"One hundred and fifty thousand!"
As soon as the words were spoken, the entire auction house fell silent.
The reason was simple...
This Cheng Yaojin who had appeared out of nowhere was simply too audacious!
What was a Hong Luàn?
And who was Hong Luàn?
He was the grandson of the Seventh Elder of the Hong Family, the number one Noble Family in Shishui City. At a young age, he had already reached the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Essence Realm. One must understand that in a region of Shishui City's Level, being able to break through to the Seventh Layer of the Essence Realm before the age of eighteen made one a promising raw talent. If one could reach the Ninth Layer of the Essence Realm before twenty, they were worthy of being called a genius!
At nineteen and a half, Hong Luàn was already at the Peak of the Ninth Layer of the Essence Realm, ranking among the top ten of the younger generation in the vast Shishui City.
Furthermore, before Luoo came along, he had been the youngest Silver Level Hunter in the Underground Alliance and the captain of the renowned Demon Blood Squad.
Who in Shishui City didn't know of such a figure?
And yet this guy had just said he was nothing!
One hardly needed to look at Hong Luàn's face; everyone could imagine just how furious he was at this moment!
"Who is it?"
With a dark expression, his eyes glittering with a cold light like a viper's, Hong Luàn scanned the auction house. He finally spotted Hong Yu's figure in the crowd.
His brow twitched. He had clearly recognized Hong Yu. "I was wondering who it was," he said coldly. "So it's the famous Silver Hunter, Luoo! Heh heh, you dare to compete with me for something? It seems the last lesson didn't teach you that some people are not to be offended!"
"Cut the crap. I bid one hundred and fifty thousand. If you have the money, then make a bid. If not, then get lost," Hong Yu said flatly.
His voice was loud, echoing throughout the auction house.
Everyone's expressions turned a little strange, and they all looked toward Hong Luàn.
'This damn bastard, how dare he speak to me like that?'
A cold glint flashed in Hong Luàn's eyes. Ever since he was a child, the one thing he hated most was being looked down upon! For Hong Yu to openly provoke him was simply unforgivable. Taking a deep breath, Hong Luàn said viciously, "Competing with money? Hah! In all of Shishui City, who dares to compare their wealth with my Hong Family?" He shouted, "Two hundred thousand Gold Coins!"
"WHOA!"
"As expected of the Hong Family, adding fifty thousand Gold Coins in one go!"
"I hear that Luoo is a Lone Hunter. He probably can't afford to bid any higher, can he?"
"Young people are just too reckless. He could have offended anyone, but he just had to provoke Young Master Hong Luàn..."
Although the Yunyuan Pill was precious, its actual value was only around a hundred thousand Gold Coins. Hong Luàn's move to instantly raise the price to two hundred thousand truly shocked everyone.
'Dumbass. A mere Lone Hunter at the Silver Level dares to provoke me? Today, I'll humiliate you so thoroughly you won't know what hit you...' Hong Luàn thought sinisterly. He could already picture the embarrassing and helpless state Luoo would be in, faced with a bid of two hundred thousand Gold Coins after daring to provoke him.
But his fantasy was rich, while reality was cruel!
Without a moment's hesitation, Hong Yu shouted, "Bidding in fifty-thousand increments is too slow. I'm determined to get this Yunyuan Pill. Three hundred thousand Gold Coins!"
"..."
Everyone's mouths were wide open, unable to speak.
One must understand that in today's world, five hundred Gold Coins were enough to support a family of five for more than a year. As for ten thousand Gold Coins, that was enough to buy a decent property in Shishui City. With Hong Luàn's status, the annual allowance he could receive from the Hong Family was only about a million Gold Coins. If not for the considerable profits from his Demon Blood Squad, he wouldn't dare to be so extravagant.
So, while everyone was shocked when Hong Luàn opened with a bid of two hundred thousand Gold Coins, it was understandable when they considered the Hong Family's wealth and his status.
But for a Lone Hunter like Hong Yu, with no backing, to bid three hundred thousand Gold Coins... that brought more than just simple shock!
'This damn guy, how could he possibly have so much money...'
Hong Luàn trembled with anger.
As a Silver Hunter himself, he knew very well that the reward for a mission a Silver Hunter would accept was typically between ten thousand and fifty thousand Gold Coins, and such missions were never easy. Moreover, which Hunter who joined the Underground Alliance wasn't aiming for the Cultivation Quiet Chambers? Almost all of their income would be spent on buying time in a Cultivation Quiet Chamber.
Even with the support of the Demon Blood Squad, Hong Luàn could only save a little over a hundred thousand Gold Coins by the end of the year.
Just as Hong Luàn was stewing in his frustration, Hong Yu's light voice sounded again. "Out of money? If you're out of money, you should just give up!"
Hearing this, Hong Luàn felt the blood rush to his head in a fit of rage. He roared, "Me? Out of money? What the hell kind of joke is that? I'm determined to get this bottle of Pills—three hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins! Follow that, if you have the guts!"
Hong Luàn gritted his teeth viciously, thinking, 'This damn bastard, he dares to provoke me again and again! Today, I'll crush you with money. I'll make you understand that a commoner can never compare to a young master from a great family born with a silver spoon in his mouth!'
Beside him, however, Hong Lin frowned. "Big brother, if he raises the price again, we should give up!"
"Hm?"
Hong Luàn was taken aback.
Hong Lin said, "I have a feeling that guy isn't genuinely trying to get this Spirit Medicine."
"You mean he's trying to trap me?" Hong Luàn said with dawning realization.
Hong Lin nodded.
Hong Luàn wasn't a complete idiot; he had just been so enraged by Hong Yu that he acted impulsively. After Hong Lin's reminder, he gradually calmed down and muttered, "Fine. If he calls out another price, I'll stop."
The two Hong brothers spoke in low voices, but the subtle change in their expressions didn't escape Hong Yu's eyes. A mocking smile played on his lips.
'Tsk tsk, three hundred and fifty thousand? That price is about right. If I add any more, he probably won't follow. I really wonder what kind of expression he'd make if he knew that this Yunyuan Pill came from my own hands, and that I could do the Refining to eat them like candy if I wanted to!'
A playful smile on his lips, Hong Yu said, "Since Young Master Hong Luàn has such a special fondness for the Yunyuan Pill, I'll let you have it!"
With that, Hong Yu stuck his hands in his pockets and actually turned to leave. No one noticed the cold, sharp curve of his lips beneath his icy mask: 'Hong Luàn, consider this the interest for your ruthlessness in snatching that fox the other day!'
Staring at Hong Yu's nonchalant departure, Hong Luàn was momentarily stunned.
He didn't snap out of it until he felt the strange gazes of the crowd on him. He nearly beat his chest and stamped his feet. 'Damn it, that bastard really was setting me up!'
This Yunyuan Pill only increased the chances of advancing to the Earth Soul Realm by a small percentage; a price of around a hundred thousand was already the absolute limit.
If, even now, Hong Luàn couldn't figure out that Hong Yu had been digging a pit to trap him, then he would have lived his nineteen years in vain!
But the problem was, everyone was looking at him. Hong Luàn couldn't afford to lose face!
Even knowing he had been trapped, he could only bite the bullet and force a stiff smile, saying nonchalantly, "It's merely three hundred-some thousand Gold Coins. To me, that's just pocket change. Not like some country bumpkin who has to pinch every penny."
"As expected of the Hong Family's young master, so wealthy and grand!"
"Look at his magnanimity! Three hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins is just pocket change. Now that's a true big spender!"
"Heh heh, you flatter me..."
While Hong Luàn exchanged false pleasantries, his heart was bleeding. He thought viciously, 'Damn you. You'd better pray you don't fall into my hands. Otherwise, I'll make you wish you were dead!'
Naturally, Hong Yu was unaware of Hong Luàn's resentment!
He had already gone backstage.
After waiting for about ten minutes, the auction successfully concluded, and an arrogant-looking Wang Ze, the Advanced Apprentice Craftsman, walked up to Hong Yu.
Wang Ze gave Hong Yu a strange look and said indifferently, "I really don't know what kind of idiot with his head caught in a door would spend three hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins."
"Heh, the world is never short of nouveau riche!" Hong Yu chuckled.
Wang Ze gave a lukewarm smile, not even bothering to look Hong Yu in the eye. He said coolly, "Three hundred thousand of these Gold Coins are yours. The other fifty thousand is the auction house's fee."
Wang Ze tossed a gold card to Hong Yu. It was a gold card from the continent-wide Wantong Bank, which had branches for exchanging Gold Coins in every city.
Hong Yu accepted the gold card with a smile. "I'll be leaving then!"
His mind on the mission for the Restoring Yin Grass, Hong Yu took the gold card and turned to leave.
He didn't notice, however, that his meeting with Wang Ze had been witnessed by Hong Luàn's group as they were leaving the auction house. Hong Luàn frowned. "This Wang Ze is the apprentice of the Underground Alliance's chief Spiritual Craftsman. Why would that Luoo be mixed up with him?"
Filled with suspicion, Hong Luàn approached Wang Ze and asked probingly, "Brother Wang, who was that guy just now?"
"Ah, if it isn't Young Master Hong Luàn."
Wang Ze and Hong Luàn were somewhat acquainted. He greeted him with a smile, then shook his head and sneered, "That guy is a Hunter, named Luoo or something. A while ago, he brought a Yunyuan Pill to the Underground Alliance and commissioned us to auction it for him. That Yunyuan Pill was only Tier One Low Level quality. Although its effects are unique, its value is at most a little over a hundred thousand Gold Coins. I have no idea what kind of sucker with his head caught in a door was willing to spend three hundred and fifty thousand Gold Coins on it. It let that guy make a real windfall!"
Wang Ze waited a moment, but Hong Luàn didn't speak. He looked at him in confusion. "Eh? Young Master Hong Luàn, why does your face look so awful?"
At this moment, Hong Luàn's complexion could only be described as colorful, as if he had swallowed a fly in his moment of greatest triumph—it was quite a spectacle. His teeth were grinding together, and his body was trembling slightly. "Damn it, the sucker with his head caught in a door you're talking about is me! How the hell do you expect my face to look good?"
「Meanwhile...」
Having just purchased the tools to deal with the Red Yin Poison Scorpion from the Shishui City market, Hong Yu was about to pay when he suddenly sneezed. He rubbed his nose and muttered, "Who the hell is cursing me behind my back?"
"Your package, young sir!"
The Shopkeeper said with a fawning smile, rubbing his hands together.
He had seen it clearly just now—the young man before him was holding a Wantong Bank gold card with a balance of over one hundred thousand!
Hong Yu gave a casual reply, put away his things, and turned to leave.
'Yaoyao has Tiger Steward looking after her, so there shouldn't be any problems. Next up, it's time to head to the Dead Soul Mountain Range to find the Restoring Yin Grass and complete this mission!'
The mission for the Restoring Yin Grass had a one-month time limit, and he had already delayed for quite some time. To avoid another Hunter getting there first, he had to hurry.
Mounting a black steed he had just bought, Hong Yu pulled on the reins. The black horse, like an untethered beast, shot forward on its four hooves, vanishing like a gust of wind...
Destination: the Dead Soul Mountain Range!