Book 11 Chapter 31

Contending In The Dark

Wearing a suit of purple battle armor, the complicated lines on the surface of the armor emanated a frightening aura, clearly revealing that it was a set of extremely powerful battle armor. That pair of bright and piercing eyes which had a gaze similar to that of a tiger’s, seemed to radiate forth bursts of lightning every time they closed. That broad and muscular chest gave people a kind of indomitable feeling.

The familiar presence, the familiar appearance, and that familiar smile.

Man Gan!

That was the Man Gan which Qin Yu and his two brothers had met earlier at that drinking house!

“During that time, I felt that this Man Gan was a powerful expert, and had still thought that he was some super Loose Demon of the wilderness Demon Clan. Who would have thought that he was actually the Demon Realm’s Emissary.” Qin Yu secretly admired Man Gan within his heart, and said, “The older people have a saying, that clothes make the man. By wearing such an overbearing battle armor, this Man Gan’s presence is obviously different now.”

Qin Yu stood behind Sword Immortal Lan Feng and Zong Jue, and looked at Man Gan from afar.

Behind Man Gan stood a lean man who wore a set of black battle clothes. He was the person in control of the wilderness — Yu Liang. To one side of Yu Liang, were the three great huge Demons of the wilderness — Kong Cao, Xing Shou, and Wu Shan. Currently, those four great martial experts each possessed an excellent treasure that came from the Demon Realm.

“Hua Yan, Yu Huang of the Immortal Realm actually sent you here. It looks like you are still being favourably looked upon by Yu Huang, huh,” said Man Gan as he faintly smiled.

Sword Immortal Hua Yan momentarily smirked. “Out of all the First Tier Golden Immortals, Yu Huang had sent only me because he recognised my capabilities. Since Yu Huang had sent me, I will naturally not weaken Yu Huang’s prestige, nor will I also let Yu Huang be disappointed.”

In terms of presence, Hua Yan was not willing to back down even a little.

“However, I feel that it is extremely strange. I do not know how those Demon Emperors think, for them to actually be willing to send you here. I really do not know how large of an impact the Bestial Clan in the Demon Realm will experience, if you are to lose your little life in Ni Yang’s Realm,” sighed Hua Yan.

The edges of Man Gan’s lips slightly curled upwards. “There is no need for you to worry about this matter.”

“It is not worry,” continued Hua Yan. “I definitely think that Man Gan, you should also know that Ni Yang’s Realm is the lair of the Immortal Emperor Ni Yang. Ah, Immortal Emperor Ni Yang. You should also know about the legends of the then Immortal Emperor Ni Yang right? In his lair, even for a Mystic Immortal, should he even be slightly careless, entering it will also only result in his death.”

Qin Yu, who was at the back, momentarily felt his eyelids jump.

A Mystic Immortal entering would also only result in his death?

Indeed, that Ni Yang’s Realm was filled with countless dangers. It looked like the decision that I had made earlier was still correct.

Although Qin Yu possessed the map to enter Ni Yang’s Realm, he had never entered it all those while. That was because…… Once Qin Yu and his two brothers ventured forth alone, he absolutely did not have the confidence to tide over the countless dangers within Ni Yang’s Realm. Instead, he might even implicate his two brothers.

However, in the case of following the Emissaries of the various realms, he definitely thought that those Emissaries had prepared several secret treasures to handle the various situations, so it was a lot safer to follow those people as they entered.

“Of course, I do know the dangers of Ni Yang’s Realm. Hua Yan, don’t you know that the greater the dangers, the better the opportunities?” Man Gan’s eyes had a glint of wisdom and foresight. “You should also know about the treasure in Ni Yang’s Realm. If Yu Huang wasn’t also crazy about that treasure, would he have bothered exhausting such a huge amount of strength to create a passageway between two realms?”

Hua Yan gave a wry smile. “That could be said the same for you.”

Hua Yan’s meaning was also understood. Didn’t the Demon Emperors of his Demon Realm also covet that treasure?

Qin Yu carefully listened to every single sentence said by those two people.

“The legend of Immortal Emperor Ni Yang? A treasure that moved the hearts of Yu Huang and the various great characters of the three realms?” Qin Yu had already made some conjectures when he heard those statements. “That Immortal Emperor Ni Yang must also have had an extraordinary encounter in the Ascendant Realms, and had obtained an exceptional treasure in his hands. All of the super Immortal Emperors, Demon Emperors, and Devil Emperors were also crazy about that treasure.”

Despite Immortal Emperor Ni Yang’s demise, he would also not let his own treasure be casually obtained by others.

Even the Nine Swords Immortal Mansion which had the three pieces of Sundering The Heavens Diagrams hidden within it, had contained that many dangerous Restriction Spells.

Then…… what about Ni Yang’s Realm?

“This person is?” Man Gan suddenly looked at Sword Immortal Lan Feng with a puzzled expression.

At that moment, Man Gan might look dazzling. In reality, however, he was instead extremely horrified. That was because…… he actually, absolutely, could not inspect the background and capabilities of the mysterious Sword Immortal before him. Of course, Man Gan was a Super Divine Beast, and there were also several special techniques to inspect another person’s capabilities.

Sword Immortal Hua Yan began the introduction, and said, “Man Gan, this is the person who is responsible for initiating the current auctions — Sword Immortal Lan Feng, and that Sundering The Heavens Diagrams also belong to him. The capabilities of Brother Lan Feng are extremely extraordinary. Even if it’s me, I also do not have any confidence if I am to face against him. However, Brother Man Gan, your capabilities are outstanding. Do you have the confidence of winning against Brother Lan Feng, huh?”

Qin Yu, who was at the back, frowned.

Wasn’t that Hua Yan trying to instigate Man Gan and Lan Feng to go against each other?

Lan Feng glanced a look at Hua Yan, then promptly smiled and said, “I might be interested in Ni Yang’s Realm, but that interest is not considered to be that great. Otherwise…… I will also not be auctioning the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams. After entering Ni Yang’s Realm, competing for those treasures of Ni Yang’s Realm will still be the few of you. As for Brother Man Gan, ah, Brother Man Gan’s capabilities are outstanding, and I also consider myself to be inferior.”

“Brother Lan Feng is humble.” Man Gan smiled faintly.

Although Man Gan relied on being a Super Divine Beast himself, and could also win when faced against a Second Tier Golden Immortal, he could not even glimpse at Lan Feng’s background. Man Gan did not have any confidence.

“Everyone, let us first enter and stay at the courtyard. It will not be late to continue chatting after everyone is inside.” Zong Jue voiced out.

Man Gan momentarily looked at Zong Jue, and his eyes unintentionally glinted. “Orh, you must be Zong Jue, right? Ah, indeed, your surname is also Zong.”

“Brother Qin Yu.”

Man Gan suddenly saw the three people, Qin Yu and his brothers, behind Zong Jue, and immediately began to laugh. “Qin Yu, Hou Fei and Hei Yu, haha…… ah, I never thought, after bidding our farewells at that drinking house on the Qianlong Continent, that we would also be able to meet here today. I had already felt that you were all not ordinary people on that day, who knew that we would meet here today.”

Qin Yu and his brothers smiled while nodding their heads in greeting.

“Brother Man Gan, you are also acquainted with my Martial Nephew? Haha…… Brother Man Gan, you have better improve your relationship with my Martial Nephew. Regarding the auctioning of the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams that are about to begin, it is hosted by my Martial Nephew. Whoever he wants to hand the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams over to, is entirely up to him. I have completely handed the authority over to my Martial Nephew,” said Sword Immortal Lan Feng with a grin.

Man Gan’s eyes lit up.

“Orh, what Brother Lan Feng means is…… If Qin Yu is willing, even if the amount of Finest Grade Elemental Spirit Stones that was offered as a bid is fewer, he can also hand the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams over to that person?” asked Man Gan in reply.

“Correct,” said Lan Feng as he nodded.

Hua Yan and the others’ facial expressions changed drastically.

Qin Yu smiled and said, “Martial Uncle Lan Feng, since you have handed the authority of the auctions over to me, then how can I do as I please? After all, this is an auction event, so I will of course give the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams to whoever offers the highest amount of Finest Grade Elemental Spirit Stones. No matter what, I will also not casually abuse the authority like such.”

“Good.” Man Gan gave Qin Yu’s shoulder a pat. “Well said. When the time comes, the Sundering The Heaven Diagrams will belong to whoever offers the most number of Finest Grade Elemental Spirit Stones.”

Hua Yan also secretly relaxed a breath.

In the coming consecutive few days, Blood Devil Du Zhong Jun had also led his men and arrived at Snow Fish Island, while the side of the Dragon Clan was instead the last to have arrived.

Within the southern courtyard.

“Get out! This is the place where we, the Dragon Clan, are staying. You Loose Devils actually dared to occupy our spot, you must be seeking death!”

A furious roar resounded forth, and the figures of several people were tossed out of the courtyard like sandbags.

One by one, individual muscular and burly men were seen walking out, and coldly looked at the several tens of people at the side of the Loose Devils.

The southern courtyard had been divided into four smaller sections, with each section allocated to the men at the sides of the Loose Immortals, Loose Devils, wilderness Demon Clan, and Dragon Clan to stay respectively. Every section was also enough to accommodate fifty to sixty people. It was just that the various large factions had all brought a minimum of at least a few hundred men.

The place was only that large, how could it accommodate that many people?

The side of the Loose Immortals could still be considered to have adhered to the rules, and had only stayed at their allocated section. The remaining Loose Immortals who had no place to stay could only use their own hands to construct smaller courtyards outside and stayed in the buildings there.

Meanwhile, the side of the wilderness Demon Clan was instead very arrogant and aggressive, and had directly occupied two of the four sections.

Moreover, that action was also approved by Man Gan. The overbearing Man Gan. When Blood Devil had arrived and saw that scene, he too, felt his head ache. He definitely did not want to directly contend against Man Gan, which was why he had let several of his own martial experts stay in the buildings of the last section.

The southern courtyard had a total of four sections. The side of the Loose Immortals occupied one section. The wilderness Demon Clan occupied two sections, and the Blood Devil had one section.

When the Dragon Clan arrived, there were actually no place for them to stay.

How could the Dragon Clan not be furious?

The Tenth Tribulation and Eleventh Tribulation super martial experts of the Dragon Clan had instantly combined their strength, and directly tossed the martial experts at the side of the Loose Devils out of the courtyard. From what it seemed, the few great super martial experts at the side of the Loose Devils had all followed Blood Devil and stayed in the buildings within the central courtyard. Those who had remained at the southern courtyard were, at the very most, only of the Tenth Tribulation.

The side of the Loose Devils naturally got trampled over.

*****

The super martial experts and leaders of various places were staying at the central courtyard.

Blood Devil and a few other people at the side of the Loose Devils, Hua Yan and a few other people at the side of the Loose Immortals, Man Gan and a few other people at the side of the wilderness Demon Clan, the few great martial experts of the Dragon Clan, as well as the owner Zong Jue, Lan Feng, Qin Yu a few other people. The central courtyard which had the largest space area, in contrast, instead had the fewest people.

Within the courtyard where Lan Feng was staying.

“Brother Lan Feng, that side had begun fighting, they began fighting, haha……” Zong Jue walked in. “Ah, Little Brother Qin Yu is also around, haha, I must definitely say this joke out for you to hear.”

Qin Yu and Lan Feng momentarily looked at each other, then Lan Feng voiced out and asked, “Brother Zong, let us hear it, what joke is it exactly?”

Zong Jue nodded, and said, “Do you still remember? Initially, we had only arranged for the men of the various factions to stay at the southern courtyard, and at the same time, we had divided the southern courtyard into four sections. Now, the side of the Loose Immortals are occupying one section, the wilderness Demon Clan are occupying two sections, and the side of the Loose Devils are occupying one section. The people from the Dragon Clan came, and directly threw the people at the side of the Loose Devils out.”

“Threw them out?” Qin Yu’s eyes widened.

Zong Jue also began to smile. “Correct. Now, the Dragon Clan’s Emissary, and the Dragon Clan’s Patriarch Fang Tian, as well as Blood Devil Du Zhong Jun and the others have arrived at the central courtyard. It looks like all of them are fighting over the place to stay. None of them are willing to compromise.”

“The auctions have not even started, but the contending has.” Qin Yu momentarily smiled.

Zong Jue nodded and said, “All of them actually do not care about the place of stay, only…… What they want now, is to overwhelm the others with their imposing presence. Otherwise, Man Gan would not have been this high-handed to let the wilderness Demon Clan occupy two sections.”

All that dispute just for dignity.

The various great Emissaries were representing the great characters of the various realms. If they had displayed a weak presence, then wouldn’t that be lowering the reputation of the people backing them?

“For him to occupy two sections, Man Gan is also overbearing. However, he also has the capabilities to be overbearing.” Lan Feng faintly smiled, and said, “Brother Zong. We, as the owners, should also not just look at them while they cause a ruckus right? It will be terrible if they really began fighting.”

*Hong!*

A wave of monstrous pressure was followed by a sudden explosion.

Qin Yu, Lan Feng, and Zong Jue were momentarily startled.

“Haha, it’s late, they have already begun.” Zong Jue began laughing heartily.

Qin Yu used his Spiritual Awareness and did a sweep. He then began to smile. “Nicely done. Now, roughly more than half of the southern courtyard is destroyed, and it can no longer accommodate anyone. That is also good, since at the end of the commotion, no one has a place to stay any more. Just leave all of them to construct their own houses on the snow-covered grounds and stay in them then.”

*****

“Haha, good, now everyone don’t have a place to stay. Wu Kong Xue, arrange for people to construct a courtyard beside the southern courtyard,” said Blood Devil Du Zhong Jun as he laughed loudly.

Currently, eighty to ninety percent of the southern courtyard was already destroyed, and that chaotic mess absolutely could not accommodate anyone. Although the result was said to be due to the dispute between the Dragon Clan’s Emissary and Devil Realm Emissary, that outcome was also not unintentionally created by both Emissaries.

After all, if the commotion were to continue, the resulting outcome would not be good for anyone.

The Dragon Clan’s Emissary ‘Ao Feng’ as well as Dragon Clan’s Patriarch Fang Tian exchanged a look with each other. They smiled faintly for a moment, then immediately turned around and left.

*****

The auctions had not even begun, yet there was already constant friction between the four large factions on Snow Fish Island. Concurrently, the Immortal Realm’s Emissary, the Devil Realm’s Emissary, the Demon Realm’s Emissary, and the Dragon Clan’s Emissary, were all constantly generating currents beneath the waves against each other. After all, only the four of them possessed the highest numbers of Finest Grade Elemental Spirit Stones.

At the central courtyard, within the section where side of the Dragon Clan were staying.

“Brother Ao Feng, would it be possible for me to have a chat with you?”

Sword Immortal Hua Yan stood outside Ao Feng’s courtyard, with a faint smile on his face as he spoke. That Ao Feng was the Dragon Clan’s Emissary.

Meanwhile, at that moment, the large doors to Ao Feng’s courtyard opened. The Gold Dragon Patriarch Ao Yan walked out, and with a slight smile on his face, said, “Senior Hua Yan, the lord of my house had already said earlier, that he is not receiving guests.”

Hua Yan frowned.

“Brother Ao Feng, your Dragon Clan already has a piece of the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams, surely you won’t also be coveting the piece which is going to be auctioned, right?” inquired Hua Yan.

Ao Feng continued to remain silent from within the house.

Meanwhile, the Gold Dragon Patriarch Ao Yan smiled slightly, and said, “Senior Hua Yan, the lord of my house had once said before, that isn’t having more pieces of the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams better? If we have one more piece, then wouldn’t others be unable to enter? When fewer people enter, then the number of people competing for the treasures will also be fewer.”

“Haha, Senior Hua Yan, mind your step. This Junior shall not see you off.” Ao Yan immediately made a respectful gesture, then having said that, that Gold Dragon Patriarch directly closed the doors to the building.

While looking at the closed doors, Hua Yan’s face was shrouded with a layer of cold air.

“Humph.” With a cold snort, Hua Yan turned his head and left.

While at that moment, Ao Feng was within the large hall of the courtyard.

Ao Feng and Man Gan were sitting while facing against each other.

“Brother Man Gan, come, drink up.” Ao Feng raised his cup.

Man Gan also smiled faintly, and raised his cup. “Brother Ao Feng is really something. Now that, that Hua Yan has already left, Brother Ao Feng, let’s hear you say. How many of that Finest Grade Elemental Spirit Stones will you lend me, or how many can I exchange for?”

“Well said, well said, let us drink first.” Ao Feng’s face was filled with a slight smile.

*****

No matter what agreements the various factions had with each other in the dark before the auctions, on the day of the auction itself, what still mattered was the actual Finest Grade Elemental Spirit Stones that the various factions had.

After all, the Qin Yu who was in charge and responsible for the matter had long since spread the word around. “No matter what, I will absolutely be fair. This Sundering The Heavens Diagrams will belong to whoever offers the highest number of Finest Grade Elemental Spirit Stones!”

Meanwhile, the last day of that year, which was also the auction date of the Sundering The Heavens Diagrams, finally arrived under the expectations of the various factions.