Chapter 34: Exorbitant Price

"Given the enchantress's assets, there’s no way any man could remain immune to her charms!"

"The only reason Yang Xuan would reject us outright is that he has already conquered her!"

Du Qing’s analysis was impeccable, and it was precisely this logic that made the already agitated Demon-Suppressing Talisman feel even more unbalanced.

"Boss, how certain are you of this analysis?"

"One hundred percent!"

"Damn! If that’s true, my life is a total failure! You have to realize, I’ve been chasing the enchantress for a full five years!"

"I never thought this kid would have her wrapped around his finger in just a few days!"

At the auction.

The initial items were auctioned off in rapid succession.

Either there were few bids, or the items failed to sell entirely, so the auction quickly reached the one-year usage rights for Xihua Valley.

[Next, the one-year usage rights for Xihua Valley. Starting bid: five million!]

As soon as the starting price was announced, the entire venue erupted in an uproar.

Five million as a starting bid—forget commoners, even mid-tier factions couldn't afford such a price.

Moreover, this was only the starting bid. Given how hotly contested the one-year rights for Xihua Valley had become, it was impossible that there wouldn't be a bidding war.

[Five million, we have a bidder at five million!]

[Five million and ten thousand! Are there any other bidders?]

...

Subsequent bids were scattered, with each increase no more than one hundred thousand.

Yang Xuan checked his balance; trying to win this was absolute nonsense!

Even if the organization hadn't withheld his two million, he still couldn't afford it.

It all boiled down to one thing: he was too poor.

"Dammit, I don't know who came up with this auction nonsense!"

Just as Yang Xuan was cursing, a pop-up window appeared on the system interface.

[Worried about having no money? Troubled by the embarrassment of having to borrow from friends? Why not try Oulige Online Banking? Large credit limits, low interest, and easy approval!]

Attached to the pop-up was a sexy woman, posing and constantly swaying.

Seeing this, Yang Xuan cursed even more fiercely.

But after his emotions calmed down, he helplessly clicked on the pop-up.

He was quickly directed to an application review page.

[The system has automatically filled in your information. Reviewing now!]

[Ding~ Review complete.]

[Credit Limit: 20,000,000.]

Staring at the twenty million merit points available, Yang Xuan gained confidence.

"Borrow it! Borrow all of it!"

Half a minute later, twenty million appeared in Yang Xuan’s system balance.

With twenty million as a cushion, bidding for Xihua Valley would be a breeze.

The only thing that pained Yang Xuan was that after winning Xihua Valley, he would likely be entering a life of debt repayment.

For a twenty-million loan with a daily interest rate of ten percent, he would have to pay an additional two million every single day.

It was an astronomical interest rate!

But Yang Xuan knew exactly what kind of wealth Xihua Valley would bring him if he could secure it.

"I bid ten million!"

[We have a bidder at ten million! Are there any further bids?]

As the ten-million-point bid was announced, all the factions were stunned.

At the organization's headquarters, Du Qing frowned as he looked at the sky-high bid displayed on the instrument.

"Old Zhen, I don't care what methods you use privately, you must find out who this guy is!"

The Demon-Suppressing Talisman looked troubled.

"Boss, do you really think someone who can casually drop ten million merit points is the kind of person I can investigate?"

Du Qing thought for a moment and sighed deeply.

Indeed, someone who could treat ten million merit points so lightly—if they were truly provoked, even the organization would face massive trouble.

"Forget it, let's wait and see."

In the Wicked Abyss Canyon, a one-star Ghost Emperor was scrubbing his soul body vigorously, trying to get rid of that wretched stench.

He was interrupted mid-scrub by the shock of the ten-million-point bid on his instrument.

"Ten million? Daring to bid ten million just for a one-year usage right of Xihua Valley? They’re insane!"

The other three Ghost Kings were puzzled and began asking questions.

"Master Ghost Emperor, why do you say that?"

The one-star Ghost Emperor looked displeased, glared at the three, and barked, "Only you three could ask such a stupid question!"

"Since you’re following me, I’ll explain it to you!"

"Never mind whether the Xihua Ghost King is dead or alive, the terrifying entity deep within Xihua Valley is enough to make the valley worthless once bought!"

"A terrifying entity deep in the valley?" the four-star Ghost King muttered to himself, a look of sudden horror appearing on his face.

"Master Ghost Emperor, could it be that the rumors of a peak-level Ghost Emperor sneaking deep into Xihua Valley to cultivate were true?"

"Yes, and I can still feel his presence to this day!"

At the auction, after Yang Xuan’s bid of ten million, no other faction dared to compete.

In the end, the one-year usage rights for Xihua Valley went to Yang Xuan.

Watching ten million merit points vanish from his system balance, Yang Xuan felt a sharp pang of pain in his heart.

As Xihua Valley was sold, the various factions watching the auction began to prepare to leave.

[The final treasure has been auctioned; don't just stand there, let's disperse!]

[Still, to see such a grand spectacle in my lifetime, I can die without regrets! Wait, I've already died once—I should say, I can die a second time without regrets!]

...

Before the crowd could disperse, a massive red banner was pulled open in the center of the auction hall.

As the banner unfurled, a voice boomed throughout the venue.

[Next is the final, grand finale item of this auction!]

As this news spread, the bosses who were about to leave exploded with excitement.

[What? There’s another item?]

[Damn, I’m numb! I thought the one-year usage of Xihua Valley was a heavy hitter! I never expected an even bigger finale item! I can’t even imagine what kind of object it could be!]

...

As the stage lights flashed, a massive platform appeared, and sitting on it was the Xihua Ghost King, bound tightly with Immortal-Binding Ropes.

[Final item: The Xihua Ghost King. Starting bid: ten million!]

Silence. A long, lingering silence.

The various factions and bosses weren't silent because the starting price was too high; they were silent because almost everyone was terrified. The auction house was publicly auctioning the Xihua Ghost King!

Not only were they auctioning a living being, but they were auctioning a Ghost King!

This phenomenon was akin to a volcanic eruption in the Land of the Sun.

[Damn, they put a Ghost King up there—who would dare bid? And it’s the most troublesome one, the Xihua Ghost King!]

[To the guy above, stop spouting nonsense! As if you’d have the money to bid even if you dared! Stop acting like a big shot!]

[Protest! I formally protest! Auctioning a Ghost King from our Ghost Realm? Isn't that just telling those humans that we ghosts can be traded for merit points? I disagree!]