125: Tianshe City Auction

Red Silk and Jiang Donghua traveled onward, the land beneath their feet gradually transforming from barren Gobi into rolling mountains.

In the distance lay Heavenly Serpent City, the core area of the Black-Corner Region.

However, Red Silk's steps gradually slowed.

"Senior Sister?"

Jiang Donghua noticed her abnormality and asked in a low voice.

Red Silk frowned slightly, her fingertips gently caressing her storage ring, feeling the surging Dou Qi within her body.

Peak Eight-Star Dou Ling!

She was only a hair's breadth away from Nine-Star.

"It seems I'll have to break through first."

She murmured to herself, her gaze sweeping around.

The mountains of the Black-Corner Region had always been a place where fierce beasts roamed and bandits lurked, but for her, it was the safest place to cultivate in seclusion.

Because no one would expect someone to dare to break through in such a place!

"Let's go, into the mountains."

Red Silk said indifferently.

Jiang Donghua was stunned.

"Now?"

The two ventured deep into the mountains, and after avoiding the territories of several Fifth-Tier Magical Beasts, they finally stopped in front of a hidden cave.

The entrance was covered by dense vines, and the surroundings were silent, with only the occasional roar of a beast proving that this was not a dead place.

"This is it."

Red Silk waved her hand, Lightning Light flashed, and the vines at the cave entrance instantly turned to ash.

Jiang Donghua vigilantly scanned his surroundings.

"Senior Sister, should I clear out the Magical Beasts around here?"

Red Silk shook her head.

"No need, too much commotion will only attract attention."

She walked into the cave, a wisp of lightning fire ignited on her fingertips, illuminating the damp stone walls.

The cave was not spacious, but it was sufficiently hidden.

"You stand guard outside, don't let anyone get close."

Red Silk sat cross-legged, and with a flip of her palm, a crimson pill appeared—a fire spirit pill!

Jiang Donghua nodded, gripped the knife in his hand, and retreated to the cave entrance.

Red Silk took a deep breath and swallowed the fire spirit pill.

"Boom—!"

A violent fire attribute energy instantly exploded in her meridians, a scorching current sweeping through her entire body, her skin tinged with a faint reddish hue.

"Hmph!"

She grunted, fine beads of sweat seeping from her forehead, but her eyes remained sharp.

Breaking through was never an easy task!

The energy of the fire spirit pill collided with the Lightning Attribute Dou Qi in her body, two completely different forces intertwining and tearing at each other, threatening to rupture her meridians.

But Red Silk's will was like iron, completely unmoved.

"A mere fire spirit pill, and you think you can make me retreat?"

She sneered, forming hand seals, her internal Lightning Dou Qi circulated wildly, forcibly suppressing the fire attribute energy and refining it bit by bit.

Time passed, and outside the cave, Jiang Donghua could clearly feel the energy fluctuations emanating from within, sometimes violent, sometimes silent.

More than half an hour quietly passed.

"Boom!!!"

A majestic aura erupted from within the cave, the surrounding rubble shook and rolled down, and even the nearby Magical Beasts fled in terror.

Jiang Donghua suddenly turned his head, only to see Red Silk slowly walk out, a faint Lightning Light lingering around her, her aura even more profound and sharp than before!

Nine-Star Dou Ling!

"Senior Sister, you succeeded?!"

Jiang Donghua said in surprise.

Red Silk's lips curved upward slightly.

"A mere breakthrough, what's so difficult?"

She looked up into the distance, her gaze like a knife.

"Now, it's time to go to Heavenly Serpent City."

The city gates of Heavenly Serpent City stood majestically, with ferocious serpent-like Magical Beast statues coiled on either side, each lifelike, their scales gleaming with a cold light, and their serpent eyes inlaid with dark red gems, as if they could come alive and devour people at any moment.

This was the territory of the Heavenly Serpent Mansion!

The Black-Corner Region was chaotic and disorderly, but in Heavenly Serpent City, there was a rare sense of order.

The reason was none other than the fact that behind this city stood one of the top superpowers in the Northwest Continent, the Heavenly Serpent Mansion!

A Dou Zong Elder was stationed here year-round, deterring evildoers.

"Entry fee, one thousand gold coins per person."

The city guard said coldly, his gaze sweeping over Red Silk and Jiang Donghua, filled with scrutiny.

Jiang Donghua silently took out the gold coins and handed them over, and only then did the guard allow them to pass.

Stepping into the city, both of them couldn't help but be slightly stunned.

Prosperous, orderly, and even... clean!

On the wide streets, pedestrians came and went, shops lined both sides, and hawkers' cries rose and fell, no different from those large cities in the outside world.

If not for the occasional sight of a few cold-aura Black Robed Men hurrying past, one would almost forget that this was the Black-Corner Region.

"Senior Sister, this place is like heaven and earth compared to Blood Crow City."

Jiang Donghua said in a low voice.

Red Silk nodded faintly.

"A place where a Dou Zong is stationed is naturally different."

Her gaze swept around; although the street was lively, there were still many eyes prying from the shadows.

No matter how orderly Heavenly Serpent City was, it was still a part of the Black-Corner Region.

"Let's find a place to stay first."

Red Silk said.

Soon after Red Silk and Jiang Donghua entered Heavenly Serpent City, they heard discussions from both sides of the street.

"Have you heard? The Heavenly Serpent Auction will open tomorrow, and it's said that even an Earth-Rank Cultivation Method will appear!"

"Heh, what's more than a Cultivation Method? A few days ago, there were rumors that even a peak sixth-grade pill, the Break-Sect Pill, might make an appearance!"

"Shh, keep your voice down! How dare you spread such information? Aren't you afraid of being targeted by people from the Heavenly Serpent Mansion?"

Jiang Donghua frowned slightly and said in a low voice.

"Senior Sister, it seems we've arrived at just the right time."

Red Silk's gaze swept across the street; there were more Black Robed Men than she had imagined, many of them with restrained auras, yet subtly exuding a dangerous scent. She sneered.

"No wonder I encountered so many secretive fellows along the way; it turns out they're all here for the auction."

Jiang Donghua didn't dare to easily probe others' cultivation, only relying on Red Silk's judgment. He closed his eyes slightly, his spiritual perception quietly spreading. A moment later, he opened his eyes and said indifferently.

"On this street, there are no less than a hundred Dou Lings, seven or eight Dou Kings, and even a hidden aura that is at least a Dou Huang."

She paused.

Jiang Donghua's heart tightened.

The Black-Corner Region was already filled with powerful individuals, and the Heavenly Serpent Auction attracted forces from the entire Black-Corner Region.

If, as rumored, even the Break-Sect Pill would appear, then even Dou Zong would probably pay attention in secret!

"Senior Sister, are we going to participate in the auction?"

Jiang Donghua asked.

Red Silk's lips curved upward slightly.

"Since we're here, we naturally have to take a look. However, the rules of Heavenly Serpent City are not simple; to enter, money alone is not enough."

Her fingertips lightly caressed her storage ring.

The auction's entry qualification was the first test!

Jiang Donghua's ears flushed slightly from Red Silk's sudden closeness, and he instinctively tilted his head to the side, but then heard her chuckle, her voice carrying a hint of playfulness.

"What's wrong? A dignified Fourth-Grade Alchemist, still afraid of Senior Sister getting too close?"

He cleared his throat, steadying his mind.

"Senior Sister is joking. I was just thinking about what conditions are required for the auction's entry qualification."

Red Silk pulled back, her fingertips lightly tapping her storage ring, her tone lazy.

"The Heavenly Serpent Auction isn't for just anyone to enter. You either need sufficient strength or an identity worthy of their attention."

She glanced at him sideways.

"However, with your strength as a Fourth-Grade Alchemist, Junior Brother, it should be easy to get in."

Jiang Donghua pondered for a moment, then nodded.

"In that case, why don't I sell a few of the pills I refined earlier? Anyway, the premium on pills in the Black-Corner Region is at least thirty percent higher than outside, so it's a profit to be made."

Red Silk's lips curved upward slightly.

"That's more like it. Since we're here, wouldn't it be a waste not to seize the opportunity to make a fortune?"

Red Silk paused, her gaze sweeping over the bustling crowd at the auction house entrance, a slight smile on her lips.

"The simplest way is to become a seller, especially an influential one."

She turned her head to look at Jiang Donghua.

Jiang Donghua nodded.

Most of the people who had flooded into Heavenly Serpent City these past few days were here for the rare treasures at the auction, and the auction house naturally welcomed those who could provide scarce resources.

The two walked directly to the auction house's appraisal room.

As soon as they entered, Jiang Donghua felt a sweet, cloying fragrance assault him, making his mind waver slightly.

He looked up and saw a woman sitting in the appraisal room, her figure alluring, her clothing extremely revealing, her fair skin vaguely visible beneath thin gauze, her seductive eyes like silk—a charm technique!

Jiang Donghua frowned, his internal Dou Qi instinctively circulating to resist this strange attraction.

However, before he could make any move, Red Silk beside him lightly coughed.

"Cough."

The sound was not loud, but it was like a clear bolt of Lightning Light, instantly tearing apart the sweet, alluring aura.

The woman's expression stiffened, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. She clearly hadn't expected her charm technique to be so easily broken, but she quickly adjusted her expression, forcing out another charming smile, and said in a delicate voice.

"Honored guests, do you have any treasures you wish to consign for auction?"

"Pills, do you understand them?"

Red Silk directly threw a jade bottle onto the table.

The woman was momentarily stunned by this sudden display of aura, then quickly put on a professional seductive smile again.

"If it's beyond first or second grade, this humble girl naturally..."

"Then shut up and find someone who knows what they're doing. Don't waste time preening here."

Red Silk sneered.

The woman's smile froze on her face.

Red Silk sneered, flicking her finger. A jade-green pill floated in her palm, its pill pattern like a coiling dragon, and the medicinal fragrance instantly filled the entire appraisal room, as if even the air had momentarily solidified.

The woman's pupils suddenly contracted, the seductive expression on her face freezing. Although she didn't understand high-grade pills, just by the medicinal fragrance and pill pattern, she knew it was at least fourth-grade!

"This, this is...?"

Her voice trembled slightly, and she instinctively took half a step back.

Red Silk's eyes were cold, her tone mocking.

"What? Weren't you going to look? Do you see clearly now?"

Sweat seeped from the woman's forehead, and she forced out a smile.

"Honored guest is joking, this humble girl is short-sighted. I will go and invite the manager immediately."

She turned to leave, but Red Silk suddenly spoke.

"Stop."

The woman's steps halted, a chill running down her spine.

Red Silk slowly stepped forward, her voice low and dangerous.

"Just now, were you trying to seduce my Junior Brother?"

The woman's face instantly turned pale, and she quickly shook her head.

"N-no! This humble girl was just performing routine hospitality, I had no other intentions!"

Red Silk scoffed, her fingertip lightly lifted, and a wisp of Lightning Light silently coiled around the woman's wrist, slithering like a venomous snake.

"If there's a next time, I don't mind letting you taste the sensation of being burned by lightning fire."

The woman trembled all over, almost unable to stand, and quickly bowed her head in salute.

"Yes, yes! Honored guest, please wait, the manager will be here immediately!"

With that, she fled as if for her life.

Jiang Donghua watched from the side, somewhat helpless, and said in a low voice.

"Senior Sister, why bother arguing with her?"

Red Silk snorted coldly.

"Such trash, does she even deserve to preen in front of you?"

Jiang Donghua lightly coughed, his ears slightly flushed, not daring to respond.

Not long after, a Gray-Robed Elder quickly walked into the appraisal room, his gaze sweeping over Red Silk and Jiang Donghua, then landing on the floating pill, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"fourth-grade pill—fire spirit pill?"

The Elder's voice was slightly deep, clearly recognizing the pill's origin.

Red Silk raised an eyebrow.

"Finally, someone who knows their stuff has arrived."

The Elder cupped his hands and smiled.

"Honored guests, please forgive me, my subordinate was short-sighted and neglected you."

He paused, then probed.

"May I ask if this pill was refined by this young friend?"

Jiang Donghua nodded slightly.

"Precisely."

A hint of shock flashed in the Elder's eyes, and then his smile grew wider.

"Such a young Fourth-Grade Alchemist is truly rare! If the two of you are interested in participating in the auction, I can arrange VIP seats for you."

Red Silk's lips curved upward slightly.

"That's more like it."

The Elder quickly turned to lead the way.

"Please follow me, honored guests. The auction will open tomorrow. Today, you might as well rest in the private room. If you have any other pills that need appraisal, I can also arrange it for you."

Red Silk glanced at Jiang Donghua, a half-smile on her face.

"Junior Brother, it seems your influence is more effective than Senior Sister's fists."

Jiang Donghua smiled helplessly and followed.

Outside the appraisal room, the woman hid in a corner, her face still somewhat pale. Looking at their retreating figures, a hint of resentment flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by fear.

"A Fourth-Grade Alchemist and that terrifying woman... I'll tell Young Master, he might be interested."

She gritted her teeth and muttered to herself.