Chapter 26: Brother Buhuan — As soon as the Merperson appeared, whispers rose within the auction hall…
As soon as the Merperson appeared, whispers rose within the auction hall.
“Heh, the very first item is a Merperson? As expected of the largest auction house in Jile City; such extravagance!”
“It seems today’s finale must be something truly extraordinary…”
A young disciple who had just entered the world was puzzled and asked aloud, “Isn’t it just a Merperson with a slightly better appearance? What is there to marvel at?”
“You ignorant brat, this is no ordinary Merperson. This is a Merperson of the Wuliang Sea!”
“It is widely known that the Wuliang Sea has no boundaries. Unless one travels via a spatial magical artifact or uses a teleportation array, no matter how high one’s cultivation is, they will be lost on the boundless ocean and die trapped there… The Merpeople of the Wuliang Sea grow up within it and possess an innate, extremely high talent for spatial magic. If one can obtain him, they can use him to master high-level spatial spells and roam the Seven Continents and Four Seas unhindered.”
Green Wu smiled and continued, “This guest is correct. However, an ordinary Wuliang Sea Merperson usually goes for a minimum of thirty to fifty thousand spirit stones. The reason the starting price for this Merperson is so high today is due to a special trait he possesses.”
He deliberately kept them in suspense. Seeing the doubt rising in the hall and the atmosphere heating up, he slowly revealed the rest:
“This child not only possesses extremely high spatial talent but also carries traces of Spatial Laws within his body.”
In other words, this Merperson was equivalent to a ready-made Law of Heaven and Earth.
As soon as these words came out, a massive uproar erupted in the hall, and people began bidding fiercely.
“What?! This Merperson actually carries the Laws of Heaven and Earth?!”
“I bid fifty thousand!”
“Sixty thousand spirit stones!”
…
Although the flower curtains blocked some of the noise, the excitement from the floor could still be heard.
Xiao Jianming sipped his tea with an air of indifference. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Su Huan shifting uneasily in his seat. He raised an eyebrow and asked, “You want to save him?”
Although it was a question, in his heart, he was already certain.
If a buyer wanted to obtain the Merperson’s spatial talent and laws, the Merperson would inevitably lose his life. Su Huan had certainly felt pity for him.
Unconsciously, the corners of his mouth ticked up slightly. Xiao Jianming instinctively picked up his teacup to moisten his throat.
Since ancient times, the Spirit Imprinters whom the Lingxi Clan believed in all had this stinking temperament—always loving to meddle in other people’s business when abroad. It was troublesome to death.
Unexpectedly, after hearing his words, Su Huan covered the storage bag at his waist with a panicked expression. He shook his head like a rattle drum, the jade ribbons tying his hair rustling with the motion. “It wasn’t me, I didn’t, I have no money!”
Xiao Jianming’s brow instantly darkened. He set the teacup down on the table with a heavy thud.
A counterfeit is a counterfeit; it can’t compare to the real thing at all.
Su Huan didn’t know why he was suddenly angry. He touched the back of his head resentfully, noting the still-climbing auction price on the floor. He couldn’t help but touch his somewhat deflated storage bag, his eyes drooping.
He really was so poor.
“Three million spirit stones!”
“My family’s Young Master has taken a liking to this Merperson. I ask everyone to give us some face.”
Suddenly, a pleasant female voice rang out from a top-floor private box, and the venue instantly fell silent.
A few seconds later, countless whispers appeared in the auction hall:
“Rumors have long circulated outside that the owners behind this Jinrui Auction House come from the four great clans: Nangong, Ji, Yue, and Lan. Thus, the four boxes on the top floor are always reserved for people from the four great clans. It seems it’s true…”
“I just don’t know which clan’s young master has arrived…”
“With such arrogance, I’m afraid it’s that Young Master from the Yue family…”
Hearing this, Su Huan looked up curiously at the top floor. He saw the flower curtain woven of chrysanthemum petals in the topmost box being lifted by two maids, revealing the true face of the bidder—
It was a youth glittering in gold from head to toe, wearing a gilded feather crown. His face was as beautiful as a woman’s, but his eyes were unruly. Draped in gold and silver, he looked every bit the wealthy silk-pants hedonist—and an extremely wealthy one at that.
At the same time, everyone’s eyes fell on the youth. No one noticed that the originally pitch-black Sky-grade box slowly lit up, with a faint, clear light shining through the red plum blossom curtain.
A wave of amazement swept the surroundings:
“It really is Yue Changming. The Yue family head is in Liujin; why would he come to the Central Continent?”
“The Yue family controls the Star-Swallowing Iron ore veins in Liujin Continent and is one of the four great clans. Who dares to offend him? It seems the Spatial Laws will fall into Yue Changming’s hands…”
“Among the Young Masters of the four families, only this one is ‘mud that can’t be plastered to the wall.’ He also has a fondness for playing with beautiful young men. Since this Merperson is so beautiful, I’m afraid he won’t find peace before death…”
Yue Changming held a bunch of grape-like spirit fruits in his hand. Hearing these words, he didn’t get angry. Instead, his bright eyes shone, and the corner of his mouth curved up, revealing a slightly sharp canine tooth on the right side. He raised his chin and said, “That’s right. Is there anyone who wishes to bid against me?”
After his voice fell, ten breaths passed, and no one made a sound.
Yue Changming sneered. “A bunch of cowards.”
He waved his hand, and the maid beside him prepared to go downstairs to collect the Merperson as ordered. Who knew that before she could even step out of the box, an “unexpected interrupter” would charge in:
“I bid five million.”
Yue Changming’s eyes swept coldly toward the source of the sound. He was stunned to discover that the voice came from the Sky-grade box, and he fell silent for a moment.
The little disciple asked again, “Why isn’t this Yue Changming speaking? Did he chicken out?”
The master beside him broke out in a cold sweat on his forehead. He covered the disciple’s mouth and scolded, “Wicked disciple, you’re going to get your master killed. Speak less!”
Some people watching the excitement didn’t mind if things blew up: “Heh, isn’t it just that he’s scared? Do you know who is in that Sky-grade box?”
“Who?”
“If ranked by clan strength, this Sky-grade box is the exclusive room of the Nangong family, the head of the hundred clans who controls the mining rights of the main spirit stone veins in three continents.”
“If it were just an ordinary Nangong disciple, they wouldn’t be able to suppress this Young Master Yue. But listening to that voice just now, the person sitting in that box is the one who traveled the Seven Continents and Four Seas alone at twelve, slew the evil dragon at thirteen, pacified the Black Ghost Abyss at fourteen, achieved mastery in swordsmanship at fifteen, and was granted the title ‘Lord Yinfang’ before even reaching the Nascent Soul stage—the Young Master of the Nangong family and the Young Sect Master of the Sword Qing Sect, Nangong Yi!”
“What?! It’s actually Lord Yinfang!”
“As the head of the hundred clans, the Nangong family head possesses the power to command the hundred families. Lord Yinfang is the biological son of the Nangong patriarch. No wonder Yue Changming doesn’t dare to make a sound…”
Nangong Yi!
Hearing these three words, Su Huan’s eyes lit up immediately. Holy cow, Fellow Daoist Nangong’s background is this terrifying!
His constantly furrowed brows finally relaxed.
This Merperson would definitely live a good life from now on.
Sure enough, after Green Wu hammered the gavel, Nangong Yi spoke again: “Then I must trouble Young Master Green Wu to tell your auction house owner to release this Merfolk friend back to the Wuliang Sea.”
Once these golden words were spoken, no one dared to have designs on this Merperson anymore.
Otherwise, it would be trampling on the face of the noble clans and would invite punishment from the hundred families.
Anyone who could step onto the path of cultivation had some connection with various immortal clans. Once they offended a noble clan, they would be cut off from various cultivation resources.
Even in exploring randomly opened wild Secret Realms, the disciples of noble clans occupied the vast majority of the power. Therefore, offending Nangong Yi for a mere stroke of luck with Laws was truly not worth the loss.
Of course, if one had money, they could naturally bid fairly against the noble clans. It was just that no one with financial power comparable to the four great clans had been seen yet.
Yue Changming gritted his teeth and snorted coldly. “Nangong Yi… just you wait. In the Clan Immortal Trials three years from now, my Yue family will definitely surpass your family and take the top spot among the clans!”
After dropping these words, he sat back down angrily. The maid was also angry, snapping the flower curtain shut with a swish.
The smile on Green Wu’s face remained unchanged. Acceding to Nangong Yi’s request, he had someone take the Merperson away, then announced loudly, “Next, please look at the second auction item, the Lingyun Bead.”
…
The subsequent items were not as lively, and no more sounds came from the four Heaven, Earth, Black, and Yellow boxes. The waves gradually calmed.
Su Huan breathed a sigh of relief, then pulled out a thick book, spread it on the table, and buried his head in it to study and memorize carefully.
Xiao Jianming was attracted by his movements and couldn’t help frowning. “What are you doing?”
Su Huan looked up and smiled shyly. “Aren’t we going to the Yuejin Secret Realm soon? I want to learn a bit more knowledge.”
As the saying goes, knowledge creates wealth, and learning achieves the future. According to the usual tropes of novels, this secret realm was completely his opportunity to get rich overnight!
Xiao Jianming picked up the book cover and glanced at it. Printed boldly on the plain, yellowed cover were the words Three Days to Teach You How to Identify Immortal Realm Spirit Plants, author: Nangong Yi.
He scoffed. “Hypocritical, fishing for fame.” He was talking about Nangong Yi. Then he sneered again, “Stupid to death, reading such unserious things.” He was scolding Su Huan.
A cold, translucent blue light flashed at his fingertips, and a small jade slip appeared in his palm. He tapped it lightly against his forehead, and a golden light slid into the jade slip. Then, he tossed it into Su Huan’s arms.
Xiao Jianming raised his chin. “Here, read this.”
Su Huan picked up the jade slip with wonder. Mimicking the usage in his memory, he input a stream of spiritual energy. Instantly, countless amounts of knowledge regarding spirit plants, demonic beasts, and even demonic creatures flooded his mind. Like surging seawater, thousands of memories converged into a book named Chronicles of Immortal and Demonic Myriad Things, author: Successive Lingxi Clan Patriarchs.
Wow.
Su Huan immersed himself in it, letting out gasps of amazement from time to time. Xiao Jianming gave a light humph and lifted his tea to sip gently.
Unknown how much time passed, the voice Xiao Jianming wanted to hear finally came from outside the curtain:
“The next item, a Thousand-Year Lingxi Horn. Starting price, three million spirit stones.”
He immediately focused his gaze. Sure enough, he saw the familiar pair of antlers. Xiao Jianming couldn’t help but clench his fist.
“It’s a Lingxi Horn! The legendary spiritual object that can purge inner demons and allow on-the-spot breakthroughs upon consumption!”
“It is said that if polished into an ornament, the wearer can cross the ocean ignoring the restrictions of the Wuwang Sea. But the Lingxi Clan is extinct. This thing is now priceless but has no market. I didn’t expect to see it here…”
Everyone present went crazy:
“I bid 3.8 million!”
“I bid 5 million!”
“5.6 million!”
…
Xiao Jianming looked coldly at the boiling situation. Just as he lowered his eyes to bid, someone on the top floor suddenly spoke up:
“I bid ten million.”
As soon as the voice fell, the crowd went quiet.
The Black-grade box, draped with a verdant bamboo leaf curtain, was lifted by a handsome youth. A fiery red lotus mark on his pure white forehead clearly crashed into everyone’s view, causing exclamations—
“The Brahma Lotus Mark, it’s the Young Master of the Ji family, Ji Buhuan!”
Xiao Jianming suddenly looked up, his pupils constricting violently.
…Buhuan Gege? (Brother Buhuan?)
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