Chapter 470: Zhang Xuan's Move [2in1]
Chapter 470: Zhang Xuan's Move [2in1]
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Millman97
Help you get it out?
The entire auction hall fell silent. The respectable figures of Honghai City stared at one another with so much frustration that they were about to explode.
What the heck was this situation?
Who in the world was that hero in Suite 1?
Your interest...
... is way too heavy!
More importantly, he didn't seem to be in the least embarrassed spouting such dirty words in public; on the contrary, he spoke forcefully and proudly...
Big brother, where in the world does your confidence come from?
Pu!
Hearing those words, the young man from Suite 23 immediately spat out the mouthful of tea that he had just drunk at the elder opposite of him.
The heck! I gave out a long-range Tutelage Jade Token—that is literally worth cities, and its value doesn't lose out to even a Spirit high-tier equipment... If you had made a normal offer, I would still overlook it. After all, it's a fair competition. I can only concede if my financial ability is unable to match up to yours.
But... 'help you get it out', what the heck was that?
The fellow selling the Soulless Metal Humanoid was already in his declining years, and he looked as though he could pass away at any moment. Yet, you want to help him g-get it out?
Am I being too dirty-minded or is your taste really that heavy?
"That..."
The elder beside the young man wiped the tea off his face, and it took him a long moment before he recovered from the shock. "Young master, that person doesn't have long to live so I doubt that he would be tempted by the pleasures of the body. Besides, even if he is interested, he could simply head to a brothel. Why should he resort to finding a male..."
"Cough cough..."
After a bout of violent coughing, the young man finally managed to prevent himself from choking to death. "I know that much. Just that... that fellow from Suite 1 sure is an incredible fellow to be able to say such words... It seems like we aren't the only one astounded by his words. Even that old fellow up there is about to faint!"
"Indeed! No normal cultivator would accept such a depraved offer. How can someone be so shameless?" the elder replied indignantly. In the midst of his words, the ruckus below suddenly disappeared, and following closely, an agitated and excited voice sounded.
"Mister, do you... mean your words?" The old man on the auction stage was trembling in excitement. His face was flushed, seemingly unable to believe the other party's words.
"Of course I do! As long as you pass the Soulless Metal Humanoid to me, I'll try my best to help you get it out!" the calm voice from Suite 1 replied.
"Alright then, I'll agree to it!" Upon hearing the other party's confirmation, the old man nodded his head immediately.
Pu!
"If only I'd known earlier, I would have prepared a few beautiful girls... or perhaps dashing men..."
Hearing the old man agreeing to the matter readily, everyone felt blood welling up in their chest and they nearly fainted.
This works as well?
Cultivation technique, weapons, Thousand Leafed Tree, and even a half 5-star long-range Tutelage Jade Token... You turned all of them down just for this? Your interest sure is unique!
To abandon all of these treasures just for a short moment of pleasure... More importantly, the other party is a male... You have truly opened up our eyes today.
What is even more impressive is how the fellow in Suite 1 can speak such words in public without the slightest bit of embarrassment...
And most importantly of all, how could you tell that the old man on stage has such an interest?
Could it be that you are also...
Everyone shuddered.
"He agreed to it?"
The young man from Suite 23 trembled. For that moment, it felt as though the skies were rumbling.
Did he really come to a prestigious auction or was this truly a place for such exchanges?
Putting aside how his 4-star Tutelage Jade Tokens were turned down from spirit stones, now, even his Thousand Leafed Tree and the even more valuable half 5-star long-range Tutelage Jade Token was rejected, all for just... a moment of relief!
Their world horizons shattered in an instant.
"He... agreed to it!" The elder uttered through trembling lips.
"Damn it! If only I knew that that fellow has such interests, I wouldn't have wasted so much effort!" After a moment of dismal, a vicious glint flashed past the young man's face, and he turned around to command. "Make the offer saying that we can help him get it out as well. Furthermore, we'll agree to all conditions he sets, regardless of what poses he wants!"
"Young master, you..." The elder's body froze. "Isn't your sacrifice... a little too great?"
To go so far for a Soulless Metal Humanoid... Young master sure is vicious to himself!
"Sacrifice? Sacrifice your head! Do you expect me to do it? You think that I, Song Chao, a 4-star master teacher, would do such a thing? You must be joking! If someone has to go, it'll be you. As long as he agrees to sell the Soulless Metal Humanoid to me, you'll have to serve him well!"
The young man, Song Chao, harrumphed.
"Me?" It was just a moment ago that the elder thought that the young master was extremely noble, but after hearing those words, he shuddered and nearly burst into tears.
Do you have to be so callous?
I watched you grow up from young boy to a young man, and I've followed behind you for so many years. To sell me like that... surely this isn't right...
Who did I offend? I'm already so old and yet I still have to give up my reputation and decency... to not please a young lady but a... decrepit, old man?
"Hurry up! Once they conduct the trade, it'll be too late!" Seeing the other party's warped face, Song Chao hurriedly urged him on.
"Yes!" Even though the elder was reluctant to do so, he still stepped forward to the window and said, "Our young master wishes to make an offer. He's willing to help you get it out as well!"
"Ah? Another one?"
"The heck! There's another one who has given up on his decency as well? How in the world did a normal auction hall turn into a location where such deals are made?"
"Are they all mad?"
The entire auction hall flew into a frenzy.
To think that there would be another one to make such an offer. Where's their pride? Where's their common decency?
For this Soulless Metal Humanoid, you all are willing to give up even your dignity?
While the stage below was in a frenzy, in Suite 1, Zhang Xuan was also perplexed. He stood up and facing the suite which had just made the offer, he asked, "You can help him get it out as well? How do you intend to do it? Shall we compete to see whose technique is better so that he can make a better choice?"
Based on what he knew, it should be very hard to get that thing out. Even with the omniscient Library of Heaven's Path, Zhang Xuan still found the matter troublesome. Thus, he was curious to see what kind of method the other party was going to use.
Pu!
Hearing those words, Song Chao felt as though a snake was diving around in his chest, and he nearly tore his hair out with his hands.
Can you at least have some pride?
To compete over whose technique is better... Is it really alright for you to say such things in public? Do you have to be so fierce?
Furthermore, what is there to compete about it? The main issue at hand should be just to satisfy him, right?
The mouth of the elder beside Song Chao twitched, and tears streamed down his face. Doomed, he knew that his reputation would surely be tarnished at this point...
"Why? You can't say anything? To make such a claim despite being incapable, are you intentionally trying to jack up the price?" Upon seeing that there was no response from Suite 23, the person from Suite 1 continued.
"I-I... What other kind of techniques can I use? Of course it's the one that everyone knows of..." Seeing that the elder had been shocked speechless, Song Chao couldn't hold himself back anymore so he harrumphed.
"The one that everyone knows of?"
Hearing the other party's frenzied words, Zhang Xuan was even more perplexed, "What kind of method is that? You should clarify yourself. He has been plagued by an evil spirit and he's currently going through great anguish. What method do you intend to use to get it out? If it is feasible, I'm willing to let you give it a try first."
"Plagued by an evil spirit? Get it out? Th-this..." Song Chao's body swayed and his face paled. If there was a hole in the ground, he would definitely jump in this very instant.
What the heck was this!
Can your words not be that darned?
You kept saying 'get it out' so I thought you were talking about that... I was even willing to have my close subordinate give up his decency to compete with you and it turned out to be getting an evil spirit out...
You must be toying with me!
"So it's to force an evil spirit out..."
"The plague of an evil spirit is incomparably dangerous. Under such circumstances, one's life hinges by a thread. It's no wonder that person is refusing all treasures. After all, given that his life is in danger, what use are those treasures? What he wants is probably a way to expel the evil spirit, but if that is the case... Why didn't he say anything?"
"That is exactly what stumped me as well... However, being plagued by an evil spirit is an extremely rare occurrence. I've only read about it from some ancient books, how in the world did that fellow manage to stumble by it?"
"Soul oracles are skilled in attacking the souls of others. He must have suffered the retaliation of the evil spirits from the soul oracle whose tomb he dug up..."
...
Hearing the words of the person from Suite 1, everyone came to an understanding and wiped away their cold sweat.
So it wasn't what they were thinking. What the other party meant was to get the evil spirit out. It seemed like they were the ones who were corrupted...
"I see..."
Hall Master Sai heaved a huge sigh of relief and his face flushed red.
Zhang shi's previous words had nearly scared him to death. He had really thought that the other party had such heavy preferences... Only after hearing this did he come to a realization.
In truth, Zhang Xuan also didn't expect his words to incur such a huge misunderstanding. His mind had been too absorbed into getting the Soulless Metal Humanoid that he'd failed to consider the possible innuendo in his words.
Just like everyone guessed, the reason behind the affliction of the old man selling the Soulless Metal Humanoid was indeed vengeance from the soul oracle whose tomb was dug up. With his life at stake, it was natural that no treasure would be able to interest him. It was because he had been trying to suppress the evil spirit through the use of battle technique that the Library of Heaven's Path compiled a book on him.
It was because of that that Zhang Xuan could comprehend what was happening.
Recovering from the awkward atmosphere, Song Chao asked, "Based on what I know, the plague of an evil spirit concerns the subject of souls. Since you said that you are able to... get it out, does it mean that you are skilled in that subject?"
Due to the intricacies behind souls, even master teachers would be stumped before this problem. Based on the other party's voice, he seemed to be rather young. Thus, Song Chao was curious to know what method the other party in mind.
The crowd immediately turned their gazes over, and even the old man on the stage seemed a little anxious at this point. He was worried that the man in the suite was just making empty promises.
"The plague of an evil spirit is similar to a lethal poison corroding one's soul. There's nothing I can do about that!" The voice from the suite echoed.
"Nothing you can do about that? Then..." Everyone nearly fainted. The other party had declared so confidently a moment ago and yet he was saying that he was helpless at this point in time. Wasn't this change in attitude a little too rapid?
Having his hope shattered when it was so close to him, the old man couldn't retain his calmness. He immediately asked anxiously, "Then why did you say that you can help me get it out..."
"Since I can discern your condition and describe it so aptly, naturally, I have my own means!"
Man from the suite chuckled.
"This..." The old man was baffled.
The other party had clearly stated that he was helpless toward the plague of the evil spirit. But now, he was claiming that he had a solution in mind. Was that fellow playing him a fool or was there some secret meaning behind those words that he failed to comprehend?
Just as the old man was still stuck in bewilderment, the voice from the suite continued, "Alright, hand the Soulless Metal Humanoid to me and I'll solve your problem. There are too many people here so it's not convenient for me to go into detail!"
"Alright!" After a moment of hesitation, the old man surveyed the surroundings and bowed, "I thank everyone here for participating in the auction of the Soulless Metal Humanoid. Pardon me, but I've managed to find a buyer already. Thus, I can only apologize to everyone here!"
After finishing his words, the old man grabbed the Soulless Metal Humanoid.
Hu!
With a light smile, the old man put the metal humanoid lying vertically on the stage away before walking off.
"Young master, what do we do?"
Seeing that the buyer had been confirmed, the elder in Suite 23 started to panic.
The young master had come over excitedly with a huge fortune in hand just to buy this Soulless Metal Humanoid but in the end... he didn't manage to spend a single cent. He could still accept it if the other party's financial ability was above that of his, but the problem was that... the other party managed to win over the metal humanoid with just a single word without spending a single cent...
The more he thought about it, the more dismal he felt.
"What else can we do? Are you able to expel the evil spirit plaguing him?" Song Chao asked with a darkened complexion.
"I... can't!" The elder shook his head.
The plague of a spirit involved the subject of soul. Even though his cultivation and knowledge were impressive, there was nothing we could do about the seller's problem as well.
"Forget it. Go and look into who the person in Suite 1 is. We'll decide on our actions afterward!" Song Chao instructed.
"Yes!" The elder nodded his head.
If he didn't even know who the enemy was, how could he make suitable preparations?
"To be capable of produce a seventh level painting, discern that the seller is plagued by an evil spirit, and show no interest in 4-star Tutelage Jade Tokens... That person in Suite 1 sure is a mysterious figure. Investigate him! Make sure to dig up every single bit of information about him!"
Song Chao wasn't the only curious one. Everyone in the auction was also dying to know whom that formidable figure in Suite 1 was, especially given how he was able to get Hall Master Sai willingly share his suite with him.
...
"This is the Soulless Metal Humanoid?"
In a vast room in the Appraiser Hall, Zhang Xuan studied the puppet on the floor in interest.
The sale of the Soulless Metal Humanoid meant that the auction had come to an end. Under Manager Luo's lead, the old man was brought to the room.
The metal humanoid was around the size of a real human but its physique was much more muscular. As though crafted using metal, its skin was also gold in color. It was hard to tell the person's original appearance under the metal coating.
Knowing that this wasn't the time to be examining the object, Zhang Xuan stored it in his storage ring right after confirming the product was authentic. Then, he turned to look at the old man before him.
"Mister, please cure me of my affliction!" The old man hurriedly clasped his fist.
In truth, after seeing that the other party was a young man, he suffered a breakdown.
After all, no matter how talented a person was, his extent of knowledge was still limited by his age. He thought that the person who was able to tell that he was plagued by an evil spirit should at least be an old man who was beyond his sixties... He didn't think that the other party would be so young, and he found it hard to believe that such a young person could cure him of his affliction.
If not for the other party pointing out his condition accurately, he would have surely thought that this was a scam.
"Un!"
Nodding his head, Zhang Xuan started circling around the other party silently. Then, lifting his eyebrow, he said, "Hall Master Sai and Elder Jin, I have something that I would like to trouble you two!"
"Zhang shi, there is no need to stand on ceremony. Feel free to speak whatever that's on your mind!"
The duo nodded.
Even though each of their cultivation was higher than the lad before him, the latter had simply performed too many extraordinary miracles. They didn't dare view him as a junior.
"Simple..." Zhang Xuan sent a telepathic message over.
"This..."
Hearing Zhang Xuan's message, the duo stared at one another in shock.
After a moment of hesitation, Hall Master Sai awkwardly asked, "Zhang shi... Surely this isn't good?"
"Just do as I say. I know what I'm doing!" Zhang Xuan nodded.
"Alright!"
The duo gritted their teeth.
Seeing the look of difficulty on the faces of the two elders, everyone was perplexed, especially the old man selling the Soulless Metal Humanoid.
Does my treatment require the help of these two?
"Pardon me!"
Just as he was perplexed, he heard Hall Master Sai and Jin Conghai harrumph at the same moment. Then, the duo lifted their palms and two surges of zhenqi surged into the surroundings, sealing the entire area from the world.
"What are you all trying to do?"
The old man frowned.
Through this action, the duo had sealed his path of escape.
In other words, they planned to make a move on him!
"Do you all... intend to steal the Soulless Metal Humanoid?"
Upon realizing something, the old man's eyes narrowed.
The Soulless Metal Humanoid was incomparably valuable. As just a Transcendent Mortal 2-dan pinnacle cultivator, he was still a far way from becoming one of the top experts of the Myriad Kingdom Alliance. He knew that if he were to spread the word, there was a high possibility that someone might come after him for it.
Thus, as soon as he obtained the object, he immediately rushed to the Appraiser Hall. He felt that given the Appraiser Hall's reputation, they shouldn't conduct despicable acts like stealing the goods of its customers. Yet, to think that... the respectable hall master would make a move on him himself!
"Zhang shi..."
Luo Qin also didn't expect such a sight to occur and his face paled. To think that Zhang Xuan would resort to this eventually!
If the Appraiser Guild were to commit such actions, the reputation of the auction hall would also go down to the drain. An auction hall that had lost its credibility would surely lose all of its customers.
"Don't worry. If I intended to kill him, he would already be long dead. There would have been no need for us to seal his surroundings at all." Zhang Xuan rolled his eyes.
No matter what, he was a master teacher. The other party should have been able to see through the benevolent face he had, why was the other party treating him as though a villain who would resort to such petty crimes?
To kill a person and rob him of his possession... To think that you can even think of this!
It was just a Soulless Metal Humanoid. Its value still wasn't sufficient for Zhang Xuan to go to such an extent.
"That's good..."
Hearing Zhang Xuan's promise, Luo Qin heaved a sigh of relief. Turning around, he saw Hall Master Sai and Elder Jin making a move simultaneously. The old man could barely take two blows before he was subdued. Then, the duo sealed his cultivation, leaving him completely powerless.
These two were top-notch experts. With their strength, dealing with a Transcendent Mortal 2-dan pinnacle cultivator was a walk in the park.
Seeing that the other party had only sealed his cultivation, the old man knew that he was overthinking it and he heaved a long sigh of relief. But still, baffled by the condition, he asked, "What do you all intend to do?"
"Didn't you ask me to expel the evil spirit in you? If we don't limit your movement, how can we expel the evil spirit?"
Zhang Xuan smiled.
Hearing that the sealing of his cultivation was a necessary procedure to expelling the evil spirit, the old man nodded his head and said, "I see! I'll be depending on you then, mister!"
"Un!"
Nodding his head, Zhang Xuan stepped forward. The edges of his lip slowly curled up as he raised his hands.
Pah!
His palm struck the other party's face.
"You..."
The strike had caused the old man to flip on the spot and crash onto the floor. Dumbfounded, the old man stared at Zhang Xuan with widened eyes.
What was going on?
In exchange for the Soulless Metal Humanoid, you are supposed to expel the evil spirit within me. Yet, you had someone seal my cultivation first before... then came over here to slap me... What are you up to?
The old man was just about to ask about the situation when a kick came flying toward him.
Peng!
"What is going on..."
His words were jammed back into his mouth by the kick, and he was sent flying a few meters away.
Struggling to his feet, the old man's eyes were filled with fury. He was about to turn insane at any point now.
But of course, he wasn't the only one that was about to turn insane. Everyone in the room looked as though they had seen a ghost.
This was especially so for Luo Qin. At this point, he nearly couldn't hold back his tears anymore.
Didn't you say that... you aren't intending to kill the other party and steal his possessions? Even if you aren't going to kill him, beating the other party up and taking his possession like that... isn't alright either...