Chapter 252: Collusion
"Five million gold!" An aged voice sounded out, and it broke the peace in the auction hall.
Li Fei's expression froze for a second, and she had a face full of disbelief.
Ke Er was stupefied as well, and she had a burning gaze that was filled with adoration when she looked at Duan Ling Tian.
Duan Ling Tian was startled as well.
He was able to discern that the owner of this was precisely the green-clothed old man from before, the grade seven alchemist that was soon to become Black Wind City's Alchemist Guild's Guild Master.
Five million gold?
This price had already completely surpassed the infant Jade-eyed Heavenly Mouse.
The first thought in Duan Ling Tian heart was:
I've earned back the money I spent on the Jade-eyed Heavenly Mouse!
The second thought was:
I can be considered to have experienced the meaning of 'Items are precious when they are rare'.
As expected, the old man's bid caused a stir in the auction hall.
"That Guild Master directly bid five million gold?"
"Even though he's a grade seven alchemist, he ought to not have that much money, right?"
"Hmph! Didn't you hear of his identity earlier? An Origin Strengthening Pill with a purity of 91% has an extraordinary significance to the Alchemist Guild as well. He's surely thinking of using the wealth of the Alchemist Guild to bid for this Origin Strengthening Pill."
...
Everyone present was shocked by the green-clothed old man's massive bid.
"I wonder if anyone will continue to bid...."
Many people couldn't help but think this in their hearts.
Finally.
"Six million gold!" That sonorous voice from room number 7 echoed out once again.
"Room number 7 again!"
"Who the heck is in room number 7?"
"Too terrifying, casually bidding six million gold like that."
...
The voice from room number 7 once again caused a stir in the hall.
"Seven million gold!" Right at this moment, the voice of the green-clothed old man sounded out again, and at the same time, he said, with a deep voice, "Sir, I hope you can give out Alchemist Guild some face."
"Humph! Let's rely on our own ability." The sonorous voice sounded out once again from room number 7, not giving a shred of face to the green-clothed old man. "Eight million gold!"
The room that the green-clothed old man resided in went quiet, and he didn't bid anymore.
Seemingly, the price had already passed the value of the pill in his heart.
"The guest in room number 7 has bid a price of eight million gold now, are there any other guests who want to continue bidding? Eight million gold going once.... Eight million gold going twice...." The voice of the old man on the auction platform was excited as he spoke.
"The guest in room number 1 has given up again?"
"Seems to be so."
"He doesn't want such a good item?"
...
Voices of surprise echoed out within the hall, one after the other.
"Eight million gold going thrice! Deal!"
Along with the old man's voice sounding out, the Origin Strengthening Pill with a purity of 91% had become the property of the person in room number 7.
In room number 1.
Duan Ling Tian started laughing. An Origin Strengthening Pill that cost 1,000 or so silver was actually sold for eight million gold, and in silver it would be 800 million silver!
Even if he deducted the cost of the Jade-eyed Heavenly Mouse and Silver Fire Grass from before, he'd still earned over four million gold.
"Unbelievable....Unbelievable...." Li Fei felt as if she was dreaming.
"Young Master, they're still wondering why you didn't fight for it with the person from room number 7." Ke Er looked at Duan Ling Tian and playfully stuck out her tongue.
Fight for it?
Duan Ling Tian laughed.
That was an item he placed on auction!
In next to no time, the attendant knocked the door again, the Ma Clan Auction House's manager, Ma Qin, appeared once again, and he passed the eight million gold to Duan Ling Tian. "Congratulations Guest."
Ma Qin's heart was bleeding. The 10% administration fee....
Gone, just like that.
Eight million gold, even if it was only a 10% administration fee, it would still be 800,000 gold, which was equivalent to 80 million silver.
Duan Ling Tian looked at Ma Qin and asked, "How do we leave?"
"Guest, we have provided a special passage for every guest in the rooms....You, lead the guests out." Ma Qin looked at the attendant and instructed.
"Yes." The attendant hurriedly nodded, then he led Duan Ling Tian's group of four out of the room and turned in to the special passage that was at the side of the room.
As for Ma Qin, his eyes flashed, then he gritted his teeth, seeming to have made a difficult decision.
In next to no time, Ma Qin left room number 1 and walked into room number 7.
In room number 7, a dignified middle-aged man sat there, and behind the middle-aged man, another two old men followed.
The dignified middle-aged man's sonorous voice sounded out when he saw Ma Qin come in. "Manager Ma, have you considered it? I only want that Goldfur Mouse....The other things are yours. That person is able to pay nearly four million gold in one ago, so he is obviously someone that doesn't lack money."
The corners of Ma Qin's mouth twitched when he heard this.
That violet-clothed young man naturally doesn't lack money.
Not to mention the wealth in his possession, even just the money that the Origin Strengthening Pill with a purity of 91% sold for was already eight million gold.
As far as he was concerned, the wealth of that violet clothed young man would absolutely surpass 10 million gold!
Noticing Ma Qin being slightly hesitant, the dignified middle-aged man continued. "If Manager Ma doesn't feel at ease, you may follow behind us....Once we kill them, Manager Ma can directly appear, and you won't have to do anything to obtain all the wealth of that person."
"Manager Ma, when you let an opportunity slip by, it may never come back.... What we want you to provide is only where he went." The dignified middle-aged man glanced deeply at Ma Qin. "I hope Manager Ma can quickly come to a decision; otherwise, once they've left, it will be too late."
Needless to say, every sentence that the dignified middle-aged man uttered smashed against Ma Qin's restless heart that wanted to agree.
Outside the Ma Clan Auction House.
Duan Ling Tian's group of four walked out in large strides, then he looked at their surroundings and noticed that before them was a remote alley that was devoid of people.
"This Ma Clan Auction House is rather thoughtful. Leaving from this passage will allow us to completely avoid the coveting of others." Li Fei looked at the surroundings and evaluated.
Duan Ling Tian nodded then walked out in large strides. "Let's first find an inn to stay at. We'll leave Black Wind City tomorrow morning at dawn."
However, he'd only takes a few steps when Duan Ling Tian became vigilant and stopped his footsteps.
Meanwhile, Xiong Quan, who was behind Duan Ling Tian, stopped as well and turned around.
"Who are you all?!" Along with Xiong Quan's surprised shout, Duan Ling Tian turned around as well.
With a glance, he saw the three nearby people.
A dignified middle-aged man in green clothes and with an extraordinary bearing.
Behind the middle-aged man, two old men followed. The old men both wore grey clothes, and even though their eyes were muddy, they gave out an oppressive feeling.
"Three Half-step Void Stage martial artists?" Relying on his formidable Spiritual Force and the experience of Rebirth Martial Emperor, Duan Ling Tian perceived their rough cultivation levels at the first possible moment.
Towards these three people appearing here, he didn't have to think to know that it was surely because of the Ma Clan Auction House.
Ma Clan Auction House!
Duan Ling Tian's eyes flashed with a trace of a cold light. What he hated the most was people who didn't keep their word and stabbed another in the back.
Duan Ling Tian's gaze descended on the three people and he asked, in a deep voice, "You're members of the Ma Clan?"
"The Ma Clan?" the dignified middle-aged man in the lead said, with a sonorous voice. "Do you think that we look like Ma Clan members?"
Duan Ling Tian's face sank when hearing the dignified middle-aged man's voice. "You're the person from room number 7?"
"Exactly." The dignified middle-aged man's gaze descended on the little gold mouse that lay on Ke Er's shoulder, then he glanced at Ke Er and Li Fei and a trace of surprise flashed within his eyes. "Kid, today, your wrong was that you shouldn't have bid with me for this Goldfur Mouse....What a pity for these two little beauties; they're going to be buried with you today. Needless to say, your romantic fortune is really good."
Duan Ling Tian came to a sudden understanding. So it turned out that this person had come for the little gold mouse.
Goldfur Mouse?
Duan Ling Tian snickered
He wondered if the middle-aged man knew the true identity of the little gold mouse. What sort of expression would the middle-aged man have if he found out?
Maybe the middle-aged man would go wild with joy.
"Are you that sure that you can kill me?" Duan Ling Tian looked at the dignified middle-aged man with a calm gaze and spoke indifferently.
As soon as he finished speaking, seeming to have noticed something, Duan Ling Tian's brows rose and his gaze swept out into the distance....
He noticed a figure that was concealed in the distance.
This figure wasn't unfamiliar to him.
The Ma Clan Auction House's Manager, Ma Qin!
Now he'd come to an understanding. It was surely Ma Qin who had come to an agreement with this middle-aged man and colluded with the middle-aged man to sell Duan Ling Tian out.
"Ma Qin." Killing intent arose in Duan Ling Tian's heart.
"What? Could it be that you think the four of you and this Goldfur Mouse can go against us?" The middle-aged man couldn't stop himself from laughing when he heard what Duan Ling Tian said, and his gaze when he looked at Duan Ling Tian was as if he was looking at an extremely weak little kid, utterly not taking Duan Ling Tian seriously.
"You can try." Duan Ling Tian grinned widely, and the smile on his face was filled with a trace of an evil smile.
"Hmm?" The middle-aged man frowned when faced with Duan Ling Tian, who was as composed as ever, and he started to be on guard.
The two old men behind him started to look around.
After noticing that no one was concealed in their surroundings, the middle-aged man looked at Duan Ling Tian, and a sneer appeared on the corners of his mouth. "You aren't thinking that acting deliberately mystifying before me will be of any use, right? Since you want to seek death, then I'll send you off....Old Peng!"
Along with the middle-aged man's voice sounding out, one of the old men behind him flew out as if transforming into a swift cheetah, pouncing towards Duan Ling Tian.
Vast amounts of Origin Energy shook on the old man's body, and above him, 1,500 ancient mammoth silhouettes appeared.
Half-step Void Stage!
Duan Ling Tian's expression remained unchanged when faced with the old man that approached in full fury, and he slowly spoke with a cold and indifferent voice. "Xiong Quan, I'll give you two breaths of time."
"Yes, Young Master." And at almost the same time that Duan Ling Tian's voice sounded out, Xiong Quan replied then made his move.
His entire body instantly disappeared on the spot.
Whoosh!
An extremely swift sword light flashed by, and the head of the old man that rushed towards Duan Ling Tian fell down. The other half of the old man's body spouted out fresh blood that was dazzling to the eyes, like a fountain.
When Xiong Quan appeared once again, he was already in front of the middle-aged man.