Chapter 102: This Young Master's Auction Can't Get Worse

Chapter 102: This Young Master's Auction Can't Get Worse

The Garrison Commander, Jiang Lei whispered. He and Wang Xiao shot out of their chairs. Chen Haoran held Phelps close to him.

Above them, the Garrison Commander had placed himself between the auction hall and the light spilling through the hole in the ceiling. Standing in the air, he looked like a bloody angel descending. Scarlet light coalesced around his halberd and dripped to the floor, melting anything they touched. One large drop fell atop a tent and dissolved it instantly. Its occupants ran out screaming, red light eating their limbs away. Chen Haoran watched them erode into nothingness. Even their blood wasnt spared. The only evidence there was once something there were the gouges where the red light ate pieces of the floor.

The Garrison Commander raised his axe and swung. The red light fell.

There was a sigh.

On the stage, the Auctioneer raised his hand. The falling red light stopped and, like it had met an opposite force, flew back up. The Garrison Commander did not move as the red light washed over him to no harm and chewed away the entire roof. The dark auction hall was immediately exposed to the daytime sky. The abrupt change had Phelps squealing in pain and Chen Haoran blinking stars out of his eyes.

The Auctioneer held his other hand out to the Heaven-rank technique, and the book flew into his sleeve. An aura rose from him, it was understated and less overbearing than the Garrison Officials but no less powerful. Chen Haoran found he could breathe again. He didnt even realize he wasnt.

Commander Lu, the Auctioneer said. Have you come to participate in todays auction?

The newly named Commander Lu snorted derisively. The Golden Lily Association stands accused of smuggling illegal contraband and cooperating with foreign influences to disturb the Emperors Peace. The punishment for both is the same: death.

Commander Lu pointed his halberd to the sky. The scarlet light banished from the Auction Hall gathered into a cloud and fell back down, stopping where the roof used to be. Or rather, it was stopped. Flashes of gold lightning sparked above them as the red cloud of light tried to press down and devour them all.

Come now, The Auctioneer said. Its just business.

Commander Lu grunted and swung his halberd down. The Auctioneer flew into the air and pulled from his sleeve three gold coins. He threw them forward, and they met the halberd head-on. Rather than be knocked away, they stuck to the halberd like magnets and stopped its momentum dead. Under the coins' gold light, the scarlet light covering the halberd receded and vanished. The Auctioneer flicked his hand left, and the coins followed the motion, dragging the halberd with them.

Commander Lu let go of his weapon and let it fly away, he looked at the Auctioneer with a dignified expression. The Treasure-Defeating Coins. So it's you, Gold-Eater. Ive caught a big fish today.

Unfortunately, here you have to pay before eating. Auctioneer Gold-Eater took a casual step and ascended into the air. All guests, please calmly make your way out of the building. Our employees are available for directions if you require them. Thank you for attending todays auction, and we look forward to your business in the future.

Money grubber, Commander Lu said. He opened his palm, and scarlet light gathered and shaped itself into a halberd. He twirled it around in his hand, and the light snarled and snapped at the air like a beast. With every snap came a chorus of roars like a horde of monsters had suddenly dropped into the hall. It reverberated in Chen Haorans chest like all loud sounds did and stayed there, circling around his heart like predators did prey.

Suddenly several other auras filled the hall, and it took Chen Haoran a minute to remember that there had been other Crystal Transformation Realms in attendance. Would they intervene? They were here for the Heaven-rank technique, after all. Them taking action would at least let a little guy like him escape, but Chen Haoran wasnt looking forward to the potential free-for-all. Escaping under the cover of chaos was all well and good until a stray attack evaporated him.

You have five seconds, Commander Lu said.

The auras vanished.

Youve got to be fucking kidding me. Did I really pay money for such a shitty exit?

You didnt pay anything, Dreamwater snapped. Her professionalism cracking. Its a service we offer to paranoid guests afraid of being robbed.

Should we look for an alternate way? Wang Xiao asked Jiang Lei.

Where does that escape route lead? Jiang Lei asked.

Directly outside the city, Dreamwater said.

Well have to cut our way through if we go outside anyway else, Jiang Lei finally said. If they bring the Gu Department, then well never escape. That exit is our best bet.

Chen Haorans curse was cut short when the air itself shook from the clash going on above their heads.

Damn it all, they didnt have the time. Go, Chen Haoran said. While the Auctioneer is still in control.

With Chen Haoran as the center holding the talisman, they rushed as quickly as they could across the auction hall. Around them, cultivators of all sorts fled in every direction from their tents. The air was awash with qi from techniques and treasures being activated. Across the hall Chen Haoran could see other people glowing completely blue in his eyes. His fellow Gold Token members using their own talismans, most likely. Above them, the battle raged on. Under the Auctioneer's golden light however, its aftershocks were kept mostly in check though he even couldnt completely stop Commander Lus scarlet light from raining down on them between attacks. Every droplet of light splashed out like a ravenous beast and devoured anything it fell on.

A large droplet fell directly onto an unlucky cultivator right next to them. As the man fell to the ground screaming, the scarlet light pounced directly at them despite their invisibility. Jiang Leis peach-colored liquid qi surged and drowned the scarlet light. Before even an instant passed, the beastly light had already eaten through it.

Move! Jiang Lei roared as he sacrificed more liquid qi to the light.

They leapt to the stage. Dreamwater was leading the way to the back. They were almost out. Chen Haoran couldnt help but spare a glance back.

Ill be billing you for the damages, the Auctioneer said. Golden lightning crackled in his hands. For your sake, I recommend keeping them down.

You can send your invoice from hell, Commander Lu snarled.

The Auctioneer raised his hands to throw more golden storms when a red blur broke through the wall a shot toward him. The Auctioneer hastily brought his up to block as the red blur slammed into him and sent the Auctioneer shooting down into the stage.

Chen Haoran didnt even have time to cry in alarm before the stage was blown to pieces. One moment he was on the ground. The next moment he found himself tumbling wildly through the air. He felt Phelpss qi cover him in an attempt to cancel their momentum, but the force was too much. Phelps was flung out his hand, and Chen Haoran crashed into the ground. The breath fled out his lungs, and it almost felt like his qi flew out with it as it absorbed the shock of his fall. His head spun, and his vision alternated between normal and pitch black. His only stable sense was the feeling of his qi rushing to return his body to normal. Even so, he was aware enough when the red blur that knocked the Auctioneer out of the air spoke.

Can an old soldier get a veterans discount? The second Imperial Crystal Transformation Realm asked.