Murim Recurve

"Wow, for the first time in this auction, we have a tie, folks…" The auctioneer lady was just speaking in amusement when she was interrupted by the sound of a lever being pulled. For a moment, the auction house was silent.

She gazed at seat number 207, looking at a lever that was pulled which propped a certain metal plate, allowing her to see the single-digit number inscribed on it. For a moment, she was lost for words.

Re'Kha had increased the price by 1 RuQi. It was the first of the four levers, one whose existence was forgotten by everyone as no one ever used it. Everyone who had arrived at this auction at least had some money with them.

So, they never resorted to using the first lever that increased the bid by 1 RuQi. Even if one did that, the auctioneer lady wouldn't even glance their way. Moreover, it was embarrassing. So, the minimum most they increased a bid by was 10 RuQi.

And as all the items were treasures, the jump in numbers was usually by 100 RuQi, sometimes even 1000 RuQi. After all, 10 RuQi was a small amount. So, if someone saw that it was going to win, they would increase it by another 10 RuQi. After all, it wasn't much to anyone seated in the auction house.

Therefore, during the final stages of an item's bid, even the lever with 10 RuQi wasn't ever pulled. And now that the lever with 1 RuQi was pulled, it took some time before the auctioneer lady remembered it, expressing her shock as she spoke, "Seat number 207 has increased the price by 1 RuQi. Do we have a winner among ourselves?"

Re'Kha could hear the person in seat number 27 curse. As the person had controlled his tone, the auctioneer lady hadn't heard him. So, he wasn't escorted out for disrupting the auction's atmosphere by not following its rules.

After repeating it thrice, the auctioneer lady smiled, "The Copper Pranic Essence has been sold to seat number 207 for 20,061 RuQi."

'Finally,' Re'Kha thought as she could feel some sense of danger, immediately lifting her metal slab—the one with her seat number and her total amount. The accountant in charge of her seat immediately sensed it, pulling a lever as he motioned the detail to the auctioneer lady.

The auctioneer lady didn't say anything, just assuming the winner was too excited to receive the Copper Pranic Essence and was unable to control herself. A couple of Harmonisers arrived and Escorted Re'Kha through the backstage, bringing her to a certain room.

It was the counter where they would be returned their unused money. When Re'Kha arrived there, the lady behind the counter looked at her metal slab and the data presented by their accountant, coughing as she took a one RuQi coin and gave it to Re'Kha.

Re'Kha didn't say anything and just received it, waving her hand to show she didn't wish to receive the pouch for just one coin. The atmosphere was slightly awkward as she was escorted by the two Harmonisers to another room.

One of them spoke to her, "We'll be bringing in the items you have purchased shortly. Please wait here until the end of the auction. Usually, we'll complete the same formalities as you to the rest of the people and make them stay in their respective rooms. Only after that would we allow them to exit. This is to prevent any chaos. I hope you understand."

"I understand," Re'Kha nodded, noticing that the room was fairly simple. There was a bed to rest, a chair to be seated on, and a table on which some food was placed. There was an attached bathroom to the room. It was pretty simple.

As Re'Kha sat on the chair, one of the two Harmonisers exited the room and accompanied two people who brought her items. The first was the Pill Coupon using which she could order 10 pills of her choice from the Water Sect. The scroll was carefully packed with a symbol from the auction house. It was to prove its authenticity and proof that it was the original.

As long as it wasn't damaged, if Re'Kha found out the Pill Coupon within was damaged, she could ask the Royal Clan for reimbursement and they would investigate into it and give her justice.

And, the second was the Copper Pranic Essence. It was secured in a glass vial. It didn't need to be verified. Just the glow it emitted and the feeling it induced in the Pranic Hearts of the Harmonisers was enough proof of its authenticity.

After stating some reminders, one of the Harmonisers gave her a piece of paper. Written on it was the instruction she had to follow to obtain her pills from the Water Sect and the way in which she had to consume the Copper Pranic Essence.

Re'Kha was unable to read it. She didn't stare at it and nodded at the others, watching them exit the room, leaving her behind.

'I'll make Re'Shi read this to me.' She thought and immediately placed all the items in her storage ring. She then entered the bathroom to freshen up, exiting it sometime later. Seated on the bed, she ate the food, satiating her hunger while keeping tabs on Ki'Nua and the auction house.

She heard the auctioneer lady announce with a boisterous tone about the final three auction items. Upon hearing the first one, she was surprised. For, it was a coupon too. But, this coupon allowed one to change their Pranic Avatar and gain a new one. And, it would be bestowed by the Fourth Celestial Emperor.

Just the fact of meeting him would be an honour to everyone. So, it was contested for severely, almost being sold for a price only 100 RuQi less than what she paid for the Copper Pranic Essence.

The second among them was another coupon. But this one made the crowd rile up once again. For, it was the key to becoming a Martial Master.