Systemless Villain

Chapter 192 The Auction Begins!

"Tickets, please," the guard requested upon spotting Long Tian and Ling Han.

Long Tian effortlessly handed over the two tickets to the guard.

Upon examination, the guard's demeanor shifted towards politeness as he noticed that both tickets held VIP status.

He stole a glance at Long Tian and Ling Han. From their appearance, both looked graceful and exuded an authoritative aura, clearly not ordinary people.

"Welcome," he conveyed, guiding them forward.

A smile graced Long Tian's face as they proceeded inside.

In the corridor, Long Tian could already glimpse the auction venue not far ahead. It was designed with a circular stage in the middle for showcasing auctioned items and hosting, accompanied by a table holding a gavel. The seating area formed a circle with numerous chairs.

At this moment, a elegantly dressed woman with an official air approached them.

"Excuse me, are you both VIP cardholders?" she inquired.

Long Tian directed his gaze toward her, "Yes, we are," he replied.

"Okay then, please follow me. The VIP seating is on the upper floor," the woman responded.

With a nod, Long Tian and Ling Han strolled down another corridor and ascended the stairs, making their way to the upper floor.

Now on the upper floor, positioned directly above the main venue, the seating area formed a circle with only one row of seats.

Several individuals here glanced at Long Tian and Ling Han, but the two of them simply took their seats.

The chairs were remarkably comfortable, clearly crafted from high-quality materials, and offered a clear view of the host and showcase area. Perhaps that's why there was only one row of seats on the second floor.

"What are you aiming for, young master?" Ling Han inquired suddenly.

"I don't know, considering the fame of this auction, there should be plenty of valuable items, right?" Long Tian smirked.

Ling Han merely nodded in response.

------

After a brief wait, every seat, both in the standard and VIP sections, was occupied by individuals donned in formal and opulent attire.

At that moment, a man in his fifties, clad in a polished suit, stepped onto the stage. His graceful walk and demeanor emanated elegance, hushing the room upon his arrival.

Long Tian observed the older man intently; he could feel the formidable power emanating from him.

"A Nascent Soul realm cultivator hosting; the Jun family seems to take this auction seriously," Ling Han remarked suddenly.

"Well, I hope they bring forth a multitude of valuable items for auction," Long Tian responded, a smirk playing on his face.

-----------

Meanwhile, Lin Fan remained composed as he awaited the commencement of the auction.

His arrival was not without preparation. Armed with 50 million Yuan, a sum derived from selling various antique items and mostly obtained as a loan from the bank, leveraging his family's house as collateral.

His confidence wasn't mere bravado, for he possessed the gift of golden eyes. Lin Fan was convinced that he would unearth rare items with the potential for high resale values.

Yet, at this very moment, beads of sweat formed on his forehead, despite the chilly air courtesy of the AC, accompanied by a visibly uncomfortable expression.

"Why do I suddenly feel uneasy?" he murmured to himself.

Xiao Jun, catching the change in Lin Fan's expression, promptly inquired, "What's wrong?"

Lin Fan's gaze met Xiao Jun's, "It's fine, I just sense the atmosphere is overwhelmingly grand. This is my first time participating in such a massive auction," he responded.

Xiao Jun simply nodded, "Well, this is where individuals of high status and strength congregate. There might even be members of the imperial family. But, Brother Lin, with your talent, I'm sure you'll be a big man in the future," he said, offering a supportive smile.

"Well, I'll be a big man if I eat well," Lin Fan replied in a playful tone.

"Pfftt, that's a good one," Xiao Jun chuckled.

Lin Fan also smiled. Now, he felt more at ease, appreciative of having a friend like Xiao Jun who consistently stood by him.

At this juncture, the elderly gentleman commenced, "Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to introduce myself. I am Su Dongzhu, your host for tonight's proceedings. I extend a warm welcome to each of you attending this auction," he said, his voice possessing an elegant and gentle cadence, reaching everyone's ears with a soft resonance.

Applause erupted from the participants.

Once the applause subsided, Su Dongzhu carried on, "Tonight, we express our gratitude to all of you who have taken the time to grace this auction. Without further ado, let us commence the proceedings!" he declared.

Once again, applause reverberated among the participants.

While the applause persisted, two robust men in suits walked onto the stage, bearing a wheeled table carrying a relatively large blank canvas.

Perplexity spread among the participants as it was simply a blank canvas without any paintings.

Su Dongzhu, the host, mirrored the confusion. "Um, this is a canvas... We didn't receive clear information about it, but the owner is a formidable cultivator. The opening bid is 1000 Yuan, and the subsequent bid is 1000 Yuan," he explained.

Following his statement, a noticeable silence lingered among the participants.

Long Tian, positioned above, couldn't restrain his curiosity. "Did you observe anything on that canvas, Uncle Ling?" he inquired.

Ling Han stroked his chin. "Hmmmm, I didn't discern anything intriguing; it appears to be a blank canvas," he responded.

Long Tian nodded, then shifted his gaze back to the canvas. However, his eyes soon landed on Lin Fan, a look of interest crossing his face as he observed Lin Fan's surprised expression.

Simultaneously, from Lin Fan's perspective, his eyes widened as he activated his golden eyes ability. The canvas... emitted a golden aura!

"No one bidding?" Su Dongzhu inquired.

Once again, the atmosphere remained silent, with no one initiating the bid.

Su Dongzhu raised the hammer, "Alright, no bid, then..." However, his voice trailed off when a sudden voice broke the silence, "1000 Yuan!"

In response to this voice, Su Dongzhu directed his attention to the regular seating area where a young man raised his hand with the number 35.

"Oh, an open bid from a young man!" he exclaimed, pointing towards Lin Fan.

The expressions of everyone were indifferent, showing no interest. 1000 Yuan was considered a trivial amount.

Meanwhile, on the upper floor, a wide grin adorned Long Tian's face. Here it is; the protagonist finally initiates the bid!

"1000 Yuan. Any other offers?" Su Dongzhu queried.

Still, there was no response from the participants.

Lin Fan grinned inwardly, filled with excitement. Just 1000 Yuan, and he was acquiring an item with a golden aura!

"Alright, the first 1000 Yuan, the second 1000 Yuan, the third 1000 Yuan..." Su Dongzhu's voice was abruptly halted by a resonant voice emanating from the VIP room, "1 million Yuan," a tone cutting through the murmurs like a commanding presence,