The cultivation world wasn't all fighting and killing, but personal connections and social niceties
Lu Ping was greatly pleased; Little B was indeed still his sweet little darling.
Since ancient times, it has been more frightening than theft itself, but rather the act of having someone eyeing the thief.
What's more, the one eyeing him is a powerful thief at the Nascent Soul Realm.
However, the occasion isn't quite right now.
Little B, I'll definitely do it next time.
As for Little C, Lu Ping wanted to say that he was no longer that penniless True Person haggled over a few Spirit Stones.
He's a man who controls the entire fortune of two Nascent Soul monsters.
Little C kept mentioning the 320,000 yuan, which made him feel very embarrassed.
Little C, if you don't mention 320,000 next time, I'll consider you.
Lu Ping silently complained to himself.
Lu Ping chose A.
[You chose A.]
[You should also pretend you don't know Han Shishan, and obediently remain in the background, standing behind Shen Yuerong.]
The atmosphere in the main hall fell silent once more.
[After an incense stick has burned a while, a series of hurried footsteps broke the silence.]
Zhao Qingsu strode into the main hall.
He was dressed in a particularly festive dark red brocade robe, with a jade belt around his waist, and his face was radiant with health.
[He was all smiles, his back bent low, and he practically ran to the three elders.]
"This junior Zhao Qingsu, has kept you all waiting for so long, I am truly guilty!"
[He not only bowed, but even exaggeratedly made a long bow.]
[Their posture was so humble that it could be described as groveling.]
"The Zhao Household suffered a great calamity. If it weren't for the protection of the City Lord and the senior members, they would probably have been wiped out long ago."
"It is a great blessing for the Zhao Household that everyone has graced us with their presence tonight."
[Zhao Qingsu's smile never faded as he spoke of his Household Ancestor Zhao, wife, and son.]
[You stand behind Shen Yuerong, watching Zhao Qingsu's fawning manner, and alarm bells ring in your mind.]
A dog that bites doesn't bark.
[That Zhao Qingsu, she's definitely up to no good today.]
[The Trade Fair has officially begun.]
[Zhao Qingsu, acting as the emcee, begins to display the auction items.]
[Zhao Qingsu explained with a smile that these auction items were specially allocated from the city lord's treasury by him, out of consideration for the recent difficulties faced by various families, to help them replenish their losses and strengthen their foundations.]
The three patriarchs ignored them completely, not even lifting an eyelid.
[But the stewards following behind them seemed to be looking at an unparalleled treasure.]
[A low-grade flying sword with a chipped blade was brought up.]
[The Jin Household steward suddenly stood up and shouted loudly.]
"This flying sword exudes an ancient aura; it must be a relic of an ancient sword cultivator. My Jin family will offer 30,000 low-grade spirit stones!"
[The Wang Family steward, not to be outdone, loudly echoed the sentiment, pointing at the two bottles of ordinary-looking Qi-Gathering Pills.]
"This Qi-Gathering Pill is prepared with exceptional skill, and its fragrance is irresistible. My Wang Family will offer fifty thousand!"
[The Han Household steward was even more impatient, pointing at a Formation Diagram and shouting,]
"This Formation Diagram... contains the Great Dao of heaven and earth; my Han Household will offer 100,000!"
[The fourth and fifth items are the same.]
The items brought out by the City Lord's Manor were very ordinary, far from worthy of the transaction price.
[The three managers vied with each bid, raising the price several times over each time.]
[Your eyelids are twitching.]
[This isn't Auction; it's clearly the City Lord's Manor's money-making scheme.]
Who says the cultivation world is all about fighting and killing, devoid of human relationships?
[The room was filled with Nascent Soul True Lord and Golden Core True Person, yet not a single one stepped forward to comment on whether the items the city lord had presented were worthy of their value.]
Everyone is playing along with the City Lord's Manor's charade, spending money to buy peace.
[Options pop up.]
[A: Since everyone loves to act so much, you should just be a wooden doll.]
[B: You also brought out your most prized Spirit-Eroding Powder and asked to participate in the auction.]
[C: Using the Recording Stone as evidence, submit a formal complaint to the Market Supervision Administration and the Price Bureau, accusing the Qingyang City Lord's Manor of abusing its market dominance, suspected of price fraud and illegal money laundering, and demanding an immediate halt to this malicious transfer of benefits.]
Lu Ping remained silent.
Little B, you really can't be cool for more than three seconds.
Lu Ping chose A.
[You chose A.]
[You, who hold the title of "Specially Appointed Appraiser," have been doing nothing all this time, so you've simply become a wooden puppet.]
[Watching these people put on an act, you even feel like yawning.]
[Actually, this really has a strong element of cultivation capitalism.]
[Even collecting protection money is done in such a refined and elegant way, with an Auction as a formality.]
[Half an hour later, the junk in the City Lord's Manor was finally sold out.]
The atmosphere inside the main hall suddenly changed.
The managers, who had been flattering each other, all fell silent.
[The three Nascent Soul stage elders also opened their eyes simultaneously.]
Everyone held their breath.
[The main event is here.]
[Zhao Qingsu let out a long breath, held up a Talisman affixed to it, and walked to the center of the main hall.]
"Esteemed seniors, the next item is the greatest treasure of my Zhao Household."
[Zhao Qingsu's voice trembled as she placed her fingers on the seal of the jade box.]
[The lid was just slightly opened before being quickly sealed back up.]
[Buzz--]
[A mysterious and profound aura emanated from it.]
[Although weak, it is indeed an aura stronger than that of an ordinary Nascent Soul Perfection of their cultivation.]
[Zhao Qingsu knelt down with a thud and held the jade box high in the air.]
"This is a fragment of my ancestor's insights and incomplete Dao Resonance, left behind before his passing, as he attempted to break through to the Spirit Transformation."
"The Zhao Household is now weak and powerless; they cannot protect such a divine object."
"This junior wishes to offer this to you esteemed seniors, hoping only to leave the Zhao Household a way to survive in Qingyang City."
[You could hear a pin drop inside the main hall.]
The auras of the three Nascent Soul elders have clearly changed.
[Spirit Transformation!]
This is a realm they could only dream of reaching.
[They've been stuck at the Nascent Soul Realm for hundreds of years, their lifespans nearing their end. Even a mere wisp of incomplete Dao Resonance is enough to drive them mad.]
[You stand behind Shen Yuerong, staring intently at the jade box.]
[You know all too well how the Household Ancestor Zhao died.]
[The celestial phenomenon of Spirit Transformation is real.]
[The old monster Proving the Dao by Killing One’s Wife, which indeed touched the threshold of the Spirit Transformation stage.]
[But in the end, you and Crow Daoist joined forces to kill him, even his Nascent Soul was reduced to ashes, so where did this incomplete Dao Resonance come from?]
[This Dao Resonance... is definitely problematic!]
[You notice that Shen Yuerong's body also tenses up slightly.]
[Her long, slender, fair fingers lightly tapped her Storage Ring.]
She clearly sensed a conspiracy.
[Options pop up.]
[A: Hold your position and let the dust settle.]
[B: Send a telepathic message to Shen Yuerong, tell her to leave immediately, you stay behind.]
[C: I suggest to the three Nascent Soul Grandmasters that a "third-party organization" be introduced to conduct an "asset penetration review" and "risk assessment" of this Dao Resonance. You are perfect for this "third party" role; the consulting fee is only 320,000.]