500: Chapter 500 The Merchant's Tactics

The auction hall.

The venue was vast, large enough to accommodate over a thousand people, yet only a hundred or so were present at the moment.

Furthermore, the Ancient Merchant Guild had established several VIP boxes. As long as one's financial resources or strength were recognized by the guild, they could obtain the privilege of a box.

Fang Bai and Yi Mu were inside a VIP box.

At this time, seven of the VIP boxes were in use.

Fang Bai and Yi Mu sat on a sofa with the Zhan Xiao standing behind them, looking like their bodyguard.

“It's quite lively.”

Fang Bai looked down at the many powerful figures below.

Among those below, the strongest were Quasi-Tenth Rank; the Tenth Rank experts had all been arranged into the VIP boxes.

“I suspect they've all come for the source heart,” Yi Mu said.

“Jiejiejie, regardless, that source heart is mine. Anyone who touches it dies. Don't you agree, Little Zhan?” Fang Bai chuckled.

The Zhan Xiao's mouth twitched before he chimed in, “Naturally.”

He had a premonition that a fierce battle was coming.

However, the Zhan Xiao didn't care much. In a place like this, his combat power was more than enough to handle any situation with ease.

He then looked toward a nearby box with a solemn expression. “I didn't expect the Ice Demon Clan siblings to actually come here as well.”

These Ice Demon Clan siblings were twins who shared a mental connection and perfect coordination. Furthermore, each of them was incredibly powerful. If they joined forces, they would be a troublesome opponent.

He wondered how Fang Bai would compare to them.

The person in front of him wasn't weak either!

The Ape Leader and an elder of the Night Clan had both died at his hands. From a certain perspective, Fang Bai was qualified to go toe-to-toe with those at the late stage of the Tenth Rank!

He actually hoped they would fight; that way, he might be able to fish in troubled waters.

Fang Bai glanced at him. How could he not know what the diviner was thinking?

He was no saint either; if any variable arose, he would decisively slaughter the other party.

The Zhan Xiao was merely a mobile energy source to him. Once he lost his value, he would be killed for experience points.

At that moment, the hall suddenly fell silent.

Yun Yi, the president of the Ancient Merchant Guild, appeared, followed by an exquisitely beautiful woman.

The woman was dressed in white with five tails swaying behind her, seemingly a White Fox Demon.

She held a tray covered with a red cloth, which had a small protrusion under it.

Yun Yi scanned the crowd with a smile and spoke, “Thank you all for waiting. It is our guild's honor that you have come to participate in the Ancient Merchant Guild's auction.”

Before he could finish his pleasantries, an impatient voice came from a box above: “Stop the nonsense and get straight to the point.”

Yun Yi glanced up and then chuckled lightly. “In that case, I will not waste any more of your time. The auction begins now.”

“The first item up for auction is a space ring.”

The fox girl gently lifted the red cloth, revealing the item on the tray: indeed, a ring.

The ring was an ancient grey color, smooth all over, and looked similar to an ordinary space ring.

A burly man stood up and sneered, “President Yun, are you making fun of us? What’s there to auction about a broken ring? I have plenty of these things, and they're all empty inside.”

The crowd burst into laughter.

“President Yun, if you really have nothing to auction, then just bring out the clues for the source heart.”

...

Yun Yi listened to the crowd's complaints without getting upset, smiling as he said, “I know you're all anxious, but please, don't be. Let me finish.”

The crowd looked at him, waiting for his explanation.

Yun Yi smiled and continued, “This space ring is different from ordinary ones. This is the space ring of a Tenth Rank expert!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell silent.

Many eyes instantly became fervent.

“This ring was obtained by a fellow cultivator in a set of ruins. However, the ring has a restriction placed on it that ordinary people cannot open. Only an expert at the Tenth Rank or above can break it. So far, the restriction has not been touched, which means no one knows what is inside.”

“However, it has been confirmed as the space ring of a Tenth Rank expert, so you can imagine its value for yourselves.”

Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately became restless.

A Tenth Rank expert's space ring!

There must be plenty of treasures inside!

It was like opening a mystery box; if one was lucky, they might get a high return for a low cost!

“Oh! It seems my Old Wang's eyes were clumsy.”

“Quickly announce the price! I will definitely take this ring!”

“With this ring, my family can produce a Tenth Rank expert!”

“...”

The atmosphere in the hall suddenly became lively.

A smile appeared on Yun Yi's face.

“Heh, this Yun Yi has some brains, actually arranging shills to act as an 'atmosphere group'.” In the box, Fang Bai watched the scene playfully.

Beside him, Yi Mu asked curiously, “Xiao Bai, what is an atmosphere group?”

Fang Bai explained, “The people who spoke just now were specially arranged by Yun Yi to stir up the crowd's desire to buy, making them feel these things are worth the price...”

Yi Mu understood and then asked, “So is that ring really a Tenth Rank expert's ring?”

Fang Bai smiled. “Naturally it is. However, the valuable things inside have likely already been taken out. Then, another Tenth Rank expert applied a seal to create an illusion for everyone, making them think the ring's seal hasn't been touched.”

“Holy crap! They're so black-hearted!” Yi Mu had a strange expression.

Beside them, the Zhan Xiao was also somewhat surprised. He hadn't thought that far ahead; without Fang Bai's explanation, he really would have thought it was the real deal just now.

It turned out capital was setting a trap!

When the crowd's enthusiasm reached its peak, Yun Yi finally spoke: “Then, the starting price is one hundred source crystals.”

The atmosphere went silent for a moment, and the next second, the bidding began!

“I bid one hundred and ten!”

“Two hundred!”

“A bunch of paupers! You want to buy a Tenth Rank expert's space ring for two hundred? My Sha family bids five hundred!”

“...”

Just for the first item, the price reached seven hundred source crystals!

This was quite a significant sum!

It was enough for a Ninth Rank martial artist to break through to Quasi-Tenth Rank!

“Sold! For eight hundred source crystals, this ring belongs to the Sha Clan.”

Yun Yi said with a beaming smile.

The people of the Sha Clan were ecstatic, as if they could already see the birth of a Tenth Rank expert in their clan!

Yun Yi glanced at the boxes above. From start to finish, they hadn't placed any bids, likely because they weren't interested in these items.

Yun Yi smiled and patiently continued the auction.

A damaged taboo artifact was auctioned for a thousand source crystals.

It was a pagoda with a section missing from the top, but its ancient aura moved even the Tenth Rank experts.

“Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Ji Yuan of the Ice Demon Clan for winning this Black Pagoda.”

Yun Yi offered his congratulations.

The Ice Demon Clan!

From the moment Ji Yuan spoke, no one dared to raise the price further!

Who would dare provoke the Ice Demon Clan?