Lanling was extremely surprised. Over three years had passed, yet the Ghost King’s Eye had still not been sold?
Even if no one knew of its magic, it was still a gemstone that made everyone covet it with drool.
The chief who became the Mirror Demon King, that is, its previous owner, had seized it from the hands of another tribe chief, even launching a small war for this purpose.
Even as a mere gemstone, it should be enough to make everyone intoxicated.
Just like those legendary massive diamonds on Earth, which even triggered wars between two nations. In reality, apart from looking beautiful they had no use whatsoever, and could only be embedded upon a crown.
“However, are you certain you wish to purchase it?” this Rakshasa shopkeeper asked.
“What is it?” Lanling asked, puzzled.
The shopkeeper said: “It has already changed hands three times while at our Heaven Earth Pavilion. Every new owner who obtained it brought great calamity upon themselves, so it is regarded as an object of ill omen.”
Lanling was startled, and also understood. No wonder this treasure remained at the Heaven Earth Pavilion after three years. It turned out it had already changed hands three times, and then returned again.
“I do not care about that. I only care how much it costs?” Lanling asked.
The shopkeeper said: “I am merely a low-level manager, and do not have the authority to handle transactions of this level of treasure. If you are certain you wish to purchase it, I can take you to see our head manager.”
“Please!” Lanling said.
Immediately, this middle-aged Rakshasa shopkeeper led Lanling to the rear hall, arriving at a platform, and said: “To the ninth floor.”
Then, this platform slowly rose, which gave Lanling a great fright. This was the barbarian world, was it actually this advanced? Did they even have elevators?
Looking out, he discovered two giants were frantically turning a wheel.
So, this was a lift operated by brute force.
Arriving at the ninth floor, the door opened.
Immediately, an elegant and simple scent rushed towards him. The decor here was not as magnificently luxurious as the lower floors. Rather, it was filled with a hint of artistic atmosphere. Whether the furniture, the carpet, or even the patterns on the walls, all were much more refined and tasteful.
Clearly, one needed a certain level of cultivation to appreciate this.
“Head manager, there is a guest who wishes to buy the Brilliant Star Tears.” this middle-aged shopkeeper said.
“Oh?” A female voice came from inside. After a slight hesitation, she said: “Come in.”
The door opened. This middle-aged Rakshasa shopkeeper respectfully stood outside, and said towards Lanling: “Please enter.”
Judging by this posture, he was completely unconcerned that Lanling might harm the female head manager inside.
Lanling walked in. This should be the head manager’s office.
Inside here, it appeared even more simple. There was not even a carpet, and all the furniture appeared extremely natural, without any decoration. The table before her was purely crafted from a kind of pale yellow wood, with a faint fragrance, not even a carved pattern.
Yet only Lanling knew how expensive this Ning Yellow Wood was, almost as valuable as gold. In the barbarian world it was somewhat cheaper, but definitely not by much.
Seeing that Lanling’s gaze fell upon the table before her at first sight, this female head manager was startled, then revealed a smile.
Clearly, only those of extreme wealth could recognise the table before her.
Only now did Lanling notice this female head manager.
She should be a Near-Human. In short, she was not Rakshasa, and was extremely, extremely similar to humans. The only difference was the colour of her pupils.
Also, although her face was smooth and even very graceful and beautiful, her age should not be young, because her hair had already turned completely white. And the vicissitudes revealed in her eyes required the accumulation of countless years.
Moreover, her martial arts were very high.
At the very least, Lanling could not gauge her depth.
“You wish to buy the Brilliant Star Tears?” the female head manager asked: “This is an object of ill omen.”
“Because it causes one to lose their will to strive, it is regarded as ill-omened.” Lanling said.
The female head manager said: “At the very least, it bewitches the mind.”
Lanling said: “May I ask, how much does it cost?”
“It temporarily has no price.” the female head manager said: “Because the previous owner raised its price as high as one hundred and thirty thousand gold coins, and it is mortgaged with us as a consignment sale. So we have no authority to set a price lower than one hundred and thirty thousand gold coins.”
One hundred and thirty thousand gold coins?
Lanling sucked in a cold breath. Who was this, completely a wastrel, losing their will to strive.
Not knowing its effects, merely treating it as a gemstone, yet spending one hundred and thirty thousand gold coins?
This was the barbarian world, not the ostentatious human kingdom. Even in the human kingdom, a gemstone would not sell for one hundred and thirty thousand gold coins.
One must know that the entire Nu Lang Kingdom’s total income for a year amounted to only two or three million gold coins.
However, the barbarian kingdom was a very deformed economic form.
Because it had far more gold mines than the human kingdom, but these gold mines were controlled by a minority of tribe chiefs.
So it created a situation where some people had extremely, extremely much money, yet could not spend it, because the entire barbarian world was extremely lacking in commodities. Yet the gold coins in circulation were very scarce.
This was somewhat like certain backward dictatorial nations on Earth, where certain families were extremely wealthy, with assets exceeding tens of billions of dollars. Yet the per capita GDP of the common people might only be a few hundred dollars.
One hundred and thirty thousand gold coins. It really was a sky-high price.
Lanling had brought three treasures: a white gold dagger, a Fleeting Year Pill, and a bottle of Nirvana Blood.
He still did not know whether these three items could sell for one hundred and thirty thousand gold coins.
Immediately, Lanling gritted his teeth and said: “One hundred and thirty thousand gold coins, that is not unacceptable.”
Immediately, this female head manager looked at Lanling in astonishment.
There was actually someone willing to spend one hundred and thirty thousand gold coins to purchase the Brilliant Star Tears?
The female head manager said: “Young handsome man, I know there are some rumours saying the Brilliant Star Tears contains miraculous energy, even relating to a secret treasure. But countless people have researched it, and there is absolutely no such matter. The more one researches it, the more one becomes bewitched in mind, ultimately bringing calamity.”
Lanling said: “Thank you for your warning, but I must obtain it no matter what.”
The female head manager said: “Since that is the case, then please attend the auction three days from now. At that time, this Brilliant Star Tear will appear at the auction.”
Lanling frowned and said: “Can you not sell it to me now? Why must we wait until the auction three days later?”
The female head manager said: “I am truly sorry. First, this Brilliant Star Tear is a signature treasure, very useful for raising the level of our auction. Secondly, it is the item owner’s own request. Of course, please rest assured, this treasure has already failed to sell five times. The reserve price is one hundred and thirty thousand. No one has ever bid. I believe you can win it at the reserve price.”
Lanling had no choice.
Then, the female head manager said: “If you wish to attend the auction, please produce relevant assets, such as Rakshasa gold notes.”
Rakshasa City had gold notes? This advanced?
In the lower tribes, Lanling had never seen anything like gold notes. Even Constantine’s dowry for the Little Barbarian King was transported in two or three carriage loads of gold coins.
Seeing Lanling’s expression, the female head manager said: “If you do not have relevant asset proof, I cannot let you attend the auction. Because this is our Heaven Earth Pavilion’s highest level auction. We absolutely cannot allow a situation where someone bids but then does not complete the transaction. At that time, even if we killed you, it would still ruin our reputation.”
Lanling said: “I did not bring sufficient gold notes, but I brought three heavy-weight treasures.”
The female head manager’s eyes widened, revealing a curious gaze.
But it was merely curiosity. She had been the Heaven Earth Pavilion’s head manager for over a dozen years. What treasure had she not seen?
The female head manager said: “Please produce them. If suitable, I can immediately give you an appraisal.”
Lanling took out the first treasure, the white gold dagger.
Previously this dagger had been dyed black. Now Lanling had cleaned it. The moment it was drawn, it shot out dazzling light.
Not only that, it was truly as white as a layer of snow, yet possessed a metallic lustre.
Even as a work of art, it appeared magnificently beautiful.
White gold was not platinum from Earth, but the second secret gold of the other world.
This world’s first secret gold was dragon gold, the second was white gold, and the third was black gold.
Whether in hardness or toughness, white gold surpassed black gold. Yet it was extremely light. So white gold of the same volume was several times the price of black gold.
And the moment Lanling drew the white gold dagger, the female head manager’s eyes lit up.
It was indeed a treasure, a treasure worth ten thousand gold.
This female head manager took the dagger, sniffed its scent, felt its unique energy aura, and was utterly captivated.
A moment later, the female head manager said: “If you are willing to sell it now, we are willing to buy your white gold dagger for eight thousand gold coins.”
Lanling said: “Is there a second option?”
The female head manager said: “Although this white gold dagger cannot be called extremely rare, its value is very apparent. And our auction three days from now happens to lack related treasures. So we are willing to list it as an auction item for the auction three days later. This kind of item sells the best, and prices are easily driven up. If nothing unexpected happens, the final price will exceed twelve thousand gold coins. After deducting fifteen percent transaction fees, you will ultimately receive over ten thousand gold coins. It will be more worthwhile.”
This kind of secret gold weapon had always been hard currency. There was no worry about selling it.
“Fine, I will leave it with you for auction.” Lanling said.
The female head manager said: “Please produce the second treasure. I am already greatly anticipating it.”
The first treasure Lanling produced was the white gold dagger. This completely whetted this female head manager’s appetite.
He took out the second treasure.
An inconspicuous box, which he handed over.
The female head manager opened it to look. Immediately her eyes widened, then she held her breath.
For a full half minute, she did not blink.
First she held her breath, then she became extremely excited, her breathing even growing rapid.
Because the second treasure Lanling produced was what women dreamed of, the Fleeting Year Pill.
After taking the Fleeting Year Pill, one became twenty years younger, but the price was a shortened lifespan of ten years.
This female head manager’s eyes nearly overflowed with tears. Clearly she was recalling her youthful years.
She still looked beautiful now, but her hair had turned completely white, and her eyes were full of vicissitudes.
But clearly, when she was young, she had absolutely been a peerless beauty, captivating countless men.
Those years should have left her with indelible memories, which even now she recalled with incomparable longing.
And after taking the Fleeting Year Pill, she could become twenty years younger, returning to her most beautiful years.
“Sigh…” The female head manager said with tears in her eyes: “If this were three years ago, no matter the cost, I would have bought your Fleeting Year Pill. But now, everything is already too late.”
From these words, Lanling could detect the complex and resentful story behind them.
“Your second treasure would drive the women of the world mad.” the female head manager said: “But what price it can specifically sell for? That completely depends on the luck granted by heaven. To those who need it, it is a priceless treasure. But to those who do not need it, it is utterly worthless. Moreover, encountering someone who needs it is truly too difficult.”
“Please produce the third treasure.” the female head manager said.
The Fleeting Year Pill was extremely rare, because the person capable of brewing this pill had died several hundred years ago, and the pill formula had also been lost. So it was extremely rare. Every single one used was one less in the world.
However, compared to Lanling’s third treasure, Nirvana Blood, the Fleeting Year Pill was nothing.
Because Nirvana Blood was a product of the ancient era. It could be used to change bloodline talent. It could not even be described as extremely rare.
Lanling carefully took out the third box and handed it over.
The female head manager opened it, discovering it was a porcelain bottle. She could not help but be startled, then cast an inquiring glance towards Lanling. Then she opened the bottle stopper.
Immediately, a surging yet mysterious and ancient energy burst out.
The female head manager was horrified. Her body violently trembled. She completely could not believe her eyes. She opened her mouth but could not utter any sound.
…
Time rewound to two years ago.
Ji Xiuning, Huai Bingyi, and others led the Divine Dragon Temple’s aerial legion to Sky Water City. They slaughtered the city lord’s manor, killing or capturing Suolun’s family members. But they discovered that Yan Nai’er and Zhuang Zhixuan were missing.
Zhuang Zhixuan was nothing, but Yan Nai’er’s disappearance was a huge problem.
One must know, the protective medallion on Yan Nai’er’s body had been given by Huai Bingyi’s teacher. Moreover, she was the legitimate wife of the World-Destroying Demon Emperor Suolun, and even possessed demon bloodline.
If they let Yan Nai’er successfully escape, then Huai Bingyi and his teacher’s responsibility would be great.
Thus, the Divine Dragon Temple’s main force returned, while Huai Bingyi and Zhiyan led over a hundred Sky Holy Knights to continue south, deep into barbarian territory, to capture Yan Nai’er.
Yan Nai’er and Zhuang Zhixuan rowed a small boat, continuously heading south along the lake.
But their boat was truly too small. It could not withstand wind and waves, nor could it sail far.
After sailing south over a thousand li, the small boat broke apart. And they still had not seen any trace of Suolun’s body.
Yan Nai’er still refused to give up, refused to abandon hope. Abandoning the boat, she ran frantically along the coastline, continuing south.
On the fifth day, Yan Nai’er and Zhuang Zhixuan had already penetrated over three thousand li into the barbarian world. Fortunately, because they were running along the coastline, they did not encounter especially powerful enemies.
But on the seventh day!
Nai’er was already exhausted. For seven full days and nights without sleep or rest. At first her beautiful eyes had been like a ball of flame.
But now, this ball of flame was nearly extinguished.
Her delicate body had also lost a full circle of weight.
Although the demon blood in her body had once saved her life, it had also overdrawn her life.
These seven days and nights of pursuit caused her patient heart to gradually despair. She gradually accepted the fact that her husband Suolun was dead.
Then, her heart also gradually died.
She felt she was reaching the end of her rope.
This day, she and Zhuang Zhixuan lay on the beach, gazing at the setting sun in the west. The setting sun was like blood.
Then, her mind continuously recalled the happy and blissful times with her husband Suolun.
Right at this moment, Zhuang Zhixuan suddenly shouted: “Madam Nai’er, listen!”
“I do not want to listen. I do not want to listen to anything.” Nai’er said.
Then, she only felt the sky suddenly darken.
Several hundred Sky Holy Knights of the Divine Dragon Temple blocked out the setting sun, completely surrounding Yan Nai’er and Zhuang Zhixuan.
Then, Huai Bingyi and Princess Zhiyan descended before Nai’er.