91 - A Farewell to Mr. Luo

### Chapter 91 Bai Fan found the child's enthusiasm a bit inexplicable, but she still nodded her head. The trio then followed Qiang Zi downstairs. On the first floor, apart from the entrance where one could retrieve their jade tokens, there was also a corridor at another entrance, with its end covered by a black cloth. The jade token at Bai Fan's waist clinked against the trinket attached to her belt, producing a crisp sound. The three of them easily entered the corridor. Besides them, there were other cultivators passing through the corridor in haste, most of them concealing their faces. Cultivators like Bai Fan and her companions seemed to be a rare sight. "Should we cover our faces too?" Bai Fan asked He Yi Man while touching her own face, noticing the passing cultivators. He Yi Man looked at Bai Fan's rather striking face and nodded. Ming Zhu, who was trailing behind, glanced at Bai Fan for a moment and also thought it would be better to cover it up. Eventually, the corridor saw three more masked figures, their hats draped in black veils covering their heads completely. Even the gust of a fierce wind couldn't lift a corner. As Qiang Zi lifted the black cloth, the interior world of the auction house unfolded before their eyes. It resembled a theater, with tiered seating descending towards a small central stage lit by a single beam of light. The attendees were engulfed in darkness, appearing like hunters searching for their desired prey. Once Bai Fan and the others were seated, Qiang Zi began introducing the place, saying, "This is the Crescent Lake Auction House, and auctions are held here all day long. Cultivators from various paths bring valuable items here for auctioning, although these items need to be appraised first. After both parties agree on the starting price, the item is put up for auction. Once auctioned off, the item is delivered post-transaction, with the Crescent Lake Auction House taking a commission. The buyer and seller never meet, avoiding any subsequent disputes over interests." Bai Fan listened while watching a new auction item being brought to the stage. A charmingly dressed woman held a tray covered with a black cloth. The spectators seemed accustomed to this routine, visiting daily to pass their time and enjoy the sights, even if they couldn't afford to bid. The host of the event was a young, handsome man with a mole at the corner of his lips, his voice exuding a seductive allure. "Now up for auction is today's tenth item. The seller claims it comes from the tomb of an ancient cultivator in North Continent, and it's a low-grade ancient artifact from over ten thousand years ago, beautifully preserved," he announced. The expressions of the cultivators below remained unchanged. North Continent was replete with tombs, and an ancient artifact wasn't uncommon. Its preservation aside, it seemed to hold little allure. Just as everyone assumed it to be mundane, the host continued, as if anticipating their reaction like a masterful emcee, "However, this artifact's most outstanding feature is its ability to create a personal space. No matter where you are, it can serve as a temporary hideout, capable of storing living beings. It is the dream of every cultivator." The audience was immediately abuzz with excitement, including Bai Fan, who couldn't contain her enthusiasm. Such an artifact was unheard of for most, as creating a space within another world involved the laws of rule, a feat no one in their world had achieved. Their storage bags could only hold inanimate objects and had limited capacity. Bai Fan's dreamscape, although a void space, could only hold her consciousness and some dead objects, not her physical self. Qiang Zi gasped softly, "Wow, what luck today to come across such a rare item." A nearby unknown cultivator muttered dejectedly, "Too bad I can't afford to bid, might as well just watch." Ming Zhu blinked curiously, as she had never seen such an artifact before. Items of this nature shouldn't exist in a lower realm; even her birthplace lacked such artifacts. Although the immortal realm had them, they were extremely rare. The fact that someone was willing to auction it suggested it might be a fake. Bai Fan stared intently at the item under the black cloth, trying to see through it, but it seemed to block any spiritual examination, adding to the intense interest among the spectators. Impatient cultivators in the crowd began shouting, "Bring it up, let's see it." "Yeah, hurry up and unveil it." The host raised his hands to quiet the audience, then struck a small hammer on the auction table and announced, "Starting bid is ten thousand spirit stones." The crowd erupted, "How can they start bidding without showing the item? This must be a scam!" "Exactly, what kind of auction keeps the item hidden? This is blatant deception." The host remained composed as he addressed the outcry, "All Crescent Lake's auction items are verified. If it wasn't authentic, it wouldn't be here. Please remain calm. We guarantee its authenticity, so feel free to bid confidently." Despite his assurances, the audience was still skeptical. Suddenly, a voice behind Bai Fan's group rang out, placing a bid. "I bid ten thousand spirit stones." This declaration surprised everyone even more than the starting bid. Someone actually bid without seeing the item, prompting others to start bidding as well. "Twenty thousand spirit stones." "Twenty-five thousand spirit stones." "Thirty thousand spirit stones." "Thirty-five thousand." "Forty thousand." The bids kept climbing, leaving Bai Fan astonished at the wealth of those around her. How could they amass so many spirit stones? Even Qiang Zi clutched his chest, exclaiming, "This is terrifying!" Bai Fan and her companions could only watch the spectacle, as such expensive items were beyond their reach. Ming Zhu, however, was increasingly intrigued, her eyes shining with curiosity. She wondered if it was genuine, and if so, she'd go to great lengths to get it, perhaps even gift it to Ye He and make her happy. Ming Zhu stood up suddenly and told Bai Fan she needed to go out for a moment. Bai Fan, engrossed in the intense bidding, merely nodded, thinking the room was full of ridiculously wealthy cultivators. Meanwhile, several grim-faced cultivators entered Crescent Lake, clearly looking for trouble. But the two Golden Core cultivators at the entrance were not just for show. They immediately blocked the way. "Crescent Lake prohibits disturbances. Please leave." The newcomers, indignant at being dismissed without cause, retorted harshly, "Step aside if you know what's good for you. Which eye of yours sees us as troublemakers?" "Please leave to avoid conflict," the guards insisted. One of the intruders, with a severed arm, looked especially twisted. They were clearly seeking revenge on someone inside, unable to bear the thought of being turned away. Without reaching the Deity Transformation stage, regenerating lost limbs was impossible, and the loss of an arm left a cultivator severely disadvantaged and despised. These thoughts fueled his rage, and he imagined tearing the trio of women limb from limb. Just as they were about to force their way in, a dozen black-clad cultivators appeared, swiftly sealing their spiritual veins and ejecting them from the inn, drawing laughter from passersby. "Those guys must be crazy, trying to cause trouble at Crescent Lake. It's a miracle they weren't killed." "Lots of out-of-town cultivators have been coming to Loulan lately, clueless about the rules. Just the other day, one got his dantian shattered by a Crescent Lake cultivator and is now a beggar on the streets." Upon hearing this, they glanced towards the source of interest. On the ground, a disheveled individual was crawling around, rummaging through the garbage like a wild dog looking for something to eat. Standing at the entrance to Crescent Lake, a man with a delicate, feminine demeanor watched the expelled cultivators with a smile. He then turned to Pearl Jade Bird and said, "Let's go in." After retrieving their jade tokens, they followed Pearl Jade Bird down the corridor and happened to pass Ming Zhu, who was on her way out. Pearl Jade Bird stopped abruptly and chirped a few times. "What's up? Was that female cultivator just now a flood dragon?" The feminine man asked. Pearl Jade Bird circled once before flying towards the auction hall, lifting the black cloth. Inside, the bidding was at its peak, leaving only two bidders for the artifact. The feminine man scanned the hall with one glance before following Pearl Jade Bird to where Bai Fan and her group were seated. When Pearl Jade Bird stopped flying, he realized he had found his target. He was surprised to find that the flood dragon was, in fact, a woman. In the auction hall, a woman's voice called out loudly, "One million." "One and a half million," a hoarse, low male voice followed. The voice sounded old, suggesting it might belong to a Nascent Soul stage cultivator. Most people knew that continuing to bid against a Nascent Soul cultivator was unwise, but the woman did not relent. "Two million," she countered. As the price reached two million, everyone expected the man to continue, but he remained silent. The host, standing at the center of the hall, immediately seized the opportunity, "Two million going once." No one responded, and Bai Fan kept glancing in the direction of the previous male bidder, but no further sound came. "Two million going twice." "Two million going three times." With a final rap of the small hammer, the entire hall erupted in surprise and awe. "This artifact with the ability to create a personal space has been sold for two million. Will the successful female bidder please proceed to the backstage for the transaction," the host announced. He then lifted the black cloth on the tray, and Bai Fan leaned forward, her eyes fixed on the object beneath the cloth. --- ### Navigation Previous Chapter | Table of Contents | Next Chapter **Home | Desktop Version | Library | All Novels | Popular Novels**