Chapter 373: Beast Corpse Auction, Mo Yu Makes His Move
As the auction began, a staircase descending into the underground appeared before the eyes of everyone in the auction hall.
When the staircase materialized, an elder dressed in golden robes, wearing a warm smile, slowly walked out.
"Hehe, I am Mo Tianxing. Many of you probably know me. Today, our Black Emperor Sect is hosting this auction, and I would like to thank everyone for attending," Mo Tianxing said, his eyes scanning the crowd. When his gaze landed on Mo Yu, his expression paused for a moment, and he quickly bowed to him with a respectful and humble smile.
This act of reverence from Mo Tianxing caused everyone to freeze in surprise. Following his gaze, they looked over to see a young man seated in the VIP section, flanked by two stunning women—one exuding an air of cold elegance and the other brimming with seductive charm. The crowd was instantly awestruck, and their minds shifted to fully recognize the influence of this young ruler of the Black-Corner Region.
Mo Yu, as the leader of the Mo Clan, had a fearsome reputation. However, because he had risen to prominence so quickly, most people in the Black-Corner Region had only heard of his exploits. Even though they feared his power, not having experienced it firsthand meant they had yet to develop true reverence for him. But now, seeing Mo Tianxing, a veteran Douzong (Dou Sovereign) and the leader of the Black Emperor Sect, treat Mo Yu with such humility, the crowd gained a new understanding of this young ruler's immense influence.
With this realization, some of the older, more reclusive powerhouses of the Black-Corner Region, who had previously harbored slight discontent towards Mo Yu, now silently abandoned any such thoughts. They closed their aged eyes and resigned themselves.
Noticing this, the Little Fairy Doctor, who was sitting beside Mo Yu, couldn't help but flash a look of surprise in her gray-purple eyes. Though she was known as the "Heavenly Poison Woman" and had established her Poison Sect as the dominant force in the Chu Yun Empire, the rapid speed of her rise had left many veteran figures and factions less than fully convinced of her rule. Some even dared to oppose her. She had thought Mo Yu's situation in the Black-Corner Region might be similar, but after seeing the respect he commanded, she realized just how deeply Mo Yu's reputation ran here.
Mo Yu, however, merely smiled. The Black-Corner Region, though chaotic, placed an even higher value on strength. Once Mo Yu had demonstrated his overwhelming power, the people here, while fearful, ultimately held him in the highest regard.
On stage, Mo Tianxing, after greeting Mo Yu, sighed in relief but also harbored a bit of worry. He felt relieved because Mo Yu's presence signaled that the previous tensions between their factions had been resolved. The Black Emperor Sect no longer needed to fear being targeted by the Mo Clan and could continue its growth in peace.
However, he was worried because the biggest fear of any auction was the presence of an overwhelmingly powerful figure. If such a person took an interest in a particular item, no one else would dare to bid against them, thus reducing the competitive nature of the auction and, with it, the profits. And without a doubt, Mo Yu was the most powerful person in attendance. If he made a move, very few would have the courage to compete.
Mo Tianxing couldn't help but sigh inwardly, praying that Mo Yu wouldn't take a liking to too many items and cause the Black Emperor Sect to lose out on too much profit.
"Ladies and gentlemen, let us now begin the grand auction hosted by our Black Emperor Sect. Please enjoy!" Mo Tianxing said, glancing once more at Mo Yu before respectfully bowing to the other VIP guests and then retreating from the stage.
As Mo Tianxing left, the auction platform split open once more, revealing several underground passages. A white-haired elder, full of energy, walked out with a smile, followed by a group of beautiful maidens holding silver trays. These maidens gracefully moved around the stage like butterflies, placing the trays respectfully on the stone pedestal.
"Hehe, to start, we present the first item for today's auction—a finger technique battle skill," the white-haired elder announced cheerfully, pointing at one of the silver trays. On it lay a snow-white scroll.
The first item to be auctioned was a mid-tier Xuan-rank finger technique. Although it wasn't a high-level item, finger technique battle skills were rare, and with the elder skillfully creating an exciting atmosphere, the price for this Heavenly Feather Finger technique quickly climbed.
Hearing the rising bids, even Mo Yu couldn't help but glance at the white-haired elder with newfound respect. He hadn't expected the Black Emperor Sect to have such talented auctioneers.
The Mo Clan had recently grown large enough to host its own auctions, but due to their lack of deep-rooted resources, despite having high-level alchemists and artifact refiners on hand, they lacked skilled auctioneers. A good auctioneer could make a significant difference in the price an item fetched, often driving prices well above their actual value.
Seeing the elder's exceptional performance, Mo Yu developed a sense of appreciation. However, he knew that someone entrusted with hosting such an important event was likely a trusted member of the Black Emperor Sect and wouldn't be easy to recruit. Even if they could be swayed by a high price, their loyalty couldn't be guaranteed.
If the Mo Clan wished to grow strong and stand tall on the Dou Qi Continent, it would need to cultivate its own trusted talents. Luckily, Mo Yu was still young and had plenty of time to nurture the Mo Clan into a force that could reach the pinnacle of the continent.
Leaning back into the soft chair, Mo Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. He knew the auction was only just beginning, and the real treasures, like the beast carcass he was interested in, were yet to come. The items being auctioned now were of little interest to most of the VIP guests.
Tapping his fingers lightly on the armrest, Mo Yu listened to the rising bids in the auction hall and shook his head slightly. What had originally been a starting price of 100,000 had, through the white-haired elder's skillful coaxing, risen to a staggering 570,000. And judging by the atmosphere, the bidding hadn't yet slowed down.
Under Mo Yu's observant gaze, the bidding war for the finger technique lasted around fifteen minutes before finally coming to an end. The original price of 100,000 had been sealed at an astounding 800,000.
"A skilled auctioneer is worth as much as a Douhuang (Dou Emperor)-level expert," Mo Yu remarked, impressed.
The Little Fairy Doctor and Qing Lin, sitting beside him, nodded in agreement. A mid-tier Xuan-rank battle skill had just been sold for 800,000, yielding an 800% profit. While the extra 700,000 might not seem much, when repeated over many auctions, the total gains would rival those brought in by a powerful Douhuang.
This was the value of a skilled auctioneer.
Shaking his head, Mo Yu made a mental note to remind Xiao Li to focus on developing such talent within the Mo Clan. Only by fostering their own skilled individuals could the clan grow quickly and thrive when they eventually moved to Central Continent.
While Mo Yu was lost in thoughts about the clan's future, the auction continued. Following the finger technique, the Black Emperor Sect presented a steady stream of valuable items, even including several Earth-rank techniques and battle skills, sparking fierce bidding wars throughout the crowd.
However, Mo Yu remained unmoved by the proceedings, uninterested in the battle skills and techniques on offer. Only when finely crafted jewelry or ornaments were presented did he show any interest. And with no one daring to bid against him, he easily bought these items.
The reason for purchasing these seemingly impractical items became apparent when the two beautiful women beside him smiled gracefully. In that moment, Mo Yu knew the million gold coins he had spent were well worth it.
"Hehe, the next item for auction is rather peculiar, but for those who have a use for it, it should be quite valuable," the white-haired elder announced, wiping the sweat from his brow as he gestured for the next item.
The floor of the stage opened once again, and ten burly men carefully carried up a large corpse draped in white cloth.
The massive figure immediately drew the attention of many curious spectators.
"There's a strange stench of decay," Qing Lin said, wrinkling her nose slightly.
Mo Yu nodded knowingly as the white-haired elder dramatically pulled off the covering, revealing a gigantic beast corpse nearly ten meters wide.
The corpse, though large, appeared to have been dead for quite some time. Its body was dried and mummified, but the most striking feature was its enormous wings, which had turned a bone-like white. The wings glimmered faintly, almost like jade, and a knowledgeable observer could tell they still contained a unique form of energy.
"Hehe, our Black Emperor Sect discovered this beast corpse in a ravine. After our sect master examined it, we determined that this beast had been on the verge of advancing to an eighth-rank, an extraordinary and fearsome creature!" the elder said solemnly.
His words instantly caused a stir in the hall. A beast about to break through to the eighth rank? That was the equivalent of a human Dou Zun (Dou Venerate)! Creatures of such caliber were practically mythical, possessing immense power and near-immortal lifespans. How could such a creature have died here?
Amid the uproar, Mo Yu's gaze locked onto the wings of the beast corpse. His eyes flashed with excitement.
Before leaving for Central Continent, Mo Yu had planned two major cards up his sleeve. With the completion of his Tian Yao Puppet, only one goal remained: to obtain the "Heavenly Nine-Wing Technique." And the key component to that technique was right before him—within the remains of this Tian Yao Phoenix.
As the elder smiled at the murmurs in the VIP section, he knew that the true wealth of the auction lay in the hands of these guests. Only they had the means to offer something valuable enough to interest the Black Emperor Sect.
"Hehe, I assure you all, we have preserved this beast corpse meticulously. It has not been damaged in any way. And I guarantee that our sect has not tampered with it. That means we have no idea what treasures may still lie within, including whether it contains a nearly eighth-rank magic core," the elder said with a sly grin.
His words added fuel to the fire. Everyone knew that nearly eighth-rank beasts were a treasure trove. Their skin could be crafted into armor, their claws and fangs were sharper than most metal weapons, and their blood would be filled with potent energy. For alchemists, this would be a perfect ingredient for making powerful pills. And most of all, if there was indeed a magic core inside, the potential power contained within it would be immense!
The collective value of such a beast was incalculable, and the elder's words only increased the price of the corpse.
"Enough talking! Start the bidding!" a voice called impatiently from the VIP section.
Hearing the outburst, the elder's smile didn't falter. He gently shook his head and said with a grin, "Distinguished guests, a beast of this value can't simply be measured in gold coins. So, this item will be exchanged through bartering, not with gold."
Upon hearing this, many VIP guests furrowed their brows in contemplation. The value of this mummified beast was indeed extraordinary, but it had been dead for an unknown number of years. Its true worth was uncertain.
Using coins was one thing—if they overpaid, they could always make more. But to trade valuable items for a potentially worthless corpse was a much riskier proposition. The uncertainty left many hesitant.
The atmosphere grew tense as the minutes ticked by, and the white-haired elder, sensing the hesitation, started to sweat. The Black Emperor Sect had placed high hopes on this corpse. If it failed to sell, he would face severe consequences for his failure.
Just as the silence was becoming unbearable, a slender yet imposing figure stood up from the VIP section. His calm voice sliced through the quiet:
"Two Green King Infinite Swords and one Imperial Soul-Stealing Spear."
(End of Chapter)
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