Auction Prelude

The Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly was a grand event renowned throughout the Northwest Region of the Douqi Continent, and indeed across the entire Douqi Continent. Every Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly produced a group of heaven's favored geniuses and forged legendary tales.

Tianlan City, already more bustling than ever, would become especially lively. With more people, there would naturally be more trouble.

The Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion and the Gold Alliance Chamber of Commerce joined forces to prepare an auction a month and a half before the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly began. They had chosen this timing because the crowds had nearly reached their peak, allowing them to create more value. In addition, the items scheduled for auction needed time to be absorbed by the market.

On the road from the Heavenly Snake Mansion in Tianlan City to the auction hall, five people walked together. Two men at the front had their arms around each other's shoulders, clearly sharing an unusual bond.

"Little Martial-uncle, there are quite a few good things at this auction. What do you think? Are you well prepared?" Xu Yingwu asked, his arm around Xiao Yan's shoulder.

"I suppose I'm prepared well enough. I hope I can buy a few things I need."

"Hehe, don't worry. The Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion and the Gold Alliance Chamber of Commerce are both major forces whose businesses span an entire region. Holding an auction before the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly has practically become a tradition. According to my old man, this time the good stuff has even lured many reclusive old monsters out of hiding."

"Then today's auction should be quite spectacular."

Xiao Yan, Xun Er, Zi Yan, Qing Lin, and Xu Yingwu walked together. Because of Su Zhang, Xu Yingwu had grown increasingly close to Xiao Yan, while Xiao Yan also liked this approachable young tycoon. Thus, before Xiao Yan and the others could even set out with the people from the Heavenly Snake Mansion, Xu Yingwu had already dragged them away to the auction.

"Xiao Yan, if there are any good medicinal herbs, you have to snatch them up!" Zi Yan said fiercely.

Although her expression and tone were fierce, Zi Yan's figure simply could not support her bold words. Instead, she drew a few light chuckles from the others.

By the time they reached the auction hall, even Xun Er was slightly shocked. A terrifying building more than three hundred zhang in diameter stood before them. Inside were over thirty thousand seats, more than half of which were already occupied. In the central area with the best view, there were even ten small rooms. Xiao Yan could tell at a glance that they were made of Black Spirit Stone. Black Spirit Stone had two sides—one visible and one invisible—making it excellent for privacy.

However, just as they entered the auction hall, a loud, carefree voice rang out.

"Medicine Jar, you came too?"

Xu Yingwu's brows furrowed slightly, and he said coldly, "What rotten luck. I forgot to calculate my fortune before leaving home, only to run into a bastard like you."

The group looked behind them and saw a short, bald man who was only five feet tall. Although he was short, his entire body was covered in dark, compact muscles.

The bald man was not angered by Xu Yingwu's words. Instead, he looked at Xiao Yan beside him and chuckled. "Who's this? Aren't you going to introduce him?"

As he spoke, he extended his right hand as though in friendship. But Xiao Yan noticed the bald man's muscles quietly swell. That palm clearly contained terrifying force.

Xiao Yan snorted coldly. His right palm instantly turned blood-red, and he met the man palm to palm!

Their palms collided, and a powerful wave of energy erupted. However, the two tacitly suppressed the force of the explosion. After all, this was an auction hall.

Xiao Yan staggered back three steps, his face faintly flushed and his palm completely red. The bald man's physical strength in that strike had been truly terrifying. From that single exchange, Xiao Yan could already determine that this man was absolutely stronger than Yun Shan.

Although the bald man remained motionless, heat began to rise from his entire body like steam from a steamer. He shook his hand, and the skin on his palm shattered and fell away. Clearly, he had not gained the upper hand in that brief exchange either. The scorching, sinister power of the Crimson Lotus Karma Flame that Xiao Yan had suppressed for so long had been driven into the bald man's body. His insides were churning, and if his strength had not been formidable enough, he might have been injured by that single blow.

"Shi Meng, if you want to fight, I'll play with you!" Xu Yingwu shouted angrily. Clearly, Shi Meng's actions had infuriated him.

"Hehe, today's real business is the auction. There'll be plenty of time to fight during the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly, Medicine Jar." The bald man left with a mocking expression, casting Xiao Yan a deep look before departing.

"Martial-uncle, are you all right?" Xu Yingwu asked.

Xiao Yan shook his head. "I'm fine. Who is that man?"

As he spoke, Xiao Yan quietly caught Xun Er's small hand with his own. She had reached out to check on his condition, and her face immediately flushed red. Fortunately, she had always worn a veil and cloak, so no one saw this detail.

Xu Yingwu replied, "He's Shi Meng of Elephant Rhino Mountain, and one of the formidable rivals at this Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly. He specializes in physical strength, enough to shatter stone and break metal. Yet he's exceptionally crafty. Once, I was gathering medicinal herbs and had gone to great lengths to kill a magical beast, only for that bastard to reap the benefits as a third party. He strikes extremely viciously. People without a powerful background often end up seriously injured when sparring with him."

Xiao Yan nodded as well. Shi Meng had launched that sudden probing attack while everyone's attention was elsewhere. If his opponent had been weaker, he would probably already have been injured.

"The Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly will make him pay. Let's go to the VIP room first."

Xu Yingwu led Xiao Yan and the others to one of more than a dozen Black Spirit Stone rooms. Four maids with exceptionally alluring figures, dressed in scandalously little fabric, waited outside. Xu Yingwu opened the door, revealing an interior of extreme luxury.

The room was spacious. Ten reclining chairs made from the hides of high-grade magical beasts stood inside. On the table in the center were various rare fruits and medicinal fruits that could be eaten directly and tasted excellent. Beside them was even an ice cabinet specially condensed from Dou Qi by an expert of the ice element, with dozens of bottled wines displayed inside. There were only two people in the room. One was Su Zhang, Xiao Yan's new senior brother, while the other was a middle-aged man conversing with him.

"Father, Teacher," Xu Yingwu said respectfully.

The middle-aged man and Su Zhang both nodded. Xiao Yan carefully observed Xu Yingwu's father, Xu Chengzze, and noticed that his mouth bulged considerably more than an ordinary person's. Xu Yingwu had told him that the Echo Sect took the greatest pride in its sound-wave attacks. As a Nine-Star Dou Zong, Xu Chengzze had clearly cultivated his sound-wave attacks to the pinnacle of perfection.

"You've arrived? This must be Master Xiao Yan, Elder Su's junior brother," Xu Chengzze said with a smile.

"I'm flattered. Sect Master Xu, you can just call me Xiao Yan."

"Since you're Elder Su's junior brother and Yingwu's friend, just call me Uncle Xu."

"Then forgive my presumptuousness, Uncle Xu."

"Not at all, not at all. Elder Su has praised you lavishly, his junior brother. Now that I've seen you, I can tell his words were no exaggeration. If there's anything you take a liking to at today's auction, you can put it on the Echo Sect's tab."

While Xiao Yan and the others exchanged warm greetings, people continued streaming into the auction hall. The VIP rooms, symbols of status, were also gradually occupied. The atmosphere of the auction steadily rose toward its climax.