The auction quickly resumed, though the atmosphere was initially eerie. Everyone fell silent after the auctioneer announced the starting price, as if observing whether someone was interested in the items on stage.
When an item was about to go unsold, and everyone noticed silence coming from a certain box, people began to weakly bid.
Each bid was extremely soft; if the entire auction hall hadn't been completely silent, it would have been virtually impossible to hear what they were saying.
Later, as items were sold one by one, and after realizing there had been no movement from the boxes, people slowly regained their courage and dared to bid in their normal voices, gradually livening up the atmosphere.
This situation almost made the auctioneer, who had impersonated the old man, cry with excitement. Heaven knows what he had just experienced!
He swore he had never hosted such a bizarre auction in his entire career; he was completely at a loss. Fortunately, through his tireless efforts, he finally managed to ease the tension.
Gradually, the auctioneer's previously trembling expression transformed into a beaming smile, as items were auctioned off at their fair prices. "…Hehe, the next item is rather strange, as even we haven't figured out its purpose. However, after careful examination, it appears to be a treasure map." The auctioneer took out a silver tray and carefully lifted the brocade covering
,
revealing
a tattered map.
Upon hearing the auctioneer's introduction and seeing the map's appearance, the crowd in the hall immediately showed disdain, their gazes filled with utter mockery as they looked at the auctioneer on the stage.
Just as someone was about to speak up and ridicule the auctioneer,
"I'll take it."
The hoarse voice, which had been chillingly low in the VIP room for a while, echoed once more. The atmosphere of the auction, which had just begun to heat up, was instantly extinguished by a bucket of cold water, plunging the room into silence once more.
"Whoosh!"
As the sound faded, another black gold card shot out of the VIP room with a whooshing sound, embedding itself once again firmly into the expensive crystal stand.
Auctioneer: ...
The auctioneer's eyes twitched violently. He desperately wanted to muster the courage to rush up to the third floor and tell the big shot in the VIP room that paying really didn't require inserting the card into the crystal stand—it was truly expensive!
However, he didn't dare, and neither did anyone else present.
"There's 100,000 gold inside. Bring the item up..."
As this voice fell, the VIP room fell silent once more, no sound emanating from it.
Upon hearing this, the auctioneer quickly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and stammered,
"Congratulations... Congratulations to the esteemed guest in VIP room number three for winning the bid for this fragmented map at the high price of 100,000 gold coins!"
He then quickly gave a wink to the male attendant beside him, signaling him to bring up the tattered map from the silver tray.
He had been specifically instructed before he came out that if this person won the bid, a male waiter must deliver it. When these people came in, a maid went to greet them, and that maid almost didn't make it backstage alive! The
male waiter ran all the way, carrying the small picture, shuttling back and forth in the auction hall, heading towards the VIP room on the third floor. Everyone secretly glanced at the tattered picture on the silver tray held by the waiter.
They were curious about its origins, wondering why it had caught the eye of such a powerful figure who, when he did make a move, was so famous. Of course, this was just curiosity; everyone wanted to live a peaceful life and wouldn't actually bother with the picture.
Soon, the male waiter handed the picture to Hun Changqing and then nervously left the private room.
Watching the waiter's trembling figure as he left, Hun Changqing muttered with some dissatisfaction,
"This auction house is so unprofessional. Why send a man to deliver things? Where are the maids?"
Although Hun Changqing's murmur was soft, like a mosquito's buzz, every word reached the ears of Medusa and Hai Bodong, the two Dou Zong powerhouses.
Hai Bodong wiped away non-existent cold sweat from his forehead, continuing to stare straight ahead as if he couldn't hear anything, but he subtly glanced at Medusa, whose murderous aura was boiling over once again.
Medusa was truly convinced now. She realized that this beast wouldn't restrain his lecherous nature just because she was by his side.
She was helpless against Hun Changqing; his lust was ingrained in his bones and couldn't be changed. Fortunately, she was right beside him. Anyone who dared to get close would die! Whether he changed or not, the result was the same.
After realizing this, Medusa suppressed the surging murderous intent within her and looked at the incomplete map that Hun Changqing was playing with in his hand with a curious expression. She asked,
"Why did you buy this broken map? Could there be a Heaven-Rank Battle Technique hidden in it?"
After hearing Medusa's words, Hai Bodong also turned his gaze to the small map in Hun Changqing's hand. He knew this thing very well; he would never forget it even if he were reduced to ashes.
Looking back on the life of the Ice Emperor—no, the Ice Sect Master—his early life was incredibly comfortable. However, ever since he encountered this broken map, his life has become utterly miserable.
First, because of his struggle for this map, he was sealed by Medusa for thirty years, spending thirty years as a lowly servant in a run-down map shop.
He studied this broken map for thirty years, but didn't figure it out at all. Then, he was almost instantly killed by Hun Changqing because of this map, and in the end, his old bones were dragged out to do hard labor for Hun Changqing.
And none of the things Hun Changqing made him do were humane. It was truly tragic. Now, he just wanted to find out what this thing that had caused him so much suffering was all about, otherwise, he might not be able to rest in peace until his death.
Hai Bodong stared intently at the tattered map, his eyes revealing a thirst for knowledge.
Hun Changqing glanced at Hai Bodong with a playful look, making Hai Bodong shudder. He then said,
"What's contained here is far more than just a Heaven-Rank Battle Technique. This small fragment alone is worth more than a low-level Heaven-Rank Battle Technique, not to mention the contents of the fragment and the energy it contains once it's fully pieced together.
Hai Bodong, do you know that if news of your possession of this fragment had reached Zhongzhou, countless dou Venerables and even dou Saints would have traveled thousands of miles from Zhongzhou to seize it?" Hun
Changqing's eyes held a mocking glint as he looked with great interest at Hai Bodong, whose body was now stiff.