A group of people stood at the door of the auction house and looked up.
The scale of the Qiankun City Auction House is astonishing. The roof is covered with layers of glazed tiles. It is not an ordinary square building, but a rounded arc with dozens of doors of various sizes.
"Sometimes, at auctions, highly sought-after treasures appear. Buyers are afraid they might lose their lives even if they manage to get them, so the auction houses come up with this method." Xue Lingxiu waved her folding fan and said, "Twenty-four gates connect to different streets. How can we know where to chase them?"
It was so dangerous! Feng Ye couldn't close his mouth. "Is the security in Qiankun City so bad? Does it need twenty-four gates?"
Qiao Lingshan said: "No matter how good the public security is, it cannot prevent people's hearts."
Yun Xian glanced at her and thought, Lingshan's words are becoming more and more philosophical. She has really grown up a lot.
"But this kind of thing only happens occasionally. Five or six times a year is considered a lot." Xue Lingxiu gestured for the three people to come over to him and said, "On ordinary days, the auction items are also normal and uneventful. There's no need to worry too much."
Sure enough, standing before the auction hall's largest archway were two young men in martial arts uniforms. Though seemingly normal, their familiar standing posture and subconscious touches to their waists confirmed Ji Rongxue's prediction: they were disciples of the Sword Sect.
What decent person would wear a knife on their waist every day?
Maybe I have seen Yun Xian in the Four-way War.
"Listen carefully. Our identities now are three wealthy ladies and one bodyguard who came to the auction together." Xue Lingxiu whispered, "If you think you might say something wrong, shut up in advance. Silence is golden; the more you talk, the more mistakes you make."
Liu Xu seemed to have completely forgotten about the ore yesterday and was scolded by the elders of the Sword Sect. Now no one knows where she has gone.
Yun Xian said: "I understand!"
Qiao Lingshan: "Let's go."
The two of them hurriedly climbed up the stairs, taking two steps at a time. Feng Ye was sandwiched in the middle and followed them in small steps. The guard glanced at the three of them and frowned suspiciously.
Feng Ye handed over the admission ticket to the Body Building School given by Ji Rongxue, and Tiedan followed silently.
"The Body Forging Sect?" The guard's expression changed, quite subtly. It seemed the relationship between the Sword Sect and the Body Forging Sect had deteriorated from a back-channel bickering to a situation where they were forced to maintain a semblance of equilibrium. She examined the ticket carefully and said to Tiedan, "Friend Tie, who are these four?"
Elder Liu Chang had just sent a carrier pigeon message last night, asking everyone to pay attention to Yun Xian. She had to cheer up as soon as possible if there was any news.
Tiedan said in a deep voice, "Their mother is quite friendly with Miss Ji, so she brought them along to see the world."
"Oh?" The guard looked at Yun Xian and was about to attack, but the corner of his lips twitched.
Where did this young lady come from? She was standing there with her hands on her hips! Although there is nothing wrong with putting her hands on her hips, why does this temperament look so unruly... Is she deceiving?
"Xiaohong, why are you like this again?" Feng Ye saw Qiao Lingshan was still silent, and hurried to save the situation, changing his voice and saying: "Even though you have been wandering outside for eighteen years and were only recently taken back by your mother, and you and I are half-sisters, and you have been practicing martial arts and begging since you were young, which has led to this kind of temperament, you can't be like this!"
guard:"?"
Are you sick?! Why are you suddenly explaining this?!
"And you, Xiao Lan." Feng Ye was sweating profusely, but he still said with difficulty: "Even though you were poisoned and your voice became mute not long ago, and you still can't speak, you can't be so rude and not say a word to others!"
Qiao Lingshan saluted the guard with a serious expression.
guard:"……"
This circle of yours is so messed up.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you." Suddenly, something caught her eye, and she sneered, "This bodyguard is clearly wearing military uniform, but his hands have no calluses from the weapons. Isn't that strange? Who can be kept safe by a guard like that?"
What!
Everyone was shocked, but Tiedan, who had seen enough of everything, calmly delivered a decisive blow: "It's normal for young ladies to keep male lovers when they're bored."
Xue Lingxiu: “…”
Guard Mu said, "...Yeah. That's right. Sorry, I'm ignorant. Haha, hahahaha."
Tiedan: "Can we go in now?"
The guard said, "Come in. Come in."
Three wealthy young ladies brought their male favorites into the auction hall. The seats for those who wanted to strengthen their bodies were in the first row, the closest seats. A little further forward was a gorgeously decorated platform.
Yun Xian was concerned that others might be watching, so when he sat down at first, he was careful to keep his legs together and avoid sitting in a wild manner. However, after half an incense stick of time, his true colors were revealed. He crossed his legs and asked Xue Lingxiu, "Is Mr. Liu going to be the last to appear?"
"It's very likely." Xue Lingxiu observed her surroundings inconspicuously and said, "This is the rule of the auction house. The auction value is from small to large, and the auction house only takes a commission from the consignment and is not responsible for anything else. Therefore, sometimes some... not so good things will appear."
He said it implicitly because he didn't want the Jiange trio to understand the dangers of the world so early and become devastated after learning about the dark side. Yun Xian just said "Oh" and then started discussing it enthusiastically with the two of them.
"I think there must be weapons. I wonder how much spirit stones the leader would be worth if he was mortgaged?"
"There will definitely be all kinds of harmful pills."
"Will there be people who sell people..."
"It's possible. But generally speaking, there's no need to sell people. This is a serious ethical issue and difficult to resolve."
Xue Lingxiu: “…”
The private rooms in the auction hall were separated by screens. He couldn't see the private rooms next to him, but he could see the people in the first-class seats. Conversely, the people in the first-class seats couldn't see the private rooms. True to Qiankun City, even the first-class seats were filled with wealthy people. Everywhere he looked, there was a dazzling display of jewels and gems. As he had expected, it wasn't a significant day, but after hearing that the wealthy businessman Liu was coming, many people with ulterior motives came.
Tiedan was also observing his surroundings vigilantly. After a while, he said solemnly, "There are many people from the Sword Sect sitting among the tables."
"Why can you tell who's from the Sword Sect?" Yun Xian also leaned over and said solemnly, "Also, Fellow Tiedao, is your name really Tiedan? I always thought it was a nickname given to you by Miss Ji."
"...Because the Body Strengthening Sect and the Sword Sect have been fighting a lot recently, I could tell at a glance." Tiedan was used to being the butt of the joke, and he answered every question seriously: "No, it's because the people in our Body Strengthening Sect are prone to dying young due to the special techniques they practice. That's why the elders give each disciple a nickname. They think humble names are easier to keep."
"Really? So cute?" Yun Xian immediately became interested. "What's the young lady's nickname? Fugui? Erya? Sanhua?"
Tiedan said: "Bingli Mengxue."
Yun Xian: “…”
Qiao Lingshan: “…”
Feng Ye got to the point: "It sounds like yours is the only one that's a bit mean."
Xue Lingxiu really didn't want to be amused by such idiotic conversation, so she pursed her lips and said, "Ahem! Hush, listen first. What are these Dao Sect disciples who are deliberately blending in with the crowd saying?"
It would have been fine if they hadn't heard it, but once they did, the group realized there was a big problem.
The group of people behind him seemed to be discussing the matter of Tang Lingguo, among whom Yun Xian's name appeared very frequently:
"I'm not saying anything more than I said that the Tang Lingguo incident became such a big deal because I didn't go. If I had gone, wouldn't it have happened?"
"Yun Xian has been so popular lately. Is someone secretly building momentum for her? It seems that not only was her victory in the Four-way War inexplicable, but the Tang Ling Rebellion is also bizarre. How could a declining sect like Jian Ge produce such a powerful disciple?"
"To be fair, I think there's definitely a conspiracy here. There's a driving force, an unknown big hand! At the last Four-Party Conference, Jiange was beaten so badly, why didn't Su Chi participate? Don't tell me he was slaying demons and couldn't make it in time. Is slaying demons more important than a big battle? People can come back to life after death, but if there's no big battle, we'll have to wait ten years!"
"This person doesn't live up to his reputation. I even suspected that the East Realm and the South Realm were colluding! Otherwise, with Master Xue's arrogant behavior, how could he keep following Yun Xian around? Haha, it must be that the Sword Pavilion gave the Miaoshou Sect some unknown benefit. He is truly despicable."
"As for Tang Ling's case, I don't think it's that incredible. Those princesses didn't want to save themselves, so who can they blame? Of course, I'm not saying they deserved it. I'm saying that people have to rely on themselves and be independent. Don't always rely on others to save you. Look, isn't this the consequence..."
Amidst the rustling sound, there was a burst of agreement. Sentences like, "I'm just a passerby, I think you're right," "I've always felt something was wrong with her," and "Those behind this conspiracy are damned!" Yun Xian was stunned, thinking he was the reincarnation of a Middle Eastern gangster.
Qiao Lingshan was the first to react and angrily said, "What bullshit are these people talking about!!"
"Miss! Miss, calm down!" Feng Ye was the only one who still remembered his role setting. He shrilled, "There must be someone behind the scenes fanning the flames!"
Tiedan frowned and said, "They are actually playing this kind of trick now."
No wonder, when Yun Xian was on her way back to Tang Ling Kingdom, the Sword Sect spread all kinds of groundless rumors, such as self-destruction and murder. When combined with the fact that Yun Xian had previously crushed a person's golden elixir, this was another powerful incident that proved her ruthlessness.
The Tangling Kingdom had been ruled by demonic cultivators for quite some time. Because the country was small and remote, it hadn't caused much of a stir, so the "heroes" hadn't bothered to deal with it. Master Mingguang had gone there out of frustration. Now that his spotlight had been stolen, he lamented, thinking he could have done it himself, but how could such a young boy have taken advantage of him?
There were only a few people in Jiange. When it came to the war of public opinion, only Yun Xian could do the talking. Even if she was good at it, she couldn't outshine so many people.
In short, it is not good to be too sharp, nor is it good to be too low-key and silent. It is best to be in a position that is neither too high nor too low. Moderation is what they can allow.
"If fighting with weapons fails, let's start fighting with words." Yun Xian pondered.
Xue Lingxiu said indifferently, "Sure enough, they are just as despicable as ever."
"But honestly, the idea is finally right." Yun Xian had to admit, "I'm not very good at this."
Xue Lingxiu: “…” That’s enough!
Yun Xian saw that his expression was not right, and he was about to show some disappointment in his son. He quickly hammered the small table and said angrily, "How could you do such a thing! This is really too much! No matter how poor I am, I have never thought of hurting others with my words!"
Qiao Lingshan was about to agree when she remembered the curse of Zhong Changyao not being able to get an erection by the age of 30 that is still circulating today, and she fell silent.
Feng Ye also remembered that it was well known that Liu Shi was not good at communicating with secret codes, so he remained silent.
Just as the group was wondering what the Sword Sect would do next, the firefly beads on the stage suddenly lit up, and it turned out that the auction was about to begin!
The three people from the East Realm were really country bumpkins who had never seen the world, and their attention was immediately drawn to them.
Today's auction host was a handsome man, and everyone was murmuring, "Is he a demon?"
Tiedan: "Not a demon. A human. He wears less because the ladies like to see him."
Yun Xian: "..." Qiankun City really takes whoever has the most money as the boss as their principle. They are really good at pleasing customers. But it is really beautiful. More, more, more.
As usual, the opening remarks were made. But today, unlike usual, the host said only a few words. Instead, he looked towards one of the seats at the front: "Now, let our Master Mingguang give a speech for this auction!"
Sure enough, Ji Rongxue's intelligence was right again. To maintain their presence, the Sword Sect had actually invited Master Mingguang. A golden light flashed in the private room, and Master Mingguang's voice, like a huge bell, resounded throughout the room:
"Amitabha. Dear guests, may everyone be well! In this refreshing autumn, we welcome..."
Everyone felt that the speech was similar to the one given during the Four-way War, but the others seemed to be very supportive.
After the speech, the goods began to be delivered. The first one, encased in a glazed enclosure, was a small white jade bottle. The host introduced it, "This is the Heartless Water! What if a young person falls in love and loses interest in cultivation? No problem, just drink one bottle, and when you wake up the next day, you'll forget your beloved. If the effect isn't good, we'll refund you! If it's fake, we'll pay you ten times the price. No cheating!"
Yun Xian said: "Wow! I want to buy this for Jimo Shu!"
Qiao Lingshan: "What's the point of locking up that witch..."
Normally, after introducing the product, the price should be mentioned. Yun Xian watched him make numerous hand gestures on the stage, seemingly driving thirty carriages in a split second, and asked in confusion, "Brother Xue, what does this mean?"
"It's so vulgar to mention money without paying." Xue Lingxiu said, "This is a code word for price. This bottle is three hundred spirit stones."
Yun Xian: "It's much cheaper than I thought. Why is no one buying it?"
Xue Lingxiu: "If it's fake, I'll compensate you ten times, but isn't the compensation still fake? Anyone who believes this is a fool. Just treat it like a bottle of sugar water and forget it."
It was so boring that everyone lost interest in an instant.
The auction wasn't that exciting. Most of the items that came up were magical herbs, elixirs, magic weapons, and the like. Yun Xian had already won the championship, so weapons were no longer necessary. She wanted a defensive magic weapon, but she had no money. Xue Lingxiu saw her eagerly looking at it and said, "You want these junk?"
"I want it." Yun Xian said, "I don't even have any scrap metal."
Xue Lingxiu crossed his arms for a while before saying indifferently, "I have a lot of useless scrap metal. If you want it, I can give you a few."
Yun Xian: "Ling Shan and Feng Ye want one too."
Xue Lingxiu flew away again with grace: "Don't push your luck!!"
In the boring process, as the finale was approaching, an auction item that amazed everyone finally appeared.
Strictly speaking, it is not an auction item because it is a monster.
A male fox came up in animal form, with three soft white tails swaying back and forth, tears in his eyes, his body overflowing with spiritual energy, and his fur looked quite neat.
Then, it transformed into a human form. The human form also resembled the beast, thin and beautiful, except for some parts of the body, the rest of the body was naked.
Yun Xian stared at him for a long time and said to Qiao Lingshan, "It's so cold recently, why don't you give him more clothes?"
"..." Qiao Lingshan said uncertainly, "He has fur, so it can keep him warm, so he doesn't need clothes."
Xue Lingxiu said solemnly, "This is not something you should watch at your age."
Feng Ye: "Brother Xue, he is definitely better looking than you."
Xue Lingxiu: "You're crazy! You're sick!!"
Everyone bid slowly, seemingly none of them enthusiastic. First, times have changed. While intermarriage between demons and humans is still relatively rare, it's become normal. Fox spirits are no longer considered exotic here. Second, at such a young age, would you still go to an auction to buy a fox spirit to play with? That would be a complete failure!
Those who buy it will either use it as a child prostitute, a servant, or as a tutor for their younger generation. The cost-effectiveness is not very high.
At this moment, Yun Xian heard a familiar female voice coming from the private room beside him: "Add five hundred taels!"
"?" Yun Xian quickly recognized her, "It's Miss Liu!"
It turned out that the person who had been sitting next to them was actually the daughter of the wealthy businessman Liu, the one who had cut in line at Xinglin Pavilion last time!
Miss Liu wanted to raise the price, and who could snatch it from her? Soon, the male fox demon shyly entered the private room next to her and said in a trembling voice, "Miss, this is my first time, please don't be too rough with me..."
"Who told you to turn into a human form?" Miss Liu said coldly, "Change back. I want your tail to warm my feet."
Fox demon: “…”
It was so wicked that Yun Xian almost burst out laughing: "Hahahahahahahahaha!!"
At this moment, after the fox demon was auctioned off, the host left the stage, and no one was on the stage for a long time. As if noticing something, the person in the first-class seat behind the crowd gradually sat up straighter, their eyes fixed on the stage.
The sound gradually died down, and finally, as everyone held their breath, a person slowly walked to the side of the platform.
It turned out to be the radiant rich businessman Liu!
He was a normal wealthy businessman, nothing special about him. He had a black and shiny goatee under his lips, wore a round hat, and was dressed in luxurious clothes. When he raised his hand, he saw more rings on it than he had any teeth left, especially the jade ring on his right index finger, which was so green and clear that it looked like a pool of water.
Yun Xian couldn't say what it was if asked, but in short, everything about her looked expensive.
Liu Fushang indeed looked radiant, and everyone applauded. It was unclear whether the applause revealed genuine happiness or hidden disappointment, but Yun Xian always felt that Liu Fushang looked a little deliberate.
He deliberately pretended to be healthy and full of energy. Yun Xian was even afraid that he would suddenly jump up and dunk while walking.
Under the gaze of everyone, Mr. Liu coughed lightly and began to talk.
Xue Lingxiu looked at him for a long moment, then suddenly said, "The poison has spread deeply, and he won't live long."
The rest of the people: “!”
Tiedan turned around and said, "Master Xue, are you serious?"
"If I can't even see this, what kind of medical practitioner am I?" Xue Lingxiu snorted coldly, "If you don't get the antidote within fifteen days, you can prepare your coffin."
Tiedan: "How could this be..."
If Liu Fushang dies, the entire structure of Qiankun City will suddenly collapse. Now the Sword Sect has seized the initiative, and the Body Strengthening Sect has not yet gained a foothold. In any case, the Sword Sect has a huge advantage.
Considering the recent changes in guards at the auction house, Qiao Lingshan speculated, "Could it be that the antidote is in the hands of Dao Zong? Is this the condition of the exchange between Liu Fushang and Dao Zong?"
"I don't know for now." Yun Xian raised his eyes and looked to the other side, "But no matter what, after we go out, just go and ask."
“…”
As for asking directly, Yun Xian's way of asking was to jump directly into Miss Liu's carriage and ask in a familiar manner, "Xiao Liu, have you eaten yet?"
"I ate it, I ate it." Miss Liu hugged the fox to warm her hands and responded subconsciously. Only after she responded did she realize something was wrong: "Who are you?! How could you get on my carriage so quietly?!"
Yun Xian said, "It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that we know your father has been poisoned. Unless he gets an antidote, he will die within fifteen days."
Miss Liu's pupils shrank slightly: "You..."
"I'm not from the Sword Sect," Yun Xian said. "You don't have to trust us, but we just want to know: Has your father behaved abnormally in the past two months? What has he eaten?"
Miss Liu fell silent and seemed to be thinking.
After a long pause, she finally spoke, "I don't know about the others. But my father was really into some kind of knife-cut noodles a while ago. He'd go eat them almost every few days... But I tried it, and I didn't think the taste was that special."
Yun Xian's eyes narrowed when he heard the news, and he nimbly climbed down from the carriage and said to the Lijia people, "Sure enough. There's something wrong with those knife-cut noodles! Let's go check it out!"
Qiao Lingshan: "Yeah! Why are the people next to us always looking at us?"
"This." Feng Ye said, "There are many young ladies from wealthy families, but not many who crawl around like geckos."
Yun Xian: "Oh, what a time to say this! Hurry up and act!"
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