Chapter 45

In an instant, it seemed that everyone focused their gaze on the woman who descended gracefully, the fragrance permeating the void, her graceful figure ethereal as she slowly descended, resembling a celestial being.

Her black hair was lifted by the wind, and as her azure robe fluttered, she landed beside the emerald-like stone platform, then revealed a sweet smile, her almost irresistible alluring gaze sweeping the surroundings.

"I believe everyone present... knows the rules of our 'Treasure Seeking Pavilion,' right?" As she landed beside the stone platform, her voice, like silver bells, emerged from her cherry lips, neither too fast nor too slow.

While speaking, her gaze swept the crowd and suddenly noticed Bai Shi's presence. In the instant she looked at Bai Shi, she continued, "However... given the arrival of new friends, I, Bilan, will restate the rules of the 'Treasure Seeking Pavilion.'"

As her voice sounded again, everyone instantly fell silent, making her soft voice resonate loudly even in the vast space.

Her voice stopped abruptly, and Bilan scanned the surroundings again before continuing, "First, for any successfully sold items, our 'Treasure Seeking Pavilion' will take half of the profit. Second, if selling pills or similar items, they must be inspected by our professional pharmacists, and these pills will be sold first to the 'Demon Blade Sect' or the 'Northern Staff Manor,' with the highest bidder winning."

As Bilan finished speaking, almost everyone's gaze turned upward to a cylindrical pillar, where two larger stone platforms were located, each occupied by a person.

One held a large blade, the other a black staff, the latter appearing much older. However, the authority on his face was no less than that of the one holding the large blade. They gazed at the green stone platform, motionless but with a sharp presence.

These two must be the leaders of the Demon Blade Sect and the Northern Staff Manor.

"Now, according to the rules... we will start with the first row to display their items for sale." The woman said, looking at a muscular man.

The man stood up, quickly walked to the side of the stone platform, and handed his item to the woman, which was a piece of animal skin.

The woman smiled faintly, took the skin, examined it, and said, "Cracked Lion Skin, Seventh Stage Foundation Establishment, bidding starts now."

"Five hundred copper coins!" As the woman spoke, a man in elaborate clothing on one of the stone platforms called out.

"Eight hundred copper coins," another man stood up and said.

"I will take this skin to make clothing for my son; it will surely be a fine item. I offer one thousand five hundred copper coins."

As these two men spoke, a man in his forties suddenly stood up in the center of the stone seats and loudly said.

As the man spoke, the entire hall fell silent, all eyes on him, their gazes filled with disdain. To them, spending one thousand five hundred copper coins on this skin was indeed not worth it, so no one bid against him.

At this moment, Bilan smiled slightly and said, "Mr. Wang is indeed generous. Since no one else is bidding, this skin will be yours."

After speaking, the man descended from the stone seat and took the skin.

"From there, our staff will help you complete the transaction." As the man took the skin, Bilan pointed to a not-so-wide passage and said.

"Next."

As they left, Bilan looked at another man.

This was a man in a white robe, his attire neither lavish nor simple. As he stood up, a medicinal fragrance emanated from him. If he was not mistaken, this man was likely a pharmacist.

Indeed, when the man walked to the side of the stone platform, he took out five pills from his robe. These five pills were white and smooth, emitting a white mist.

This medicine was mainly refined from the bones and tendons of exotic beasts. Bai Shi immediately recognized that these pills were not rare, merely White Bone Pills for enhancing strength at the Fifth Stage Foundation Establishment!

Taking the five pills, Bilan handed them to an old man on the side. The old man, with white hair and a hunched back, had sharp, tiger-like eyes. He sniffed the pills and examined them, then whispered something to Bilan.

Bilan smiled and nodded, understanding the old man's words, then said, "White Bone Pills, First Grade, five pills, bidding starts now."

As Bilan spoke again, almost everyone in the crowd looked up to the highest stone platform, where the two men, Emperor Qi and Xiao Yishen, had been silent for a long time!

Emperor Qi's gaze remained unchanged, his tightly held black staff did not move at all due to the appearance of the 'White Bone Pills.' Instead, Xiao Yishen, holding the large blade, turned to Emperor Qi and said, "This medicine... your Northern Staff Manor should have a good stock, right?"

Hearing this, Emperor Qi looked at Xiao Yishen, his expression unchanged, and said, "If your Demon Blade Sect needs this medicine, I will not compete with you."

Xiao Yishen smiled faintly, his gaze shifting from Emperor Qi to Bilan on the stone platform, and said, "Five gold coins!"

Hearing Xiao Yishen's words, Bai Shi's body trembled slightly, his mind pondering, "Such a low-grade pill is worth five gold coins!"

He knew very well that one gold coin was equivalent to ten thousand copper coins. For Bai Shi, this price was exorbitant!

It was clear that in this Suxing City, no one was willing to compete with the 'Demon Blade Sect' and the 'Northern Staff Manor.' After Xiao Yishen spoke, no one else bid.

Thus, the 'White Bone Pills' naturally became Xiao Yishen's possession.

After the 'White Bone Pills' went to Xiao Yishen, he did not leave the stone platform. Instead, a young woman appeared, holding a large blade, likely from the 'Demon Blade Sect.'

After the young woman led the seller of the pills away, Bilan turned her gaze to another person.

And the person she looked at was the man in the white robe sitting next to Bai Shi.

The man in the white robe walked over slowly, his steps light but powerful, almost ethereal.

As he approached the stone platform, Bilan smiled politely and said, "May I ask, what item does the musician wish to sell?"

The man in the white robe handed his zither to Bilan and said, "The item I wish to sell is this zither..."

Hearing this, Bilan's eyebrows twitched slightly as she looked at the zither in the man's hands and said, "I did not expect that someone as devoted to the zither as you would be willing to sell your beloved instrument here."

The man in the white robe smiled faintly, a bitter smile, and said, "This zither is made from a thousand-year-old Que wood, its strings from a hundred-year-old silkworm, and it contains the essence of heaven and earth. Even so, in my life, there is someone more important than my own life."

On the highest stone platform, Xiao Yishen and Emperor Qi's eyebrows both twitched slightly, seemingly puzzled by the man's words. But in the next moment, Xiao Yishen said, "If the musician really wishes to sell this zither, I, Xiao, am willing to offer five thousand gold coins... Is that acceptable?"

Regardless of the zither's value, the presence of a musician of such strength was something every sect or manor would strive to attract.

Emperor Qi looked at Xiao Yishen, then focused on the musician and said, "You will receive the full five thousand gold coins... I believe the 'Treasure Seeking Pavilion' will not take any profit."

Hearing this, Xiao Yishen's face twitched slightly, and he subconsciously looked at Emperor Qi, seeing his smug expression. Reluctantly, he nodded but managed to smile, "Yes, yes."

The 'Treasure Seeking Pavilion' was jointly managed by the Demon Blade Sect and the Northern Staff Manor, with each sect taking half of the profits. Today, it was the Demon Blade Sect's turn to collect, and Emperor Qi's words cost Xiao Yishen two thousand five hundred gold coins, a significant blow.

However, in front of any strong figure, he had to maintain a friendly demeanor, especially towards someone like the musician, who stayed out of the江湖 (jianghu) disputes. If the musician were to be swayed by Emperor Qi, it would be detrimental to the entire 'Demon Blade Sect.'

The man in the white robe bowed in gratitude and left the stone platform, slowly departing with the guidance of a young woman.

Bilan looked at Bai Shi, and before she could speak, she saw Bai Shi walk over slowly, his expression calm, a calmness that made Bilan, in that instant, look at this seemingly not fully mature young man with new respect.

"Little brother, may I ask what item you wish to sell?" Bilan asked.

Bai Shi's expression remained unchanged, and he said, "I wish to sell the skin of a long-nosed crocodile and this, a Fire Gall Snake!"

Bai Shi's words broke the silence in the hall, and everyone's gaze focused on him, their expressions filled with surprise and murmurs!

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