714: The Splendid Goose

The Splendid Goose

She took a quick glance at the room as it was quite lavish. Aside from the comfy lounge, there was a table with several cooked dishes and a servant standing there waiting for them. 1

"If you'd like to make a bid or have any requests, you tell them", the steward told her. 

Ming Yue nodded, walking forward to greet the servant who just smiled and did nothing more. 

And then she turned her attention to the view, a large window where she could see the entire auction from above. 

It was vast thousands of seats filled, all surrounding a round platform that was lit up. Looking around, there were multiple rooms similar to hers, with windows that were obscured by light. It was impossible to see through them. 

"Hmm, so all of these rooms are private and secured... I wonder who else might be coming."

Thinking this, Ming Yue took a seat while both Steward Qu and the servant stood by her side. Xiao Yin and Hei Yue joined her on the lounge, nuzzling up to her. 

The auction itself seemed relatively quiet as there were casual conversations and quiet whispers. 

Glancing up at the steward, the cultivator noticed his nervous look. 

"Is there something wrong?" she asked,

Steward Qu looked at her before staring outside the window. 

"Since it's not just a Treasure Auction but one involving the Splendid Goose, there's bound to be a few dangerous figures taking part. It'd be wise not to offend them. If anything, it's bound to be the same circle of people. They all have titles like the Splendid Goose. There's Silvertooth, the Veiled Madam, Lord of War, and many others. Each and every one of them has riches comparable to a small noble clan. Gold Coins are like dirt to them." 

He sucked in a cold breath as he spoke. 

"Unfortunately, most of them are temperamental and stubborn. Anyone who denies them of anything will face a tough road. Businesses have gone under because of these people. And for those who are but a single person, you can imagine what might happen to them."

"I see."

She digested those words, knowing that he was not trying to scare her or exaggerate anything. All of what he said was true. 

But before anything else could be said, there was an echoing clap, capturing everyone's attention. 

Ming Yue looked down, seeing a man standing there. The steward looked as well. 

"There he is, the Splendid Goose", he muttered. 

Standing in the middle of the platform was a man who seemed to be on the older side. His hair was wild and unkempt and he had a bushy, black beard as well. He wore a set of gray robes that covered much of his body, though it revealed a thin frame and did not hide his height as he was quite tall, at least much taller than her. 

After clapping, he lowered his hands and smiled at everyone. 

His eyes widened with a bit of excitement as he started to speak. 

"Welcome! Welcome to my Treasure Auction! I hope that everyone will enjoy their time here and bid you all good luck on what you are looking to obtain. Of course, it will depend on whether your offer is enticing to me! Now then, I'm not going to waste any more time here! Let us start with the first item!"

The platform opened up as an empty stand emerged from beneath. Standing next to it, he went for his spatial ring taking out the first item. 

"So we'll be starting off with something light! The Sword of Chiyou!" 

Introducing it, he places a sword on the stand, showcasing it for everyone to see. It was a thin double-edged sword that had a long flowing red tassel tied to its pommel. It carried a rather ominous aura around it so it was clear that it had been used to kill many. 

"As some of you may know, Chiyou was one of the many warlords from the Warlord Age. He came about near the end of that era just as the Six Kingdoms had been to take shape. A fierce fighter, he fought with his clan, a group that numbered less than a thousand, and managed to threaten those very kingdoms whose forces numbered in the tens of thousands. It was this sword that led him through eighty victories and the same one that he had on his dying breath. As for that moment, if the Six Kingdoms had not worked together to stop him, he may have been able to conquer it all."

The Splendid Goose circled around the sword, holding it up for everyone to see. 

"Now then, other than the grand stories surrounding the sword, it is a wonderful weapon and perfect for a master of the Sword Dao. It also has an affinity for the Dao of Slaughter with the number of lives it's taken. As a Middle World Grade Sword, it is easily one of the best swords in existence and with it, you could take on an opponent far stronger than yourself. I'm willing to accept any offer so long as it piques my interest."

As soon as he finished, a bell rang before the Splendid Goose took a medallion out from his sleeves. It shined brightly, projecting a line of words, 

"Oh, interesting! A sword for another sword? This is the Ocean Cleaver, a sword hailing from a dead clan. Its name originates from its size and that it had been used to cut a path through an ocean. A Peak Divine Grade Weapon, not bad, not bad."

The bell rang once more and then another time as several more offers were made. 

Ming Yue watched with interest, studying the sword from afar. 

"So that's a World Grade Weapon, interesting. It's definitely an exceptional sword". she thought. 

She suddenly heard a scoff inside her mind as Xue Yue ridiculed the sword. 

"Hah, so what if it's a World Grade Sword? You have me and the old man, two sword spirits! Not even a hundred of those can match us!" she said. 

But then Elder Zhen coughed, making his presence known.

"While I'm not going to deny that, we are only as strong as Ming Yue can handle us", he said. 

"He's right", Ming Yue replied, "But it's not like I'm going to get the sword anyways. It's just the first time I'd seen a weapon higher than Divine Grade."

"Sold!"

Just then, she heard the Splendid Goose shout out, looking down to see what he had accepted in return for such a sword.

"The Sword of Chyou will be given in exchange for the Qin Fairy's Slippers! he announced. 

"Huh?" 

There was a very obvious look of confusion on her face as she watched the sword be taken away and replaced by a pair of slippers. They were well-maintained and quite pretty but for a sword like that, it just didn't seem right.

She turned to look at Steward Qu who just shook his head helplessly. 

"Unfortunately, that's the type of person he is. While the Qin Fairy's slippers are a collectible of their own, their value is nothing compared to the Sword of Chiyou. But for the Splendid Goose, he found more interest in those shoes than the other offers", he answered. 

Ming Yue just stared at the steward before looking back down at the Splendid Goose, He had quite a manic look on his face as he held the slippers close to his face. He spun it around, studying it carefully and looking inside. 

He even took a sniff at the sole before finally putting them away and moving onto the next item. 

The young woman just watched, wondering to herself. 

"What can I even offer to him?" 

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