade or Fourth-Grade. When did such a Genius appear in Blackrock City? Did I sense it wrong?" Frank shook his head and murmured.
"Teacher, what's wrong?" Seeing the elder's surprised expression, the exquisite young woman beside him stopped, following the elder's gaze towards the direction Mo Yu had left.
When she saw that it was just an ordinary person in a black robe, she couldn't help but frown. In Blackrock City, even an Alchemist apprentice would wear special Alchemist attire. Why would Mo Yu, being so ordinary, attract such attention and surprise from her teacher?
"Hehe, it's nothing, perhaps I sensed it wrong. Let's go, enter the venue. I heard there will be some good medicinal Materials today." The elder did not voice his speculation, as it was indeed too incredible.
Hearing her teacher's words, Snow Charm blinked her beautiful eyes. For some reason, she vaguely suspected that the young man in the black robe who had just passed by seemed to have brought a considerable shock to her teacher.
"Could that guy be a Disciple of the Jia Ma Empire's Alchemist General Guild Master?" Thinking of a possibility, Snow Charm's delicate brows slightly rose, but she didn't take it seriously in her heart.
As the foremost young Alchemist in Blackrock City, Snow Charm was confident that even Pill King Gu He's Disciple might not be able to surpass her.
Following her teacher slowly into the venue, Snow Charm looked around but did not see the Black Robed Man, so she slowly put the matter aside.
Meanwhile, on the other side, after entering the venue, Mo Yu found a hidden spot in the main hall and observed the surroundings. It must be said that Blackrock City, as a major city of the Empire, was indeed far superior to Wutan City.
Just among the people in the main hall, there were over a dozen Auras of Great Dou Master, and as for Dou Shi, they were countless.
And in the VIP seats in front, Mo Yu even vaguely sensed the Aura of a Dou Ling. Such a powerful expert was a top-tier master in the Empire.
As Mo Yu looked over, he saw Frank, the Fourth-Grade Alchemist from before, discussing something with a middle-aged man of extraordinary Aura.
This middle-aged man was dressed in luxurious clothing and had a thin face. According to the intelligence Mo Yu gathered last night, this person was Ye Cong, the Clan Chief of the Ye Family in Blackrock City, an Eight-Star Great Dou Master.
As far as Mo Yu knew, the Ye Family had a Three-Star Dou Ling Old Ancestor, but it was rumored that he was in seclusion and had not appeared in public for a long time.
While Mo Yu was quietly observing, the auction officially began in the hall.
The auction in Blackrock City was not much different from the auction in Wutan City. Under the spotlight in the center of the auction hall, a beautiful woman in a blue dress was using her charming voice to explain the functions of the item in her hand to everyone in the hall.
Although this woman was not as charming as Ya Fei, her alluring temperament still captivated many men. It seemed the Mittel Auction House was particularly adept at using beauty to enhance the atmosphere of the auction.
Amidst the woman's clear and enchanting voice, even the price of a not-so-rare item was auctioned off at a price far exceeding its intrinsic value.
Seeing this, Mo Yu couldn't help but sigh that the Mittel Family, being able to stand among the Empire's three major families, indeed possessed some special abilities. If nothing else, if every city in the Empire had such a beautiful auctioneer, it probably wouldn't be a simple matter.
The first few auction items were very ordinary, so Mo Yu glanced at them a few times and then lost interest.
His gaze casually shifted, and he saw that Ye Cong and Great Master Frank in the first row had stopped talking, and the former's face showed a hint of solemnity, clearly having encountered some difficulty.
Seeing this, Mo Yu raised his eyebrows slightly. The Ye Family's Old Ancestor had not appeared for a long time, and Ye Cong, as the Clan Chief of the Ye Family, seemed to have something on his mind. Could it be…?
Just as Mo Yu was vaguely guessing, the auction was in full swing, and an item suddenly caught Mo Yu's attention.
"Golden Sun Wood, a hundred-year-old wood grown from thousand-year-old volcanic lava. For those who Cultivate wood-attribute Cultivation Techniques or have achievements in Artifact Refining, don't miss it! Starting bid: ten thousand gold coins." A seductive voice echoed throughout the hall, causing Mo Yu to be slightly startled.
"It's actually Golden Sun Wood!" Mo Yu's eyes lit up when he saw the wooden branch filled with intense fiery Yang power in the hall.
This item was the last of the Materials he needed to refine the Fire Restricting Cover. Mo Yu had even considered going to the Mu Lan Empire to search for it if necessary. He didn't expect to successfully gather it at this accidental auction, which was a stroke of luck.
"Twelve thousand!" As soon as the beautiful auctioneer's voice fell, someone called out a bid.
"Thirteen thousand!" The bidding followed closely.
...
The price in the hall kept rising, quickly reaching a high of seventeen thousand.
Mo Yu glanced around and found that most of these bidders were Cultivating wood-attribute Cultivation Techniques. He couldn't help but shake his head, it was such a waste to use such excellent Artifact Refining Materials for Cultivation Techniques.
"Twenty thousand!" As the bidding gradually subsided, Mo Yu called out his price.
Hearing this price immediately scared off many competitors. After all, they were buying the Golden Sun Wood only to absorb the abundant wood-attribute energy it contained, and such things were not irreplaceable. Twenty thousand was indeed an inflated price.
As most competitors withdrew, only two or three individuals continued to bid. Finally, after Mo Yu shouted the extremely high price of thirty thousand, he successfully acquired it.
A price of thirty thousand was high for others, but for Mo Yu, who had hundreds of thousands in assets, it wasn't particularly painful. Moreover, the value of this Golden Sun Wood, for an Artifact Refiner, was inherently worth more than thirty thousand gold coins.
After acquiring the Golden Sun Wood, the next few items held no appeal for Mo Yu. Of course, this didn't mean there were no good items at this auction; it was simply that Mo Yu's standards were too high.
There were a few medicinal herbs that even Great Master Frank personally bid on. One herb named Blue Spirit Star Flower even sold for a high price of three hundred thousand gold coins, which slightly surprised Mo Yu.
As time slowly passed, the auction items in the hall became fewer and fewer. Just as Mo Yu was about to leave the venue, an auction item caught his attention.
"Hehe, next up is the final item of this auction, the Six Harmony Taixu Sword." The woman in the blue dress slowly brought up a jade tray, then gently bent down to take out a sword. Under the illumination of the lights, it radiated an extraordinary Divine Might.
The sword was three and a half feet long, its blade forged from profound celestial iron and extremely thin, exuding a faint cold light. The hilt was carved with a golden Dragon design, appearing incredibly majestic. The blade was incomparably sharp, truly like a blade within the Great Void.
However, the tip of this Six Harmony Taixu Sword seemed to have been violently struck, a corner of it heavily smashed off. Not only that, but the entire blade was also covered in cracks. The originally imposing treasure sword was like an old man on his last legs, seemingly ready to shatter at any moment.
As soon as this treasured sword appeared, Ye Cong, the Clan Chief of the Ye Family in the first row below, stared intently at the severely damaged Six Harmony Taixu Sword, an unclear sense of heaviness flashing in his eyes.
"This sword was the personal sword of a Dou Ling expert, and it has slain countless powerful enemies in his hands. However, it was severely damaged in a great battle, but the Sword Intent within it still remains. It only needs an excellent Artifact Refining Great Master to refine it, and it will surely become a powerful treasured sword. Starting bid: two hundred thousand!"
At this moment, the woman in the blue dress on stage was trying her best to introduce this treasured sword. However, as her voice fell, many people slowly shook their heads.
This Six Harmony Taixu Sword was indeed as the woman said, extremely extraordinary. If it were in perfect condition, even a Dou Ling expert would not hesitate to spend a large sum to contend for it.
Of course, that was if it was in perfect condition. But now, this treasured sword was so severely damaged that to repair it, one would likely need to invite a skilled Artifact Refiner to take action.
Not to mention the price of inviting an Artifact Refiner, Artifact Refiners are already so rare, and experienced Artifact Refiners are even harder to find, almost like a Phoenix feather or a Dragon's horn. Therefore, spending two hundred thousand gold coins would almost be equivalent to buying a piece of scrap metal.
Hence, after the words of the woman in the blue dress fell, the hall fell silent for a moment. A practically Deprecated sword, probably few people wanted to be the scapegoat.
Seeing this situation, Ye Cong, the Clan Chief of the Ye Family in the first row of the VIP seats, couldn't help but frown, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes.
On the other side, when Mo Yu saw this severely damaged treasured sword, for some reason, he had a strange feeling in his heart.
This treasured sword was not bad. In terms of quality alone, it was comparable to a Fourth-Tier item. Even the Divine Might Black Lightning Spear was only slightly superior.
Although this Six Harmony Taixu Sword was severely damaged, it was like the demonic pet Purple Fire; it gave Mo Yu the feeling that it was not ownerless. It was like a child wandering outside, and a trace of its owner's Aura still remained within it. Although this Aura was very faint, Mo Yu keenly detected it.
Thinking of this, Mo Yu couldn't help but frown slightly.
Logically speaking, a reputable and large establishment like the Mittel Auction House should first confirm the legitimate origin of every item before auctioning it. Otherwise, if they sold something and the true owner showed up right after, wouldn't that be ruining their reputation?
Therefore, the Mittel Auction House shouldn't be so foolish as to make such a mistake. Besides that, there was another possibility: they were doing it on purpose!
Realizing this, a piece of information suddenly flashed through Mo Yu's mind, as if he understood something. He then looked at Ye Cong in the first row of the auction, seeing a hint of disappointment on the latter's face. He instantly understood, a curve forming at the corner of his mouth, and Mo Yu loudly declared:
"Two hundred thousand, I'll take it!"