Free Web NovelChapter 210: Chapter 193: Kill One First to Test the Waters
"Fellow Daoist Hu!"
The cultivators in the hall were also extremely uncomfortable; some were even considering leaving. But just then, a warning voice quietly rang out, "If you continue to disrupt the order of this auction, then don’t blame me for being discourteous!"
The voice wasn’t loud, but it echoed throughout the hall.
The Qi Refining Cultivators, who had been silent as cicadas in winter, all looked up in pleasant surprise. The Valley Master had finally spoken.
However,
many Major Cultivators secretly frowned.
’Can you really suppress him?’
’He’s not the type to be placated by a half-hearted warning.’
"Valley Master Chen, which of your eyes saw this old man disrupting the order?"
Surprisingly, however, after retorting, Hu Chaohong’s tone suddenly softened. "Fine, Jinyun Valley is the big dog in its own yard, so whatever you say goes. This old man can’t win against you. But... when is this auction of yours going to start?"
"This old man is getting impatient!"
He even patted the young Loose Cultivator next to him and said softly, "Isn’t that right, little friend?"
"Yes, yes, yes!"
The man’s scalp tingled with fear. He didn’t dare to move, just nodded his head like a pestle pounding garlic.
"In that case, let us begin!"
Chen Che remained perfectly still, his voice echoing through the hall:
"However, before we begin, I will state the rules of this auction. All items will go to the highest bidder. To ensure fair competition among all fellow Daoists, threats with Divine Sense, malicious price inflation, and private collusion are all forbidden..."
"Any behavior that disrupts the normal order of the auction will, at best, result in expulsion from the venue. At worst... you will be slain without mercy!"
When he began speaking,
his voice was like a gentle breeze, but the final three words were deafening.
Many cultivators remained seated, but they turned their heads slightly, their gazes shifting toward Hu Chaohong, who sat there like a crouching tiger.
Clearly,
those words were aimed directly at him!
"Pah!"
Unafraid, Hu Chaohong spat out the Spirit Fruit in his mouth as if in response.
"Welcome, fellow Daoists and seniors, to Jinyun Valley. I am Ding Fei, and it is my honor to host this auction!"
At this moment, Ding Fei had already walked to the front of the stage.
"Without further ado, our first auction item is the ’Flame Spear’! This spear is a Tier Two High Grade Weapon, forged from Flame Light Stone. When True Essence is injected into it, the shaft erupts in flames. Even a Qi Refining Cultivator such as myself can feel its extraordinary power."
Before he finished speaking,
a seven-foot long spear that looked as if it were forged from fire slowly descended from above, hovering in mid-air.
Under the enhancement of an array, all light converged upon the spear’s shaft.
He reached out, touched it, and injected his True Essence.
HUMMM—
The spear’s shaft trembled and, just as described, burst forth with a layer of dancing flames.
"A Tier Two High Grade Weapon?"
"The very first item is of such a high grade?"
"Not bad. I originally thought that since Jinyun Valley’s auctions haven’t been held for long, the items wouldn’t be of a high grade. This is a pleasant surprise."
The cultivators in the audience grew excited.
Although
Hu Chaohong’s appearance had dampened many people’s spirits, this first item still managed to liven up the atmosphere.
’At this rate, it might sell for a few hundred more Spirit Stones. If that happens... my Foundation Establishment Pill is a sure thing!’
Seeing the crowd’s endless discussion, a Foundation Establishment Second Layer cultivator named Ma Cong beamed with joy from a corner.
The ’Flame Spear’ was his consigned item, previously valued at 2,600 Spirit Stones.
"The starting price is 1,200 Spirit Stones, with a minimum increment of 100 Spirit Stones!"
Ding Fei also breathed a silent sigh of relief.
Tier Two High Grade Magical Artifacts and Weapons were rare. There were only six in total this time, and they were spaced out evenly to regulate the atmosphere. If the first one could hype up the crowd, the entire auction would already be halfway to success.
"One thou—"
"I bid one Spirit Stone!" freewёbn૦νeɭ.com
Just as someone was about to bid,
a sudden, jarring voice cut through the air.
SWISH!
In an instant, countless cultivators turned their heads to look.
They saw Hu Chaohong sitting there calmly, not having spoken, a mocking look in his eyes. However, a middle-aged Major Cultivator who had come with him had stood up. Seeing everyone looking at him, he put on a casual expression:
"What are you all looking at me for?"
’Hu Qile, grandson of Hu Dexing. He reached Foundation Establishment at the age of fifty-two and has been at that stage for seven years now. He’s at the Foundation Establishment Second Layer!’
Meng Changyuan’s eyes flashed as he recognized the man.
"Senior, the starting price for the Flame Spear is 1,200 Spirit Stones!"
Ding Fei said quickly.
"But I think it’s only worth one Spirit Stone!"
Hu Qile didn’t yield an inch.
"This is a Tier Two High Grade Weapon, and you’re saying it’s only worth a single Spirit Stone?"
Ma Cong couldn’t hold back any longer. He shot to his feet, ready to argue.
But,
the seated Hu Chaohong let out a low "Hmph." He twisted his neck and stared straight at Ma Cong. He sized him up like a wolf eyeing its prey, as if memorizing him from head to toe. frёewebηovel.cѳm
Ma Cong’s scalp tingled under the stare, and he sat back down in front of everyone.
"Hu Chaohong, aren’t you going too far?"
From a corner, Lu Qinglian’s willow-like brows furrowed as she spoke up slowly, "Fellow Daoists have come from all over for this auction..."
Ma Cong quickly looked over, his eyes filled with hope.
’Finally, someone from a major family is speaking out.’
But,
that sliver of hope vanished as soon as it appeared.
"Fellow Daoist Lu!"
Before she could finish, Hu Chaohong cut her off. "Why won’t the Lu Family give you a Foundation Establishment Pill? Others might not know, but you think this old man doesn’t? Do you need this old man to air out your dirty laundry in front of everyone?"
The hall fell silent.
Countless gazes converged on Lu Qinglian.
Lu Qinglian’s face paled. She said no more, only waving a hand to shroud her body in a dense mist of water.
"Whatever you say it’s worth, it’s worth!"
Seeing that no one else would speak up for him, Ma Cong let out a long sigh, stood up, and began walking toward the exit.
His departure
prompted several other Major Cultivators to get up and follow.
They could naturally see that as long as Hu Chaohong was present, the auction simply couldn’t proceed. In truth, there were quite a few Foundation Establishment Cultivators in attendance, but they were like a platter of loose sand. Since Lu Qinglian, the first to speak out, had been shut down, no one else was willing to stick their neck out.
"See!"
With his opposition silenced, Hu Qile grinned. "Even the owner of this spear thinks it’s only worth a single Spirit Stone. I assume no one else has any objections?"
"One Spirit Stone. It’s mine now!"
With that said,
he really did toss a single Spirit Stone at Ding Fei’s feet and beckoned with his hand.
The Flame Spear trembled slightly and began to fly toward Hu Qile.
"...This!"
Ding Fei was frantic.
’If I don’t stop this now, the auction will be completely ruined.’
"I have an objection! In my opinion, this Flame Spear is worth at least 3,000 Spirit Stones."
Just then, a light chuckle was heard, and everyone looked up. They saw a hand emerge as if from the void, slowly close, and casually grasp the Flame Spear. At the same time, a figure stepped onto the high stage!
It was Chen Che.
Hu Chaohong raised an eyebrow. ’So the young Valley Master really couldn’t sit still any longer. But so what?’
"Why?"
Hu Qile stood motionless, his eyes full of amusement.
He wanted to see how the man would handle this situation.
"Because this spear... has killed a Foundation Establishment Cultivator."
Chen Che glanced sideways.
"Haha, Valley Master Chen, just because you say it’s killed one, it has? None of us saw it with our own eyes. You really know how to spin a tale!"
Hu Qile roared with laughter.
But the smile had just appeared before it froze on his face.
Before the astonished eyes of the crowd, Chen Che gripped the long spear, his body suddenly snapping ramrod straight, forming a perfect line from head to toe. As he poured True Essence into it, the Flame Spear erupted with a BOOM, spewing crimson flames several dozen feet high.
WHOOSH!
A sharp, piercing sound of displaced air suddenly rang out.
All the crowd saw was an afterimage flashing across the hall; the Flame Spear was moving faster than their naked eyes could track.
It was the howling wind!
It was the roaring thunder!
It was the brilliant light!
"Not good!"
Hu Qile’s pupils constricted abruptly.
PFFT!
There was a sound like silk tearing.
Under the shocked gazes of countless people, the spear pierced directly through Hu Qile’s chest. Without losing any momentum, as if skewering a mere blade of grass, it blasted him out of the hall. With a loud BANG, it pinned him directly to the large locust tree adorned with corpses.
The large locust tree, covered in corpses, was instantly set ablaze, resembling a giant torch.
The entire hall was deathly silent. Everyone was stunned, frozen like wooden chickens.
Beneath the disbelieving stares of the crowd, Chen Che, standing on the high stage, slowly raised his head and grinned at everyone.
"Did you see it with your own eyes now?"
