At that moment, two more maids led a group of people towards the pavilion.
The newcomers wore primarily blue clothing, with the leader dressed in a dark blue robe. He was a middle-aged man with a gentle demeanor.
The people behind him also had strong auras, and the word “Kaufman” was embroidered on the left chest of their robes.
Clearly, one of the three major families of Zratol, the Kaufman family, had arrived.
The head of the Kaufman family was named Ignacio Kaufman.
“Haha, Mr. Golden, Mr. Watts, both your families are already here.”
Ignacio glanced at the two families, seemingly ignoring their confrontation. He wore a refined and elegant smile as he cupped his hands in greeting.
Ignacio’s gentle demeanor made people feel as if they were basking in the spring breeze.
Seeing the Kaufman family arrive, Jameson and Ramon Watts exchanged a look. Both of them simultaneously retracted their auras like receding tides.
“Mr. Kaufman, you’re not late either,” Jameson said to Ignacio, cupping his hands with a smile.
The relationships among the three families were both cooperative and adversarial. Whenever one family showed weakness, the Kaufman family would ally with the stronger side to suppress the weaker one and take a share of the benefits.
“Mr. Kaufman,” Wade also cupped his hands towards Ignacio.
“Haha, Arthur, Wade, after the auction, we must find an opportunity to have a few drinks together,” Ignacio said as he walked past the Watts family’s pavilion and entered Pavilion No. 6.
Jameson glanced at Wade, then turned and walked towards Pavilion No. 8, which was between the Watts family and Leo.
The Golden Family followed closely behind, except for one person who stayed behind.
This person was Anton, the handsome eldest son of the Golden Family.
“Mr. Watts,” Anton said to Wade, cupping his hands in greeting.
Then his gaze fell on Amber.
“It’s been a long time, Miss Watts. You are still as stunning and captivating as ever,” Anton said with a suave smile on his handsome face.
Anton’s words made Arthur’s mouth twitch slightly.
Arthur knew all too well what kind of schemes Anton had in mind.
“Mr. Golden, you flatter me,” Amber replied coolly.
If it weren’t for the relationship between the Golden and Watts families, Anton would indeed be a suitable match for her in terms of appearance and cultivation talent.
However, Amber had no favorable impression of Anton. She knew he was very cunning and not as simple as he appeared.
Leo also noticed that Mr. Golden was interested in Amber.
It was understandable; after all, a gentleman would naturally be drawn to a beautiful lady.
Whether Anton was truly a gentleman was another matter entirely.
Jameson and his group had already reached Pavilion No. 8. Seeing that Anton was still standing there, no one called him over.
Jameson looked at his eldest son with an intrigued expression.
He hoped that Anton could win Amber’s heart. Marrying the daughter of an opposing family’s head would be quite satisfying.
Anton merely smiled slightly at Amber’s attitude and showed no sign of annoyance.
He then summoned a cold jade box with his right hand. When he opened it, a clear white light shone out, illuminating everything within ten feet in an icy glow.
Soon after, the light retracted back into the box.
A flawless large pearl, about the size of a baby’s fist, floated out of the box.
“This is… an Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl!”
“And such a large one!”
“A pearl this size must have come from an Ice Spirit Clam at least at the Demon Sect Level…”
The female cultivators present became excited upon seeing the large pearl.
Hearing their discussions, a hint of pride appeared in Anton’s eyes.
“Miss Watts, I happened to encounter an Ice Spirit Clam at the peak of the Demon Sect Level near Falling Moon Sea by the capital. After slaying it, I obtained this Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl,” Anton said with a smile.
Hearing Anton’s words, many cultivators present looked at him differently.
Ice Spirit Clams typically lived in deep seas and had extremely strong defenses. They would retreat into their shells at any sign of danger, making them hard to kill.
Moreover, fighting in the sea was not a strong suit for human cultivators.
Thus, slaying an Ice Spirit Clam at the Demon Sect Level and obtaining its Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl was very challenging.
The Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl in Anton’s hand was as valuable as a fourth-grade low-level pill or a top-grade spiritual weapon.
With an elegant demeanor, Anton took a few steps forward until he was three steps away from Amber.
“Miss Watts, carrying this Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl can help gather spiritual energy during cultivation. For women, it also has beautifying effects, making the skin more radiant.”
“As a man, this item is of no use to me. I would like to gift it to you.”
Anton extended the Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl towards Amber.
In front of everyone, this gesture was akin to a public declaration of affection through a gift.
“The eldest son of the Golden Family is giving such a precious Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl to Miss Amber.”
“This must be his way of expressing his feelings.”
“If only he gave it to me. I would gladly become Mr. Golden’s dual cultivation partner.”
“I would too…”
The infatuated female cultivators had mixed expressions upon witnessing this affectionate scene.
Seeing his son gifting an Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl, Jameson raised his eyebrows slightly.
Feeling almost everyone’s gaze on her, Amber frowned slightly.
To be honest, the Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl was indeed very attractive to women.
However, it depended on who was giving it. If it were from her father or younger brother, she would naturally accept it without hesitation.
But since it was from Anton, she wouldn’t even consider it.
“Thank you for your kind offer, Mr. Golden. Such a valuable gift should be kept by you. We have no relationship; I will not accept your gift,” Amber refused directly.
Upon hearing this, Anton’s eyes flickered slightly. The smile on his face showed just the right amount of disappointment.
“Miss Watts, I have admired you sincerely for a long time. The Ice Jade Spiritual Pearl is just a small token of my affection. Could you not give me even this small courtesy in front of so many fellow cultivators?”
Anton looked at Amber with sincere eyes. His voice carried just the right amount of disappointment to spread among those present.
“The Watts family sure has high standards.”
“Indeed. Mr. Golden was kind enough to give her a gift and got rejected so thoroughly.”
“If it were me, I would have accepted Mr. Golden’s kind offer immediately. This is such a rare treasure.”
The female cultivators began to feel indignant on behalf of the charming and affectionate Anton.