The Lay Flat Life: My Wife's Cultivation Makes Me Stronger - Chapter 11

Han Feng racked his brain, trying to recall everything he knew about Chi Huaijun. All he remembered was that Chi Huaijun was a Core Formation stage expert, with a keen eye for treasures, having appraised countless valuable items. Beyond that, Han Feng didn’t know much.

He wasn’t too worried about getting his herb appraised since its medicinal value was authentic. If the buyer couldn’t refine effective pills from it, that would be their problem. After all, the failure would be attributed to their poor alchemy skills, not the herb itself.

However, such tricks could only work a few times. If every item he sold ended up being ineffective, suspicions would eventually arise.

Soon, someone exited the room, smiling brightly, presumably after having a valuable item appraised at a good price.

“Next,” came a gentle voice from inside.

Hearing this, Han Feng pushed the door open and entered.

Inside the elegantly decorated, ancient-style room, Han Feng saw a young cultivator sitting behind a desk. The man appeared to be in his thirties, with a warm and gentle demeanor. A faint smile lingered on his lips as he held a folding fan.

“Greetings, Senior Chi Huaijun,” Han Feng said, cupping his hands respectfully.

“Please, sit,” Chi Huaijun gestured toward the chair opposite him.

After sitting down, Han Feng said, “Senior, I’d like to sell a spiritual herb.”

“It’s your first time here, isn’t it?”

Chi Huaijun smiled knowingly at Han Feng.

“Yes, how did you know?”

“Frequent visitors would place the five spirit stone appraisal fee on the table before I even spoke.”

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Han Feng quickly retrieved five spirit stones and placed them on the desk.

Only then did Chi Huaijun continue, “Ordinary spiritual herbs can be bought and sold in the marketplace. For you to come here, I assume you have something more rare or valuable?”

“It’s a Wood Spirit Three-Needle Flower.”

“An ordinary herb like that is quite common. I assume it must be quite old?”

“Yes, it’s a Three-Needle Flower with a medicinal age of 350 years.”

Hearing this, Chi Huaijun raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “Who would bother letting such a common herb grow for 350 years? Are you pulling my leg?”

Han Feng glanced around the room, gauging its size. Deciding it should be sufficient, he pulled the Three-Needle Flower from his storage pouch.

The moment the massive herb appeared, it spanned the entire room, causing even Chi Huaijun to show a hint of surprise.

Seeing the astonishment in Chi Huaijun’s eyes, Han Feng quickly explained with the excuse he had prepared, “I discovered this plant by accident…”

“There’s no need to tell me where it came from,” Chi Huaijun interrupted. “The auction house has its own rules.

Since this is your first time here, let me explain them to you.

First, we don’t ask about the origins of treasures. As long as it’s valuable, that’s all that matters.

Second, we don’t ask about the seller’s identity. Although a single sweep of my divine sense would reveal your true appearance, I won’t do that.

Third, once an item has been appraised by me and handed over for auction, the auction house takes full responsibility. The seller is no longer liable for anything that happens afterward.”

“I understand. Thank you, Senior, for clearing that up,” Han Feng said gratefully.

Though he was clever, his inexperience meant he didn’t know all the ins and outs of transactions like these.

Chi Huaijun nodded, then picked up the Three-Needle Flower, inspecting it carefully.

“Hmm, the herb is brimming with medicinal energy. It’s clear that it was harvested less than a day ago, with no loss of potency. Indeed, it’s over 350 years old.

This single Three-Needle Flower could be used to refine at least 300 Rejuvenation Pills, or a few pills capable of healing the injuries of a Core Formation cultivator.

Hmm? Why is there a bite mark here? What a waste… but fortunately, it’s small and won’t have much impact.”

Setting the flower down, Chi Huaijun looked at Han Feng and said, “This item passes inspection. It’s indeed a rare treasure, suitable for auction.

I’ll give you two options. First, I can offer you 2,500 spirit stones right now to sell it directly to the auction house. The transaction will be finalized on the spot, and you won’t be involved further.

Second, we can put it up for auction with a starting price of 2,000 spirit stones. The final sale price is unpredictable, but you would receive 70% of the final price. You’re welcome to attend the auction and witness the process to ensure everything is above board.”

Han Feng did some quick mental calculations. For the 70/30 split to net him more than 2,500 spirit stones, the flower would need to sell for at least 3,600 spirit stones.

Would someone really pay that much for the herb?

Just as Han Feng was about to choose the safer option of 2,500 spirit stones, a crisp, melodic voice suddenly echoed through the room.

“What are you afraid of? Fortune favors the bold! Go for the auction—it’ll surely sell for more!”

The voice came from behind Han Feng. No need to guess who said it.

Chi Huaijun smiled and said, “Made up your mind, young friend? If you’re unsure, perhaps you should listen to your little spirit beast.”

Hearing this, Han Feng gritted his teeth and said, “Alright, let’s auction it.”

“Very well. Someone, please take this item to the auction floor for today’s finale.”

A staff member entered from the back, took the Three-Needle Flower, and left.

“You can enter the auction hall directly through the back entrance to watch the sale. You don’t need to pay the deposit,” Chi Huaijun said.

“Thank you, Senior.”

As Han Feng stood to leave, he turned back and asked, “If I might be bold, Senior, you are a Core Formation expert. Why would you need to rely on the small profits from appraising treasures?”

Chi Huaijun smiled and said, “This auction house is mine.”

“If you have any more treasures in the future, feel free to bring them here. We’ll always welcome valuable items.”

“Thank you, Senior.”

As Han Feng left, he thought to himself, They might not be so welcoming once they realize they’ve been tricked.

He exited the appraisal room and headed toward the back of the auction house. Along the way, he whispered harshly to the little fox hidden in his bundle,

“If this deal doesn’t go well, I’ll sell you to make up for it. And don’t speak again!”

After entering the auction hall, Han Feng found a seat in a corner and settled in to watch the proceedings.

In the hall, he noticed several prominent families and elders from various peaks. Clearly, many people were here hoping to find hidden treasures.

Of course, with the auction happening every night, there wasn’t much expectation for rare finds, but everyone hoped for a good deal.

Han Feng saw many interesting treasures being auctioned off, but, unfortunately, he didn’t have the funds to bid on anything.

After several rounds of auctions, the event approached its finale, and finally, Han Feng’s Three-Needle Flower was up.

The auctioneer on stage, an elder, spoke loudly,

“Ladies and gentlemen, we now present the final item of today’s auction—a Three-Needle Flower.”

At this announcement, the crowd let out a collective sigh. Many muttered among themselves, wondering what was so special about a Three-Needle Flower to warrant being the finale.

The elder chuckled and continued, “As many of you know, the Three-Needle Flower is a key ingredient in crafting Rejuvenation Pills, which are essential for quickly restoring injuries and spiritual energy. Its importance is undeniable.

And the older the Three-Needle Flower, the more potent the pills it produces.

This particular Three-Needle Flower, as appraised personally by Master Chi Huaijun, has a medicinal age of 350 years.

As you can imagine, its medicinal power is incredibly rich and potent. It was harvested less than a day ago, and Master Chi Huaijun himself sealed the stem to prevent any loss of energy. Rest assured, the quality is impeccable.”