"Today's first lot is..."
After introducing the final lot, Lu Tianxiong handed the proceedings over to a poised, graceful beauty, while he continued mingling with the various guests at the banquet.
It had to be said: although the Snake Tribe Demon-Human was considered difficult to tame by everyone present, people still kept glancing over from time to time. After all, Demon-Humans were a rare sight in Black Stone County.
Demon-Humans were scarce in the Great Jing Kingdom. Only in a few small villages very close to the Black Profound Mountain Range did they often appear to burn, kill, and loot.
With powerful martial masters standing guard, incidents involving Demon-Humans were rare even in a county like Black Stone County, so close to the Black Profound Mountain Range.
Zhou Yun had little interest in the rest of the auction. A few precious medicinal herbs caught his eye, but even one would cost most of his fortune, making them seem far less like necessities.
"The next lot is a rare Buddhist martial art, titled the Dragon-Elephant Body Tempering Technique..."
The beautiful auctioneer raised a yellowed booklet and explained in a gentle, unhurried voice, "This is a defensive martial art from the Buddhist sects of the West Cold Lands. I hear it can improve one's physical strength to a certain extent, making it an alternative body-tempering method..."
"A method of body tempering?"
Zhou Yun's eyes lit up slightly. His interest was piqued.
"For various reasons, only the first half of this Dragon-Elephant Body Tempering Technique was obtained. What's more, practicing it requires a great deal of vital energy to temper the body, so it is quite difficult... The bidding starts at fifty taels."
As soon as she said this, many of the spectators shook their heads.
Methods of body tempering were rare, but they were hardly extinct. Martial masters with even a little family heritage had usually encountered one or two.
But body tempering consumed even more blood and vital energy than painstakingly training in martial arts. Few people had the resources to afford that.
Not to mention, once one began training in a body-tempering art, one had to persevere. Otherwise, the body's strength would actually decline instead of improve.
Even families with abundant resources rarely had their martial masters practice body-tempering arts. The time and effort required simply weren't worth the return.
"Junior Brother Zhou, are you interested in this body-tempering art?"
Seeing Zhou Yun's interest, Chen Jingping spoke up. "Body-tempering arts are quite different from fist and foot techniques. Unless you can train hard for years, you won't get much out of them..."
He knew Zhou Yun had some talent and aptitude for martial arts, but he didn't want him to waste too much time on body tempering.
Even in the main city, there were very few prodigies who could settle down and make real progress in body tempering. Most either couldn't bear the hardship of keeping at it,
or felt they would be better off learning a few more fist and foot techniques with that time, so they could handle more situations.
"Thank you for your concern, Senior Brother, but I still want to give it a try..."
Zhou Yun didn't finish his sentence. Other people might have to worry about running short on blood and vital energy.
But what he lacked was a way to protect himself.
As for building up his strength over years of practice? With his vast reserves of blood and vital energy, he could smooth that away. The one thing Zhou Yun never lacked was a steady supply of vital energy.
His Black Ape Fist Technique had already reached perfection, giving rise to a great-completion palm technique and finger technique, as well as a great-completion movement technique.
As for weapon arts, the Thunder Meteor Spear Art was more than enough to keep him busy.
Now, what he lacked was a tough defensive art to strengthen his body.
"Very well. Since you've made up your mind, I, as your senior brother, can hardly stop you."
Chen Jingping said no more. When bidding for the body-tempering art began, he was the first to raise his paddle.
"Sixty taels."
The beautiful auctioneer's eyes brightened. She hadn't expected much from this body-tempering art, but someone had raised the price by ten taels right from the start.
"This gentleman offers sixty taels. Does anyone else have a higher bid?"
In the crowd, a burly man with a full beard hesitated for a long while before raising his paddle. "Seventy taels."
"Eighty taels."
When someone else raised the bid, Chen Jingping merely lifted his paddle calmly.
"Eighty taels? That's a high price for a body-tempering art... Since you're so fond of it, brother, I'll have to grit my teeth and let it go."
The bearded man gave up bidding. It seemed he'd only wanted to try his luck and see if he could get it for a lower price.
Once the price climbed, it immediately exceeded his expectations.
After that, some of the people hoping to snag a bargain saw that the price had reached eighty taels and gave up bidding as well.
"Wonderful! Then the Dragon-Elephant Body Tempering Technique goes to this gentleman!"
The beautiful auctioneer smiled sweetly, already quite pleased with the result.
A graceful maid placed the martial art on a tray and swayed her hips as she walked over to Chen Jingping.
"Junior Brother Zhou, your senior brother bought this martial art for you. If you like the maid, you can take her too."
Chen Jingping handed the body-tempering art to Zhou Yun. Spending eighty taels seemed to have barely fazed him.
"I... Thank you, Senior Brother."
For a moment, Zhou Yun didn't know what to say. He could only nod in acceptance.
From the guidance he'd received the first time he'd answered a challenge, to the support afterward... from the White Phoenix Martial Hall's promise to this martial art he'd just been given—
Chen Jingping had been nothing but good to him.
"Miss, you can head back. I'm not fond of taking on concubines indiscriminately."
Zhou Yun addressed the maid beside him. She didn't insist and turned back toward the auction floor.
"Junior Brother, there's no need to thank me. You helped my Chen Family secure the White Phoenix Martial Hall's ore mine last time, and I haven't had the chance to thank you properly in private."
Chen Jingping smiled faintly. "Besides, you're a martial master I've been supporting. If you grow stronger, that benefits me too."
"If there's anything you need my help with, Senior Brother, just say the word."
Zhou Yun cupped his hands.
Chen Jingping had helped him enormously, saving him quite a bit of his fortune.
It might not have meant much to Senior Brother Chen, but one couldn't forget the principle of repaying kindness.
"Just hearing you say that is enough."
Chen Jingping patted Zhou Yun on the shoulder and said no more.
Standing beside them, Liang Chengshi looked envious. "It's great having someone support you. That old man in my family thinks everything's too expensive if he has to buy it for me. Senior Brother Chen, why don't you support me too..."
"You? Spend a little less silver at the Kiln Pavilion... Master Liang taught you plenty of martial arts, but you've only brought two of them to minor accomplishment..."
Chen Jingping sighed, looking as though he pitied Master Liang.
"Senior Brother Chen, it's enough to bring up my embarrassing past once. Could you stop turning it into a running joke..."
When Liang Chengshi heard his misdeeds brought up again, he immediately grew sullen.
"Hahaha, all right, all right... Next time, I'll treat you to the Verdant Cloud Pavilion."
Seeing Liang Chengshi's gloomy expression, Chen Jingping laughed heartily.
"Really? Then I'm picking the top courtesan. I'll make sure you part with a good bit of silver, Senior Brother..."
At once, Liang Chengshi brightened, his gloom vanishing.
Watching them, Zhou Yun couldn't help finding it amusing. Still, having fellow disciples who shared such warm camaraderie seemed rather nice.
The auction banquet moved quickly. After a few more lots of valuable armor and precious medicinal herbs, it was time for the Snake Tribe Demon-Human, the final lot.
"A Snake Tribe Demon-Human at the great-accomplishment stage of Bright Force. The bidding starts at... one hundred taels!"
The beautiful auctioneer addressed the crowd.
Before you continue