12dz Chapter 756: Hidden Arrows from the Black Market Auction
Chapter 756: Hidden Arrows from the Black Market Auction
The night was as dark as ink, thick as if dripping with inextricable conspiracy. The "black market auction" venue, suspended in the void, was shrouded in a faint purple barrier. Faint runes swirled across its surface, silently revealing the treacherous and mysterious nature of the transactions taking place there. This black market, the most chaotic yet bustling place in the world of cultivation, harbors filth and iniquity, yet also conceals countless treasures, attracting cultivators from all walks of life seeking opportunity or seeking hidden secrets.
Yun Yao, dressed in a dark, formal outfit and donning a custom-made phantom mask, transformed her appearance into that of a middle-aged cultivator. Her demeanor was calm and reserved, blending into the bustling crowd. Her eyes scanned the surroundings warily, the Heaven-Defying Fate Plate radiating slightly from her sleeve, as if warning of impending danger. Beside her, Chu Mochen, equally understated, ostensibly merely her attendant, yet the subtle, yet intimidating presence he exuded made those who approached retreat.
Inside the auction hall, candlelight flickered, and the atmosphere was tense and oppressive. Monks from all over the place sat or stood, conversing in low voices, occasionally casting wary glances. Yun Yao and Chu Mochen found an inconspicuous corner and sat down, their eyes fixed on the auction table.
With the ringing of a resounding bell, the auction officially began. Rare magical artifacts and elixirs were placed on the auction block, sparking fierce bidding from the audience. Yun Yao showed little interest; her sole purpose for this trip was to obtain the mysterious "Hongmeng Fragment."
Finally, amidst the crowd's anticipation, the grand finale—the "Hongmeng Fragment"—was slowly rolled onto the auction block. As the ancient scroll unfolded before the crowd, the entire venue fell silent, then erupted in a commotion. Yun Yao's pupils constricted slightly. She could sense the familiar, powerful aura within the fragment, the same source of the power she had gained in the Netherworld.
"The starting price is one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones!" The auctioneer's voice sounded, like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up thousands of waves.
"One hundred twenty thousand!"
"One hundred and fifty thousand!"
Bidding continued, the price climbing. Yun Yao listened quietly, mentally calculating her bottom line. Just then, a sinister voice rang out from the VIP box: "This fellow Daoist is so obsessed with the Hongmeng technique. Could it be related to the Tiandao Sect that was destroyed three hundred years ago?"
Yun Yao's heart tightened. She looked up and saw an old man in a blood-red robe standing at the edge of the box, his eyes as sharp as a hawk's as he stared at her. This man was none other than an elder of the Blood Demon Sect. He wore half a token of the Heart-Erosion Curse around his waist, emitting a sickening, evil aura.
"Hmph, the Blood Demon Sect always loves to slander others." Yun Yao snorted coldly, her voice steady and without a trace of panic. "I'm just a little interested in this fragment. Could it be that in this black market, I don't even have the right to bid?"
"Power? In this black market, fists are power!" The elder sneered. As soon as he finished speaking, several dark shadows suddenly emerged from the darkness and rushed towards Yun Yao. These shadows were all powerful demon cultivators, and the weapons in their hands glowed with a faint blue light, obviously poisoned.
Yun Yao calmly brushed her fingertips across the remaining medicinal power of the Resurrection Flower in her sleeve, a mysterious and powerful force surging through her. With a soft cry, she suddenly erupted with a pseudo-Heavenly Dao pressure. This pressure wasn't truly Heavenly Dao power, but it was enough to intimidate the numerous cultivators present.
The entire auction hall was instantly bathed in a dazzling light. The locations of all the demon cultivators wearing cursed seals were clearly marked on the Heaven-Defying Fate Plate. Yun Yao's eyes were icy as she noted down each of these locations, including Liu Yan'er, who was hiding in the shadows.
However, just when Yun Yao thought she had the situation under control, something unexpected happened. The Blood Demon Sect elder suddenly summoned a pitch-black magical weapon, engraved with strange runes and emitting a terrifying aura. As his magic formula shifted, the weapon transformed into a massive blood net, sweeping down towards Yun Yao.
"Be careful!" Chu Mochen's face changed, and he immediately stood in front of Yun Yao, unsheathing his long sword. Sword Qi surged, attempting to cut through the blood net. However, the blood net was extremely resilient. Every time it was struck by the sword Qi, it would quickly heal and continuously shrink, trapping the two of them tightly.
Yun Yao sensed the immense power contained within the blood net, knowing it was no ordinary magical weapon. She took a deep breath, mobilizing all her spiritual energy. The Heaven-Defying Fate Disk shone brightly, resonating with the power of the Pseudo-Heavenly Dao realm. She chanted something, and a golden light emanated from the Heaven-Defying Fate Disk, striking the blood net directly.
"Boom!" With a loud bang, the blood net was finally broken, but Yun Yao's face turned pale due to excessive spiritual energy consumption. At this moment, she suddenly noticed that Liu Yan'er's mark on the Destiny Plate was moving rapidly, obviously trying to take the opportunity to escape.
Yun Yao gritted her teeth, not caring about regulating her breathing, and took Chu Mochen in pursuit of Liu Yan'er. However, when they reached a secluded corner, they found that Liu Yan'er had already disappeared, leaving only a faint trace of demonic energy.
"Damn it! I let her get away." Yun Yao clenched her fists, a trace of regret flashing in her eyes.
"Don't worry, she can't get far." Chu Mochen comforted him, "And we didn't gain nothing this time. At least we know about the collusion between the Blood Demon Sect and Liu Yan'er, and their covetousness for the Hongmeng Fragments."
Yun Yao nodded and was about to speak when she suddenly sensed a powerful presence coming from the direction of the auction. She was startled, knowing that trouble was brewing again. The two exchanged a glance and immediately returned to the auction.
When they returned to the auction, they were horrified by the scene before them. The once bustling venue was now in shambles, with many cultivators lying on the ground, their lives unknown. On the auction stage, a mysterious figure in a black robe stood, clutching the fragment of the Hongmeng scroll, emanating a suffocating aura of pressure.
"You're finally back." The mysterious man turned around and said in a low and hoarse voice, "Yun Yao, Chu Mochen, I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Yun Yao's heart trembled. She had never seen this person before, but he could accurately call out their names, clearly knowing them very well. "Who are you? Why are you targeting us?" Yun Yao asked coldly.
"It doesn't matter who I am. What matters is that the Heaven-Defying Fate Disk and the Hongmeng Fragment in your hands are what I need," the mysterious man said, and a black sword suddenly appeared in his hand. "Hand them over obediently, and perhaps I can leave you with an intact body."
"Dream on!" Chu Mochen shouted angrily, charging forward with his sword in hand. A thrilling battle unfolded at the auction. Yun Yao, unwilling to be outdone, unleashed a variety of tactics to fight alongside Chu Mochen.
During the battle, Yun Yao discovered the mysterious man's immense strength, each attack carrying devastating force. She realized he was no ordinary individual, likely a high-ranking member of the Chaos Demon Sect. As she fought, she pondered a countermeasure.
Suddenly, Yun Yao had an idea. She recalled the insights she had gained in the Netherworld, and perhaps she could use them to overcome the current predicament. She concentrated, mobilizing all her strength. The Heaven-Defying Fate Disk once again shone brightly. A flicker of determination flashed in her eyes, and she muttered something to herself, unleashing a new, secret technique.
As the secret technique was unleashed, a mysterious force enveloped her, and time seemed to slow down throughout the entire space. The mysterious figure seemed to sense something was wrong and tried to speed up her attack, but found her movements were also becoming slower.
Yun Yao seized the opportunity and, in coordination with Chu Mochen, launched a fierce attack. "Break!" they both shouted simultaneously, their powerful force striking the mysterious man, knocking him back several steps.
The mysterious man steadied his body, with a hint of surprise and anger in his eyes: "I didn't expect you to have such means, but this is not enough!" As he spoke, the aura on his body surged again, and he swung the sword in his hand, and a huge black sword light slashed towards the two of them.
Yun Yao and Chu Mochen's expressions were grim. They knew this was the mysterious man's full-strength attack. If they couldn't block it, the consequences would be disastrous. They exchanged glances and simultaneously injected spiritual energy into their weapons, preparing to meet this fatal attack.
Just as the sword was about to strike them, a familiar figure suddenly appeared in front of them and blocked the attack for them. Yun Yao looked closely and saw that it was Xiao Cui!
"Xiao Cui, why are you here?" Yun Yao was surprised and happy, but at the same time her heart was full of doubts.
"Miss, there's no time to explain. Hurry and leave!" Xiao Cui's face was pale, obviously seriously injured. "I'll hold him back!"
Yun Yao was unwilling to leave and wanted to stay to help Xiao Cui, but was stopped by Chu Mochen: "Yao'er, now is not the time to act impulsively. Let's leave here first and find a chance to save Xiao Cui later!"
Yun Yao gritted her teeth, feeling unwilling, but she knew Chu Mochen was right. She glanced at Xiao Cui, her eyes full of apology: "Xiao Cui, you must hold on. We will definitely come back to save you!"
With that, Yun Yao and Chu Mochen, protected by Xiao Cui, quickly fled the auction. Behind them, a mysterious figure stared at them, a cold, murderous look flashing in his eyes. "Run? Do you think you can? This game has only just begun..."