Kou's head had momentarily stopped ticking as all of her attention was now on the scent that wafted against them when entering the establishment, she had to work very hard not to drool, after so long not having eaten anything aside from plain roasted meat and vegetables, this was almost overwhelming.
It had to be said that Kou did not really have to eat anymore, as could any Cultivator nearing core-formation, the body at this point was so adept at taking in Qi or Spiritual energy, that it could sustain itself on just that. Obviously, many a cultivator looked down on those still eating, seeing is as a mortal attachment that had no place in the world of immortals. But apparently neither Kou nor her companion had that disposition towards food.
Once someone reached heights, they might spend 10 years in one cultivation session at a time, and may not have time for food, but neither Kou nor Wu Xiao was at that point right now.
While Kou got a fair few looks inside, mostly from the dining males, Wu Xiao got the attention of the chief waiter, quickly leaving his post hurrying over. "Young Master Wu, what an honor to meet you today! Have you brought the lovely lady to eat?" Kou blinked slightly...Everyone they had meet until now was very respectful to Wu Xiao but this man was almost groveling at his feet, for a moment she almost mistakes him for a puppy.
Naturally, her usually deadpan expression stayed the same as she followed Wu Xiao upstairs towards one of the VIP rooms, but she could not stop imaging the waiter with a wagging tail as he skipped up the stairs... What a weird man he was.
The large room they were guided to had its very own guards standing in front of the door, a lavish table by a window surrounded by soft-looking couches, everything looked ornate and as if freshly taken out of a picture, there was also already an assortment of food and drinks on the table, warm as if they knew that this room would be used today.
This also was not just any food, Kou could smell that the meat was from somewhat strong Beasts, while everything else seemed to have been prepared with spirit-water. In short, it was quite the meal for a cultivator, someone of low rank would kill to eat this as it would improve his cultivation for quite some while. For Kou and Wu Xiao, however, this was just a slight boon. After all, unlike the Island where Kou regularly hunted Rank 4 creatures, on the mainland these things were rather rare.
So this meal was probably very expensive, not that Kou would know.
....
For the first time, it was Wu Xiao that was disillusioned. He had never seen a girl eat that much at once before, usually, females would try to eat as little as possible, to appear reserved, but not this one here. Usually, when people came here there would be ample leftovers since it was more of a status symbol to eat here, filling the table with expensive food to go to waste...
But with this young lady, this would certainly not be the case. With the simple and very convincing line of "Was taught it's rude to not eat what is on the table." Kou annihilated the food in front of her, and Wu Xiao wondered if he could even afford to keep her with a wry smile. However there was something satisfying in seeing her eat like this, she clearly was comfortable enough not to put up any airs.
...
Obviously Kou did not put up any airs, she never did, and her current evaluation of Wu Xiao had risen quite a bit, feeding her was the best way to become her friend. Xiu Shihong had done the same before, with a satisfying smile she leaned back, her potion of the table was licked clean. Xiu Shihong...Hu? She missed her friend... and the others too...her golden eyes moved towards the window and she glanced outside for a little before yawning...
This was one of the rare moments she got to relax a little - and for the coming few months she probably would not get to relax at all. She had to find a way to free Shi Shi and take her away... she had no idea how to do either of these things. She had strength, yes .. but not overwhelming power enough that it did not matter if she knew how to do things or not.
She had learned this from watching Xiong, the man was at-least as clueless as she was in many aspects but if he did not know something he simply overpowered it and it was fine. Kou could not do this here she had to use her head.
...
The expression of his companion had suddenly changed, they had spoken about random things while eating, but now her golden eyes seemed to carry melancholy with it as she glanced outside. What was it that made her look like this? What was her plight? Wu Xiao leaned forward slightly, as he stretched his hand out to gently place it on the girl's shoulder.
...
Kou flinched as she was pulled out of her thoughts, she had been careless for a moment here and her golden eyes shot towards Wu Xiao somewhat lost.."Uh, I'm sorry, my thoughts just drifted off, thanks.. for the meal.." brushing some loose hair out of her face and tried something like a smile. But Wu Xiao slightly shook his head.
"I do not mind, Lady Xue - I just wonder what made you look like this."
'Like this?' What did she look like to make him look worried like that? This felt uncomfortable and she shook his hand off as she got up. " It's..." She was about to say that it was nothing but... that felt wrong too, Wu Xiao had given her a place to sleep food and even helped her gettings things she needed, there was nothing there to mistrust him.. but she did not feel like telling him her problem fully.
"Someone... I like very much, is being held... by something I do not know, and by a power I can't beat. That person will die soon.. if I don't do anything." While being vague about the who's she stripped her problem down to the barebones for telling him, before shaking her head slightly. "Can we continue?"
...
That explanation he did not see coming, maybe there was more to this girl? Of course, there was, given how she acted someone with Wu Xiao's intellect even with the influence of his attraction to her could puzzle together that her background was not as simple as he thought it was. Obviously she came from a powerful line, but it might that she had more perils growing up then he imagined.
Seeing her wolf down all that food, she might just be somewhat of a wild-child...
...
Their 'date' continued her showed her around the Alchemie stores and ... much to his wonder the girl could identify grade and condition of most plants, unlike before here she seemed to know much more than he, or even the alchemists they bought from.
"This is not 3rd-grade Earth-Spirit-Grass it's clearly just second, look at the color of the leaves and the thickness of the stalk." This was not everything, she found every little problem with the plants that were offered, With her deadpan tone and expression, there was no way the Alchemist that were used to screw people over could win against her in haggling. She simply presented the facts and shoved it right into their faces not caring at all about-face or restrained.
...
She felt oddly satisfied. Memorizing the whole book was clearly a good idea, and the days she spent getting taught by Stoneface was neither! Actually having a subject where she was much smarter then other people felt good.
Kou knew that she was not really the smartest person and that she was clueless about many a thing, and sometimes she would get frustrated over this. But haggling the poor shop-owners down and explaining the flaws of their products to them. She felt it was a little mean but it also sucked out a fair bit of anxiety out of her, she was good at something, very good! And her haul was quite impressive.
While she had plenty of herbs brought with her from the Iland she missed a few variations that simply did not grow there anymore or had been all eaten by the Monsters there, while the quality was comparably worse with her skill she could probably out weight that fact. She could now create 4th-grade medicine and pills and skyrocket her cultivation towards the very peak of the 4th realm.
She also got a few pill furnaces, none of which were as good as her own but it was enough to prepare what she needed and she could prepare multiple batches at a time, which would make up for the quality loss. Now to secure a place to stay for the time she needed to prepare herself.
They were currently heading towards the auction house, there would be an auction in the evening and Wu Xiao had invited her, and she had not seen any reason to not go. Wu Xiao walked fairly close next to her - so close in fact that it was slightly uncomfortable as their hands almost touched each other. Kou curled her nose slightly and flicked her hand slightly. Her cloak was hidden under the dress as she would not part from it no matter how many giggly maids wanted her to in her hand appeared a small glass bottle holding pills.
She held the pill bottle towards Wu Xiao and the man stopped his eyes almost falling out.
What she held there were high-grade-regeneration pills from what he could see they were at-least 3rd grade - but their purity seemed very high as they had a lush pink color instead of the usual reddish tone. The clearer the pill's initial color was the higher was their purity.
His reaction was strange to Kou, she had 2 more of these bottles, next to a few others.
....
Kou, of course, knew very clearly what these pills did. They could help a cultivator regenerate in an instant. Refreshing their Qi and Mind. These kind of pills were fairly expensive, and while they only worked until the end of the 4th realm. They would still be largely beneficial as that was more or less the power ceiling.
Wu Xiao glanced around for a moment and quickly hid the bottle with pills. "Lady Xue you really have to become a little more shrewd, these pills are very expensive and people will be very persistent in getting their hands on them." Obviously, with the elders of his family gone, it was quite reasonable to call Lady Xue one of the strongest people currently in the city, but still, with how gullible she was...she might just get screwed over by some weasel.
"Those are for you.... for the help." Just as always she was fairly laconic in her speech and turned her gaze away from him once the bottle had changed owners.
...
Wu Xiao meanwhile felt very pressured, this gift was worth far more then what he had done for her until now. He also felt very helpless. How could someone with so little common sense exist? This was ..after all a Cultivator City! Even if she was powerful! Even a Tiger could fall victim to backstabbing and poison. For him, these pills were rather expensive, but they were not something he could not get his hands on otherwise. But he had silk pants! He was a rich young lord with a family behind him that had amassed wealth for centuries!
There were just 2 kinds of people to him in this world. There were those that could get his stuff over trickery and deception. He was able to deal with those well enough. And those that could just simply kill him and take what he had without a worry. So nobody apart from people that were stronger than both of the core-formation elders in his family.
Because everybody knew that if they hurt him..they would face the vengeance of those power-houses. So taking from him was very much a statement that meant the person did not put the Wu clan into their eyes.
For lady Xue however that was very different. He knew at this point that she was not a famous one. Even if she had an astonishing background. Nobody knew! For everyone else, she was pretty much a fat sheep ripe for picking!
He would have to educate her after this day.. and explain that she should hide her wealth.
...
The auction-house was almost as impressive looking as the Wu-Estate, many finely dressed men and women from prestigious families or sects were flocking inside, those of lesser standing would find themself in a large hall with soft seats right next to the impressive marble stage were items would be shown.
Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.
Obviously those of better background could not be mixed together with the "common folk" They occupied small and private rooms on the second and third floors! Kou and Wu Xiao were guided to the later, 2 soft armchairs were placed here and fine spirit-wine was prepared. Each of these rooms had a large opening to look over the stage, and while they could look out, nobody could look in.
They had the best view of everything that was offered. Kou slowly sat down and promptly sunk about 3 inches into the chair... it was so soft that it might be a good bed, Carefully she took a sip of the wine... tasty. Everything here was clearly made to make the bidders as comfortable as possible. There was probably some deeper capitalistic meaning behind it but Kou did not care.
The day had been exhausting, not for her body, she could go for weeks without any sleep if she wished too but for her mind. So many people looking at her, buying things... The last time she had spend money was back in the sect and that felt like it was in another lifetime all together by now. She was not quite clear of her current standing in the world, but she sure did not count as a member of the sect anymore...So what was she? A Rogue cultivator?
She was ripped out of her thoughts by a voice, it was very bird-like and bright and a voluptuous beauty appeared on stage presenting herself as the owner of said voice. This girl clearly had all the blessings in all the right places and the short clothes she wore just showed this even more. Many a man was breathing heavily as they followed her with their eyes.
"Welcome dear customers to this month's fabulous auction! We have quite a few great items to sell this day, of course only for those that can cover their ambitions with the necessary coins." At that point, Kou blacked out once more. 'I wonder how security is here... these auction places seem to be fairly well stocked... picking up some things here and there.. should not be too hard...' She had always been a thief, after all, now back in civilization these thoughts once more surfaced on her mind.
But she quickly shook her head, right now was not the time for trouble after all.
The Auction went as one would expect, the first few items were rather boring. Low ranking weapons and pills mostly, but, there was not one item going without a bid, the people that sat in the common area would find a use for everything. Even Kou wanted to throw out a bid or two sometimes but was firmly stopped by Wu Xiao.
"These things will be of no use to you Lady Xue, they may appear useful but have very little value. The first part of this auction is very much for the common folk to get their hands on somewhat rare things, that is all. You should wait until the later items where the true value will be found."
Kou could see the wisdom in these words and nodded her head slightly her eyes now glued to the stage, it was unexpectedly exciting to watch the people try to outwit and outbid each other, there were even some threats thrown about. Lines such as "Nobody would dare bid against this grandfather, let me have it, young ones." Or "If anyone bids on this I swear by my clan I will make your life miserable!"
Obviously, it was mostly hot-headed younglings wanting to size some good fortune with their limited funds.
However. Kou's eyes almost popped out as another item was displayed on stage. While everyone else seemed very uninterested, she got up from her chair - both of her tails standing up straight. What was on stage now was a weird plant, looking like ginseng, the lady on the stage praised it as a "100-year-old Ginseng" Of course it was somewhat valuable but one would need an alchemist to make use of it. And there were very few and their prices were expensive. It was actually much cheaper to buying pills less effective and made from worse materials than actually making a pill out of it.
That explained the disinterest of the crowd. HOWEVER! Kou knew what this plant actually was. She had spend a long time reading and memorizing everything in the Alchemie manual Shi Shi had given her. It had to be said at this moment that Kou's knowledge of Alchemie surpassed anyone in the empire. Simply because of the fact that she had access to knowledge that was not available in the empire. Her knowledge and .. also talent would probably place her firmly at the top.
And that was no Ginseng! This was a Dragon's vein! A plant that would grow when a Dragon died. Its properties were mysterious and it's effects unknown in these lands. Obviously Kou was shocked nobody would bid for it. Unaware of the fact that she far outclassed everyone in her knowledge of plants and vegetation.
...
Wu Xiao glanced at Kou.. somewhat lost her reaction was very weird, and he already tried to stop her, but he could feel the excitement in the girl and held his hand in trying to stop her. She called out her voice clear and loud. "5 Highquality-Spiritstones." The bid was outrageous for such an item. What were 5 High-quality Spirit-stones?! It was 500 normal and 5000 lesser spirit-stones! The starting bid was 50 normal spirit-stones after all!
Wu Xiao gasped out, the Lady would throw away money this way! But there was no way he could stop her now after already having called out, stunning half the hall and even the lady on stage.
...
Lin Lin was a little lost. She was the current hostess of the auction house and would present items and take bids. Obviously she played with her charms to get the people to bid even for items that only had use in vanity. She was fairly good at her job. But she had failed to sell this plant the last time around already. The only one that could have any interest in this was a senior alchemist. And the best Alchemist in Wu City could barely finish a batch of 3rd-grade pills.
So hearing a call from the upper-level .. nonetheless the 3rd level and the Wu-clan stall she was a little helpless... Selling such a bad herb to the Wu-clan could inconvenience her in the future, so she hesitated for a moment before calling out meekly... doing something fairly outrageous for an auctioneer.
"Ah, honored Guest, are you... sure? This is... a lot for such a bad flower."
While the Auction-House was a powerful organization, it still would rather not be unfriendly with the Wu-Clan! The manager nodded his head at her from behind the stage, making clear that he stood behind her question...After all, he wanted to avoid angering the Wu-Clan just as much...Why would they try to buy something as cheap as this for that Price? Maybe Young-Master Wu had got himself a lady and wanted to show off, telling her to buy whatever she wanted?
...
"You should lower your bid a little, Lady Xue." Wu Xiao got up from his chair and glanced down at the plant his companion seemed to want. He could not see anything weird with it, it was simple Medical ginseng was it not? There were a few red spots on it but other than that it looked normal.
Without given Kou a chance he raised his voice "Lower the bid to 1 High-quality spirit-stone. and package it up properly." His voice carried quite the amount of authority with it... and that was pretty much it. Nobody would bid against him here...Or so he thought!
A snarling voice filled the room from one of the other rooms. "1 High-quality spirit-stone and 50 Spiritstones... That voice... A thick vein appeared on Wu Xiao's forehead as anger flashed in his eyes. This was Ling Lu! He was the "young" heir of a city closer to the capital. He was of the generation of Wu Xiao's father a man that was already in his forties! He kept on his young-ling like appearance with the help of certain pills. He was a lecherous and very dangerous man that stalked after any woman that had gained his interest. And with a power half-step into core-formation and impressive family background that did not lose out to Wu Xiao nobody dared to complain.
Wu Xiao and he had a rivalry going on after Ling Lu had humiliated his father years before. His failure of a father was of meek character but he was still his father! This was part of the fuel that had pushed Wu Xiao to push himself to the heights he was at today, but he still lacked behind Ling Lu... Who had been stagnant in his cultivation for some years now.
He already knew the motive of the other. He wanted to make him look bad! He very clearly did not care for the plant at all and simply wanted to annoy Wu Xiao.
...
Kou curled her nose slightly at the next bid. She should just go down there and take it without bidding anymore... Nobody had bid before when she called out 5 but now that it went to 1 people bid! She was a little angry with Wu Xiao.. but the current expression he had made her shy away from voicing her complaints.. he looked like he wanted to murder someone. And quickly called out. "2 High-quality Spiritstones."
And this went on.. and on. Until they were back to the initial bid of 5. The voice that had called out now laughed out loud "Oh, friend, I suppose I'm out now, Congratulations for your winnings." The snarling and Schadenfreude was clear in his voice.
Kou had forgotten her anger for Wu Xiao by now...after all, they had gotten the ginseng and it was not even higher than her initial bid. But Wu Xiao looked very angry at this moment. It seemed unlike him to get so worked up and Kou's tails swayed back and forth in slight irritation at the male's reaction.
"It's fine..right? I wanted.. to pay that much anyway, yes?" Her voice was .. as always. But Wu Xiao's shoulders seemed to relax a little hearing her talk and he shook his head. "Of course it is fine..but that Ling Lu did this just to push the price higher.. he did not even want the plant... that bastard...
Afterward, Kou only bid on one more item which she won for 25 High-quality-spirit stones. A flying treasure in the form of a fan, It was a 4th rank treasure, and this time the snarling person did not try to outbid her this time. And a pretty cherry-blossom motive fan found it's way to Kou. Who.. was too dense to appreciate the beautiful motive and simply wanted it to be able to travel faster.
...
The auction continued on and quickly the people that occupied the private rooms got involved as the items worth skyrocketed, everything went away for multiple high-quality spirit-stones. And this item that came out near the end made a large commotion
It was a searing core pill! Everyone could immediately take in the medical aroma of such a pill. It was a fabled 5 ranked pill! Only the Large Sects and the Empirical family had access to such pills usually! The effect of that pill? It would allow one to step into core-formation much easier than normal. For someone like Lu Ling that had come here... exactly for that pill. It was priceless!
The starting price was steep at 80 High-quality-spirit stones. A Price that brought cries of dismay from everyone. Just not for Lu Ling. He had brought over 250 with him today to get this pill.
...
There was silence for a while..Kou glanced at the pill... It was decently made, very clearly by someone that knew his stuff, still, it had clear impurities - she would be able to make better pills! But Wu Xiao had already stood up and stared at the pill when the same snarling voice rang out. "85."
Wu Xiao... smirked, who would've guessed that his time of revenge would come so quickly. He had no use for that pill quite yet, it would take some time still before he could hope to reach core-formation. But he could certainly push up the price.
"90"
This time it was Wu Xiao's time to snarl and Lu Ling became angry.
"95"
"110"
...
..
.
"200!"
Lu Ling slammed his hand down creating a loud BOOM as he called out his bid. It was a splendid display of karma. He should've not tried to make fun of the brat this time around... it would cost him far more than he had thought.
Wu Xiao sat down and leaned back, this would be enough for the day. But Kou..glanced at him.. with her head tilted to the side. Did he want the pill badly? A small glance into her storage told her that she had more than enough to buy 50 of these pills. The savings of a Core-formation cultivator were wast after all! Even more so someone that had once been very close to the very top of this empire, power-wise.
"260"
Kou called out as she leaned forward, and Wu Xiao almost chocked on his Wine.
"Lady Xue!" He called out but before he could continue the auction house shook as spiritual pressure enveloped their room. Wu Xiao almost felt like he was suffocating under the pressure.. but he quickly spread out his own to save himself.
"What are you doing in Wu City Lu Ling!" He roared out as he got to his feet.
"Shut up brat! Your elders are not here so I will just take what is mine!"
Lu Ling tore down the cover that protected their room his handsome face was red of rage and he looked like he had just spat out blood from the shock.
...
Kou glanced at the man that had just shown up. His pressure was strong, but she was able to be just fine while sizing him up with her eyes. Was that allowed? Could one just go and take things? Her ears tilted backward... if she had known before-hand she would have taken a few more things! But would she let him take things from her? Surely not! She would not be suppressed!
Even under Wu Xiao's warnings, she stepped forward her tails sprawling out behind her while her eyes gained a faint golden glow to them! What did she want to do?! Sure she was able to beat Wu Xiao! But she was clearly just in the mid 4th realm when they fought! How would she be able to step up to someone a whole level and then some above her! That was impossible.
...Ling Lu's eyes snapped towards the woman and became wide. His eyes wandering down her form and his lips curled into a smile. "Well, ain't I getting a treat today. A pill and a beauty, Wu Xiao you are really treating me good.." His voice still carried anger with him, and he grabbed forward to grab Kou by the arm.
Nobody could tell what happened. Not even Ling Lu was able to tell. He had stretched out his fingers to grab the girl to pull her towards him. He had done such things before and the girl did not seem too powerful, barely able to stand in his pressure! At least that was what his ego told him. So the situation he was currently confronted with took some second to settle in.
3 Fingers of his hand were currently missing. Flabbergasted he tried to grab the girl, but then his fingers were gone! How did that happen?! While he was contemplating this strange thing... the pain arrived in his brain and he roared out in pain taking a knee while he grabbed his injured hand with the other. "What! You!"
Just then he could see his bloody fingers hit the ground and saw the elegant dagger in the girl's hand shimmering slightly as she leaned down to wipe the blood of the blade...with HIS robe. He Stood up and struck out with his healthy hand, a Palm strike made up out of pure spiritual energy roared and smashed against the girl, clearly, this would destroy that lowly bitch. He was not used confronting someone that could threaten him after all.. so the realization that she had just cut him through his spiritual pressure evaded him.
With a graceful turn, Kou spun around her blade slashing through the Palm-strike. She used her own spiritual pressure like a thin blade, concentrating its power, instead of spreading it out as Lu Ling did. His dispersed energy smashed into the walls destroying a fair bit of the upper floor.
"Please honored guest... stop fighting!" The fat-man that had visited her before rushed up, He was in the 4th realm himself but clearly lacking behind those present...And the top guard of the auction house was not present, as all core-formation experts he was in the capital!
Now however it was Kou's turn to retaliate, Lu Ling just saw her pupils turn into narrow slits before he felt the dagger at his nape. cutting in slightly, even when he tried to shield himself with his spiritual pressure. "You... go away.." Kou was simple-minded in her action.. this guy started the fight, she would not show mercy if he was unreasonable...
Lu Ling and Wu Xiao as well as the Fatty where ..shocked, Kou clearly had not the same rank as Ling Lu had... but it seemed unclear what rank she had, her spiritual energy seemed to be in the late stage of the 4th realm! With Ling Lu already being a half-step into core-formation he should be able to dominate her who was just barely in the late-stage. But he was instead dominated completely not even able to fight back at all!!
Kou pulled her blade back after she got her warning across and ... once again cleaned it on Lu Ling's robes.
The man was so shocked that he spat out black blood "Bitch, I will remember this!" He roared and left.