PDLP Chapter 170 Auction 2
Chapter 170 Auction 2
"Junior Sister, I've rested enough. Let's go find Senior Brother Nan now!" Wen Sishu was very excited as she stood up, having never encountered anything like this before.
"Wait a minute, Senior Brother Wen!" Cheng Jiu pulled Wen Sishu aside. "We don't know those two next door. What if they've left now? Qingli City is so big, they might disappear without a trace once they're in the city. What if we have to look for them later...?"
Cheng Jiu felt that since they couldn't alert the enemy, and they didn't know anything about the process of the secret auction, they couldn't just casually tell the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce that they wanted to participate in the secret auction.
Since they're doing this kind of thing, the news will definitely only circulate among a small group of people, so in the end, it will inevitably involve these two people. Cheng Jiu thought he should mark it first.
Wen Sishu thought for a moment and said, "Junior Sister's idea is the most comprehensive. So, what should we do?"
Cheng Jiu took out the locator that Luo Ping had made. This little gadget was small, and once it was disguised, he could throw it on the other party without them noticing.
“That’s a good idea, but how will Junior Sister place it on the other person?” Wen Sishu looked at the locator. This wasn’t a bugging device. Bugging devices weren’t so picky about location, and they didn’t know where the other person was sitting.
If thrown to the wrong place, even the smallest thing appearing out of nowhere right under one's nose would be quite conspicuous to a cultivator.
Cheng Jiu was also somewhat troubled. This Qingquan Pool was quite legitimate. Even if someone dressed up as a maid and went in without the guest's permission, everyone would know something was amiss!
Cheng Jiu glanced at the famous performer and his eyes flickered: "Senior brother, I remember this private room is surrounded on three sides."
The side facing the stage is unobstructed, since guests want to enjoy the performance and the occasional treats thrown by the guests, so this side is unnecessary.
The design of the second floor is also quite ingenious. You can see the scenery below from the second floor, but you can't see the scenery above from below. However, there is indeed no magic array or similar obstruction on the second floor.
"Junior Sister, you want to go around the fence!" It's not impossible, but it's obvious to anyone that something's wrong with such a big person going into the next room.
Cheng Jiu took out an invisibility talisman and swallowed a concealment pill, instantly making his presence almost nonexistent.
"Senior brother, I'll be right back!"
Wen Sishu sat in his seat waiting for Cheng Jiu. Soon Cheng Jiu appeared. After all, Cheng Jiu was a body cultivator and a sword cultivator, so he had a very strong control over his body. The two next to him were just playboys in the city who only knew how to eat, drink and have fun. Their strength was only at the Golden Core stage.
Although they talked about scheming, they didn't have much real strength. Cheng Jiu stood in front of the two of them, who were so engrossed in drinking that they didn't even know someone was in the room.
Besides the locator and the listening device, Cheng Jiu also retrieved them.
After putting their things away, the two didn't leave. Instead, they sat in their seats and waited for a while, since no one knew if the other was just pretending to be weak.
Seeing that the bugging device was still and undamaged, the two were slightly relieved and got up to head to the location sent by Yingyue.
It was still quite far from the two of them. After all, Cheng Jiu was carrying Wen Sishu and didn't intend to go very far. He just found a comfortable place to rest and went inside.
From the main street of Chaomen, head left, pass through the bustling avenue, then enter the residential area, and then emerge from the residential area onto another avenue. Here, most of the shops are small businesses, and the goods sold are not as good as those sold on the streets near the city gate. It is basically a place where independent cultivators gather.
However, the streets of Qingli City are quite prosperous. At least Cheng Jiu thinks it is more prosperous than Liyang City. You have to understand that Liyang City is close to the Qingli Mountains. Although the environment there is dangerous, the resources are also abundant and the trade is quite prosperous.
Walking along this street, stopping and starting, Cheng Jiu and Wen Sishu bought quite a few things that interested them.
It was convenient, really, since there was a post station nearby. The clerk chose to send the pills there; post stations in the cultivation world were quite trustworthy. After all, they couldn't operate without credibility, given that the cultivators here were truly powerful and capable of killing.
Of course, without some strength, the post station would not be able to continue operating. Over the years, the post station has never had any scandals involving lost or missing packages. Although the pregnancy pill is very precious, Wen Sishu is not worried at all.
"I've asked the people at the post station. If we expedite the sea voyage, it should arrive in the capital of the Qiongyun Dynasty in about a day. My brother will definitely send the reward as soon as possible," Wen Sishu told Cheng Jiu.
"No need for explanation, I believe in Senior Brother Wen's brother!"
Cheng Jiu waved his hand. After all, if it weren't for Wen Sishu's sake, it would have been just an agreement, but the customary three times the amount of medicinal herbs hadn't been provided. Other alchemists certainly wouldn't have accepted it, but Cheng Jiu only accepted it because of Wen Sishu's sake.
Wen Sishu smiled and said, "Then let's go find Senior Brother Nan, Junior Sister!"
The two walked along the street for a while, then entered a small alley. After turning left and right and walking through three streets, a sweet aroma wafted towards them.
It's a small path opened up in the residential area. There are a few spiritual plants near the street entrance. Although it's a small street within a small street, it's still bustling with people coming and going from various shops.
The snack shop wasn't far from them, right at the street corner, though it was relatively out of the way.
"I wonder how Senior Brother Nan found this place."
Cheng Jiu looked around. The streets were fairly clean, but relatively narrow. The small food stall that Yin Yue pointed to was surrounded by pine and cypress trees, which made it look quite charming.
The two entered the snack shop, where a simply dressed elderly woman greeted them with a smile: "Welcome, guests! Please find a seat. Our most popular items are bell rolls, chestnut cakes, and black steamed buns. What would you like to eat?"
There were quite a few female nuns sitting in the lobby, each with a male companion, clearly there on a date.
Besides the first floor, there was also a second floor. Yingyue poked her head out from upstairs and waved: "Junior Sister, over here!"
"Senior Sister Ying!" the two responded.
"Boss lady! Another bowl of rose yogurt, and a pot of green tea! Also, two plates of chestnut cake, a plate of black steamed buns, and a plate of rose pastries!" Yingyue ordered the boss lady below.
"Alright, guests, please wait!"
Cheng Jiu and his group went upstairs. This place was nothing like the extravagance of Qingquan Pool. It wasn't a single small room, but rather a room with tables and chairs. The spaces between them weren't large, but they were enough for people to pass through. The room was already full of people.
There wasn't much entertainment, but everyone had plenty of snacks on their table, and they chatted with relaxed expressions.
The atmosphere was warm and peaceful, with no conflict.
The table wasn't very big, and with Cheng Jiu and Wen Sishu sitting around it, it felt a bit cramped.
"Junior Sister Xiao Jiu, Junior Brother Wen!"
"Greetings, Junior Uncle-Master Xiao Jiu, and Junior Brother Wen!"
Upon seeing the two arrive, the three greeted each other in unison. Cheng Jiu's eyes twitched as he listened to Nan Xingze's serious words. He usually didn't feel anything when he heard these words, but for some reason, they felt so awkward now!
"Senior Brother Nan, Senior Brother Qin, Senior Brother An!" the three greeted each other.
After a while, the proprietress brought up pastries and tea. Rose cheese was placed in front of Cheng Jiu, while green tea was placed in front of Wen Sishu.
Once the pastries were ready, the proprietress went downstairs.
Cheng Jiu opened the jade slip that had been flashing non-stop, but Li Weixin, whom Cheng Jiu had expected to keep asking questions, remained silent.
However, in the large group chat, Liu Shaoyuan and Gongcheng Gongyu kept spamming the chat.
"Oh my god! Junior sister, why didn't you invite me and my brother when you went to Qingli City!" Gong Yu said worriedly.
"Junior Sister, filming from the shadows is dangerous, you must be careful," Gongcheng said with concern.
"Those guys are too insidious. I wonder if such a thing exists in Medicine King Valley. Junior Sister Cheng Jiu, don't worry, I have already informed Master."
"Master also informed the Valley Master, who took it very seriously and asked Aunt Su Yuan to help you. You must be very careful about this," Liu Shaoyuan replied.
"Junior Sister Xiao Jiu, we've come to Qingli City to find you!"
There were many messages, but it all ended with this one from Gong Yu.
Cheng Jiu was touched by the caring words in the message; good brothers for life.
After seeing that the two had finished reading the message, Nan Xingze spoke up: "We also heard from Junior Sister Ying that the two Grandmaster Uncles will be arriving later. This matter cannot be resolved in a short time. Let's make a decision together when the two Grandmaster Uncles arrive."
"We'll listen to Senior Brother Nan!" The two nodded.
"Have some snacks first. Everything here is handmade by the owner. The place has been open for over a hundred years. I came here ten years ago, and the taste was absolutely delicious. Come and try some!" Anqi handed the two chestnut cakes, being very considerate: "It still tastes the same as before, unchanged!"
While munching on chestnut cakes, the group waited for Gongcheng and Gongyu.
Not long after, although Cheng Jiu and Wen Sishu arrived in Qingli City, they were not much further apart from Gong Cheng and Gong Yu.
I had just finished eating a piece of chestnut cake and a bowl of rose yogurt when I heard a familiar noise from below.
Cheng Jiu rushed to the stairs and peeked out to see Gong Cheng with a golden lion on his head and Gong Yu next to him.
The two traveled directly from the sect to Qingli City by gold ingot, no wonder they were so fast!
"Brother Gongcheng, Brother Gongcheng, here! Boss lady, two more bowls of rose yogurt and a pot of tea!" Cheng Jiu waved to the two brothers.
"Alright!" the proprietress said with a smile. She loved customers who were so generous!
Cheng Jiu found the rose yogurt quite delicious. Gong Yu, like her, had a sweet tooth. Gong Cheng, on the other hand, would eat it, but didn't have such a strong preference.
According to my senior, the owners here have been running the shop for over a hundred years. They have been running it together for so long, and the shop has a high foot traffic, so they have developed a fast pace. The desserts were served in no time.
The small table was already quite cramped, and with Gong Cheng and Gong Yu joining in, there wasn't enough room for everyone.
There was nothing they could do; the small shop couldn't accommodate so many people sitting together. The proprietress had added two more stools, but there was nothing they could do but squeeze in.
Fortunately, the group didn't mind. Now that everyone was there, a soundproof barrier was erected around them to ensure that no one else could hear the noise.
"Alright, let's discuss what to do about this secret bidding!" Nan Xingze looked at his junior brothers and sisters: "Do you have any good ideas?"
Upon hearing this, the group exchanged glances. An Qi thought for a moment and said, "After all, Qingli City belongs to our Guiyuan Sect. We've all heard about the secret auction, and those two made it sound so convincing. It's better to believe it than not. Even if we just close the venue and tell everyone the news, who would dare to question it?"
"That's too brutal!" Nan Xingze shook his head: "Moreover, this matter was hidden so deeply. Even if it's sealed off this time, what if it happens next time? Besides, this matter was discovered by Junior Sister Cheng Jiu by accident. The other party was scheming, and it's impossible to guard against them!"
If we take action, we must wipe them all out in one fell swoop, striking fatally, and ideally, capturing the mastermind behind it all! What good would it do them to incite conflict between the cultivation world and the demon race?
"Then what do you suggest, Senior Brother Nan? I'll listen to you!" An Qi casually brushed the difficult question back.
Nan Xingze pondered, "I think we should go deeper into the undercover operation, and it would be best if we could participate. That way, we can catch them all on the spot, which would not only be swift and efficient, but no one would have anything to say."
“But there’s a problem with that too!” Cheng Jiu said, “The fact that they can hold the Qingyun Auction and dare to do something like this means they must have a very strong backing. There might even be Transcending Tribulation and Mahayana experts in charge. Even if we manage to sneak in and participate, it will be like throwing an egg against a rock.”
To be honest, in the cultivation world, they are just small fry. Moreover, this is Qingli City. Anyone who can hold an auction in Qingli City must be quite powerful. So what if they find out in the end?
With their strength, if the other party discovers and makes a move, they will be completely unable to resist.
"So why don't we inform our master and let them handle it?" Cheng Jiu decisively chose to call on their savior.
Nan Xingze nodded: "Junior Sister Xiao Jiu makes sense, it's a good idea."
An Qi: "But we were the first to know about this. Are you willing to ask your master for help in everything?"
The two senior brothers' tone was quite clear: they wanted to handle this matter perfectly themselves and then inform their master later; they were already quite capable.
Cheng Jiu had encountered many such things since he began cultivating immortality, and asking his master for help had become commonplace, so he didn't feel anything special about it.
But the other kids around him were different; hearing their senior's words only fueled their excitement. What young man could refuse an opportunity to prove himself?
Moreover, they are all in their prime, a time of pride.
Therefore, the score was seven to one, and Cheng Jiu's opinion was irrelevant.
Seeing that Cheng Jiu was still a little worried, Gong Cheng patted the lion on his head: "Don't worry, Junior Sister has Jin Yuan! Besides, we informed our master before we left. If anything unexpected happens, Master will definitely take action."
“That’s right, Junior Sister! Master sent us here probably to give us juniors some experience!” Gong Yu thought for a moment and said.
Seeing that all his worries had been resolved, Cheng Jiu didn't refuse: "Alright, let's do it!"
The golden coin perched on Gong Cheng's head, its surprised gaze fixed on Gong Yu. Remembering its master's instructions, it couldn't help but sigh that this silly boy had actually figured it out first; it had thought Gong Cheng would be the first to understand.
After all this time, several immortal lords already know about it, but no one has come to deal with the Qingyun Chamber of Commerce. It's obvious that they want these juniors to gain some experience.
Otherwise, Guiyuan Sect is so close to Qingli City that it would be nothing more than a blink of an eye for these Immortal Lords. Even if the other party has some tricks up their sleeves, these juniors might not be able to do anything about it, but how could these powerful beings who have lived for thousands of years be completely without any skills?
Even if Immortal Lord Minxiu didn't know at first, now that she's heard about it, she's definitely capable of finding out anything if she wants to. After all, for these immortal lords, the truth is important, but the process is not important at all.
Once the truth is known, the other party is nothing more than a rat in a gutter, posing no threat whatsoever.
But so far, nothing has been done, leaving these younger generations to discuss it without giving it much thought.
As for Jin Yuan, he was only there to protect these younger generation members. Putting aside everything else, Jin Yuan had a lot of ways to escape.
Originally, Immortal Lord Qingxu wanted Xuanze to come along, but with two Mahayana spirit beasts protecting him, the training effect would definitely be greatly reduced, so what kind of training would it be?
In the end, I gave up, and Jin Yuan was more reliable and reassuring.
Feeling Jin Yuan's gaze, Gong Yu looked at the little lion on her brother's head and said, "I always feel like you're talking badly about me!"
Jin Yuan turned his head; this little guy was always surprisingly perceptive in unexpected ways!
Gong Yu: "Hmph!"