Chapter 882: Trapping Himself
Purple Orchid City was a beautiful city located in the Southern Domain. The city was clean and tidy, with everything in perfect order.
Both sides of the streets were lined with purple orchid trees. These fragrant trees were as translucent as purple crystals, standing several meters tall. Each cluster of flowers looked like it was carved from purple agate, emitting an intoxicating, subtle fragrance.
"Not bad at all. If I ever set up a cemetery in the future, I've decided to plant some purple orchid trees too," Duan De said, his bad habit acting up again.
The entire city was filled with the scent of orchids, refreshing the heart and mind. It was a very livable place. Walking on the streets made one feel invigorated and peaceful at heart.
The Gu Yue Auction House was located in a relatively quiet area of Purple Orchid City. However, today it was a scene of chaos, already overcrowded with people, shoulder to shoulder, making it difficult to enter or leave.
At the entrance stood two enormous qilin statues, glittering brilliantly. Carved from gold and jade essence, they exuded an air of grandeur and wealth, majestic and imposing.
Inside the auction house, the carved beams and painted rafters were resplendent. Huge screens, antique and elegant precious wood chairs, and thick pillars entwined with dragons and phoenixes adorned the space.
"A fairy maiden from beyond the stars, a collision of different civilizations. How interesting," a young man from the Ancient Clan said, holding a folding fan and smiling.
Beside him, a person wearing a ghost-face mask radiated a chilling aura as he strode in confidently, followed by a group of people carrying piles of Divine Source. Clearly, he was determined to win.
"I've heard that this woman is connected to the Sacred Body Ye Fan. Wouldn't bidding on her cause some trouble?" someone else whispered.
"The highest bidder wins. Does he think he can just snatch her by force?" another person said in a sinister tone.
Clearly, some people weren't there for the auction at all. Their sole purpose was to target Ye Fan. Even if they couldn't succeed, they wanted to cause him trouble.
"Courting death," the monkey muttered to himself from a distance.
At this moment, Ye Fan, Duan De, and the others had already entered, but they had changed their appearances to avoid drawing too much attention. Everyone knew he would show up today.
"Everyone, please be quiet. The auction will now begin," an elderly man over sixty years old said as he stepped onto the stage, striking a wooden mallet to start the proceedings.
At first, things were calm. Various rare materials, weapons, and pills were auctioned off peacefully, without causing much of a stir. Even when a King-rank weapon appeared, it didn't create much excitement.
It wasn't until the final volume of a Saint's manuscript appeared that a commotion erupted. However, it was only a thin seven or eight pages, severely incomplete. Even so, many people competed to bid on it.
Finally, the white-haired old man tapped the table and raised his voice, saying, "Next, we will auction the fairy maiden from beyond the stars. The highest bidder wins."
"Boom!"
Finally, the calm Gu Yue Auction House erupted. Noise and chaos filled the air, with voices clamoring and ears ringing. Many people stood up.
Among them, half of the people weren't focused on the stage. Instead, they were scanning the crowd, clearly searching for Ye Fan's figure, paying more attention to him.
"They're well-hidden. There are powerful assassins, but I've only sensed a few traces of their aura so far, all concealed among ordinary people," Ye Fan said.
No one dared to act rashly. The place was a mix of dragons and snakes. If they tried to wipe everyone out, they would likely provoke dozens or even hundreds of major powers. Even the Assassin Divine Dynasty wouldn't dare to act recklessly.
"So-called fairy maiden from beyond the stars, why hasn't she appeared yet? The auction has started, so why don't we get to see her?" someone shouted.
"Exactly. Who knows if she's really from the stars or just some woman picked up from a brothel? Let her show herself so we can judge."
The Gu Yue Auction House was enormous, with tens of thousands of people seated below. Spatial laws were at play here; otherwise, it would be impossible to accommodate everyone.
"Apologies, but this woman's origins are extraordinary. The collision of different civilizations can provide insights equivalent to a thousand years of enlightenment. Here, we are only auctioning off a few spots. The actual bidding will take place elsewhere," the old man on stage said.
The crowd below immediately erupted into chaos. Many people were dissatisfied, standing up and shouting in protest.
But it changed nothing. The old man on stage continued, stating that anyone who put down a deposit of 800,000 jin of Source could enter the next round and bid at another location.
"What? 800,000 jin of Source just to start? Are you crazy? She's just a woman! No matter how precious she is, she's not worth that much!"
"Even if you're trying to rip people off, you don't have to be this ruthless! Is there no justice? Even if she's from beyond the stars, this is ridiculous!"
Amidst a chorus of curses, a dozen or so groups stepped forward. Some put down a small piece of Nine Heavens Sequence Divine Jade, others tossed down a chunk of Great Luo Silver Essence, and some placed several large pieces of Divine Source.
The hall quickly quieted down. Everyone knew these weren't ordinary people. They were likely targeting the Human Clan's Sacred Body, Ye Fan. The fairy maiden from beyond the stars was just a bonus for them.
A tense atmosphere spread, making people feel oppressed. It was as if they could smell blood and see scenes of flashing blades, white bones, and rivers of blood.
"Through this auction, the enemies of the Human Clan's Sacred Body have formed an alliance. Many people know they're here to kill him together."
"I think some of them are carrying spatial artifacts. Right now, they look like individuals, but later, they might summon an army of thousands."
A few old cultivators whispered among themselves, tightly gripping their juniors' arms, telling them to watch more and talk less, and not to run around.
A dozen groups stepped onto the stage and were led to another hall not open to the public. They left behind a pile of treasures, glittering so brightly it was blinding. The most ordinary among them was Divine Source, while the others were rare and precious divine materials.
Duan De's heart skipped a beat. "Vicious Ghost... I can sense his aura!"
He stared at a blood-red stone on the stage, covered in complex Dao patterns. Even the auction house staff didn't know what it was, but they valued it at over a million jin of Source.
Duan De made a definitive conclusion. The person holding this bloodstone must have frequent contact with Vicious Ghost. It carried an aura that made his hair stand on end.
"Finally here, but I think it's more likely he's heading to the Heaven-Severing Mountain Range. This might just be a minor character," Ye Fan muttered to himself.
Finally, Ye Fan and the others stepped onto the stage. After a long time, they entered another magnificent ancient hall, adorned with famous paintings and calligraphy. Even the teacups had significant origins.
At the center of the ancient hall was an altar, with a formation pattern flickering. The dozen or so groups had already disappeared. They exchanged glances and then stepped onto it.
With a flash of light, they appeared in a desert. A grand structure stood before them, looking incredibly eerie.
This was one of the few deserts in the Southern Domain, usually uninhabited. The Gu Yue Auction House had stated that they feared a battle might break out, so they couldn't hold the event in the city.
Inside the grand hall, the dozen or so groups sat cross-legged. Some revealed cold smiles. They had special methods to know that Ye Fan had arrived.
"Everyone irrelevant has left. Now, shouldn't the main event begin? When can we kill the Human Clan's Sacred Body?" a hoarse voice said. The speaker was completely covered in black armor, even their head and face hidden.
"I'm only here to host the auction," the white-haired old man on stage said. "The highest bidder gets the fairy maiden from beyond the stars."
Though they were in the desert, the atmosphere in the hall was icy cold. The dozen or so groups all emitted terrifying killing intent. Some had already locked onto Ye Fan and his two companions.
"Fine. Isn't that woman from the same place as the Human Clan's Sacred Body? They're old friends," a young man said flippantly. "Then I'll bid on her and use her as a slave."
This was a blatant insult. He knew Ye Fan was there but still spoke this way, showing no respect, practically slapping him in the face.
Duan De transmitted a message, saying, "He's a very formidable King! He looks young, but he's lived for who knows how many years. The weariness in his eyes can't be hidden. There's a terrifying killing aura sealed within his body. He's most likely a Small World Master from the Assassin Divine Dynasty!"
"Since we're all here, there's no rush. The turtle is already in the jar. We've trapped the Human Clan's Sacred Body alive. What's there to wait for? Let's slowly stew him," another person said in a sinister tone, laced with mockery.
"No wonder he's so confident. He's carrying a Saint Weapon!" Duan De was alarmed, secretly warning Ye Fan and the monkey. This was likely a Realm Master from Hell.
"Since she's an old friend of the Human Clan's Sacred Body, I have to bid on her. Using her as a maid to serve tea, warm the bed—wouldn't that be satisfying?" a young man from Primordial Lake said, uttering the ultimate insult.
"Human Clan's Sacred Body, you're finished!" a member of the Fallen Feather Clan said more directly, their eyes gleaming as they stared at Ye Fan, Duan De, and the monkey.
Lu Dongfa had died at Ye Fan's hands, so they had come. Two old men stood at the front, both at the terrifying peak of the King realm, jointly holding an Eight Treasures Demon Vase that emitted a shocking pressure.
"It's the Demon-Sealing Vase!" Duan De was startled. This kind of vase could seal space, nullify all formation patterns, and dissolve all laws of power, turning this place into a wasteland without order or divine rules.
"Ye Fan, I've missed you all these years. Finally, we meet again. I've been looking forward to this reunion, eager to see the shock on your face!" the strange man completely covered in black armor said, his voice as sinister as if it came from the Nine Netherworld.
"It's him! He carries some of Vicious Ghost's aura!" Duan De was an expert and immediately saw through it. At the same time, a chill ran through his body. Through this person, he understood the terror of Vicious Ghost.
"So, this must be an old friend who crossed the stars with me to this world," Ye Fan muttered to himself.
The others were extremely calm, their expressions even colder. Clearly, they would strike when the time came. Once they unleashed their spatial artifacts, the entire desert might become an army of thousands.
These dozen or so groups represented a dozen or so incredibly powerful and terrifying superpowers!
On the high stage, the old man was extremely composed, proceeding step by step to continue the auction. Lin Jia still hadn't appeared, and everyone had to first display their treasures, piling them in front of the auction stage before they could bid.
"Two million jin of Source! Let the Human Clan's Sacred Body's beloved become a slave!" the young-looking Realm Master of the Assassin Divine Dynasty laughed, a hint of cruelty in his voice.
"I want a maid like that too!" the young man from Primordial Lake said, as two old men behind him sent up a large pile of Divine Source.
Soon, the high stage was piled high with divine materials, all kinds of rare treasures dazzling and shining brightly.
But most people didn't move, watching coldly from the sidelines. They had little interest in the fairy maiden from beyond the stars; their main goal was to kill Ye Fan.
After a moment, someone finally lost patience and said, "Everyone, have you had your fun? Let's kill the turtle in the jar together!"
"Indeed. He's already in the jar. We've been stewing him for a while now. It's about time," another person said with a sinister laugh.
"Swish!"
At that moment, Ye Fan revealed his true appearance. There was no need to hide anymore. He stood up.
The man completely covered in black armor was the most excited, laughing like a night owl crying. His voice was icy as he said, "Ye Fan, do you know who I am? I've been waiting for this chance to meet you, eager to see the shock and panic on your face!"
Ye Fan said calmly, "Unfortunately, you're destined to be disappointed. Whether in the past or now, you're nothing but a small fry!"
"You..." This person was heavy with Yin energy, breathing heavily. It took him a long time to calm down. "When you find out who I am, you'll regret this!"
"Actually, I'm very curious. Which Dao friend orchestrated this auction, bringing so many of us together to kill the Sacred Body?" a King asked this question, and others wanted to know too.
"Thank you for your generous gifts." Ye Fan stepped forward, collecting all the rare treasures from the high stage, then said loudly, "I set up this trap to kill myself."
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