Chapter 419: The First Bid

The First Bid

Leon sat quietly beside the window.

His long, shoulder-length black hair rested loosely over his midnight robes, the thin amethyst embroidery along the fabric catching the light whenever he moved.

His purple eyes remained calm as he looked down at the auction hall.

From this height, he had an excellent view.

Every movement below was visible.

Every expression.

Every reaction.

Beside him, Rias sat quietly as well. Her long red hair flowed over her shoulders, and her large crimson eyes followed the activity below with mild curiosity.

Leon, however, seemed completely relaxed.

He had no particular interest in the auction itself.

At least, not yet.

The host slowly walked onto the stage.

He was a middle-aged man dressed in an elegant dark robe embroidered with gold thread. His steps were measured, his smile practiced, and his voice carried clearly throughout the enormous hall.

"Everyone, the auction will begin now. Let’s welcome our first item."

His announcement immediately caught everyone’s attention.

A group of attendants appeared from the side of the stage.

They moved carefully, pushing a large cabinet toward the center of the venue. The wheels rolled across the polished floor with a low, steady sound before the attendants finally stopped.

For a brief moment, nothing happened.

Then the cabinet was opened.

The moment that item appeared, the entire crowd erupted.

"Supreme-grade treasure!"

"Is the Treasure Pavilion crazy today? They even took out a supreme-grade treasure to bid?"

The previously restrained atmosphere exploded.

People leaned forward in their seats.

Several cultivators even stood up, their eyes fixed on the treasure in disbelief.

A supreme-grade treasure was not something one encountered casually.

Even among powerful households and major sects, such treasures were valuable enough to become the foundation of a family’s inheritance. For ordinary cultivators, they were practically legendary.

The excitement spread through the hall like fire through dry grass.

In one of the Earth-class private rooms, Lord James’s eyes immediately lit up.

His previous irritation was temporarily forgotten.

His gaze locked onto the treasure with unmistakable interest.

Leon happened to catch that reaction.

He leaned slightly against the side of his chair, his purple eyes narrowing with quiet amusement.

Interesting.

A thought suddenly popped into his mind.

He glanced toward Lord James’s private room.

There was no hostility in that look.

No obvious provocation.

Just a faint, almost playful curiosity.

But Lord James noticed it.

Feeling Leon’s provocative gaze, Lord James also looked up at him, naturally unconvinced.

His lips curled into a cold smile.

"Hmph, a brat who’s still wet behind the ears. You’re only relying on your family’s power to strut around here. I want to see what you can bid for later."

The words were spoken quietly, but the arrogance behind them was unmistakable.

Lord James had already made up his mind.

If Leon wanted to act superior, then he would simply use money to crush that arrogance.

In terms of wealth, Lord James felt that he was not inferior to anyone.

He was a prince of the Drake Empire.

His position alone meant that the resources at his disposal were far beyond what ordinary cultivators could imagine. Even among the royal family, he possessed considerable wealth and connections.

More importantly, he had already taken a fancy to this supreme-grade treasure.

There was no way he would let it go.

He had suffered enough humiliation today.

First, he had been denied the private room.

Then Cavir Walton had openly sided with Leon.

And now this young man was looking at him as though none of it mattered.

Fine.

If words could not restore his dignity, then money would.

He would make this auction his battlefield.

The host waited patiently until the uproar gradually settled.

Once the crowd had calmed down enough, he placed one hand against the treasure cabinet and began introducing the item.

"This sword is called Crimson Mystic! I believe everyone here knows better than me how rare this supreme-grade treasure is. Let’s not talk anymore. The starting price is 100,000 coins. You can start bidding..."

The moment the starting price was announced, the hall became strangely quiet.

100,000 coins.

Even for cultivators with considerable wealth, that was not an insignificant amount.

The people below exchanged glances.

No one wanted to become the first person to raise the price.

After all, this was only the opening item.

There were many more treasures still waiting to appear.

Spending a huge amount immediately might leave them without enough resources to compete for something they truly desired later.

The host stood calmly on the stage.

He had expected this reaction.

The silence stretched.

One breath.

Then another.

Then several more.

The people below did not dare to bid casually and could only look upward.

Their gazes naturally drifted toward the private rooms.

Everyone understood the rules of this world.

The people sitting in those rooms were not ordinary customers.

They were distinguished guests of the Whitelist Restaurant.

If anyone was going to casually throw around enormous sums of money, it would most likely be them.

The atmosphere became strangely tense.

Even though no one had spoken, countless calculations were already running through the minds of the people below.

Who would bid?

How high would the price climb?

Would the first treasure already become a battle between powerful households?

Lord James sat motionless in his private room.

His fingers rested lightly against the armrest.

His gaze remained fixed on Crimson Mystic.

He wanted it.

There was no question about that.

But he was not in a hurry.

He was waiting.

Waiting to see who would make the first move.

More importantly, he wanted to see what Leon would do.

A faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Come on.

Let me see how much money you really have.

Several seconds passed.

Still, no one bid.

Then—

The lights in the private room lit up.

The entire auction hall seemed to freeze for a heartbeat.

Everyone’s eyes turned toward the private room.

The host’s expression changed slightly before a professional smile returned to his face.

The first bid had finally arrived.

And the amount displayed was so outrageous that several people nearly forgot to breathe.

"100 million!"