Desolate Era (Book 11 - Book 15)

“The Crab-Tortoise Immortal Duo?” Everyone began to discuss this. As for Ning and Uncle White, their eyes lit up as well.

The Whitewater Hound was completely focused on the Dao of Formations. Ning had a certain degree of understanding regarding formations as well. Naturally, the two knew of the Crab-Tortoise Immortal Duo. The Crab-Tortoise Immortal Duo were two figures out of legends. Both were Celestial Immortal Diremonsters… and they could be said to have the highest level of comprehension regarding formations, here in the major world of the Grand Xia Empire. In addition, it was said that they were apprentices to a truly major power of the Three Realms.

“Nothing more than a toy to them… if this was the essence of their knowledge, then the price would definitely not be a mere 25,000 kilograms.” Ning gave the nearby Uncle White a glance; clearly, Uncle White was rather eager and excited.

As someone who walked the Dao of Formations, he was naturally filled with eagerness towards this formation diagram.

“25,500 kilograms.”

“30,000 kilograms.”

The price of this formation diagram quickly skyrocketed. Although the Dao of Formations was an extremely complex and difficult one which very few truly supreme geniuses would embark on, there were still some people who knew that they had no hopes of becoming a Celestial Immortal and who would thus focus their efforts on formations. Formation grandmasters were quite terrifying, and in fact there were even some Celestial Immortals who relied on formations as well.

Still, the Dao of Formations was a bitter, tough Dao to follow. A single formation diagram wouldn’t rise to an excessive price.

“40,000 kilograms.” Youngflame Xiushui finally spoke out. This was already quite a high price. Those who had come to the treasure auction were all quite level-headed, and wouldn’t bid randomly.

“Any higher bids?” The black-haired maiden swept her gaze towards the surrounding area.

Suddenly…

Ning, who had yet to make a bid yet, suddenly spoke out. “42,500 kilograms!” He had immediately raised the price by 2500 kilograms, and it had already been at quite a high price.

The black-haired maiden glanced over, revealing a smile. “42,500 kilograms. Any higher?”

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The guests seated on the clouds surrounding the various peaks all looked over, curious as to who the bidder was.

“Oh? A fur-clad youth? A Whitewater Hound? An Azure Skysnake?” Ning, for the sake of making himself more recognizable, had Little Qing revert to her Azure Skysnake form.

“That fur-clad youth… is he Ji Ning, who was said to have killed Youngflame Nong?”

“Who is Ji Ning?”

“Youngflame Nong, the next Godplume Duke of the imperial capital’s Youngflame clan, was killed in Stillwater Commandery. Didn’t you hear about this? The person who killed him was Ji Ning! The one who just made the bid! Look at those two spirit-beasts next to him, and look at his appearance. There’s no mistaking it. It’s him.”

“He killed Youngflame Nong?”

“Ji Ning?”

“The previous bidder was Youngflame Xiushui of the Youngflame clan. Ji Ning is in a bidding war against Youngflame Xiushui!”

The many guests of the Fortunes Peaks were all focused on Ning now, and instantly, a buzz of conversation swept the area.

Youngflame Xiushui’s face became unsightly to look at. As for the nearby Youngflame Jun, his face turned red with anger. He ground his teeth, and it seemed as though his eyes were spitting fire. He called out loudly, “45,000 kilograms!”





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Book 11, Chapter 16 - Peacock Plume


“45,000 kilograms!”

The rage-filled voice echoed through the entire Fortunes Peaks, reverberating in the air. This caused quite a few guests to look over. From that rage-filled bid…they could tell that the Youngflame clan must have been truly enraged.

“You imbecile.” Atop the cloud. Youngflame Xiushui, upon hearing his son make the bid, couldn’t help but give his son a hard look. He shouted mentally at him, “Can’t you tell that Ji Ning wants to make a name for himself today? He’s dared to come to the imperial capital openly and without any disguises, and even came to the Heavenly Treasures Mountain headquarter to participate in the Treasure Auction and cause trouble for our Youngflame clan during the bidding. This is all because he wants to make a name for himself!”

“In Stillwater Commandery, even the Northmont clan would have to give our Youngflame clan face. But this isn’t Stillwater Commandery; this is the imperial capital. This isn’t a place where we can just do whatever we please. What he wants to do is make a name for himself and make everyone in the imperial capital know about him, Ji Ning! Later on, he will enter an opposing power, which will make it much harder for our Youngflame clan to act against him.”

Youngflame Xiushui looked at his son. “Earlier, we could’ve just ignored him, but now that you are in a bidding war against him… more and more people are going to know about him.”

“But, but I’ve already made a bid… how about, how about we stop bidding?” Youngflame Jun was beginning to panic.

“Since we’ve made a bid, we can’t lower our heads,” Youngflame Xiushui sent. “The more people are watching, the more careful we need to be not to lose face for our Youngflame clan. Don’t say anything else. Let me handle it.”

“Alright.” Youngflame Jun didn’t dare to say anything else.

……

Ning, upon hearing a bid of ’45,000 kilograms!’ be called out, immediately laughed. This was as perfect as someone delivering a pillow to him, just as he was feeling drowsy. He wanted to make his name known!

“45,000 kilograms. Anything higher?” the black-haired maiden atop the cloud called out.

“If someone else was bidding, I’d just say forget about it. But, since it’s the Youngflame clan that’s bidding, then I, Ji Ning, refuse to back down. 47,500 kilograms!” Ji Ning’s voice rang out as well, echoing within the nine peaks.

“So it really is Ji Ning!”

“Who is Ji Ning?”

“Ji Ning, who killed Youngflame Nong, is at the Treasure Auction?”

Although earlier a few guests had noticed Ning, they only made up a small part of the total people present. Now that Ning spoke out so challengingly… more and more people began to pay attention to him.

……

“I KNEW he was trying to make himself known.” Youngflame Xiushui’s face was like ice. As for his son, Youngflame Jun, he didn’t dare to make a single sound. He knew that his earlier bid had given Ning his opportunity.

“Little fellow from Stillwater Commandery, you actually want to struggle against my Youngflame clan?” Youngflame Xiushui said calmly, “50,000 kilograms.”

“Hmph, if your Youngflame clan wants this formation diagram, then prepare a bit more liquefied elemental essence. 60,000 kilograms!” Ning once more spoke out.

Youngflame Xiushui’s face sank. This was a formation diagram that was clearly only worth forty to fifty thousand kilograms, but the price had been forcibly uplifted. If he continued to bid, regardless of whether or not he ended up acquiring the formation diagram, the Youngflame clan would still have ‘lost’. This was because, even if they acquired it… they would’ve paid an excessive price for it. But if they didn’t acquire it? It would be akin to having let Ning trample all over them.

“62,500 kilograms,” Youngflame Xiushui growled.

“64,000 kilograms.” Ning didn’t increase the price too much this time.

“My Youngflame clan has plenty of formation diagrams like this. I’ll let you have this one.” Youngflame Xiushui felt as though something was wrong, and he immediately stopped bidding. “You have no skill in formations, but actually bid so much out of spite. How amusing.”