Chapter 1039: Competing Bids

Only three cultivators occupied the small shop. Ye Mo surveyed the sparse collection of spirit artifacts displayed on a dusty wooden rack, noting the uncovered nature of the display. A hidden room, shielded by a formation, was inaccessible to his spirit sense. Without Xu Jichang's recommendation, he would never have believed a level-nine forgery grandmaster resided here. The place hardly resembled an artifact shop.

“Is Master Yu Yang present?” Ye Mo asked the cultivator seated nearby, unable to locate anyone else attending the shop.

The cultivator sneered, ignoring Ye Mo entirely. His companions remained impassive. Ye Mo, speechless at their attitude, noted that even the weakest among them—a nascent soul state level four cultivator—surpassed him in power. The strongest was a level seven. He had no choice but to take an empty chair.

Their surprise at his seating was evident, though unspoken. The stark difference in cultivation stages—Ye Mo, a nascent soul state primary stage, versus their mid-to-late stage ranks—made his presence jarring. Their cold reception did little to deter him.

Soon, another customer arrived: a nascent soul state level one female cultivator.

Her beauty immediately commanded attention. Her form was exquisitely curvaceous, radiating femininity, yet her expression remained aloof. Even Ye Mo acknowledged her striking allure, comparable to Ling Xiaoshuang's, and possessing an undeniable magnetism. Her slightly arched eyebrows suggested a strong will and self-assurance. He quickly dismissed her, however, finding both Luo Ying and Ning Qingxue more appealing.

Finding no available seats, she stood silently. Ye Mo offered no seat. Sensing a strong fire elemental presence, he surmised Yu Yang was still forging. Unexpectedly, the nascent soul state level five cultivator rose, saluting the woman with a fist. “Martial Sister Wen, I am Ji Chuanxue of the Tian Xian sect. Please, take my seat.”

The female cultivator’s cold gaze barely acknowledged him, leaving Ji Chuanxue to awkwardly resume his seat. Ye Mo found this strange. Why would a level-five cultivator from a seven-star sect defer so readily to a level-one cultivator?

The answer soon became clear. Ji Chuanxue’s deference stemmed not from simple politeness but from recognizing her superior status. The combination of her surname, beauty, and rank pointed to one conclusion: Wen Caiyi.

Initially impressed, Ye Mo’s opinion soured upon realizing her identity. Her past challenge to Luo Ying resurfaced in his mind. He never expected to encounter a nine-star sect's core disciple in such a place.

The restriction lifted, a wave of heat surged from the inner room as a slender, dark-skinned man emerged. His frame was as thin as a bamboo stalk.

The three cultivators instantly rose, fist-saluting him. “Master Yu!” Wen Caiyi addressed him as “Yu Qian Bei.”

Ye Mo recognized the man as Yu Yang; his nascent soul state level nine cultivation barely qualified him for the title.

Yu Yang, without speaking, took a seat at the counter. “This is my final transaction of the year,” he announced. “The items are: the extreme-grade attack spirit artifact, Black Rock Sword, priced at 1.15 million top-grade spirit stones; the half-cultivation artifact, Golden Net, at 1.9 million; and the half-cultivation artifact armor, Nine Flavors, at 2.9 million.”

He addressed the assembled cultivators. “Highest bidder takes all. Materials may be offered in lieu of spirit stones.”

Ye Mo finally understood Xu Changji’s comments about the shop's high prices. Not only were the base prices inflated, but he actively cultivated competition among bidders.

No wonder the others had been so unfriendly. Fortunately, Ye Mo had arrived in time for Yu Yang's final transaction of the year. The others were clearly aware of the rules and schedule—knowledge Xu Changji seemingly lacked.

“Understood, the usual rules,” Ji Chuanxue said smoothly. “Our luck is excellent; two half-cultivation artifacts and one extreme-grade spirit artifact—virtually equivalent to a third half-cultivation artifact. Excellent!”

“I'll take Nine Flavors,” Ye Mo declared, expressing his preference.

“Insolence! A mere nascent soul state primary stage cultivator dares to claim it!” Ji Chuanxue sneered.

Wen Caiyi’s subsequent sneer caused Ji Chuanxue to realize his mistake. He stammered an apology. “Martial Sister Wen, I did not intend to include you. As a nine-star sect’s core disciple, you are beyond comparison…”

Ye Mo's contempt was palpable. “If you lower your head a little further, it will touch the ground. Master Yu stated the highest bidder wins. Do you object? If so, then bid.”

Wen Caiyi, surprised by Ye Mo's audacity, perceived him as rash.

Ji Chuanxue, despite his anger, restrained himself, aware of their location. He mentally added Ye Mo to his kill list. “3.1 million,” he stated coldly.

Before Ye Mo could respond, Wen Caiyi countered. “3.5 million.”