Chapter 15: Arrival at the Summit

The violet mist enveloped the mountain peaks like silk veils adorning the slumbering giant.

Ao Kuiba stood on the balcony of his pavilion, silver strands of hair fluttering in the brisk morning breeze. The violet clouds summit stretched out before him, with black stones pavilions, spiraling towers, and meandering stone paths that wound into the dense spiritual mist from which the summit was created.

The summit was stirring.

Cultivators arrived at the pavilions, some alone, but many in groups, accompanied by spirit beasts in the sky.

Ao Kuiba paid careful attention to those who arrived.

First, the Nascent Soul cultivators arrived, impossible to miss.

A woman in white robes arrived, her expression as icy as the winter snows, accompanied by a dozen white-robed disciples.

An old man, his beard flowing like pure white silk, arrived alone, but the spiritual energy around him whispered of his power – at least a Soul Formation level.

Perhaps the weakest of the Nascent Soul cultivators, but the oldest. Probably older than many things in this world.

Ao Kuiba took careful note of this cultivator. If he ever became an enemy, he would be extremely challenging to deal with.

Ao Kuiba saw other powerful cultivators, besides the Nascent Soul cultivators.

A group of young cultivators in green robes swaggered in, arrogance practically emanating from them.

A hooded figure whose spiritual energy was masked appeared in the distance, mingling with the other cultivators.

Merchants, traders, independent cultivators, all were making their way to the auction pavilions.

Ling Xue was there, standing at the edge of the registration pavilion, her violet robes blending with the mist.

As if sensing Ao Kuiba’s gaze, she turned her head to regard him.

Their eyes locked, and Ling Xue’s lips curled into a small smile as she nodded once before turning away.

Ao Kuiba turned away from the balcony and entered the pavilion; it was time to register.

The registration pavilion was busy.

Cultivators shouted and haggled, trying to reach the front of the line.

Ao Kuiba joined the queue.

When he reached the front, the woman behind the counter looked up and asked, "Name?"

"Ao Kuiba."

The woman scanned her list and looked up; her eyes widened slightly when she saw Ao Kuiba’s name.

"Master Ao Kuiba, the branch manager said to give you the utmost courtesy," the woman said as she handed Ao Kuiba a jade token and pavilion deed.

Ao Kuiba took the jade token, already feeling the spiritual energy within.

"You may follow me," the assistant gestured for Ao Kuiba to follow her.

The auction pavilion was enormous, its ceiling arched high overhead, supported by numerous pillars. Spirit lamps floated around the perimeter, casting a warm glow over the auction hall. The interior was set up in a circular fashion, with a stage at the center, where cultivators would appear to auction off their items.

Ao Kuiba followed the young woman to one of the pavilions located on the top level of the auction hall. The pavilion was spacious, with several cushions, a table, and a translucent curtain that released waves of spiritual energy.

Ao Kuiba took a seat on the cushions and looked around the auction hall.

He got a good view of the other cultivators. The woman cultivator, in white, sat in a pavilion across from Ao Kuiba’s pavilion. Ao Kuiba spotted the old man cultivator in the pavilion two levels below him. The hooded cultivator was somewhere in the lower levels.

A group of green-clad cultivators had formed a large group, all laughing and joking – trying to draw as much attention as possible to them.

Ling Xue was situated in a pavilion on the middle level, all by herself, gazing down at the auction hall.

The auction hall was bustling. Ao Kuiba heard voices all around him as people talked and negotiated.

The auctions have officially begun.

A woman in her thirties or so emerged from the pavilion on the far end of the auction pavilion.

Ao Kuiba focused on the woman – Nascent Soul cultivation level.

"Welcome to the Violet Cloud Summit," the woman said. "Madam Jiang, chief auctioneer. The rules are simple: all bids are final, payment is expected on the spot, and any attempts at violence will meet with swift retribution."

She paused, a sad expression on her face.

"Now. Let us begin."

Madam Jiang led the way to a pavilion at the front of the auction hall.

"The first item up for bidding is a Spirit Ginseng Root, aged three thousand years," she announced.

"The starting bid is one thousand mid-grade spirit stones."

The bids began almost immediately as the independent cultivators raised their tokens.

The bidding was fast-paced, with the Verdant Lotus Sect cultivators challenging the independent cultivators.

The ginseng root eventually belonged to a modestly dressed woman cultivator, despite the aggressive challenges of the Verdant Lotus Sect and the powerful support of the independent cultivators.

Ao Kuiba watched the auction unfold, taking mental notes of who was challenging whom and how the different sects and cultivation clans were interacting with each other.

It was interesting, he had to admit.

Ao Kuiba did not participate in the bidding for the second auction item.

It was a sword, old but powerful – the magic runes along the blade still glowed with power.

It was the turn of the Celestial Frost Sect representative to bid; Ao Kuiba noted her aggression – almost as if she wanted to start a fight.

The Celestial Frost Sect won the bidding.

The third item up for auction was a formation manual – special formation that could resist Nascent Souls attacks and possessed several other useful properties. The Verdant Lotus Sect representatives aggressively bid on it until the old man Xu arrived, and with one decisive bid, Xu drove the price up to the five thousand level. The bidders representing the Verdant Lotus Sect withdrew, realizing that they would only lose any further bidding.

Ao Kuiba quietly chuckled. Wealth can protect you, but strength is what keeps your enemies at bay.

Then came more items up for auction, all of different varieties. Ao Kuiba remained quiet and observed the interactions of the different groups present at the auction.

When Madam Jiang announced the closing item for the morning session, Ao Kuiba already understood the dynamics of the different sects and cultivation groups that attended the auction summit.

The last item was contained within another jade slip – a cultivation method belonging to a long-extinct sect, supposedly suitable for Foundation Building all the way up to Nascent Soul cultivators. It was called the ’Mountain’s End Sect’ and was destroyed three hundred years ago.

"This collection of cultivation techniques, entitled ’Formation Building and Magical Techniques,’ is deemed suitable for cultivators up to the Nascent Soul level. It is presented by the auction house, and a price of five thousand mid-grade spirit stones is suggested as a starting bid," said Madam Jiang. The final morning item was an exquisite-looking jade slip.

Ling Xue was the first one to bid, surprising a few others. The Verdant Lotus Sect representative was obviously annoyed at the challenge, and he began driving the price of the jade slip upwards.

Ling Xue knew she was interested in this last item, so she met the challenge; her face remained calm, but Ao Kuiba could see the tightness in her jaw.

The belligerent representation from the Verdant Lotus Sect was testing her, trying to squeeze out more money from her. Ao Kuiba saw Ling Xue bid again, the price going up, but this time, she faltered.

Her eyes were on the Verdant Lotus Sect representative, and then on Ao Kuiba’s pavilion.

Ao Kuiba met her eyes, and she looked away.

The bidding continued as the Verdant Lotus Sect representative tried to extract more funds from Ling Xue. Eventually Ling Xue won the auction, but she had spent more than she intended on the item.

Regardless, once the item had changed hands, the morning session officially ended and was officially followed by the tolling of a gong.

"The midday morning auction will resume after the lunch break; attendees are requested to take care of any personal needs and be prepared to settle any issues with the Chamber during the break," announced Madam Jiang.