Chrysanthos Krimta - Auction at Tzinshi
Chrysanthos woke up with a headache. His cousin Eutychias had come to wake him up, which either meant there was a emergency and he should get to cover, or they have a arrived at their destination. He could see the setting sun, which means it was not yet time to Cultivate again. Still better to check what is the situation outside. His mortal cultivation barely capable of fighting the headache, as both the travel and tortures of cultivation kept him up, and his Qi not even remotely high enough to remove the need for sleep. The horses where traveling for a full day and night since their last stop, and even he with his peak mortal cultivation could not stay awake as the desert and mountains passed. The horses rarely tired, and the mountainous Qi was bringing in some new life into their bones. Still, exiting the wagon of the family from the top, he could see the walls of the town of Tzinshi, which were becoming bigger by the moment. From the look of things, the Krimta family caravan will be arriving in about a single candlesticks of time. It seems they have arrived early.
As the south westernmost town of the Yuan Clan, Tzinshi stood at the western trade route connecting the mountain clans with the deserts and through them with the rest of the Righteous factions. It had a reputation as a gathering point for Qi Condensation Cultivators which decided to test their luck in the nearby danger areas, the primary one being Turtlebone mountain.
But that was not what the caravan was here for. The Auction House of Tzinshi was having its decennial auction, and various goods from the entire Virtuous Flipper region where coming in the town. A perfect opportunity for a Family like his, since both inside and outside the auction various treasures where sold. And they were send to represent the Clan in some unknown business. A most prosperous and troublesome arrangement.
He could see mother preparing her documents and money as they neared the gates, as well as feel the aura of the Grandfather rousing himself from Cultivation.
The gates are manned, with both fortifications and several ballistae, a squad of mortal guards, led by a lieutenant, a cultivator judging from his markings. They approach the gates and Chrysanthos prepares for an inspection. Still, there is no need, as minor bribes change hands and taxes are underpayed at the gates, the caravan enters the town, setting up a camp inside the designated area. The auction would commence in 3 days, but until then they had goods and spirit stones to trade. For while Chrysanthos speculated that their main mission laid in the auction, they would not pull a profit if they didn't transport goods with side contracts for various factions. As such, the next few days would be meeting with other caravans and hashing out the contracts, both past and present. As apprentice, he would have to be in attendance, both as a pupil and a hostage. For it was only when both sides had each other by the throat that fair deals could be made. He could not even taste the gin which the town was famous for.
Three days later…
The auction house was made out of white marble, formed into a half of a sphere, the outer parts laid in with formation. Restraining and detection ones, Chrysanthos speculated, for while the auction house had no need to fear attacks inside the city, theft was a real danger, along with people of higher cultivation level throwing a fit near valuable items. It kept mortals like him rather safe.
As they entered their suite, the Grandfather slowly sat in the middle position, with Mother and rest of the deputies. Father was outside the auction hall, guarding the caravan. Chrysanthos join the younger generation by the side, observing the auction. Soon it would start, and he needed to observe the items presented, for the true test was in front of him. He could not afford the failure.
The clan had brought 25 000 Auction tokens, by pawning various Spirit Stones, Beast Cores and goods to the Auction Hall. They could trade back their remaining Auction tokens at the end back for their money and goods at a fair rate. Chrysanthos did not expect the Family to spend even half of the money present, but still it was better to come over prepared with money to spare, then to see a cheap Heavenly Treasure escape your grasp due to not taking certain precautions.
In the middle of a podium a young woman stood in a scandalous red dress, with engraved markings on her skin. By her side a bearded old man in a purple robe stood in a slowly rotating circle. One by one, items where slowly levitated towards the platform, enabling the spectators to see several items in front of the one currently presented. Some were hidden by stealth formations for the shock they will bring when presented, while others where there so that customers may come to a calculated choice. As goods where slowly approaching the platform, the old man cleared his throat. The auction was about to begin.
A old and mighty voice filled the hall:
"Grand cultivators, welcome to the 235
th decennial auction of the Tzinshi. In addition to our regular rules of the auction, I would like to remind fellow cultivators that any release of Qi in a hostile manner shall be met with appropriate measures taken against the perpetrator. Outright hostility shall be met with even harsher sanctions. I hope you all respect the rules so that any unfortunate accidents could be avoided." Both his and the women cultivation flares as they speak, and Chrysanthos freezes from all the Qi radiated. Foundation Establishment. Considering their cultivation and the restraining formations, not even a Core Formation cultivator could walk away unscathed.
The old man lets the silence linger for a bit, and starts with a grand smile. The formation which covers the first item resolves itself.
"Now for the first item. A Pearl of the Green Lake, taken from one of the underground seas. Of excellent use in water based formation for all purposes. It is inscribed with the Grand Heavenly Water Oppression Formation, capable of killing anybody below Ninth Heavenstage if a sufficient Qi is invested. Beginning price is 4000 Auction tokens."
The Gran… No, the Caravan master points at Alexandra, his cousin from aunts side. Her voice is clear:
"Sapphire of the Green lake, produced from the Watershaking Clams of Foundation Establisment stage found in underground seas. Great utilization in defensive and utility water formations. Reforming it with better formation and reselling it could bring a great profit. Value of 6."
As always, an auction starts with a grand item. A value of 6 was pretty high on the family scale of value, since it means the Family could bring in a decent profit margin by reselling it further south, and it's use means that the Clan would be stronger for it. It is a reusable treasure for transcending the fight between the realms. Still, even as Caravan Master raises the price, he has to let it go as it seems that other factions have a far greater greed for it.
Now it is the ladies turn to present, as her red dress seems to change as she speaks, shifting from several forms.
"For the second item, we have the bracelet made out of braided tails of a Seven Coloured Mouse, capable of bringing incredible luck to whoever wears it. Beginning price is 100 Auction tokens."
Caravan Master gestures at Eutychias turn, and her voice is clear:
"Seven Coloured Bracelet. A rare item indeed, and definitely of questionable value, since the luck bringing properties of a Seven Coloured Mice where never proven. Their whiskers and hide are a essential parts of stealth and scouting treasures, but the tail does not have any known magical properties. As such, they are mostly thrown away, with jewelry being made only made in the recent decades. It is either a scam or a new breakthrough in one of the crafting factions. Still, the risk does not pay off with the prices of a item. The luck it brings is of minor value at best. Value of 2.
Chrysanthos does not hear the third item, as his eyes are glued on the fourth item. As such, when the Caravan Master gaze points at him, he is ready.
The ladies voice bellows once more and fills the room.
"For the next item, we have Twenty Seven Sabers Appropriate for Early Qi Condensation phase cultivators, bringing even more power when deployed in a unique formation. Excellent tool for bringing out all the hidden talent in your household guards. Beginning price is 300 Auction tokens."
Chrysanthos answers readily.
"27 Sabres appropriate for 2
nd Heavenstage. Appear to be failed experiments from the Seven Divine Saber Palace according to the markings, sold through several merchants to cover the costs and tracks of their forging experiments . Neither the clan or the family lacked sabres in it's armoury. Value of 1, for we may learn what techniques they are currently developing. But there are other and cheaper ways to achive that goal."
As such it continued, the items from fifth to sixty third passing by, as Chrysanthos and other apprentices continued to present their knowledge of treasures in front of the elders.
As the sixty fourth item is presented, the formation undoes itself, and a cage full of pigs with small wings is revealed.
The elder voice bellowed:
"Flying Rain Pigs, adolescents at the 1st Heavenstage, between 15 and 30 years of age, appropriate for refining the Flying Meridian Pill. Starting bid at 400 Tokens."
Chrysanthos freezes, for this was indeed a treasure, but not for the Flying meridian pill, but due to something only the Clan knew.
He calms his thoughts and answer the Caravan Masters gaze, "15 Flying Rain Pigs of equivalent stage as 1st Heavenstage. They have 2 uses. A Flying Rain Pig could be reared to the Second Heavenstage level, and refined into a Flying Meridian Pill, which temporarily brings up awareness of a persons meridians and enables them to skip up the bottlenecks of Qi Condensation. It could save up several years for a person utilizing it for cultivation."
Chrysanthos takes a breath as now the crucial part comes in. For he now had to present the reason they were a real treasure in the Clans eyes.
"Second use is if a Third Heavenstage Flying Rain Pig is reared. The pig could be butchered and refined into a Flying Pig Token, enabling a person to quickly summon a equivalent of a Fifth Level Condensation Flying Rain Pig for a time it took to burn a incense stick. While useless in battles, it has the ability to fly at high speeds when infused with Qi, at the cost of the pig's life, enabling a person to escape. A lifesaving treasure perfect for Qi Condensation cultivators, which could even escape Foundation Establishment Cultivators. Such refinement would require expertise from the Clan, for refining it is one of the secrets of our Clan. The possibility of refining a Flying Pig Token is a gamble, but the treasure is far worth the price invested. Value of 8."
The Caravan Master nodded, as he raised the price of pigs to 1500 Tokens, acquiring them for the Clan and Family.
Still, Chrysanthos mind brims with questions. How did the Flying Rain Pigs get here? They were a variation of a Stubborn Rain Hog, a First Heavenstage beast found in the lands of the Great Drunkard Sect, inside one of their minor Qi Condensation realms. Prised for their taste along with great flavouring with the wine, most people deciding it too much trouble to rear them unless they grew wings and turned into Flying Rain Pigs due to a fortunate encounter. The only question was what it was doing here, and in this quantity. For a beast to arrive here, it would need to pass several territories. Still, that did not matter. It was a treasure which would could only truly shine in the Clans hands, for only the Golden Devil clan had the knowledge and resources to both raise them to the Third Realm and refine them into tokens. It would be a waste for anybody else to get them. For a life was far more precious than several years of Cultivation saved.
Chrysanthos is lost in thought as the Sabre Wine goes up for auction, his other cousin describing their properties. For a treasure which only the clan can truly bring to shine is unusual, and would explain the presence of a entire caravan here. Gathering his thought, he quickly scans the incoming items as thirty-five more remain in line.
Still, the auction continues, as Chrysanthos and the rest of the juniors describe treasures to the seniors in the test. Some fail, and are not called again, but luckily Chrysanthos manages to pass till the end. Finally, the auction ends with a Pill capable of shortening the cultivation of a Qi Condensation Cultivator by 30 years or safely establishing the First Pillar. A heaven defying treasure, which sadly escapes the family grasp, as the prices soar to insane heights. A Foundation Establishment Cultivator can make a family, and it is certain that the Clan did not send the Krimta family to acquire this pill, but one of other treasures in the auction. Chrysanthos can only hope they got it, for such secrets are not for his ears.
The family gathers, and exits the auction house after acquiring the treasures and retreats to the caravan. With a Foundation Establishment elder, they aren't stopped, though several fights are happening around the auction house as they leave.
Two days later…
Chrysanthos rises up from his Cultivation, feeling a step closer to First Heavenstage, when he is called in by a paper crane to join up at the exit of the caravan camp. Only few members bother with the cranes, and only one would call him via those means. He speeds up to the caravan exit, and he sees his father talking with a older man in a blue robe, accompanied with a younger woman dressed in a light blue robe.
"And such price would be unacceptable. I have a far more favourable proposition."
He clears his throat and puts a smile on his fake smile on his face as he eyes Chrysanthos. Chrysanthos knows that smile. It's the one his father has when he wants to pull a prank on him.
"You have a son; I have a granddaughter! The conclusion should be clear. I remember when you where his age…"
Chrysanthos father cut him off.
"I'm not getting him engaged so early in his life, let alone for some needles! Even if they are weapon for Qi condensation realm, there is business and there is family. You don't mix the two. "
The outrage is the old man's voice is tinted equally with both amusement and fake outrage.
"Marriage? Who said about marriage, I couldn't stand your ugly face in my family. And knowing my luck, it's probably inheritable. I propose a fight. For those needles would indeed make a excellent tool for my students. And through them a great boon to the city. I'll put in the equal amount of spirit stones you would get for them at the auction."
Father just looked even more outraged at that suggestion.
"So you turned from teaching to banditry. How far has my master fallen?"
Father lets the question remain unanswered, light humor slowly colouring his voice as he continues.
"I refuse, your granddaughter is obviously in the First Heavenstage, while my son has only recently begun Cultivating. He has not even finished his Legionnaire preparations, let alone training. And she has several years and a stage on him. It would be a slaughter. And that would indeed doom you from my new families' wrath."
Chrysanthos is not insulted. He knows it's the truth, though his pride stings in his chest. Still as the conversation continues Chrysanthos realizes what is going on. His father was a wandering Cultivator years ago, adventuring through the area of the Desert and the Mountains, and has married your mother more than 3 decades ago. It seems the old man was his teacher of sorts, and this is mostly bragging between them, on how far they have some since the last time they saw each other. Still, his role is clear. He puts on his best friendly face, and tries to catch the details between the bragging and bartering. From time to time, some details of fathers past adventures slipped past in their conversation, and those details where worth their weight in bronze. Still, he feels a bit awkward as the old man's granddaughter looks perplexed. Probably from the sudden offer of marriage from a complete stranger from her perspective. Let alone with a Devil with Heavens fury on him. The conversation continues for a good hour, until the old man leaves with his needles, and his pockets with far less silver in them. His last words echoing as he speeds off with the young woman.
"Don't be a stranger Zhenyi, and visit your old place."
Once they are out of hearing range, Chrysanthos pesters his father with question, but with having nothing his father wants, and his lack of bartering skill, he manages to gather no further information.
12 hours later…
Chrysanthos prepares for the exit from the city, gathering tents, supplies and the gin they recently bought, placing them into the appropriate wagon. Soon, all is packed up and the caravan slowly rolls out of the city.
Still, as we exited the city, a caravan exited at the same time, flying the banner of Golden Merchant association.
Chrysanthos looked up to his mother with a questioning look. This was very unusual. It was indeed prime time for caravans to leave, but usually they would leave one by one. Chrysanthos does a double take as a wagon from the association joins the caravan. He is even more confused as it's colors suddenly change in the crossover, and he recognizes the leader of the wagon as Thereocolis. Thirty horse wagons exited Tzinshi, but thirty-one entered the Simmering Soup Sect territory. He learned later that the the number of Flying Rain Pigs in the caravan tripled.
12 hours later...
Chrysanthos hears a knock on his doors, and his mother enters, a small bag in hand and a smile on her face. Chrysanthos returned the sight with a questioning look. It was unusual for his mother to come this early, especially during the travels. As deputy of the Caravan Master, she had various obligations, and could barely spare a moment which was not either performing caravan duties or cultivating.
Her voice echoes through his small compartment as she throws the bag in the air.
"Flying Token. With the newly acquired Flying Rain Pigs, our family should be more then capable of negotiating for several new ones with the rest of the clan".
"Mine? Mother, shouldn't the Pigs belong to the Clan?
Chrysanthos mothers voice bellows with a pinch of amusement.
"My little golden flower, you know well that the Clan payed us to bring 25 Flying Rain Pigs, and 25 they shall get. The Krimta family negotiated the transport of Flying Rain Pigs to Tzinshi. Is it our fault that our supplier brought in some extra and decided to auction them for the extra profit? Everybody knows that the farther away the goods travel, their value rises. We of course saw their true worth and decided to acquire them through the auction. As for other members of the Family, don't worry. All of them have various ways to earn a profit from this trip, and your fathers and mine main profit is your safety. I will acquire a second tokens, and a month without a token presents no danger as we enter Clan lands. Even if we encounter some, with grandfather present, it will be of no consequence."
You did not actually know that, but you decide not to share that small bit of information as she continues:
"I was given this token by Grandfather decades ago, to keep me safe, and while I did not have to ever use it, it kept my Grandfathers worries from me in turbulent times. I do hope that piece of luck also rubs on you. I would be disappointed if you have to use it, but I will cultivate easier if I know you are safe, just as my Grandfather has for me.
And as a Seventh Heavenstage Cultivator, I do have various tricks to survive. As long as somebody of Grandfathers cultivation level doesn't make a move, I'm rather certain of my survival. Same goes for your father to a lesser extent. And we still have some treasures and contracts remaining. Not all fortunes rest on ones backs.
This one is just for you, my little flower. For you are the most important part of our lives."
Chrysanthos smiles, and hugs his mother. For he knows he truly care about him, as if there was any doubt about that. They continue conversing for half a hour. His time with his mother is precious, since she does have a lot of work to do. As the conversation ends, he gets back to cultivating, activating the Qi Gathering Array in his compartment. As they entered the Core Lands, his time to join the Legionnaires would come. And so would his stay with the caravan temporarily end.
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@occipitallobe A omake for Lifesaving treasure. A fair trade? Yes?
It should be 3.6k words. It has been a while since I last wrote a Omake (as in, 4 years).
