I Don't Want to Get Hurt, So I'll Max Out My Defense-Chapter 1079 - 1080: The Auction Begins

Chapter 1079: Chapter 1080: The Auction Begins

“This time, my negligence at the Ancient Dragon Pavilion caused a disturbance for you, Young Master Han. I find it hard to shirk this responsibility. I invite you to move to the VIP room on the second floor to rest, and I assure you that such incidents will not happen again in the future. I will report this matter to Zong Guolong, and the factions involved will henceforth be permanently blacklisted by the Ancient Dragon Pavilion!”

Zong Guohong said with a face full of apology.

“It’s no trouble; now that those undesirables are gone, no one dares to cause trouble in this auction house anymore. Let’s go.”

Li Xiaobai nodded and followed Zong Guohong upstairs, leaving behind the bewildered cultivators looking at one another.

“Damn! It’s true. This auction definitely has items left by a Half-Saint Strong Expert. To think we actually believed Bei Dao’s words. That guy is clearly deceitful, just trying to stall for time!”

“Young Master Han is right; this guy is either foolish or wicked. Damn it, I’m going back to my clan to ask our Elder to come here. We of the Wang Family are determined to win this auction!”

“How could the owner of the Ancient Dragon Order deceive us? It’s laughable that Bei Dao and the Huo Family were blind and even made sarcastic remarks, they really got what they deserved!”

“It’s all down to those two families; they made us miss such an opportunity to connect with influential people. The Third Young Master of the Han Family is not the worst young master of the Icy Frost Sect as purported; I see that he is clearly the most outstanding disciple. Possessing such connections makes him far stronger than his other two brothers!”

“Yes, indeed, he is a genuine prodigy. Having the Ancient Dragon Order, his background and status must be more than just a young master of a major sect; even a large sect like the Icy Frost Sect does not have such influence!”

“The disciples of Ice Dragon Island have misled me!”

Inside the hall, the cultivators watched Li Xiaobai’s departing figure, filled with regret. If only they had not believed Bei Feng’s words earlier and approached to make his acquaintance, they might have already aligned themselves with such a significant figure.

On the second floor, Li Xiaobai moved to the central VIP seat. This area consisted of separate rooms, with curtains on both sides laid out with Formation seals, so there was no need to worry about his identity being discovered by others.

After all, bidding in an auction could indeed offend people. It was only by not knowing each other’s identity that they could bid freely and confidently. Only then could the items be sold at higher prices. Otherwise, if everyone feared the powerful forces, nobody would dare to bid, and the treasures of the Ancient Dragon Pavilion would be sold at extremely low prices—something any auction house would dread.

“This place is great; it oversees everything. It’s not a spot just anyone can occupy on a regular day.”

Li Xiaobai nodded. This VIP room allowed him to see the entire scene on the first floor, and also provided a broad view of many other rooms on the second floor.

“For someone holding the Ancient Dragon Order, this room seems a bit modest. Please do not take offense, Young Master.”

“Here is the list of auction items. Zong Guolong has gone through it once again, please take a look,”

Zong Guohong produced a list. He and Zong Guolong were brothers; one managed external affairs, and the other internal. Today, this young man was a money tree for the Ancient Dragon Pavilion, as the auction resources he provided could elevate the pavilion’s reputation. Such a wealthy patron, hard to find even if one were searching with a lantern, must not be offended.

Today’s successful auction could lead to a long-term strategic partnership in the future. It was not hard to imagine that the Immortal Stones would keep rolling in inexhaustibly.

“Thank you.”

Li Xiaobai nodded and casually glanced over the list. What originally was only a one-page list had suddenly expanded to seven or eight pages. Except for a few items on the first and last pages, the rest were all resources sold by him.

Couldn’t be better, this would mean that nearly ninety percent of the transaction volume in this auction would be his. Now everything was ready except for the donors with enough financial power to arrive, then he could just sit back and collect the money.

“Is there anything else you require, Young Master Han?”

“Feel free to request; the Ancient Dragon Pavilion will strive to meet your needs.”

Zong Guohong said with a mild smile, not putting on any airs of superiority, treating Li Xiaobai as an equal. In his eyes, this young man fully qualified to make him lower his stance—perhaps this is what they called mingling among the elites?

“Then please trouble the elder to send someone to Lingxue Pavilion. Manager Wang there has a rich background and powerful financial resources. If he could come, it would add much glitter to today’s auction.”

Li Xiaobai spoke cheerily. He hadn’t forgotten how Manager Wang had cunningly extracted Immortal Stones from him; that crafty Lingxue Pavilion manager seemed to charge for everything, even calculating the cost for drinking his tea. Particularly when introducing high-level figures from Ancient Dragon Pavilion, he had charged a hefty sum of top-grade Immortal Stones.

Although such a small amount of money was just a drop in the bucket for him, the feeling of being fleeced was truly unpleasant. Today, he must reclaim the Immortal Stones spent, hundreds of times over from Manager Wang.

“Ah, what Young Master Han said is extremely true. Manager Wang controls the finances of Lingxue Pavilion, an establishment as historic as Ancient Dragon Pavilion. These are not ordinary inns that can compare. If Manager Wang could join the bidding, the scene would indeed be quite spectacular.”

Zong Guohong thought seriously and nodded as he spoke. Honestly, considering the power of the various sects, he hadn’t thought about Manager Wang initially. This was an opportunity with many wealthy patrons, the more the merrier and the fuller their pockets, the more they would earn.

“So, I will have to trouble the elder.”

“The more the attendees spend, the more we earn. Now that I stand with Ancient Dragon Pavilion, I naturally have to contribute.”

Li Xiaobai said with a light smile.

“Your nobleness, sir!”

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“Let’s get wealthy together!”

…

Two hours later, as the sky gradually darkened, the island was just beginning to buzz with activity.

Torches were lit, brightening the entire island like daylight, and the entrance of Ancient Dragon Pavilion was as busy as a market, with cultivators pouring in like a torrent.

Zong Guolong had issued an order, canceling the usual invitation system. This auction could be attended even without an invitation, although without a seat one could only stand to the side and participate in the bidding. With this news, many cultivators from nearby sects went wild as a historical auction house set no entry barriers this time, creating an unprecedented grand occasion. Many cultivators who were unaware of the details also followed the crowd into Ancient Dragon Pavilion to catch a glimpse of the excitement.

Even Li Xiaobai couldn’t help but click his tongue in secret at the scene before him. Good grief, the draw of Ancient Dragon Pavilion was extraordinary; a venerable establishment, merely removing the entry restrictions attracted a swarm of cultivators. It seemed today was destined to be profitable.

“Manager Wang from Lingxue Pavilion has arrived!”

“Elder Wang from Hundred Flowers Sect has arrived!”

“Yan Xiao from Blood Demon Sect has arrived!”

“Yang Honggang from Golden Blade Sect has arrived!”

“…”

Calls were heard one after another, and big shots continued to arrive on the second floor, each taking their places in the VIP seats.

“The Second Elder from Ice Dragon Island has arrived!”

Another call rang out, and a hush fell over the crowd. The Second Elder from Ice Dragon Island, that was the island’s third most powerful figure, had also come to join the fray at Ancient Dragon Pavilion!