Good baby

Because the auction house was backed by the Alchemical Pact, most of the items appearing here were little trinkets created through alchemy.

Either small tools with miraculous effects, or tiny potions with unusual medicinal properties.

To be honest, none of these things interested Xǔ Tiānlí in the slightest. Even if they were given to him for free, he probably wouldn’t be happy about it.

However, he wasn’t the only one who felt that way. This auction seemed particularly dull today, and he could vaguely hear people complaining.

“I even sneaked away from work without telling my boss, and this is all there is?”

“Boring. Even the gossip isn’t entertaining.”

Xǔ Tiānlí subconsciously glanced at the VIP boxes above. In the past, whenever something valuable appeared, the people sitting up there would compete fiercely for ages, while spectators like them could enjoy the show from start to finish.

But this time, those distinguished guests had barely spoken since the auction began. If not for the occasional noise drifting down from above, he might have thought the rooms were empty.

“Don’t tell me I’m leaving empty-handed…” Xǔ Tiānlí muttered. Resting his head on his folded arms, he looked thoroughly bored.

He turned to Song Hai beside him and discovered that the other man was still staring intently at the stage, as if missing even a second would be a tremendous loss.

“Why are you so enthusiastic today?” Xǔ Tiānlí typed.

“Ah, well… you know my family’s situation.”

Song Hai smiled gently, his expression filled with helplessness and bitterness.

That reminded Xǔ Tiānlí that Song Hai’s family circumstances weren’t much better than his own.

His father had passed away when he was very young. His mother had raised both him and his younger sister alone.

As someone from a single-parent family himself, Xǔ Tiānlí understood the hardships involved. Sometimes he even felt that Song Hai’s mother was stronger than his own father.

The Song siblings had been sensible since childhood and both excelled academically.

Song Hai had lived up to his parents’ expectations and earned admission to Danfeng Academy. The tuition was affordable, and since the family of three already lived here, it didn’t place much financial strain on them. Having reached adulthood, Song Hai could also help shoulder some of his mother’s burdens.

But fate had other plans.

When his younger sister was accepted into high school, she contracted an illness. Her body became extremely weak, and she spent more time in the hospital than at school.

The mother and son had spent a great deal of money trying to treat her condition, only barely managing to keep it under control.

“My little sister is already in her final year of high school. It’s the most important year of her life. I can’t just sit by and watch this illness ruin all the hard work she’s put in over the years.”

Even now, Song Hai could still remember the sight of his sister sitting on her hospital bed doing homework.

Because of the illness, her hands had become pale, thin, and dry. They looked as though they would tremble even from the effort of holding a pen.

That was why Song Hai had become obsessed with auctions.

He had lost faith in conventional medicine and placed his hopes in Spirit Wielders.

Since he couldn’t become a powerful Spirit Wielder himself and heal his sister, he could only rely on spiritually empowered items.

He had originally considered seeking help from the Alchemical Pact, but it wasn’t a medical organization. Hiring someone to create a potion capable of curing his sister would not only be risky but unimaginably expensive.

“Sometimes I really envy you, Old Xǔ.”

Song Hai smiled bitterly.

“You’re finally turning your luck around. I’m still stuck in the same place.”

“It’s fine. I believe you’ll find your own good fortune someday.”

Xǔ Tiānlí patted him on the shoulder.

The two friends tacitly ended the heavy conversation and turned their attention back to the auction.

Whether Song Hai had truly stopped thinking about the matter, Xǔ Tiānlí didn’t know.

But he himself couldn’t get a certain thought out of his head.

If I hadn’t met Master, then would I have also…

At that moment, the host’s voice pulled him back to reality.

Xǔ Tiānlí knew that after waiting through so much junk, the good stuff was finally about to appear.

“This treasure was accidentally created by a master of the Alchemical Pact during one of his experiments. To wield its power, however, a Spirit Wielder’s Mark must meet extremely strict requirements.”

As he spoke, the host opened a locked box.

“If any of you possess the power to command lightning, perhaps you’d like to try conquering it?”

Everyone stretched their necks and widened their eyes.

Inside the box lay a purple sphere.

It wasn’t particularly large, but the moment it appeared, a muffled rumble of thunder echoed through the hall, loud enough for most people to hear.

It was as though a storm cloud had been sealed within it. From time to time, arcs of electricity could even be seen crawling across its surface.

“The Purple Lightning Thunder Pearl.”

“That is the name of this treasure.”

“It contains immense lightning power. If used properly, its benefits are immeasurable!”

Unfortunately, Xǔ Tiānlí took one look and shook his head, leaning back in his chair.

The item was useless to him.

Unless a Spirit Wielder’s spiritual power already carried lightning attributes, the pearl was practically worthless.

Speaking of Marks, Xǔ Tiānlí couldn’t help but complain inwardly about his own Crow Mark.

Even now, he still hadn’t figured out what made it special.

Maybe there was nothing special about it at all.

After all, it was just a crow.

The appearance of the Purple Lightning Thunder Pearl instantly revived the lifeless atmosphere of the auction.

The lofty VIP guests finally began competing against one another.

“I bid double the starting price!”

“Only double? Where’d this pauper come from? Three times!”

“You… Three and a half times!”

“Four times!”

Every time someone thought their bid would shock the audience and secure victory, another person would inevitably call out an even higher price.

The Purple Lightning Thunder Pearl’s price continued climbing until it reached six times its listed value.

That was already an absurd figure.

Any higher, and even the winner would be taking a loss. As a result, many participants willingly withdrew, waiting for the next valuable item.

“Six and a half times!”

“Fine. You win.”

“Wha- You bastard!”

Even from far away, everyone could see the smug grin on his competitor’s face.

Only then did the unfortunate bidder realize that the other party had never wanted the Purple Lightning Thunder Pearl at all.

She had deliberately driven up the price to trap him.

Still, at least the item was genuinely useful to him. If it helped him advance to a higher level, perhaps the price was worth paying.

“Any further bids?”

The host’s booming voice echoed throughout the auction hall.

“Six and a half times, going once!”

The VIP boxes remained silent.

“Six and a half times, going twice!”

The audience seats were equally quiet. Everyone merely watched.

“Six and a half times, going thr-“

“Seven times!”

A voice nobody had heard before suddenly rang out.

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers.

They hadn’t expected the entertainment to continue.

Xǔ Tiānlí froze for a moment.

It was an unfamiliar voice.

Unlike the rough male voices that had been competing earlier, this one was clear, sweet, and distinctly feminine. It sounded as though the speaker wasn’t very old.

Moreover, judging by where it came from, the voice originated from the very VIP box occupied by the mysterious guest in white robes.