The temperature inside the Supreme Auction Hall continued to drop steadily. A thin film of pale white frost crept across the brass fixtures on the edge of the stage. Attendants in formal black vests shivered in their jackets, rubbing their palms together to stay warm against the sudden chill.
Three hundred provincial business tycoons, antique collectors, and martial arts experts filled the tiered amphitheater. Overhead, massive crystal chandeliers cast warm golden light over the red velvet seats. Yet the center of the hall felt like the depths of a mountain cavern in midwinter.
Master Qian stood behind the mahogany podium, adjusting his gold-rimmed spectacles. He tapped the brass microphone with a manicured finger to silence the restless crowd.
“Ladies, gentlemen, and esteemed martial masters of Jiangnan Province,” Master Qian announced, his voice echoing through the acoustic hall. “Before you lies Lot Number One: the legendary Millennium Frost-Moon Sword. It was unearthed six months ago from the crypt of a Tang Dynasty western frontier general. Historical chronicles state that the blade was forged from deep-vein star-iron and quenched in sacred glacier runoff.”
He gestured with both hands toward the reinforced, bulletproof glass case resting on the heavy steel trolley.
“However, full disclosure is strictly required under provincial auction regulations,” Master Qian continued, raising a cautionary hand to temper the audience’s enthusiasm. “This ancient weapon is extraordinarily stubborn. Over the past twelve centuries, the sword’s internal Frost-Sword Qi has completely fused with the meteoric scabbard.”
