Chapter 58: Opening, Sword of Mirror Shadows

After walking in a spacious corridor illuminated by magic lamps for about a minute and passing by dozens of rooms whose purposes were unclear, Miss Vilyric and her companions finally arrived at the main venue of the auction.

Crossing through the large door, the scene ahead became expansive.

Here, a giant circular arena awaited, with a delicate platform rising from the ground in the center. The dazzling magic lights flickered in the air as if about to unfold a stunning performance.

Surrounding the platform were individual rooms separated by screen panels, reminiscent of the restaurant at “Qin Xiang Ju” on the surface. The faint floral fragrance wafting in the air seemed to confirm that this place was crafted by the same force.

Numerous winged people dressed in service attire moved about the venue, delivering snacks and beverages, but the customers participating in the auction were not in sight; they probably hid behind the screens.

The guide, Duo Duo, stepped aside to reveal everything before them and smiled, making an inviting gesture.

“Then, once again, welcome esteemed guests to the Qin Xiang Auction. The three of you may choose any of the private rooms. A blue ornament hanging at the entrance indicates that there are guests inside. All these rooms are of the same size, so there’s no need to worry too much.”

“Is that so? Miss Philena, where do you think we should choose?”

Ever since entering the surface’s Qin Xiang Ju, it had been primarily Miss Vilyric negotiating unilaterally, and unlike Leila, Renée, or the pet Xiao Guang, Philena was the leader of this journey from the United Kingdom. The priestess thought it best to avoid overshadowing others.

Since Vilyric had proactively asked, the direct envoy group leader didn’t hesitate and pointed to a southwest room without a decorative ornament.

“Let’s choose this one.”

“Alright, please follow me.”

Following the narrow path between the screens, the four soon reached their destination. Duo Duo skillfully pulled back the curtain, revealing a small space of about dozens of square meters.

There weren’t many items inside—a sofa, a tea table on which exquisite desserts and drinks were already set, and a plate displaying the number 73.

The screens only concealed the left and right sides and the entrance of the room, leaving the front facing the central platform completely open to view.

That said, standing there, Vilyric realized she couldn’t see the situation in the directly opposing rooms with just her eyes; it all seemed hazy, like looking through thick frosted glass.

Some sort of one-way barrier for investigating and observing had likely been set up.

This type hadn’t appeared in the United Kingdom; the winged people’s magical technology was indeed fascinating.

However, at this level, it certainly couldn’t stop the direct probing of Spiritual Points or the high-level detection skills of the Little Dragon Daughter, though the priestess wasn’t planning on checking it out anyway.

After leading Vilyric and her companions to the room, Duo Duo conscientiously stood aside, quietly waiting, obviously not intending to participate or eavesdrop on their conversation, showing great professionalism.

With about ten minutes before the auction began, the three women sat down, and Vilyric tried to eat something, casually chatting with the two girls sitting to her left and right to pass the time.

Outside the screen, faint footsteps approached and gradually receded, evidently other customers arriving for the auction.

There should be plenty of magic set up here; even though the screens weren’t soundproof, the sound insulation was rather good. Even with Vilyric’s hearing, it was hard to catch specific conversations from the neighboring rooms.

After some time.

“Wow.”

The magical lamps floating above the venue suddenly dimmed, and then everyone’s attention turned toward the central stage as a young winged girl, adorned with a white mask and dressed in a formal gown, slowly descended from the air and lightly landed in the center.

What had previously been a somewhat noisy environment in the priestess’s ears instantly grew quiet.

“Welcome everyone to the Qin Xiang Auction! It’s another new session; some of you may be long-time regulars while others might be newcomers. But being able to find your way here means it’s a blessing of fate. Thank you for your support! I am the auctioneer, Miss Xiao Mo. Without further ado, let the 139th auction officially begin!”

Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!!!

Thunderous applause erupted as the girl’s voice fell, startling Vilyric and her companions.

The black-haired girl immediately tilted her head in confusion.

By rights, in such a soundproof environment, even if all the customers applauded together, it shouldn’t have made such a loud sound, plus she distinctly heard applause from their room too. What was going on with them?

Philena, sitting on the left, tugged at the sleeve of her white robe and silently gestured toward the receptionist Duo Duo standing beside them. Only then did Vilyric notice that the girl calmly released her hand from a protruding button on the nearby wall.

And that enthusiastic applause gradually subsided.

??????

Was it a self-directed performance?!

On the other side, enjoying the applause, the auctioneer girl who called herself Xiao Mo smiled sweetly and bowed gracefully to the audience, then continued with her melodious voice that resembled a lark, amplified without any sound equipment.

“Once again, thank you for your support! Without further ado, let’s showcase the first auction item!”

Xiao Mo raised her hand; the exquisite ring on her fingertip flashed, and she effortlessly produced a long, slender sword.

Having perused the auction list long ago, Vilyric recalled this was a weapon called the Sword of Mirror Shadows, although the specific details certainly wouldn’t be elaborated on.

“The Sword of Mirror Shadows, a magical weapon from the Far East that cuts through iron like mud, greatly enhancing the attack power of swordsmen. Additionally, it possesses the remarkable ability to summon mirror reflections to assist the wielder in battle.”

The auctioneer girl wielded the glimmering sword in the air, slicing elegantly and producing a crisp sound of the blade cutting through the air, looking quite impressive and noble.

Indeed, it was a ceremonial sword exclusively for nobility.

Setting aside the sword itself, just from that speed and sense of power, Vilyric could tell that this Xiao Mo definitely had some skill.

The sounds in the stage area seemed to have undergone special processing and were not hindered by soundproofing magic, so even the slightest sound of the sword slicing through the air could be heard clearly by Vilyric and the others.

“Oh, right.”

As if suddenly recalling something, Xiao Mo, with her mask partially covering her face, mischievously smiled and added.

“This sword seems to have some connection to the reclusive blood clan of legend. Perhaps it hides some great secret—interested guests definitely shouldn’t miss out~”

“Now, the Sword of Mirror Shadows is rated as a mid-grade magical weapon, with a starting bid of 100,000 gold coins, and each bidding increment must be no less than 10,000 gold coins. The auction begins!”

With a wave of her hand, the magic lamps illuminated the air, forming a giant figure “100,000,” signifying that the customers in the venue could start bidding.

“A mid-grade magical weapon, 100k…?”

To be honest, Vilyric didn’t have a clear concept of the prices in this world, especially for high-level equipment and items.

However, she was well-researched in the classification of equipment itself, after all, this concept already existed in the games.

   

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