Chapter 554: Emergence

Chapter 554: Chapter 554: Emergence

The one still bidding against Shen Hao was a woman’s voice. Shen Hao had looked back earlier but only saw a woman veiled in black gauze, her age and appearance completely unknown. The voice was cold and dull, with no way to judge her exact age.

"Two hundred and ninety thousand taels." Shen Hao raised the bid by thirty thousand again.

"Two hundred and ninety-two thousand taels."

This time, although Shen Hao still kept a blank expression, his heart skipped a beat. He forcibly resisted the urge to turn around, but in his perception, he could feel a cold gaze landing on him from time to time.

Two hundred and ninety thousand far exceeded the actual value of these auction materials—unless someone was obsessed with them for special reasons, or was just acting out of spite, no one would raise the price like this. Even after Shen Hao had twice shown his intention to win at any cost, the other party still chose to press on rather than back off rationally.

First, Shen Hao confirmed he had no such enemy; the other party probably wasn’t just messing with him out of spite. That left only one possibility: the other party, like him, had a compelling reason to get these materials.

Shen Hao kept raising the price without any hesitation, throwing in another thirty thousand to push the price up to three hundred and twenty thousand.

Now, everyone in the room was intrigued. Anyone with eyes could see this was a head-to-head fight. Although it was just silver coins trading hands and no spirit stones involved, this was still rare. More interesting was that one side was none other than one of the most sought-after figures in Fengri City, the Black Banner Battalion’s Chief Officer, Shen Hao.

The price kept climbing, and Shen Hao’s mood was far from good. He recalled the series of murder cases in Pingjiang City that had never been solved—the victims included several cultivators, even a Gathering Spirit Realm Fourth Layer expert. Shen Hao had always suspected those deaths were connected to the Yin Jade Map he had coincidentally gotten hold of back then. Now, he had reason to believe the black-veiled woman sitting behind him was after the Yin Jade Map as well, maybe even the killer herself.

Should he ease up and let her take the Yin Jade? The thought circled in Shen Hao’s mind but was quickly dismissed. First, it was already too late—the price had risen to this level and backing out now would mean more than just losing face. Second, Shen Hao’s temperament couldn’t stomach such vague losses.

Give in? Why should he?

Back in Pingjiang, Shen Hao had indeed felt anxious, but now his cultivation, strength, and even outlook were on a different level. Even if the other party was Primordial Pill Realm, if only at the initial stage, she might not be able to kill him. If only Gathering Spirit Realm, she wouldn’t even be his opponent.

Besides, Shen Hao was no longer alone—just at his side were three Primordial Pill Realm experts guarding him. Anyone wanting to make a move would find it difficult.

"Four hundred and eighty thousand."

After Shen Hao pushed the price up once more, the other party no longer continued. Out of money?

"Lord Shen, forty-eight hundred thousand taels! Any higher bids?" The auctioneer’s voice remained steady, yet his eyes betrayed excitement. As an auctioneer, fierce bidding was his favorite. Forty-eight hundred thousand wasn’t an eye-popping sum, but a bid several times above the starting price was usually only seen for hot Treasure Pill items. For Artifact Refining Materials to shoot up like this? Very rare.

He called three more times, but the black-veiled woman still didn’t respond. In the end, this batch of Artifact Refining Materials went to Shen Hao at a price several times the starting bid.

The people beside Shen Hao all politely congratulated him, though their gleaming eyes betrayed a certain schadenfreude, like spectators at a spectacle. No matter how you looked at it, although Shen Hao saved his reputation, he’d just wasted a pile of money. Win or lose? Hard to say.

Shen Hao curled his lip, stood up, and turned toward the black-veiled woman, only to see her stand up as well. Though her face was hidden, Shen Hao could still feel her searing gaze directed his way.

Before Shen Hao could speak, the woman left the small hall first.

The two guards sent by the Commander’s Office snickered quietly to themselves; earlier, they’d been amazed by Shen Hao’s unbelievable cultivation speed, and now seeing him spend nearly five hundred thousand taels of silver to buy something only worth ten or twenty thousand—was this not being swindled?

"Let’s go!"

Shen Hao’s face was dark, as if trying to swallow his anger. The two Commander’s Office guards had a laugh inside. The three Fox Women were angry for their master, feeling indignant: that black-veiled woman is too vile! Dared to snatch from their master, costing him so much money! She must be ugly—otherwise, why do such an awful thing?

Wasn’t it said: ugly people are always up to no good!

Not only did they see it that way, others agreed that Shen Hao had been taken for a ride, hence his sour mood. In truth, Shen Hao didn’t care about the lost silver. His mood soured because he felt he’d attracted yet another elusive enemy. At least, for now, it seemed so.

Shen Hao didn’t stay in the auction house. He wanted to go back and compare the newly acquired Yin Jade Map to the two he already had, because when he’d glanced at it earlier, it seemed it was another part of the maze map he already possessed.

But just as he stepped out the doors, Shen Hao saw a figure in black standing by the entrance—the very woman who’d just dueled with him over the item.

"May I speak with you in private?" Her voice remained dull as ever.

"Fine."

Shen Hao dismissed the guards and walked with her into a nearby alley.

"Lord Shen, you’re a high official, wealthy and powerful. But those items earlier were clearly overpriced. I’m willing to buy one thing from your hands for three hundred thousand taels."

Shen Hao’s mind was sharp as a mirror. He could sense the other party seemed wary of his identity.

"Which item?"

"The largest piece of Yin Jade."

Shen Hao thought, "As expected." The largest piece was exactly the one concealing the secret—the Yin Jade Map. She really was after this.

"Hmph, if it weren’t for you raising the price, could it have gone so high? But I’ve always liked collecting such strange items. Why should I sell it to someone who won’t even show her true face?"

"...Lord Shen, are you sure you won’t let go of that piece of Yin Jade?"

Entering the alley, Shen Hao was on full alert. Though the other’s cultivation was still vague to his perception, he could tell she was nowhere near Primordial Pill Realm; even if her cultivation surpassed his, it was only Gathering Spirit Eighth or Ninth Layer. Such cultivation posed no threat to Shen Hao.

Same as before—Shen Hao was now on a whole different level.

"Swish!" Shen Hao half-smiled as he snapped open his black folded fan, waving it lightly, and said, "If I don’t hand it over, what will you do?" The evil qi roiled openly around him. He suddenly felt it was better to have her out in the open, rather than creeping around watching him from the shadows.