The morning after the Awakening Ceremony was colder than usual.
Mist clung to Falling Cloud Mountain, wrapping the peaks in silver haze. I sat alone in the refuse yard, surrounded by heaps of broken swords, shattered cauldrons, and rotting herbs. The air stank of rust and mold, but I didn't care.
My ribs no longer burned the way they had last night. Warmth pulsed faintly through my body, a steady throb in my veins that wasn't mine. I pressed a hand to my chest.
Auction Points.
The broken sword that had transformed before my eyes—the System had taken it, sold it, and left me with strength. Not much, but enough to prove it was real. Enough to make me believe.
And then the golden screen appeared again.
---
[Heaven's Auction System v1.0]
Next Auction Countdown: 00:59:59
Selected Item: Rotten Herb (Rank: Trash)
Evolution Potential: Mortal → Immortal
Failure Penalty: Host Death.
---
Before me, a shriveled stalk rose from the trash heap, its leaves curled black, its stem brittle as dry wood.
I scowled. "This? You want me to auction this?"
The screen flickered. New text scrolled into existence, glowing lines that burned themselves into my mind.
---
[Heaven's Auction System – Tutorial]
Rule 1: Host must auction one item every cycle.
Rule 2: Any trash item listed will evolve once sold.
Rule 3: The stronger the bidding, the greater the evolution.
Rule 4: Final bid value converts into Auction Points (AP) for the Host.
Rule 5: The evolved treasure is delivered to the highest bidder.
Rule 6: Failure to auction before the countdown ends will trigger a Penalty Disaster.
---
I stared, my breath caught in my throat.
So that's it…
Every cycle, I have to auction something, no matter what. Trash, weeds, junk—it doesn't matter. The bidders fight over it, and the higher they bid, the more powerful the item becomes. I don't keep the treasure—they do—but I gain Auction Points that heal me, strengthen me, and push me toward cultivation.
And if I ever fail to auction… the System punishes me with disaster.
My palms went clammy. This isn't a gift. It's a blade at my throat.
---
By midday, I dragged myself back to the martial square.
The clan had gathered again. Disciples trained in groups, their swords flashing under the sun. Elders sat at the edge, watching with stern eyes. But the one who drew all attention was Li Hao.
Golden-robed, Sword God aura cutting sharp against the air, he basked in his new power. Disciples swarmed around him like moths, laughing at his every word. Elders praised him openly, calling him the clan's future.
Then their eyes found me.
Whispers spread instantly.
"Why is he here?"
"Didn't he get crippled yesterday?"
"Trash should have stayed in the refuse heap."
Li Hao's smirk widened. His aura pressed down on me like invisible blades.
"Well, well," he said, loud enough for all to hear. "The cripple lives. Did you crawl out of the garbage just to embarrass yourself again?"
I ignored him. The golden screen was already pulsing before my eyes.
---
Auction Opening…
Item: Rotten Herb
Starting Bid: 1 Spirit Stone
---
The withered stalk floated upward, wrapped in golden light.
Laughter erupted across the square.
"He's really selling weeds!"
"Trash sells trash—how fitting!"
"Will someone pay him a pebble for it?"
Li Hao barked a cruel laugh. "Truly pathetic, cousin. Even heaven must be mocking you."
But then the screen shifted again, and new words blazed into view.
---
[Heaven's Auction System – Item Listed]
Item: Rotten Herb (Rank: Trash)
Special Tag: Heaven's Guarantee – Evolution Potential: Unknown.
---
The voices roared into my mind, fierce and greedy.
"Heaven's Guarantee!"
"Even garbage could hide miracles if the heavens back it!"
"For one Spirit Stone? Worth the gamble!"
The first bid struck like thunder.
"One Spirit Stone!"
"Two!"
"Five!"
---
Current Bid: 5 Spirit Stones
Auction Points: +50
---
I staggered. So that's why they buy trash…
They're not fools. To them, this isn't a weed. The System shows them 'Heaven's Guarantee.' Heaven itself promises evolution. For a single stone, they might win a miracle. It's gambling—but gambling with heaven's word. And heaven never lies.
More voices clamored.
"Ten!"
"Fifteen!"
"Twenty!"
---
Current Bid: 20 Spirit Stones
Auction Points: +200
---
Heat surged through my body. My chest expanded, my breath drawing deeper. My wounds knit further.
The crowd in the square only saw a rotten herb glowing brighter, trembling in the air.
Their laughter faltered.
The husk cracked, spilling veins of emerald light. A fragrance drifted outward—fresh, clean, like mountain dew clearing the lungs.
"What is that smell?"
"The herb… it's changing!"
The disciples murmured in awe. Elders stood abruptly, eyes narrowing.
"Impossible…"
"That herb was already dead."
"No. Look—the light. It's evolving."
---
The bidding voices thundered again.
"Thirty Spirit Stones!"
"Forty!"
"Fifty!"
---
Current Bid: 50 Spirit Stones
Auction Points: +500
---
The stalk burst with light. Golden cracks raced along its stem. The fragrance grew stronger, purer, so potent that even those standing far back felt their spirits clear.
Li Hao's smirk collapsed. His sword aura flickered.
"What trick is this, Li Tian?!" he shouted, but his voice cracked with disbelief.
The golden screen pulsed one final time.
---
Final Bids Locked.
Rotten Herb → Immortal Spirit Pill.
Countdown: 00:00:05
---
The stalk disintegrated in a spray of dust. From its ashes rose a pill the size of a pearl, glowing with emerald radiance. Runes carved themselves into its surface, pulsing with divine rhythm.
The fragrance swept the square. Disciples gasped as their fatigue vanished. Elders inhaled sharply, their eyes brightening with vigor.
"An Immortal Pill!"
"He turned garbage into an Immortal Pill?!"
"Impossible!"
The pill pulsed once, then vanished in a flash of golden light, whisked away to the winning bidder.
But every witness had seen the truth.
---
Warmth roared through me. My meridians expanded, my qi pulsed for the first time in my life. I clenched my fists, marveling at the strength filling my veins.
---
Auction Complete.
Auction Points Awarded: +1,000.
Host Cultivation Progress Increased.
---
I stood taller, my breath steady, a faint flicker of energy dancing across my skin.
The clan that had mocked me stared in stunned silence.
Some looked fearful. Some looked greedy. None dared laugh.
But before I could savor it, the golden screen pulsed again.
---
Warning: Auction Cycle Continues.
Next Countdown: 00:59:59
Penalty Disaster Pending…
---
Cold sweat prickled my spine.
So that's it. I can't stop. Every hour, every cycle, the Auction will drag out another piece of trash. If I sell, I climb. If I fail… disaster strikes.
I clenched my fists.
Then I'll sell. I'll sell everything. I'll sell until the heavens themselves kneel at my auction.
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