Yuan didn't fully realize what had just happened as he couldn't feel the changes in the surrounding qi. All he felt the overbearing sword qi of Mo Xiang which appeared and disappeared almost instantly. But the same couldn't be said for others. A bead of sweat formed on their foreheads as they nervously gulped down the saliva.
The previous lively uproar of the hall was nowhere to be seen as the whole hall turned silent.
Bloody Hand sighed but made no attempt to ease the mood. He simply continued the process, "Thirty gold coins, one!"
"Thirty gold coins, two!"
"Thirty gold coins, three!"
'Bang'
He smashed the hammer down. "Sold!"
He gestured and the guard walked back to the backstage after picking up the armor. Moments later, he returned with a second tray, the item hidden beneath a fresh layer of red silk. But this time Bloody Hand didn't pause or said anything for dramatic effects and directly lifted the cover off.
A shocking qi burst out in the hall but it wasn't overbearing. Instead, it was gentle and soothing, like the first rays of sunlight after a storm. The audience gasped in shock once again.
"Grade 4 5-petals Lotus Flower,"
This herb was one of the 8 key ingredients used to make the Core Formation Pill, a Grade 4 pill that greatly increased the chances of peak Stage Foundation Formation Realm cultivator forming their core and breaking through to the Golden Core Realm. It was a treasure that could change the course of someone's entire cultivation journey.
For a moment, no one spoke, even Bloody Hand himself was momentarily struck silent. Although he was told about the addition of this herb in the auction by Li Shiming, seeing it here, in person, was a different matter entirely.
And then—like someone has turned on the switch —the audience burst into uproar. Some rushed toward the stage, trying to get their hands on the herb. Others on the upper floor sprang to their feet with a fiery fire burning in their eyes.
"Boom"
A pulse of bloodthirsty qi exploded through the hall, making the floor tremble. The room fell deathly quiet. Those who dared to move toward the stage instantly plummeted to the ground under the pressure. "Whoever dares to move will be killed instantly." The voice was chilling as if it had emerged from the depths of an abyss, cold and final. Yuan's heart skipped a beat. Everyone immediately froze, returning to their seats.
Moments later, twenty guards clad in majestic full-body silver armor entered the hall, their long spears gleaming in the low light. They took their positions beneath the stage, their presence a silent warning.
Bloody Hand was amazed by Li Shiming's boldness. If she had sold this herb in the capital, she could have earned 10X more than here. Yet, she had chosen to sell it at this modest auction, under the watchful eyes of these hungry bidders. Though he had no idea she had much better treasures on her than this herb.
After the brief chaos and a few minutes of calming time, the auction began again, though the tension in the air was heavier than before. The competition was fierce. Even those representatives of 5 Academies and 4 Sects actively participated, adding bid after bid. People on the lower floor watched as the rich people competed fiercely.
Bloody Hand as usual enticed the people at a critical time, encouraging the bidders to go higher. An hour later, he closed the deal with the last bid of Han Jie of a whopping 120 gold coins—4 times more than the previous Cloth Armor.
Mo Xiang's expression twisted with frustration as he watched Han Jie excitedly receive the 5-petals Lotus Flower in front of everyone and pay gold coins on the spot. Mo Xiang cursed inwardly, regretting his earlier decision to spend 30 gold coins.
With a wide, jubilant grin, Bloody Hand waved a hand toward the attendants. Two attendants came forward carrying a large tray covered in silk and placed it on the podium. "Are you ready for some more fun?" Bloody Hand asked, his tone laced with amusement as he grabbed the cover.
The audience held their breath as they watched him slowly lift the cover. There was no need to be shocked as they expected the item to be impressive, however once again they were left shocked but for a completely different reason.
Yuan's heart skipped a beat, his gaze fixed on the cage onto the podium. Inside, a Red-tail Rabbit.
The audience's excitement instantly dimmed, wondering if Palace had made a mistake showing a wild Red-eyed Rabbit in such a level of auction. Actually, it wasn't their fault. Under a continuous adrenaline rush for the last 2 hours, they had just forgotten the important incident that happened today.
"Ahm," Bloody Hand cleared his throat. "Ah, I see some of you are wondering if we made a mistake," he said, his signature smile returning on his face. "Unfortunately, you are wrong. I think some of you have forgotten something important that happened earlier today."
"Boom," a bomb exploded in everyone's mind. They instantly remembered the chaos caused by the news of Red-tail Rabbit.
Since no one had seen it except the participants, many people had assumed that they were mistaken and were spreading false rumors. Besides, how can the arena allow such a precious beast to appear on the stage and then, let someone buy it without anyone's notice under their greedy eyes?
But now, the creature here. In plain sight.
"Is it really a Red-tail Rabbit?" a hesitant voice from the crowd asked.
Bloody Hand grinned loudly, his answer obvious.
"100 gold coins" Mo Xiang barked, not even giving Bloody Hand a chance to begin the auction while amazing people on the lower floor. The feeling of coming to this grand auction to only be a spectator caused them to smile bitterly. They could only watch as the wealthy competed for the creature.
On the other hand, Bloody Hand didn't mind Mo Xiang's attitude, instead, he liked it more. He knew many on the upper floor came specifically for this small creature after receiving the secretive tip from Treasure Palace. So, he leisurely folded his hands behind his back, watching with amusement as the bids escalated while adding oil to the declining fire every few minutes, encouraging more furious competition.
After all, the name Bloody Hand wasn't just for show. He beamed on the chaos of these auctions—on watching people bleed their fortunes for a thrill.
Yuan's nerves were on edge. His gaze remained fixed on the stage, his breath shallow as the price climbed higher.
Only six bidders remained.
"180 gold coins," Qiu Zhi, the representative of Purple Light Sect, made her final bid. Her teeth were clenched, she had no more money.
Mo Xiang's lips curled into a grin. "182 gold coins."
Note: Currency in the Crimson Empire is divided into Gold, Silver, and Copper coins for now. 1 gold coin is equal to 10 silver coins and 1 silver coin is equal to 10 copper coins.