Chapter 375: 213, Spend a fortune to fight with the Song Knife.
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"True Lord Song certainly has a temper..."
TEE-HEE-HEE...
Inside the Mingquan Sect’s Box, through the Magical Prohibition, a Female Cultivator with a delicate, charming figure could be seen beneath a black cloak. She covered her mouth as she giggled, her body swaying like a flower in the wind.
"Nan Lu, no wonder..."
"In the recent hundred years, Nan Ling from the Mingquan Sect has been on the Human Rankings and Earth List. But two or three hundred years ago, it was Nan Lu from the Mingquan Sect who made the lists."
"Around the same time, Song Knife and several other Prides of Heaven from Flying Feather Immortal Palace were also listed."
"Song Knife was Thirteenth in the Human Rankings, while Nan Lu was twelfth. When they reached the Earth List, their rankings were still close..."
The cultivators discussed, their conversation revealing the history of animosity between the two.
Song Knife and Nan Lu were Prides of Heaven of a bygone era. While perhaps slightly inferior to the current generation’s talents, their reputations in their prime were not to be underestimated.
"True Lord Song, True Lord Nan, you both represent Higher Teachings sects. Squabbling here would damage your respective sects’ reputations, which wouldn’t be a good thing."
At this moment, a gaunt old man with long eyebrows that drooped to his cheeks suddenly appeared.
He floated in the air, stroking the three strands of his wispy beard beneath his chin. He spoke unhurriedly, exuding an immortal-like aura.
However, a conspicuous Golden Halberd was embedded in his back.
On the halberd’s blade rested the half-desiccated corpse of an infant.
"Burial Halberd Elder?"
The cultivators gasped, their faces filled with disbelief.
This Burial Halberd Elder was a renowned True Monarch powerhouse from the Outer Sea of the Wangchuan Sea, famous for slaying a Nascent Soul Daoist Lord of the Zhaoming Sect.
The half-desiccated infant corpse on the halberd’s blade was none other than the Nascent Soul remains of the Dao Lord who had died at Burial Halberd Elder’s hands.
However, after their initial shock, their eyes quickly turned envious. The fact that Burial Halberd Elder himself was overseeing security implied that this auction by the Hundred Treasures Pavilion would feature some truly significant treasures.
The stronger the security at an auction, the more precious the treasures. This was a well-known fact.
"Since Senior Burial Halberd has spoken, I shall defer to you, Senior."
Song Knife’s expression turned wary. He flicked his sleeve robe, and with a surge of Magic Power, lifted the curtain at the entrance of his Box. He then cupped his hands towards Burial Halberd Elder in a gesture of respect.
Strength cannot be judged solely by aptitude and Realm. Burial Halberd Elder is an exceptional Dao Pill Daoist.
Although the quality of the Dao Pill he condensed was far inferior to those of Song Knife and other Upper Sect disciples, his cultivation of numerous heterodox secret arts meant his strength far surpassed that of many Higher Teachings cultivators at the same Realm.
"Since Senior Burial Halberd has come forward, this concubine must also show deference."
Nan Lu also lifted the curtain of her Box, smiling as she paid her respects to Burial Halberd Elder.
Her deference towards Burial Halberd Elder, however, was clearly less than Song Knife’s. With the Mingquan Sect, a Higher Teachings sect, backing her, it was common for her to interact with Dao Lords from Small factions as an equal. If not for her wariness of Burial Halberd Elder’s fierce reputation and his infamous intractability, she would never have apologized.
"You two True Monarchs are too polite," Burial Halberd Elder said with a slight, modest smile. "This Old Man is merely a thousand years your senior. Since we are of the same Realm, you may address me as Daoist friend. There is no need to call me Senior."
He dared to attack the Zhaoming Sect because it had only one Nascent Soul Daoist Lord, eliminating concerns about repercussions. But when it came to disciples of Higher Teachings sects... he had many reservations and would not offend them lightly. A minister of a great power holds more sway than the ruler of a lesser one. Though Song Knife and Nan Lu were currently weaker than him, should they break through to the Dao Lord Realm, he, in turn, would have to defer to them.
Temporary combat strength is not true strength.
"Senior, you are too kind," Song Knife and Nan Lu replied, not daring to act presumptuously, bowing respectfully.
Soon, this minor disturbance vanished without a trace following Burial Halberd Elder’s intervention.
In the interval before the auction began, besides discussing Song Knife, Nan Lu, and their respective sects, the cultivators also grew interested in Xu Xing, the Flying Feather Immortal Palace Exiled Disciple.
"I heard Xu Xing surfaced in the North Wilderness, in the Crane Emblem Country..."
"The Starfall Sect Saintess has a history with him. The last time Xu Xing’s whereabouts were revealed, it was also connected to the Starfall Sect Saintess..."
Some cultivators began to exchange information.
Upon hearing this, the cultivators from various sects in the Wangchuan Sea who had been interested in Xu Xing were dumbfounded. They decided to cease their efforts and no longer expend energy on him. For years, they had scoured the Wangchuan Sea, hoping to find Xu Xing and seize the inheritance possessed by this Flying Feather Immortal Palace Exiled Disciple.
"Unfortunately, the North Wilderness is too far from the Wangchuan Sea, one at the north and the other at the south."
"Now that he has the Starfall Sect’s protection, we won’t be able to capture Xu Xing."
"Now, it’s Flying Feather Immortal Palace’s turn to feel the pressure." Several representatives from Small and Medium-sized Sects conversed in low voices.
There must be some hidden meaning in what True Lord Song said earlier... someone thought, recalling True Lord Song’s loud pronouncements from his Box, suspecting there was more to it.
Could Xu Xing have returned to the Wangchuan Sea? some cultivators speculated. They felt True Lord Song’s words were unlikely to be baseless.
"Who knows what True Lord Song is up to? It’s common knowledge he has a feud with Xu Xing. This time... he might be trying to use us to find Xu Xing and settle old scores..." a wiser cultivator mused, guessing True Lord Song’s Positive Strategy and cautioning their juniors against acting rashly.
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The host of this auction was, as Xu Xing remembered from the last one, Yu Zhu, a Beautiful Woman from the Mermaid Race.
As before, the initial few treasures of the auction—Yang Chen Pearls, Hundred Star Grass—were sold by the Hundred Treasures Pavilion at suppressed prices, essentially as loss leaders.