Chapter 147: The Mysterious Ice-Attribute Dou Huang Expert
After the auctioning of Thunder Bat Sky Wings, several of the tier-four pills and Xuan-rank techniques consigned by Xiao Yuan caused a minor stir and sold for prices he found quite satisfactory.
However, as time went on, Xiao Yuan's interest began to wane. He leaned lazily into his seat, visibly bored.
"Hehe, up next is something rather peculiar. We honestly don't know what it's for. But after thorough inspection by our appraisers, it appears to resemble some kind of ancient treasure map."
The white-haired auctioneer bent over and lifted the cover of a silver tray. On it lay a tattered piece of ancient cloth, weathered and frayed, now displayed for all to see.
"Boo—" The moment the item appeared, the crowd jeered with disdain.
Hearing the mocking voices, the auctioneer's smile turned awkward. Despite extensive research, all they'd been able to determine was that the cloth featured route markings typical of a map. Beyond that, they'd gained nothing.
Raising the cloth to better show it, the auctioneer pointed to a partially visible pattern near the edge and smiled. "If our speculation is correct, this should be quite old. Who knows what secrets it might contain? Ancient items are never ordinary. If someone manages to obtain the complete map, who's to say it won't shake the entire continent?"
"Pffft."
Most people remained unimpressed by the pitch.
Not everyone was dismissive, though. At that moment, Xiao Yan's eyes had gone wide.
Xiao Yuan had also recognized it—it was a fragment of the Purifying Lotus Demonic Flame map. But his expression, hidden by the white veil of his hat, remained utterly indifferent.
It was as if this mere fragment wasn't even worth his attention.
On stage, the auctioneer went to great lengths to hype up the cloth's mysterious value, hoping to spark interest. But many in the crowd began to grow restless. A few hot-tempered patrons even cursed aloud.
Seeing the lack of enthusiasm, the auctioneer sighed and licked his dry lips. With a bitter smile, he finally said, "The starting price for this cloth fragment is 100,000 gold coins. Let the bidding begin."
Silence fell over the auction hall.
Some spectators looked at the item like it was a joke. Who would spend that kind of money on something whose authenticity couldn't even be verified? Even the wealthy weren't that reckless.
Xiao Yuan waited patiently. About five minutes passed with no bids—until just before the item could be withdrawn from sale, Xiao Yan made an offer.
That prompted Fan Ling to bid as well.
Finally, Xiao Yuan stretched languidly and offered, "One hundred fifty thousand."
Fan Ling, upon hearing the bid, almost called out another—but seeing that it came from that infuriating white-robed woman, he hesitated. His gaze shifted to Xiao Yan.
These two again… the same pair who had beat him into the auction hall earlier. Was this another trap to bait him into overspending?
Growing wary, Fan Ling decided to play along and trap them instead.
"Two hundred thousand!" he shouted.
"Congratulations to the Young Master for acquiring a treasure map," Xiao Yuan responded coolly, a trace of amusement in her voice as she sank back into her chair.
Fan Ling's face turned stormy. He turned his glare toward Xiao Yan.
"Well done, Young Master," said Xiao Yan in his black robe, voice laced with mockery. "Spending 200,000 gold on such a rag."
Smack!
Fan Ling slammed his hand down and stood abruptly. But since this was the Eight Gates' territory, he couldn't cause a scene. Several deep breaths later, he managed to sit down again.
Yet the condescending stares around him—stares that treated him like a brainless fool—made his veins bulge. His pale face flushed red with anger, ironically making him look a little healthier.
"Hehe… anyone else wish to bid higher than 200,000?" the auctioneer asked with a forced grin. When no one responded, he quickly hammered down the sale.
The auction continued, with more valuable items raising the energy in the hall again. The highlight came when Xiao Yan's Three-Pattern Qingling Pill was brought forth.
As the most elite version of the Qingling Pill, even in Black-Corner Region, few had seen a true three-patterned version. Requiring three distinct flames for refinement, it was no easy feat.
When it appeared, even the top factions—Blood Sect, Heavenly Snake Mansion, and Black Skull Tomb—were visibly shocked.
But the one to ultimately win it wasn't Fan Ling of the Blood Sect, despite his earlier bravado. It was Elder Qing of the Heavenly Snake Mansion, who placed a decisive 1.5 million gold bid—shocking the crowd with her boldness.
Fan Ling sat stewing in rage.
If not for being tricked earlier by that black-robed man and white-dressed woman, he wouldn't have been short on funds and forced to give up bidding.
The auction neared its end, and the true grand finale began.
"Three Thousand Lightning Movement—Body Technique, Earth-rank Low Level."
The auctioneer's soft announcement silenced the rowdy hall in an instant.
All eyes turned to the silver scroll on the crystal platform, eyes burning with desire. Heavy breathing sounded like bellows across the venue.
No starting price was set. But the moment the gavel hit, the bid leapt instantly to 2 million.
Xiao Yuan joined the fun and placed a few bids. But once the price passed 5 million, he stopped.
He simply couldn't compete with the wealth of these major factions.
Maybe… maybe it was time to rob the Blood Sect?
The thought made Xiao Yuan smirk.
As one of the most infamous powers in the Black-Corner Region, the Blood Sect's wealth must be enormous. Seizing it could keep him resource-rich for a long time.
While he entertained that plan, the price for Three Thousand Lightning Movement climbed to 8.27 million. A sum equivalent to several years' income for the Mittel Clan!
As weaker factions dropped out, a gray-robed man from the Black Skull Tomb finally placed the winning bid: 10.2 million gold coins.
The hall fell silent in shock.
Of course, just because you can buy something… doesn't mean you can live long enough to use it.
Xiao Yuan gave a moment of mental silence for the Black Skull Tomb guy.
Raising his head, he looked toward the solemn auctioneer.
It was time for the true showstopper: the Yin-Yang Profound Dragon Pill, crafted by his "dear senior brother," the so-called Medicine Emperor Han Feng.
Though the pill had nothing to do with Xiao Yuan, now was a good time to retrieve his earnings and prepare for what came next.
Leaving the auction hall, Xiao Yuan headed straight to the main lobby and summoned a maid. After explaining his purpose, he was respectfully led to a side room.
"Please wait a moment, honored guest. The auction is nearly over. Once it concludes, our manager will assist you with your items," the maid said with a smile, placing a cup of warm tea before him before leaving.
Xiao Yuan nodded slightly and froze the tea into ice. He held the chunk and played with it idly—drinking was out of the question.
In a place like the Black-Corner Region, caution was survival. Especially in an auction house that only pretended to be fair.
Time passed. Eventually, the sound of footsteps approached.
Xiao Yuan opened his eyes as the door opened. An elderly man led in two maids—one of whom was escorting a mature, well-developed girl—the one he had purchased during the auction.
"Hehe, honored guest, you must be the one who consigned those rare techniques and pills. You may call me Manager Hu," the old man said, bowing slightly.
"Hmm." Xiao Yuan nodded coolly. "Has the auction concluded?"
"Yes, it ended quite successfully," Hu replied, carefully glancing at Xiao Yuan but seeing nothing. He waved his hand, and one of the maids presented a silver tray with a violet-gold card marked with seven colored lines.
A Seven-Stripe Violet-Gold Card—normally only held by Dou Wang-level cultivators and above.
Since the previous appraiser had failed to detect Xiao Yuan's strength, and considering the high value of his consigned goods, they had naturally assumed he was a Dou Wang.
"Honored Dou Wang, your total sales reached 5.5 million gold. After a 10% commission, your net earnings are 4.95 million. Subtracting the 130,000 spent to purchase the girl Qingning, your remaining balance is 4.82 million. All funds have been stored in this violet-gold card. From now on, the girl is your personal property."
The maid bowed and offered the tray, while another led Qingning to Xiao Yuan's side.
"That's a steep commission," Xiao Yuan muttered, displeased at the 10% cut. Still, he took the card, transferred the funds to his own violet-gold card, and tossed the other back onto the tray.
"One card is enough for me. The girl's name is Qingning, yes? Hah, guess it's fate. Let's go."
He gently took the nervous girl by the hand and led her away.
"He's a Dou Huang!" Manager Hu's expression shifted in shock as he realized the card Xiao Yuan used had the distinct aura of a true Dou Huang-level cultivator.
"Esteemed Dou Huang, would you be willing to wait? Our clan leader is quite interested in meeting you to discuss a possible collaboration," Hu called out.
"No need. I have things to do," Xiao Yuan replied without even looking back as he left with Qingning in tow.
Manager Hu stood silently for a while, watching the white-clad figure disappear into the distance.
"Did you see who he really is?" a calm voice suddenly echoed in the hall.
Hu turned to find a powerfully built middle-aged man seated where Xiao Yuan had been moments before. The air grew tense under his presence, and Hu bowed deeply.
"Clan Master… no, I couldn't identify him," Hu said respectfully. "But based on his voice and behavior, I'd say he's no older than twenty-something. To possess such strength at that age… his background must be extraordinary. I recommend we call off the tailing team. Trying to follow a Dou Huang is suicide."
The clan master nodded. "Agreed. Withdraw the team."
"Yes, sir!"
(END CHAPTER)
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 30 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Albino1