He expected the interior to be stunning. After all, this was the Jade Healing Sect. Every building on the sect’s territory seemed to have a requirement to be an architectural masterpiece.

The exterior might look like an extravagant, three-level pagoda that used Jade Trees as building material. Still, like with most things he had come to learn about the designs in the Tianxia Empire, the interior was familiar, even if it was beyond anything he had personally seen in his old world.

He gazed in awe at the walls of pure marble adorned with paintings of mysterious spiritual artifacts and sculptures of powerful cultivators. William idly wondered if these were the revered ancestors of the sect.

The lavishness of the place continued everywhere he looked.

The floors were draped with exquisite carpets that had intricate patterns resembling formations, the kind that could manipulate the flow of energy to focus on protection. The high ceiling was illuminated by a colossal chandelier that sparkled with crystal lights, casting a bright glow over the room. The furniture was made of soft leather that seemed to beckon him to touch it, implying that it was the skin of a rare and valuable spirit beast.

And this was only the lobby of the auction house.

Yes, this resembled the highest luxury in his old world, and it seemed Sophia introduced the same taste here. With his dwelling also having the ‘Tianxia-design,’ he expected this to repeat across the Empire.

“Welcome to the one thousand seventy-second annual auction! May I see your pass?”

[Name: Ning Lu | Level: 99]

William narrowed his eyes in thought. This was the first time he saw someone in the qi gathering realm in the Inner Court. He eyed the man's uniform before glancing around the lobby at the others who wore the same thing.

With the system no longer showing the basic status of everyone within Willam’s sight for his own sanity, he hadn’t noticed the strange similarity all the auction house staffers shared. They were all at level ninety-nine, just like the managers of the Garden.

However, there was a difference. The managers of the Garden were old, almost at the end of their lifespan, and the staffers in the auction hall seemed to be in their early twenties.

“Junior Wei, this is you.”

“Ah, right,” William brought out the purple jade pass again and handed it to the staffer.

Unlike the Elder who checked the pass outside the auction hall, the staffer had to do more than simply touch the pass to see the access it allowed. He pressed it against a blank slate that glowed a dim red.

“The Red Floor,” Ning Lu smiled, “Would you like me to lead you there now, or do you prefer to wait for a later time?”

William looked at Lan Yang.

“Let’s get settled first. We still have some time.”

Ning Lu nodded, “Very well, please follow me.”

They followed the staffer out of the lobby, revealing an enormous hall with rows of plush seating facing a stage. There were three items placed on separate podiums, resting on soft red cushions and highlighted by something that resembled spotlights, though he saw no evidence of any such thing on the ceiling.

Speaking of the ceiling, it was even higher than the lobby, likely reaching the height of the building itself. And it was covered by a stunning mural that seemed to show the creation of the Jade Healing Sect. Of course, as spectacular as the mural was, it was not as simple as it looked at first glance.

Just like the carpets in the lobby, William could see tiny formations melded with the mural naturally.

He shuddered, wondering how powerful these formations could be and their purpose.

“When are we allowed to take a closer look at the artifacts on the stage?”’

Lan Yang’s question brought William’s attention away from the hall, but not before noticing Xu Feng had the same look of awe as him. It made him happy that he wasn’t alone in feeling that way.

“The viewing period will be open in thirty-two minutes, Senior,” Ning Lu answered, “It will last for one hour before they are taken back to the holding area.”

“Perfect,” Lan Yang smiled, “Do you know how many will be eligible for the viewing?”

“We expect to have a filled house for the duration of the auction.”

Lan Yang sighed, “I expected that, but I hoped otherwise.”

“I do apologize for the bad news, Senior,” Ning Lu commiserated with him, the permanent smile on his face dimming slightly.

William wondered if tipping was expected, and if it was, it made sense why Ning Lu basically ignored Xu Feng. He imagined that the staffer wanted to speak to him with the constant glances he was given, but Lan Yang commanded far too much of his attention.

He might have the pass that allowed them into the Red Floor, something he still wasn’t sure what it meant, but Lan Yang was at the peak of the foundation establishment realm, as his sleeve displayed. Since Ning Lu had likely worked here for some time, perhaps someone like Lan Yang was commonly more wealthy than someone with a pass who had access to the Red Floor.

More wealth equaled more tips… probably. William had no idea. He was just distracting himself from Xu Feng’s stare. He had no idea why the kid was suddenly interested in looking at him.

“Through here, honored guests,” Ning Yu commented as he held an ornate red door open.

They had been led into a hallway that led away from the main hall. All the hallway contained were numerous red doors.

“Would you like me to give you a tour of the facilities available in this room?” Ning Yu asked when they entered a room with the same opulent decorations as the lobby, with seating furniture of the same kind. William noticed that the door was colored green on the inside after it was closed.

“They’ll need an explanation,” Lan Yang said, waving his hand at them, “It’s their first time here… I think. You, sword boy, am I right?”

William wanted to gape at the casual disrespect toward Xu Feng, though the kid didn’t seem to take offense.

“Yes, Senior,” Xu Feng bowed politely.

“Yes, they’ll need an explanation,” Lan Yang repeated.

“Not a problem, Senior,” Ning Lu nodded before looking at William, “This is your personal room. Only you and your invited guests have access to it. Once the auction starts, even the staff are barred except for delivering any item you have won. We know you will need time to yourself in the next several days, and we strive to give you the space necessary.”

“A few days?” William interrupted, “What do you mean by that?”

“The shortest annual auction lasted two days, honored guest, with the longest lasting seven,” Ning Lu explained patiently.

It took everything William had to not stare at Lan Yang. He wasn’t angry, not at all. Instead, he was excited at what he would see pass through that stage. However, he almost felt sorry for Lan Yang.

Mei Lingxi was given permission to enjoy herself on Lan Yang’s tab. William assumed it meant a few hours, not several days. Lan Yang might be a pauper by the time they left the auction house, and it would have nothing to do with the auction itself.

He wished Mei Lingxi well.

“There are three Qi Refining rooms available for use. Please be aware that this will have an additional cost that will have to be paid before leaving the auction house. Each minute will be one sect point or one Qi Stone.”

William made sure to catch the expressions of Lan Yang and Xu Feng. The former seemed disinterested, which was understandable, and the latter had pure excitement on his face. He concluded that this might be a good deal.

Still, the price seemed outrageous. The two Spirit Stones he had acquired from Xu Feng would give him a little over three hours in the Qi Refining room.

“During the auction, if you desire to be involved in the bidding, you must exit through that door and take an available seat,” Ning Lu continued to explain and pointed at a door opposite the one they entered through.

“Thank you,” Lan Yang said after Ning Lu finished, “Remind us about the viewing period if I haven’t left the room in time.”

“Yes, Senior,” Ning Lu bowed, “Don’t hesitate to look for me if you have any questions, honored guests.”

With that, he promptly exited. William guessed he was wrong about the tip.