That mocking smile stirred a flicker of displeasure in Chu Feng's heart.
True enough, the man was a Martial Immortal-level expert, and one approaching the peak at that.
He certainly had the strength to mock Chu Feng, but that was no justification for doing so.
Chu Feng silently tightened his grip on the Evil God Sword, his resolve hardening.
Today, so long as this Goldstone Royal Clan didn't provoke him, he would let things be.
But if they did, Chu Feng would make sure they understood just how easy of a target this young junior — and the half-finished Emperor Armament in his hand — truly was.
The auction continued.
Before long, nearly all of the items Chu Feng had consigned to the Ghost Sect Palace sold at respectable prices.
As for the inherited secret technique he had seized from Han Yu — the King Among Swords — it was presented as one of the three grand finales.
The final price reached ten thousand Immortal Martial Stones.
That figure had exceeded Chu Feng's expectations.
After all, no matter how exceptional it was, it was still merely a secret technique.
The second grand finale was the Spirit Beast Secret Treasure Map.
The moment the Spirit Beast Secret Treasure Map was unveiled, it sent shockwaves through the crowd. Bidders scrambled over one another, and in just a few rounds the price skyrocketed from the opening bid of one million Immortal Martial Stones to three million.
Chu Feng held his tongue. He was waiting — waiting until everyone else had pushed their bids to the limit before making his own move. Bidding too early would accomplish little.
He wanted to see exactly how high the people here were willing to go, so he could gauge the Spirit Beast Secret Treasure Map's true value.
"Ten million Immortal Martial Stones."
Without warning, the patriarch of the Goldstone Royal Clan spoke.
The instant that bid left his lips, the entire auction hall fell deathly silent. Whether among the crowd on the lower floor or among the VIPs at the very top, every gaze instinctively snapped in one direction — toward where the patriarch stood.
"So that's who he is — he's been after the Spirit Beast Secret Treasure Map all along."
Chu Feng had already suspected that the Goldstone Royal Clan had come here for the Spirit Beast Secret Treasure Map.
He even suspected that the patriarch had originally intended to stay hidden, letting his youngest son Jinshi Bo bid on his behalf. The Immortal Martial Stones Jinshi Bo had lost to Chu Feng were almost certainly the funds he had planned to use for this very auction.
Otherwise, the Supreme Elder would not have hesitated so visibly when Jinshi Bo had asked him for a Universe Bag.
But Jinshi Bo had been far too foolish, losing so many Immortal Martial Stones to Chu Feng.
And that, presumably, was why the patriarch himself had stepped forward.
After the patriarch's bid, the auction hall went quiet for a heartbeat before erupting into frantic discussion.
The Spirit Beast Secret Treasure Map was undoubtedly a rare treasure, but ten million Immortal Martial Stones was more than most people could stomach.
"Eleven million Immortal Martial Stones."
At that moment, Chu Feng spoke.
His bid drew every eye in the upper tiers toward him — including the Goldstone Royal Clan's Supreme Elder.
Down on the main floor, the crowd went wild.
"Holy crap — that voice sounds familiar."
"It's the guy who paid through the nose for that broken piece of scrap metal, and then bid a fortune on that useless flower."
"That's right, it's definitely him. Who on earth is this fellow? How does he have so much money? Could it be some young master from the Chu Heavenly Clan?"
The murmurs spread like wildfire.
Hearing this, many of the younger members of the Chu Heavenly Clan felt a sour twist in their guts.
They alone knew that even they didn't possess that many Immortal Martial Stones.
Yet while Chu Feng's bidding frenzy was sending shockwaves through the hall, the patriarch of the Goldstone Royal Clan alone remained unmoved. Calm and composed, he spoke in an even tone: "Twenty million Immortal Martial Stones."
"Twenty-one million Immortal Martial Stones," Chu Feng said.
"Twenty million Immortal Martial Stones," the patriarch replied.
"Twenty-one million Immortal Martial Stones," Chu Feng said.
"This… this is insane."
In the blink of an eye, the bidding had reached twenty-one million. The sheer audacity of it left the crowd stunned into silence.