An invasion from the Abyss? I, a demonic cultivator, laughed.

Chapter 245 Qin Family Head
It must be said that Qin Yu's identity is very useful. As the head of the Qin family, he can arrange everything with a single phone call.

At this moment, Chu Xiu was standing on the 27th floor of the most luxurious hotel near the auction. From this angle, he could see the magnificent Shanghai auction house in its entirety.

The auction venue is divided into one main hall and four auxiliary halls. The main hall is located in the center, and the four auxiliary halls are arranged in a guarding manner. The basic shape of each hall is like a classical super opera house, and each hall is guarded by a huge mythical beast statue. The halls are also named after these mythical beasts.

Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, Black Tortoise, Azure Dragon, and Qilin!
It is said that the five statues were not merely for decoration, but were also five extremely powerful war puppets. However, since their construction, they have never been attacked, so this claim cannot be verified.

"Master, the list of auction items has been sent out."

A respectful voice came from the Qin family steward at the door. Chu Xiu grunted in response and turned his gaze away from the magnificent auction hall.

He took the information collected by the steward, flipped through it, and quickly got a clear understanding of the situation.

As in previous years, this year's auction will be held in both public and private formats.

Public auctions are the traditional form of auction, where items are displayed in a marketplace and bid by everyone.

However, the drawback of this auction is that transactions must be conducted through a general equivalent. In the world of Awakened Ones, causal points are prohibited from being traded, and the purchasing power of Chinese currency is very limited. The higher the level of the Awakened One, the less need they have for Chinese currency.

This led to the emergence of private auctions, which are auctions where the auctioneer goes on stage to display the items for sale and then conducts a private barter auction.

It is worth mentioning that private auctions are currently almost the only channel that allows the trading of causal points.

After all, prohibiting the trading of causal points is to exploit the lower classes, not to restrict the upper classes. As a natural general equivalent in the Abyss world, causal points bring too much convenience to trading.

Generally speaking, the Fourth Bureau doesn't interfere with transactions between high-level Awakened Ones, but if someone dares to buy Causal Points from lower-level Awakened Ones, even if it's just a small amount, it's a serious crime if discovered.

After all, this is equivalent to snatching food from the hands of the Eight Heavenly Kings.

"In private transactions, the value of causal points ranges from approximately 250,000 to 450,000, which is much more expensive than exchanging them with the three major powers. Since these are usually small transactions, the market fluctuates greatly."

Specifically, it involves acquiring assets from the lower levels at roughly 30 to 50 times the price.

This terrifying price difference still seems unbelievable to Chu Xiu. In his previous life, there was a saying that if there is a three-fold profit, capital will dare to commit any crime, even risking the gallows. This is thirty times the profit, how exactly is it maintained?
Ultimately, it can only be attributed to the emergence of extraordinary power in the Abyss World, which allowed the upper class to control the lower class to an unbelievable degree.

In his previous life, after Western colonists occupied the mining areas in Africa, they plundered more than 99% of the value of the ore. The ore, worth tens of millions, was only worth enough to barely sustain the locals.

Thinking about it this way, the eight Heavenly Kings weren't going too far. At least for those at the bottom level who were willing to go down into the abyss, even those at the mortal level could gain benefits several times greater than ordinary workers.

Of course, it's also possible that this pricing was implemented to maintain the status of Awakened Ones and encourage more people to participate in the Awakening Trials for sustainable development.

Shaking his head, Chu Xiu stopped thinking about it and began to carefully browse the specific information about the products for sale.

The first three days will be public auctions, divided into five categories: [Equipment], [Items], [Materials], [Others], and [Rare Items]. The [Rare Items] auction will be held in the main venue.

The auctions will be held over three days, offering items at three different levels: basic, advanced, and high-end, to cater to the auction needs of awakened players at different levels.

After that, there was a one-day private trade fair. Only those at the King rank or above could enter the private trade fair in the main venue, which was Chu Xiu's main objective.

He glanced at the auction list and, barring any unforeseen circumstances, he would be able to gather most of the supporting materials at the final high-end auction.

"Then we're missing the main materials for the [Four Symbols Yin-Yang Furnace] and the [Eight Desolate Netherfire Array]."

The main ingredients are of paramount importance, accounting for over 70% of the total cost. To craft a fourth-grade secret treasure in one go, ordinary materials from public auctions are simply not enough!
Each auction will conclude with ten mystery items; if you still can't find them there, you'll have to try your luck at a private auction.

As for the [anchor point], he had been in Yuan City for the past few days asking Qin Xiang for the country's internal assessment data on various worlds, and finally selected nine worlds that were very suitable for him.

However, the anchor points of these nine worlds are all priceless and unavailable. It's hard to say whether you can find them. If all else fails, Chu Xiu can only choose from the thirty-eight alternative worlds selected later.

Having figured things out, he casually tossed the list aside and decided to continue getting back to work.

However, at this moment, the Qin family's steward suddenly hesitated and said, "Master, the elders have a request."

"What's the matter?"

“There are several juniors in the clan who are also in Shanghai. They are among the most talented young people in the clan. The elders would like to ask you to take them to broaden their horizons,” the butler said, bowing his head with some trepidation. “Coincidentally, two families that are on good terms with our clan are also traveling together. One of them is expected to become our in-laws. The elders would also like you to give them your approval.”

Upon hearing this, Chu Xiu's brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

He quickly recalled the information about the Qin family.

The Qin family originally had two kings, and their total assets exceeded 100 billion.

Unfortunately, both kings met with misfortune in the abyss, which led to the rapid decline of the Qin family. Two years ago, they had no choice but to invite Qin Yu back, which barely stopped the decline.

However, Qin Yu has lived abroad for many years and has no feelings for the Qin family at all. His position as the head of the family is just a matter of exchanging interests. He is usually elusive and has hardly shown his face in the two years since he became the head of the family.

This is also a major reason why Chu Xiu chose to buy this identity. He has almost no social connections in China, which allows him to avoid a lot of trouble.

In this light, the so-called "bringing the younger generation to establish a marriage alliance" is most likely just an excuse. The real purpose is probably to let him take the opportunity to show his strength to his partners and dispel any improper thoughts in their minds.

"By the way, the matter of raising funds that you asked me to do before has been completed. Half of your assets have been converted, totaling 21.7 billion, and the family has provided you with an additional 17.8 billion, for a total of 39.5 billion."

Seeing that Chu Xiu did not answer for a long time, the steward said nervously.

This amused Chu Xiu. Was this 17.8 billion yuan protection money paid by the Qin family?
However, he had already prepared himself for these minor matters before purchasing the identity, so he nodded indifferently and simply said, "Okay."

Having received the agreement, the steward breathed a sigh of relief and quickly and respectfully took his leave.

Next, Chu Xiu rested and recuperated in a luxury hotel. By the third day, when the high-end auction began, he had almost recovered to his peak condition.

"Dong dong dong."

A rhythmic knocking sounded at the door: "Master, the car is ready."

Chu Xiu pushed open the door and walked out. The steward stood respectfully outside the door. Beside him were three young people, two men and one woman, all of whom had extraordinary bearing and handsome appearance.

Qin Xiuwen, the eldest son of the former patriarch, is thirty-one years old, with a cultivation level of 3rd rank general, an A-level professional skill, and an A-level talent. He is the number one among the younger generation of the clan and is also the candidate for this marriage alliance.

Qin Yunrou, daughter of the former head of the family, is nineteen years old, with a cultivation level of 9th grade warrior, an A-grade profession, and a B-grade talent. She is the most beloved legitimate daughter.

Qin Chuan, a genius from a collateral branch, is twenty-three years old, possesses a level 9 Fierce Rank cultivation, an S-rank profession, and an A-rank talent. He is a key figure being cultivated by his family.

Chu Xiu's mind flashed through the information of the three people. He lowered his eyes slightly, and the three of them immediately became reserved. However, it could be seen that the two boys were of good character, while Qin Yunrou was much worse. She seemed to be a pampered young lady.

Without saying anything more, Chu Xiu strode downstairs, and the others quickly followed.

Soon, the group arrived at the main stadium in a luxury car worth millions. After the manager handed them his business card, a waiter led them to a private room. There were already about ten people in the room. As soon as they saw Chu Xiu, two middle-aged men stood up and greeted him warmly.

These two are naturally the heads of the other two families. Both are King-level experts, and even without them deliberately releasing their power, one can feel the powerful pressure emanating from them, a natural aura of superiority.

Chu Xiu didn't react much, remaining as still as a stone, completely concealing his aura. He simply shook hands with the two of them in a respectful but not arrogant manner.

This caused the two family heads to exchange a glance, both seeing a puzzled look in each other's eyes.

Chu Xiu didn't release any aura, and the two of them didn't dare to use their detection skills rashly, so they couldn't tell his rank at all.

"Brother Qin, I'm two years older than you. I hope you don't mind if I call you 'older brother'?" The head of the He family stepped forward to exchange pleasantries.

"do not mind."

"Brother Qin, you've been abroad for many years. Have you experienced any discomfort since returning to China?"

"No."

"Brother Qin, the Abyss World you usually explore is probably mostly populated by foreign Awakened Ones, right?"

"Yes."

"May I ask which world this is? Our three families are closely related; if the opportunity arises, we could explore it together, wouldn't we?"

"I came here not by chance, but to find a new world."

"What a coincidence! I happen to know a few suitable worlds. Would you like me to introduce them to you?"

"No need."

"."

Chu Xiu's indifferent response left the two family heads looking at each other, feeling somewhat numb. Given their status, they rarely encountered someone who couldn't be bothered to say a single unnecessary word.

Don't foreigners socialize?
At the same time, they also had some doubts. This current head of the Qin family was someone the Qin family suddenly found two years ago. What a coincidence that a foreign relative of Wang Jie would just suddenly appear? Is Wang Jie some kind of cabbage?
Furthermore, even abroad, there is very little information about this strange King-ranked individual; he is a complete loner who never interacts with others.

Therefore, many people speculate that this was actually a cover-up by the Qin family. Although it appeared that only two families were present, many other forces were actually waiting to test the waters.

Could it be that the person in front of me is acting this way because they are afraid of saying too much and making mistakes, so they simply adopt a posture of not being good at speaking?
The two family heads were puzzled, but Chu Xiu naturally wouldn't explain. His behavior was in line with his character. Qin Yu was just like that; otherwise, he wouldn't have had no friends, and no one would have known that he had died inexplicably in the abyss and had someone else take his place.

He simply sat down and waited for the auction to begin.

Fortunately, although he seemed a bit cold, everyone present was a social expert with a thick skin, and he quickly and smoothly shifted the conversation to the younger generation. Everyone chatted and laughed, and the atmosphere was harmonious.

Chu Xiu also met Qin Xiuwen's marriage partner, a girl with very fair skin who looked quite shy.

He couldn't possibly interfere in the marriage; he merely glanced at it before focusing his attention on the auction house.

Shortly after, the host went on stage, and after reading the opening remarks, the auction officially began.

"Let's welcome our first exhibit, a legendary King-tier weapon, the [Fire Demon Lord Greatsword]!"

"This is an exclusive piece of equipment dropped in the [Infernal Purgatory] world, belonging to the Fire Demon Lord. It possesses a total of six attributes! First is..."

The host's passionate voice resounded throughout the auction hall through the loudspeaker, and the fact that a legendary King-rank item was brought out right away instantly ignited the atmosphere!

This powerful piece of equipment was sold for a staggering 50 billion in just half a minute!
The final transaction price was 674 billion!
The auction items that followed, although their prices had dropped considerably, were still priceless treasures, with almost none fetching less than two billion. Among them were materials that Chu Xiu could use, which he thoroughly enjoyed.

Top-tier materials share commonalities. For example, tanks and aircraft carriers are both made of steel. Although their types and strengths differ, the main body is steel, not wood.

However, Chu Xiu had already chosen his desired item, so he only listened to the host's introduction to learn more about it and did not make a bid.

The items he selected were all from the later parts of the auction, so even when the auction was halfway through, he remained silent.

"Brother Qin, aren't you going to make a move?"

Beside him, the head of the He family finally couldn't help but ask a question.

The items auctioned and the bids can reveal a person's true character. If Chu Xiu didn't make a move at the end of the entire auction, that would be highly suspicious.

Chu Xiu glanced at him and said calmly, "No."

This single word left the head of the He family speechless for a long time.

Fortunately, the host's voice saved him from an awkward situation: "Next up for auction is an extremely precious piece of jewelry, crafted by Ms. Jiang Lingzhu, a master jeweler from the Jiang family, one of the four great families of Kyoto. She personally selected the finest jewels from the world's best jewels in the [Deep Rock Cave]. In addition to its stunning beauty, it is also a powerful piece of equipment!"

"Please welcome the jewelry piece 'Mystery of the Ocean'! Starting bid: 50 million Chinese Yuan!"

At that moment, a deep blue necklace was displayed on the exhibition stand, eliciting gasps of admiration from the ladies present.

This piece of equipment is only a top-tier warrior-level item and is not qualified to be auctioned in a high-end auction house. However, it is obvious that years of auction business have allowed the Shanghai auction house to accumulate a lot of experience. They know that many of the high-level awakened individuals who came to the event brought their families with them. Therefore, while auctioning rare items, they also included some of these flashy but impractical little things.

This kind of thing is less like equipment and more like a luxury item. It would be impossible for anyone to buy it in a low-level auction house, but it can have an unexpected effect in a high-level auction house.

As expected, fueled by the ladies' enthusiasm, the price of the jewelry quickly rose, soon exceeding 200 million, far surpassing the price of a top-tier warrior-level equipment.

However, Chu Xiu had to admit that the necklace was indeed very beautiful; at least the girls in their private room were all staring at it.

"Gudong."

Qin Yunrou swallowed hard, looked at the steward beside her, opened her mouth as if to say something, but swallowed it back. However, after glancing at the beautiful necklace again, she couldn't help but speak up: "Uncle Zhao, I'm about to participate in the trial, and I'm just missing a necklace as equipment."

Upon hearing this, the steward looked troubled and finally whispered, "You'll have to ask the head of the family."

Qin Yunrou opened her mouth, but in the end, she didn't say anything.

Although her voice was very soft, it was still heard by both family heads.

The head of the Xu family smiled and turned to Chu Xiu, saying, "This necklace is indeed quite nice. Besides being beautiful, its attributes are also very useful. It has a shield and a purification spell, making it perfect for dealing with the ever-changing situations in the trial."

As soon as she finished speaking, Qin Yunrou's beautiful almond-shaped eyes lit up immediately, as if she had received some kind of encouragement, and she looked at Chu Xiu with hope.

"Master, is it alright? I will definitely use it properly!"

(End of this chapter)