txolops Chapter 140 So-called business is all about calculation.
Chapter 140 So-called business is all about calculation.
Fog has rolled in over Changning County.
The mist seeped in through the cracks of the tightly closed city gate and slowly crept along the bluestone pavement.
The night watchmen on the street had long since gone home, leaving only two stone lions in front of the Demon Suppression Bureau's main hall, standing menacingly in the mist.
The main hall of the Demon Suppression Division was temporarily cleared out, with dozens of mahogany high-backed chairs neatly arranged. Next to each chair was a small white porcelain table with freshly picked pre-Qingming tea on it.
The rising steam from the fragrant tea added a touch of earthy elegance to the solemn venue.
Every three steps along the walls of the lobby, there is a piece of fluorite the size of a baby's fist embedded in it.
These stones emitted a soft and steady white light, illuminating the entire venue until it was spotless, making even the dust in the gaps between the floor tiles clearly visible.
Gu Yan changed into a black robe, with a leather belt embroidered with gold thread around her waist, and her long hair was held back with a simple white jade hairpin.
He stood on the inner corridor on the second floor and looked down. His originally somewhat simple and honest face, illuminated by the fluorite, gained a calmness like a deep pool.
The divine and demonic energies intertwined and swirled within his body, giving those below him an indescribable sense of oppression, even when he was simply standing still.
The chairs in the venue were already about 80% full.
The person sitting first on the left is Master Qingmu of the Azure Dragon Sect.
His blue Taoist robe gleamed with a cold, metallic sheen under the white light, and his withered fingers tapped the armrest of the chair intermittently.
With each tap, the mahogany on the armrest would dent slightly, revealing his inner anxiety.
The first one on the right is Venerable Yin Snake of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons.
He was huddled inside a large black robe, and the floor tiles beneath his feet had turned a faint bluish-purple, a sign that the deadly poison was unintentionally seeping from his body.
Behind the two, the Flowing Cloud Sect, the Emerald Bamboo Sect, and several well-known independent cultivator groups also took their places.
These people may seem honest, but there are actually many hidden undercurrents.
A disciple behind Master Qingmu secretly slipped a jade cicada, no bigger than a fingernail, from his sleeve. The moment the cicada landed, it burrowed into the cracks in the floor tiles and swam toward the center of the hall.
Meanwhile, on Venerable Yin Snake's side, the two accompanying poison children were bowing their heads and silently chanting incantations.
A faint rustling sound came from the bamboo baskets behind them, clearly indicating that the poisonous insects raised inside had already caught a whiff of the treasure.
Gu Yan took in all of this, a barely perceptible smile curving his lips.
He turned to Song Hong beside him, his voice so low only the two of them could hear: "Have all our caretakers been arranged?"
Song Hong, dressed in a smart manager's uniform, nodded slightly upon hearing this: "Thirty-six seats, evenly distributed throughout. The spirit stone bags are all filled with waste paper to ensure the atmosphere is lively. Senior Brother Xiao Chen is already keeping watch in the backyard; if anyone dares to act violently at this time, the Severing Karma Sword will be the first to strike them down."
Gu Yan patted the wrinkles on his clothes and strode down the stairs.
As he landed, the lobby, which had been filled with whispers, fell silent instantly.
All eyes, whether of fear, greed, or scrutiny, were focused on him alone.
Gu Yan walked to the wooden platform at the front of the hall and bowed slightly to the surroundings.
With his signature humble smile on his face, he said, "Esteemed seniors and fellow practitioners, I am honored that you have chosen to stay in my small town of Changning County."
His voice wasn't loud, but thanks to the residual power of the Xuanwu Formation, it clearly reached everyone's ears.
"Due to the shifting of the earth's veins, many talented individuals have perished, and countless treasures have been buried in obscurity. I, Changning County, though unworthy, am willing to act as a matchmaker for you all, so that these treasures may find their rightful owners, thus fulfilling this divine destiny."
Gu Yan's words were well-chosen, but unfortunately, the seasoned veterans in the audience were clearly not buying it.
Venerable Yin Serpent snorted coldly, his hoarse voice echoing in the hall: "Commander Gu, skip the formalities. We paid such a large sum of spirit stones when we entered the city, we didn't come here to listen to your nonsense. Quickly bring out the good stuff, if it's not what you're looking for, I'm afraid your Demon Suppression Division's gates won't withstand my wrath."
Gu Yan chuckled, not annoyed at all, and stepped aside to make room for him: "Since the Venerable One can't wait any longer, let's begin now."
Two servants dressed in red carried up a tray behind him, covered with a piece of red silk that could block divine sense.
The spiritual energy fluctuations emanating from beneath the red silk were extremely unstable, sometimes sharp as a sword, sometimes steady as a mountain.
"The first thing."
Gu Yan lifted the red silk, revealing a bronze ancient sword broken in two.
The sword was rusted and covered with dark red dirt, looking quite ordinary.
"This sword was unearthed from the White Bone Riverbed west of the city. Although the blade is damaged, the remaining power of the sword spirit within it still exists."
Gu Yan reached out and gently stroked the sword. The bronze sword, which was originally covered in rust, emitted a clear sword sound, and a wisp of extremely pure Geng metal energy flashed by.
"According to our Demon Suppression Division, this is very likely a fragment of the sword of the Cold Wind Sword Master from three hundred years ago."
Starting bid: 500 mid-grade spirit stones.
As soon as he finished speaking, a murmur arose from below.
The name of the Cold Wind Sword Master is very well-known in Dongzhou. He is a ruthless person who has cultivated to the Nascent Soul stage.
Even if it is just a fragment, if one can comprehend the remaining sword intent within it, it will be of great benefit to sword cultivators in the Foundation Establishment stage or even the Golden Core stage.
"Five hundred and fifty yuan."
A scarred rogue cultivator sitting in the back row was the first to shout.
This was a servant arranged by Gu Yan; his movements were extremely natural, and the greed in his eyes was perfectly captured.
"Six hundred yuan."
A disciple of the Green Bamboo Sect refused to be outdone.
"Eight hundred yuan."
The price soared, and finally, the broken iron sword was acquired by a disciple of the Emerald Bamboo Sect for a high price of 1,300 mid-grade spirit stones.
At the moment the deal was made, the disciple felt like he had gotten a great deal.
Gu Yan calmly directed the servant to complete the handover, secretly chuckling to himself.
The Geng metal energy was indeed genuine, but it was the result of his deceptive use of paper magic. He forcibly crushed several Geng metal talismans and then, under the pressure of the Xuanwu formation, sealed them into the gaps in the sword.
As long as the disciple goes back and refines it, the energy will immediately dissipate, leaving only a piece of fine scrap iron.
The auction continued, and for the next hour, it was in full swing.
All sorts of strange and unusual things were presented.
There were bones of unknown beasts imbued with the aura of earth fire, ancient array plates with a missing corner, and half a bottle of the Dew of Withering and Flourishing, which is said to add ten years to one's lifespan.
Gu Yan was full of witty remarks on stage. He never guaranteed the effects of these things directly, always using words like "probably", "suspected", or "according to ancient records".
In this very environment, the cultivators below the stage seemed to be blinded by greed, afraid of missing any ancient treasures, each believing themselves to be the protagonist in that picture book, able to find something good.
However, despite this enthusiastic atmosphere, the underhanded tactics against the Zhenmo Division of Changning County never ceased.
In the shadow of the beam in the lobby, three completely transparent ice silkworms were slowly crawling up the pillar towards the backstage area.
That was a secret technique of the Azure Dragon Sect. Wherever the Ice Silkworm passed, it would leave behind a layer of almost imperceptible frost. Once True Person Qingmu activated the incantation, this frost would turn into highly poisonous ice needles, instantly sealing off the venue.
Beneath the main hall, the disciples of the Ten Thousand Poisons Valley were holding a piece of jet-black Dragon Transformation Wood.
The piece of wood was coated with a venom that could corrode the array patterns.
Clearly, they are following the direction of the earth's veins, trying to find the weak point of the Xuanwu Formation.
The leader of the evil cultivators was called Ghost Claw. He held his breath and dug his fingers tightly into the soil.
"Almost there. Just three more inches in and the venom will seep into the core of the earth's veins."
A vicious glint flashed in Ghost Claw's eyes.
The latest chapter is now available! Book lovers, hurry back!
At this moment, Gu Yan was standing on the stage, introducing a long whip that was entirely black.
He seemed completely oblivious to everything around him.
In reality, the feedback from each paper figure formed a three-dimensional dynamic picture in his mind.
"Three silkworms and two pieces of wood."
Gu Yan silently counted in his mind.
He glanced at the cultivators below the stage, who were arguing heatedly over the long whip, and then winked at Song Hong.
Song Hong understood and quietly retreated into the back corridor.
A moment later, a section of the ground above the heads of the evil cultivators from the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons who were digging suddenly collapsed, precisely wedging the Dragon Transformation Wood, along with the fingers of those evil cultivators, into the iron-hard soil and rocks.
"what!"
A few muffled groans, forcibly suppressed, came from underground.
Due to the suppression of the Xuanwu Formation, they didn't even dare to make a loud scream.
Gu Yan retracted his attention; by then, the atmosphere in the hall had reached its peak.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the next item should not be here."
Gu Yan's voice suddenly lowered, and his expression became extremely solemn.
With a wave of his hand, the fluorite white light in the entire hall gradually went out, leaving only a blue lamp at his feet, emitting a cold flame.
This sudden change in environment caused all the cultivators present to grip their weapons tightly. Master Qingmu's hand had already touched the hilt of the sword at his waist, and the hiss of a venomous snake could be heard from the black robe of Venerable Yinshe.
"Don't panic," Gu Yan said softly.
Two paper figures carried in a black wooden box that was tightly locked with nine heavy iron chains.
The wooden box is engraved with intricate runes and is constantly emitting wisps of black energy.
The moment that aura was released, the pressure in the entire hall increased, a suppression from a higher-level power.
"A Nascent Soul cultivator?!"
Someone in the audience gasped in surprise.
Gu Yan pointed to the wooden box, his tone grave:
"The core area of Sunset Valley collapsed, and in the deepest part of the underground palace, a will at the level of a Nascent Soul cultivator once descended. It was a disaster, but it also left behind a clue leading to the highest realm."
"Inside this wooden box is a fragment of a map that I risked my life to copy in those ruins using an ancient, broken treasure."
Gu Yan paused, each word like a heavy hammer blow:
The entire room fell silent.
In this era where Nascent Soul cultivators hide their heads and tails, rarely making an appearance, the term "Transformation God" is an absolute myth.
Master Qingmu abruptly stood up, his previously calm face now filled with disbelief: "Gu Changsheng, do you know what you're saying? A fragment of a Nascent Soul Transformation Diagram—you dare to sell something like that?"
Gu Yan gave a wry smile and spread his hands: "Senior, I am just a junior at the Foundation Establishment stage. My Changning County Demon Suppression Division cannot handle something with such a huge karmic burden. Rather than keeping it and inviting trouble, it is better to exchange it for real spirit stones and let those of virtue take it."
Starting price.
Gu Yan took a deep breath, his voice echoing in the empty hall: "One high-grade spirit stone."
This price isn't high. Even though the ratio of high-grade spirit stones to mid-grade spirit stones is 1:1000, it's enough to bankrupt an average Foundation Establishment cultivator.
However, major sects like the Azure Dragon Sect and the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons have profound foundations.
"Five high-grade spirit stones."
Venerable Yin Serpent was the first to speak.
He didn't give anyone else a chance to bid, and a terrifying toxic gas surged beneath his feet: "My Ten Thousand Poison Valley is determined to win."
Six.
Master Qingmu snorted coldly, and a surge of righteous azure light suppressed the poisonous gas: "Yin Snake, you can't handle such an opportunity."
"Seven! Plus one third-tier spirit herb!"
Prices skyrocketed, and the surrounding cultivators even held their breath.
In this level of competition, each bid represents decades of accumulation for a small or medium-sized sect.
Gu Yan stood on the stage, and the jade box containing the severed finger of the Nascent Soul cultivator, which he kept in his bosom, was emitting an extremely faint vibration.
This vibration was transmitted through his body to the fragments of the painting inside the wooden box, creating a mysterious resonance.
In the perception of a Golden Core cultivator, this resonance is the best proof that the fragmented map is real.
"Ten high-grade spirit stones!"
Masato Aoki was envious.
He stared intently at the black wooden box, his golden core spinning wildly within him: "I'll add another ten-year mining right to a low-grade spirit stone vein!"
Venerable Yin Serpent slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly: "Qingmu, are you really going to use the entire power of your sect to fight for this worthless piece of paper?"
"Waste paper? As long as we can find the remnants of the Nascent Soul stage, even just a single fragment would be enough to elevate our sect to a higher level!"
Two immense golden core pressures collided violently in the sky above the hall.
The fluorite's light flickered, and the white porcelain coffee table shattered.
Those low-level rogue cultivators gradually began to succumb to the pressure, and without even a chance to escape, they all collapsed to the ground, bleeding from their mouths and noses and their breath weakening.
Gu Yan's hand rested firmly on the wooden box as he coldly observed everything before him.
Just as Master Aoki was about to offer a higher price, the murderous intent in Venerable Yin Serpent's eyes almost materialized.
South of Changning County.
A fierce flame shot into the sky.
Immediately afterwards, a deep, thunderous roar echoed throughout the city.
The entire main hall of the Demon Suppression Bureau trembled violently, and a visible crack appeared in the originally stable defensive formation.
"What happened?"
Everyone was shocked.
Gu Yan raised his head, his gaze piercing through the layers of walls.
From the perspective of the paper world, in the direction of the City God Temple on South Street, at one corner of the Xuanwu Formation, hundreds of demonic cultivators were charging into the formation.
Those are people from the Blood River Sect.
The leader was none other than the Blood Swordsman, who wore a bronze mask and a dark red robe.
Upon seeing this, Venerable Yin Serpent was not alarmed at all; instead, he laughed heartily, "It seems even the heavens are on my side."
He abruptly turned to look at Gu Yan, his eyes filled with cruelty: "Commander Gu, I don't think this deal is going to be done."
He slammed the snake-headed cane in his hand onto the ground.
The lobby floor tiles were all smashed.
The poisonous smoke and fragments of magical artifacts that were originally hidden underground suddenly erupted.
At the same time, the ice silkworms that Aoki Makoto left on the crossbeam exploded one after another, turning into thousands of blue needles that covered the entire venue.
Gu Yan didn't move, but just sighed softly and slapped the wooden box with his palm.
The nine heavy iron chains shattered instantly.
"Since we can't reach an agreement, then none of us should leave."
Gu Yan's voice stood out starkly amidst the chaos.
As he finished speaking, a pale white light burst forth from the wooden box.
The two red-clad servants guarding the door quickly flattened their bodies in the light, transforming into two giant red paper cutouts, each over ten feet tall.
They stood like gatekeepers, firmly blocking the exit.
The red lanterns on the ceiling of the lobby all turned an eerie white.
Under the pale light, Gu Yan's usually kind face appeared enigmatic.
He picked up the wooden box and, to everyone's horrified surprise, crushed it.
There was no remaining image among the shattered pieces of wood.
Instead, it was a huge white sheet of paper covered with blood-red runes, radiating a terrifying suction force.