Nothing Better Than Freebies
Xiao Yan, watching the fierce bidding, couldn't help but panic. "Master, what should we do? Are we just going to let them take the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame fragment like this?"
Yao Chen, speaking in a low voice, reassured him, "This person gives me a very familiar feeling. Because of the shroud, I can't see his face clearly, but I can tell that his strength is definitely the most formidable in this place. Let's wait until after the auction is over, then we'll figure something out."
Hearing this, Xiao Yan relaxed, leaning back in his seat. If that's the case, he thought, let these guys fight it out. I'll take advantage of the situation later.
Li Xiao licked his lips, considering the current bid. After a moment of contemplation, he shrugged and decided to withdraw from the auction.
Just like Xiao Yan and Yao Chen, he decided that it would be wiser to make a move after the auction was over. After all, in the lawless Black-Corner Region, no one would bat an eye if he took the fragment by force.
Why spend a fortune when he could get the fragment for free? It was a tempting thought.
Mo Erhan's expression turned peculiar as he noticed that Li Xiao had withdrawn from the bidding. He had been eager to teach this upstart a lesson, but the young man had deftly avoided the trap by backing out the moment the situation became unfavorable.
Left with no choice, Mo Erhan ended up spending the full thirteen million gold coins to secure the fragment of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame.
The auctioneer of the Black Seal Auction House smiled brightly as he presented the next item. It was a strange scroll, surrounded by a special aura of lightning.
All eyes turned to the auction stage, and the crowd watched in stunned silence as the scroll, radiating lightning energy, was revealed.
"Heh, I'm sure many of you have already guessed what it is. The next item up for auction is the Three Thousand Lightning Movement, a low-tier Earth-class body technique"
As the auctioneer's voice rang out, the noisy auction hall fell into a sudden silence.
Countless pairs of eyes, glowing with desire, turned to the silver scroll on the crystal pedestal.
To any of the bidders, an Earth-class technique was an invaluable treasure. The ability to use such a technique to battle opponents of a higher level made it even more appealing—a perfect Dou Technique in their eyes.
"An Earth-tier body technique? Heh, just what I need to fill the gap in our Black Skull Tomb's collection. This technique will be mine!" Mo Erhan declared confidently.
The crowd's eyes fixated on the Three Thousand Lightning Movement, eager to acquire such a powerful technique.
"This item has no reserve price, and it will go to the highest bidder," the auctioneer announced, waving his hand to signal the start of the bidding.
The bidding quickly escalated. Anyone with status or influence was eager to place a bid. For them, an Earth-class technique was of immense importance. Even a Dou Emperor-level expert would be eager to acquire it, not to mention those below the Dou King level.
Once again, Li Xiao decided to sit back and let the others fight it out. The feeling of getting something for free was quite satisfying.
Zi Yan, confused by Li Xiao's behavior, asked, "Brother Li Xiao, didn't you come here to buy something? Why aren't you bidding?"
"Heh, why spend money when you can simply take it later? Don't you agree, little Zi Yan?" Li Xiao replied with a smile. For someone with a business mind, it was always better to achieve the highest return with the lowest investment.
Zi Yan pondered, her little fingers on chin in a thinking pose. Then she cutely nodded. "I love free pills the most!" She said and beamed a smile at Li Xiao.
Li Xiao shook his head haplessly and took out a bottle of tier-4 pills for Zi Yan to snack on.
While the other factions continued to drive up the bids into the millions, Li Xiao reclined lazily, yawning and casually patting his mouth as if he were about to fall asleep. These people, he thought, when would they finally finish competing? At this rate, he'd doze off before the auction was over.
The bidding for the Three Thousand Lightning Movement had already reached 12 million gold coins, once again breaking the ten-million mark. For ordinary people, even a hundred thousand gold coins would be an astronomical sum, let alone millions.
Mo Erhan, the stern-faced strongman from Black Skull Tomb, finally managed to secure the Three Thousand Lightning Movement with relentless determination.
The next auction item was naturally the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill, refined by the Alchemy Emperor Han Feng. After the Ascending Heaven Pavilion auction, Han Feng was in desperate need of powerful allies, which was why he offered such a valuable pill for this auction.
The pill was ultimately claimed by Elder Qing of the Sky Serpent Mansion, thanks to her significant connections and resources. The Black Seal Auction House's master, Yuan Yi, personally assisted in ensuring the Sky Serpent Mansion's safe exit from Black Mark City, given the pill's immense value. However, whether they could truly leave unharmed would depend on their own strength—the Black Seal Auction House took no responsibility beyond the city limits.
As the auction concluded, the strong representatives of various factions began quietly returning to their respective forces. Li Xiao, too, decided it was time to act. He wasn't particularly concerned with the Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill; his focus was on obtaining the fragment of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame and the Three Thousand Lightning Movement.
In the eerie darkness of the forest, the sharp cries of crows added to the already ominous atmosphere.
The strongmen from Black Skull Tomb moved stealthily along a narrow path, confident that no one had detected them. Little did they know, Li Xiao had been tracking them all along.
Not only Li Xiao, but also Xiao Yan, the protagonist of "Battle Through The Heaven", was tailing them at a brisk pace. With Yao Chen's assistance, Xiao Yan quickly caught up with the Black Skull Tomb group. His goal was the same as Li Xiao's: to acquire the fragment of the Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, and if possible, the Three Thousand Lightning Movement as well.
"Master, when should we make our move?" Xiao Yan asked.
"Not yet. Let them go a bit farther. We don't want anyone to know it was us. Offending a Dou Huang-level faction in the Black-Corner Region wouldn't be a wise move," Yao Chen cautioned.
Xiao Yan nodded in agreement. He, too, preferred to be cautious. Beneath his black cloak, a cold smile flickered across his face.
Purifying Lotus Demon Flame, here I come!
"Brother Li Xiao, someone's been following us," Zi Yan whispered as she caught up to Li Xiao, pointing towards Xiao Yan who was trailing behind.
"Hmm, let him follow. He won't cause us any trouble," Li Xiao replied with a soft chuckle. He continued to lead Zi Yan forward at a rapid pace, and in just a blink of an eye, they had overtaken the Black Skull Tomb group.
Sensing something amiss, the Black Skull Tomb strongmen abruptly halted. Their leader's cold, piercing gaze swept across the surroundings. "Who's there? Show yourself!" he demanded.
Hearing his shout, the usually fearless Zi Yan frowned slightly. Were we really discovered? she wondered. After all, she was a Dou King, so it was unlikely that a mere Dou Spirit would detect her.