BTTH: Auto Cultivation System

“Young Master, this is Mister Gu Ni. He is a 3-Star Grandmaster and also a second tier Alchemist,” said the receptionist from Primer Auction House, introducing the middle-aged man to the child in the black robe.

Gu Ni was puzzled by the introduction, as he had been expecting to inspect a product, not meet a child.

Sensing Gu Ni's confusion, the receptionist added, “I apologize for the misunderstanding, Mister Gu Ni. It is actually this boy who wishes to sell an elixir.”

Gu Ni raised an eyebrow and asked with a hint of disdain, “I heard an alchemist wanted to sell an elixir, but do you really think a child could have refined one?”

The receptionist, not taking offense, understood Gu Ni's reaction. Even he would question the sanity of someone claiming a young boy had refined an elixir.

“Well, his master is currently browsing the market of the Xiao Clan. He mentioned that his disciple would handle the matter since the elixir was indeed refined by him,” the receptionist explained respectfully.

Gu Ni's expression shifted to one of surprise. “He refined an elixir?”

“Yes. His master confirmed it,” the receptionist nodded, recalling Lady Azure's words and observing Xiao Hua, who had been silently watching the exchange.

“I see,” Gu Ni said, nodding in understanding. He then stepped forward and slightly bent down to look at Xiao Hua. “Young Master, may I examine the elixir? And if possible, could you also tell me about its effects afterward?”

Xiao Hua nodded, waving his hand. The Storage Ring on his finger flickered, and a bottle appeared in his palm. He handed the bottle to Gu Ni for examination.

Gu Ni took the bottle carefully and inspected its contents. After opening it and savoring the fragrance, he extracted a drop of the liquid and lightly stirred it with the tip of a silver needle he had taken from his breast pocket.

His expression grew serious as he exclaimed, “Little boy, are you sure you want to auction this? This is at least a Tier 3 elixir!”

Xiao Hua tilted his head in confusion. Gu Ni should have been aware that the purpose of his visit was to sell the elixir. Even the receptionist had mentioned that Lady Azure would return once the auction was arranged.

Noting Xiao Hua’s reaction, Gu Ni cleared his throat, remembering that he had indeed been informed of this beforehand. However, the discovery was so surprising that he needed to confirm it again.

“Is there any chance you can auction it as soon as possible?” Xiao Hua asked.

Gu Ni glanced at the middle-aged receptionist, who understood the implication. The receptionist retrieved a pitch-black metal card and handed it to Xiao Hua with a slight bow.

Xiao Hua accepted the card without speaking. He recognized its significance and did not need further explanation.

“Young Master, please take this and go to the first auction room. Fortunately, there is an ongoing auction there right now, so your elixir will be auctioned immediately,” the receptionist said with a respectful smile.

Xiao Hua didn’t linger and promptly left the room.

Once Xiao Hua had departed, the middle-aged receptionist moved closer to Gu Ni and whispered, “Mister Gu Ni, is the boy really an alchemist, as his master claimed?”

“I know it’s hard to believe, but the boy did indeed refine the elixir,” Gu Ni said, nodding but with a furrowed brow. “It’s quite intriguing. Where did he come from? We investigated this city thoroughly and found no evidence of a young boy capable of refining Tier 3 pills and elixirs, let alone his master.”

“Should I investigate further?” the receptionist asked cautiously.

Gu Ni considered the suggestion before shaking his head. “Better not. With his master’s strength, it would be easy for him to notice any probing. It wouldn’t take long for him to trace where the inquiry came from. It’s unwise to antagonize a mysterious alchemist, especially one with such talent.”

The receptionist nodded in agreement, understanding that maintaining a positive relationship with the Auction House was crucial. Even if they couldn’t become allies, avoiding any potential conflict was the wiser course.

---

Under the guidance of the waitress, Xiao Hua entered the ongoing auction. As he stepped into the hall, he flinched in shock at the thunderous cheers that echoed through the space, causing him to furrow his brow in annoyance.

The auction was taking place in a vast hall packed with thousands of people. At the center, illuminated by a bright spotlight, a lady in a red dress used her alluring and melodic voice to describe the item in her hand.

Despite the cacophony in the hall, the auctioneer's voice remained clear, and even the item of modest value saw its price soar dramatically. Xiao Hua sighed and took a seat in a quiet corner, watching the items being showcased by the enchanting auctioneer.

"How amusing! Who would have thought that such a worthless item could fetch such a high price? She must have a real talent for business," a melodious voice, even more captivating than the auctioneer's, remarked beside him. It was Lady Azure, one of the Primordial Heavenly Flames, known as the Primordial Green Lotus Core Flame. "What do you think, boy?"

As soon as she left the auction house, she slipped into the alleyway where Xiao Hua had previously concealed a black robe. She quickly changed into the robe, hiding her auction attire. Afterward, she returned to Xiao Hua’s body just as Gu Ni began inspecting the Foundation Harmony Elixir.

Xiao Hua glanced at her before returning his focus to the stage. "True. But it's not the item that draws people in—it's the lady herself. Besides, a beauty can be quite troublesome."

He observed the crowd before his gaze settled on a man not far from him, concealed in a corner. The man’s arms moved rhythmically under the table as he uttered out the name of auctioneer, Ya Fei.

Lady Azure, following his gaze, looked repulsed and distressed. "Disgusting! Let me deal with that man after the auction. He doesn't deserve to live!"

Xiao Hua shook his head wryly, knowing Lady Azure would react this way upon seeing the scene. “You can’t do that. Despite his appearance, he’s actually one of the major figures aligned with the Xiao Clan.”

“Besides, Sister Azure, if you’re going to burn that man for this, you might end up burning quite a few others,” Xiao Hua added, glancing around the hall. It was clear that the behavior wasn’t limited to just the man in the corner.

Lady Azure shivered at his words and chose to retreat into his body, hiding from the unpleasantness outside.

“I pity the young lady. What was her name again?” Lady Azure sighed and asked.

“She’s Lady Ya Fei, the top auctioneer at the Primer Auction House. She’s renowned for her beauty in Wu Tan City, and her mature charm attracts many.”

Lady Azure raised an eyebrow and asked with an interrogative tone, “You seem to know a lot about her…”

Xiao Hua shivered slightly and clarified, “As I mentioned before, she’s famous in Wu Tan City. Before you knew about the Primer Auction House, you’d hear about her from the people—mostly men—discussing her.”

Lady Azure shook her head and sighed. While she understood that Lady Ya Fei's beauty was renowned, she hadn’t anticipated it causing so many issues. Xiao Hua was right—beauty could indeed be troublesome and dangerously influential.

Xiao Hua chuckled as he saw Lady Azure emerge from hiding, ignoring the people who were currently “busy.” He then inquired about the matter from earlier. “Sister, how do you make your voice sound like an old man?”

“It’s simple. It’s one of the Dou Techniques I learned. Apparently, an older woman created this technique to disguise herself as a man in order to woo a young lady,” Lady Azure explained lazily about the Dou Technique and its origins.

“What a waste of technique and talent,” Xiao Hua remarked, shaking his head at the history of the Dou Technique. Since the auction was expected to take a while, he began to ponder other matters.

‘Though I’ve known this already, it’s evident that Ya Fei is talented not just in business but in creating an atmosphere. Her glances and smiles can make an item’s price soar exponentially, and her charming smile eases the pain of those overpaying for items.’ Xiao Hua inwardly thought as he felt amazed at Ya Fei's talent.

He ignored the matter and glanced at the ACP System that he hasn't checked for a long while.

‘It’s been over a year since I last checked the System. Let me see… I have 21,960 ACP. I might as well upgrade the ACP Rate. It costs 13,000 ACP to upgrade to 15 ACP per hour, and 20,000 ACP for the next upgrade to 20 ACP per 12 hours.’

After upgrading the ACP Rate, Xiao Hua checked his remaining ACP, which was now 8,960. He sighed at the significant reduction.

“Now, for the new item that has just been added to the auction list. I believe everyone will find it quite intriguing.” After presenting the latest item, Ya Fei announced loudly to the audience, snapping Xiao Hua out of his thoughts.

With a graceful wave of her hand, a waitress carefully brought out a jade plate, upon which rested a jade bottle. Xiao Hua recognized the bottle immediately—it was one he had provided, and he hadn’t expected it to be featured so prominently.

Handling the jade bottle with delicate precision, Ya Fei’s enchanting voice echoed through the hall. “This is a Tier 3 Elixir.”

The crowd fell silent as they absorbed her words before erupting into excited murmurs and shouts. In the Dou Qi Mainland, pills refined by Alchemists were highly coveted. Depending on their effects, they could significantly boost cultivation or even save lives. Ya Fei raised her arms to quiet the crowd before elaborating on the elixir's properties.

“For those curious about its effects, let me explain. This Elixir is called the Foundation Harmony Elixir and is highly effective for cultivators below the Dou Master level. Using this elixir will enhance your training efficiency!”

Many in the audience were stunned by her revelation. Although Ya Fei was exceptionally charming, some remained composed, and after a moment of silence, a crucial question was raised.

“Foundation Harmony Elixir? It can boost the training speed for Dou Qi cultivation? Lady Ya Fei, I must ask—can those at the Dou Disciple level handle this pill?”

Unperturbed by the question, Ya Fei responded with unwavering confidence. “Fufu. This elixir has been personally inspected by Mister Gu Ni and confirmed to be a Tier 3 Elixir. He assured us that it is safe. However, if this does not convince you, consider this:”

“It can increase the chances of a Dou Practitioner advancing to Dou Master within four weeks!”

The mention of Mister Gu Ni’s endorsement dispelled any doubts about the elixir’s authenticity. Yet, what Ya Fei said next left the hall in stunned silence once again.

“Now, let the bidding begin!” Her words jolted everyone from their stupor, and the room erupted into frenzied bidding.

“9,000!” “10,000!” “10,500!”

---

Xiao Hua lazily leaned back on his chair, watching the excited atmosphere within the crowds, he said, “Sister Azure, it seems we will be filled with gold for a while. We can buy the foods that you like later.”

“Is that so? Well, you’re better or I’ll burn you inside out.” Lady Azure show a cold and dark smile, unleashing a threatening aura. Fortunately no one could sense it, lest the auction have to close down and the auction have to be delayed.

Despite that, Xiao Hua was shocked to discover that this beauty is actually a glutton. She’s alone emptying Xiao Hua’s wallet and threatened to burn the restaurant when she couldn’t eat there.

“60,000!”

“You hear that. This much can fill you up for a week.” When he heard the increased amount, he assures Lady Azure, while feeling unfortunate that this much can only fill her up for a week.

After a while, the bidding for the Elixir finally finished and it reached 250,000 gold. Lady Azure have a huge smile plastered on her face. Xiao Hua could only shake at her enthusiasm of eating food but feeling saddened at his how fast his wallet getting thin.

'I could use the Auto Cultivation System to make money, but I see no reason to. Everything I want from the shop is so expensive that it could easily bankrupt me. I might as well just save and use it to buy essentials or upgrade the ACP rate.' Xiao Hua thought, letting out a wry sigh.

With nothing else of interest and the auction nearly over, Xiao Hua left the hall and returned to the Inspection Room where he had been earlier, patiently waiting for the payment for the auctioned Elixir.

After a while, the sound of two sets of footsteps approached, and the door was pushed open.

A scent of perfume filled the air, followed by a charming yet intoxicating giggle beside Xiao Hua. “Hehe, are you the owner of the Foundation Harmony Elixir? Young Master, this must be your first time in Wu Tan City, right?”

In close proximity, Xiao Hua looked more closely at the woman known as Ya Fei and fully grasped her allure. Her dazzling face was adorned with a pair of captivating, watery eyes framed by long, fluttering eyelashes that seemed to ensnare any man who gazed into them. As one's gaze traveled down past her graceful, porcelain neck, it was impossible not to be drawn into the allure of her cleavage.

Even the composed Xiao Hua found himself amazed by her natural charm.

However, his firm resolve did not waver. He looked deeply into Ya Fei's eyes and, with a slight change in his tone, said, "The auction is over, correct? Hand over the money. I have kept my master waiting."

‘No wonder everyone inside was infatuated with her. Fortunately, I've seen Lady Azure and strengthened my resistance to beautiful women…’ Xiao Hua thought as he looked at the red-dressed woman beside him. Once again, he acknowledged the allure of Ya Fei.