‘You! What are you doing?’ Patriarch Tiger Fist reached out to grab their head, while Elder Yan stood from his seat, about to make a move, when pressure filled the entire Auction House. The oppressive force pressed against the entirety of the guests.

Patriarch Tiger Fist continued to reach out, grabbing his son’s head, before pushing him down onto his knees. ‘Of all the things you had to do, you had to bully a damn cripple in the Auction House, you damn hellspawn?’

Young Master Tiger Fist was on all fours, his forehead pinned down against the floor. Of all the beings in this entire city, there was only one that the Young Master could bow his head towards, especially on the ground, and it was the Auction Elder. Though in this city, the Tiger Fist family was one of the greatest forces, that had no bearing in the walls that made up the Auction House.

“Forgive me, Auction Elder!” Young Master Tiger Fist gasped, trying to breathe through the intense pressure against his shoulders. His long, red hair streaked down across the floor, dishevelled as he tried to beg for forgiveness.

Mika coughed up blood, spitting it out beside the Young Master. He wiped his mouth and stood up, having not expected that the Young Master of the Tiger Fist family was this much of a fool. He would have to remember that the Young Master was an irredeemable fool in the future.

Patriarch Tiger Fist held the back of his son’s head, not allowing him to pull his head up even if he was able to do so. “My son made a mistake, Auction Elder!” The Patriarch’s mind was racing as he tried to find a way to get out of this situation with his son alive, preferable with all his limbs intact.

Elder Yan appeared beside Mika, bringing a pill out for the boy to consume, before assisting him in refining it. Patriarch Tiger Fist’s eyes stared up at the Elder, whose cultivation was far below his own, and yet the Elder Alchemist dared to give him that look. It was a look he never would have expected. It was openly hostile, full of killing intent.

Yet, he couldn’t think about how much it offended him, since he was currently trying to deal with the greatest threat. He tried to speak up, but he froze as his son was lifted up into the air, the Young Master of the Tiger Fist family choking in as many breaths as he could manage.

“Do you not have my Auction House within your eyes?” came the cool, dark voice of the Auction Elder. It was soft to all those who were not currently under his scrutiny, but far more threatening to those under it.

“Auction Elder, my son is still young, he-,” Patriarch Tiger Fist swallowed, feeling his throat clog up as those eyes, those silver eyes, which silenced him with a single look.

“For-gak-give me, Auc-shun Eldah,” came the choked apology of the Young Master.

“Precious guests within my Auction House have been injured.” The Auction Elder’s voice carried through the area. “Not even your father would dare to act up before me, Tiger Fist. Did you think, for the sake of your father, the Great Elder of your family, I would not kill you in my own home?”

Patriarch Tiger Fist now knew the level of the Auction Elder’s annoyance. To even dare to speak of the Great Elder of his family, it meant that the Auction Elder was willing to slaughter his son before him.

Mika could only find satisfaction with the situation. Those who dared to bare their fangs towards him were now getting their comeuppance. However, there was a small issue which they needed to deal with.

“Auction Elder!” Mika shouted, palming his fist as he greeted the older man. “This Page asks you to show your mercy!”

The Auction Elder’s silver eyes fell down towards Mika, who was bowing deeply as he gave him a cultivator’s greeting. The boy, from a small family in a town, was no doubt worried about how his family would be in danger from the death of the Young Master of the Tiger Fist family since he was the reason why the foolish brat acted up.

“We all know that the Tiger Fists just behave in such a way since it is in their nature, they cannot help themselves,” Mika said.

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The Auction Elder blinked, while Elder Yan swallowed, feeling his throat clog up. The entire auction was silent. Mika had essentially called the Tiger Fist family a bunch of no good dogs, though he had done so nicely.

‘What did he just say?’ The Auction Elder wasn’t sure if he had heard the young boy correctly, but he was certain that the boy, while asking for mercy for the family, had belittled them before the entire auction, including the other Patriarchs and Matriarchs around them.

‘How dare you aim for prey which belongs to me, brat,’ Mika thought, still holding his fist within his palm.

Even the Patriarch of the Tiger Fist family was stunned by Mika’s outburst, his eyes shooting towards the Elder Alchemist, wondering when he’d discipline the boy.

Elder Yan placed his palm over his fist. “Auction Elder, though my apprentice was wounded within your grounds, it is only the fault of the Tiger Fist family. How is it that the righteous family of the Gold Tongues could possibly know the level at which the Tiger Fist family could stoop, to wound a cripple within the Auction House?”

‘You damn-,’ Patriarch Tiger Fist froze for a moment, recalling what he had been told. His son had offended a couple of small time Town Alchemists, but if it was the Starr Alchemy Guild which he had offended… ‘You hellspawn bastard! How could it be that my blood runs through your veins when you’re no smarter than a damn dog?’

Patriarch Tiger Fist was more than familiar with the Starr family, for the Elder Alchemist was the direct descendant of that man, the Alchemist who even the royal families don’t dare to offend. Even if the Elder was banished out, he was still a Starr.

The Patriarch dared to stand up before the Auction Elder, placing his palm over his fist. “The Tiger Fist family will formally apologise to the Auction Elder. We will also compensate the young Alchemist for our transgression.” If the Elder Alchemist wasn’t going to discipline his apprentice, then it meant he was confident to go up against the Tiger Fist family. It was nigh on impossible, of course, but there was one thing which had unsettled him.

All the other Patriarchs and Matriarchs were focused on bidding for the elixir, but as he hadn’t been able to, he had been focused on something else. He had watched the expressions of the others nearby, and realised that Elder Yan, the Elder Alchemist of the small nearby town, didn’t even blink an eye at the elixir. It could only mean one thing.

The ability to not care about his family or the elixir, it would mean that he had someone very powerful backing him, someone great enough to create such wonderful elixirs to offer the Auction House. Or worse, he had that level of skill.

‘Did you somehow deal with your injury?’

The thought was something which could threaten any family within the city, since it would mean that the Elder had regained his full potential.

The full potential of a Starr.

The Auction Elder continued to half choke the Young Master of the Tiger Fist family. ‘It is one thing to offend the Tiger Fist family, but if Elder Yan is asking for leniency on their behalf…’ His hand tensed, and the Young Master was forced back, slamming through the gates.

“Thank you for your benevo-,” the Tiger Fist Patriarch began before he was cut off.

“What compensation will you offer?” The Auction Elder still held out his hand, and he still had the Young Master within his grasp.

The Patriarch of the Tiger Fist family remained silent only for a moment, his mind racing as he thought about what he had learnt from the auction guard. He had been briefed after he had taken his place, and had learned that the Elder Alchemist had made quite a few waves.

His eyes turned towards the Elder Alchemist, and he summoned out a set of gauntlets, as well as a martial art manual. The gauntlets were Low Mystical grade, whereas the martial art manual was High Sky grade. “I offer you my sincerest apologies, Elder Alchemist.”

Elder Yan, for the sake of the Auction Elder, decided to leave the matter there. If Mika had an issue, he’d speak up, he was certain of that. “I will accept your apologies, and offer my sincerest advice. The Tiger Fist family should be careful of offending those they cannot afford to offend.”

The Patriarch’s eyes darkened, but he slowly bowed his head. “I will take your words to heart, Elder Alchemist.”

“Are there any complaints as to how the situation has been resolved?” The Auction Elder glared down at the Patriarch.

“There are no complaints from the Tiger Fist family,” the Patriarch assured, bowing respectfully.

“If you find that there was an issue, we will welcome your Great Elder, and all of your Elites, with open arms,” the Auction Elder said, calmly.

The Patriarch of the Tiger Fist family retreated away. “Stand up.” He glared down at his son, who coughed up blood, before getting up.

“Patriarch Tiger Fist.” Expert Beaux took the opportunity to toss him a pill to assist his son’s recovery.

“The Tiger Fist family thanks you, Exper Beaux,” the Patriarch replied, greeting her respectfully before leaving with his son.

“If anyone else wishes to harm a guest within these grounds of mine…” The Auction Elder lifted his pressure, though those of the ground floor had barely felt anything, while the noble families had been suffering from greater pressure, enough to cause them to sweat. “I will allow no one to plead for mercy on your behalf.”