Could No One Really Be Taken Twice in a Row? Surely Not, Surely Not?
After entering the passage, the light dimmed a bit. After walking along the corridor to the end and turning a corner, the space suddenly opened up, and a gigantic auction venue appeared in Xiao Yuan and Xiao Yan's sight.
The well-arranged, closely packed seats, along with the auction platform almost entirely constructed of dazzling crystal, were quite dazzling.
"Madam, may I ask your seat number?" While Xiao Yuan was slightly stunned, a beautiful maid walked over quickly and asked respectfully.
Xiao Yuan didn't answer, but handed over the black card directly. When the maid saw the color of the card, a look of surprise flashed in her eyes, and her attitude became much more respectful. She bowed slightly and said softly, "You have Level One VIP Card. Please follow me."
After saying this, the maid hurriedly led the way, while Xiao Yuan followed closely behind with an elegant gait.
After being led by a maid through the vast venue for nearly ten minutes, she finally stopped at the spot closest to the Crystal Auction Platform. Pointing to a seat, she smiled slightly at Xiao Yuan before bowing and retreating.
Although the chair looked much more luxurious than a high-end sofa, Xiao Yuan was not surprised. He walked over slowly and placed his hands between his legs in a rather elegant manner.
As for Xiao Yan, he was not far behind Xiao Yuan.
A moment later, Xiao Yuan turned his head seemingly casually, only to meet the gaze that Fan Ling, the Young Sect Master of the Blood Sect, had just cast at him.
Then, deep within Xiao Yuan's eyes, black and white flames flickered slightly.
Fan Ling immediately withdrew his gaze, couldn't help but shiver, and a strong sense of apprehension rose in his eyes.
Xiao Yuan calmly withdrew his gaze, retracted the automatically protective Heavenly Flames into his Spirit Absorption, but in his heart he was already considering robbing Fan Ling.
Instead of spending your own money to buy things, let someone else buy them, then kill and rob them.
A business with no capital investment, that would be fantastic.
After waiting for more than half an hour, a clear chime slowly rang out in the venue. Hearing the chime, Xiao Yuan also came back to his senses and looked up at the dazzling Crystal Stage. He saw an old man with white hair who looked like an auctioneer standing on it with a smile.
"Hehe, everyone, I suppose you're getting a little impatient. In that case, I won't bother with any more official platitudes."
The white-haired old man in his fine robes smiled as he looked at the sea of heads in the arena. His gaze then swept over the powerful figures sitting in the front row. His loud voice echoed throughout the arena. As an experienced auctioneer, he knew exactly what the people below wanted to see and what they didn't want to see, so he skipped over the pointless introduction to the opening ceremony.
The old man's move indeed won applause from the entire audience; even the cold and aloof Young Sect Master of the Blood Sect nodded slightly in approval.
"As an annual auction, I believe this year's event, hosted by our Eight Gates, will certainly not disappoint you all." The old man clapped his hands lightly and announced loudly, "I hereby declare the Black Seal City Auction open!"
As the old man's voice faded, the massive Crystal Stage suddenly erupted with a blinding light. After a long while, the light gradually subsided. On the auction stage in front of the white-haired old man on the Crystal Stage, a long sword with a deep blue body reflected a chilling luster under the light. Judging from the energy traces flowing on the sword, it was clearly a Magic Core meticulously forged by a master craftsman.
"This sword is named Cold Edge, forged from Cold Iron, capable of cutting through iron like mud. Furthermore, it is perfectly inlaid with a third-grade ice-elemental Magic Core. If someone cultivating Water Attribute or Ice Attribute wields it in battle, its power will undoubtedly be amplified. A divine weapon, it's an essential item to carry when traveling. If any of you are interested, don't hesitate to spend your money. Money is valuable, but you must be alive to enjoy it, right? Hehe." The old man gripped the azure longsword, the blade trembled, and a faint chill rose, forming a wisp of white mist. He turned to look at the auction hall, smiling, and said, "Starting price: 100,000. Please proceed."
"Magic Core?" Looking at the longsword, Xiao Yuan was somewhat uninterested.
Although this weapon is quite suitable for him, given his cultivation speed, he can probably only use it for a few months. After advancing to the Dou Ling level, he can condense his released Dou Qi into a weapon that is sturdy and easy to use.
Moreover, Xiao Yuan really didn't think much of a third-grade Ice Attribute Magic Core.
Of course, while Xiao Yuan wasn't interested, it didn't mean others weren't. For Dou Zhe, a handy weapon was like a medicine cauldron for an alchemist—it was their livelihood. Therefore, as soon as the white-haired old man finished speaking, a series of bids rang out in the auction hall.
The first bidding, after lasting a few minutes, was successfully completed by a thin man who excitedly bought the item for 150,000 Gold Coins.
After the first auction proceeded smoothly, a dazzling array of treasures began to appear on the auction stage, including armor, Dou Technique, cultivation methods, Medicinal Herbs, and more. The Dou Technique, cultivation methods, and pills that Xiao Yuan had consigned for auction were also among them.
During the event, a young beauty was even pushed up. She was not old, perhaps only twelve or thirteen years old, but her figure was astonishingly developed. Her small face was full of timidity, which immediately aroused the masculine desires of the men in the auction house who were killing all day long.
Thus, the little girl, whose starting bid was only 30,000 Gold Coins, was actually sold for a high price of 130,000! Under the Veiled Hat, Xiao Yuan lowered his eyelids, hesitated for a moment, and finally offered a price of 150,000 for the wronged child before the transaction was completed.
This was undoubtedly stealing someone else's prize, but seeing Xiao Yuan sitting in the VIP section with an aura as deep as a still pool, the man gave up the idea of competing with Xiao Yuan.
After all, it's not worth offending a powerful and mysterious figure for the sake of a little girl.
Xiao Yan didn't think any further. Although he had the example of Qing Lian, a young maid who was also quite young, Xiao Yan believed that his Third Brother would never buy such a little girl for simple lust.
"Bite"
Another clear bell rang from the Crystal Stage. The white-haired auctioneer, beaming, took a small silver tray from a maid. On the tray were two small, transparent jade bottles, each containing a pale blue pill.
The appearance of this pill immediately attracted a lot of attention. After all, in the Douqi Continent, pills are a highly sought-after item comparable to cultivation techniques and Dou Technique. In fact, some pills that can directly enhance strength are even more coveted by countless people.
"Hehe, this pill is called ' Qing Ling Pill.' I'm sure many people have heard of it. It can help those who have been lingering at the Peak Dou Master for a long time to break through the barrier in one fell swoop. Moreover, this Qing Ling Pill is at the second-level. After taking it, those who are lucky might even experience a sudden surge in strength to the second level." The white-haired auctioneer pointed to the pill in the bottle and said with a smile.
As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, a commotion broke out in the auction hall. Countless people stared eagerly at the jade bottle on the silver tray. This kind of pill that could help people break through class barriers was almost a rare find, even in the Black-Corner Region.
Xiao Yuan was not surprised by the gazes of these people. After all, the Two-Pattern Green Spirit Pill was a coveted medicine for some Peak Dou Master.
In the end, after some bidding, Fan Ling actually managed to buy the two Two-Pattern Green Spirit Pill for a ridiculously low price of 600,000 each.
Next up was the Purple Heart Obstacle Breaking Pill that Xiao Yuan had bid on.
This time, Fan Ling didn't want to be a victim of injustice, so he didn't make a move. In the end, the pills were sold for 480,000 to a powerful figure from the Black Skeleton Tomb who had previously driven up the price for Fan Ling.
Several items that followed also failed to fetch high prices. Some were even sold after only one bid increase, which made the auctioneer on stage feel a bit of a pain, since it was related to his performance and income.
Fortunately, after lasting for more than ten minutes, this low point was finally lifted, and Xiao Yuan finally sat up lazily from his seat.
On the Crystal Stage, the auctioneer carefully lifted a scroll made of Ancient Jade, his face full of mystery as he faced the audience.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the items to be auctioned next are probably rarely seen these days. This is also a Dou Technique, but due to the loss of its production method, it is now extremely rare."
"Flying Dou Technique: Thunder Bat Sky Wings!"
The auctioneer flicked his wrist, and the scroll slid down sharply, revealing a pair of miniature, eerie, jet-black bat wings in everyone's sight.
Within the jet-black bat wings, faint purple lightning flickered, its arcs giving it the appearance of tangible lightning, which was quite mysterious.
The moment the so-called Thunder Bat Sky Wings appeared, the auction house quieted down. Some people who didn't know much about them were slightly bewildered, while those who had heard of Flying Dou Technique, such as the Blood Sect and Black Skeleton Tomb forces in front, were somewhat agitated. Clearly, the so-called Thunder Bat Sky Wings had also tempted them. After all, possessing this item would grant them the ability to fly like a Dou Wang expert, which was practically an essential item for killing and escaping!
On the Crystal Stage, the white-haired auctioneer gave a detailed explanation of the effects of the Flying Dou Technique. Those who were initially somewhat confused became eager when they heard that this thing could allow people to fly without advancing to the level of Dou Wang expert.
"Hehe, I'm sure you all know how rare Flying Dou Technique are these days. So, after our discussion, this scroll of ' Thunder Bat Sky Wings ' should be considered a Profound Tier Low Grade Flying Dou Technique if we rank it by level. Therefore, its starting price is set at one million. Now, the auction begins."
The white-haired auctioneer said with a smile.
As soon as he finished speaking, Fan Ling, the Young Sect Master of the Blood Sect, slowly stood up. His cold gaze swept around, and anyone who met his eyes would involuntarily look away. Only those powerful figures who also had considerable support seemed oblivious to his presence.
"One million three hundred thousand!"
Withdrawing his gaze, Fan Ling coldly announced a price that caused a stir in the auction hall, immediately raising it by 300,000. It seemed this guy wanted to declare to everyone: this Flying Dou Technique, I, the young master, am determined to have it! At this price, the auction hall quieted down slightly, then a seductive giggle rang out. "Young Sect Master Fan Ling, you certainly have a generous hand. However, our ' Heavenly Serpent Mansion ' is also quite interested in the Thunder Bat Sky Wings, so I'm truly sorry, 1.4 million."
Upon hearing that alluring voice, Fan Ling's pale face changed slightly, his eyes narrowed, and he looked towards another part of the auction hall, where several women with curvaceous figures and slender bodies were curled up in furry chairs, their supple waists as tempting as water snakes.
"Hehe, so it's Elder Qing from the Heavenly Serpent Mansion. I didn't expect you to be participating in this auction as well," Fan Ling said with a forced smile.
"Heavenly Serpent Mansion"
Xiao Yuan lowered his eyelids slightly, and couldn't help but think of the little maid who followed him around calling him "Young Master" every day.
If there's a chance, we should still ask Elder Qing of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion about Qing Lian's current situation. I wonder how that girl is doing these days.
As Fan Ling's thoughts raced, the bidding war in the auction house had already begun to get nerve-wracking. While Fan Ling was bidding against Elder Qing, other forces occasionally chimed in, adding fuel to the fire. As a result, in a short while, the Thunder Bat Sky Wings, which had a starting price of one million, rose to more than one million seven hundred thousand. And judging from the current situation, it was still a fierce and evenly matched battle.
"One million nine hundred thousand!" Taking a deep breath, Fan Ling's pale face regained a sickly flush, and he stared at the alluring Elder Qing with a sinister gaze.
"Young Sect Master Fan Ling is truly generous, 1.9 million. I hope you still have enough funds in the end." Elder Qing's expression changed slightly as Fan Ling raised the price. Their goal this time was not the Flying Dou Technique. Wasting too much money at this time would obviously be unwise, so she had no choice but to give up and continue to compete. She shrugged and said with a pursed mouth.
"Hmph." With a cold laugh, Fan Ling turned his gaze to the Crystal Stage and snapped at the somewhat dazed auctioneer, "What are you still daydreaming about?"
"Oh ho ho, Young Sect Master, please don't be angry." Startled awake, the white-haired auctioneer hurriedly laughed, and was about to ask three questions before making the final decision according to the rules, when a clear and cold female voice suddenly rang out.
Two million.
Upon hearing this, Fan Ling's face immediately darkened as he looked at Xiao Yuan with incredibly sharp eyes, as if trying to pierce through the white veil outside the Veiled Hat and memorize Xiao Yuan's face.
Xiao Yuan remained unmoved. He could easily defeat a weak Dou Ling with weak Dou Qi and cold attributes without even using the power sealed within his body.
"Two million one hundred thousand!"
Fan Ling gritted his teeth and growled.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuan fell silent and did not follow up.
Fan Ling finally realized what was happening. Damn it! He had been overbid twice at an auction? As the auction hammer fell, the scroll of Flying Dou Technique finally landed in Fan Ling's hands, but his face was full of gloom, without the slightest hint of joy.
He had already spent 3.3 million Gold Coins before the final auction items were even up, so the competition to come was probably no longer his concern.