Chapter 405 - Underground Auction
“Did you check what items the Phoenix Jade Hall have lost?” Feng Hengkong said with furrowed brows.
Feng Xicheng respectfully replied: “What Hua Minghai stole the most were usually Purple Veined Heaven Crystals and Purple Veined Divine Crystals, however, the Purple Veined Heaven Crystals and Purple Veined Divine Crystals within the Phoenix Jade Hall did not decrease in the slightest, but… we are missing a half used stalk of Phoenix Helianthus. I’m assuming that it’s because the thief was in a panicked state after touching the protective profound formation, and randomly took any item before hurriedly escaping.”
“Half a Phoenix Helianthus?” Even though Phoenix Helianthus were rare, to Divine Phoenix Sect, they were not considered that precious of an item. Feng Hengkong snorted coldly: “Even though nothing really went missing, just the fact that he dared to charge into our Divine Phoenix Sect has brought upon his own destruction. From this day forth, investigate all tracks of Hua Minghai within the entire empire. It’s best if he were to be brought back alive, but if it’s difficult to capture him alive, kill him on the spot!”
“Yes! This son shall immediately give out the order. Even if that Hua Minghai has a heaven high ability, he should still never think about escaping the palms of our Divine Phoenix Sect.” Feng Xichen promised.
“Then this matter shall be given to you to handle. Whether or not Hua Minghai is able to safely enter and leave our Divine Phoenix, is worthy of being your test! Don’t let us down.”
“Yes, royal father, this son will definitely not let you down.”
Just as Feng Hengkong turned around to leave, his footsteps stopped at the doorway, and he said casually: “Before the start of the ranking tournament, Xue’er will be cultivating in seclusion within Phoenix Perching Valley. No matter who it is, even if it’s for an enormous matter, they are not allowed to take half a step in the surrounding twenty five kilometers around Phoenix Perching Valley! However, we are still a bit worried. When you are investigating Hua Minghai, arrange a few guards around the east, west, and north directions of Phoenix Perching Valley. Don’t let anyone approach. If anyone dares to bother Xue’er, no matter who it is, kill them on sight!”
“Yes, this son will immediately carry out the order.”
After Feng Hengkon left, Feng Xichen heaved a slight breath of relief. After a long period of silence, he once again became agitated. He paced back and forth in the hall for several tens of times before finally speaking with a low voice while creasing his brows: “Chihuo, come in!”
A streak of flame flashed, and a middle aged man around fifty or so years old appeared in front of Feng Xichen as if he had teleported there. He bowed: “Your Highness, what are your instructions?”
“Leave the palace at once, and go secretly search for a person named ‘Yun Che’ in Divine Phoenix City! He's here to participate in the Seven Nation Ranking Tournament, and he'll definitely appear within half a month… in fact, he may already be here. If you find him, assassinate him immediately… Remember, the more secretly you do it, the better. After you kill him, immediately destroy his corpse, it’s best if you leave no traces behind!” Feng Xichen said with an extremely evil expression.
“Yes, Your Highness.” Feng Chihuo nodded in answer.
“Remember, aside from you and me, no one is to know about this! Including my royal father.” Feng Xichen’s expression became grave.
Shock flashed past Feng Chihuo’s face, then, he nodded without the slightest hesitation: “This old servant will not disappoint Your Highness… This old servant shall take his leave.”
When Fen Chihuo left, Feng Xichen clenched both his hands as a sinister light of hatred flickered in his eyes. He said in a low voice: “Yun Che… Not being able to personally kill you myself, truly would make it hard for me to dispel my hatred! But you must die before the ranking tournament! Once Blue Wind Nation is exterminated, that time’s humiliation shall also be eternally buried beneath my feet!”
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The next day, Yun Che arrived at Divine Phoenix City’s Falling Flame Merchant Guild as per Zi Ji’s directions.
Only after he had arrived did Yun Che discover that this place was indeed as Zi Ji had said it was. Even though the name hung up ahead said “Merchant Guild”, it was not at all an orthodox merchant guild. Truthfully speaking, it resembled an underground market! And it wasn’t that big either. This stretch of area contained many similar type underground markets, and they all hung up the word “Merchant Guild.”
However, as long as he could buy a Phoenix Helianthus, it wasn’t really important whether it was a merchant guild or a black market.
From a dark remote alley, Yun Che saw the signboard engraved with the words “Falling Flame Merchant Guild”. Beneath the signboard gracefully stood a young woman in the prime of her youth. Seeing Yun Che approach, she took the initiative to welcome him: “Sir, are you here to participate in Falling Flame’s auction?”
“Yes, I’d like to ask miss to lead the way.” Yun Che said naturally. Back in Azure Cloud Continent, he had attended many black markets before. These sort of black markets were all places that pulled people in to make transactions, at the same time, they required one to pay a high “admission fee”.
The escorting young women stated: “Today’s Falling Flame Auction will be selling many rare treasures, so the admission fee is a bit higher than usual. It costs twenty purple profound coins.”
Twenty didn’t sound that high… but it was twenty purple profound coins, a full two hundred thousand yellow profound coins! And it was even just the “admission fee”!
Yun Che didn’t say anything further as he happily handed over twenty purple profound coins… The young lady in front of him absolutely would never think that there were millions upon millions of yellow profound coins on Yun Che’s chest.
“Sir, please follow me.”
The young woman accepted the purple profound coins, then brought Yun Che into a dark alley. After taking several turns on multiple roads, they walked into a concealed underground area. It was not wide, and there were only a total of thirty to forty chairs. At this time, around twenty something people were seated in a scattered fashion. Even though this place was remote and concealed, none of the clothes these people wore were not extremely luxurious… Those who were willing pay the high admission fee of twenty purple profound coins were in no way from a simple family.
When Yun Che came in, everyone present gave him a glance, one after the other. After perceiving that he was only at the Earth Profound Realm, their faces all revealed expressions of disdain. Then, they all turned their heads without bothering to take another look. Earth Profound Realm at not even the age of twenty was a rarely seen genius in Blue Wind Nation, but in Divine Phoenix Empire, it could only be reduced to a low-class individual. In the eyes of these upper class boasters, it was simply not worth mentioning.
Yun Che obviously did not bother to take note of anyone here, as he randomly picked a place to sit.
After Yun Che, no one else came in. Not long after, a charming voice came over: “Sirs, we have made you wait for a long time.”
A hidden door opened, and a well-developed graceful woman slowly walked out. Following behind her, was a gray haired elderly man. The woman wore a close-fitting black garment that revealed every inch of her curves, her beautiful eyes were like peach blossoms, bright and limpid as she looked at everyone present, and nearly stole their souls.
“Yo… my little Qi Qi, you’re finally here. I’ve been anxiously waiting for you.” A blue clothed young man stood up. His eyes fixed at the young woman, casting amorous glances her way.
“Hehe, hehe…” The woman covered her lips and giggled, then said charmingly: “Sir Gongsun is always this impatient. This one promises everyone that today’s treasures would not let anyone down. Sirs, you all should widen your eyes and watch me properly. Once we start bidding, don’t ever show mercy! Oh, right, Sirs who have come for the first time, this humble one is Xiao Qi, Falling Flame Auction’s host. You'll have to visit often in the future, and come see me, okay?”
This Xiao Qi woman’s words were flirtatious, and her posture was alluring. Even though the men present still wore a deadpan look, their fingers fidgeted, and they secretly salivated. If one were to speak about those who were truly as calm as before, it would only be Yun Che alone… because the difference between his two wives and this enchantress was just too wide. She didn’t even arouse his male instinct, nor did she pique any of his interest.
“Has this lord ever let little Qi Qi down before?” The young man called “Sir Gongsun” gazed lustfully at Xiao Qi: “I just don’t know if you, little Qi Qi, is one of the treasures up for auction today? If yes, even if this lord has to lose all his property, he’ll still gladly make the purchase.”
“Hehe, Sir Gongsun’s so bad.” Xiao Qi held out her hand to cover her mouth, and gave Sir Gongsun an extremely flirtatious glance which directly made his entire body go limp.
Ten thousand grass mud horses galloped through Yun Che's heart.
(TL: Grass Mud Horse (草泥马) is a homophone of Motherf*cker (操你妈), thus used as a pun here. It has developed into a slang nowadays.)
The auction then finally got back on topic. Xiao Qi extended a dark green jade case from the elderly man behind her. With both hands clasped on the jade case, her charming eyes swept past everyone present. She said with a laugh: “In this jade case, are two Purple Crystal Jade Marrows which contain the purest essence of an enormous purple crystal mine. If you use one to drive a profound ark, one Purple Crystal Jade Marrow could fuel a fifty thousand kilogram profound ark for two hundred hours. If you meld it onto a weapon with spiritual conscious, it could raise the weapon’s intelligence by a lot, you know.”
Purple Crystal Jade Marrow… could increase a weapon’s spiritual conscious?
Yun Che’s heart suddenly stirred. His Dragon Fault was exactly an Emperor Profound Weapon with a spiritual conscious, but its intelligence was not that high. Currently, it could only automatically return if it left his hand, and release a dragon cry if it was angry. If it possessed a stronger spiritual conscious, he would undoubtedly gain a great benefit.
He had only come for the Phoenix Helianthus, and never expected that he would run into this Purple Crystal Jade Marrow. Even though this underground auction was small, the things it sold were extremely remarkable, no wonder the admission fee was that high.
“Oh! It’s actually the Purple Crystal Jade Marrow!” That young man with the surname Gongsun revealed an excited expression: “This lord has been looking for this item for quite a while, I’d never thought that little Qi Qi has it in hand, and it’s even two of them… As expected of my little Qi Qi! Quick, speak. What is the lowest price for these two Purple Crystal Jade Marrows?”
As Xiao Qi held onto the jade case her charming eyes narrowed into thin slits: “Six hundred purple profound coins. Sir Gongsun ought to understand the preciousness of the Purple Crystal Jade Marrow, so this price shouldn’t be considered expensive, right?”
“Six hundred… Mn, this price is indeed generous.” The young man surnamed Gongsun beamed, then executed a half turn while cupping his fists toward his surroundings: “Friends, this humble one is Holy Sword Sect’s Gongsun Yu, I urgently need this Purple Crystal Jade Marrow to raise my beloved sword’s spiritual conscious, and wish that every friend here can be generous enough to allow this humble one to have it.”
Once the words “Holy Sword Sect’s Gongsun Yu” came out, the expressions of many at the scene immediately changed, and the thoughts of bidding against him were also immediately pushed down. Holy Sword Sect could not compare with Divine Phoenix Sect, but it was also one of the famous sects within Divine Phoenix Empire, and a lord that should not be provoked within Divine Phoenix City. And this Gongsun Yi was also the youngest son of the current Holy Sword Sect Master.
A lazy voice sounded at this time: “Lil’ bro Gongsun, since it’s an auction, obviously the highest bidder would win. If you play like that, how's Miss Xiao Qi going to do business? Miss Xiao Qi isn’t saying anything, but I can’t bear to look on.”
Gongsun Yu was not at all angry upon hearing these words. Instead, he laughed heartily, and cupped a hand toward the person who had spoken: “Brother Nalan’s right, this little brother was only momentarily delighted, and was somewhat overexcited. This absolutely won’t happen again.”
Once the word Nalan was heard, the faces of everyone present changed once more… The Nalan Family was also one of the big shots within Divine Phoenix City, and were even thousand year old friends with Holy Sword Sect. The one who spoke was personally named Nalan Xiong, his status within the Nalan Family was also incomparable great. He seemed to be reprimanding Gongsun Yu, but in fact, they were using the fame of their two families to exert pressure on others present, firmly making them not dare to bid against Gongsun Yu.
“Two Purple Crystal Jade Marrows for six hundred purple profound coins, I’ll take it.” Gongsun Yu said with a face full of smiles.
And at this time, an extremely ordinary, yet inharmonious voice suddenly sounded from one corner: “Seven hundred purple profound coins.”
Gongsun Yu’s brows suddenly tightened. He turned his head around, and his gaze landed on Yun Che’s body. He swept a glance at Yun Che’s profound strength cultivation, then, his eyes flashed with deep disdain… but if the other party was brave enough to bid against him, they might be from an illustrious family, so he didn’t dare to rashly offend him as he said without sounding upset: “Friend, it seems that you are not going to give me, Gongsun Yu, this face?”
Yun Che laughed faintly: “What I want is the Purple Crystal Jade Marrow, what does that have to do with your face?”
The corner of Gongsun Yu’s mouth twitched. His complexion distinctly darkened as he sneered: “What you’re saying is quite right, an auction’s fight relies on strength, not face. Since you also want to obtain this Purple Crystal Jade Marrow, then we’ll have to see if you have that ability… One thousand purple profound coins!”