196: Chapter 196 Was the Green Snake not the one bidding, but the one being auctioned?
"My... kin?"
Xu Qing's lips twitched.
He was a System-certified orphan snake.
No parents, an out-of-print model—how could he possibly have kin?
Recently, in the Cultivation World's slave market...
There were particularly many buyers for female snake demons; the snakes in the slave market were all sold out.
This was all because of Xu Qing's 'endorsement.'
Everyone was looking forward to a snake demon's Transformation; the price of half-snake, half-human female slaves had risen by several percent.
The auctioneer pulled back the curtain on the auction stage, revealing a covered iron cage.
Inside the iron cage was a coiled, ten-meter-long Green Water Snake demon with a collar around its seven-inch mark.
Its pupils were constricted, and it bared its fangs at the audience below, looking extremely fierce.
"The West River Maiden has revealed her true form; she should be a special individual of the Green Water Snake King."
"And this snake demon is precisely a rare Green Water Snake, of the same kin as the West River Maiden."
The auctioneer said with certainty.
"After Transformation, she will definitely have a fraction of the current West River Maiden's beauty."
"Perhaps she even shares some Bloodline connection with the Maiden."
Xu Qing suppressed the urge to rush onto the auction stage and give the auctioneer a beating.
"Green Water Snake..."
Xu Qing looked at the green snake in the cage.
The auctioneer wasn't wrong; his true form's appearance was indeed very similar to a Green Water Snake.
The vast majority of people in the Cultivation World who had seen his true form regarded him as a variant of the Green Water Snake.
"Hiss, hiss, hiss!"
The Green Water Snake in the cage possessed significant intelligence and naturally realized it was being auctioned.
Moreover, these humans were actually fantasizing about what it would look like after Transformation.
Perverts!
Total perverts!
It hissed continuously in anger, repeatedly striking the cage with its tail.
"Quite interesting."
Xu Qing had also evolved from a Green Water Snake, so he could be considered half a Green Water Snake.
If it wasn't expensive, it wouldn't be out of the question to conveniently bid for it.
"Starting price, 1,000 Spirit Stones, with each bid increase no less than 10 Spirit Stones."
"I bid 1,000."
"1,100!"
"..."
The auction began rapidly, with bids rising one after another.
The Green Water Snake in the cage struggled violently; the humiliation of being auctioned was simply harder to bear than being killed.
"One thousand eight hundred Spirit Stones!"
Someone placed a bid.
For a long time, no one else bid.
"Two thousand Spirit Stones."
Seeing no one else bidding, Xu Qing slowly raised his sign to bid.
Many people turned their heads to look in Xu Qing's direction.
Then, no one continued to bid.
In the end, this Green Water Snake was won by Xu Qing for the price of two thousand Spirit Stones.
The auction continued.
Slaves and Yao Beasts were sent onto the auction stage one by one like objects.
Among them were beautiful princesses of kingdoms, Yao Beasts with extraordinary Bloodlines, and even the offspring of Great Yao.
There was even a queen captured after the fall of her kingdom.
She was won by a male Cultivator surnamed Cao who wished to remain anonymous.
The grand finale items were approaching.
The identity of the slave for the grand finale of this auction had never been leaked.
Xu Qing noticed more and more people looking in his direction.
It seemed his previous purchase had drawn some attention.
But Xu Qing soon realized that didn't seem to be the case.
The gazes of these people were very uncomfortable for a snake.
It was as if they were looking at him the same way they looked at those auctioned slaves.
Just then, reaching the final auction item, the auctioneer's voice broke Xu Qing's thoughts.
"Next is the final grand finale of this auction."
"The Green Demoness who has been making waves in Black City recently and has Charmed many Cultivators!"
"Starting price, ten thousand Spirit Stones! Each bid increase must be no less than one hundred Spirit Stones."
The spotlight of a Magical Artifact fell onto the seat where Xu Qing was sitting.
The gazes of the Cultivators swept over unscrupulously.
Xu Qing glanced at all the Cultivators present with his peripheral vision, his expression icy.
"Auctioning me?"
"You want to auction me?"
"I bid ten thousand Spirit Stones!"
One person broke the silence, looking at Xu Qing with an evil smile.
He wore peach-colored robes and had extraordinarily handsome features, a male body but born with a feminine appearance.
"This Young Master just happens to lack a high-quality Charm Cauldron."
"With your Early Golden Core stage cultivation and such mastery of Charm techniques, you are quite pleasing to the eye."
Young Master Tao waved his fan and said with a smile.
Veins bulged on Xu Qing's forehead, veins that were almost impossible to keep from bursting.
"I bid ten thousand two hundred!"
"This female devil killed my only grandson; I want to strip her bare and throw her on the street for countless Mortals to violate!"
A white-bearded old man stood up and bid.
Following that, the sounds of bidding and price increases rang out continuously.
"I've been set up."
"Indeed, how could such an auction invite a newcomer like me who just arrived?"
"This is Black City, after all."
Xu Qing let out a helpless, long sigh toward the auctioneer.
"It's good that Lord Green Demoness understands."
"This auction house will find a most suitable master for you, Lord."
"So, please hand over all your Spirit Stones and Spiritual Artifacts to this auction house."
The auctioneer wasn't flustered at all.
They naturally wouldn't let Xu Qing's entire net worth go to the buyer along with the auction.
Black City was a place that devoured people without even spitting out the bones.
Xu Qing didn't move.
"Lord, please do not delude yourself."
"This auction has a Nascent Soul Stage Senior overseeing it."
Seeing Xu Qing had no reaction, the auctioneer threatened.
"Of course, if Lord Green Demoness would condescend to serve me for a bit..."
"I might be able to leave a few items for you to keep on your person."
The auctioneer whispered to Xu Qing, his face full of lewdness.
As a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, being able to have a Golden Core Senior serve him was something he could brag about for a lifetime.
Especially a female devil famous in Black City like this.
"Auctioning me?"
Listening to those Cultivators shouting higher and higher prices, Xu Qing let out a cold laugh.
And then...
He grabbed the auctioneer's throat with one hand.
And crushed it directly.
The latter stared at Xu Qing in disbelief; even before death, he seemed to believe Xu Qing wouldn't dare to strike.
The air went silent for a moment.
"Bastard! You dare to kill someone in my Black City Auction!"
Amidst the silence, an enraged roar erupted.
Several Golden Core Cultivators surrounded him.
"The old Nascent Soul geezer overseeing this place hasn't come out yet?"
"Then just with you people?"
"You want to auction me?"
Xu Qing gripped the scabbard of the Xiliang Sword with his left hand and the hilt with his right.
"Go, suppress this female devil directly!"
Xu Qing drew his sword.
Sword light soared into the sky.
An Early Golden Core stage Cultivator immediately clutched his throat and fell backward onto the ground.
Dead.
"How is this possible? You're not an Early Golden Core stage Cultivator!"
"All together!"
Sabers and swords were drawn together, pressing toward Xu Qing.
Xu Qing formed hand seals with both hands and slapped the hilt of the Xiliang Sword.
The Xiliang Sword trembled, splitting into thousands of sword shadows that shielded his body.
"My Buddha is merciful."
"Buddha Handprint!"
Xu Qing pressed his palms together, and Buddhist Light lit up behind him, condensing into a massive golden Buddha seal.
"Fall!"
Dust rose everywhere.
The entire auction stage was turned into a pile of ruins.
When the dust cleared, Xu Qing was seen flying in the air, holding the green sword in one hand, looking down from above at the group of Golden Core Cultivators in the ruins.