My SSS-Rank Skill and System is too OP in Modern Cultivation world-Chapter 161: Under the Auction Lanterns

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Kent counted quickly, He sealed it, shook Han's hand. "Pleasure."

Back in Silver Muse, he exhaled long. "One hundred and twenty thousand plus Jade's sixty equals a hundred eighty. He got thirty, totaling 210 thousand dollars. Still shy."

He eyed the last jar. Selling would just cover the minimum. But wine brought SP too; better keep one for later. "Maybe I still bluff." He powered toward the Nexus office again.

Afternoon sun glared through pavilion windows when Kent marched back into Jade's office. He placed the briefcase on an inlaid desk.

"One hundred and fifty thousand secured," Kent said. "I'll add the wine jar as a gift if bids push us above two hundred K."

Jade nodded, impressed. "Creative." He unlocked a steel drawer, removed a sleek binder. "Sign here, joint purchase contract. Sixty K from me, your 150 K now. Any overage we split by percentage equal to cash ratio."

Kent's pen scratched. Joint ownership Kent: 67 %, Jade Monroe 33 %.

Contract sealed with twin thumbprints over a warm sealing rune. Ink flashed crimson, then dried.

Jade slid a key-card over. "This grants you seat #12 in the east balcony. Auction staff will handle the disk until sale end."

Kent pocketed the card. Auri chittered happily on a chair back.

"Closing time?" Kent asked.

"Sundown sharp. Wear formal robes." Jade's stern smile softened. "And thank you for trusting me, Kent."

"Mutual," Kent replied. His pulse still raced, but plan in place.

Back on Silver Muse, Kent checked time, two hours before the auction. Enough to grab dinner, change clothes, maybe brief Nima.

Silver Muse dipped below the rooftop line and slid into Kent's yard with a soft sigh of thrusters. The sun already leaned toward the western buildings, coloring windows orange. Kent leapt from the cockpit, boots crunching gravel. Auri gilded behind him, then perched on the porch rail.

Nima dashed out of the house, flour on her cheeks. "You missed lunch and snack hour," she scolded.

Kent offered a sheepish smile. "Owe you two bowls of noodles. Where is old man Xian Yu?"

"Finishing rows three and four," she answered, thumb jerking toward the field. Seedlings now reached ankle height in bright green waves.

Kent hurried inside. He had one hour to wash the day's sweat, dress right, and jog back to the auction house. He scrubbed dirt from his arms, switched into a formal dark-blue suit, simple but clean. The family crest, a small stylized carrot leaf, sat embroidered at the collar. He brushed his hair in a stylish way, put his Soul-Slasher dagger inside system storage, and grabbed the small jar of thunder-pumpkin wine wrapped in silk.

Auri peeked across the doorway. "Chip?"

"You're my lucky charm," Kent said. "Stay close but hush during bidding."

At the door, Xian Yu arrived, sleeves brushed of soil. "Kid, Jade's auctions draw sharks. Keep calm," he warned.

Kent nodded. "We stretched funds as far as they'll go."

Nima shoved a hot bun into his hand. "Eat or don't leave."

Kent grinned, stuffed half the bun into his mouth, then sprinted to Silver Muse. Sunset painted the skimmer's hull a rosy gold as he powered up and lifted away.

The Nexus Auction Rotunda sat atop a wide marble plaza. Red lanterns rimmed its curved roof; runes made each glow even under full daylight. Noble carriages, hover sleds, and small rune gliders already crowded the landing tiers. Guards moved with crisp discipline, their spears tipped by faint electric light.

Silver Muse drifted down to pad 12-E. A uniformed attendant bowed. "Tier-3 Watcher Kent, your balcony seat is ready. Do you require an escort?"

Kent shook his head. "Know the halls. Thank you." He set Auri inside his coat, only the bird's eyes peeked out and strode across polished stairs toward the grand doors. A deep drum beat sounded every five seconds, counting down to the auction start.

Inside, the Rotunda spread wide, tiers of half-moon balconies, gold railings, plush seats facing a circular stage sunken five meters below. Lights overhead hung like stars, cold white against the dark wood.

Kent followed placards to Balcony Twelve, east side. Jade Monroe already sat there, legs crossed, notes spread on a low side table. He wore a steel-gray high-collar jacket, hair tied back with a jade pin. He looked up, gave a brief approving nod at Kent's neat attire.

"You had a good time," Jade said. "Any trouble?"

"None," Kent replied, taking the seat beside him. Auri stayed hidden.

A server in crisp white placed goblets of chilled grape tea on their table. Jade raised his glass in silent toast. Kent touched rim to rim in agreement firm yet wordless.

Below, staff in black moved three display pedestals onto the stage: one empty for the rune disk, two others draped for other lots. An older man in red robes, Auctioneer Gao, climbed the podium. Drum beats ceased. Murmur of the crowd dropped to hush.

Gao's voice rang clear, magnified by a rune amplifying charm. "Honored cultivators, merchants, scholars. Welcome to the Forty-Eighth Crescent Auction. May your bids find worthy homes."

He gestured. Assistants rolled out lot one: a pair of frost-jade gauntlets sputtering blue mist. Bidding started at $30 000. A Level-B clan heiress shouted prices; hammer fell at $48 000 to a stern woman in Balcony Five.

Lot two: a spirit-tree sapling sealed in crystal soil. Went for $62 000.

Kent sat still, tea cooling. His nerves ticked while numbers jumped. Jade scribbled winning bids next to each lot in a neat column, likely for market tracking.

Lot three, four, five… Each item is interesting but not essential. Kent exhaled slowly, gripping the wine jar. At this pace, the disk would appear near the end, when pockets either emptied or boiled. Risky.

He leaned on Jade. "If the price soars above two hundred K, we add the jar as sweetener?"

Jade nodded. "Signal me. By the way, I also got some more money. It's 80k." He tapped two fingers on the rail, silent code.

While lesser lots passed, Kent studied other balconies. Balcony Four held the gold-robed He Clan, an older man with tiger-eye ring tapping restless. Balcony Seven: sleek black uniforms of the Cloud Fang Association; their spokeswoman whispered into a rune slate each time numbers shifted.

Balcony Three displayed crimson banners, the private collector known as Sir Yao, a heavyset level-B swordsman rumored to hoard ancient arrays. His narrow eyes rarely blinked.

Balcony Nine hosted the Jade Pavilion Clan, pale blue robes and soft fans. They valued artistry more than function.

Kent ran quick math: He Clan got deep pockets, Cloud Fangs moderate, Sir Yao unpredictable, Blue Pavilion low but sentimental.

Auctioneer Gao clapped once. "Intermission of five minutes. Wine and tea available."

Kent used the break to breathe. Auri poked his head, squeaked. Kent fed him a crumb of bun. Jade murmured, "Disk is lot sixteen, after break."

Kent's heart sped. He reviewed his mental tactic: open low, show absolute confidence, maybe flash coin demonstration to intimidate.

Drum resounded thrice. Assistants wheeled the center pedestal forward. White cloth whisked away: the pale crystal disk glowed under stage lights, rune slots glinting like small mouths ready for keys.

Gao lifted his gavel. "Lot Sixteen. Unknown ancient array focus. Spiral of thirty-three glyphs. Energy channels are active though dormant. Starting bid: $200 000."

A low ripple rolled through balconies.

The He-Clan patriarch raised a paddle. "Two-hundred and twenty."

Cloud Fang spokeswoman almost overlapped. "Two-thirty."

Sir Yao's fan snapped open. "Two-fifty."

Kent inhaled. They leapfrogged already. Jade tapped the rail, watch, not yet.

Blue Pavilion's elder cleared his throat. "Two-sixty."

Back to the He Clan. "Two-eighty."

Cloud Fang hesitated, then shook head; out.

Sir Yao twirled fan, eyes glinting. "Three hundred thousand."

Gasps from lower tiers. Kent felt sweat collect at his neck.

Jade Monroe whispered. "Our limit with a jar: three-ten."

Bids climbed like drum beats:

Cloud-Fang: "Three-twenty."

Blue Pavilion: "Three-thirty."

He Clan: "Three-forty."

The spotlights wheeled, catching faces flushed with heat. At four-hundred even, Cloud-Fang bowed out. Blue Pavilion hesitated, then waved off. Only He-Clan remained.

Jade set the paddle down. "We're finished," he breathed.

The auctioneer's gaze swept the balconies. "Any further?"

A hush fell, until a soft, clear voice flowed from the shadowed VVIP suite high above.

"Three-hundred and fifty thousand dollars."

Heads craned. Curtains parted just enough to show a beautiful girl wearing formal wear, straight back, confident grin.

Kent recognized her with a jolt in his heart. Princess Louis, the mischievous heir to the royal family. Last time he met her on the Azure-Bay train, hair now tied and eyes shining with playful fire.

The room buzzed. The He-Clan patriarch scowled, but he raised his paddle one last time. "Four hundred thousand."

"Four-ten," came Louis's leisurely reply. She spoke as if numbers meant nothing.

The patriarch swallowed. Sweat dotted his temples. "Four-thirty!"

Louis only smiled. "Half-a-million."

Gasps echoed. That leap crushed half the hall's courage. The patriarch paled, then sank back, flicking his wrist in surrender.

But Cloud-Fang's old matriarch, moved by pride, jumped once more. "Five-thirty!"