Path Of The Dragon (A Dark Fantasy Cultivation Wuxia Xianxia Progression Series)

Chapter 61 Creating Ties

The bidding exploded at first but quickly slowed around the thirty qi coin mark.

"Thirty-one!" said one booth.

"Thirty-two!" said another.

"Thirty-three!" Pan Zhanshi said. He wrung his hands and took short, nervous breaths.

"Thirty-four!" said the booth Jie remembered as the Chen family's.

Pan Zhanshi let out a slow breath and pressed his hand to the orb. "Thirty-five," he said.

"Wow," Pan Tian said, "you have been saving."

Pan Zhanshi gave her a pained smile.

"Thirty-seven," said the Chen family booth.

"Thirty-eight," Pan Zhanshi said, but he looked strained.

"Forty," said the Chen family booth with smug ease.

Pan Zhanshi shook his head and sank back into the cushions. "That's it. I can't go higher. Well, at least I made them pay more," he said.

"Could you really have afforded thirty-eight qi coins? For a sword?" Jie asked.

"Well... yeah... but not more than that," Pan Zhanshi said, "I should've gone for one of the lower-end swords that fit my cultivation. Getting greedy was stupid. But there's always next time."

"Going once," Jiang Feng said.

"Well, you know I could give you up to fifty qi coins toward it," Jie said.

"It'd take me ages to pay you back," Pan Zhanshi said.

"Don't be stupid," Jie said, "you can have it as a gift. So, spend whatever you can afford plus fifty qi coins."

"Going twice," Jiang Feng said.

"Are you sure?" Pan Zhanshi said.

"Yes, now hurry up or you'll lose it," Jie said.

Pan Zhanshi nodded. "Thanks, Jie," he said. He pressed his hand against the orb. "forty-five," he said.

"We have forty-five qi coins for the rare dark moon blade! Do I hear more?" Jiang Feng asked.

"Fifty," said the Chen family booth.

Pan Zhanshi looked nervous.

"Don't worry," Jie said, "I don't mind if you spend all fifty coins. Now stop delaying and raise the bid by more. This obsession with face is stupid, but the Chen family seems to care about it a lot so... slap them."

Pan Zhanshi smiled and looked relieved though still a bit conflicted. It made Jie feel good. He didn't seem like he wanted to take advantage of her generosity.

He pressed his hand against the orb. "fifty-five," he said.

"Fifty-five qi coins! I have fifty-five qi coins. Do I hear sixty?" Jiang Feng asked.

"Ninety," said the Chen family booth.

Exclaimed murmurs rippled through the crowd at the massively higher bid.

"How can they be so stubborn?! Who pays ninety qi coins for a lower dantian weapon?!" Pan Zhanshi said.

"Hey... I could use the money I was going to spend for the claws to help you," Pan Tian said, "Make it a spirit coin and fifteen qi coins... I can just barely do twenty-seven if I stretch a bit."

Pan Zhanshi pressed his hand against the orb. "One spirit coin and fifteen qi coins," he said smoothly. He looked a bit embarrassed but also excited and kind of... happy?