Free Web NovelChapter 1083: Chapter 745: Silk Cocoon Robe
The lighting is rather dim, and the entire auction hall seems to be shrouded in a mist of darkness that won’t dissipate. The seating arrangements consist of something akin to soft couches, with a certain distance between each, not too close nor too far, providing the elite clientele attending the auction with a degree of privacy. frёeweɓηovel.coɱ
A Ghost Slave in a gray robe approached, taking the lantern from Yang Xiao’s hand and leading Yang Xiao and Tong Han to the seats reserved for them.
Directly in front of their seats stood an LCD screen, displaying the number 44.
"Once seated, please do not move around casually. If you need anything, just press the button on the armrest. When the appraisal session starts, the screen will simultaneously activate, and you can freely choose the items to bid on. Best wishes for a fruitful night, achieving all your desires and returning with great rewards."
Though the words were polite, the tone was extraordinarily dull, without the slightest fluctuation, and once said, the person left swiftly, not one to dawdle.
After the Ghost Slave departed, Yang Xiao turned to examine the auction hall. The space was enormous, making Yang Xiao suspect at one point that these people had hollowed out the entire space beneath the hotel.
"Such grandscale! We’ve been doing business with the Peace Hotel for two years, yet I never imagined this kind of place was hidden beneath," Yang Xiao murmured to himself in amazement.
"Something about this dark mist in the hall isn’t right. It blurs vision through the mist, suggesting it’s someone’s ability, which isolates sight and perception. It’s likely an expert in the hotel," Tong Han remarked cautiously.
"It doesn’t seem that way. It should be the effect of a Resentful Eye," Yang Xiao, whose perception far surpassed Tong Han’s, replied while lightly tapping his foot. "The supernatural power of the Resentful Eye is affecting the environment here. They’ve buried the Resentful Eye beneath this place."
Needless to say, the Resentful Eye that can isolate perception is a rare and valuable item, demonstrating the financial might of the Peace Hotel. Yang Xiao had previously speculated that the hotel had connections with one of the three major forces, the Chamber of Commerce, and served as a fencing hub.
During the waiting period for Yang Xiao, more people entered one after another, quickly filling the hall’s seats. Yang Xiao made a rough count: there were about 130 seats, most accompanied by two individuals per seat. Calculating this, the total number of attendees at tonight’s auction exceeded 200 people.
These 200 individuals were undoubtedly the hotel’s core clientele, as attending the auction required an invitation from the hotel, and only those with an invitation could enter.
Before long, the two large doors at the side and back of the hall closed, and Yang Xiao took a deep breath, knowing that the appraisal session was about to begin.
"Dong."
"Dong."
"Dong."
Three dull bell tolls echoed, resonating throughout the vast auction hall. Following this, several spotlights descended from above, illuminating the stone platform constructed from black marble up front, where a figure appeared, likely tonight’s auctioneer.
Simultaneously, the screen in front brightened, with headphone stands hung on either side. Yang Xiao and Tong Han each took an earphone and hooked it onto their ears.
Surprisingly, the auctioneer on stage did not cover his face with a mask like the Ghost Slave but showed his true appearance.
He was an elderly man with silver hair, slightly stout, but energetic and full of cheer.
The elder wore a luxurious black robe inlaid with silver threads, which gleamed faintly under the spotlights, resembling a silver dragon coiled around him.
"Good evening, everyone. I am Gu Shoudao, honored to have been invited to host this appraisal session tonight. If there’s anything inappropriate during the proceedings, I kindly ask for your understanding." The elder slowly raised his hand, cupping his fists and saluting the guests seated below.
As the elderly man appeared, Yang Xiao heard whispered murmurs around him, suggesting that this elder was not an ordinary person and had some renown in the world of martial arts.
However, neither Yang Xiao nor Tong Han recognized him, judging by his age, he seemed to belong to an elder generation. freēwēbηovel.c૦m
"You are all esteemed guests, important people with important matters. I won’t prattle on to bore you." The elder lightly clapped his hands and loudly declared, "I hereby announce the official commencement of the Peace Hotel appraisal session!"
As the elder’s words concluded, the ground in front of him slowly rose. After a few seconds, a half-person-high black marble block emerged from below, stopping in front of the elder, and after stabilizing, split open along the sides, revealing a black short knife housed within.
The blade was pitch black, seemingly devouring the light cast upon it, rendering the knife increasingly mysterious.
"This knife hails from the Luosha Association, a personal magic artifact of one of their elders. Anyone injured by this blade will have their wounds rapidly fester, and if untreated for long, will result in total body decay and death. It truly is an excellent protective magical treasure."
"Of course, such a treasure also has a bit of an impact on the user, but between life and death, survival is paramount. If any of you are interested, please do not hesitate to spend the money. Opportunities are fleeting!"
As the elder introduced, a massive screen behind him gradually illuminated, displaying this black short knife clearly, making Yang Xiao raise an eyebrow. Under the magnified display on the high-definition screen, the blade seemed to still bear dried bloodstains.
"The Luosha Association is also a lineage of Evil Cultivators, mainly active in the Southwest Miasma Land. I received news recently that one of their sub-temples located deep in the mountains was eradicated, including the hall master and several elders, with no survivors left. I don’t know who did it," Tong Han whispered, having spent this period in Xiang Ma Town, where she was more informed about these diverse bits of information in the martial arts world than Yang Xiao.
