The moment he saw the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber get snapped up, Ye Tian stopped wasting time, got to his feet, and left.
After he was gone, several shifty-looking men exchanged glances and followed him.
Though Ye Tian hadn't outbid the bigwigs in the private rooms, the amount of money he had still made plenty of people's hearts stir.
Besides, Ye Tian hadn't had a chance to spend any of that money yet. Didn't that make him a walking fat sheep?
The men tailing Ye Tian were used to making money by rather quick means. Now that Heaven had practically delivered a fat sheep right to them, how could they let the opportunity slip by?
A member of the auction house staff picked up the Whale Rubber and respectfully knocked on the door of one of the only two private rooms on the third floor.
Only after receiving permission did the staff member carefully push the door open and present the auction item with both hands.
"Bishop Salas, this is the Whale Rubber you wanted."
Salas lifted his eyelids and glanced at the foul-smelling Whale Rubber, then nodded with a hint of satisfaction.
"Leave it here. The money will be delivered to you today."
The staff member acknowledged him and quickly withdrew from the private room.
Salas put away the Whale Rubber and lost all interest in the auction items below.
The only reason he had deigned to come here was this piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber. Years ago, he had accidentally heard that the Pope of Spirit Hall had been collecting it.
Though he didn't know why the Pope was interested in such a thing, as a subordinate, of course he had to search for it diligently.
Salas also knew that eight years ago, the bishop of Suotuo City had been lucky enough to obtain a piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber. Less than a year after presenting it, that old fellow, who was a full twelve years younger than Salas, had been promoted to the Holy City.
When Salas saw him again last year, that old fellow's cultivation had already caught up to his own.
He'd be going to the Holy City at the end of the year to report on his work. This was the perfect chance to bring the item along. Salas was a man who actively sought to advance, too.
Not long after Ye Tian left the auction house, he sensed people sneaking along behind him.
He deliberately took a winding route through the city, but the men still followed at a distance, neither gaining nor losing ground. It didn't take Ye Tian long to figure out why.
He'd flaunted his wealth at the Tiandou Auction House, and these men had probably taken him for a fat sheep.
Ye Tian made up his mind at once. Anyone who dared rob him had better be prepared to leave their life behind!
He glanced in the direction of the city gates and quickly headed that way.
"That man's noticed us. He's heading for the city gates. Do we go after him?"
"Of course we go after him! Thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins—even split five ways, that's enough for us to live it up for a year or two!"
"Exactly!"
The five men exchanged glances, the same greed flashing in every pair of eyes.
Since Ye Tian hadn't gone into a private room, he was just an ordinary Soul Master like them. Five against one—they had a great chance of winning.
As for their agreement to split the loot evenly, they could talk about that after the others were dead.
Why share thirty thousand Gold Soul Coins when you could keep them all for yourself?
The five reached a simple agreement and quickly followed Ye Tian's retreating figure. Once they left the city, they saw him turn off the main road and head into the woods. The five could no longer sit still.
They summoned their Martial Souls. The two fastest men activated their Soul Rings, raced after him, and blocked his path.
"Kid, hand over every bit of money you've got, and we might let you go."
Ye Tian glanced behind him. Three Soul Ancestors at level forty-eight had all but sealed off his escape routes.
"Just you five?"
"Kid, do you think you're a Soul Emperor?"
"Get him together! Kill the bastard first!"
Ye Tian's contemptuous attitude enraged the five desperadoes. They roared as their Soul Rings lit up behind them, unleashing attacks that blanketed the ground beneath Ye Tian's feet.
The Overlord Spear appeared in Ye Tian's hand. His long spear stabbed and swept, each move seemingly an ordinary basic technique, yet the desperadoes' attacks couldn't break through his spear's momentum. They couldn't even force him to take a single step.
"What happened? You were all shouting so loudly a moment ago. Run out of strength already?"
Ye Tian's taunting voice rang out, bringing a flush to the five desperadoes' faces.
"What are you so smug about?"
"Die!"
Enraged and humiliated, the men activated their fourth Soul Rings in unison. Their skills razed the forest within a hundred meters.
Ye Tian felt the pressure mount and swung the Overlord Spear with ever greater ferocity.
Countless spear shadows crashed toward the men, colliding with their skills. As the spear shadows were steadily annihilated, smugness flickered in the desperadoes' eyes.
No matter how strong you are, you'll still die here against the five of us working together!
"Keep up the pressure and finish the brat!"
"Take this!"
The violent energy instantly annihilated the remaining spear shadows and swallowed Ye Tian's position whole.
When the dust settled, all five desperadoes looked over, their gazes now tinged with wariness toward one another.
The fat sheep was dead. Next came the battle between the hunters.
The next moment, disbelief surfaced in their eyes.
The pit in the middle was completely empty.
Where had the fat sheep gone?
The men exchanged glances and decided to take a closer look. One of them leaned forward, searching carefully around the pit.
Suddenly, a spear thrust up from underground and pierced straight through his neck.
Ye Tian leapt out of the ground. He channeled his First and Second Soul Rings into the Overlord Spear and immediately attacked the strongest man.
The spear's power grew stronger and stronger. In just three or five moves, Ye Tian had skewered the man.
In an instant, only three of the five desperadoes remained, and the strongest among them had been killed.
After witnessing Ye Tian's strength, the three desperadoes abandoned all thought of fighting and turned to flee.
Ye Tian stood with his spear in hand, his gaze fixed on a nearby treetop to the left, his eyes grave.
"You in the tree—after watching the show for so long, why not come out and watch in the open?"
A light laugh came from the treetop. A middle-aged man dressed in white, a long sword on his back, landed a short distance from Ye Tian.
"Friend, I'm Chen Xin. Your spear techniques are excellent. I got a little itchy to try them out and hoped you might spar with me. Would that be all right?"
Chen Xin looked completely sincere. He also kept a safe distance as he spoke, doing his best to show that he meant no harm.
"Ye Tian."
Ye Tian gave his name and carefully studied the middle-aged man before him.
Chen Xin—the future Titled Douluo who would protect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and a well-known sword fanatic. Ye Tian hadn't expected to run into him just by attending an auction.
Still, making Chen Xin's acquaintance would give him another connection for the future.
There was no reason he couldn't spar with him.
"Senior Chen Xin, I can spar with you."
Seeing the delight in Chen Xin's eyes, Ye Tian grew more certain of his guess. Then he suddenly changed tack. "I wonder, Senior, when you say 'spar,' do you mean techniques alone, or will you use Soul Power as well?"
"Of course we'll be sparring with techniques. I'm many years older than you, young friend Ye. It wouldn't be fair if I used Soul Power."
"Senior, how about we find somewhere a little quieter?"
"No problem."
Before you continue