Monarch of Time

''400... 400.000?'' Someone in the audience seats asked in a stuttering voice as he turned to look at the person who had just called out this bid. 

However, just like Shun Long, this person was clad in black robes that completely concealed his appearance.

The only thing that people could discern was his extremely powerful cultivation base.

Zhuan Jie narrowed his eyes as he looked at this black-robed person in the normal seats down below before he said calmly

''An early rank 9 Dao Emperor can actually take out 400.000 high-grade spirit stones like that? How interesting...

It's too bad that I still need to bid for the earth flame and I can't waste too many spirit stones on a measly rank 7 medicinal herb like this! You can have it this time.''

As he finished speaking, Zhuan Jie threw a provocative look at Shun Long before he activated the formation around his own private room, hiding his appearance once again.

Although Zhuan Jie could keep bidding if he wanted to go all-out against Shun Long, in reality, he hadn't come to Murong city to bid for the 'Golden light flower', but he was here for the earth flame just like the rest of the experts.

If Shun Long really wanted to fight for the 'Golden light flower' and spend more than half a million high-grade spirit stones for it, it would be unlikely that he would have enough to compete with them for the earth flame later on.

What Zhuan Jie didn't know, was that Shun Long wasn't planning on bidding for the earth flame in the first place.

Of course, it wasn't because he didn't want to, but that he was certain that the final price would easily exceed a million high-grade spirit stones, and that this was nothing more than a conservative estimate.

The final price could very well be 2 million high-grade spirit stones or perhaps even higher.

Jia Guiying and the others all stared at Shun Long's private room curiously, waiting to see if he wanted to keep bidding.

Everyone understood that 400.000 high-grade spirit stones had already gone past the actual market value of the 'Golden light flower', but if an expert really wanted it, it wouldn't be unlikely for its price to go even higher.

And yet, Shun Long simply remained silent as he stared at the black-robed person in the audience seats down below who had just called out the bid of 400.000 high-grade spirit stones, without calling out another bid.

A deep look flashed inside Shun Long's eyes at that moment, as he then used his soul sense to ask Little Black

''Little Black, is that Jiang Tianfang?''

Little Black nodded his head and answered calmly, as his bright blue eyes stared at the black-robed person in the audience seats

''Master is right. Although he is using a special technique to mask his aura, it's impossible for him to hide his real identity from me. He is definitely Jiang Tianfang.''

Since his cultivation had only broken through to the early rank 2 of the Dao King realm and Jiang Tianfang had altered his aura using a special technique, Shun Long wasn't completely certain of his guess which was why he had to ask Little Black.

However, although Jiang Tianfang could hide his aura from others, how could he hide it from someone like Little Black?

Even the strongest experts of the cultivation world couldn't hide their true aura in front of the black dragon, as long as Little Black had met them once before.

A smile formed itself on Shun Long's lips after he heard Little Black's confirmation, and after a moment of silence, Shun Long said in a hoarse voice that reverberated throughout the fifth floor

''I was planning to refine a 'Heavenly purity pill' but perhaps it's not meant to be... So be it then.''

'''Heavenly purity pill'?'' Whether it was Zhuan Jie, the silver-haired woman from the 'White ice city' or the other experts inside the private rooms, they all looked puzzled as none of them had ever heard of the name 'Heavenly purity pill'. 

And yet, the moment that Jiang Tianfang heard this, his body suddenly trembled, as his piercing gaze stared at Shun Long's private room with hints of elation and disbelief in his eyes.

The only other person who knew about the 'Heavenly purity pill' was Shun Long who had told him about it, as well as Jiang Chen and the others.

How could Jiang Tianfang not get this hint and realize what was going on?

At the same time, seeing that no one else wanted to bid for the 'Golden light flower' after Jiang Tianfang's bid, Jia Guiying smiled and said in a crisp and clear voice that reverberated throughout the fifth floor

''Congratulations to this esteemed guest for winning the bid for the 'Golden light flower'.''

Jiang Tianfang nodded and stood up, as he walked towards the back of the auction venue where he went to pay for the 'Golden light flower'.

Of course, neither Zhuan Jie nor the silver-haired middle-aged woman from the 'White ice city' and the others were surprised that Shun Long didn't keep bidding.

400.000 high-grade spirit stones were indeed too much for a rank 7 medicinal herb, and although the 'Golden light flower' was a rare rank 7 medicinal herb, it wasn't worth this price in the eyes of these Sovereign realm experts. Especially if they were planning to bid for the earth flame later on and they wanted to conserve their spirit stones.

A few moments later, Shun Long heard a knock on the door of his private room, as the young woman who had escorted him to his room said from the outside

''Esteemed guest, there is another guest that wants to meet you and he says that you are already acquainted with each other. Should I let him enter?''

Shun Long didn't even need to take a look at it, as he sensed the familiar aura of an early rank 9 Dao Emperor outside of his room and realized that it was Jiang Tianfang.

Nodding his head, Shun Long then said with a smile

''Let him in.''

-

Author's note: 3/4