Painting of the Nine Immortals
chapter-177

The auction ground was in complete silence.

Nobody made a sound. Whether it was the regular cultivators on the first floor, or the important guests on the second floor, everyone waited for the two preeminent characters to make their offers.

At this point, they knew that no matter what price they bid, they could not contest Master Tang and the mysterious man. Therefore, they might as well give up and watch the two tigers fight from a distance.

[The Water Taming Pearl really is useful.] Ling Xian stayed silent for a while and did not make a bid right away. Instead, he laughed. "Master Tang, do you have the guts to compete with me again?"

"What’s there to fear?"

Master Tang silently calculated the worth of all of his family assets and sneered. "I do not believe that you can still outcompete me after just spending 10 million spiritual stones."

"If you don’t believe it, then please place your bid," Ling Xian softly smiled and continued to mock, "But don’t say I didn’t warn you. Since you have already lost face, if you lose again, your face will be swollen from my slaps."

"You son of a b*tch. Just you wait!" Master Tang’s anger flared up, and he shouted out a price without thinking twice. "Five million. Match me if you are capable!"

"Haha, they are onto each other! These two are onto each other!"

"This will be interesting to watch. But this guy has already paid 10 million spiritual stones. How can he still win against Master Tang?"

"I predict that Master Tang will again suffer. This person didn’t spend spiritual stones, he paid with Petals of Enlightenment. That rare stuff isn’t owned by everyone."

Clamorous debates roared across the auction ground. Everyone’s gaze was fixated on the box where Ling Xian sat, waiting for him to shout out a price.

Facing everyone’s earnest stares, Ling Xian merely shook his head and sat back onto the chair. After a while, a chuckle escaped his lips that soon saturated the entire auction ground.

"Master Tang really is wealthy and mighty. I don’t want this Water Taming Pearl anymore."

Hearing this, everyone fell into confusion and suspected that their own ears were making a mistake.

He doesn’t want it anymore?

What happened to the declaration of slapping Master Tang’s face once more?

This wasn’t the way it was supposed to go!

Even Master Tang had no idea what this guy was pulling. He did not think that this mysterious man, who has been humiliating him all day, would suddenly give up. Could it be… that he ran out of spiritual stones?

But if he had no more spiritual stones, why would he invite Master Tang to compete with him?

Master Tang couldn’t figure out his logic, neither could the majority of the attendees there. Only a selective few understood the meaning of Ling Xian’s actions and Manager Wang was one of them.

[Very interesting. Since you bought the Water of the Resting Soul for 10 million spiritual stones and embarrassed this old bastard, I will help you out] Manager Wang thought to himself. He did not push for more bids and slammed the small hammer right away. "Since nobody is willing to offer another bid, then I announce that the last item of the day, the Water Taming Pearl, has been bought by Master Tang for five million spiritual stones! Let us applaud and congratulate him!"

"Haha, amazing!"

Master Tang’s grinned from ear to ear. The moment Manager Wang announced the pearl would be his, all the suspicion he felt turned into excitement. The Water Taming Pearl was a heavenly treasure despite the fact that it was incomplete. Though its only half as effective as it would be if it were complete, its value was still astounding. Five million was a highly undervalued figure.

What a bargain!

"Young man, did you say you were going to slap my face? Why are you backing out now? Who do you think you are to try and compete with me?" Master Tang appeared very satisfied. His tone was full of mockery.

Ling Xian merely smiled in response to his mocking. He did not mind it at all. In his eyes, Master Tang was already a dead man.

The reason as to why he started a fight and then gave up right away was because he had decided to kill Master Tang the moment the auction ended. When that happens, all the treasure this man owns will become his. Why waste his time and money on purchasing the Water Taming Pearl?

"Hahaha, you are speechless now. You son of a b*tch, what does it feel like to be hit in the face for a change? Moron who overestimates himself, you dare to invite me for a bidding war when you had no spiritual stones? You invite humiliation upon yourself!" Master Tang guffawed. Other than pure ecstasy, his face was also full of satisfaction from revenge. He taunted, "I sure have to thank you. If you didn’t provoke me to make a bid, I never would’ve found such a bargain. Hehe, the legendary Water Taming Pearl only cost me five million spiritual stones. This is so cheap."

"How foolish of you to be pleased with yourself."

Watching Master Tang laughing, Ling Xian couldn’t help it but to shake his head and renege his smile. He said softly, "Master Tang, what you found was not a bargain. It was trouble."

"Hmm? What does that mean?"

Master Tang was a little stunned. Thinking back to the series of events that led up to now, he gathered a few guesses.

"Do you still not understand? Calling you foolish is sure not an understatement." Ling Xian’s lips curved up. "Master Tang, thank you for buying the Water Taming Pearl on my behalf. To show you my appreciation, I will send you to your next life very quickly and pray for you to reincarnate with a smarter brain."

As soon as the words were said, everyone at the auction suddenly realized what was happening and applauded while laughing.

"Haha, no wonder. I was thinking why he would provoke a bid war but then give up right away. It’s not because he wanted to humiliate himself, it’s because he had plans to kill him all along."

"Alright! This guy is plenty crazy. I love it. I’ve been hating that old bastard for a while now. To finally see him get what he deserves sure is satisfying!"

"Yes! I thought this old bastard was getting everything he wanted. I didn’t think that this mysterious man was planning this all along. This slap in the face sure is loud! Haha, I am so content right now!"

"Dammit, you played me like I’m a monkey!"

Master Tang’s face turned green as he finally realized that Ling Xian had played him. Swallowing the humiliation, he felt, his stomach and heart were burning with fire.

Just a moment ago, he was very pleased with himself for winning the item. But now, knowing that he had been tricked and the opponent never planned to bid on the item, he couldn’t feel anything other than the raw pain he felt from that slap in the face.

If Ling Xian had engaged in the bid war and won the Water Taming Pearl with spiritual stones, then Master Tang would’ve simply felt angry, not wronged!

What is this?

Ling Xian didn’t fight him, but rather treated what Master Tang had as his own possession. This was a form of confidence and also a form of disregard.

"What an arrogant guy. Just you wait. Once the auction is over, I will destroy you. No, I will make sure you suffer and wish you were dead!" Master Tang was full of desire to kill. He impatiently wanted to start the fight and slice Ling Xian into eight different pieces.

"We’ll have to see if you have that ability," the corners of Ling Xian’s lips curved up as he shifted his gaze onto Manager Wang on the stage, "Manager Wang, since the last item has found its owner, then please end today’s auction. As you can see, Master Tang cannot wait to start attacking me."

"Ay…" Manager Wang sighed and glanced around before he loudly announced, "I formally end today’s auction here. Those who did not end up with an item can leave freely. Those with winning items please wait where you are, I will deliver you the item in a moment to seal the deal."

Not a single person stood up to leave. Everyone stared at the third floor with anticipating gazes, waiting for the drama to happen.

Seeing this, Manager Wang bitterly smiled. He then marched around, giving every winner the items they won.

Before long, all eight items, including the Water Taming Pearl, were in the hands of their new owners. Holding a beautiful robe with his left hand and holding a jade bottle with his right, he slowly walked into the room Ling Xian was in.

"Friend, this is the Water of the Resting Soul and the Turquoise Taffeta Robe. Please do inspect them." Manager Wang chuckled.

Ling Xian nodded. After confirming that both items were without flaws, he rolled up his sleeves and put away the Water of the Resting Soul. Then, 11 Petals of Enlightenment rose into mid-air, emitting a refreshing fragrance.

Manager Wang’s eyes brightened as he carefully stored the petals away. Then, he paused and asked, "Friend, you are still planning to battle Master Tang?"

"Even if I don’t attack, he will." Ling Xian grinned softly.

"Seems like your heart is set. Sigh… Since you are so confident, then I will not say more. Go, I will watch you leave." Manager Wang exhaled deeply and gestured Ling Xian to leave first with an extended arm.

As Ling Xian and Lin Qing Yi walked out of their room, a sentence full of murderous intent crept up.

"Son of a b*tch, you have reached the end. I am going to chop your dead body into a million pieces!"

Master Tang’s face was full of killer instinct. Standing in the hallway of the third floor, the foundational level spiritual energy all mightily descended from the heavens to the ground!

"Correction, you are the one who has reached the end."

Ling Xian’s face was not at all fearsome, instead, it was full of disregard and disdain. He tilted his head and smiled at Manager Wang. "I apologize in advance. Very likely most of the objects here will be broken. No worries though, I will compensate you."

Compensate?

Manager Wang laughed bitterly. This person… sure is confident. Before a strong opponent, he still spoke so nonchalantly and thought of details that didn’t really matter. It seemed like he really doesn’t think anything of Master Tang.

"I didn’t think Master Tang would be so impatient, starting a fight on the auction ground!"

"This is so much fun. The real drama is about to begin. Who do you think will win?"

"I think Master Tang. Though his character is not great, he is a well-known foundational powerhouse. I don’t think this mysterious man is worthy of an opponent."

"Ah, pity. This person slapped Master Tang’s face on our behalf. I don’t want to watch him die."

The gossip was endless. Some were gloating, some were pitying, the only thing everyone agreed on was that nobody saw Ling Xian as the winner. After all, Master Tang had powerful capabilities. He was already a foundational level cultivator and a widely recognized powerhouse!

"Hehe, young man, you are hearing what they are saying right? If you give me both of the treasures you got with both hands and kowtow to me three times. then maybe my kindness will shine through and spare you your life." Master Tang laughed.

"Less talking, roll your way over to meet your end!" Ling Xian’s expression was icy cold, his black robe danced though there was no wind.

"Okay, okay, I have given you the opportunity to stay alive. Since you don’t want it, then don’t blame me for being ruthless!" Master Tang’s anger went over his head. A frightening amount of energy slowly dissipated and soon engulfed the entire auction ground.

"Die!"

Master Tang shouted out loud. Using one skinny and dried up hand, he slammed toward Ling Xian. Instantly, the wind howled!

Facing this ferocious palm, Ling Xian did not react. He merely smiled and casually raised his right leg and lunged.

No spiritual energy was involved yet the result exceeded everyone’s expectation.

Bam!

This kick was simple and violent. Like the swaying tail of a dragon, it broke Master Tang’s arm with one kick. While Master Tang’s eyes widened in shock, Ling Xian’s foot had already landed on his chest!

Instantly, Master Tang sputtered out blood and fell to the ground.

At this moment, in the entire auction ground, a needle drop could be heard.

…..