"Of course!" Xiao E said with an ingratiating smile. "Senior may leave at any time. However, the auction has not yet ended, and it seems many rare treasures have yet to appear. Will Senior not stay and take another look? Besides, the sea winds are at their strongest now. I fear they will not gradually weaken for another half an hour."
"No need!" Xiao Hua waved his hand. "This old man is returning now. Lead me out!"
"This way, please, Senior!" Xiao E did not dare urge him to stay any longer. Swaying her slender waist, she escorted Xiao Hua to the entrance of Star Picking Tower. Just as Xiao E had said, although Star Picking Tower was protected by an arcane array, heaven-covering, earth-shaking tremors spread from that array, and a heart-quailing fluctuation seeped through it amid the shaking. Beyond the gate tower, the sky and earth were black as ink, and the former outline of Feather Spirit Bay was utterly impossible to discern. From time to time, fierce winds howled past like horned dragons, tugging at strands of gray wind, yet not a single sound came through.
The young Confucian scholars waiting at the entrance saw Xiao Hua emerge and received Xiao E's signal. They hurriedly bowed and said in unison, "This junior bids Senior farewell..."
"You have worked hard." Xiao Hua nodded and waved out several primal stones, sending them before Xiao E. "Keep half for yourself. Divide the rest among these people!"
Xiao E was overjoyed. She hurriedly accepted them, bowed, and said, "Many thanks, True Person Xiao..."
But when she raised her head, Xiao Hua had already vanished. Only faint ripples of light swayed across the arcane array before the gate tower.
Once Xiao Hua left Star Picking Tower, fierce winds howled throughout heaven and