Rats and Bats
Liu Qingqing asked curiously, "Are you going to give me a gift? Do you have money?"
"If you really want it, money isn't an issue."
"This one will do."
Liu Qingqing pointed to the booth, where the exhibit presented by the organizers was a live creature that looked like a kitten of some kind of feline.
"This auction item also comes from the Western Luo Continent. It's a very peculiar magical creature Forest Leopard. It originally possessed some unique Divine Ability, but these Divine Ability no longer work after arriving in the Sea Continent. However, it retains its biological ability to change color according to its environment. During the day, it is pure white, and at night, it turns into a black panther. If it runs in the grass, it turns completely green. You should understand its value now. The starting price is 300,000, and each bid must be at least 30,000."
While magical creatures are certainly interesting, the Sea Continent already has even more wondrous Demon Beast. Compared to magical creatures, which are still confined to the boundaries of normal biological forms, there are many bizarre Demon Beast resembling "Cthulhu," so people aren't very interested in the Forest Leopard, and its price isn't very high.
Divine Ability abilities will also fail in the Sea Continent, unless the ability is inherent to the creature itself and does not require additional spiritual power. Otherwise, some large creatures that have broken through the limits of gravity may suffer physical collapse in the Sea Continent due to the loss of spiritual power.
Si Ming is a dog lover and has no affection for cats, but since Liu Qingqing is interested, he's willing to pay for it—after all, it's someone else's money.
Six hundred thousand!
Before anyone else could bid, Si Ming raised his paddle and called out double the price, which immediately scared off those who were only casually interested. They knew he was determined to win and didn't want to waste their money.
The auctioneer hurriedly said, "Six hundred thousand! Anyone else bidding? Six hundred thousand once, six hundred thousand twice, six hundred thousand..."
"Six hundred and thirty thousand!"
To his surprise, someone actually placed a bid. Si Ming turned around and saw that the person who raised the bidding paddle was the same black-robed man who had competed with Wei Chunxi earlier.
Chapter 244 Rats and Bats
In the end, Si Ming bought the Forest Leopard for 1.2 million yuan, which was also a premium, but since it wasn't his own money, he didn't feel bad. Especially when he saw Liu Qingqing holding the little leopard in her arms, teasing it with her fingers, and showing a rare smile, he felt that the money was well spent.
The black-robed man who was bidding against Si Ming gave up when the price reached one million. He was determined to acquire the "Sea-Upholding Demon Dragon Art," but unfortunately, he was short of money and had to give up the bid. However, he did not have any ambition to acquire the Forest Leopard, feeling that the price was too high and not worth it, so he gave up. But in the end, he still glared at Si Ming with a sinister look.
The auction then featured several interesting items, all novelties from the Western Luo Continent. Among them was the "Florentine Berserk Art," which interested Si Ming. It was said to be Secret Method used by the orc race to enhance combat power, which could greatly increase a person's strength and physical attributes in a short period of time, at the cost of falling into a period of weakness afterward.
Ordinary berserk spells drive people mad and cause them to lose their minds, but the "Florentine Berserk Art" allows people to retain a certain degree of rationality and think, although they become irritable and easily excited. However, these emotional fluctuations are not necessarily a bad thing in combat.
However, Si Ming didn't raise his paddle because he was broke. Using Lin Qingxiang's money to buy gifts for Liu Qingqing was fine, but buying things for himself was a bit of a test of his thick skin.
After paying by card, Si Ming and his group left the venue.
Liu Qingqing remained silent, seemingly lost in thought. Just as Si Ming was about to offer her some concern, she lifted the Forest Leopard high with both hands, her eyes bright, and said, "It's decided, your name will be A Hou."
This magical creature from the West was indeed very intelligent; it seemed to understand Liu Qingqing's words and let out a cute, childlike roar.
Si Ming thought the name was a bit of a mouthful, but at least it was better than those names that appeared so frequently in novels, like "Little White," "Little Black," and "Little Strong." He really didn't know what the authors who came up with such names were thinking. If they really had no naming ability, they could have been called Da Vinci, Raphael, Donatello, or Michelangelo. Those names would have been high-end, classy, and sophisticated.
Suddenly, the little leopard, which had just received its new name, let out a low growl, full of wariness and warning.
Si Ming reached out and patted his head, then turned around and said, "You've been following us ever since you left the venue. If you have something to say, just say it. Sneaking around like a mouse is despicable."
After a moment of silence, a figure emerged from the shadows of the alley—the same man in black robes from the auction house. He sneered in a chilling voice, "You've crossed a line. I was originally planning to make a deal with you, to get a copy of the 'Sea-Upholding Demon Dragon Art,' but now I've changed my mind. Leave the manual and that leopard behind, and get out of here, or don't blame me for being impolite!"
Si Ming shrugged and said, "It seems there's no point in talking."
"It was you who rejected my kindness..."
Before the other party could finish speaking, Si Ming pushed off with both feet, his body shooting out like a cannonball. He clenched his left hand, and a blinding beam of light shot out from his palm, instantly blinding the other party. Then, he clenched his right fist and brought it down like a mountain, the force of the fist tearing through the air and creating a shockwave that generated immense pressure.
Since they've come with ill intentions, let's stop with the talk and settle things with our fists!
With a loud bang, the black robe was shattered into pieces, which fluttered everywhere.
Si Ming frowned. He hadn't felt like he'd hit anything solid. Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through his calf. Looking down, he saw a rat the size of a washbasin biting his leg.
The rat was large, and its incisors were even larger. With one bite, it could gnaw a hole in a steel plate. For anyone else, the entire leg would be bitten off, but the Jade-Clad Dharma Body was both strong and gentle, and only a layer of skin was bitten through.
Of course, from Si Ming's perspective, it was unbelievable that the other party could bite through his mortal body with his teeth. He thought that no one below the Spirit Transformation could cause him external damage through physical means. He immediately stomped hard, and the shockwave spread out, causing the cement ground to crack into pieces.
The giant rat reacted even faster than him, darting away almost the instant he lifted his foot. It quickly ran out of the range of the force wave and disappeared into the darkness, leaving no trace.
"They're Demon Race! Be careful!"
Witnessing this series of changes, and considering the other party's performance at the auction, Si Ming could easily guess their identity. He immediately turned to Wei Chunxi and Liu Qingqing to give them a reminder, and then carefully searched for the other party's aura.
Unfortunately, they found nothing. For mice, the ability to conceal their tracks is undoubtedly one of their talents.
Did you think hiding would make you untouchable?
Si Ming mobilized the energy within his body, combined the power of his two fists, and rammed them inward. The blue particle stream spread out in all directions, attacking indiscriminately and penetrating all obstacles.
Blue Moon Light Burst!
A muffled groan came from the other side of the alley. Si Ming rushed towards the sound. Too lazy to climb over the wall and waste time, he stuck his five fingers straight in, piercing through the wall as if it were tofu, and firmly grabbed the giant rat hiding on the other side.
"No wonder you said I violated your taboo; it turns out you really are a sneaky mouse. Alright, now do you have any last words you'd like to say?"
Si Ming used his Eagle Claw Skill to firmly clamp down on the opponent's neck, giving it no chance to break free. Moreover, the force of his five fingers contracting increased, squeezing the air inside the rat demon's body.
He had no liking for the Demon Race and showed no mercy when it came to killing them.
"Let him go!"
A woman's voice entered Si Ming's ears, followed by a series of chaotic noises that echoed in his mind, as if he had been hit by a sonic boom. It was as if a dozen stage speakers were playing heavy metal music around him, making him extremely irritable and causing him to feel nauseous.
As the force of the five fingers weakened, the giant rat seized the opportunity to break free and tried to escape through a hole in the wall. Suddenly, it heard a whooshing sound and an arrow shot from behind. It tried to dodge, but it had been choked by Si Ming for so long and had not yet recovered from the lack of oxygen. Its movements were a beat slower, and it was shot in the buttocks.
At the same time, Si Ming channeled his inner energy to activate the Kui Drum Thunder Sound, roared, and used sound to break through sound, thus escaping the state of being overwhelmed by noise.
Just as he was about to step forward and grab the injured rat demon again, a black shadow swooped down from the sky, snatched the giant rat first, and flew away—it was a bat.