Human Clan Defender

"Sixty thousand taels!"

A calm voice emanated from a private room, prompting many below to look up. They were very curious to see who it was that would bid on Demon Evil. Although Steward Number Two had put it nicely, saying that two Resentment Level Monsters were equivalent to having two Innate Realm enforcers, the problem was how one could control two Demon Evils of comparable strength to the Innate Realm. One must know that the methods to Control Evil Spirits were always extremely secretive, not something ordinary people could learn. Therefore, up until now, barely anyone had made an offer.

After a while, Steward Number Two, seeing no further bids, began the countdown.

"Sixty thousand taels, first call!"

"Seventy thousand taels!"

A voice interrupted him directly.

"Eighty thousand taels!"

Inside the private room, Shen Changqing spoke indifferently. Although he didn't have eighty thousand taels on him at the moment, once the bidding for the three Grandmaster Martial Arts begins, eighty thousand taels will be a mere trifle.

Beside him, Ji Qu's eyes flashed with a puzzling look. "Does Lord Shen know how to Control Evil Spirits?"

"I do not."

"You do not?"

Ji Qu was bewildered. If you don't know how to Control Evil Spirits, why buy the Black Banner? Are you just loaded and desperate to spend it?

As if understanding Ji Qu's thoughts, Shen Changqing adopted a look of profound righteousness. "We of the Demon-Subduing Division must take it upon ourselves to slay demons and eradicate evil. Every Demon Evil in the world must be vanquished. Now that the Black Banner has fallen into someone else's hands, who can guarantee it won't lead to disaster? Purchasing the Black Banner and destroying the Demon Evils within is the only way to prevent future troubles!"

"——"

Ji Qu watched his righteous demeanor and was struck by a surreal feeling. For a moment, this elder of the Demon-Subduing Division couldn't tell if Shen Changqing's words were true or false. Indeed, the Demon-Subduing Division was tasked with slaying demons and banishing evil; that was the very basis of their standing. But that didn't mean all members of the Demon-Subduing Division considered it their personal duty. Often, Demon Hunters would only actively eliminate Demon Evils if they received a mission or had no other choice, seldom on their own initiative. Quite simply, Demon Evils are formidable, and no Demon Hunter can claim they are one hundred percent certain of slaying them. If something goes wrong, their own life is on the line. Therefore, those who truly detested evil were still very few and far between.

Ji Qu hadn't had much contact with Shen Changqing, but he felt that the other man probably wasn't one of those who loathed evil so intensely. Of course, these were all speculations in his head, not voiced aloud, lest it seem rude.

Meanwhile, others also started to join the bidding. In a short time, the price soared to one hundred thousand taels.

So many people interested in bidding for the Demon Evil within the Black Banner! Shen Changqing furrowed his brows lightly. In his opinion, the Black Banner shouldn't be that competitive. The starting bid was fifty thousand taels of silver; at most, sixty or seventy thousand should clinch it. But now it seems like even doubling the price might not secure the Black Banner.

Ji Qu said, "All sorts of people are participating in this auction, and surely some are martial artists skilled in unorthodox methods. For them, acquiring the Black Banner would significantly enhance their strength."

Now it's a matter of whether they have more silver, or I do, Shen Changqing thought, shaking his head. He then placed another bid.

"One hundred and twenty thousand taels!"

"One hundred and twenty-five thousand taels!"

In another room, two men dressed in gray sat there. One was somewhat portly and looked kind and benevolent, while the other was leaner with a sinister look in his eyes; both appeared to be in their fifties or sixties.

Strange. To my knowledge, among those attending the auction, only the Dark Yin Sect understands such unorthodox methods. Who could this third bidder be? Miao Feng's expression was puzzled, his eyes growing more sinister. There were many in Jianghu skilled in unorthodox arts, but he had already made inquiries in advance. The only unorthodox factions expected at the auction, apart from his own Hundred Ghosts Sect, were the Dark Yin Sect.

Hearing this, the portly elder shook his head. "Hard to say. Perhaps others also got wind of the Black Banner and secretly came to participate. But it's not a big deal; my Hundred Ghosts Sect is well prepared. When have I, Miao Hong, ever feared others?" he said, confidence brimming on his face.

Long before the auction began, the Hundred Ghosts Sect had received news that two Resentment Level Monsters would appear. Therefore, they had made preparations well in advance. While the aim for others was the three Grandmaster Martial Arts, their true purpose was never that. Simply put, the price of Grandmaster Martial Arts was too high, not something a minor sect like theirs could covet. Thus, as long as they acquired the Black Banner, this trip would not be in vain for the Hundred Ghosts Sect.

A coldness that belied his benevolent face appeared on Miao Hong's expression. "If we acquire the Black Banner, our Hundred Ghosts Sect could gain two more Demon Evils comparable to the Innate Realm. According to our information, those two Demon Evils are likely beings that have touched upon the Outer Gang Realm. With them, the strength of our sect will definitely soar. That will be the moment of real growth for our Hundred Ghosts Sect."

"Indeed," Miao Feng nodded in deep agreement. "In Jianghu, unorthodox factions are generally looked down upon, which has led to their gradual decline, unable to compete with orthodox factions. That's why the Hundred Ghosts Sect faces oppression at every turn. The underlying reason is simply our lack of strength." However, both believed that if they could acquire the Black Banner, the strength of the Hundred Ghosts Sect would definitely experience a breakthrough. By then, it would be their opportunity to turn the tide and grow in power.

"One hundred fifty thousand taels!" Miao Hong bid again.

Suddenly, the auction floor fell silent for a moment.

In the room occupied by the Dark Yin Sect, an elderly man's expression grew grim. One hundred fifty thousand taels! Those two old fools from the Hundred Ghosts Sect seem set on competing with my Dark Yin Sect. I'll see just how much silver they've brought! he muttered to himself, then directly placed a bid.

"Two hundred thousand taels!"

Raising the offer by fifty thousand taels at once caused many to feel shaken. They had not anticipated the Black Banner to be so sought-after, with the current bidders appearing as though they were determined to win at all costs. On the auction stage, Steward Number Two could barely contain his glee. He had almost thought the Black Banner would go unsold, as the starting bid of fifty thousand taels of silver was rather high. Yet, in just a short span of time, the price had skyrocketed from fifty thousand taels of silver to two hundred thousand taels, undoubtedly surpassing all expectations.

"Three hundred thousand taels!" Shen Changqing spoke.

The Dark Yin Sect raised it by fifty thousand taels, so I'll directly top it by one hundred thousand. Since everyone seems intent on competing, grinding it out bit by bit is obviously inappropriate. Only by offering a high price and showing my resolute determination to win is there a chance of intimidating the other bidders into retreat.

Three hundred thousand taels! Ji Qu's face twitched in shock, and he looked at Shen Changqing as if he were looking at a madman. To spend three hundred thousand taels just to contend for a Black Banner of no use at all! Even if one had the money, there's no need for such waste—unless the other party really possessed methods to Control Evil Spirits but just didn't want to admit it. If that were the case, using three hundred thousand taels to acquire two Innate Realm enforcers would actually be quite a bargain.

BANG!

A heavy palm slammed down onto the table, and Miao Hong's expression finally darkened. Three hundred thousand taels! The price had soared dramatically, catching him off guard. It wasn't that the Hundred Ghosts Sect couldn't produce three hundred thousand taels, but with the opponent raising the bid by one hundred thousand taels in one breath, Miao Hong had no grasp on where the opponent's limit might be. If the contest continued and they acquired the Black Banner at such a high price, it would be unclear whether it was a profit or a loss. The Demon Evil within the Black Banner would also require nurturing, and that meant substantial expenditures.

Miao Hong looked towards the room Shen Changqing was in, his eyes flickering uncertainly. Which power does that person come from? Capable of pulling out hundreds of thousands of taels in one go... A force like that is not simple. If they are a lone practitioner, the likelihood seems slim.

At the beginning, he had thought Shen Changqing was just a Jianghu wanderer with some unorthodox methods who wanted to compete with them for the Black Banner. Therefore, Miao Hong hadn't taken him seriously. But now, with an offer of three hundred thousand taels straight out of the gate, the bidder emanated an air of overwhelming wealth.

"What do we do? Do we continue to compete?" Miao Feng's expression was also bleak.

Upon hearing this, Miao Hong clenched his teeth. "Compete! Why not compete? Since he's not playing by the rules, then we won't bother playing this out slowly with him either," he said. After speaking, he loudly placed his bid.

"Five hundred thousand taels!"

So what if it's hiking the price? Who's afraid of whom! At this moment, Miao Hong was ready to go all out. He threw out the maximum that the Hundred Ghosts Sect could afford: five hundred thousand taels. If the other party continued to compete, the Hundred Ghosts Sect would completely withdraw. Conversely, the Black Banner would fall into their hands.

"Five hundred thousand taels! Someone has bid five hundred thousand taels! Does anyone else wish to bid?" Steward Number Two shouted, genuinely thrilled. A Black Banner that should not have fetched such a high price was now going for five hundred thousand taels.

Five hundred thousand taels! Has the Hundred Ghosts Sect lost their minds?! The Dark Yin Sect Master was furious. First, a madman bid three hundred thousand taels, and then the Hundred Ghosts Sect followed suit with five hundred thousand! He could clearly recognize Miao Hong's voice. What he hadn't expected was for Miao Hong to go crazy along with the other bidder.

After his outburst of rage, the Dark Yin Sect Master soon calmed down. The price of five hundred thousand taels is high. Judging by the Hundred Ghosts Sect's current momentum, they might continue bidding, or perhaps five hundred thousand taels is already their limit. To compete or not to compete... that is a question worth pondering.

After a long moment, the Dark Yin Sect Master decided to take a risk. The Dark Yin Sect brought a substantial amount of silver this time, specifically to acquire the Black Banner. Since that's the case, I'll play it out with the Hundred Ghosts Sect to the end!

"Five hundred ten thousand taels!"

As the price was called out, Miao Hong deflated like a punctured balloon and slumped into his chair. Clearly, the Dark Yin Sect's bid had deterred him from pursuing the Black Banner any further.

In his room, Shen Changqing's expression grew somewhat solemn. After pondering for a moment, he still did not abandon the auction.

"Six hundred thousand taels!"