Before him stood an exquisitely constructed hall—the very destination of Zhou Changqing's journey.
The Mitr Auction House.
Without hesitating, Zhou Changqing walked straight toward the main entrance. This was a departure from his usual cautious style; this time, he made no effort to conceal himself. He had done the same when he was selling his wares at the street stall.
In Zhou Changqing's view, any attempt at concealment would be futile. He wasn't like Xiao Yan, who had Yao Lao to fall back on. Xiao Yan could masquerade as a powerful expert, and even if his cover was blown, his life would not be in danger.
One should never underestimate the Dou Qi Continent. As a xuanhuan world, it lacked the modern surveillance of cameras and analytical instruments, but there were countless other methods to uncover someone's background if one was determined enough.
Zhou Changqing was, after all, a mere Dou Zhe, a small fry. No matter how good his disguise, it wouldn't take much effort for the major powers in Wu Tan City to track him down. Aura-locking, portrait analysis, narrowing the search by physical traits—a barrage of such techniques would inevitably expose his identity.
Therefore, rather than hiding, it was better to stand openly in the light. In its own way, this was a form of camouflage. A clever observer might even be misled into thinking he possessed some powerful backing. It was the same principle as feigning weakness or projecting false confidence when facing an enemy.
Under the scrutinizing gazes of the guards at the entrance, Zhou Changqing entered the hall with perfect composure. The summer heat was instantly stripped away as he stepped inside, as if he had crossed into another world. Feeling the cool air on his skin, he looked up and scanned the magnificent, spacious lobby.
Soon, his eyes settled on a room to the left. Emblazoned on its door were three glittering golden words: "Appraisal Room."
Having found his target, Zhou Changqing walked over.
*Creak~*
He pushed the door open to a rather empty room. The decor was elegant and simple, furnished with only a few tables and chairs. Not far ahead, a middle-aged man sat behind a desk, staring blankly into space out of sheer boredom.
The sound of the door opening snapped the man back to his senses. He looked up, and a trace of surprise flickered in his eyes when he saw the handsome young man who had entered. He had seen his fair share of people, but it was rare for someone so young to come to the Mitr Auction House. What astonished him more was that, in all his life, he had never seen anyone with such striking features as the youth before him.
"Welcome to the Mitr Auction House. Sir, are you here to have a treasure appraised?" As an appraiser for Mitr, the man's professionalism was impeccable. He instantly concealed his surprise and greeted Zhou Changqing with a warm smile.
"Yes, if you would," Zhou Changqing said with a slight nod. He had already reached the desk and was setting down the bundle he carried on his back.
Seeing this, the middle-aged man smiled politely. "It's no trouble at all. This is my duty. Sir, may I ask what you wish to have appraised?" As he spoke, his gaze fell upon the bundle on the table.
Zhou Changqing didn't waste words. He simply untied the cloth, revealing its contents. In an instant, three weapons of different shapes appeared before the appraiser's eyes: an elegant longsword, a ferocious greatsaber, and a long-handled straight saber resembling a zhanmadao.
"This…" The appraiser was momentarily stunned, unsure of what to say. It wasn't that he had never appraised weapons before—he had seen plenty of weapons inlaid with Monster Cores—but this was the first time someone had brought in what appeared to be ordinary weapons for appraisal.
Zhou Changqing noticed the man's speechless expression but paid it no mind. "I wonder if you've heard of the Iron-Slicing Treasured Weapons?" he asked faintly.
"Iron-Slicing Treasured Weapons? Sir, are you saying these three are the very same weapons that have become so famous in the city recently?" The appraiser's spirits lifted at once, and he stared at Zhou Changqing in astonishment.
"Whether they are or not, won't an appraisal tell you?" Zhou Changqing offered no further explanation. He calmly turned, walked over to a guest chair, and sat down.
Seeing his nonchalant attitude, the appraiser's belief grew. Not daring to be negligent, he immediately poured Zhou Changqing a cup of fine tea and said with a broad smile, "Sir, if all three of these are indeed Iron-Slicing Treasured Weapons, their value would be immense—far beyond what I am authorized to handle. Please wait here for a moment while I fetch the manager. We can discuss the details then. Is that acceptable?"
"It is." Zhou Changqing lifted the teacup, took a delicate sip, and then nodded lightly, playing his part perfectly.
With that, the appraiser cupped his hands in farewell and hurried out of the room. He had every reason to be so anxious.
The name "Iron-Slicing Treasured Weapons" had been on everyone's lips lately, and many were desperately trying to find them. A few days ago, someone had even come to the Mitr Auction House seeking to purchase one, only to leave disappointed.
The only known blade, a ghost-headed saber, had already seen its price driven up to nine thousand gold coins. This was a price comparable to some second-tier medicinal pills. Yet, despite the staggering offer, the mercenary who owned it refused to sell. The middle-aged man understood the mercenary's reasoning perfectly. A treasured weapon that could significantly boost one's combat power also greatly increased their chances of survival in the Mountain Range of Magical Beasts. What good was money if you were dead?
A few minutes later, the door to the appraisal room opened once more, and two figures entered. One was the middle-aged man who had just left. The other was a beautiful woman dressed in a tight-fitting black qipao.
She had wine-red hair, and the black, gold-patterned qipao clung to a tall, exquisitely voluptuous figure. Her face was stunningly beautiful, and she exuded a mature, enchanting aura that could make any man's heart race. The appraiser walked half a step behind her, his body slightly bowed in a gesture of respect, clearly indicating the woman's superior status.
The moment the door opened, Zhou Changqing's gaze shifted toward them. Though his expression remained impassive, he instantly recognized the woman.
Ya Fei—the chief auctioneer and general manager of the Mitr Auction House in Wu Tan City.
"Hehe, my apologies for keeping you waiting, sir." As Ya Fei entered, her eyes immediately fell on Zhou Changqing. The moment she saw his face, a flash of undisguised admiration lit up her seductive, almond-shaped eyes.
Fortunately, she was no longer a naive girl. The look vanished in an instant, replaced by a charming smile. In the time it took for her to speak, she and the appraiser had already approached him.
A faint, pleasant fragrance wafted toward him. Faced with the woman's overwhelmingly seductive presence, Zhou Changqing felt his eye twitch. He had to admit, the woman from the original story—whose allure was said to be so potent it could make men with weak self-control utterly lose their composure during auctions—was truly hard to handle.
It was only because he had lived two lives, his soul strengthened and his will tempered, combined with the self-control he had cultivated over fifteen years in this world, that he managed to show no sign of being flustered. If it had been his past self, Xiao Chulan, he would have stood no chance at all.