Take him down!

Xiao Chen walked through the streets of Shimo City with Qing Lin.

"Where are we going?" Qing Lin asked in a small voice.

"The auction house," Xiao Chen said.

Qing Lin nodded and asked no more, following behind Xiao Chen with her head lowered, not daring to look at the people around them.

Passersby on the street saw the scales on Qing Lin's face and cast strange, judgmental gazes at her.

Sensing those stares, Qing Lin buried her head even lower.

Xiao Chen paid no mind to those people and walked straight ahead.

Before long, a tall building appeared in front of them.

It was the Shimo City Auction House; while its scale could not compare to the Mittel Auction House, it was by no means small.

Xiao Chen pushed open the Gate of Opening and walked inside, with Qing Lin hurrying to keep up.

The auction hall was packed with people, all mercenaries from the vicinity of Shimo City, each wearing leather armor with weapons hanging at their waists.

Xiao Chen found a seat in a corner, and Qing Lin sat down beside him.

At the front of the hall was a raised platform, upon which stood a woman.

The woman wore a qipao, her figure curvaceous and her appearance striking; she wore a professional smile as she introduced the item in her hands.

"Everyone, the next item up for auction is a Yellow-tier intermediate Dou Technique, wind-attributed and suitable for speed-type Dou Practitioners."

The woman in the qipao held up the scroll and scanned the room.

"The starting bid is fifty thousand gold coins."

"Fifty-five thousand," a mercenary raised his hand.

"Sixty thousand," another voice rang out.

"Sixty-five thousand."

"Seventy thousand."

The competition was not particularly fierce, and it finally sold for eighty thousand gold coins.

Xiao Chen looked at the item on the stage and shook his head; he had no interest in low-level Dou Techniques.

Several more cultivation methods and Dou Techniques were auctioned off, all of them Xuan-tier low-level.

Xiao Chen had no interest, so he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes to rest.

Qing Lin sat beside him and snuck a glance at Xiao Chen, then quickly lowered her head again.

"Everyone, the next items to be auctioned are second-grade medicinal herbs, six portions in total," the woman in the qipao raised her voice.

Xiao Chen opened his eyes and looked toward the platform.

The woman in the qipao said, "The starting bid is two hundred thousand gold coins."

Hearing this price, Xiao Chen calculated in his mind; two hundred thousand gold coins was not expensive.

Foundation Building Spirit Liquid was a second-grade medicinal pill that was highly beneficial for cultivation, and given Qing Lin's current weak strength, she was in dire need of it to improve.

"Two hundred and ten thousand," a voice came from the front row.

"Two hundred and twenty thousand," someone from another direction bid.

"Two hundred and thirty thousand."

Xiao Chen did not rush to bid; he waited for a few rounds.

The price climbed to two hundred and eighty thousand, and the number of bidders dwindled.

"Two hundred and ninety thousand," Xiao Chen raised his hand.

The woman in the qipao looked at him, a flash of surprise in her eyes.

"Three hundred thousand," the voice from the front row rang out again.

Xiao Chen said indifferently, "Three hundred and fifty thousand."

The hall fell silent; buying six portions of second-grade medicinal herbs for three hundred and fifty thousand gold coins was already on the high side.

The person in the front row remained silent for a moment and did not bid again.

"Sold for three hundred and fifty thousand," the woman in the qipao struck the hammer in her hand.

After the auction ended, Xiao Chen took Qing Lin to the back to pay, and he received the six portions of herbs.

Xiao Chen stowed the herbs away and turned to walk out of the auction house.

Qing Lin followed behind Xiao Chen, feeling somewhat puzzled in her heart.

What could this young master possibly want with so many medicinal herbs?

As soon as the two stepped out of the auction house doors, they felt that the atmosphere was wrong.

People on the street were running to both sides, their faces filled with panic.

"Run! The Snake People are here!"

"Why are the Snake-People here in Shimo City?"

"Don't ask, just run!"

Pedestrians scattered in a frantic escape, stalls were overturned, and goods were strewn across the ground.

Qing Lin's face turned pale instantly; she grabbed the corner of Xiao Chen's robe, her voice trembling.

"Young Master, could it be that those Snake-People from earlier have come to settle the score with you?"

Xiao Chen glanced at Qing Lin. "It's nothing."

"But..." Qing Lin bit her lip. "It's all because of me that Young Master..."

"It has nothing to do with you." Xiao Chen cut her off.

Qing Lin lowered her head, her eyes turning red.

Qing Lin felt that she had implicated Xiao Chen; if the Young Master hadn't stood up for her, he wouldn't have offended the Snake-People.

Now that the Snake-People had come knocking, what were they to do?

Xiao Chen ignored her wild thoughts and looked ahead.

At the end of the street, a group of people was approaching.

Leading them was a female Snake-Person with a tall figure, wearing silver soft armor and a thin sword hanging at her waist.

There were tiny silver scales on the woman's face, and her vertical pupils emitted a cold light.

Behind the female Snake-Person followed over twenty powerful Snake-People, each wielding weapons and radiating murderous intent.

Seven-Star Dou King, Yue Mei.

Yue Mei stopped and looked at Xiao Chen, who was standing at the entrance of the auction house.

Is this the human? He looks no more than fifteen or sixteen, nothing special about him. Was it him who wounded Hua She'er?

"Are you the human who trespassed on the territory of my Snake-People?" Yue Mei asked.

Xiao Chen looked at Yue Mei. "I am."

"You killed over a dozen of my kin and wounded Hua She'er. You have quite the nerve," Yue Mei said coldly.

"They struck first," Xiao Chen replied.

Yue Mei couldn't be bothered to waste words with him. "Come with me to the Snake-People Empire to face execution by Her Majesty the Queen."

Xiao Chen shook his head.

"No?" A hint of killing intent flashed in Yue Mei's eyes.

Xiao Chen did not answer; he took Qing Lin's hand, preparing to leave.

Seeing herself being ignored, Yue Mei's expression turned instantly grim.

"Stop," Yue Mei commanded.

Xiao Chen did not stop.

"I said stop!" Yue Mei's voice rose a notch.

Xiao Chen halted and turned back to look at her.

"Is there something else?"

Yue Mei's fury surged instantly.

This human dared to speak to her like that? She was a Seven-Star Dou King of the Snake-People, with a status second only to Queen Medusa and the elders.

Never mind Shimo City; even in the entire Jia Ma Empire, few dared to ignore Yue Mei like this.

"Since you don't know what's good for you, don't blame me," Yue Mei said coldly.

With a wave of her hand, the powerful Snake-People behind her charged forward immediately.

"Take him down."

Over twenty powerful Snake-People surrounded Xiao Chen and Qing Lin.

Qing Lin was pale with fright, clutching tightly to the corner of Xiao Chen's robe.

"Young Master..."

"Don't be afraid," Xiao Chen said.

One of the Snake-People struck first, his spear thrusting toward Xiao Chen's chest.

Xiao Chen didn't even look at him, simply waving his hand casually.

A burst of Dou Qi erupted from Xiao Chen's palm, sending that powerful Snake-Person flying backward instantly.

Seeing this, the other Snake-People swarmed forward.

Spears, scimitars, and sharp claws descended upon Xiao Chen from every direction.

Xiao Chen raised his hand and struck out with a palm.

A terrifying aura erupted from Xiao Chen's body, causing the surrounding air to vibrate.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

The bodies of those powerful Snake-People were sent flying, crashing to the ground where they lay motionless.

Yue Mei's pupils constricted sharply.

One move, and all twenty-plus powerful Snake-People were down.