The grey-robed figure nodded approvingly. He was equally astonished by Shuro's ability to break free from the constraints of the auction. He couldn't help but glance at him a couple more times.
"Thirty thousand Yin coins for the first time."
"Thirty thousand Yin coins for the second time."
"Thirty thousand Yin coins for the third..."
The frenzy of laughter interrupted the grey-robed figure's count.
The crowd turned their attention to Diego, some furrowing their brows, others shaking their heads. The outcome was clear: the young master Chen of Mount Kunting had ultimately lost to the mysterious secular youth in this auction. While it might be a bit embarrassing, this wasn't a duel; losing here wasn't such a big deal.
Although most of the sect cultivators in the crowd stood by Diego, they couldn't help but feel a bit displeased by Diego's repeated interruptions of the auction proceedings.
"If my memory serves me right, there is a rule in all auction houses of the Windrise Hall. During auctions, if one lacks sufficient cash on hand, they can use their personal belongings as collateral." Diego stopped laughing and spoke calmly.
"Indeed, such a rule exists," nodded the grey-robed figure on the platform. "In addition, you can also gather enough money on the spot within half an hour."
"Excellent," Diego tilted his head, giving Shuro an extremely mocking look, then pointed to the warriors beside him. "Ten male warriors and six maids. Seven Treasures Pavilion, give a price."
Silence fell like a shroud.
Most of the onlookers looked at Shuro with pity, even Sun Zhongyuan and the martial residents showed regret. No one had expected that at the critical moment, Diego would sell sixteen warriors in one go. His domineering methods and unyielding nature were revealed in this auction. The sect cultivators in the crowd secretly took note.
"Young master, please don't abandon Xiao Yu!"
"Young master, please reconsider..."
Four beautiful female warriors sobbed, clinging to Diego's legs, but Diego remained unmoved, looking coldly at Shuro.
"Cough... Ten male warriors, valued at eight thousand Yin coins based on age, skill, and appearance. Four female warriors, valued at approximately fourteen thousand Yin coins based on appearance, age, and skill. After deducting various taxes, a total of twenty thousand Yin coins will be paid to young master Chen," the grey-robed man on the stage concluded the discussion with Seven Treasures Pavilion's owner and returned, smiling, asking, "Is the transaction to be completed now?"
"Enough with the chatter, let's proceed with the transaction," Diego waved impatiently.
The four female warriors stopped sobbing upon hearing Diego's words, their faces filled with resentment. Although it was humiliating to follow Diego, it was better than living in constant fear and being auctioned off again, not knowing the temperament of the new owner.
The immortal path is merciless; the lower one's status, the less power they have to resist.
A grey-robed strongman walked out of the Seven Treasures Pavilion and took away fourteen warriors, handing a money bag filled with twenty thousand Yin coins to Diego.
Diego nodded, then raised his hand. "Fifty thousand Yin coins."
With the dust settled, there was no suspense. The onlookers sighed in their hearts.
"Fifty thousand Yin coins for the first time."
"Fifty thousand Yin coins for the second time."
"Fifty thousand Yin coins..."
"Wait!" A voice of a young man rang out.
A commotion swept through the crowd as everyone looked at Shuro in surprise, trying to figure out what valuable item he still had on him.
"Don't tell me you're also planning to sell them. If that's the case, then I have no choice but to concede," Diego glanced at the scattered people around Shuro with a playful look in his eyes.
Some of the scattered people showed signs of discontent.
"How dare you!" The martial residents showed anger.
"What an uncultured kid, wonder which master taught him." Sun Zhongyuan snorted.
Four strands of killing intent rose from the south and the north, rushing towards Diego.
"Useless old man. At your age, you should be lying in bed preparing your coffin, yet you come here to cause trouble," Diego's eyes suddenly lit up, the silvery gleam of the blade flashed, and the blade intent surged again, confronting the four scattered people with ease. The blade intent engulfed the sky like dragons and tigers leaping, suppressing the four strands of killing intent.
"Hmph." The martial residents couldn't bear it and their killing intent surged, crashing into the blade intent.
The martial resident's killing intent was obviously stronger than the previous four scattered people, and when the five scattered people released their killing intent simultaneously, even Diego couldn't bear it. His body swayed, the blade intent dispersed, and a hint of abnormal flush appeared on his face.
Even so, Diego's strength still surprised many cultivators present. At the Foundation Establishment Fourth Stage, he single-handedly confronted five cunning scattered people, albeit with the blade intent. It was enough to be proud of.
"Who is his master? Even if you know, what's the use?" A cold voice echoed in the Windrise Hall, and the five strands of killing intent dissipated instantly. Including the martial residents, the five scattered people all staggered back three steps, their faces pale, blood oozing from their seven orifices.
A casual cultivator appeared in front of the Seven Treasures Pavilion. He looked young, perhaps twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a fair face and no beard, giving him the appearance of a secular scholar. However, anyone who knew him would never dare to underestimate him because of his appearance.
"Oh my, Andrea is here too."
"Andrea is showing mercy."
"Mount Kunting, Tianying Immortal Blade... judging by his tone, could Diego be his disciple?"
While people were still discussing, Diego had already walked up briskly and bowed deeply. "Master, why are you here? Disciple pays respects to Master."
"As expected," someone commented.
"Andrea is not yet fifty years old this year. He has just broken through to the Nascent Infant stage. Diego is not even twenty years old this year, yet he has reached the Foundation Establishment Perfect Stage. This master-disciple pair is indeed well-matched."
"The Southern Sky region has seven seventh-grade sects, and Mount Kunting can rank in the top three all year round. There must be a reason for this."
With Andrea's appearance, the atmosphere in the Windrise Hall became more serious. Although the scattered people were unwilling, in front of powerful cultivators truly entering the immortal path, they dared not act rashly.
After reaching the Foundation Establishment Fourth Stage, one begins to establish the Yellow Court and then refine the True Dan. There are also four stages in the True Dan realm, each vastly different from the other. After reaching the True Dan Fourth Stage, one enters the Nascent Infant stage. It can be imagined that the gap between the Nascent Infant stage and ordinary scattered people at the Foundation Establishment Fourth Stage is like heaven and earth, no longer measurable by the strength of power.
For a moment, everyone's attention was focused on Andrea, and the ongoing auction became secondary.
"You're being reckless! Actually competing with mortals." Andrea's expression was devoid of emotion as he rebuked Diego.
In his reprimand of Diego, though his tone was frigid, there lingered a subtle indulgence that everyone could discern.
"Master's admonishment is just." Diego, now devoid of any trace of arrogance, lowered his gaze obediently and said, "The maiden warrior is still pure, untouched by defilement. I intended to bring her back to the Kunting Mountain to serve Master. Master lacks neither elixirs nor treasures. With the fiftieth birthday approaching, I truly cannot think of any suitable gift."
"You do have good intentions. Unfortunately, your 'good intentions' are still merely mortal intentions," Andrea remarked lightly, showing no intention to continue chastising Diego.
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Before the Seven Treasures Pavilion, silence reigned, broken only by the echoes of the retreating wind.
Whether they were martial practitioners from sects or curious onlookers from the wilderness, all were moved by Andrea's words, contemplating deeply.
However, at this moment, Shuro's untimely voice interrupted.
"Give me half an hour."
"What half hour?" The crowd was bewildered, including Sun Zhongyuan and the residents of Wujuren, all equally perplexed.
"You mentioned earlier, Wind Rise Pavilion has a rule that allows half an hour to gather funds. I wonder if it still holds?" Shuro glanced at the gray-robed figure on the platform.
"Of course, it does," the gray-robed figure replied.
The area in front of the Seven Treasures Pavilion first fell into silence, then erupted into excitement.
The gazes directed at Shuro suddenly became intense.
This secular young martial artist, Shuro, surprisingly refused to admit defeat! Hasn't he realized the situation yet?
"Not giving up yet? Do you think anyone will lend you money?" Diego's chilling laughter rang out, clearly suppressing his anger.
There were indeed many wealthy immortal families, wilderness residents, or even foreigners in the Wind Rise Pavilion. Some could even spend hundreds of thousands without batting an eye. The reason they didn't participate in the bidding was partly due to lack of interest, but also because of the disciples of the immortal families. Who would want to antagonize these geniuses, the future elites of the Southern Immortal Dao world?
Currently, with the fame of Kunting Mountain's experts and the arrival of the Heavenly Eagle Immortal Blade Andrea, no one would risk offending Andrea by lending money to Shuro.
"Diego, silence," Andrea's voice rang out.
Diego coldly glared at Shuro, saying no more.
"Indeed worthy of the immortal families of Kunting Mountain, truly magnanimous!"
"I heard that the Heavenly Eagle Immortal Blade is also an instructor at Kunting Mountain's Daoist hall. Today, I finally witnessed his elegance."
"Yes, among the three gentlemen of the Southern Immortal Dao world, Andrea is one of them."
"Encountering such a master will be a topic for discussion in the future."
The surrounding discussions were all praises.
At this moment, Shuro saw Andrea turn his head, casually casting a glance at him.
Except for the Lord Jiulong, Shuro had never seen anyone possess such icy eyes. Though compared to Lord Jiulong, it was like a minor wizard encountering a grand sorcerer, but when such eyes, filled with killing intent, looked at him, even the most resolute person would instantly collapse.
Shuro felt as if the world was spinning, surrounded by icebergs and snow, with a bottomless abyss below him, plummeting rapidly, about to be shattered into pieces.
Biting his tongue sharply, Shuro regained a semblance of clarity.
He knew deep down that this must be Andrea using some kind of technique in his eyes, attempting to shatter his will directly and destroy his mental state and cultivation!
What a venomous pseudo-gentleman!
Shuro cursed inwardly.
Shuro had only recently entered the Foundation Establishment Realm, while Andrea was a grand master in the Nascent Soul Realm. If they were to confront each other directly, Andrea could crush a hundred Shuros with just one finger.
But this was merely a glance from Andrea, using a technique different from conventional methods, a contest of mental fortitude and willpower. As long as his heart remained steadfast, he had nothing to fear.
"Pseudo-gentleman, you underestimate me too much."
With a cold sneer in his heart, Shuro silently recited his mantra.
"I, the compassionate demon!
In Shuro's mind flashed the nameless demonic art. In an instant, the ugly face of Apollo, Leo's bullying, the pitiful appearance of Luo Fu, Diego's arrogance, and Andrea's hypocrisy and malice... Each face, like a revolving water curtain, imprinted itself upon Shuro's mind.
A trace of sinister fire ignited from the depths of his heart, burning brighter with each passing moment. Within the raging inferno, Shuro faintly heard tens of thousands of people chanting in unison, their chant echoing the principles of this nameless demonic art.
Hating the injustices of the world, the lack of fairness in heaven and earth. I, the compassionate demon, am not compassionate.
An unrestrained demonic nature surged forth from his heart. Shuro felt as if the long-suppressed spirit within his chest was suddenly ignited. The qi and blood gathered in his lower dantian boiled instantaneously, with momentum and speed exceeding tenfold from before! Along the trajectory of the true qi, which opened up the circulation of true destiny, it circulated madly!
Under the protection of his demonic nature and qi and blood, Shuro's state of mind regained tranquility. Not only that, but within his original state of mind, there was a hint of unrestrained extravagance and devilry.
Opening his eyelids, Shuro gazed coldly at Andrea.
As Andrea's gaze swept past, a hint of surprise flickered deep in his pupils, then turned dark and gloomy.
With a low cough, Andrea suddenly smiled and spoke, "Do not seek immortality, for it comes naturally to those destined. This opportunity, I wonder, will you accept or decline?"
As his words fell, there was silence in front of the Seven Treasures Pavilion.
"Within my Daoist abode, there is still a lack of a guardian furnace attendant. Today, by chance, I shall bestow this opportunity upon you," Andrea said with a smile to Shuro. "Young man, are you willing to follow me back to the mountain and cultivate the great Dao?"
"Wow!" The crowd erupted.
The gazes of the immortal families towards Shuro immediately changed, even the wandering cultivators showed envy. This was a great opportunity, a step towards the sky, becoming one of the seven major immortal sects of the Southern Heaven, an inner disciple of the Kunting Mountain.
Only Shuro felt a chill in his heart.
The killing intent that Andrea withdrew when he looked away, others didn't see it, but Shuro saw it clearly. If he agreed and followed Andrea back, he would surely become a corpse in Andrea's alchemy furnace.
Amidst the envious and jealous gazes of the crowd, Shuro calmly said, "My opportunity lies elsewhere, Daoist, I'm afraid you've misspoken."
Andrea's face showed no displeasure, wearing a smile, exuding an otherworldly demeanor. "So be it."
The gazes of the surrounding people towards Andrea were increasingly filled with respect. However, the looks directed at Shuro almost all contained the same sentiment: this worldly youth truly had no sense of appreciation! How many people had struggled for generations to obtain an outer sect position, only to be denied, yet Kunting Mountain, ranked among the top three in the Southern Immortal Dao world, actively invited him to join the inner sect for cultivation, only to be rejected. Missing out on such a soaring opportunity, how foolish could he be!
Feeling the scrutiny of the crowd, Shuro silently cursed the pseudo-gentleman even more and became increasingly wary of him.
"Insolent! You impudent little thief, dare to be disrespectful to Master!" Diego erupted in anger, rebuking, "Master is magnanimous and won't bother with the likes of you, a worldly fool. I, Diego, don't have such patience. Hmph, I want to see, in just half an hour, how a worldly martial artist like you plans to gather twenty thousand Yin coins."
"Merely twenty thousand Yin coins, yet you make it sound like twenty million. Just wait and see," Shuro responded calmly.
The onlookers shook their heads in disappointment. In their eyes, Shuro had become the epitome of someone who was arrogant and ignorant of his own limitations.
Shuro looked around as if searching for someone.
The bystanders were even more disdainful. After all the fuss, he still had to borrow money. This was the Immortal Dao world, the Wind Rise Pavilion in the Yin River Five Flowers City, not the mundane world. Even if you had great prestige in the mundane world, it wouldn't count for much here.
Amid Diego's mocking laughter, Shuro walked away.
Shuro's steps were exceptionally fast. To the observant, it seemed like he was fleeing.
Although the Seven Treasures Pavilion was a large establishment, it only occupied less than one percent of the inner hall. Before long, Shuro arrived at a medicine room at the intersection. Standing there was a robust man, towering like a giant, holding a child in his arms. The child, about five or six years old, appeared emaciated, with limbs as thin as dry branches, a tired expression, and a faint strange blue aura circulating around the center of his eyebrows.
An old man inside the room was preparing medicine. His movements were sharp, his grasp of herbs precise, flowing like clouds and water, with the fire just right, displaying the demeanor of a true master.
Apart from the Seven Treasures Pavilion, this medicine room had the most customers, most of whom were watching the old man concocting medicine.
After observing for a while, Shuro strode over to the robust man and bowed respectfully, "Sir..."
"Scram," the man didn't even turn around.
Shuro didn't mind and continued, "The illness of the young master cannot be cured by him, but I can."
The robust man's body trembled like a lion's roar. He slowly turned around, lowered his head, and looked down at Shuro.
Such a domineering gaze!
Shuro's heart fluttered. If Andrea's gaze was as cold as an icy sea, then the gaze of this man before him was like a blazing fire that could incinerate everything in the world.
Indeed, there were many formidable individuals in the Wind Rise Pavilion. Just picking one at random, they were comparable to Andrea in strength.
Shuro felt a chill in his heart. Just as he was about to speak, the man's voice resounded once more.
"Wish to die? Get lost!"
This roar was like that of a dragon and elephant. Shuro was the first to bear the brunt, retreating ten steps, his internal organs shifting out of place, blood oozing from his ears and nose.
Laughter erupted from nearby Seven Treasures Pavilion.
"He's indeed going to borrow money, yet he's still so stubborn."
"This kid is simply unlucky. He actually went to borrow money from 'Dream Immortal Overlord' Adamo. Haha, it's truly hilarious."
"Dream Immortal Overlord Adamo is truly a ruthless character in my Southern Domain. If it weren't for being in Wind Rise Pavilion, that kid would have died ten thousand times over!"
"I heard that Adamo has spent all his family's fortune over the years trying to cure his son's strange illness. That kid really knows how to pick people."
With a cold face, Shuro turned and walked away. He harbored within his chest the priceless treasures left by Lord Jiulong. Even in the Southern Domain, let alone the Tianchen Continent, there weren't many people who could surpass Lord Jiulong in terms of knowledge.
It was Adamo's loss for missing out on him.
Just as Shuro turned around, the sickly young boy opened his eyes, weak and feeble, with only a faint glimmer, as if they were enveloped in a pool of spring water, exceptionally clear. His gaze towards Shuro held a hint of curiosity, but more prominently, despair, akin to a wilting flower on the verge of withering away.
"I never expected that in the Southern Domain, there would be someone daring enough to deceive Dream Immortal Overlord Adamo, and still refuse to repent. These swindlers truly have no fear of the consequences," remarked the shopkeeper of the medicine room, while one of the assistants stared at Shuro's retreating figure, sneering.
Shuro halted his steps, turning his head, "Who are you calling a swindler?"
"Who else but you? I thought you had some backbone for refusing Andrea, but it seems you're just like the rest. A mundane person like you, boasting in the wrong place. My Eighteen Li Puzhou Medicine Room is one of the top drugstores in Five Flowers City. Our shop owner, Elder Tiancan, is the chief alchemy expert in Five Flowers City, a renowned master of alchemy in the Southern Domain. If our shop owner can't cure the illness, who else in Five Flowers City can? If you want to cheat money, go elsewhere," another assistant sneered, turning to the old man beside him, his face filled with reverence.
"What do you mean by that? Are you saying your shop owner is not easily deceived, but I am?"
"Just because of that remark! Tonight's drinking expenses are on you!"
The surrounding shopkeepers protested, joining in, while the guests in the medicine room were drawn over. These shopkeepers and guests were all cultivators with considerable experience. How could they be unaware of what had transpired in front of the Seven Treasures Pavilion? In their eyes, Shuro was nothing but a joke.
"Master? Based on him?" Shuro looked at the old man in the medicine room, lightly smiling, a palpable disdain evident in his tone.
The medicine room fell silent.
Several assistants glared angrily, the robust man's gaze at Shuro was already akin to that of a dead man. However, the two assistants who had mocked Shuro earlier now seemed stunned. They looked at the herbs that the old man had ground into powder, almost unrecognizable, their expressions turning somewhat off.
While others couldn't recognize, as disciples named by Elder Tiancan, they knew that Shuro had just accurately described all the herbs he had mentioned.
The old man continued to prepare the medicine, indifferent to the commotion.
Shuro took another step forward, carefully observing for a while. "So it's the Desert Ginseng King. The Desert Ginseng King is indeed a top-notch warm tonic. Under normal circumstances, using it as a principal medicine is not unreasonable."
"But this is a prescription for adults suffering from withering ailments! For a young child, using such a domineering prescription... Are you trying to kill him?"
The gazes of the crowd towards Shuro seemed to be that of watching a clown. The previously surprised assistants now looked indignant again, pointing at Shuro and cursing loudly.
Adamo's face flushed red, staring coldly at Shuro. The killing intent in his eyes had already gathered into a torrent, as if Shuro would drop dead on the spot if he uttered another word. The child hanging on his shoulder shrank back in fear, looking at the medicine room, then at Shuro, burying his head deeply.
Shuro shook his head. This time, he didn't hesitate, turning around and leaving.
Just as he took two steps, the old man's voice came coldly from behind.
"You've learned a little bit and come out to show off. Foolish! This child has congenital imbalance, untreated for many years, and is now terminally ill. This Desert Ginseng King Jade Pill is the top-grade tonic in the world. If this prescription doesn't work, then there's no medicine that can cure him."
Shuro didn't stop, smiling as he walked, "Desert Ginseng King Jade Pill? Heh, too Pure Essence Pill, Laozi's Replenishment Pill, Overlord Jade True Pill, Eight-Part Blue Dragon Pill... Which one of them isn't a first-class tonic? Can the Desert Ginseng King Jade Pill rank up there too?"
Crack!
The jade bottle containing the prescription in the old man's hand fell to the ground, shattering into pieces. He looked up at Shuro, the previous serene demeanor replaced by thick astonishment.
Adamo's pupils constricted, unable to endure any longer.
"Die!"