txolops Chapter 119 Who is this person?
Chapter 119 Who is this person?
The auctioneer's voice suddenly rose, his tone revealing barely concealed excitement: "This item is an indispensable ingredient for refining the 'Cleansing Pill'! As all fellow cultivators know, forming the Nascent Soul stage is defying the heavens; a slight misstep can lead to demonic possession. This finished 'Cleansing Pill' not only cleanses the soul and purifies the mind before forming the Nascent Soul stage, but also resists the invasion of inner demons at crucial moments, greatly reducing the risk of backlash from inner demons during the breakthrough! Looking across the entire Chaotic Star Sea, there are only a handful of spiritual herbs that can help late-stage Core Formation cultivators steadily condense their Nascent Souls. The preciousness of this item is self-evident! All cultivators aspiring to the Nascent Soul stage, do not miss this opportunity!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the audience erupted in uproar. Countless fervent gazes were fixed on the Bodhi seed on the stage—to the old monsters who had been stuck at the peak of the Core Formation stage for many years, this was no mere medicinal herb; it was clearly a ticket to the Nascent Soul stage!
The auctioneer cleared his throat and announced the starting price in a strong voice: "Starting price: 50,000 low-grade spirit stones, minimum increment of 5,000!"
The moment the words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room was instantly ignited. For the main materials needed for Nascent Soul formation, this starting price is indeed fair.
But this is the Chaotic Star Sea, where these special spiritual herbs are the rarest! In an instant, the audience below raised their paddles like clouds, and bids rose and fell in waves.
"Fifty-five thousand!"
"Sixty thousand!"
"Seventy-five thousand!"
"One hundred thousand!"
……
"Two hundred and fifty thousand!"
The price soared like sesame seeds bursting open, reaching 260,000 low-grade spirit stones in just a few rounds of trading.
Many cultivators who were initially eager to try began to show signs of reluctance, secretly considering whether they should continue to follow.
Just as everyone was arguing heatedly and the situation reached a brief stalemate, a slightly timid yet incredibly clear voice suddenly rang out from the corner: "Five hundred thousand!"
This sudden, exorbitant price was like a heavy hammer blow to everyone's ears.
The few Core Formation experts who had been shouting loudly just moments before were stunned, looking around in astonishment: Who is making such a big move?
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the person holding the sign was a pretty maid with simple clothes!
After a brief silence, the crowd erupted in cheers and jeers.
"Where did this little girl come from? Don't you know the rules?" A fat cultivator with a face full of scars sneered. "This is an auction, not child's play! Doubling the price right away, do you think this is buying cabbage? Five hundred thousand is enough to buy a finished pill!"
"Exactly, exactly," a weasel-faced rogue cultivator chimed in sarcastically, "Could it be that your master is broke and sent a maid out to randomly quote a price to scare people? That's laughable!"
Hearing the undisguised sarcasm and ridicule around her, Longkui's already fair cheeks instantly turned bright red, and even her crystal earlobes became blood-red.
She bit her lower lip, flustered and nervous, her hand holding the sign trembling slightly.
She hurriedly lowered her head, like a child who had done something wrong, and grabbed Han Xiaoliu's arm tightly, desperately shrinking behind him, wishing she could find a crack in the ground to crawl into and hide.
Han Xiaoliu didn't even lift his eyelids, just lazily leaning back in his chair.
He turned his head slightly, a sneer playing on his lips, and slowly began to speak: "If you have money, bid higher; if not, shut up. You can't even come up with a few hundred thousand spirit stones, and you have the nerve to sit here and participate in an auction?"
These words immediately caused an uproar in the audience. Several Core Formation cultivators, who had been publicly humiliated, turned ashen-faced and pointed at Han Xiaoliu, cursing, "Where did this brat come from! A mere early Core Formation stage kid dares to spout such nonsense here!"
"Utterly arrogant! Do you really think you're so great just because you have a little talent? I've lived for hundreds of years, it's not your place to lecture me!"
Faced with anger from all sides, Han Xiaoliu not only did not restrain himself, but leaned forward, rested his chin on one hand, and swept his eyes across the entire scene with disdain.
He slammed his hand on the table, raised his voice, and shouted righteously, "Are you all wailing like mourners? Do you know where you are?! Tianxing City! Star Palace territory! You all better behave yourselves!"
His words were so powerful and resounding that anyone who didn't know better would think he was the direct disciple of some elder of the Star Palace!
This act of borrowing the tiger's power intimidated those cowardly rogue cultivators, who shrank back and shut their mouths.
But the truly influential old monsters were even more furious, cursing even more filthily, wishing they could rush up and tear him to pieces immediately.
Seeing the tense atmosphere below, as if a fight could break out at any moment, the auctioneer on the stage broke out in a cold sweat. He frantically pounded his gavel and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Silence! Silence! This is an auction venue; private fights are strictly prohibited!"
He took a deep breath and, forcing himself to remain calm, shouted, "Five hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones per bid! Are there any other bidders?"
A deathly silence fell over the audience. They looked at each other, their hearts filled with resentment, but mindful of the rules of Tianxing City, no one dared to raise the price further.
"Five hundred thousand twice!"
"Five hundred thousand for three times! Sold!"
With a crisp sound of the gavel falling, the precious Bodhi seed landed steadily in Han Xiaoliu's hand.
After the transaction was completed, Han Xiaoliu put the Bodhi seeds into his storage bag with satisfaction, and then looked around again.
Looking at the faces below the stage, their reddened and filled with resentment, he not only didn't restrain himself, but instead smiled even more broadly and infuriatingly.
He spread his hands and sighed in an extremely innocent yet extremely arrogant tone:
"Sigh, I thought you fellow cultivators were all quite wealthy, but it turns out you're all broke. It seems your wallets are much more honest than your mouths!"
The moment these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room instantly plummeted to freezing point.
Countless gazes were fixed on Han Xiaoliu, their teeth clenched as if they wanted to devour him alive, and the intense killing intent almost overturned the entire auction house!
Han Xiaoliu leaned back in the armchair, casually toying with a teacup of excellent quality in his hand.
He slightly raised his eyelids, his sharp gaze sweeping across the surroundings like a blade, finally lingering for a moment on the four cultivators in the corner of the B section.
"What are you looking at? I'm talking to you!" Han Xiaoliu sat up abruptly, his folding fan snapping open with a "whoosh," pointing directly at one of them. His tone was extremely arrogant. "Keep glancing this way at the young master. What, trying to steal my things? Hmph, anything that's in my storage bag is mine! If you dare, try stealing from me in Tianxing City!"
Upon hearing this, the four people being pointed at did not get angry; instead, they all stood up and bowed.
These four people were clearly from the same sect, all dressed in dark purple tight-fitting clothes, with silver thread embroidered with dark patterns of dripping blood flying blades on their lapels.
The leader was burly with a cold and stern face, and a faint old scar on his brow bone; the young man beside him was thin, pale, and had a sinister look in his eyes; the remaining two Foundation Establishment cultivators stood respectfully to his left and right.
Faced with Han Xiaoliu's provocation, the cold-faced man in the mid-stage of Core Formation showed no anger whatsoever. Instead, he immediately put on a fawning smile, bowed slightly, and apologized, saying, "Fellow Daoist, you misunderstand! We brothers were simply impressed by your extraordinary demeanor and extravagant spending, and wished to befriend you. We had absolutely no malicious intent!"
"Oh?" Han Xiaoliu's lips curled into a playful smile, his chin slightly raised, adopting an air of condescension. "Good taste. I like that you're so sensible! State your name. I'm in a good mood today, so I'll give you a chance to get to know me!"
"Of course, of course!" A barely perceptible glint of coldness flashed in the stern man's eyes, but his expression grew even more respectful. "I am Xue Youhan of the Blood Slaughter Sect. May I ask your esteemed name, fellow Daoist?"
"A gentleman as handsome as jade, unparalleled in the world!" Han Xiaoliu abruptly closed his folding fan, tapped it lightly in his palm, struck what he thought was a dashing pose, and recited with a swaying head, "That describes me—Gongzi Yu!"
Such shameless self-praise is not something a cultivator who only knows how to cultivate in seclusion could do!
Upon hearing this, the surroundings fell silent for a moment, then erupted into several suppressed snickers.
Looking at his affected manner, everyone cast disdainful glances at him, secretly thinking: Where did this weirdo come from? How dare he claim to be unparalleled in the world looking like that!
However, Xue Youhan seemed oblivious to the surrounding mockery, his expression remaining unchanged. Instead, he feigned great shock, repeatedly bowing and praising, "Young Master Yu... what a fine name! It perfectly matches your unparalleled demeanor! After tonight, I will find a good place for us to have a proper 'exchange'!"
"Sure thing, sure thing!" Han Xiaoliu leaned closer with a cheeky grin, winking and saying, "You can't be without a beauty by your side then!"
Seeing his lustful and unguarded playboy appearance, the contempt in everyone's eyes intensified.
Just then, a few suppressed murmurs suddenly arose from the crowd.
"Ah... I remember now! Isn't that the regular customer from the Myriad Sounds Sect?" A low voice, tinged with excitement, said, "That young master known as 'The Vanguard of the Romantic Array, Zhao Zilong Under the Peony Blossom'!"
"What? It really is him? I never thought I'd see him alive today!" The other person gasped, his voice filled with shock.
"Fellow Daoist, don't keep us in suspense. Tell us quickly, what is so remarkable about him?" someone urged immediately from the side.
As the cultivator lowered his voice and recounted Han Xiaoliu's outrageous and romantic affairs at the Miaoyin Sect, the surrounding people's gazes changed from disdain to knowing acceptance.
Han Xiaoliu, who was at the center of the discussion, not only showed no shame, but also straightened his chest and his face was full of pride, as if others were praising him instead of criticizing him.