ragginovel Chapter 138 Giant Ape Puppet
Chapter 138 Giant Ape Puppet
After a short while, Du Fan and Chen Ru went to a slightly secluded spot and sat down, waiting for the auction to begin.
At this moment, Du Fan looked around curiously and found that the entire auction venue was as large as seventy or eighty acres, with a semi-circular structure and rows of seats arranged in this shape.
The venue also has two floors. There are no scattered seats on the second floor, only private rooms, which are obviously special places set up separately for some important people.
However, at this moment, all the private rooms were naturally empty. The Merchant Alliance would not open such low-level auctions.
At the very front of the venue was a platform covering two acres. This platform was clearly used to display and auction items during the auction, and there must have been several extremely powerful array formations and restrictions around the edges of the platform.
Many people are already seated in the venue, but it will still take some time before it reaches full capacity.
Not long after, a young man dressed as a waiter glanced around the hall, then walked straight towards Du Fan. Reaching his side, he bowed deeply and said respectfully:
"Master Du, would you like to move to the VIP room? Not only does it offer excellent views and spiritual tea, but it also has a protective barrier to prevent divine sense from detecting it. This would reduce a lot of trouble regarding the auction items."
"No need, you go ahead with your work. I'll call you again if I need anything," Du Fan said after a moment's thought.
He didn't need to pay attention to what the waiter said. He was willing to bet that news of his presence had already reached the Seven Star Alliance, and at most, he would be sent back after the auction.
……
Meanwhile, at the Seven Star Merchant Alliance headquarters, in the Azure Dragon Hall, nine extraordinary cultivators took their seats.
Xiao Yan, along with the burly man who had spoken with her that day, were also present. At this moment, the hall was unusually quiet, and a tense and eerie atmosphere spread throughout.
"Reporting to all the vice alliance leaders, the supreme elders, and Elder Du... we have news."
After a short while, a man in blue robes entered the main hall. Judging from the powerful aura emanating from him, he was a powerful cultivator at the Golden Core stage.
However, he dared not be arrogant or negligent in front of the people in the hall. He quickly bowed and paid his respects. He even felt a sense of fear and trepidation after sensing the strange atmosphere in the hall.
"What? The ancient barrier of Hundred Flowers Valley has been broken? Is Du Fan alive or dead?"
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan abruptly stood up, her phoenix eyes narrowing, and a sharp gaze, almost tangible, instantly fell upon the man in blue. She spoke in a deep voice.
The other eight people also stood up, looking at the man with tense and worried expressions. They exchanged glances and unconsciously moved a few steps closer to Xiao Yan, as if they were ready to make a move at any moment.
"The Valley of a Hundred Flowers... it hasn't been breached." The man in blue felt a chill run down his spine as he was stared at by the nine people. His whole body went cold instantly, and a suffocating sense of oppression spread through his body. He was utterly horrified.
When he saw Vice Alliance Leader Xiao's frosty face and her delicate face tightly furrowed, his heart skipped a beat. He dared not hesitate any longer and quickly continued:
"News just came back from the Xuan Shui City branch of the Tang Li Kingdom: Du Gongfeng and that disciple with the Light Spirit Root from the Qixia Sect are currently participating in a low-level auction within this branch. They should return after the auction ends."
Upon hearing this, a series of sighs of relief filled the hall, the tense atmosphere instantly dissipated, and everyone felt a sense of relief, their faces beaming with joy.
"It's so good that Master Du is alright."
"Fairy Xiao, you can finally rest assured now."
"Zuo Yun, arrange for someone to set off immediately for Hundred Flowers Valley and inform the people there that they no longer need to continue breaking the formation."
A few breaths later, the vice leaders and supreme elders in the main hall all spoke one after another with relaxed expressions.
Xiao Yan's expression softened, the gloom that had been hanging over her finally dissipating. She let out a long breath, but then, as if remembering something, her phoenix eyes turned cold, and a surge of anger erupted from the depths of her heart. She roared:
"What?! Because of him, we're all in a panic! That bastard actually had the nerve to participate in the auction with other women! Zuo Yun, tie him up and bring him back right now!"
"Yes, I will set off immediately." Zuo Yun, who had just breathed a sigh of relief, trembled upon seeing this scene, and his heart jumped again. After bowing with his fists clasped, he turned and left without daring to hesitate for a moment.
"Wait a minute, never mind. Send someone to secretly escort Du Fan all the way to Qixia Sect."
Just as Zuo Yun was standing at the entrance of the main hall, about to leave, Xiao Yan's icy voice suddenly came from behind him.
……
Tangli Kingdom, Xuanshui City, Seven Star Alliance Auction Venue.
Hua Mo stood on the platform, his face glowing and full of energy. He was excited, but not because of the auction, but because of Du Fan…
After a long while, Hua Mo took a deep breath, composed himself, and then swept his gaze across the entire room before announcing loudly, "The triennial low-level auction of the Seven Star Merchant Alliance, Xuan Shui City Branch, is now beginning."
In the past, before an auction began, there would be a speech, consisting of some polite but meaningless words, as well as the auction rules and precautions. However, Hua Mo clearly wasn't in the mood for that now.
At this moment, Hua Mo was only thinking about what kind of reward the Alliance would give him. He thought that he might be able to rise to the position of Elder in the Alliance with this merit, just like Mo Wuyou. That would be a meteoric rise.
After Hua Mo finished speaking, ignoring the surprised looks from the crowd below, he walked straight to the seats at the edge of the platform and sat down with the other two Foundation Establishment leaders who were also looking excited, without saying another word.
A moment later, a graceful young woman, carrying a round plate, walked up slowly.
"The first item in this auction is a bottle of Grade 3 Qi Refining Pills, containing ten pills. These pills were made on a whim by one of our alliance's alchemy masters."
I need not elaborate on the value and rarity of high-grade elixirs.
Hua Mo stood up lazily, said a few words casually, and then sat down again, looking completely indifferent, as if he had lost much interest in the auction.
"What? A grade three pill! That's extremely rare. Even grade one pills are seldom seen."
"I never expected the first item up for auction to be a bottle of grade-three elixirs!"
"Only alchemy masters can refine third-grade pills, but alchemy masters are not only rare, but they also generally disdain refining low-grade pills. This bottle of pills is probably one of a kind."
"It's a pity. My cultivation has already reached the fourth level of Qi Refining. Even if the Qi Refining Pill is of a higher grade, it won't have much effect on me. Brother Feng, you might be able to compete for it."
These words immediately sparked a chorus of discussion in the auction hall, with most people displaying expressions of surprise and astonishment.
Although Hua Mo was preoccupied and his attitude was nonchalant, the woman on the platform did not dare to be negligent. After smiling gracefully, she made a hand seal, and the small bottle floated up. The cap opened, and a white pill with a hazy white light fell out.
The pill was crystal clear, with three layers of milky white light emanating from its surface; it was clearly a Grade 3 Qi Refining Pill.
Ten breaths later, the woman put away the pill, smiled charmingly, and slowly swept her beautiful eyes across the auction hall.
"A Grade Three Qi Refining Pill, now being auctioned off as a whole bottle. Starting price: 800 spirit stones. Each bid must be at least 20 spirit stones higher. Auction begins." Hua Mo's voice rang out at the opportune moment.
"Eight hundred spirit stones!" A young man in white shouted without hesitation, his eyes suddenly lighting up.
"Eight hundred and forty!" a burly man shouted defiantly.
"Nine hundred spirit stones!" A woman's voice suddenly rang out.
"Nine hundred and twenty..."
After the first person made a bid, the room erupted in cheers, and many people followed suit.
Of course, for low-level cultivators in the Qi Refining stage, this price is already quite high; most cultivators wouldn't even consider it.
Moreover, even if this bottle of Qi Refining Pills is of a high grade, it is still just a low-grade pill, which can only be taken by cultivators below the fourth level of Qi Refining. Therefore, most of the people participating in the auction at this time are disciples of a major power.
Finally, after an old man in a gray robe called out a high price of nine hundred and eighty spirit stones, no one else competed with him, and the bottle of third-grade Qi Refining Pills naturally fell into the old man's pocket.
Du Fan had absolutely no interest in the auction items, including pills. Compared to his pill oils, all other pills were worthless in his eyes.
The woman on the stage smiled gracefully, then walked down carrying a round plate. After exchanging spirit stones with the gray-robed elder who had won the third-grade Qi Refining Pill, she went through a side door and left.
A moment later, another woman walked onto the platform, holding a palm-sized, jet-black object resembling a brick on a disc in her hand.
"The next item up for auction is a mechanical puppet. In terms of both strength and speed, this puppet is equivalent to a cultivator who has practiced a level one physical technique. It can be very effective in fighting or for getting around."
Furthermore, this puppet was modified by the alliance's master craftsman and has a special magic array engraved within it. It can absorb some of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth on its own, so its energy consumption is not high; a single low-grade spirit stone is enough to keep it running at full speed for two days.
This time, Hua Mo didn't even bother to get up. He just sat there and spoke directly.
After Hua Mo finished speaking, the woman smiled slightly, made a hand seal, and suddenly pointed at the black brick. In an instant, the brick transformed into a giant black ape about ten feet long with a series of crackling sounds.
The woman changed her hand seals, and the black giant ape immediately roared, raised its arms and punched itself hard in the chest several times, producing a series of booming sounds. Then, its figure flickered and turned into a streak of black light, instantly appearing several feet away.