Chapter 106: Raising the Price

Staring under the gaze of over a thousand pairs of eyes, Fierce Tiger Roar’s face burned with embarrassment. He had to make a bid—he couldn’t afford to lose face. He glared at Ye Chen with hatred, deliberately adopting a bold demeanor, and raised his paddle, declaring, “1300 gold.”
Ye Chen called out without hesitation, “140,” nearly the instant Fierce Tiger Roar’s voice fell silent.
Fierce Tiger Roar’s expression shifted. He bit his lip and said, “1500 gold.”
This was the absolute limit for Fierce Tiger Roar. Ye Chen meant to stop bidding, but 2058 suddenly spoke beside his ear, “Keep raising. That fellow has been pushed into a corner by you. He just whispered with that element mage and will go up to 2000 gold.”
While 2058 spoke with Ye Chen, Fierce Tiger Roar saw that Ye Chen was no longer bidding and was about to breathe a sigh of relief—only to witness Ye Chen raise his paddle with an air of absolute determination and shout, “1600 gold.”
Fierce Tiger Roar wanted nothing more than to devour Ye Chen alive. Under the scrutiny of a thousand pairs of eyes, he bid again: “1700!” It was nearly a roar.
The entire auction hall fell into silence. Everyone stared at Ye Chen and Fierce Tiger Roar. Only Ling Tong smiled radiantly.
“1900 gold. What a joke, Fierce Tiger Roar. Just like that. Bidding a hundred gold each time—truly disgraceful.” Ye Chen sneered disdainfully, instantly making Fierce Tiger Roar’s face flush purple with fury.
“2000 gold!” Fierce Tiger Roar truly wanted to shout “2500,” but his remaining reason restrained him. He had already decided that even if he lost face, he would not bid again no matter how high Ye Chen went.
2000 gold. Hearing the 2000-gold quote, the venue erupted in commotion. Two thousand gold—it had far surpassed the value of the skill book. Even those present were wealthy, yet many exclaimed in astonishment.
“2000 gold. Our Fierce Tiger Family’s third-squadron leader, Fierce Tiger Roar, is bidding 2000 gold for Flame Blast. Friend, will you still raise the price? This is an extremely rare earth-element sword technique. If you miss this chance, who knows when you’ll have another opportunity?”
As auctioneer, Ling Tong’s eyes narrowed in delight. She offered her most beautiful smile without hesitation, hoping to stir Ye Chen’s competitive spirit and push the price higher. The higher the final sum, the more successful she would be as an auctioneer. Of course, she had no idea the cloaked figure before her was Ye Chen himself.
Every gaze turned to Ye Chen. Fierce Tiger Roar’s hands clenched until they were slick with sweat. Yet Ye Chen suddenly chuckled and spoke unhurriedly, “Since Roar likes it so much, I’ll do him a favor and let it go to Roar.”
The sharp contrast between Ye Chen’s earlier determination to win and his current teasing mockery left Fierce Tiger Roar no fool. He instantly realized he had been played. The cloaked man was digging a pit for him.
A full thousand gold more! Fierce Tiger Roar swayed, nearly collapsing to the ground.
The entire auction hall fell silent, followed by bursts of malicious laughter. All eyes fixed on Fierce Tiger Roar’s pitch-black expression. Ling Tong, the seasoned beauty auctioneer, immediately caught on. She covered her mouth to laugh lightly, then brought her small hammer down with a decisive clack, marking the sale.
Fierce Tiger Roar regained his senses, trembling with rage, his cheeks twitching uncontrollably. He glared at Ye Chen, voice hoarse, “You… you bastard… you dug a hole for me…”
“Dug a hole for you?” Ye Chen sneered, shaking his head and sighing, “I didn’t dig any hole for you. I originally planned to buy at 1900. Who knew you’d be so rich you’d go up to 2000? Wealthy people indeed. I can only bear the pain and let it go. To be honest, you should thank me. If I hadn’t let it go, how could you obtain this precious skill book?”
Ye Chen’s smug act of taking advantage and then acting smug formed a vivid contrast with Fierce Tiger Roar’s iron-black face. Ling Tong on stage laughed until her stomach hurt.
“Wonderful, wonderful. You’re quite ruthless. But hiding your head and revealing your tail—what kind of hero is that? Do you dare to take off your hat?”
Fierce Tiger Roar’s head ached from fury, yet he knew he could not vent his anger without learning the opponent’s identity. Many people in the hall dressed this way; if he didn’t discover the identity now, he would never find them after leaving the venue.
Ye Chen sneered twice and paid no attention to Fierce Tiger Roar. It wasn’t fear that stopped him; if not for the plans still to come, he would have told Fierce Tiger Roar right then that it was Ye Chen who had dug the hole. But for the sake of the greater picture, he let it pass. Ignoring Fierce Tiger Roar’s clamor, Ye Chen looked up at Ling Tong on stage and smiled, “Miss Ling Tong, shouldn’t we continue the auction? I still wish to see what other treasures Night Hua’s Flowing Gold can bring forth. I believe all the friends present are equally expectant.”
Ye Chen’s words instantly redirected everyone’s attention. Though Ye Chen and Fierce Tiger Roar’s direct grudge was entertaining, everyone had come to buy goods. This was merely a small interlude; the auction was the main event. So they sat back down one by one, cheering to continue.
Ling Tong smiled softly on the auction stage, ignoring the single standing figure in the hall—Fierce Tiger Roar—and placed a bronze piece of equipment on the display stand. The auction resumed.
Fierce Tiger Roar stood like a pillar, staring fixedly at Ye Chen. Soon, however, he blocked the rear players’ view and provoked a storm of outrage. Under hundreds of angry scoldings, he was ordered to sit down by the Fierce Tiger Tyrant.
Compared to rare-grade equipment, the atmosphere for bronze-grade items was even more fervent. Almost every bronze piece sold for over 180 gold. Ye Chen’s four rings were auctioned in pairs, each pair exceeding 600 gold—and the bidding was not without his own involvement. Now it was no longer just Fierce Tiger Roar who hated him; the other two players who had won rings also regarded Ye Chen as an enemy. Even Ling Tong’s gaze toward him on stage grew strange. She had clearly guessed his identity: someone who hated Lie Hu and raised the prices of her auction items. If not Ye Chen, then who else?
Ling Tong’s odd, smiling glance made Ye Chen blush slightly, but face was less important than gold coins, so the bidding continued.
Less than forty bronze items were auctioned for nearly three hours, revealing the intensity of the competition. Though the time was nearing seven o’clock in the evening, no one logged off. Everyone knew the main event was about to begin. Even if they couldn’t buy anything, merely watching would serve as something to brag about.