Chapter 304: Auction
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Tian Xie Zi's voice could not be heard by everyone. It made of the divine will. Only those who had reached a certain level of power could sense it, so only limited few people in this tribe could hear it.
Once that old man who wanted to hurt Su Ming was punished for his actions by nearly dying, no other divine will appeared within those dozen something sword-ships. They were all deathly silent.
Within the tribe, in the ordinary looking tent protected by the men in black robes, a surprised glint appeared in the eyes of the young man with a black dragon embroidered on his robe, and his breathing quickened.
"Tian Xie Zi?"
"It's him…" The old man sitting right in front of the young man smiled wryly and nodded his head.
"If I can have such a powerful person serving me…" When the young man uttered the final word in his sentence, he shook his head and took a big swig from his wine cup.
"Second Young Master, don't think about this anymore. That's impossible… as one of the three most powerful Berserkers in the Land of South Morning, he will definitely not join in the battle between the big tribes.
"Of the three great Berserkers, besides Guru Long Li, who is known to the world and currently staying in Western Sea Clan, very few people know about the other two. And even if they know them, they would definitely not spread the news.
"Because powerful Berserkers like these have the right to choose the way they want to live, such as senior Tian Xie Zi. His personality is weird and he's occasionally crazy. There are less than ten people who know about his true identity in Freezing Sky Clan, and even within the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky, only those who have the blood of the Elder like you are allowed to know this secret after becoming adults.
"That is why many of the disciples and outsiders have their own assumptions regarding his identity, but most of them are negative… We wouldn't dare reveal his identity either, or else once he leaves Freezing Sky Clan, it'll be difficult for us to get him back," the old man said with a wry smile.
"His disciples don't know about it as well?" The young man was surprised.
The old man hesitated for a moment before he said softly, "Besides… that person from the Nine Li Tribe, the other disciples shouldn't know about this."
A glint appeared in the young man's eyes. He immersed himself in his thoughts for a moment before he looked at the old man.
"Invite that person called Su Ming to join Western Sea Clan's secret auction after the official auction… I will pay for whatever he wants to buy."
"But… if your older brother learns of this..?"
"I'm just making a friend. I sincerely want to befriend Su Ming and I'm not asking for his help. Are people actually going to stop me from making friends now?" The young man smiled, but there was a chilling glare in his eyes when he looked at the old man.
The old man was silent for a moment before he nodded his head.
"When I was still a child, I heard of the battle thousands of years ago between the three great Berserkers and the Shamans' Great Patriarch…" the young man mumbled, and fascination appeared in his eyes.
Outside, the windstorm continued howling on the snow plain, only growing stronger. At its center, Su Ming could also feel his own aura increasing.
"Snowstorm…" he mumbled. The instant he uttered that one word, an endless amount of snow appeared around in the sky around Dark Mountain, the tribe, and the blood moon!
That snow seemed to have fused together with the snow that had originally been in the area until they could not be told apart from each other. Once they fit together perfectly, the scene that appeared in the sky was the Picture of the snow covered Blood Moon and Dark Mountain!
The moment the picture was revealed, Su Ming lifted his head and let out a long howl towards the sky. The aura within him increased exponentially, and his blood started circulating rapidly within him. The power of Awakening started rising in an astonishing manner.
As it rose, cracking sounds came from within Su Ming's body as if his flesh and blood were being pressed down and his bones were rubbing against each other. That power increased until eventually, a loud bang sounded in Su Ming's head.
The moment it did so, Su Ming broke through the middle stage of the Awakening Realm and went into the later stage!
Almost the second he arrived at the later stage of the Awakening Realm, the Picture of the snow covered Blood Moon and Dark Mountain in the sky charged towardshim like a scroll painting that was dragged into the windstorm, then as it twisted in the air, it flew towards Su Ming along with the windstorm!
The Mountain Mark was on his face, the red moon in his eye, the tribe on his chest, and the snow flew around his entire body!
At that moment, Su Ming's power increased once again. The piece of Berserker Bone he had obtained from Han Mountain's ancestor in the past started melting rapidly within his body. A power that belonged to those in the Berserker Tribe spread out and turned into the power of Awakening Realm belonging to Su Ming. It fused with his Qi, and as his heart pounded strongly against his chest, it spread into every part of his body.
Along with the completion of his Berserker Mark, Su Ming's body experienced an earthshaking change. He became stronger while still retaining his original physical form. His power continued rising, and just when he arrived at the later stage of the Awakening Realm, he shot straight into the peak of the later stage. There was only a little more before he could attain great completion in the Awakening Realm!
Su Ming had a strong feeling that if he closed that small distance and attained completion in the Awakening Realm, then he could try and conquer that realm that belonged only to those who were powerful - Bone Sacrifice!
He would need to refine a piece of his spine into the true Berserker Bone. The Berserker Bone that only belonged to the Ancients and would only appear through atavism! Only when he managed to refine such a bone could he be seen as to have reached the Bone Sacrifice Realm!
If the day came when he could turn all his bones into the Ancients' Bones, then even if he could not split apart heaven and earth and pluck the stars, moon, and sun from the sky, his physical abilities would still be enough for him to have the wind and clouds at his beck and call!
If he could take one more step and become one of the few who, through great difficulty, reached the Berserker Soul Realm after attaining great completion in the Bone Sacrifice Realm, then he could call himself as one of the truly powerful Berserkers in the Berserker Tribe!
It was a long road, but Su Ming longed for it!
Su Ming swiftly opened his eyes and the Berserker Mark covering his entire body glowed, but as calmness filled his eyes, there was also a hint of pity hidden underneath.
He had tried, but he fell slightly short of that step that would take him to reach great completion in the Awakening Realm. He could not cross over and could only stay in the later stage of the Awakening Realm while endlessly accumulating his power.
'I know what's missing…'
Su Ming stood up silently. The instant he stood up, the windstorm around him disappeared and the world returned to its original state. Snow continued falling from the sky.
This time, when Su Ming stood up, he did not rely on the puppet beast but his own legs. As his power increased, his physical body's strength also increased exponentially. The sixteen ice hoops could no longer limit his movements.
'Life is missing from my Berserker Mark… The tribe is empty, but I don't have the ability to draw the people who belong there. I need the song played by the xun in my memories to envelop my Berserker Mark and bring me… to find the path back to my home…'
Su Ming closed his eyes. The memory of Tian Xie Zi bringing him to that peaceful tribe surfaced in his mind. He also remembered the blind, old xun maker in the tribe who could no longer see light.
'I should find time and retrieve… my xun,' Su Ming mumbled and swatted away the snow on his body before walking back towards Western Sea Clan's tribe in the distance.
Zi Che ran forth from thousands of feet away. When he saw Su Ming, the worry on his face faded away. When Su Ming nodded at him with a smile, he followed behind and walked slowly back to the tribe with him.
When the two of them reached the tribe and walked in, almost all the people stood outside their tribes and looked towards Su Ming at the same time.
There were no words, neither were there a lot of actions taken, but when those gazes fell on Su Ming, all of the people lowered their heads. Su Ming walked past them calmly and did not stop. He went to his tent, bent his back, and walked in.
The night went by. Perhaps it was a coincidence, but the moment Su Ming entered the tent, the sun started rising in the distance…
A new day had arrived. Wind blew past the land and lifted the snow, sweeping it through the tribe. This day would be the first day of the auction held by Western Sea Clan!
After resting for two hours in his tent, Chang Yi came to Su Ming's tent with a rather courteous bearing, along with well-hidden complicated feelings, and personally escorted Su Ming to the auction hall.
"Congratulations, brother Su. Your power has improved. Even with my power in the initial stage of the Bone Sacrifice Realm, I still feel somewhat pressured when I stand before you." Chang Yi walked beside Su Ming and spoke as he wrapped his fist in his palm to Su Ming.
Su Ming smiled faintly and wrapped his fist to return the salute, but he did not choose to provide too many explanations.
Zi Che followed behind silently. However, his eyes would occasionally scan through the surroundings with caution hidden within his gaze.
The three of them soon reached the easternmost part of the tribe. There was a large building there. It was built in the form of a ring and looked incredibly majestic; it should be able to accommodate several thousands of people within.
Right in the center was a circular shaped platform. That spot should be the place where the items would be brought out to be auctioned. There were ring shaped stages around that platform. Except for the top layer, which was divided into several individual rooms, the other layers underneath were decorated with several tables and chairs that surrounded the platform. There were already quite some people who were sitting there and waiting for the auction to begin.
The place bubbled with noise. Occasionally, someone would enter, and sometimes, someone would move from their seats to search for their friends to talk. There were also quite a number of Western Sea Clan disciples patrolling around the place and looking at all the people who came forth with aloof gazes.
"The auction is about to start. Brother Su, this way please. Clan Elder Bi Zong Hai reserved the ninth room at the top layer specifically for you," Chang Yi said respectfully. His respect was born not just because of the pressure brought by Su Ming after his power increased, but also because of the piece of news he received just this morning.
Clan Elder Hai sent word to leave a room at the top layer empty for Su Ming.
It had to be stated that there were not many rooms in the top layer to begin with, and they were reserved for the powerful Berserkers in the Berserker Soul Realm. Normal people would not be able to step inside! Besides, the rooms in the top layer were originally filled. That ninth room was only built just this morning.
For one person, they built an additional room. This thing was something that was difficult to imagine for Chang Yi. Su Ming might not be from the same Clan as he, but he still needed to be more courteous and respectful towards him.
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes, but he did not decline having the room. He nodded his head, and under Chang Yi's lead, he went to the top layer and entered the ninth room.
Once he entered the room, Su Ming saw an incredibly beautiful woman with an alluring body and shapely curves standing up from a chair in the room. She smiled at him, and that one smile was flirtatious and filled with a unique charm.
"I am Zi Shan, and my Master is Hai Yun Lai. By the orders of my Master, I have come to provide you with the explanations towards the items that will be auctioned."
A barely noticeable crease appeared between Su Ming's brows. He did not know what happened yesterday night, but he could tell that the man named Hai was slightly odd. He left Su Ming a room for his own and also arranged his own disciple to come forth to provide explanations and serve him. It was pretty puzzling for someone of Clan Elder Hai Dong Zong's status to do such a thing. It was either that he had other plans, or he had a request to make of Su Ming.
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes and he asked unhurriedly, "Is this all?"
Chapter 305: Western Sea's Prelude
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming had already become more mature and was no longer the boy from Dark Mountain who had been ignorant of everything around him. The change in his tribe, waking up in the Land of South Morning, rising in status in Han Mountain City, the trip to the land of the Shamans, and everything he went through in Freezing Sky had let to Su Ming's intelligence continuously becoming more well-rounded at a speed as if he was going through one transformation after another.
Even if he was still not as cunning as monsters, he was no longer a greenhorn.
Take this situation for an example. If it was his past self when he was still in Dark Mountain, he would definitely have chosen to ask what these people wanted right in their faces.
If it was his past self when he had just arrived in Han Mountain City after the change in his tribe, he would have made a different choice. There was a high possibility that he would have gone for a second, less preferable choice, and backed out of the room once he saw it and the woman before him. He would then have searched for a corner and joined the auction from there, crushing all their plans by remaining in solitude.
Yet now, as Su Ming gained more experience, his choice changed once again. He did not choose to ask for the answer, neither did he choose to leave alone and remain in solitude. Instead, he chose to use another method. By acting as if he was extorting something from them, he could discover what the problem was by their expressions, their eyes, and other minor details, and from there, he could make his decision.
"Brother Su, what do you mean?" The woman with the alluring body, whose voice sounded like orchids, Zi Shan, smiled beautifully with a calm expression even after she heard Su Ming's words.
Su Ming did not answer her. He simply cast a calm glance at the woman before he turned around and walked past the stunned Chang Yi, who was standing behind him after he led Su Ming into the room. Judging by his actions, Su Ming wanted to leave the ninth room.
Zi Che followed silently by his side. At that moment, a glint appeared in Zi Shan's eyes. She did not immediately speak, but when Su Ming was halfway out of the room and looked as if he really intended to leave, her voice traveled faintly into his ears.
"Am I like a ferocious beast that you chose to leave right after you saw me?"
Her voice was very pleasant to the ears and made her sound pitiful. There was also a certain melodic quality to her voice, making others want to continue listening to it, but Su Ming was not one of them. With one step, he moved out of the room completely and walked forward without even turning back.
When he was three to five steps away from the room, Zi Shan's voice came once again from within.
"Brother Su, please wait. Of course this isn't everything. As an apology, my Master said you may choose one of the items that will be auctioned off this time and my Master will buy it for you."
As Zi Shan spoke, she walked out of the room and smiled at Su Ming. That smile on her face was so beautiful that it could make hearts race against chests.
At the very least, it made Chang Yi look rather uncomfortable.
Su Ming stopped. With a smile on his face, he turned around and met Zi Shan's gaze. Then he walked towards the room. Zi Shan intentionally moved half a step back, and once Su Ming entered the room, he sat down on the chair by the side.
Zi Che stood behind him silently, like a block of wood. Even if he had his eyes closed, his awareness of his surroundings did not go down. Almost all his attention was poured into every single minute sign of movement around them.
Zi Shan closed the door to the room and strutted inside. She sat down across from Su Ming and once her beautiful eyes sized up Zi Che, who was standing behind him, she looked at Su Ming and smiled before she even said anything.
"Brother Su, you live up to your name as a disciple of the ninth summit, you even brought a follower while traveling around. I cannot hope to compare to you in this matter."
From Su Ming's position, he could clearly see the center of the auction hall underneath through the window nearby. At that moment, the area underneath was bustling with excitement, and streams of people continuously entered the hall.
"He's not my follower but my disciple nephew," Su Ming retorted gently.
"I see, and here I was wondering why this brother looked familiar. Now that you mentioned it, I remembered. Isn't this the famous Zi Che, who is ranked in the top ten in Freezing Sky Clan's ranking board of the Great Frozen Plains?" Zi Shan covered her petite mouth and put on a stupefied look as if she had just recognized him.
Zi Che remained silent and did not bother giving her a reaction. He was already used to this type of ridicule. From his initial bouts of embarrassment, he had grown to not be too bothered by all these, because he knew that the people of the ninth summit had touched his heart in a manner that other places would never be able to do so.
When Zi Shan said those words, her eyes fell on Su Ming as if she was doing so unwittingly and she started searching for cracks in Su Ming's behavior, but alas, she found nothing.
Su Ming still remained calm and composed, and there was not a hint of change on him. After all, he practiced the Clearing Mind Art and his actions were all executed once his mind was cleared. Perhaps his actions would seem slightly green to some old folks, but this woman before him would not be able to find any cracks in his behavior so easily, even if there was displeasure boiling in his heart right then.
Su Ming closed his eyes, ignored the woman's words, breathed calmly, and waited for the auction to start. Bai Su was the one girl who saw this attitude of his the most and had been angered many times in the past due to him ignoring her. She had thought of everything she could possibly do to get him to react to her, but none of them bore great results.
From this alone, it could be seen that this particular attitude of Su Ming's dealt quite a huge blow to women.
Zi Shan stared at Su Ming for a long period of time. This was the first time she had ever seen him with this attitude of his. He was blatantly treating her like an ornament, or perhaps pretending that she did not even exist. It made Zi Shan, whose words were already at the tip of her tongue, bite her tongue and swallow her words.
"Brother Su, you have great bearing…" After a long while, Zi Shan commented once again in a rather disgruntled fashion. Yet her reply was merely Su Ming closing his eyes as if he did not hear her.
Zi Shan stared at him for a while before she also closed her eyes and no longer paid any heed to him.
By doing so, a veil of silence instantly fell over the room, and compared to the noise outside, the room and what went on beyond were like two different worlds.
However, compared to Su Ming, Zi Shan was still somewhat lacking. She could not truly clear her mind and would occasionally open her eyes and look at him. A frown gradually appeared between her brows.
'I refuse to believe that this person can truly remain so calm. He's definitely pretending. I've seen way too many people who like pretending that they're sophisticated characters.' Zi Shan let out a cold harrumph in her heart.
In the midst of the silence in the room, time passed by slowly. Approximately the burning of an incense stick later, muffled drum beats came from the platform at the center of the auction hall.
The drum beats were like rumbling thunder that seemed to be able to shake the sky and earth. The sounds spread in all directions, and each drum beat felt as if it landed on people's bodies, causing most of those who heard it to feel their hearts shaking.
As the drum beats reverberated through the air, whining sounds spread out swiftly and blended into the drum beats. However, they were much sharper and seemed to have snatched away all the audience's breaths before they rose into the sky.
The drum beats and whining sounds made the auction hall that could accommodate thousands of people to instantly fall silent. All their gazes gathered on the platform at the center.
At that moment, Su Ming opened his eyes. He saw nine burly men standing on the platform at the center of the auction hall beyond the balcony. They were striking the beast skin drums placed before each of them with both hands.
The drum beats rumbled in the air and fused together. There were also nine beautiful women wearing white long robes that were somewhat revealing standing beside those nine burly men.
Each of the nine women held gigantic conches in their hands. Naturally, those sharp whining sounds came from the conches.
The moment the drum beats and the whining sounds from the conches reached their climax, the earth trembled. An even crack appeared on the platform at the center. As the crack spread into its surroundings, the men and women went to stand at the edge of the platform. The instant they did so, a gigantic stone pillar rose up from the crack.
Once the stone pillar rose to about one hundred feet, it gradually came to a stop. A mumbling sound that no one could hear clearly spread through the area, and it was followed right after by uproars breaking out everywhere.
As that voice spread out, an astonishing change happened to the sky above the gigantic open air auction hall. Ripples appeared in the bright sky, and they spread out to cover a distance of several tens of thousands of lis.
"Western Sea Clan…" an aged voice spoke from the sky. The moment it did so, as the ripples grew in number, the ripples that covered those tens of thousands of lis turned into a magnificent sea!
It was as if those tens of thousands of lis in the world no longer belonged to Freezing Sky at that instant but had turned into Western Sea Clan's sea. The seawater was as tall as the sky and the ripples that could be seen were all caused by the seawater's movement. The ground where the auction hall was located was then turned into the seabed for this sea!
A brilliant light shone in Su Ming's eyes. He stood up and took a few steps forward to stand at the edge of the balcony before he looked outwards. He was not the only one who did so. At that moment, many people in the auction hall had also stood up to look at this scene, where the world was transformed, and all their expressions changed.
This was not a change brought by a simple illusion but was an astonishing transformation that looked incredibly real. In the space around Su Ming which had now turned into a sea, he saw countless colorful branches appearing. He also saw all sorts of fishes swimming in the water. Some swam in groups, while others swam alone. When Su Ming opened his mouth, he could even see a large amount of air bubbles floating out of his mouth.
"This is a Rune Western Sea Clan invented many years ago. Brother Su, what do you think of it?" Zi Shan smiled and went up to stand beside him. As she spoke, air bubbles floated out of her mouth as well, and it made it seem as if they were really in the sea.
Zi Shan noticed what Su Ming was looking at and explained with a light chuckle, "That colorful thing is called a coral."
As Zi Shan spoke, each of the nine beautiful ladies who wore rather revealing white dresses standing at the edge of the platform at the center of the auction hall brought out a white scale. They stuck it to their foreheads and their bodies immediately floated up. Their naked feet instantly turned into fish tails, and they turned into nine mermaids who swam around the auction hall. Their beautiful singing voices still managed to transmit in the seawater, and those who heard them were enchanted.
Almost the instant the mermaids started swimming in the water, the nine burly men brought out blue beast skins and stuck them on their bodies. Once they did so, their bodies started twisting, and after a moment, muffled roars rang, and the nine men turned into nine ferocious sea dragons. Their roars spread through the entire area and fused with the mermaids' song, creating a sight that shook the people's hearts!
At that moment, the aged voice spoke abruptly from the stone pillar, "After the long hundred years, Western Sea Clan's auction will once again be held in the land of Freezing Sky!"
Chapter 306: Crane!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
When Su Ming saw the mermaids and sea dragons, his pupils shrank. This scene felt somewhat familiar to him, and a memory abruptly surfaced in his mind. It was the memory of the black-robed man who destroyed Dark Mountain. He had also cast an Art like this at the end of the battle and covered himself with a beast skin before turning into a ferocious creature.
"That is the Beast Form Transfiguration Art. You must have heard about it before. This is an Art Western Sea Clan inherited from the Ancients. No one else but those from Western Sea Clan can use this Art in the Land of South Morning." A proud look appeared on Zi Shan's face as she spoke languidly beside Su Ming.
Su Ming remained silent.
As the ancient voice echoed from that stone pillar on the platform at the center of the auction hall, the seawater above the stone pillar distorted and an old man appeared, standing on it.
The old man wore a long blue robe that was so big that it covered the surface of the stone pillar under his feet, and some of the cloth even spilled down the pillar. His hair was blue, and if it was not because of his old appearance, it would be difficult to discern his age with just one look.
"My fellow tribesmen in the land of Freezing Sky, I am Feng Shao Feng of Western Sea Clan. It is my pleasure to be here and be the host of the auction. This time, Western Sea Clan has prepared a lot of rare items for all of you in the land of Freezing Sky. I am not good with words, so I will say no more.
"The first item to be auctioned is…"
When the old man started speaking, the nine sea dragons swimming around the area stopped roaring, and the songs from the nine mermaids also gradually faded away. Only the old man's words echoed in the area.
The moment he finished his last sentence, a mermaid immediately swam forward with a swaying tail fin. Her hands had been empty just moments ago, but now, as a whirlpool appeared in between her hands, a purple skull instantly appeared in her hands. She lifted it up and held it above her head as she swam around the hall so that all the people there could clearly see the bone.
It was a skull that did not seem to belong to those in the Berserker Tribe. Its size was about that of a basin, and the few bones jutting out of the top of the skull were shining grimly with a chilling glare. Clearly it was a beast��s skull.
Especially since there was a symmetrical crack at the center of its brows above its eyes, making it seem as if it had a third eye!
As the bone appeared, a great wave of sorrow spread out. That sorrow felt so real that it actually caused the seawater to start showing signs of freezing. If that had just been the case, it would have been fine, but the seawater around the skull also started showing signs of freezing. As the mermaid swam around the area, a ring of ice chips seemingly appeared in the area she just swam past.
"As usual, we will not offer detailed descriptions of the first item. You will all need to determine its value with your own judgment. I can only say that this creature had the power equivalent to those in the great completion of the Bone Sacrifice Realm when it was still alive!
"The starting bid for this bone is 100,000 stone coins, and every time you place a bid, the minimum increase must be 1,000 stone coins." A glint appeared in the old man's eyes, and his voice traveled to the entire area like a loud clap of thunder.
There were thousands of people in the auction hall, and some of them had come to this place since early morning. The moment the old man's voice rang out, they fell into silence.
Perhaps some people loved making noise in this sort of place and talk amongst themselves, but most of the people who came here chose to remain silent. It was without a doubt that the more precious was the item that was brought out, there would also be less people who knew about it. Besides, most of the people who were invited to this place were very independent people. Very few of these buyers would go along the flow and place bids.
"110,000," a voice said from the crowd gathered in the auction hall. The instant it spoke, immediately, a number of people looked over. The person who called the bid was a man. However, since he wore a straw hat over his head, his face could not be seen clearly.
Such an appearance was rarely seen in this area.
"120,000!"
"130,000!" Perhaps it was because someone had placed the first bid, gradually, more voices appeared in succession.
Su Ming stood inside the ninth room and looked at the purple and black beast bone calmly.
"Brother Su, do you like it? This beast bone is the only thing left behind by a powerful creature with a cold attribute. One of the Clan Elders from Western Sea Clan obtained that beast bone when he went out on a journey. According to him, that creature was trying to break through and reach a level equivalent to Berserkers in the Bone Sacrifice Realm, but it failed and was burnt alive by freezing fire. Besides this skull, its entire body, flesh, and blood were all burnt to ashes.
"This skull was not destroyed by the freezing fire because the beast hid a fragment of its soul in there before it died. If a person who is skilled in foreign Arts obtains it, they can provide nourishments for that skull and reap its rewards."
Su Ming's gaze swept past that beast bone. After a long while, he shook his head.
"210,000!" a sullen voice stated from within the auction hall. The person who spoke was the man with the straw hat, who was also the person who had called for the first bid.
Once he laid his bid, no one spoke again for quite some time. The blue-haired old man smiled faintly.
"210,000! The item now belongs to this man!"
"We'll now begin bidding for the second item. This one is quite interesting…"
The old man paused in his words, and one of the sea dragons roaming around the area let out a huge roar before going towards the old man. Its body twisted beside the old man and he returned to his human form. The man lifted his arms high above his head, and in his hands, a black stone blade appeared!
That blade was very crudely made and only the vague shape of a blade could be seen. Yet the body of the blade itself was rough and it did not seem to be anything special.
"Bring the beast here," the old man's said in a mild tone.
The moment his voice traveled out, someone from Western Sea Clan immediately stepped forward from the crowd around him. With a wave of his arm, a ferocious beast that looked like a lion immediately appeared. The creature's eyes were bloodshot, and once it appeared, it roared towards the sky, but its eyes were filled with fear. Just as it was about to retreat, the old man took up the stone blade and pointed it at the creature.
With that one move, the beast instantly let out a shrill cry. Its body started trembling viciously, and as an uproar broke out in the crowd, the beast's body turned into a puddle of blood. Even its bones were melted, and a lock of black hair flew out of the puddle of blood. A miniature-sized shadow of the beast could be seen faintly in the lock of hair. The instant it appeared, it flew straight towards the stone blade in the old man's hands and disappeared into it.
"Soul Separation Stone!"
"It's the Soul Separation Stone!"
"How could anyone be so wasteful and use such a big Soul Separation Stone to make a blade?!"
Thunderous uproars broke out in the crowd. Waves of sound rose among the people due to the appearance of the blade. The stone's fame was incredibly great, and due to its shape, it was very easy to identify it. Its effects were especially rare, and only that stone had such an effect. That was why while many people knew about it, those who had actually seen the thing were few and in-between.
The old man smiled and said slowly, "That's right. This is a Soul Separation Stone Blade. Well, there's no need for me to give too many descriptions for this item. The starting bid for this is the same, 100,000!"
"200,000!"
"250,000!"
"280,000!"
"300,000!"
Sounds of bids being placed immediately traveled out, and the appearance of these voices instantly caused the price of the stone blade to go up by several fold from its starting bid.
Su Ming stood behind the balcony and looked at the stone blade. A glint appeared briefly in his eyes, and he looked at the old man holding the blade. That old man looked calm, still wearing a smile on his lips. He looked very relaxed, but Su Ming could tell somewhat that there were a few secrets lying behind the auction.
It was not difficult to guess those secrets, and neither did Western Sea Clan try to hide it. There were also quite a few people who understood what went on behind the auction in the land of Freezing Sky. However, those were the rules. Even if they knew about it, they still could not change it.
'Not bad. By using the auction that is only held once a century and bringing out a large number of valuable treasures, they can stir up the greed lying within human hearts. As the bidders continuously compete against each other, they will start getting into conflicts with one another. In fact, once every auction ends, there will be people killing each other!
'Those who obtained a treasure, they have already committed the biggest crime punishable by death by simply possibly possessing these items. Even if they escaped being killed, they can't escape being remembered by others. Once the others have a chance…
'With this method, they can weaken Freezing Sky Clan's power… Just like what Freezing Sky Clan is doing right now in the land of Western Sea by holding the same auction. Their goals are the same!'
Su Ming shook his head. Even if he had understood the purpose of the auction, he still could not change it, neither could he leave the place, because he had something he desired here.
That Soul Separation Stone Blade was eventually sold at a price of 930,000 stone coins. Forget the true value of the item, even if the person who bought it obtained it at a cheaper price than it should have at market value, he still had to pay for the consequences. By how the person hurriedly paid the required amount of stone coins and how quickly he left the area with the blade, perhaps what awaited him was repeated running and escaping.
"What I'm about to bring out this time is something I really like. It's a pity that I'm poor and can't buy it…"
The blue-haired old man let out a long sigh and lifted his right hand. This time, the item was not brought over by any mermaids or sea dragons. Instead, he had that item with him.
The moment he lifted his right hand, all the people's gazes were trained on him. In the old man's hands, he held a crane woven with grass!
"The crane is a mysterious creature in the other worlds. It has a docile temperament and is well liked by Immortals there. We aren't able to examine how this crane came to be, but it's clearly not something made by us Berserkers!
"I don't know what sort of grass was used to make this crane, but…"
The old man lifted his right hand and waved it before him. The crane instantly floated up, and with a gentle glow, it turned into a true Immortal Crane. It flew around the area, and its graceful movements seemed to stir up soft sounds in the air. As it flew, its soulless eyes swept through the area.
The instant its eyes landed on the balcony to Su Ming's room, it shuddered lightly, but soon returned to normal before it flew back to the old man's hands and went back to being a grass woven object.
"There is an Art contained within it that doesn't belong to us Berserkers. From my understanding, this grass should be normal grass. The reason why this thing could turn into a real crane and fly is because there is a type of spirit contained within that belongs to the other worlds, it's also called… the Dao!
"If there are those who can understand its spirit, then I congratulate you beforehand here! The starting bid for this item is the same, 100,000!" The blue-haired old man's voice traveled forth.
Su Ming narrowed his eyes. When the Immortal Crane flew in the air, his divine sense acted up slightly. It seemed that there was a similar but faint power of the divine sense within the Immortal Crane. That faint divine sense seemed to have noticed him, that was why the crane looked at him just then!
"500,000," a woman's voice suddenly spoke. That woman's voice was very gentle, but as her voice traveled out, a large number of people instantly recognized who it belonged to!
In the crowd were a few spots that no one around dared get closer. In a spot that was rather spacious stood a long-haired woman dressed in white. She was the owner of the calm voice.
She was Tian Lan Meng!
Chapter 307: Su Ming's Counterattack!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming looked calm, as he usually did. The only change was the slight crease between his brows, which soon disappeared. If it had been anyone else bidding, he might have been somewhat interested in the crane and joined in to bid.
Yet since it was Tian Lan Meng, and she started with 500,000 stone coins right from the get go, Su Ming only gave it a brief thought before he decided not to open his mouth.
Yet even if he did not speak, it did not mean that the others in the room would not place a bid. By the side, Zi Shan noticed the slight crease between Su Ming's brows before it disappeared. A barely noticeable glint appeared in her eyes and with a light chuckle, she spoke in a gentle voice.
"700,000."
The auction hall should have fallen into silence the moment Tian Lan Meng placed her bid. Most of the people were wary of her status, and the thought that they should not compete against her even rose within them. After all, to them, this item did not seem to have much use.
That was why when Zi Shan's voice broke the silence, it immediately caught the attention of the crowd in the auction hall. Multiple pairs of eyes were instantly trained on the balcony leading to the ninth room.
Su Ming was standing there, and right beside him was Zi Shan, who was smiling as she looked at Su Ming. The expression she put on made it seem as if she was just following Su Ming's orders.
The first thought that appeared in most of the people's minds once they saw the scene at the balcony of the ninth room was that Su Ming had ordered the woman to place that bid!
Tian Lan Meng also lifted her head. Once she cast a glance at Su Ming standing at the balcony, she moved her gaze onto Zi Shan with a calm expression.
"1,000,000," she said gently.
"Brother Su, do you still want that?" In the ninth room, Zi Shan covered her mouth and smiled before looking towards Su Ming.
A chilling look settled in Su Ming's eyes and he gave the woman a look. Her actions were disgustingly sinister. Just by standing beside him, she could create animosity between him and Tian Lan Meng, and that casual bid of 700,000 stone coins had just caused Tian Lan Meng to have to spend more than one fold of what she originally needed to.
"No," Su Ming averted his gaze and said calmly.
Zi Shan's pupils shrank. She had originally thought Su Ming would definitely get angry. Even if that anger was not shown outwardly, he would still accidentally reveal some of it, and if he did, she would have succeeded in her plans.
In fact, she had already planned out what to say to Su Ming in her heart. She did not think that he would not be able to tell what she had just done, but she was also certain that he would be unable to fault her for it. After all, everything she did was for him. On the surface, that is.
Yet now, aside from Su Ming's gaze, which had turned slightly colder, no other changes could be found on him. It made Zi Shan think that the man before her was very enigmatic, and it gave her a feeling that she could not predict his actions.
The grass woven crane was eventually bought by Tian Lan Meng. Even if she had paid twice the amount of what she originally offered, it was nothing to her.
She was only concerned about the fact that this crane came from some other world and interested in whether this thing could help her in reaching an epiphany regarding Dao.
The auction continued under the blue-haired old man's voice. As the items were continuously brought out and as the mermaids and sea dragons swam around the auction hall, gradually, sounds of discussions rose among the crowd, and they would not die down. A strong competitive air was also slowly stirred up among them. That atmosphere filled the entire auction hall.
Zi Shan gradually found herself unable to read Su Ming. This man, who was standing not too far away from her, had still not placed a bid on a single item. He only stood there and watched the items being bought by other people quietly.
Several hours later, the intense competition in the auction hall had caused buzzing sounds to fill the area, making it seem as if there was an invisible energy force enveloping the place. It could affect the people's emotions, making all those there to go mad for the auctioned items.
Yet Su Ming remained as calm as water. He stood there and watched, unaffected.
'This person may seem steady, but is in truth very naive. By acting sophisticated, once he places a bid during the auction, he'll definitely attract attention to himself, it'll be difficult for him to get something easily without having anyone compete against him.
'He's unlike those who had been placing bids for every single item. It's easier for them to get what they want.'
Zi Shan cast a glance at Su Ming before she averted her gaze.
At that moment, the blue-haired old man standing on the stone pillar in the middle of the auction hall let out a few coughs. It lightened up the tense atmosphere that had filled up the area, and once it did and the people slightly piped down, his voice traveled in all directions once again.
"We are deeply grateful to your generosity, my fellow tribesmen of Freezing Sky. All the previous valuable treasures we brought out have been sold. I believe the next item I bring out will have the same fate.
"But I would have to warn all of you. This item might stir up fierce competition among all of you. Please be prepared." When the blue-haired old man finished speaking, he lifted his right hand swiftly.
"Bring it here!"
Once he spoke, a large mass of distorted ripples spreading out to an area of several hundreds of feet appeared abruptly behind him. Rumbling sounds came from within those ripples, and they were followed suit by nine people walking out of it slowly. All of the nine people were strong men, and a long spear lay on their shoulders. The instant all these people walked out of the distorted ripples, a gigantic black spear of one hundred feet appeared before the crowd!
The moment it did, an astonishing murderous aura spread out with a whistle, enveloping the entire area, causing all the people present to hear a shrill cry.
In fact, some of the people who had high cultivation bases could see faint shadows of thousands upon thousands of vengeful spirits gathered on that long spear. They swirled around and let out pained screams.
"Sky Shaman Spear!"
"This is… I read about this item in some ancient scrolls before. That's right, there's no doubt that this is it! That's Sky Shaman Spear!"
"A thousand years ago, the Shaman Tribe carried out a large scale invasion into Sky Mist Barrier and used a special method to create nine Sky Shaman Spears. Rumors say that each of these Sky Shaman Spears contain such incredible power that they could shake the sky and earth. They can… kill those in the Berserker Soul Realm!"
Uproars broke out among the people and their voices stirred up waves upon waves of sounds that filled the entire auction hall. Many in the audience even stood up instinctively with disbelief on their faces.
A hint of pride appeared on the blue-haired old man's face. This item had been the cause of many discussions in Western Sea Clan on whether it should be brought out and auctioned off. Eventually, it was decided that it should be sent to the land of Freezing Sky.
"This item is indeed Sky Shaman Spear. There is no mistaking it, because we of the Western Sea Clan have ascertained the identity of this thing! If you want to use it, you must first offer a sacrifice, but once it strikes, it can destroy a powerful Berserker in the Berserker Soul Realm!
"However, as this item has already been around for a very long time and because the Shamans have also lost the method to create this spear, that is why this spear can only be used one more time. After that one time, it will disintegrate into dust and disappear.
"Yet even though you can only use it once, if you have this, then you will possess a power strong enough to make those in the Berserker Soul Realm wary of you. With this item, you might even be able to escape death once during Sky Mist Shaman Hunt!
"The starting bid for this item is 1,000,000. You can place your bids now!" The old man waved his arm, and the moment he finished speaking, the voices of people yelling out their bids immediately rose into the air.
"1,500,000!"
"2,000,000!"
"2,300,000!"
"2,700,000!"
"3,500,000!"
The excited voices continued growing in volume in the auction hall. Zi Shan hesitated for moment in the ninth room before she looked at Su Ming. However, in her eyes, Su Ming still looked and behaved the same way. Nothing changed on him.
"Brother Su, if you like this item, I can buy it for you…"
"Your Master will buy an item for me once, right?" Su Ming turned his head around and gave Zi Shan a look.
"Only once." Zi Shan nodded.
"Anything at all?" Su Ming smiled.
"Anything you like, brother Su!" Zi Shan lifted her chin and spoke. Her voice was very pleasant to the ears.
"But I don't trust you. I'll only trust you when I have everything on paper." As Su Ming spoke, he lifted his right hand and brought out a white beast skin from his bosom before he spread it on the table, then he looked at Zi Shan.
Zi Shan hesitated for a moment, but once she remembered her Master's orders, she chose not to mull over Su Ming's words anymore and went up to the paper. With a few strokes of her right index finger, graceful letters appeared on the beast skin. According to the promise they made, once she wrote down the words, she pressed her palm on the beast skin and left a print of her palm on it.
"Now then, I wonder if I can buy you, Miss Zi Shan." Su Ming continued smiling as he put away the beast skin and looked at Zi Shan.
Zi Shan was momentarily taken aback by his words, but soon after, her face darkened.
"Brother Su, please don't joke around. What I'm talking about is the auctioned items. Besides, even if you want to buy me, you might not be able to bear the consequences." Displeasure boiled in Zi Shan's heart, and her expression turned freezing cold.
"Name a price." Su Ming was not at all bothered by the cold tone in Zi Shan's voice. He simply spoke with a drawl.
"You!" Zi Shan glared at Su Ming. This was something she had never encountered before, and it rendered her speechless, completely unable to retort.
At that moment, the shouts of people placing their bids outside were growing louder with each passing moment. The appearance of the spear had caused a stir among many of them, shocking them right down to the bottom of their hearts, causing them to all open their mouths and shout their bids.
"8,600,000!"
"9,400,000!"
"10,000,000!"
The voice that placed the 10,000,000 bid came from the same type of room as Su Ming's. It was from the third room. The voice that traveled out from that room was gentle, but gentle though it may be, its tone was one that spoke of not allowing anyone to refute his words.
Perhaps it was the appearance of that voice that caused a short period of silence to fall in the auction hall. Once Zi Shan heard it, she glared at Su Ming and her lips curled up into a cold sneer.
"Even with 10,000,000 stone coins, you still can't buy me. Su Ming, I respect you as a guest, but don't you dare think you can act so cockily! By saying such things, you are humiliating me!" Zi Shan's voice turned colder.
"Humiliation, hmm..?" Su Ming smiled. "Miss Zi Shan, I want the spear. Please pay for me!" Once he finished speaking, he turned around and looked at the auction hall beyond the balcony.
"100,000,000!" he said unhurriedly, but his voice sounded like thunder crashing as it traveled out, causing the entire auction to fall into deathly silence in an instant. Numerous pairs of eyes were instantly trained onto the ninth room's balcony and onto Su Ming.
Even the old auctioneer was stunned, swiftly turning his eyes towards Su Ming.
Zi Shan was stupefied, and then, her expression changed drastically.
She was not the only one who experienced a change in her expression at that moment. In the eighth room was an old man so withered he looked like a bag of bones. There was a wine cup in his hands. At that moment, with a loud crack, the wine cup shattered. A ferocious look appeared on his face and his breathing quickened, but when a thought appeared in his head, he forcefully suppressed his emotions.
"100,000,000… this… this is…"
"That's Su Ming! He just called a bid of 100,000,000!"
"Does he have that many stone coins? 100,000,000 stone coins? That's impossible! You rarely see that amount appearing in an auction! Even if Sky Shaman Spear has incredible power, it can only be used once. It's not worth that price!"
The blue-haired old man glared at Su Ming and demanded in a hoarse voice, "Sir, do you understand that if you make a false bid and you can't pay the amount of stone coins you offered, then even if you are a disciple of Freezing Sky Clan, you will have to bear the consequences?!"
Chapter 308: That Cauldron, That Song, That Era…
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
As Su Ming stood on the balcony, a smile appeared on his lips when he heard those words. He brought out the beast skin, and with one flick of his wrist, the beast skin flew towards that old man. Once he caught it, he opened it, and his expression instantly turned odd the moment he read the contents.
Zi Shan stood by Su Ming's with eyes burning in anger. She did not think he would be this shameless. They had originally agreed that he would only buy one item, but she did not expect him to do this. Indeed, she had not exactly handled things tactfully just now, but she did not expect that this sort of change would happen.
"That beast skin is very fragile. Clan Elder Feng, please be gentle when you handle it, if it gets destroyed, it won't do us good." Su Ming ignored Zi Shan's glare and instead spoke languidly as he looked at the blue-haired old man.
The blue-haired old man fell silent. He lifted his eyes from the beast skin and a hesitant look appeared on his face.
The change in his expression, Su Ming's words, and the ridiculous bid of 100,000,000 immediately caught all the people's attention and stirred up their curiosity. Discussions rose into the air, and those sounds gradually grew in volume until they eventually turned into a buzzing.
"Give it to him! I'll explain what's going on once I return to the clan!"
When the buzzing sounds caused by the discussions grew so loud that it seemed like the people's interest towards this matter had surpassed that towards the auction, a raspy and sullen voice suddenly came from the eighth room.
A glint appeared in the blue-haired old man's eyes. The beast skin in his hands was immediately torn to dust, and at the same time, his voice reverberated through the area.
"This item now belongs to you! Now, we will move on to the next item…"
But before he could finish speaking, Su Ming suddenly spoke, causing his voice to appear almost at the same time as the old man's voice.
"Wait. Since this thing now belongs to me, then I'd like to ask you to help me handle it. I want you to put it up for auction."
The old man lifted his head once again and stared at Su Ming. Hostility appeared in his eyes.
"This goes against the rules, I won't allow it!"
"I hereby put this item up for auction. The one who offers the highest price will get it. Let's put the starting bid at… 5,000,000 stone coins, shall we? I'll take whatever I can get, so, my fellow disciples, I hope you'll place your bids."
When the old man spoke, his voice overlapped with Su Ming's voice at the same time once again in the auction hall.
Laughter immediately spread through the auction hall. All those who could come to the auction were people of status in the land of Freezing Sky. If they were not disciples from Freezing Sky Clan, then they would be powerful Berserkers from nearby tribes. It was only natural that they could easily decide on who they wanted to side with between Western Sea Clan and Su Ming.
It was especially so since that Sky Shaman Spear was incredibly attractive to a lot of people there. The people who had previously placed their bids had originally thought that they would not be able to get it and were either sighing in pity or harboring other thoughts within their hearts when they heard Su Ming's words. They were immediately tempted.
"6,000,000!"
"7,000,000!"
"8,000,000!"
"10,000,000!" They reached that price once again, but this time, the person who placed the bid was not from the third room, but from the emaciated old man from the eighth room.
A smile appeared on Su Ming's lips. He cast a glance at Zi Shan, who was burning with anger as she glared at him coldly from his side.
Su Ming had put up with the woman's multiple provocations when she humiliated Zi Che and wanted to cause strife between him and Tian Lan Meng. Truth be told, Su Ming would even go so far as to say that he could already imagine incidents like these happening again in the future.
"You're despicable!"
Zi Shan's chest heaved in anger. She looked so mad that it seemed as if she wanted to just jump on Su Ming and tear him to shreds.
Within the third room was the young man with a black dragon embroidered on his robes, and he also happened to be the person who had initially placed the bid of 10,000,000 stone coins on the spear. At that moment, he sat in the room with a smile on his face.
"That Su Ming is very interesting."
Standing beside the young man was the old man from Heaven Gate. That old man shook his head with a wry smile on his lips, but he did not speak.
"20,000,000!" The young man lifted his wine cup and took two sips from it before he spoke.
His words traveled out of the room and echoed in the air of the auction hall, stirring up another wave of shock among the people. Up till now, while not many treasures had been brought out in the auction, the people there had pushed the atmosphere up to the climax.
"21,000,000!" After a short period of silence, a voice appeared once again from the eighth room.
"30,000,000!" The young man spoke unhurriedly from the third room. A look of interest appeared on his face. Suddenly, a slight hint of admiration grew within him towards Su Ming.
"31,000,000!!" That hoarse voice from the eighth room only appeared once again after a while.
"39,000,000." This time, the person who placed the bid was not the young man from the third room, but one from the empty spot in the corner of the auction hall where Tian Lan Meng was.
Tian Lan Meng twirled a lock of her hair by her ear with a calm expression and spoke gently.
The blue-haired old man standing on the stone pillar at the center of the auction had an incredibly sullen expression on his face. He originally wanted to stop this, but when Clan Elder Hai from the eighth room joined the bidding, that which was unreasonable had turned into something reasonable.
He also knew that Clan Elder Hai had to join in the bidding. It could even be said that he wanted Su Ming to hold that auction. If that did not happen, then he would be unable to explain himself once he returned to the clan.
Unless he could truly bring out 100,000,000 stone coins and give it to the clan, then once his adversaries started interfering with him trying to clear things up, this matter would only continue getting worse.
"40,000,000!" The voice that appeared from the eighth room burned with anger as it reverberated through the area.
Tian Lan Meng smiled softly and no longer placed any more bids.
As for the young man in the third room, he placed his wine cup down, thought for a moment, before he shook his head with a smile and decided not to place any more bids as well.
"Since you offered that price, then you must give the money to the owner of the spear. If that was a false bid, then you will have to be punished as well."
The young man might not have continued placing bids, but he did not mind using those words to get acquainted with Su Ming. Besides, it was not as if he was worried about one Clan Elder in Western Sea Clan either.
Su Ming cast a glance at the third room and made a mental note about that voice. Soon, someone knocked on the door. Once Zi Che opened it, he brought back a storage bag and handed it to Su Ming calmly.
Su Ming took the bag and scanned it with his divine sense. Once he did so, he put it away. Then as if he was spurred on by the well of emotions stirring within him, he spoke languidly, as if talking to himself, but at the same time, seemed to also be talking to Zi Shan.
"With this amount of money, I can join in the bid for every single item now. I don't have to be like before and not dare to place any bids because I don't have any coins in my pocket."
"I've never seen someone as shameless as you! Su Ming, you're shameless! You're despicable!"
Zi Shan was so angry that her face had turned white. She glared at Su Ming, then stormed out of the room in a rage, though her rage only added extra charm to her alluring body.
Zi Che cast a glance at the departing Zi Shan from the corner of his eyes, then shook his head and averted his gaze. Within his heart, he thanked the heavens that Su Ming's second senior brother was not there. If he was, then Zi Shan would truly come to understand that there was someone who was even more shameless than Su Ming.
If Hu Zi was here, then Zi Shan would also be driven insane with the realization of just what sort of life she would have to face during her remaining stay in the land of Freezing Sky…
She was lucky that she met Su Ming alone.
The disturbance during the auction died down once the bid arrived at an amount of 40,000,000 stone coins. The blue-haired old man had a sullen look on his face, but he had to continue hosting the auction. He brought out some of the remaining items and tried to redirect the people's attention back towards him, allowing the auction to get back on track.
When the sky started to darken and the first day of the auction that would be held for several days was about to end, the auction committee brought out the last item to be sold on that day, and the atmosphere within the auction gradually heated up once again.
"The Great Yu Dynasty is the sacred land for us in the Berserker Tribe. The Great Barren Cauldron is the country's sacred item. It can even be considered as a Berserker tribal item! During that era, when the Berserker Tribe was at its most glorious age, the cauldron was considered the most supreme of all items. All treasures that were created in the form of a cauldron were rare, because all of them contained power so incredible they could cause the heavens to tremble!
"Now, we do not know whether the Great Yu Dynasty still exists… neither do we know where our tribal item, the Great Barren Cauldron, was located… In fact, even if we, their descendents, created other items in the shape of the cauldron, it'd be difficult for us to escape bringing destruction on our heads when we create a cauldron...
"We all know that when a cauldron is created, the moment its form appears, a destructive force will manifest, and it is so devastating that even a powerful Berserker in the Berserker Soul Realm cannot endure the blast…
"Even during that ancient age, there was only a small handful of cauldrons and any treasures that were made in the cauldron's shape that existed, and now, I'm about to bring out one of them!
"This is a treasure that is made in the form of a cauldron, and its seal still remains even now. Over the years, it has been buried in a corner of earth until it was discovered by the head preceptor of Western Sea Clan… There should be something sealed within the cauldron, but it cannot be opened!
"Those of us in Western Sea Clan have examined it for a long time, but we cannot open it. Now, we brought it here to be auctioned off to those in the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky. Only those chosen by fate can open it. This item is the treasure of the Berserker Tribe. It doesn't belong to any tribe or any clan… My fellow tribesmen in the land of Freezing Sky, I hope that someone among you can obtain this!"
The old man's voice grew increasingly louder until it reached a volume so great that it had practically turned into a thunderous rumble reverberating through the hall. Behind him, the nine sea dragons swam about and disappeared into the air, but soon, they appeared once again, and when they did, they carried a gigantic cauldron about 1,000 feet in size on their bodies as they slowly swam out of the distortions.
The cauldron was so huge that when it appeared an incredibly oppressive feeling was formed. While the people were not as small as ants compared to the cauldron, they were still nothing before it.
The nine mermaids surrounded the cauldron and their singing voices echoed in the air, adding a solemn feeling to the cauldron along with that oppressive air it brought with it, because the song the nine mermaids sang was the God of Berserkers Song the first God of Berserkers created!
"The place where I was born still did things according to the laws of the universe. After I was born, the Berserkers thrived… If the heavens have eyes, then let them watch the Berserkers running wild on the lands for eternity. If the gods have spirits, then I will become the King of the Berserker Tribe who rules over the gods themselves!
"...If the heavens do not dare open their eyes, then I will seal the heavens with the eight cauldrons. If the gods disobey me, I will use the cauldrons to destroy the gods and reestablish the position of the blood descendants of Berserkers all across the universe!"
As the voices of the mermaids echoed in the air, the auction hall was enveloped in a solemn atmosphere. Su Ming stood on the balcony and the God of Berserkers Song echoed in his ears. He could feel the arrogance of the God of Berserkers seeping out of the song itself, could hear the respect coming from all the living in the world from the lyrics.
He could even hear the brazenness and boldness coming from the declaration about resealing the world and reestablishing the blood descendants of Berserkers as the rulers of the land!
"That was during the most prosperous age of the Berserker Tribe… when an innumerable amount of Berserkers followed their king, their God of Berserkers, and fought against the heavens…" Su Ming mumbled. Fascination appeared in his eyes.
The moment the mermaids' lingering voices started fading, the blue-haired old man suddenly spoke up!
"The starting bid for this cauldron is 10,000,000… you may place your bids now!"
Chapter 309: Receive the Cauldron
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"11,000,000!"
"13,000,000!"
"15,000,000!"
Since the starting bid for the cauldron was too high, not many people in the auction hall had the ability to buy it. Only three of people were placing bids, and one of them was Second Young Master from the third room.
The other person was the elegant Tian Lan Meng. It was as if those 10,000,000 stone coins was just a number to her.
The final bidder was an old man wearing a straw hat. Only his white hair was revealed outside, his face unable to be seen clearly. His voice was hoarse, and he did not stand out as he sat among the crowd. Since the start, he had rarely placed many bets, and when he suddenly called out that high bid of 15,000,000 stone coins, he immediately attracted the attention of those around him.
Su Ming frowned and began lamenting on the amount of stone coins these people who joined the auction had. Compared to them… Su Ming shook his head. If he did not include the stone coins he obtained just now, he definitely would not have the ability to compete against these people.
'500 golden stone coins is worth more than the white stone coins, which are worth 100 each, and it's also worth more than the purple stone coins, which are worth 1,000 each, but now, these 5,000,000 stone coins I have aren't even enough for the starting bid of this item…'
Su Ming knew that he had miscalculated a little. In truth, ever since the start of the auction, he already knew that the 5,000,000 stone coins which he thought was originally a large amount of money was in truth… nothing in the auction.
That was why he orchestrated the whole entire scene for him to get those 40,000,000 stone coins.
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes and he stared at the 1,000 feet cauldron floating in the air above the auction hall. An excited look appeared in his eyes. No matter how he looked at it, that item was a Barren Cauldron used to create medicinal pills.
It was especially so since Su Ming could even sense a faint wave of heat that did not blend in with the illusionary sea around him. Clearly, it had been enveloped in fire for long periods of time and was very suitable to create pills.
"17,000,000."
Tian Lan Meng spoke softly. Her gentle voice was pleasant to the ears and showed off her unique temperament, causing the people who looked at her to not be able to help but begin feeling attracted to her.
She was a woman who did not seem to belong to this world. She was graceful, composed, and even her breath smelled like orchids. When she sat there, she could make the area around her fall into tranquil silence. It was as if it did not matter which world that place she was at belonged to, it would naturally turn into her world.
The people could only watch her from afar, unable to get closer. It was not that she was acting indifferent and aloof, it was simply because there was a layer separating their world from her world.
"20,000,000!" Second Young Master stated from the third room with an air of casualness in his voice. It was different compared to the gentle quality in Tian Lan Meng���s voice, but it still gave a similar feeling to those who heard it.
It was as if the two people who placed the bids belonged to the same world.
The old man with the straw hat fell silent, as if he was hesitating on whether he should continue bidding. As he remained silent, Su Ming lifted his head.
No matter what, he was getting that Barren Cauldron. After all, he came to the auction specifically for it in the first place.
"23,000,000!"
Su Ming stood on the balcony and declared unhurriedly. Due to the large impact he left behind earlier, the moment his voice appeared, he immediately attracted a lot of attention to himself.
Tian Lan Meng lifted her head, cast a glance at Su Ming standing on the ninth room's balcony calmly, fell into a short period of contemplative silence, and no longer placed any bids.
Within the third room, a glint appeared in Second Young Master's eyes. He looked at the cauldron floating in the air above the auction hall, then at Su Ming standing in the ninth room, and his lips curled up in a smile.
"He wants this item…"
"Second Young Master, treasures made in the cauldron's shape rarely appear. If you can obtain this and offer it to the Elder, perhaps we can find another use for it," the old man named Chen from Heaven Gate said in a soft voice.
"Offer it to the Elder?" A pensive look appeared in Second Young Master's eyes.
At that moment, due to Tian Lan Meng's silence and Second Young Master sinking into his thoughts, the auction sank into an atmosphere that could almost be considered silent after Su Ming placed his bid.
Su Ming's heart pounded against his chest. He still could not reach a state of mind where he was completely unbothered by anything.
He became nervous.
"30,000,000!" a hoarse voice spoke, and the moment it did, the atmosphere in the auction hall became so tense that it was almost suffocating.
Su Ming cast his gaze over in that direction and saw that the person who had placed the bid was the old man wearing the straw hat.
Su Ming gritted his teeth and said without hesitation, "40,000,000!"
The moment the bid of 40,000,000 stone coins was placed, the crowd in the auction hall burst into an uproar.
40,000,000 was not a small sum. It was not as if that sum had not appeared before during the auctions, but in truth, it did not matter whether it was that previous bid of 100,000,000 stone coins or the spear that was eventually bought by someone from Western Sea Clan with several tens of millions of stone coins, to most of them, that sum of money was just an act.
Yet it was different now. This was a real auction. In this sort of situation, a bid of 40,000,000 stone coins was enough to make a lot of people's breathing quicken.
"41,000,000."
The old man with the straw hat still did not lift his head. Once Su Ming placed his bid, he immediately spoke up.
Su Ming remained silent for a moment before he placed another bid. "45,000,000!"
Those were all his stone coins, and it was the biggest bid he could place. If the old man continued bidding, Su Ming could only use other methods to obtain the cauldron.
The old man with the straw hat fell into a moment of pensive silence before he spoke once again.
"50,000,000!"
Su Ming closed his eyes. When he reopened them, calmness appeared within. He did not look at the old man with the straw hat but at the floating cauldron. That cauldron shone with a light that spoke of age, as if there was an infinite amount of time resting within it.
Once the old man with the straw hat made that 50,000,000 bid, the auction hall was silent besides the audience's labored breathing. That amount of money was not something that could possibly be owned by a normal person. Even Clan Elder Hai from the eighth room could only amass a fortune that was only slightly greater than that amount after numerous years with his power and status.
When Su Ming fell silent and the crowd in the auction hall waited for Su Ming to possibly place another bid, someone knocked on the ninth room's door lightly.
Su Ming did not turn back. Zi Che walked over to the door calmly, and there outside the door stood a man in black robes with a white mask over his face. He wrapped his fist around his palm to Su Ming before he placed a white storage bag on the ground and left.
Right till the end, the man did not say anything.
Zi Che frowned, then picked up the storage bag before he returned to Su Ming's side. However, when he saw the letters 'Meng' embroidered on the storage bag, understanding dawned on him and he handed it to Su Ming.
Once Su Ming took it and saw the letters 'Meng' sewn on the storage bag, he fell silent for a moment before he scanned the storage bag with his divine sense.
The moment Su Ming lifted his divine sense from that bag, he shouted his bid to the auction hall!
"60,000,000!"
The moment the bid was placed, it immediately incited an uproar that caused the entire auction hall to be filled with buzzing sounds. 60,000,000 stone coins was an amount most people would never be able to obtain in their lives.
The old man with the straw hat shuddered and slowly lifted his head to cast a glance at Su Ming standing on the ninth room's balcony before he lowered his head and fell silent.
Everyone waited for a little while longer before the blue-haired old man's voice reverberated throughout the entire auction hall.
"60,000,000, sold to the person in the ninth room! This is the end of today's auction. We will continue tomorrow morning, and I will now reveal something to all of you beforehand. During tomorrow's auction, we will be bringing out even rarer treasures!"
As the blue-haired old man spoke, he waved his right hand and the sea dragons beside him immediately roared. Ripples spread out swiftly in all directions, and as they swept through the auction hall, the illusionary deep sea gradually disappeared to reveal the dark sky along with the bright moon above them along with the falling snow.
As the illusionary deep sea disappeared from the auction hall, a refreshing cold breeze swept in. The people gradually got up and left, returning to their lodgings to wait for the next day.
Su Ming also left. Zi Che followed behind him, and the both of them left the ninth room to return to their lodgings at the edge of the tribe.
Soon after they returned, the disciples from Western Sea Clan arrived to deliver the giant Barren Cauldron to Su Ming. They also left with the promised amount of stone coins.
The cauldron was 1,000 feet in size and was placed outside Su Ming's tent. Su Ming stood beside the cauldron while Zi Che stood further in the distance to protect him. However, there were still quite a number of people coming out of their tents to look over in their direction. Most of their gazes were filled with hostility.
The cauldron was too big. Su Ming tried multiple times to put it in his storage bag, but he did not succeed.
Western Sea Clan would naturally not be bothered by how Su Ming took that cauldron away. In fact, the dozen or so people who had brought that cauldron over were also watching from not too far off. If Su Ming could not bring that cauldron with him and placed it outside for a night, then he would turn out to have made a huge fool of himself.
Su Ming stood beside the giant cauldron. At such close proximity, he could feel the incredible feeling of age coming from the cauldron. This item was like an old man that had gone through multiple shifts through different periods of time, perhaps it had even changed multiple owners before.
Su Ming lifted his hand and pressed it on the giant cauldron. He closed his eyes and his divine sense spread into the cauldron through his hand. The moment his divine sense fused with the cauldron, Su Ming shuddered.
An incredibly powerful force shot out from within and charged towards Su Ming's divine sense as if it wanted to destroy him, lunging forth towards him like a tidal wave that wanted to drown his divine sense. All of this happened too quickly. That rebound charged towards him in an instant, but the moment it was about to touch Su Ming's invisible divine sense—
"Zhan… Yin… Chui…" These few syllables rolled off his tongue awkwardly, though no one heard his voice, because he only said them in a whisper, barely forming his mouth in the shape of those syllables. Those words had been lying in his head since the first time he went into the strange dimension and obtained the method to create his first medicinal pill, and they had appeared in his head once he looked at the picture with the cauldron, telling him how to control the Barren Cauldron.
This was the first time he used them ever since he obtained those words. They were three simple words, but the power contained within them was something Su Ming could not understand. The moment he uttered the first word, he clearly felt his flesh and blood shuddering, as if they were sucked out by the power contained in that one word, and his blood surged into the giant cauldron through his right hand.
Once he said the second word, Su Ming's bones started rubbing against each other. Perhaps more accurately speaking, they were not rubbing against each other, but it was more like a feeling as if all his bones were trembling. As they trembled, the noise that was produced by his body due to the tremors was that sound of the word.
Yin...
Chapter 310: Soul in Stone!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The moment Su Ming's voice traveled into the giant cauldron, he uttered his third word. A bang went off in his head, and he felt as if his soul had left his body and was surrounding the cauldron with the power of that word.
The power of the rebound abruptly went still once those three words left Su Ming's mouth. At the same time, the black stone he'd received in Dark Mountain, which was hanging off his neck, hidden underneath his clothes, let off a flash of dim light. In the blink of an eye, that gigantic cauldron was covered by that light. The cauldron shuddered and gradually shrank until it was only about the size of a palm. It floated up and landed on Su Ming's palm.
That strange sight made the onlookers around him immediately widen their eyes, disbelief coming to their faces. The Western Sea Clan disciples who had brought the cauldron over sucked in a sharp breath, shocked.
Standing among the crowd observing Su Ming's actions was also that Second Young Master and those old men from Western Sea Clan who had come because of the auction. Even that auctioneer, Feng Shao Feng, and Zi Shan were also watching to see how Su Ming would take that cauldron away.
After all, that cauldron had been in Western Sea Clan for many years and they had never been able to shrink it. The only reason they had been able to bring it to the land of Freezing Sky was because Western Sea Clan had a storage item that could store things up to the size of a mountain.
Yet right before their eyes, they saw Su Ming pressing his palm on the cauldron, and without him doing anything else, it was immediately enveloped by a dim light before mysteriously shrinking down.
The first thing that popped up in the people's heads when they saw it was what the blue-haired old man had said during the auction.
"Only those chosen by fate can obtain this item, and only those chosen by fate can open it!"
Zi Shan instinctively opened her mouth where she stood in the crowd. She knew that cauldron, and she knew that no changes had ever occurred to it over the years it had been in Western Sea Clan, just like it should be for an inanimate object. There had been countless Western Sea Clan disciples who had examined it and tried claiming it for their own, but no matter what method they used, it yielded no results.
Even the Clan Master of Western Sea Clan had to give up in the end, and the research on this item only ended when Guru Li Long, their progenitor who was regarded with the highest prestige in Western Sea Clan, said something.
That something was what the blue-haired old man had said during the auction.
The cauldron was sent to the land of Freezing Sky due to Guru Li Long's will as well. He had a feeling that since no one in Western Sea Clan could obtain it, then it was best that they did not keep it around, or else they would only bring disaster on their heads. That was why they sent it to the land of Freezing Sky to see whether there was anyone who was chosen by fate to own the cauldron.
At that moment, the Clan Elders of Western Sea Clan who came to the auction began breathing rapidly as they stared at the small cauldron glowing dimly on Su Ming's palm. They were shocked, but at the same time, all of them imprinted Su Ming's face in their memories.
A curious glint appeared in Second Young Master's eyes. He looked at Su Ming standing in the distance and a smile appeared on his lips.
'Very good. At least changing my plans and not buying that cauldron to give it to the Elder wasn't for nothing…'
A pensive look appeared in the eyes of the old man by the name of Chen from Heaven Gate as he looked at Su Ming. For the first time, he regarded the youth seriously because of Su Ming himself, not because of his Master.
He had Su Ming's name burned into his memories.
Tian Lan Meng was also watching Su Ming from the distance, and an elegant smile appeared on her face.
At that moment, the person who was under everyone's scrutiny had a dazed look on his face and he only regained his senses after quite a long time. He looked at the small cauldron in his hand and turned around silently to walk towards his tent.
Zi Che followed behind him and sat down cross-legged outside his tent. Then he started giving a cold glare to the people whose eyes had now turned towards the tent.
After a long while, the owners of those eyes gradually averted their gazes, feeling conflicted, jealous, emotional, and all sorts of other feelings that were reflected on their faces before they returned to their own tents.
It was already dark outside. The moon shone high in the sky, but snow continued falling down, causing the land to be covered in a layer of silver. The entire tribe fell into silence, and the only sound that could be heard came from the fires in the covered lamps, letting out crackling noises in the cold wind.
Su Ming sat cross-legged within his tent and stared at the cauldron on his palm. Excitement appeared in his eyes, and he brushed the small cauldron with his left hand. A feeling as if his blood and flesh were connected to the cauldron rose within his heart the moment he touched it.
"This is indeed the Barren Cauldron needed to quench herbs and create medicinal pills… and the blue-haired old man from Western Sea Clan is right, this cauldron… hasn't been opened for a very long time. There's… a medicinal pill in it," Su Ming mumbled, and the light shining in his eyes grew brighter still.
His heart pounded against his chest. He had originally not believed in those words, but when he used the method to control the Barren Cauldron and made this thing shrink, he had a faint inkling that there was a mysterious life force within the cauldron.
That life force did not seem to belong to a living thing but a medicinal pill!
"The cauldron has been around for ages… if it wasn't opened for thousands of years, then the medicinal pill inside is definitely something that is thousands of years old. If no one has opened it for tens of thousands of years…"
Su Ming's heart pounded even harder against his chest. He stared at the cauldron on his palm and hesitation gradually appeared in his eyes. Once he observed the small cauldron closely, that hesitation in his eyes was replaced by shock.
A solemn expression appeared on his face and he brought the cauldron right up to his face to take a deep sniff. Once he did so, the shock in his eyes became stronger, bordering on disbelief.
'The medicinal scent isn't strong… There are two reasons for this. It's either that the medicinal pill in the cauldron was cast aside, or that the medicinal pill isn't completed…
'But if this unknown medicinal pill is discarded, then while it's only natural that the medicinal fragrance isn't strong, but after so many years have gone by, then the medicinal scent shouldn't even be there, it should have completely disappeared!
'Unless it's because no one has opened this cauldron for thousands of years, so the medicinal scent hasn't disappeared, or else, it would be because the medicinal pill isn't completed…'
Su Ming's eyes sparkled. He stared at the small cauldron and only lifted his left hand after a long while to form some weird signs.
This was one of the hand seals lying in his memories, one that commanded the cauldron to open while he was creating medicinal pills. With some strange sounding words, he could make the cauldron's lid move aside and end the entire process of creating the medicinal pill.
Su Ming knew that he just needed to recite the correcct words as he made those hand seals and the cauldron would open up immediately, but when he looked at the small cauldron in his hand, he hesitated.
'If the medicinal pill in the cauldron isn't discarded because it was a failed pill but is actually going through a process of reaching completion, then if I open it now, it'll truly become a failed pill…'
Su Ming was silent for a little while before he stopped making the hand signs and put the cauldron away into his storage bag.
'This isn't the place for me to look into it. I'll figure it out once I return to the ninth summit.'
Su Ming did not act rashly. Once he put away the small cauldron, he closed his eyes and started meditating.
Night passed by soon. When the second morning arrived, Su Ming walked out of his tent and went with Zi Che to the auction hall. He did not join in the bidding for the auction during this day. As of then, he only had one item he wanted - the black humanoid sealed within the stone.
That item did not appear on the second day of the auction but on the last day, once the auction had gone on for some time and the intense atmosphere in the hall had started dying down due to it having gone on for several days. Only then, the blue-haired, old auctioneer finally brought out the item Su Ming had been waiting for.
It was a mountain rock that was slightly taller than a person. It was transparent, and there was a small black humanoid sitting inside.
It looked almost as if it was alive!
"I have no idea what this is, and I've even asked a lot of people about it, but most of them do not know what it is. We did not bring this here. A few days ago, an esteemed guest of ours brought this here and asked us to put it for auction for him.
"That esteemed guest called it a Soul in Stone. He once said that he originally had three of these stones, but once he opened up two of them, one of the small black humanoids in there died and turned into a black crystal, while the other turned into a gust of black wind and escaped. Even now, we don't know where it is.
"This is the last piece. He did not dare try opening it again and brought it here to put it for auction. He did not ask for a high price for this, but he had one request. The person who bought it must be able to tell him the name of this item, and the buyer had to prove that his words were true. If the owner is satisfied, he would pay for the bidder and give the bidder this item for free. He would also give the bidder the black crystal that the small black humanoid turned into once he cracked open one of the stones. The owner would negotiate with the bidder alone, so you do not need to worry about a third person knowing about this.
"The starting bid for this item is 100,000!"
The blue haired old man spoke languidly. Due to the strange nature of this item, many people's interests were sparked, but as most of them were unfamiliar with this item and had never even seen it, they could not provide its name and its uses, so they did not place any bids.
"150,000!" a voice called out from among the crowd. It was a thin, middle-aged man. He did not hide his face but simply sat with an aloof gaze. His clothes were very unique as well, a combination of black and white.
That attire was unique to a tribe called Enlightenment Gathering Tribe. That tribe was skilled in making ice sculptures, and they would infuse life into those ice sculptures using a unique method, allowing them to turn the sculptures into something akin to an enchanted Vessel.
The process in creating those sculptures was a secret. Besides there being a sealed record of the method in the Great Tribe of Freezing Sky, the others would find it difficult learning about it.
A bid of 15,000,000 stone coins was practically nothing to those participating in the auction. However, since too few people knew about the items origins and its uses, the competition became largely limited.
"200,000!"
Su Ming stood on the balcony, and as he stared at the small black humanoid in the transparent mountain rock, he clearly saw three fingers on each of the small humanoid's hands!
Once he was certain that the small humanoid was exactly what he needed to create the Welcoming of Deities, Su Ming placed his bid.
"300,000!"
The tribesmen from Enlightenment Gathering Tribe frowned.
"500,000!"
"700,000!"
"1,000,000!" Su Ming declared unhurriedly, though his gaze was trained on the transparent mountain rock.
"Sir, I suggest that you don't force yourself to place those bids. You don't even know what this is! If you place your bids without any knowledge of what it is and you can't name its origins and its uses, then how are you going to deal with the consequences?!"
The thin middle-aged man from Enlightenment Gathering Tribe turned towards Su Ming.
He then stood up and spoke to the people around him."I don't know who put this item on auction, but I'm certain that you are here, sir! I can tell you that only I know what this is, no one else knows it, much less how to use it!"