บท 33: Chapter 33: Spiraling Into Madness
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At the sound of the voice, everyone turned in unison toward its source. There, a man dressed in a simple blue robe and wearing a conical hat sat calmly, his gaze deep and unfathomable, like a star-studded sky.
His presence was inconspicuous, almost blending in like a common stone, yet there was something about him that commanded a certain respect, an aura that made it impossible for anyone to meet his eyes directly. He sat there, as solid as a mountain, emanating an invisible pressure.
When the cloaked man noticed this stranger's bid, he froze in shock. Who in the Eastern Region would dare contend with him for anything? Although he didn't know who this man was, his instincts told him that this was no ordinary character.
"I bid four million top-grade spirit stones."
The black-robed man raised his voice, throwing out an even higher number.
At the mention of this price, the entire hall gasped, every face marked with shock. Four million top-grade spirit stones—most families present had wealth exceeding ten million, yet none of them would willingly spend such a sum on a single Dragon Emperor Pearl. It was pure extravagance!
"Who is this? A prodigy from some influential family? The Dragon Emperor Pearl is rare, but at four million, it's already beyond its worth," one whispered.
"That's Xiao Qiu, a descendant of the second-largest clan in Eastern Continent, the Xiao Clan," someone murmured. "Though it's a considerable amount, for someone from the Xiao Clan, four million top-grade spirit stones isn't excessive. The wealth of the Xiao Clan is beyond what you or I can comprehend."
The auction hall fell into a tense silence, as if everyone had silently agreed that four million was the absolute limit for the Dragon Emperor Pearl.
Just then, the man in the conical hat spoke again, "Four million, one hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones."
A collective shiver ran through the crowd, their gazes once more drawn to the mysterious man, eager to discern his identity. Yet his face was carefully hidden, and no one could tell who he truly was.
"Damn it!"
Xiao Qiu's face darkened as he heard the latest bid. A flicker of murderous intent glinted in his eyes. He clenched his teeth and called out, "Five million top-grade spirit stones!"
"Five million, one hundred thousand," the man in the conical hat replied evenly, still outbidding him by a mere hundred thousand each time.
Another ripple of shock spread through the crowd. "Who is this guy? Does he not know what kind of person Xiao Qiu is? That man's ruthless!"
"Xiao Qiu has a notorious reputation. Three years ago, he set his sights on a married woman. Despite her already being wed, he didn't relent. That very night, he forced himself upon her in front of her husband, then slaughtered her entire family afterward," someone whispered with dread.
"Whoever this new guy is, he must have something up his sleeve to go up against Xiao Qiu like this."
"Doesn't matter to us. Just sit back and enjoy the show."
As the whispers swirled around him, Xiao Qiu's expression became even more livid. He cast a murderous glance at the man in the hat, thinking, This bastard dares to challenge me? Once this is over, I'll take him out!
Killing one was killing. Killing two was still killing. It didn't make any difference to him if he added this man in the conical hat to his list of victims.
Just as Xiao Qiu was steeling himself, a voice rang out from the "Hai" private box, the tone brimming with annoyance and frustration.
"Six million, one hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones!"
The entire hall fell silent once more, eyes turning toward the "Hai" box. Every face bore an expression of disbelief.
"Who in their right mind would openly challenge Xiao Qiu?"
"Another fool who has no idea who he's up against."
"Shh! Be careful. Anyone wealthy enough to be in the 'Hai' box isn't to be underestimated. If we provoke them, it'll be us who suffer."
Hearing the murmurs around him, Xiao Qiu's mouth curved into a sinister smile. He was curious to know who the fool was in that box—someone foolish enough to think they could steal the Dragon Emperor Pearl from him.
A minor kill was still a kill. If he had to, he'd slaughter both this madman in the box and the conical-hatted man to make his position clear.
———
Inside the "Hai" box, Ye Fan smirked. He had to thank Su Chen for this—sitting in a private box like this gave him a way to intimidate some of the bidders, saving him a fair bit of hassle.
Sure enough, the conical-hatted man hesitated after hearing his latest bid, a slight trace of concern flashing in his eyes.
But Xiao Qiu was unfazed. With a cold snort, he spat, "Seven million top-grade spirit stones!"
Ye Fan raised an eyebrow. This guy had more money than sense, it seemed.
Clenching his teeth, he threw out another number: "Seven million, one hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones!"
There was no way Xiao Qiu would match that, Ye Fan thought, smirking.
But Xiao Qiu's expression only grew darker. With a twisted grin, he shouted, "Ten million top-grade spirit stones!"
The hall erupted.
This is insanity!
Most of the family heads here held assets in the millions of top-grade spirit stones, but liquidating a full ten million would be a stretch even for them. Xiao Qiu's bid was practically unheard of.
Many in the hall began whispering in awe. Xiao Qiu's total disregard for cost had left them shaken. The family wealth might be a few million, but to even consider spending so recklessly was sheer madness.
With the crowd watching him, Ye Fan's face grew dark, his fists clenched tight, veins throbbing as he seethed with frustration. He had only managed to amass ten million top-grade spirit stones—Xiao Qiu's bid left him without any chance of winning the pearl now.
He could feel Xiao Qiu pushing him into a corner, leaving him no retreat.
"Argh!"
Ye Fan threw his head back with a furious cry, his entire body quivering with pent-up rage. His eyes were bloodshot, glaring as if he might tear Xiao Qiu apart on the spot.
"You've gone too far, Xiao Qiu!"
Ye Fan's furious shout echoed through the hall, his face flushed crimson as if it might explode, his entire frame radiating hostility.
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