Yuan Yi's Frustration (41k)

Pairs of burning eyes converged on the scroll woven with blue and silver. Those at the back of the auction hall were destined to miss out on the Earth Tier Dou Technique, but feasting their eyes on it was enough!

"Five million!"

Before long, the old man from the Blood Sect in the front row broke the silence, raising the opening bid straight to a staggering five million. He also shot the middle-aged man from the Black Skull Tomb a provocative look, as though saying, After buying that Dou Ling Spirit Pill, you're out of money, aren't you?

"Seven million!"

A vicious-looking man from the Kui Wolf Gang roared. This was only their second bid of the auction. Earlier, they had taken a fancy to a medicinal herb, only to lose to a gaunt man in the back rows. They had nursed that grudge ever since. Once the auction ended, they would collect both principal and interest!

"Eight million!" The Blood Sect elder refused to back down.

"Ten million."

A relatively calm voice rang out slowly, instantly silencing the entire auction hall. An astronomical ten million!

Countless gazes immediately focused on a middle-aged man dressed in black robes. He was seated in none other than the Black Emperor Sect's section.

The Black Emperor Sect's sudden bid, and such an enormous one at that, caught the Blood Sect, Kui Wolf Gang, and the other factions off guard. After exchanging looks, they all fell silent, their expressions sour.

The reason was simple: they had not brought enough money. Ten million was beyond their means, and they could not outbid a long-established Black-Corner Region faction like the Black Emperor Sect anyway.

Still, if the Black Emperor Sect had only brought this handful of people, they might yet have a chance. In the Black-Corner Region, what you won at auction did not necessarily end up belonging to you!

For a time, everyone in the hall entertained different thoughts. The Black Emperor Sect was powerful, but riches and glory were won amid danger!

"Ten million! Would anyone else like to bid? Then..."

"Two supreme-quality Dou Ling Spirit Pills!"

A cool voice brought the white-haired elder's words to an abrupt halt.

An ordinary Dou Ling Spirit Pill had a market value of around five million, and one could scarcely ever find one for sale. The Dou Ling Spirit Pill in this very auction had fetched a whopping seven million!

Supreme-quality Dou Ling Spirit Pills were even harder to refine. Their market price was over six million each, but in practice, they were priceless!

Besides, any faction possessing pills of this caliber would use them internally. How could they possibly bring them out to trade?

In an instant, everyone in both the VIP seats and the back rows rose and turned toward the third floor. Unfortunately, layers of curtains made from special materials screened it off, leaving those outside unable to see anything within.

The third floor offered the best seats in the entire hall, and only the truly powerful were qualified to stay there. They remembered that two Dou Huang experts of mysterious identity had joined this auction.

Inside the VIP room, Liu Yu ignored those gazes that were all but trying to bore through the curtains. Turning slightly toward Yun Yun, he chuckled. "This Wind-Evolving Spirit-Slaying Finger is a Dou Technique without an elemental attribute. It's perfect for us to practice together."

"Mm!" Yun Yun murmured softly, her lovely eyes glimmering. She offered no words of thanks. Such things had long since become unnecessary between her and Liu Yu.

Just then, a dissatisfied snort suddenly sounded from the darkness on the second floor. The white-haired elder standing on the crystal auction platform jolted inwardly. He, too, had been stunned by the offer of two supreme-quality Dou Ling Spirit Pills.

Coming back to his senses, the white-haired elder hurriedly addressed the audience. "Everyone, would anyone else like to bid? If not, this Earth Tier Dou Technique belongs to our honored guests on the third floor!"

Everyone in the auction hall met the auctioneer's announcement with silence. How were they supposed to bid? A single "ordinary" Dou Ling Spirit Pill had fetched seven million. Two supreme-quality Dou Ling Spirit Pills would probably start at no less than fourteen million!

Fourteen million alone was already a terrifying figure. Who knew how long a faction would need to accumulate such a sum?

With Liu Yu winning the Wind-Evolving Spirit-Slaying Finger, the Black Seal Auction finally came to a close.

The people in the auction hall left satisfied. Having witnessed a treasure on the level of an Earth Tier Dou Technique, they had not made the trip in vain.

The major factions in the VIP seats also dispersed, each harboring their own sinister schemes. With the Earth Tier Dou Technique claimed by a Dou Huang expert, there was nothing they could do about it. They could only plot to seize other treasures within their reach.

The third floor, inside the VIP room.

Yuan Yi entered the VIP room with the white-haired elder and another elder whose eyes were sharp. The white-haired elder approached Liu Yu, lowered his head slightly, and presented the blue-and-silver scroll with both hands. "My lord, this is the Earth Tier Dou Technique you won."

With a thought from Liu Yu, the scroll floated into his hand, then vanished as he placed it inside his Storage Ring. Two jade bottles immediately appeared in his hand. The other sharp-eyed elder quickly stepped forward and carefully accepted them.

After verifying the pills' authenticity, the elder discreetly nodded to Yuan Yi. At Yuan Yi's signal, he then withdrew from the VIP room with the white-haired elder.

"Haha, your collection truly is astonishing, Mr. Liu. You even have supreme-quality Dou Ling Spirit Pills." Yuan Yi laughed, then asked with a trace of certainty, "You must be an alchemist, Mr. Liu!"

"That's right," Liu Yu replied calmly. There was no need to conceal it. Revealing his identity as an alchemist would also help with his upcoming plans.

Just as I thought! Yuan Yi said inwardly. Someone who could produce a Sixth-Grade Pill and use Soul Power to move objects from a distance was, in all likelihood, a Grade Six Alchemist!

"Have you come to the Black-Corner Region for pleasure, sir, or...?" Yuan Yi asked tentatively.

"For pleasure? The Black-Corner Region isn't much fun." Liu Yu chuckled, a playful look in his eyes as he turned the question back on Yuan Yi. "Sect Master Yuan, with the Black-Corner Region in such chaos and no fun at all, don't you think it's time someone put it in order?"

Liu Yu's words left Yuan Yi silent for a moment. Having established a sizable faction in the Black-Corner Region, he naturally understood the meaning beneath those words.

"Mr. Liu, do you think the Black-Corner Region can be put in order?" Rather than answering directly, Yuan Yi tossed the question back to Liu Yu.

"Heh, why not? The weak resign themselves to heaven's will, while the strong defy the heavens!" Liu Yu had no interest in playing this game of passing the ball back and forth with Yuan Yi. His reply carried more than a little arrogance.

At the same time, an invisible force spread outward from Liu Yu, instantly enveloping the entire VIP room.

The terrifying spiritual pressure made even the space around them ripple faintly. Yun Yun, beside him, felt that dreadful power too. Though surprised, she also found it perfectly natural. After all, this was the man she loved.

But Yuan Yi, who received Liu Yu's special attention, felt it most keenly. Horrifying Soul Power squeezed him bit by bit, and a fear he had not felt in years began to spread. He tried to resist, but as his resistance grew, the Soul Power strengthened as well, always maintaining enough force to suppress him.

All of this happened within a few breaths. Then the terrifying Soul Power enveloping the VIP room swiftly receded like the tide.

Liu Yu smiled at the still-shaken Yuan Yi. He had just used a soul technique learned from the Profound Heaven Soul Art—Soul Pressure. It allowed him to perfectly employ his Soul Power to exert "pressure" on others. Of course, that alone would not qualify it as a soul technique. What made Soul Pressure powerful was its ability to stack!

It could be stacked three times in succession. At the third layer, its power would reach eight times that of ordinary spiritual pressure!

When using Soul Pressure on Yuan Yi, he had not added even a single layer. Otherwise, even if he restrained himself as much as possible, Yuan Yi's fragile soul might have been crushed without a trace!

This was the true terror of an alchemist possessing soul techniques: killing without leaving a trace. Your Dou Qi cultivation might far surpass his, but as long as your Soul Power was inferior, his pure soul attacks could still kill you.

This was also the confidence that allowed Liu Yu to venture into the Black-Corner Region. With his Spirit Realm soul and the many soul techniques within the Profound Heaven Soul Art, anyone below Dou Zun could be killed by him in an instant if they let their guard slip!

To put it bluntly, I'm invincible below Dou Zun. Above Dou Zun... I can still trade a few blows.

"Sect Master Yuan, would you rather be one of the strong, or one of the weak?" Liu Yu asked softly.

Yuan Yi was regretting his decision now. What devil had possessed him to come looking for Liu Yu? He had only wanted to see whether they could become friends, ideally recruiting him into the Eight Gates. Instead, he was about to lose himself in the bargain...

"Mr. Liu, do you think I have the right to choose?" Yuan Yi asked with a bitter smile.

"Why wouldn't you? Just follow your heart, Sect Master Yuan." Liu Yu chuckled.

Follow his heart? Yuan Yi certainly wanted to, but the terrifying Soul Power of the youth before him had nearly killed him just now. He instantly snuffed out the thought that arose in his mind. He did not dare gamble. He only had one life, and a wretched life was better than a good death. For now, he would submit to someone else. If an opportunity arose later, he would find a way to repay every humiliation he had suffered today!

"Mr. Liu, the Eight Gates will be yours to command from now on!" Yuan Yi said, utterly against his true wishes.

"Haha, Sect Master Yuan will still be the one in charge of the Eight Gates."

Liu Yu smiled. A vast surge of soul power suddenly poured from between his brows. Soul-Control Seal. Under his mental guidance, that soul power compressed and transformed into a peculiar rune.

Before Yuan Yi could react, the strange rune plunged into his soul and slowly took root...

"Sect Master Yuan, I noticed your Soul Power was somewhat weak, so I placed a Soul Seal deep within your soul. If you encounter an opponent with powerful Soul Power in the future, it will protect you from their soul attacks," Liu Yu explained rather "kindly."

Feeling that unfamiliar presence deep within his soul, Yuan Yi's expression stiffened. It took quite some time before he recovered. Struggling to restrain his emotions, he "smiled." "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Mr. Liu!"

By now, Yuan Yi was inwardly greeting Liu Yu with every mother-laden curse he could muster. Placing a Soul Seal on him and calling it protection? He was trying to control him! ***... (Liu Yu: ?)

Seeing Yuan Yi's expression, Liu Yu knew the fellow was not thinking anything nice about him, but he understood. With a thought, an exquisite jade box appeared in his hand, then floated over to the "aggrieved" Yuan Yi.

"I take it you've never taken an Emperor's Extreme Pill, Sect Master Yuan?" Liu Yu asked calmly. As the saying went, give someone a slap, then offer a sweet date. This Emperor's Extreme Pill would be enough to soothe the fellow. Otherwise, dealing with any tricks he played behind the scenes later would be troublesome.

Inside a pavilion in a quiet courtyard.

Liu Yu was using his Soul Power to read the contents of the Earth Tier Dou Technique he had obtained at the auction. The auctioneer had not been wrong: anyone, regardless of their attribute, could practice the Wind-Evolving Spirit-Slaying Finger. However, it was best suited to the wind attribute.

If a wind-attribute Dou Qi expert mastered the Wind-Evolving Spirit-Slaying Finger, its power would rival a Middle Earth Tier Dou Technique!

It could practically have been tailor-made for Yun Yun. Still, if he fused Heavenly Flames into the technique, its power would probably reach the Middle Earth Tier as well.

After committing the scroll's contents to memory, Liu Yu handed it to Yun Yun, who was drinking tea.

Yun Yun gently set down her Jade Cup and accepted the blue-and-silver scroll. This was her first time seeing an Earth Tier Dou Technique, and she could not help feeling a little excited.

It was rather strange, really. The Misty Cloud Sect had once enjoyed great glory, after all. Its founding patriarch, Yun Potian, had possessed unfathomable strength. Under his leadership, the Misty Cloud Sect had even become one of the Dou Qi Continent's foremost factions. Surely he should have left some Earth Tier Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills for his successors, yet it seemed he had not.

Of course, he might have died "unexpectedly" while roaming the Dou Qi Continent, leaving him no chance to pass down Earth Tier Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills to the Misty Cloud Sect. The sect's Gate of Life and Death was probably something Yun Potian had prepared for it in his earlier years.

Liu Yu picked up a Jade Cup from the jade table, took a small sip, and began considering his next steps. Although the Eight Gates counted as a first-rate faction in the Black-Corner Region, its actual strength was somewhat lacking. Its sect master, Yuan Yi, occupied the very last place on the Black List and was only a two-star Dou Emperor.

Now that he had taken Liu Yu's Emperor's Extreme Pill, he should be able to break through to Three-Star Dou Emperor. The Eight Gates also had a deputy sect master who was a low-level Dou Wang, while its remaining elders were all at the Dou Ling level.

It looks like I'll have to take control of a few first-rate factions first, then gradually swallow up the surrounding second-rate factions. As for those long-established powers, I'll probably have to deal with them myself, Liu Yu murmured inwardly.

Just then, a short middle-aged man cautiously entered the courtyard, treading lightly as he approached the pavilion.

"Lord Liu, these are some of the medicinal herbs you requested. The rest are still being gathered," the middle-aged man said respectfully, his head bowed low.

"Thank you for your hard work." An invisible force drew the Storage Ring in the middle-aged man's hand into Liu Yu's.

Liu Yu's words left the middle-aged man overwhelmed by the favor. Just then, a jade bottle flew out of the pavilion. He instinctively caught it as a cool voice reached him.

"A fourth-grade Qi-Nourishing Pill. It can aid a Dou Ling's daily cultivation."

Hearing Liu Yu's words, the middle-aged man's face filled with wild delight, and he hurriedly offered Liu Yu a stream of heartfelt thanks. This was a fourth-grade pill, and one that could aid a Dou Ling's cultivation at that! Though he was an elder of the Eight Gates, a pill like this was still a luxury to him.

Liu Yu waved a hand, and the middle-aged man withdrew. These pills were useless to him, but they made fine rewards for his subordinates and were a good way to win their loyalty.

Thanks to Cthulhu Azathoth zyz for the two monthly tickets!