Curtain call

Inside the auction house.

No one could believe what had just happened.

Three Spirit Sea Realm cultivators, each the equal of Guangyang City's city lord!

Yet powerhouses like these...

Had actually been finished off by a savage snake head in just a few breaths, in such a dramatic fashion!

Of course, they now knew.

That snake head actually belonged to the low-grade second-tier demonic beast being auctioned-the Black Baleful Intent Snake!

But... how the hell was this demonic beast so terrifyingly powerful?!

Even the city lord stared blankly at that cloud of Sha Qi, unable to compose himself for a long time.

He knew.

He probably could not have withstood that bite either!

And just as everyone stared at that savage snake head in utter horror...

At that moment.

Gu Fan, seated in the place of honor, also rose with a faint smile and beckoned to the savage snake head on the platform.

Immediately.

Everyone saw the terrifying Black Baleful Intent Snake flick its forked tongue, and that cloud of black Sha Qi was drawn into its body.

At the same time.

The enormous snake body coiled behind the Sha Qi was thus exposed before everyone's eyes.

Its body was immense.

Even coiled up, it nearly reached the auction house's ceiling!

If it truly stretched out freely, it would probably be bigger than this luxurious auction house!

This sight.

Unsurprisingly left everyone in the hall with their jaws dropping once again.

However.

After drawing the Sha Qi into its body, the Black Baleful Intent Snake immediately began shrinking its enormous form.

Only when it had returned to a short body no thicker than a finger did it flick its tail and dart onto Gu Fan's shoulder with a whoosh, affectionately rubbing against his cheek.

Looking like this.

Had everyone not witnessed that terrifying scene earlier, they would probably have thought this Black Baleful Intent Snake was adorable...

Gu Fan gently squeezed the little snake's body on his shoulder, his smile unchanged.

Although this Black Baleful Intent Snake was a low-grade second-tier demonic beast.

Strictly speaking, it was also a Spirit Sea Realm Third Heaven demonic beast!

With strength like that, how could those three men in bamboo hats at Spirit Sea First Heaven possibly resist?!

Besides.

Gu Fan had warned them that the Profound Heaven Auction House's goods were not so easy to take.

If they insisted on taking them... that was the road to their own deaths!

"Go!"

Gu Fan patted the snake's body.

Immediately, the Black Baleful Intent Snake swayed its tail with extreme reluctance.

But when Gu Fan's expression turned stern, it hurriedly darted onto Lineage Head Miao with a whoosh.

"Hm?"

Lineage Head Miao was still in shock.

But then he felt something extra on his shoulder.

Slippery and icy cold...

That was what Lineage Head Miao thought as he touched the Black Baleful Intent Snake on his shoulder.

But very soon.

His face turned green, and he leaped five feet straight into the air!

"A snake!"

Even Lineage Head Miao's rough, booming voice turned shrill like a woman's at that moment.

And no matter how he jumped or shook his body, the Black Baleful Intent Snake on his shoulder showed no reaction, merely keeping its emotionless eyes fixed on Lineage Head Miao.

The way it looked... it seemed ready to give Lineage Head Miao a bite the very next moment!

"The Black Baleful Intent Snake! Get the hell out of the way..."

"It's coming, it's coming! That Black Baleful Intent Snake is out of control! Run!"

"Lineage Head Miao, don't come over here!!!"

"..."

The people around him also paled.

They had witnessed the Black Baleful Intent Snake's terror firsthand earlier.

Now that the demonic beast that had swallowed three Spirit Sea Realm cultivators in one bite was right beside them, those nearby were so frightened they nearly lost control of their bowels and bladders.

Fortunately.

Gu Fan spoke up at that moment. "Everyone, there is no need to panic. Since Lineage Head Miao won the Black Baleful Intent Snake at auction, this demonic beast rightfully belongs to him."

As those words fell.

Everyone in the hall immediately quieted down, then stared dumbly at Gu Fan.

This terrifying demonic beast... belonged to Lineage Head Miao just like that?!

So casually?

That was a terrifying demonic beast capable of swallowing Spirit Sea Realm cultivators in one bite!

With it, wouldn't Lineage Head Miao be invincible throughout Guangyang City, with even the city lord no match for him?!

Looking at Gu Fan's calm face.

For the first time, everyone in the hall recognized Auction Master Gu's lavish generosity!

The Black Baleful Intent Snake they regarded as incomparably precious might be nothing more than an utterly ordinary demonic beast in his eyes!

Otherwise, would he have handed the Black Baleful Intent Snake over to Lineage Head Miao so readily?!

Looking at that slender Black Baleful Intent Snake.

The leading figures of the various factions all wrung their hands and sighed in regret!

They had been one step too late!

And that single step had allowed Lineage Head Miao to scoop up an incredible bargain!

From this day onward, the strongest person in all of Guangyang City would no longer be the city lord... but Lineage Head Miao!

And the reason he had reached this point today... was entirely because of Auction Master Gu of the Profound Heaven Auction House!

At that thought.

Those few men immediately flushed, their eyes filled with excitement as they came before Gu Fan.

"Auction Master Gu! May I ask when the Profound Heaven Auction House's next auction will be held?"

"Will there be more precious treasures like the Black Baleful Intent Snake? Rest assured, Auction Master Gu, I will certainly have spirit stones ready..."

"Indeed! If there are treasures like the Black Baleful Intent Snake, please let me know beforehand, Auction Master Gu. I would be endlessly grateful..."

"..."

The leading figures of the various factions spoke up one after another, their tones exceedingly respectful.

Even everyone else in the auction house looked eagerly at Gu Fan, hoping to hear a definite answer from him.

Naturally, Gu Fan cupped his hands with a broad smile in response.

"Everyone, rest easy! As long as I remain in Guangyang City, the Profound Heaven Auction House will hold an auction every day!"

"As for auction treasures... things like the Black Baleful Intent Snake and the Scarlet Flame Saber, our Profound Heaven Auction House... will have them every day!"

"I sincerely hope you will all honor us with your presence when the time comes!"

As those words fell.

A burst of cheers immediately rang through the auction house.

The leading figures of Guangyang City's various factions in particular could not hide their delighted surprise. Had they not been so practiced at concealing their feelings, they might have jumped up in celebration!

They had already decided.

Starting tonight, they would prepare to sell off their assets so they could find treasures at the Profound Heaven Auction House like Lineage Head Miao had and soar into the heavens in one leap!

Because all these people knew.

The value of the second-tier demonic beast, the Black Baleful Intent Snake, could not be measured by a mere ninety thousand spirit stones!

Just think: could ninety thousand spirit stones nurture a Spirit Sea Realm cultivator?

No!

That was why the Profound Heaven Auction House was nothing short of a land of opportunity to them!

For most people, Guangyang City's Profound Heaven Auction House was indeed a land of opportunity.

But to the other two auction houses.

It was a land of unforgivable evil!

Second-tier treasures at every auction?

How was that possible?!

But what if it really was true?

The three Spirit Sea Realm experts the two of them had invited from the commandery city had originally been meant to rob the Profound Heaven Auction House and damage its reputation.

What they had never expected was that those men would instead be swallowed into the Black Baleful Intent Snake's belly in a single bite.

No one knew the terror they had felt upon witnessing that scene.

If Gu Fan learned that they were the culprits behind it, would he order that Black Baleful Intent Snake to swallow them too?!

Fortunately, though.

That terrifying demonic beast now belonged to Lineage Head Miao!

Otherwise, the two of them would have been trembling with fear even while sleeping at night!

While countless thoughts tangled in the two auction masters' minds.

What neither of them knew was that Gu Fan had actually already guessed they were the masterminds.

It was just that.

He disdained to target these two insignificant figures.

This... was just like how an elephant would not bother with ants on the ground.