Chapter 30: The Auction (Part 2)

"Is that the so-called master Qin Tian brought in?" Tan Dong asked with a look of disdain.

Qin Yuan nodded, "It should be him!"

Tan Dong laughed as if he had heard a joke, then said, "Old Qin, leave this matter to me. I can crush this old man with a single punch!"

As he finished speaking, Tan Dong glared at Xue An in a show of intimidation, only to find that Xue An’s expression remained indifferent, as if he hadn't heard a word.

His contempt only deepened. For a martial artist, the most important thing is to cultivate the spirit within. The saying, "Wealth and rank cannot corrupt, poverty and lowliness cannot move, and force cannot subdue," refers precisely to this. It means one should never back down in any situation; otherwise, no matter how skilled one is, it damages one’s own sharp edge.

Yet, despite his repeated provocations, this man had not responded at all. Clearly, he was just a coward!

Feeling that Xue An posed no threat, Tan Dong turned his attention to the auction floor. It had already begun. Qin Tian and Liu Shou were sitting in a corner. The items auctioned initially were ordinary jewelry, and neither Qin Tian nor Qin Yuan made a bid.

It wasn't until halfway through the event that someone brought out a box. The auctioneer announced, "Next, we present a strange item. It was accidentally found by a tourist deep in the mountains. We don't know what it is used for, so please take a look!"

As the box was opened, it revealed nothing more than a withered little sapling. A stir went through the audience, and many couldn't help but chuckle.

"This is a rare treasure? I have plenty of these at home!"
"Is this some kind of joke?"

But the murmurs gradually faded, as the little sapling began to grow and sprout at a speed visible to the naked eye, then rapidly flowered and bore fruit. This god-like display left many speechless.

Watching from the room, Xue An felt a stir in his heart. It was a Dragon-Gall Herb. It was a spiritual plant that only grew in areas rich with dragon energy. It was a relatively common medicinal herb, yet essential for refining many types of pills. He hadn't expected to see it on Earth.

At that moment, Liu Shou's eyes were glowing red. "That’s it!"

This was the treasure Liu Shou had been waiting for in Beijiang. With it, he could break through his current cultivation level and even extend his lifespan. For Liu Shou, it was an immense temptation.

"Buy it!" Liu Shou ordered coldly.

Qin Tian, obedient to Liu Shou's commands, immediately started bidding. Xue An also spoke to Qin Yuan, "Buy it!"

At first, many others were bidding, as the earlier display had piqued the interest of many wealthy patrons. But as time passed, only Qin Yuan and Qin Tian remained. The price had reached a staggering 110 million. That such a small sapling would fetch this price was unexpected for many. However, people began to realize what was happening: Qin Tian and Qin Yuan were locked in a rivalry.

After Qin Yuan called out another high price, Liu Shou could no longer contain himself. He stood up and sneered at the private box. "Qin Yuan, are you tired of living?"

The entire auction hall went quiet. Qin Yuan stepped to the window of his box and smiled faintly, "What? Can't afford it, so you're sore about losing?"

Liu Shou gave a sinister grin. "I didn't want to make a scene, but since you're seeking your own death, don't blame me!"

With that, Liu Shou leaped toward Qin Yuan, intent on killing him first and then making off with the Dragon-Gall Herb.

Just as he reached them, Tan Dong sneered, "Good timing!" and threw a punch. Though Tan Dong was getting on in years, his martial arts skills had not faded; the sound of his punch was like a firecracker going off in the room.

A triumphant smile appeared on Tan Dong's lips. A thousand gold coins couldn't buy such a strike. He was certain this punch could crush not just a person, but solid rock.

But his smile froze before it could fade. Liu Shou didn't dodge; he took the full force of the punch on his back.

*Thud.*

A dull sound echoed. Tan Dong felt as if he had struck a rotting corpse—there was no point of impact. Before he could react, Liu Shou sneered, "Is that all you've got? You dare to stop me?"

Liu Shou swept his palm out. Tan Dong tried his best to dodge, but was struck, sent flying back twenty paces, and spat out a mouthful of blood. With a look of terror, Tan Dong gasped, "A Realized Master? You have already stepped into the Realm of the Realized?"

Liu Shou stood proudly. "Indeed. You can consider it your fortune to die by my hand!"

Despair washed over Tan Dong’s face. The Realm of the Realized—the state he had dreamed of his entire life. Only those who reached this realm could truly be called masters.

Liu Shou reached out, grabbed Qin Yuan, and sneered, "You should have died long ago. I didn't expect some blind fool to save you, but your time is up now. Go to..."

Just then, Xue An sighed softly, "What is the point of all this fighting and killing? Wouldn't it be better to sit down and have some tea?"

Tan Dong looked at Xue An as if he were an idiot. *Is this guy here for comedic relief?*

Liu Shou noticed Xue An as well. He studied him for a moment and then sneered, "What did you say?"

Xue An stretched, then looked down at Xue Xiang and Xue Nian, smiling, "You two go out and play with Aunt Mengxue for a while, okay?"

"Okay!" Fan Mengxue led the two little girls away.

Xue An then said calmly, "I said, with such mediocre skills, stop pretending to be a master!"

Liu Shou’s face turned livid. "I was going to kill you, but now I've changed my mind. I will torture you to death, inch by inch, and those two little girls—I will train them to be..."

He didn't get to finish his sentence, because Xue An had already appeared before him, expressionless, and threw a punch.

*You dare threaten me with Xue Xiang and Xue Nian? Then you shall die.*

The punch was plain, even seemingly slow. Yet, Liu Shou found himself unable to dodge. He discovered with absolute terror that his internal energy had been sealed, rendering him unable to move.

*BOOM.*

The punch was like a thunderclap, or a massive boulder dropped into a calm pond. Liu Shou was hit with the force of dozens of elephants, sent flying backward while vomiting blood. That wasn't all; the sheer power of the strike rippled through the architecture.

*CRASH!*

After a violent roar of destruction, half of the hall's ceiling was blown away by Xue An’s punch. Starlight poured down from the sky, illuminating every stunned face below.