Cold Moon Villa Auction, Blood Hand Butcher Unleashes His Murderous Glare!

Qingshui Town.

A teahouse named Tingyun Residence.

Quite a few people of the martial world had gathered there, sitting over tea and listening to the storyteller in the teahouse rattle on endlessly, speaking with great flourish about the recent major events that had stirred the martial world.

The most attention-grabbing of them was the Eagle Wolf Guard's hefty bounty on Zhou Qing. Even though half a month had passed, countless people were still discussing it, making it a hot topic over tea and meals.

The storytellers in every teahouse recounted it once a day, and each one added fuel to the flames, making the tale sound utterly miraculous.

In the mouths of these storytellers, Zhou Qing had become a fiend with three heads and six arms, ten feet tall, and a gaping, blood-filled maw.

The martial folk and common people around them never tired of it, listening with great relish.

By now, the name Mad Blade Zhou Qing had become thunderously renowned throughout the martial world. Especially in Wanzhou, he had become the focus of countless discussions.

The Eagle Wolf Guard's bounty on Zhou Qing had made countless martial artists green with envy. One after another, they wanted to find Zhou Qing, kill him, and claim that generous reward.

Yet Zhou Qing's whereabouts were exceedingly mysterious, as though he had vanished from the face of the earth. Even the Eagle Wolf Guard could do nothing about it.

"This Zhou Qing was originally just an ordinary physician at Zhou's Medical Hall in Everjoy Ward, Black Stone County. I heard he's only sixteen this year and had never shown anything special before. But after entering the Black Stone County prison, he became a martial artist in less than a month, then escaped from jail." A martial wanderer said, "After Zhou Qing fled Black Stone County, he made a total of three moves. Only a little over half a month passed between his first and third appearances, yet the strength he displayed became more terrifying each time. It was as if he had swallowed some miraculous pill and been reborn from the marrow out."

"For Zhou Qing to be able to kill a First-rate Martial Artist in such a short time, he most likely possesses some hidden fortunate opportunity."

A martial wanderer guessed.

"Not most likely—Zhou Qing definitely has some unknown fortunate opportunity. The Blade Catchers of the martial world want to find and kill Zhou Qing, certainly because of the Eagle Wolf Guard's bounty, but more than that, they probably want the opportunity on Zhou Qing's person."

"Exactly. An opportunity capable of turning an ordinary person into someone who can kill a First-rate Martial Artist in such a short time must be at least on the level of an Innate Grandmaster."

"That is precisely why so many Peak First-rate Martial Artists in the martial world want the opportunity on Zhou Qing's person, hoping to glimpse the realm of Innate Grandmasters."

"Zhou Qing's whereabouts are elusive and unpredictable. Finding him will not be easy. Besides, given Zhou Qing's strength, ordinary martial artists dreaming of his opportunity are simply courting death."

Several martial wanderers discussed the matter animatedly.

When some of them mentioned the opportunity on Zhou Qing's person, a burning gleam flashed through their eyes.

However, they could only fantasize about it. If they truly encountered Zhou Qing, he could poke them to death with a single finger.

Amid the bustling teahouse, Zhou Qing sat in an inconspicuous corner by the wall, wearing a bamboo hat and quietly listening to the discussions around him.

Even though he himself was the subject of this discussion, Zhou Qing showed neither joy nor sorrow. He silently sipped his tea, as if none of it had anything to do with him.

"By the way, do you still remember Cold Moon Villa?"

"Of course. The master of Cold Moon Villa was always chivalrous and righteous, making friends far and wide. Yet no one knows how he offended Old Demon Li, the Blood Hand Butcher. His entire household was slaughtered, and only his youngest daughter, Shen Qingyue, who had joined the Canghai Sect, escaped disaster. Shen Qingyue offered her family's first-rate internal cultivation method as a reward for Old Demon Li's head!"

"The bounty has been out for more than a month, but no one has taken it."

"What, did someone kill Old Demon Li?"

"Not at all. Old Demon Li's vicious reputation precedes him, and his strength is formidable. How could he be so easily killed? Even Blade Catchers with that strength would not fight Old Demon Li to the death for the sake of a first-rate internal cultivation method. However, Shen Qingyue has released new information through Wind Full Tower. In five days, an auction will be held at Cold Moon Villa."

"An auction? Not a Demon-Slaying Assembly?"

"It's an auction. Cold Moon Villa was destroyed, but it still has many properties. With no one to manage them, Shen Qingyue can only auction them off. This includes the martial arts manuals owned by Cold Moon Villa, among them the first-rate internal cultivation method, the Profound Ice Heart Method."

"Looks like Shen Qingyue has given up on revenge."

"On the contrary. No one in the martial world dares accept the bounty to kill Old Demon Li, so Shen Qingyue is auctioning off Cold Moon Villa's properties and martial arts manuals in exchange for hard silver and gold. Then she can hire experts from the Canghai Sect to kill Old Demon Li."

"So that's how it is. The Canghai Sect is a top-tier force. Even if they cannot invite an Innate Grandmaster, there are still quite a few Peak First-rate Martial Artists within the sect."

"There are still five days left. Why not go to Cold Moon Villa together and see whether there are any good things at this auction?"

"..."

A group of martial wanderers discussed the matter.

"Cold Moon Villa, an auction!"

Listening from the side, Zhou Qing silently pondered.

Under normal circumstances, large auctions were held in provincial capitals. The provincial capital had an Eagle Wolf Guard commander stationed there, an Innate Grandmaster. As a criminal ranked eightieth on the imperial wanted list, stepping into a provincial capital would be courting death.

Therefore, the Cold Moon Villa auction was an opportunity for him. He had over a hundred thousand taels in banknotes on hand, so he had a chance to compete for a first-rate internal cultivation method at the auction.

With that thought, Zhou Qing took out a tael of broken silver and placed it on the table. Then his body flashed, and his figure vanished from the teahouse. No one noticed how he had left.

Five days later.

Zhou Qing arrived in Taining Prefecture.

Cold Moon Villa was located amid a towering mountain range more than fifty li north of Taining Prefecture City. The scenery there was as picturesque as a poem or painting, shrouded in drifting clouds and mist like a paradise beyond the world.

On the main road at the foot of the mountain, quite a few martial folk and local wealthy merchants and gentry who had come for the auction had gathered. They stood in groups of three or five, discussing matters among themselves.

Yet whether they were wealthy merchants dressed in splendid clothing or martial folk carrying longswords on their backs or sharp blades in their hands, they all remained at the foot of the mountain and did not dare climb it, as if they harbored some misgiving.

"Brother, everyone has come to Cold Moon Villa for the auction. Why are we all staying at the foot of the mountain instead of going up? Is there some concern?"

Zhou Qing entered the crowd and casually asked a man in a gray martial outfit.

"You just got here, didn't you?" The man in gray looked at Zhou Qing, then lowered his voice. "A quarter of an hour ago, Blood Hand Butcher Li Baichuan used internal force to transmit his voice and inform everyone that whoever dared go up the mountain to attend Cold Moon Villa's auction would have their entire family exterminated. Quite a few wealthy merchants and gentry have already left. They don't dare wade into these muddy waters.

Those who remain are all waiting to see what happens. If Miss Shen does nothing, this auction will not be able to proceed."

"Blood Hand Butcher Li Baichuan is nearby?" Zhou Qing frowned slightly, then said, "If that is the case, why doesn't Old Demon Li simply kill Shen Qingyue and pull out the weeds by their roots, ending everything once and for all?"

"Naturally, because he fears Shen Qingyue's status." The man in gray said, "Shen Qingyue is a disciple of the Canghai Sect, and she has studied under an elder. Although he is merely an ordinary elder, he is still a First-rate Martial Artist. He was close friends with Master Shen during his lifetime, their bond inseparable. That Canghai Sect elder is currently inside Cold Moon Villa.

That Canghai Sect elder's strength is evenly matched with Old Demon Li's. Neither can do anything to the other, so Old Demon Li cannot kill Shen Qingyue. He can only threaten the wealthy merchants and gentry attending the auction, in order to prevent it from taking place."

"So that's how it is." Zhou Qing nodded, then cupped his hands toward the man in gray. "Thank you, brother, for clearing up my doubts."

With that, Zhou Qing walked out of the crowd and headed up the mountain.