Mysterious Ancient Bronze Fragment, Intelligence on Heavenly Flames

The maid led the way while diligently introducing the Wanbao Auction House to Tang Chen and Qing Lin.

The Wanbao Auction House was considered one of the top auction houses in the Heavenly Snake Empire. The variety of items presented at each auction was far beyond what the Mittel Auction House could compare to.

Qing Lin curiously looked around along the way. It was her first time attending an auction, and everything felt novel to her.

Before long, under the maid's guidance, they finally arrived before an elegant private room on the second floor.

"Your Excellencies are of distinguished status and are entitled to this auction house's finest private room." The maid pushed open the door and introduced it respectfully.

Tang Chen nodded slightly and led Qing Lin inside.

The private room was extravagantly decorated. After Tang Chen and Qing Lin took their seats, they waited quietly for the auction to begin, while the beautiful maid stood silently to one side, ready to serve them at any time.

As time passed, more and more people filled the auction house. Looking down from the second floor, all they could see was a dense sea of heads.

When the time was about right, a voluptuous woman slowly stepped onto the auction stage.

Countless heated gazes below immediately turned toward her, especially drawn to the way her plump hips swayed as she walked.

She wore the auction house's work uniform and was exceptionally tall, seemingly around six foot one. Her figure was utterly alluring, with a full bust and curvaceous hips, exuding the mature charm of a married woman. Every smile and frown was breathtakingly seductive.

Arriving at the center of the stage, the woman revealed a beguiling smile and bowed to the audience. "Welcome, everyone, to this Wanbao Auction. I am today's auctioneer, Liu Ruyan."

The crowd's emotions were instantly ignited by Liu Ruyan's appearance, and the atmosphere abruptly soared.

"Then, this auction officially begins!"

Seeing that she had stirred up the crowd's enthusiasm, Liu Ruyan immediately announced the start of the auction.

Dong!

As soon as she finished speaking, a crisp bell rang out. The noisy clamor within the hall gradually subsided, and countless burning gazes turned toward the auction stage.

"The first auction item is a high-level Xuan-class Dou Technique: Lightning Five-Chain Whip!"

"This Dou Technique was created by a mysterious expert..."

With a smile on her face, Liu Ruyan vividly described the technique's remarkable power, leaving the crowd below flushed with excitement and eager to seize it at once.

"The starting bid is three hundred thousand! Bidding begins!" Liu Ruyan announced with a smile.

"Three hundred and ten thousand!"

"Three hundred and twenty thousand!"

"..."

The bidding below was rather fierce.

Tang Chen was amused by the name of the Dou Technique. If he had guessed correctly, that "mysterious expert" was probably surnamed Ma.

Seeing everyone fight over it so enthusiastically, Tang Chen also developed some interest in the scroll and casually joined the bidding.

As expected, Lightning Five-Chain Whip was ultimately won by him for six hundred thousand gold coins.

By now, money was the thing Tang Chen lacked least. After looting the reserves of so many factions in the Black-Corner Region, it would not be an exaggeration to call him wealthier than a nation.

The next few auction items were nothing remarkable. Tang Chen barely made a move, only buying Qing Lin a few little trinkets that caught her interest.

Just as Tang Chen was beginning to feel drowsy, a battered bronze fragment on the auction stage suddenly caught his attention.

"This bronze fragment was acquired by our auction house by chance. Though our appraisers have been unable to uncover its secrets, one can tell from its appearance alone that its material is highly unusual. Its patterns are ancient and profound, and it is suspected to be an artifact from ancient times."

"The starting bid is one hundred thousand gold coins!"

Liu Ruyan had truly racked her brains to sell this item, making it sound as mysterious as possible. Still, when she announced the starting price, her confidence was clearly weaker than before.

"Hurry up and move on to the next item. You have the nerve to sell a broken piece of bronze for one hundred thousand gold coins? Have you gone mad for money?"

"..."

However grandly Liu Ruyan described it, the crowd below refused to buy it and repeatedly urged her to bring out the next auction item.

Just as Liu Ruyan was about to let the matter pass, Tang Chen's calm voice sounded from a private room on the second floor.

"One hundred and ten thousand."

The moment those words were spoken, everyone was somewhat surprised. They had not expected anyone to actually spend money on that battered bronze fragment.

Quite a few people were about to curse him as a fool with too much money, but when they looked up and saw that the bidder was someone in a second-floor private room, they immediately swallowed their insults.

Those who could sit in the VIP private rooms on the second floor were either wealthy or powerful. Such great figures were not people they could afford to offend. If they displeased one, they might not even know how they died.

"Congratulations to the gentleman in the second-floor private room for winning this item." Liu Ruyan looked toward the second floor with her beautiful eyes, gratitude appearing on her seductive face.

She thought Tang Chen had spent one hundred and ten thousand gold coins on that seemingly useless bronze fragment just to help her out of an awkward situation. After all, even she did not believe anyone would truly bid on it.

Tang Chen had no idea what Liu Ruyan was thinking, but he was secretly delighted.

He had not expected himself to have the fate of a protagonist too, actually managing to pick up a bargain at such a small auction.

If his senses were correct, that battered bronze fragment truly came from ancient times, and it concealed hidden mysteries within.

I'll take it to Sky Fire Venerable later and have him confirm it.

Though Sky Fire Venerable was not particularly powerful, he had at least been a Dou Venerable in ancient times and should know quite a few ancient secrets.

The auction continued, with one item after another being sold.

As it neared its end, Liu Ruyan spoke again. "The next auction item is not a physical object, but a piece of intelligence. According to reliable sources, this intelligence may be related to Heavenly Flames."

A wave of discussion immediately arose from below. Since it concerned Heavenly Flames, many people were curious about its contents, while others doubted whether the claim had been exaggerated. Opinions varied greatly.

Tang Chen had not expected such intelligence to appear at this small auction, and his curiosity was immediately piqued.

After a round of bidding, he ultimately obtained the intelligence for three hundred thousand gold coins.

The auction concluded successfully. Guided by the maid, Tang Chen went to the auction house's transaction area. After paying the gold coins, he received all the items he had won, including the Dou Technique scroll, the mysterious bronze fragment, and the intelligence possibly related to Heavenly Flames.

With the items in hand, Tang Chen did not linger and directly left the auction house with Qing Lin.

No sooner had they left than Liu Ruyan arrived at the transaction area. As soon as the auction ended, she had specifically dressed herself up again.

Her intentions were clear: she wanted to personally express her gratitude to Tang Chen. If this great figure took a liking to her because of it, that would be even better.

However, after carefully dressing up and asking the maid about him, she learned that Tang Chen had already left.

Tang Chen knew nothing of Liu Ruyan's wishful thinking. At that moment, he had already returned to the Heavenly Snake Mansion with Qing Lin.

After handing Qing Lin a batch of pills he had refined earlier, Tang Chen took the bronze fragment and headed straight for Yao Tianhuo's place of seclusion.