CHAPTER 129: CHAPTER 129: BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

「Passing Away Tavern.」

The first floor of the tavern was packed with martial artists, the noise deafening.

"Kui Wu, why didn’t you go hunting in the Misty Swamp today?" the server asked a burly man.

The burly man spat and said gloomily, "Don’t mention it. We planned to go hunting yesterday. While crossing the Beiming River, we were suddenly attacked by that Black Dark King Serpent. We even lost a few brothers! Thanks to my good Qinggong, I managed to escape, or I wouldn’t be here drinking now."

"You were attacked by that big snake too?"

"Us too, yesterday."

"It’s strange. The Black Dark King Serpent used to appear only occasionally. How has it suddenly become so violent in the past half month?"

The entire tavern buzzed with discussion.

Ever since Luo Feng injured the Black Dark King Serpent half a month ago, martial artists crossing the river had frequently been attacked.

"Damn it! That beast almost swallowed me. I’ve already contacted friends in my academy to find someone skilled to kill it!" a student from Wanluo School said angrily.

BANG, BANG, BANG... At that moment, the ground suddenly began to shake, and the dishes and bowls on the wine tables started to dance.

"What’s happening!?" Everyone was startled and looked around in confusion.

"What is that?" a martial artist seated near the window exclaimed in horror, pointing at the woods outside the tavern.

HISS... Upon seeing the scene in the woods, the people in the tavern gasped.

A huge shadow was rapidly rushing toward the tavern.

"My god! It’s the Black Dark King Serpent!" someone shouted.

Hearing those words, everyone’s faces turned deathly pale. One of the servers was so scared he collapsed to the floor.

Many people here only had cultivation at the fifth or sixth level and were no match for a third-level Demon Beast.

"Wait. Look, is that someone next to the Black Dark King Serpent?"

"Huh, there really is someone. It’s a woman! Let’s go see."

Everyone came out of the tavern. From a distance, they saw a huge python, as thick as a door panel, rampaging through the woods. Beside it walked a beautiful, blue-haired young woman. The young woman walked leisurely beside the python, occasionally turning her head to say something to it.

What is going on? Everyone widened their eyes, watching this unbelievable scene.

"Could that girl be from the Southern Forest Wilderness? I heard people there can perform Beast Taming."

"No. The people of the Southern Forest value nature. Their clothing is made of leaves and animal skins; they wouldn’t wear clothes like that," someone refuted.

"Then what’s going on?" Discussions erupted among the crowd, but no one had any definite ideas.

Within moments, the python and the young woman arrived in front of the tavern.

"Luo Feng, we’re here," the young woman said, turning her face toward the python.

BOOM! With a loud crash, the Black Dark King Serpent, which had terrified the crowd, collapsed to one side. A black-haired young man crawled out from underneath it.

Watching this, the surrounding martial artists’ jaws dropped.

The young man who crawled out from under the python was, naturally, Luo Feng.

"Ruolan, this thing is really heavy! I estimate it weighs nearly ten thousand jin," Luo Feng said to Bing Ruolan beside him, having tossed aside the Black Dark King Serpent’s corpse.

Bing Ruolan blinked, her red lips curving slightly as she thought, You, who can carry such a heavy python and run as if flying, are even more astonishing...

"Hey, the Black Dark King Serpent is dead!" After a moment, someone finally reacted, staring at the Black Dark King Serpent’s corpse on the ground in astonishment.

The Black Dark King Serpent’s body was covered in wounds, large and small. Its eyes were lifeless; it was clearly dead beyond dead.

Many people here lived by the blade, and seeing the corpse of the Black Dark King Serpent, greed flickered in many eyes.

Luo Feng noted their expressions, a cold smirk playing on his lips. He leaped onto the Black Dark King Serpent’s head, patted the corpse, and announced, "Everyone, a freshly killed Black Dark King Serpent, its entire body a treasure trove! The starting bid is 500,000 taels of silver, and each increment must be no less than 10,000 taels! The auction starts now!"

As he spoke, Gang Qi flared from his palm. Each time he slapped the serpent’s head, a clear palm print was left behind.

Seeing this, the onlookers gulped, their greedy gazes turning to terror. The Black Dark King Serpent was renowned for its formidable defensive power. An ordinary martial artist in the early stage of the Essence storage Realm would have to exert their full strength just to injure it. Yet, the young man before them could shatter the Black Dark King Serpent’s defenses with a casual slap. No one dared to underestimate such power.

"Heh. Although this Black Dark King Serpent’s inner gall has been removed, it was killed recently, so its Yuan Qi hasn’t dissipated. It is indeed a treasure, perfectly suited for my junior brothers’ cultivation. I bid 600,000 taels."

A few young men in Floating Snow School uniforms stepped out from the crowd. The leader, dressed in a white robe with a curved saber at his waist, possessed an extraordinary demeanor.

"So, it’s ’Nightlight Knife’ Shi Wushuang from the Floating Snow School. I’ve long admired your reputation. I’m also very interested in this Black Dark King Serpent, so I’m afraid I can’t defer to you. I bid 650,000 taels," a middle-aged martial artist stepped forward, glanced at the young man in white, and announced his price.

"Fair competition. No need for pleasantries." Shi Wushuang smiled faintly and stated a new price, "700,000 taels."

"The corpse of a Black Dark King Serpent is a rare find indeed! Taking it back to my family could help cultivate many experts. I bid 750,000 taels!"

"780,000 taels!"

"800,000 taels!"

...

Having witnessed Luo Feng’s methods, no one dared to try any tricks. They could only obediently call out their bids for the corpse. The Black Dark King Serpent’s corpse could be used to cultivate many experts. For some factions, this was an opportunity that couldn’t be missed.

Bids rang out one after another. The atmosphere was electric, and in the blink of an eye, the price surpassed one million taels!

Luo Feng sat atop the Black Dark King Serpent’s head, listening to the bids with a calm gaze, but inwardly, he was ecstatic. He had initially estimated the Black Dark King Serpent’s corpse would only sell for 500,000 to 600,000 taels. The current price had far exceeded his expectations.

「About half an incense stick’s burn later,」 after a round of eliminations, some less powerful factions gradually withdrew from the bidding. The price had skyrocketed to 1,400,000 taels, and in the end, only two bidders remained. One was Shi Wushuang, the student from the Floating Snow School. The other was a middle-aged martial artist at the peak of the Sixth Level of the God Bravery Realm.

"Damn it! This Black Dark King Serpent corpse is mine! 1,450,000 taels!" the middle-aged martial artist roared, increasing his bid by another 50,000 taels.

Shi Wushuang frowned slightly; he had clearly reached his limit.

"Haha! This Black Dark King Serpent corpse is mine!" the middle-aged martial artist laughed boisterously.

Although Luo Feng sympathized with Shi Wushuang, there was nothing he could do. Seeing no further bids, he had to announce, "1,450,000 taels! Is there any higher bid?"

"If there are no more bids, then this Black Dark King Serpent goes to..."

Just as Luo Feng was about to declare the auction closed, Shi Wushuang, who had been silent until now, suddenly raised his hand. "Wait!"

Luo Feng was somewhat surprised. "You still want to bid?"

The middle-aged martial artist also sneered, "Shi Wushuang, surely you’re out of silver?"

Shi Wushuang exhaled softly and nodded. "Indeed, I have no more silver. However, during our mission in the Misty Swamp, my four martial brothers and I chanced upon some abandoned ruins. There, we found a bracelet. This bracelet can calm the mind and stabilize one’s spirit. I will add it to my bid, valuing it at 300,000 taels. What do you think?"

Shi Wushuang took out a pitch-black bracelet.

Seeing it, the middle-aged martial artist beside him couldn’t help but laugh. "Shi Wushuang, that shabby, pitch-black old bracelet? You actually have the nerve to value it at 300,000 taels! I think you should just give up on the Black Dark King Serpent and save yourself the embarrassment."

Hearing the middle-aged martial artist’s words, Shi Wushuang’s expression turned grim. "Those ruins were filled with traps and mechanisms! My martial brothers and I barely escaped with our lives. This bracelet is quite mysterious; 300,000 taels is by no means an excessive price!"

"Just because you say it’s not excessive doesn’t make it so. I could claim the mud on my shoe is a precious treasure from some ruin and offer to sell it to you cheaply for, say, 100,000 taels," the middle-aged martial artist scoffed.

The surrounding crowd roared with laughter, clearly agreeing with the middle-aged martial artist.

Luo Feng ignored the crowd’s chatter, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the pitch-black bracelet in Shi Wushuang’s hand.

Is this another bracelet? Could it also contain a map?

This bracelet was identical to the mysterious one he had obtained from Hu Yitian. It was engraved with flying dragon patterns, giving it an ancient and majestic air. If he wasn’t mistaken, they should be a set.

Taking a shallow breath, Luo Feng said calmly to Shi Wushuang, "Let me see the bracelet."

Shi Wushuang handed the bracelet to Luo Feng.

These two bracelets are indeed identical!

Holding the bracelet, Luo Feng thought to himself, a glint deep in his eyes. He nodded and said aloud, "The workmanship is quite exquisite, and it does look rather old."

Shi Wushuang’s eyes lit up with pleasant surprise. "Does that mean you agree?"

Luo Feng shook his head. "I have a fondness for collecting old items. However, for this bracelet of yours, I can only offer 200,000 taels. What do you say?"

"Alright! 200,000 taels it is!" Shi Wushuang had thought he had lost all hope of obtaining the Black Dark King Serpent’s corpse. Hearing this, he was overjoyed and didn’t quibble over the amount.

Turning back to the middle-aged martial artist, Shi Wushuang declared, "I bid 1,600,000 taels! If you can offer a higher price, the Black Dark King Serpent corpse is yours!"

"This..." The middle-aged martial artist was speechless; he clearly didn’t have enough silver.

Luo Feng also breathed a sigh of relief inwardly. He discreetly put the bracelet into his storage ring and announced, "In that case, the auction is closed! Shi Wushuang, congratulations!"

Shi Wushuang cupped his fists and smiled. "Thank you for making this possible. May I ask for your name, brother?"

"Luo Feng." Having unexpectedly obtained the other bracelet, Luo Feng was also very pleased and returned the salute.

"Luo Feng, we must transport the Black Dark King Serpent’s corpse back to the academy. We’ll take our leave now. Farewell, and may we meet again."

Shi Wushuang was anxious about the Black Dark King Serpent’s corpse and dared not delay. He immediately instructed several of his martial brothers to carry it, and they swiftly departed.

The surrounding martial artists who had been watching also sighed and gradually dispersed.

After everyone had left, Bing Ruolan approached, her beautiful eyes curving into crescents as she looked at Luo Feng with a smile. "Luo Feng, since when did you develop a hobby for collecting antiques?"

Luo Feng scratched his nose. "Heh... I only recently developed this interest..."