Volume Two: First Signs of Brilliance Chapter 0052: Arrival
Auction House.
At last, they arrived safely. Compared to the world outside, this place seemed like an entirely different realm. Outside, tension lingered in the air; inside, it was all revelry and celebration. People in various elegant attires held glasses of red wine, and gentle music floated through the room. It hardly resembled an auction house—more like a lavish party.
The murderous intent that had been radiating from him was now completely hidden, and a look of astonishment crossed his face. The contrast was simply staggering.
A silvery, tinkling laughter sounded nearby. He turned toward it and saw Chen Momo. She wore a long white dress and, amid the crowd, stood out like a star among a constellation of admirers. Her flowing hair and the faint, pleasant fragrance—a blend of perfume and her own natural scent—lingered in the air.
This time, Chen Momo was without Du Chun, though Aunt Gui remained at her side.
His eyes narrowed slightly, and a wry smile appeared on his lips. “It seems I miscalculated.”
He would never have imagined that Aunt Gui was a martial arts expert. Squinting, he wondered if his previous effort to save them had been unnecessary.
Judging by the last incident, Chen Momo must have been unaware; otherwise, she would not have shown such fear.
“Qin Yang, what are you doing here?” Chen Momo’s bright eyes sparkled with curiosity.
“I heard there was an auction tonight and thought I’d see if I could find something interesting. So here I am,” he replied casually, as if discussing something trivial.
Aunt Gui stood by, well aware of Qin Yang’s strength, especially since the Tian Ding Auction House was no place for ordinary people. Anyone who made it this far had to possess martial prowess at the level of entering the Dao.
“Well, well, who would have thought we’d see such a pure and charming girl here? What a rare sight.” Two young men swaggered over from a distance, their eyes roving greedily over Chen Momo.
Chen Momo was not good at handling strangers. Protected by her brother’s influence in the past, no one dared show disrespect.
“Apologize,” a cold voice commanded. The people nearby turned to watch, eager for drama.
“Kid, are you out of your mind? You want us to apologize? Do you even know who we are?”
“I don’t, and I’m not interested. You have ten seconds to apologize, or bear the consequences.”
“Looks like you’re begging for trouble.” With that, the two men lunged at him, fists swinging.
He snorted dismissively. Their skills were unimpressive, their foundations weak. He struck out with a single punch, sending them both flying.
The commotion was enough to draw the attention of a middle-aged man, who approached with a dark expression. At the sight of him, the crowd’s eyes narrowed in alarm.
Everyone present belonged to the ancient martial world and recognized one another.
This was Pan Tiance from the Bloodcloud Hand Pan Family.
The Pan Family had some notoriety in the martial world, especially for their distinctive martial art, the Bloodcloud Hand—a technique few dared provoke. Pan Tiance was the current head of the family and its rising successor, his strength at the peak of the Dao-entering realm.
He had mastered the Dao of Stone, making his body as hard as rock.
“Boy, you dare bully my son? Are you tired of living?” Pan Tiance’s rage boiled over as a faint blood mist swirled around his arm.
Everyone quickly stepped back, clearing the space.
Pan Tiance’s arm struck like a branding iron, its tremendous force sending a jolt of pain through Qin Yang’s hand.
Chen Momo’s face paled with worry. “Qin Yang, are you alright?”
“Don’t worry. I’ll live.”
Even in this tense moment, he had the nerve to joke, making Chen Momo exasperated. “Is this really the time for that?”
Seeing their intimacy, killing intent gleamed in Pan Tiance’s eyes. As he prepared to attack, Wang Kun, Shao Bing, and Yang Cong stepped forward, their vigilance clear.
“You three old men think you can stop me?” Pan Tiance sneered arrogantly. His voice dropped as he shot toward them like a cannonball.
“Courting death.”
Once more, the Bloodcloud Hand struck. Though the three were formidable, Pan Tiance was even more so—at the peak of the Dao-entering realm, a step away from the Profound realm.
The trio were forced back, left in a sorry state.
At that moment, Qin Yang suddenly erupted into action, unleashing the first stage of the Mad Demon Overlord Body. His eyes flashed crimson. He had nearly perfected the first stage, and though still some distance from the second, that gap was closing.
Should he reach the second stage, his strength would double—a terrifying prospect.
The Dao of Slaughter and the Dao of Thunder took form as two coiling dragons, absorbing spiritual energy from around and channeling it into his body.
“What kind of technique is that?”
“It’s incredible. I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
Greed flickered in Pan Tiance’s eyes. If the Pan Family could possess a technique that increased strength so dramatically, their status would soar.
His heart burned with desire.
“Qin Yang of Beihai—”
“He’s Qin Yang of Beihai!”
Among the martial artists gathered in Xishan County, the name Qin Yang was on everyone’s lips. Now, seeing him in the flesh, excitement lit up their faces.
“Great Bloodcloud Hand!”
Pan Tiance’s eyes narrowed as he watched his opponent’s arm, now stained with blood. In the air above, an earthen-yellow giant hand materialized, thick and powerful, crashing down.
Boom!
The marble floor shattered, but the attack’s momentum did not wane as it continued toward Qin Yang.
His expression calm, eyes closing, the Bloody Rakshasa materialized again. This time, the sea of blood was even wider, and the Rakshasa stood a full meter tall, its stench of blood making everyone frown.
“How terrifying.”
“Go!”
He hurled the Bloody Rakshasa at Pan Tiance. Even before the collision, the air was thick with the scent of imminent violence.
Boom!
A fearsome explosion erupted overhead, the shockwave scattering in all directions. Those lacking sufficient cultivation were blown away.
The Bloody Rakshasa managed to withstand the Great Bloodcloud Hand but was left covered in cracks, fading away bit by bit.
Crack!
With a crisp sound, the Bloody Rakshasa shattered completely, and Qin Yang was gravely wounded, blood spraying from his mouth.
Seeing this, delight flickered in Pan Tiance’s eyes. He launched another thunderous attack, determined to finish his opponent in one move.
A low, thunderous sound rumbled through the air, shaking everyone to their core.
Like a clap of thunder.
All eyes turned to the distance, where a man in a black suit—a middle-aged figure—walked over, his face dark. “Pan Family, how bold of you to cause trouble in my Tian Ding Auction House. It seems you no longer wish to exist in the martial world.”
“Chen Tian!”
At the sight of the newcomer, Pan Tiance’s expression changed drastically. Chen Tian’s name was too well-known, and he was a genuine Profound realm expert—only in recent years had he reached this level, but his strength was unquestionable.
“Brother!” Chen Momo’s voice, sweet as an oriole, piped up. Pouting, she recounted the events. Pan Tiance’s face grew stiff; he knew he had kicked a steel plate this time.
He understood his son well—lecherous, lazy, gluttonous—but never imagined he’d cause such a disaster.
Without warning, Chen Tian struck. No one saw it coming. In a blur, Pan Tiance was sent flying, blood pouring from his mouth.
“My god, that’s the power of the Profound realm. Terrifying.”
“Indeed. Who would have thought that, in the face of a Profound realm martial artist, those at the Dao-entering realm are like children before an adult—utterly helpless.”
“The Pan Family is henceforth banned from the Tian Ding Auction House. As for this exploration of the ancient ruins, you are not to participate.”
Pan Tiance’s face turned ashen at these words. He had never expected such an outcome and was filled with despair.
“Senior, please—”
Chen Tian gave him no chance to explain, taking his sister and Qin Yang with him as they walked inside.