179: Auction ends

Just as Zhong Dingshan's heart bled, Number Eleven called out a price again.

"One hundred fifty-nine thousand."

"Holy crap, brothers, we came to the right place today."

"This number, haha."

"Shh, lower your voice, keep watching."

...The audience below, one by one, flushed red. The insights gained today were enough for them to embellish and boast wildly outside.

Not too much, not too little, exactly one thousand. How similar this was to the bidding for the Nether Ghost Vine.

"One hundred sixty thousand!" Zhong Dingshan's face was ashen, and a black sea of killing intent surged in his eyes.

"One hundred sixty-one thousand!"

One thousand, another one thousand, perfect!

"You guys, do you think this guy on the second floor might be a house dealer?"

"Don't say it, it's really possible."

"I don't think it's possible. If he can't produce that much money, the auction house probably won't let him go.

Who would be willing to risk their life for it?"

"I bet he's a house dealer."

...Amidst everyone's eager anticipation, Room Eleven added a thousand at a time, pushing the price all the way to one hundred eighty-five thousand.

Laughing in extreme anger, Zhong Dingshan's lips curved into a smile as he glanced towards the second floor.

This was no longer a simple bidding war; it was a clear declaration of opposition to their Zhong Family.

They, the Zhong Family, had always been the ones to bully others. He hadn't expected to be played today.

Good, good, good. He couldn't act at the auction, but he would remember everyone who came today, as long as they didn't leave through the special passage!

As long as they were in City Name City, he would find them eventually. By then, he would skin that bastard alive!

"One hundred eighty-six thousand!" Zhong Dingshan bid again.

On the stage, Tong Tu breathed a sigh of relief, his tightly furrowed brows relaxing.

Room Seven made the Zhong Family spend an extra twenty thousand, and Room Eleven made the Zhong Family spend an extra forty thousand.

This was gold, not common cabbage!

Converted to Spirit Stones, it was over six hundred pieces.

Tong Tu picked up the auction hammer and, quickening his pace, shouted:

"One hundred eighty-six thousand once, one hundred eighty-six thousand twice, one hundred eighty-six thousand thrice, bang!

Sold! Congratulations to the guest in Room Five for acquiring the last item of this auction.

This auction is officially concluded."

On the auction stage, the thousand crystal blocks that had formed characters loosened again, floating freely in the purple light.

With the Zhong Family having won the item, Qin Qilian's lips curved into a smile.

Although there were unexpected turns, the outcome was surprisingly good. Excellent. Now, all that remained was to sell the Nether Ghost Vine in his possession, and it would be perfect.

The auction ended, and the faint light of the Formation covering the room doors disappeared. One by one, the doors opened.

"Thump thump thump!" Qin Qilian knocked on the door of Room Seven.

"Young Master, no need to knock, there's no one inside." A voice transmission reached his ears, and Qin Qilian looked to his left.

An old man, with his hands behind his back, wearing a silver-white long gown, his black hair gleaming at his temples, and an air of immortal elegance, walked up and stopped in front of him.

"No one?" Qin Qilian looked bewildered.

Room Seven had been protected by a Formation before, so he couldn't know the situation inside.

But when he arrived, the people below said that a figure was still by the window, and he had never left.

"Here." The old man directly twisted the doorknob.

"Click~"

Room Seven slowly opened, and a bone-chilling cold air emanated from within, a milky, thick mist that obscured everything, rushing towards them.

The old man's eyes lit up, and he praised:

"What excellent water Spell!"

The old man lightly clenched his fist.

A cracking sound filled the air, and the mist in the room shattered like jelly, forcibly dissipating.

Looking inside again, let alone a person, there wasn't even a single hair.

Qin Qilian took out a fishing rod made of pure red jade bamboo and aimed it into the room. A red light shot from the tip of the rod, covering the room.

"This person is very cautious, leaving no trace." Qin Qilian retracted his fishing rod, his brows furrowed, feeling a lump in his throat:

"If that's the case, the Nether Ghost Vine went unsold!"

"It happens often, you'll get used to it." The old man narrowed his eyes, looking to their left.

He saw a tall figure passing them, moving forward.

He wore a bamboo hat and had a green peak sword hanging on his back.

"Young man, don't play like this next time, it's easy to get burned." The old man smiled at the man in the bamboo hat.

The man in the bamboo hat paused, his eyes sweeping over the two, then he remained silent and continued walking forward.

"Number Eleven?" Qin Qilian asked.

"It's him." The old man nodded: "This young man is not simple. He has a top-tier Spiritual Artifact on him. He must be a refugee."

Top-tier Spiritual Artifact? Qin Qilian sighed inwardly, regretting it. Clearly, this person was a big shot, not a so-called house dealer, and certainly not a small fry.

Qin Qilian looked towards the direction of Number Seventeen. He had been distracted by Number Seven and Number Eleven behind him and had forgotten about this matter.

"Don't look, only Number Eleven has someone. The other two rooms are empty.

And it's not the young man with the sword just now."

The old man narrowed his eyes, a playful glint in them:

"Number Seventeen should be a newcomer to City Name City. Otherwise, it's impossible he would bid for the Pill Inheritance.

However, for his first auction, he managed to grasp our Treasure Pavilion's design and use it with such mastery. A clever person.

Anything else? If not, I'm going for tea."

Qin Qilian respectfully cupped his hands: "Thank you, Uncle Jun. I'll send the item to your room later."

"It doesn't matter anymore."

The old man walked with his hands behind his back. He merely took two easy steps, yet his figure vanished in the blink of an eye, as if shrinking the ground into an inch.

Qin Qilian looked at the empty Room Seven, clenching his fists.

Room Seven being empty meant that the Zhong Family still caused his item to go unsold.

His first auction having an unsold item—he would remember this against the Zhong Family!

As for when Jiang Hanwen left?

Rewind half an hour ago, when the Nether Ghost Vine was being auctioned. The moment Zhong Xiaoran called out thirty-nine thousand, it wasn't Jiang Hanwen who bid, and the door was in an openable state.

A water mist Clone, condensed from water vapor, leaned against the window, blocking the light and leaving a shadow on the glass.

At the same time, Jiang Hanwen decisively pushed open the door, returned to the third floor, creating a false impression that someone was still on the second floor.

On the other side, Xia Zhijie, who had obtained the Pill Inheritance, cleaned up his scent, applied medicine, and also returned to the third floor, meeting Jiang Hanwen in the third-floor room.

Auctions cost money and inevitably attract scrutiny. How could Jiang Hanwen not be prepared?

The second and third floors of the Treasure Pavilion were a single entity, but between the floors, besides the large main staircase outside, there were five small staircases for guests to move freely, unwatched.

If it were a real-name auction where identity could be traced, Jiang Hanwen would absolutely not dare to spend so much money. He would easily be targeted, leading to a lot of trouble.

The sealed second and third floors of the Treasure Pavilion provided a good opportunity.

The rooms were anonymous. If interested, one could even buy the usage rights of forty rooms to assist in the auction, preventing oneself from being targeted.

As for missing the Nether Ghost Vine, it was harmless. For Jiang Hanwen, the most important thing was to get the Pill Inheritance.

Now, he had the 《Swift Shadow Thunderclap Art》 for Body Tempering, a pile of Spells, tens of thousands of gold saved, and Xia Zhijie's Heavenly Secret Pavilion outside, starting to develop a network.

Alchemy in his left hand, Talismans in his right.

All phased goals had been completed.

He could now Cultivate in peace for a long time, improving himself without worrying about resources. Perfect.

As he reached the stairwell, he saw a handsome Young Master in a sea-blue and purple-gold robe, with a bronze multi-treasure jade belt around his waist, emerging from the second floor.

Four guards bowed and cupped their hands, calling him "Pavilion Master," their attitude extremely respectful.

Jiang Hanwen's lips curved into a faint arc as he looked at Xia Zhijie:

"Shall we go to Tianyuan Residence for a feast later?"

"Good." Xia Zhijie also saw the Pavilion Master walking ahead of them, a slight smile on his face.

The two walked out of the auction with the crowd, just reaching the entrance.

"Bang bang bang!"

The ground shook, and massive explosions rang out one after another, the deafening sounds soaring into the sky, making the entire sky tremble.

Everyone followed the sound and saw a giant flame ball, ten zhang high, rising, with black gunpowder smoke rolling and climbing upwards.

The eerie, fiery red light competed with the sun in the sky.

"What's going on? Are they attacking from outside?!"

"That direction, it seems to be the Zongheng Chamber of Commerce!"

"I don't know, let's go, let's go!"

Everyone scattered like birds and beasts. Some bravely went forward to investigate the situation, while others fled in the opposite direction.

Jiang Hanwen and Xia Zhijie exchanged glances. Their meal at Tianyuan Residence was not going to happen.