This guard was named Chin Woode, one of the Zein family's two hired top experts. Because of the Underground Gathering's significance, he was dispatched here to maintain order.
Chin Woode was a 'Strength Flow' top expert like Elder Zaner as well.
He cast a glance at Le Xaan while continuing,
"Inner Body Qi and Outer Body martial arts share a common point----increasing one's strength.
Outer Body martial arts force one's body strength to grow by stimulating the muscles. This method puts one's health at risk, but excels in training speed.
Inner Body Qi cultivation mobilizes one's vital organs to nurture one's muscles. This process may be slow but ensures one's health unharmed, and could even extend one's longevity.
This is the difference between Inner Body Qi cultivation and Outer Body martial arts training.
In fact, top outer-body martial arts experts were no inferior in strength than inner-body Qi cultivators.
Of course, the best experts were those who cultivate Inner Body Qi while practicing Outer Body martial arts at the same time..."
"So that's how it is..." Zein Sanki was enlightened by Chin Woode's words.
Le Xaan also nodded his head in agreement.
"Elder Zaner also said so. "
"Then why everyone seems so enthusiastic about about Inner Body Qi cultivation? Since it doesn't increase their strength by much." Zein Sanki wondered.
"It's due to the pursuit of longevity extension... Outer Body martial arts experts are indeed powerful, but their strength tends to wane once past their thirties. But if they cultivate Inner Body Qi, their strength would sustain its peak until their sixties. " Chin Woode said with a sigh.
Le Xaan's attention was now concentrated on the manual on the stage. The bidding procedure was about to start.
The host pointed at the black silk-bound manual while announcing,
"Now it's the bidding time. The starting bid is a hundred silver coins."
"A hundred thirty silver coins."
"A hundred fifty."
"Two hundred!"
"Three hundred!"
"Three hundred thirty!"
The price was soaring with the passage of each second.
Even those who said sarcastic words were giving their biddings as well.
Though having no faith in the manual, they did not doubt the Underground Gathering's official promise.
"Someone is maliciously gouging the price."
Zein Sanki mumbled within earshot of Le Xaan, whose gaze remained riveted on the manual.
"Fiver hundred!"
Le Xaan raised his hand and shouted.
In the wake of his shouting, the scene sank into silence.
Five hundred silver coins were the equivalent of sixty thousand dollars, after all.
The price was a little too costly for a manual under a cloud with regard to its contents.
"Five hundred fifty silver coins."
Another voice rang out.
Le Xaan cast a glance at the bidding person, a man with a sallow complexion and triangular eyes.
Even with a black mask on his face, he appeared very gaunt. His eyes revealed a hint of fierceness and viciousness.
Le Xaan was not surprised at all, since something like an inner body Qi cultivation method was coveted by everyone here.
He was not disturbed and raised his hand once again.
"Six hundred."
"Seven hundred!"
That man matched Le Xaan's bid.
"Eight hundred!" Le Xaan called out calmly. Even using up all his monthly pocket money of two thousand silver coins, he would not feel heart-pinched at all.
Whatever, he had the Deep Blue Cheat Tool. As long as he obtained the manual and put it into the modifier, he would be able to modify it to the ultimate level.
"Nine Hundred!"
That man looked over at Le Xaan with a fierce expression.
"One thousand." Le Xaan stayed composed.
"One thousand one hundred!" That person now sounded somewhat reluctant. "My friend, I was from the Cyam family in Zewa City. Do give me some consideration."
The Cyam family?
Le Xaan was a little surprised.
That man turned out to be from the most prominent clan, the Cyam family in Zewa City, which produced a powerful figure like Cyam Sorn, Zewa City Chief.
"The Cyam family has actually come to our Gourian CIty to buy up precious stuff... " Zein Sanki was a little stunned.
The Underground Gathering never scrutinized its attendees' identities.
"One thousand two hundred silver coins!"
Le Xaan did not waver at the sallow-faced man's words.
That member of the Cyam family was pissed off. Around Zewa and Gourian, he had never seen anyone who would dare to offend his family.
The Cyam family was not only pillared by City Chief Cyam Sorn but also Zewa CIty's first-ranked martial arts expert, Cyam Xionyee.
The extended Cyam family held sway both in the city's government and its underworld. And that's why he disclosed his background meaningfully.
"Don't mind him. At the Underground Gathering, the one that gives the highest price wins the bidding. Even the Cyam could not break the rule."
Zein Sanki looked like he was taking great pleasure at the sallow-faced man's awkward situation.
The man was actually named Cyam Kuido, and his mission here was to search for inner body Qi cultivation methods.
The Cyams were keeping a close watch on every inner body Qi cultivation method emerging in the marketplaces. And they would purchase such manuals before they emerged on auctions by leveraging their connections.
'Dark Shadow' was a fish that slipped through the net. It suddenly popped up on the Underground Gathering without going through the formal auction procedures, and thus, they were not aware of it in advance.
"One thousand three hundred!" Cyam Kuido gritted his teeth, raising his hand.
"One thousand four hundred silver coins!" Le Xaan said with no hesitation.
At this point, only two of them were vying for the manual, and everybody else was in no mood to compete against them.
"One thousand fiver hundred silver coins!" Cyam Kuido glared at Le Xaan firmly. "My friend, if you allow me this manual, our Cyam family will not forget your favor."
Le Xaan's expression was indifferent.
"One thousand six hundred."
Le Xaan raised his hand to give a bidding once more.
Cyam Kuido abruptly turned his head and fixated his gaze on Le Xaan.
"Very well. You're really good!"
He sized up Le Xaan from head to tail and seemed to be trying his best to bear Le Xaan's appearance in mind.
Then, with a snap, Cyam Kuido left in a huff.
Chapter 14
"Congratulations! This distinguished client!" The host was beaming from ear to ear. An inner body Qi cultivation method was hardly worth this high price without going through complete authentication. Therefore, by selling it at such a handsome price, his commission would be several times greater than average.
Le Xaan then paid the money and obtained the manual.
Le Xaan was not interested in the last lot so he said goodbye to Zein Sanki before taking his leave.
He gained possession of the manual, but he was left with a little money now.
Chin Woode and two of his subordinates escorted him out of the cave in fear of an accident.
They went out by the same route. Once out of the stone house, Le Xaan read the sky and knew that it was already midnight.
The Zein family's horse carriage had been waiting outside.
Chin Woode was still on his task here, so he ordered several of the guards to escort Le Xaan back home. Then, he returned to the cave to watch over Zein Sanki.
Flanked by three guards, Le Xaan was about to get into the horse carriage.
Whoosh...
Suddenly, a strange sound rang out.
One of the guards was alarmed, looking around but detecting nothing.
Sssh!
With a faint friction sound, a dark figure was attempting to tear through the three guards' defense and sprang upon Le Xaan.
Given its formidable speed, the three guards proved awkward to protect Le Xaan.
Dang, dang, dang!
The three guards crossed swords with the assassin.
With three crisp sounds, the dark figure wielded a short sword and managed to slash at the wrists of all the guards.
All the three guards groaned and stepped backward, holding their wrists in pain.
They were just employed by the Zein family as defense forces and were in no mood to sacrifice themselves while carrying out the task.
Therefore, the three guards backed up slowly, exposing Le Xaan behind them.
"DIE!"
A muddled voice sounded out from the dark figure.
He rushed toward Le Xaan with the dagger in hand.
After incapacitating all those guards, he was a little exhausted, in turn weakening his strength and speed, but he believed that a frail wealthy son was still a piece of cake for him.
Nonetheless, even if Le Xaan was a martial arts practitioner, he did not care. In Gourian City, there were only a handful of people posing threats to him.
And Cyam Kuido was certain that Le Xaan wasn't one among those people.
Cyam Kuido was not only a member of the Cyam family but also a senior member of the notorious bandit gang, 'Wolf Bandit'.
Since he failed to acquire the manual, he decided to rob it away from Le Xaan. This was far from the first time that he had done this sort of thing.
And if he succeeded, it would save him the cost of over a thousand silver coins.
What's more, the Underground Gathering never granted its attendees any security measures after the auction closed.
So, why not do it?
The short sword sliced open Le Xaan's clothes in front of his chest in a flash.
Le Xaan was blankly staring at Cyam Kuido, as if dumbstruck.
A hideous smile emerged on Cyam Kuido's face.
"Don't blame me, blame yourself for offending me!"
The dagger cut through Le Xaan's garment and across his skin.
Pong!
Right at this moment, Le Xaan leaned backward while unsheathing his broadsword from his waist.
The weapon streaked through the air and hit hard at the dagger in Cyam Kuido's hand. Its momentum was so great that Cyam Kuido's hand was numbing and the dagger slipped off his hand.
Le Xaan redirected the sabre and slashed down at Cyam Kuido's skull, unleashing Tiger Anger.
Whoosh!
As the blade sliced through the air with a faint tiger roar, Cyam Kuido was terrified beyond words.
His every hair bristled. He never expected that the wealthy son protected by the three guards would suddenly erupt with such formidable strength.
Such swift reactions, such great speed!
Something was wrong!
Without the luxury of time to deliberate over the situation, he made a backflip before taking several steps backward. Then, he turned around and was about to flee.
Sssh!
The broadsword made its way through Cyam Kuido's body.
A stream of Blood spilled out and trickled down him.
Le Xaan walked over and retrieved his saber from the body, and then wiped the bloodstains off it.
"Let's go, send me back home."
He walked onto the horse carriage with a calm expression.
The three guards escorting him and the two doormen, as well as the coachman, were all staring blankly at the corpse on the ground in silence.
The three guards were deathly pale at this point. Without a word, they followed Le Xaan into the horse carriage.
"Yah!"
The coachman flicked the whip through the air, and the horse carriage started moving sluggishly.
Within the carriage, there were only the rumbles of rolling wheels.
The three guards sat face-to-face with Le Xaan for a long while before they could not tolerate the silence and decided to get out of the carriage. They trailed the vehicle for the rest of the trip.
Le Xaan was left alone in the carriage.
He sat cross-legged on a cushion, expressionless with his eyes closed, as if he was taking a nap.
But only he himself knew how turbulent and stormy his heart was now.
He killed someone...
Some died at his hand...
Whether in his previous life or the present life, he had never even injured anyone in a fight, let alone killed someone.
A while before, his bodily instincts urged him to throw his weapon at the robber after he realized that the robber was about to flee.
By his muscular memories, a result of the modification, he hurled the saber out in a smooth way.
Then, it precisely struck the center of the robber's back.
And the robber died on the spot.