Blood Moon

by Patrick Laplante

  “That’s not my problem! You can’t rip people off just because you need more money. Five thousand spirit stones is a much more reasonable price.” Unknowingly, Gong Lan had started to haggle with the grizzled veteran.

  “Come on now, lass, that price is outrageous! Clearly fifteen thousand spirit stones is a much more reasonable price.” The man looked quite heated now, but it was clearly all an act. Everyone but the young lady arguing with him saw it clearly.

  “Well, you deserve it! You’re the one who highballed us in the first place! Fine, since you’re willing to be reasonable, lets settle this in the middle. One mid-grade spirit stone!”

  Cha Ming coughed a couple of times to get her attention. “Are you sure you want to get this bottle of pills? You would have to go get them appraised later, and who knows exactly what’s inside the bottle?”

  In all fairness, the bottle seemed positively ancient. The seals placed on pill bottles had a convenient function that identified the date of sealing. Such a time-keeping function was difficult to tamper with, and the person who had established this specific seal was definitely an impressive elder. The bottle’s seal was one hundred and six years old.

  While the probability of there being at least a seventh-grade pill inside was very high, there was always a chance that the pills had been damaged despite the seal. In addition, the pills in the bottle might not be very useful for Gong Lan. Therefore, a price of ten thousand spirit stones was not unreasonable, given the potential risks and rewards.

  The man was not one to give up, however. He immediately agreed to one mid-grade spirit stone in order to minimize the chance that Cha Ming would be able to convince her otherwise.

  “Yeah! Here you go, sir! And remember to be more honest in the future!” Gong Lan laid down a mid-grade spirit stone and picked up the pill bottle, humming joyfully. Just as she was about to depart, she paused after noticing that Cha Ming was still observing an item on the table.

  “Where did you get this?” Cha Ming asked the man, who was currently in a good mood. The object in question was an old and crumpled talisman. It had clearly been through many hardships. The edges were worn, and the paper was torn in many places. Despite its wretched appearance, Cha Ming could sense a mysterious power fluctuation.

  Despite Cha Ming’s proficiency in runic characters, he could not decipher the meaning behind the script. Not only was this script much longer than normal, but the characters were nonsensical. It was as though there was a mysterious veil that had been placed over them, making it impossible for him to clearly interpret their meaning.

  Brother, that’s space power! It’s definitely a spatial transmission talisman, the usually silent Huxian chimed in.

  Oh? How are you so sure? I’ve never sensed such power before, but I can tell that it’s at least a magic-grade talisman, Cha Ming replied. The little fox was full of secrets, which he’d only discovered with the passage of time. Huxian had once called them inherited memories, and they only surfaced by chance or whenever they were useful.

  My kind has a very strong affinity to space. I’ll gain the ability to perform short-distance teleportation much earlier than most cultivators or spirit beasts. I can tell that this talisman is a damaged spatial transmission talisman. Unfortunately, the talisman is severely damaged. There is a ninety-eight percent chance that it will outright fail, while there is a one percent chance that it will work as intended and teleport the user and up to five people to a random destination within ten thousand li, the fox replied proudly.

  What about the other one percent? Cha Ming asked.

  I’m not too sure. Given the nature of spatial powers, my guess is that the user will get torn to pieces under the ravages of space and time, Huxian replied in a jovial tone.

  That’s… encouraging.

  “Sir, did you hear me?” The man looked concerned, as Cha Ming had spaced out for a good sixty breaths.

  Having regained his focus, Cha Ming looked a little embarrassed. “My apologies, could you repeat what you just said?”

  “Yes, of course.” The man was a little embarrassed but continued to explain. “This talisman was found in the same tomb as the bottle of pills. While it’s clearly a high-level talisman, its ability to function is… questionable at best. I once sought out an expert, who took great interest in this talisman. In exchange for a few days time to study it, he reported that it was likely a minor teleportation talisman capable of traveling one thousand li in a chosen direction. In addition, the damage meant that there was less than a one-in-a-thousand chance of activation, but a ten percent chance of activating a less-than-pleasant function.”

  “I happen to find this trinket a little interesting. That and the eighth-level beast core on the table. Would five thousand spirit stones be sufficient?” Of course, the beast core had been identified by Huxian as a tasty morsel. Strictly speaking, the price of an eighth-level beast core was ten thousand spirit stones, but this was a fire sale, not an auction.

  “The talisman is nothing. If you buy the beast core, I’ll throw it in for free. However, the going rate for these is ten thousand spirit stones. But I can bring it down to nine thousand, since the auction is tomorrow…” the man said hesitantly.

  “Eight thousand, take it or leave it,” Cha Ming replied. After all, Huxian was easily capable of harvesting such items himself.

  The trio soon left the merchant stall in a happy mood. They continued to peruse through the remainder of the stalls for the rest of the day, and Cha Ming made sure to pick up a few necessities at a cheap price. Fasting pills, while not particularly tasty, enabled one to continue for days without a meal. He also purchased low-level healing pills, which were useful in emergencies when his wood qi was depleted.

  Their business finished, they spent the rest of the day in leisure at their new favorite restaurant, the Phoenix Cry Pavilion.

  Chapter 14: The Auction

  Cha Ming and company returned to the auction house after noon the next day. The street leading to the auction house was much busier than the previous day. Instead of trickling in to set up their stalls, everyone arrived together just before the start of the auction. Most people had been registered the previous day, and as a result the traffic flowed much more smoothly.

  After a short wait, Cha Ming and company arrived at the entrance of the beautifully decorated auction house. He had failed to notice its beauty the first time he came, as he had been preoccupied with selling his wares. Unlike most buildings in town, which were made from carved stone, the auction hall was fabricated with expensive wood.

  The wood had been carved with intricate patterns, both decorative and runic, and they meshed together seamlessly. While the wood was dark, the carved runes had been stained a bright purple to complement golden fixtures. The building could only be described as majestic.

  To gain entrance this time, all Cha Ming did was flash his bidding paddle, which identified him as a silver-level bidder in the upcoming auction. After entering, they proceeded to the seating area. It was entirely different than the cheap, undecorated hall in which the trade meet was held.

  The rows up front were reserved for those with silver bidding paddles. Those with silver paddles had a proven level of strength, and their seating area was much less crowded than those used by the less powerful mercenaries. This was not their destination, however. They ignored the lower seating area and proceeded to the private booths. Given how well he and Hong Lai had hit it off, Cha Ming saw no reason to turn down his invitation.

  After inquiring with one of the attendants, they soon arrived at a wooden door carved with a ferocious mastiff. There were only twelve booths in the auction house, one for each of the twelve guardian animals. Each year was named after one of the animals, and each one was featured five times in a sixty-year cycle. The five rotations had something to do with the five elements.

  The attendant knocked on the large wooden door, and it was immediately opened by Hong Lai, who greeted them with a cheerful smile. “Cha Ming, Gon
g Lan, it’s so good to see you!”

  Cha Ming clasped his hands and bowed respectfully. “The pleasure is all ours. How could we refuse your gracious invitation?”

  After exchanging pleasantries, Hong Lai quickly ushered them in and served them tea. They drank in silence for a quarter hour, then another soft knock sounded on the door. Two unfamiliar young men were ushered in by their host.

  The duo clasped their hands in greeting to Hong Lai. “Greetings, Master Uncle Hong,” they said in unison.

  Hong Lai waved his hand in response. “No need for formalities. Let me introduce you to two new friends.” He motioned toward Cha Ming and Gong Lan.

  “This is Cha Ming and Gong Lan. They’ve come from Green Leaf City to join the rescue mission. We met when Cha Ming gave me some advice on calligraphy while crafting a fifth-grade protective treasure.” He then motioned toward the two youngsters.

  “Cha Ming, Gong Lan, these two are my apprentice-nephews. My master had five students, and although he has retired, his legacy lives on with me, my apprentice-brothers, and my apprentices and apprentice-nephews.

  “The one on the left with the longer hair is Sima Qian, and the aggressive-looking one on the right is Wu Jin. They have both volunteered to participate in this expedition. As such, they are also your competitors in this auction.”

  The short-haired Wu Jin was expressionless. Sima Qian, however, laughed modestly and said, “Uncle Master, I would hardly call us competitors. Spiritual blacksmiths burn spirit stones to learn their craft. Truth be told, Wu Jin already has everything he needs and is participating out of curiosity. On the other hand, I only wish to participate and obtain a seventh-grade spirit weapon at less than market price.”

  The pair of apprentice-brothers seated themselves opposite Gong Lan and Cha Ming. The booth’s seating was semicircular. This way, they would always be facing the auction stage. An ornate semicircular table was located in front of them. Hong Lai had already served tea on this table, and various snack dishes had been placed there for the booth’s occupants. While Huxian had wanted to gorge himself as soon as they entered, he was scolded by Cha Ming and forced to withdraw rations from his collar.

  Wu Jin, despite his simple-minded appearance, was extremely observant. “Your pet fox is quite extraordinary!” he said in admiration. “While I’m not very proficient at crafting artifacts, combat is my true passion. I can tell that I surely wouldn’t last more than three rounds against it! Furthermore, it’s just a baby!”

  His comments prompted looks of admiration from Hong Lai, Sima Qian, and Wu Jin. The baby fox, unware of what was happening, looked at them with a puzzled expression.

  Cha Ming laughed. “I assure you, he’s only a regular spirit fox. He did, however, experience a fortuitous encounter. While wandering the spirit woods near Green Leaf Academy, we happened to discover a demon blood ginseng. Huxian almost died after consuming it! He survived out of sheer luck. Afterward, he experienced a period of rapid growth. Perhaps he will be lucky enough to evolve into a demon beast when he grows up.”

  This lie had been rehearsed many times in the past. After all, not many baby spirit beasts were born with so much innate strength and potential. Revealing Huxian’s identity might rouse jealousy in even the most honest cultivators.

  Fortunately, before anyone had a chance to question his lie, the rowdy auction hall suddenly quieted down. They were silenced by an extremely beautiful woman wearing a red dress. The dress was tight-fitting, accentuating her generous proportions and well-toned figure. The woman’s long black hair was fastened behind her head with a jade pin. Her cherry-red lips had been painted to match her dress.

  After entering the stage, she spoke out in a magically amplified yet melodious voice.

  “My fellow adventurers, welcome to today’s special pre-mission auction. This auction has been sponsored jointly by our very own Han Jinlong and Zhang Yifeng, who will also be participating in the upcoming mission.

  “As all of you may know, this auction has been launched by our leading artisans to rescue their dear family members, whom they have not heard from in many weeks. In order to increase the chances of success, they have spared no expense in hosting this auction. As such, except for the final two items in this auction, any weapons or pills that are sold will not be identified by their craftsmen. Unlike the shops in this city, these exquisitely crafted products will be auctioned off at a starting price of eighty-five percent of their list price.

  “If this isn’t enough, I have received a guarantee from our two hosts that within each grade, at least ten percent of the items have been crafted by them personally! After the expedition, they will be more than happy to identify these personally crafted weapons. Such a memorable item would be a priceless addition to anyone’s collection!

  “Regarding all other weapons, each of these are guaranteed to be crafted by one of the top twenty weapon craftsmen in the city. It is impossible to see these as normal weapons, however, because these limited-edition items, while beautiful, are also inscribed with a commemorative decoration. The resale value of these items cannot be doubted!

  “The following items will be auctioned off in this special batch:

  Third-grade medicinal pills—one hundred bottles

  Fourth-grade medicinal pills—fifty bottles

  Fifth-grade medicinal pills—ten bottles

  Sixth-grade medicinal pills—five bottles

  “Specialized pill-crafting session with Zhang Yifeng—ten units. Please note, this includes labor but does not include materials, which can either be supplied or bought at cost. One crafting session includes the creation of three cauldrons of medicinal pills.

  Third-grade spirit weapon—one hundred units

  Fourth-grade spirit weapon—fifty units

  Fifth-grade spirit weapon—ten units

  Sixth-grade spirit weapon—five units

  “Specialized weapon crafting session with Han Jinlong—ten units. Please note, this includes labor but does not include materials, which can either be supplied by the cultivator or bought at cost.

  “Without further ado, we’ll begin this auction with the first item—one bottle of twenty lesser healing pills. These pills are ideal for treating injuries such as large lacerations and small fractures. They can effectively treat anything short of a severed limb, internal organ damage, or meridian trauma. Don’t risk your life without sufficient insurance—buy some healing pills!”

  With a wave of her hand, a small ornately crafted bottle was launched onto a pedestal. The mysterious device, sensing the presence of an item, projected an enlarged three-dimensional image of the bottle and its contents. The green pills were shaped like dodecahedrons. Decorative flower patterns were carved into the surface of each pill. These served no function, though. Unlike spirit weapons, spirit pills could not be reforged after their creation.

  “Sixty-eight spirit stones!”

  “Seventy spirit stones!”

  “Seventy-five spirit stones!”

  Multiple bids were made instantly. Unfortunately for the bidders, it was difficult to find cheaply-made medicinal pills in town. The stock of practically every shop had been completely exhausted due to the recent influx of mercenaries. After multiple rounds of bidding, the price finally settled at one hundred and five spirit stones, roughly thirty percent higher than the list price.

  “It’s not a bad way to make money. With so much excitement, these prices are going through the roof,” Cha Ming commented. He was also regretting his prior purchases. The small amount of spirit stones he spent previously might have been enough to tip the scales for customized services in his favor.

  “You can’t say that. In reality, this auction won’t even cover fifty percent of the costs,” said Hong Lai.

  “Oh? How so?” asked Cha Ming.

  “Well, think about it this way,” Hong Lai continued. “You’re a sixth-grade talisman artist. If someone asked you to craft a bunch of first-grade talismans, would you do it? Perhaps for a friend
or relative. However, your time is better spent crafting higher-level talismans. Even crafting items at a loss for practice is a better use of your time.

  “In fact, my retired teacher has incurred a substantial loss for this auction. He crafted two of the sixth-grade spirit weapons, which might fetch two or three mid-grade spirit stones. The weapons he crafts normally sell for tens, even hundreds of mid-grade spirit stones. He only made these because the craftsmen in Fairweather consider themselves to be one big family. They made these weapons to encourage more participation.”

  “I see what you mean. Perhaps I would make low-level talismans as a favor, nothing more.” Cha Ming was solemn for the remainder of the pre-auction. The price of the sixth-grade spirit weapons reached thirty to forty thousand spirit stones. This made Cha Ming very nervous—would he need to liquidate some soul alloy or crystalized elemental essence to cover the price of his bid? After all, the amount in question didn’t even include materials! Perhaps he had been too naïve in assuming he could successfully purchase one of the ten slots.

  Once the pre-auction came to an end, there was a one-hour intermission. The regular guests were invited for a buffet-style meal in an event hall within the auction house. A special meal was served in each of the twelve VIP booths. Everyone enjoyed their meal with great gusto.

  “Brother Lai, might you know where I can find an appraiser in this auction hall?” Cha Ming asked while retrieving a green bean with his chopsticks.

  “Oh? What would you like appraised? I’m very curious, since most people would have registered goods they want to liquidate with the auction house,” Hong Lai said while grabbing a piece of beef and stuffing it in his mouth.

  “Well, I’ve been told by a friend of mine that an item I possess has a cash equivalent,” Cha Ming said. “He’s usually pretty good with these things, but he failed to mention the exchange rate.” He was truly confused by Wang Jun’s attitude toward his crystalized elemental essence. However, Cha Ming had never inquired about it because it was an ideal cultivation resource when used with an energy-gathering formation.