XIAO SHUXIANG'S

144 - Pressure [Revised]

Auctions conducted by the Peacock Stork Association included small, this was an annual auction activity they held.

Unlike grand auctions whose number of items reached 100. This time, they only auctioned off 50 types of items alone.

Until the 39th item mentioned, not a single sound from the other VIP guests had been heard yet. The only room that looked alive was the room where Cheng Hai of the Demon Phoenix Sect was.

Xiao Shuxiang did not care if there was a sound on the second floor or not, he was already overwhelmed by the noise of the people nearby.

The merchants and the two middle-aged men near Xiao Shuxiang were so eager to bid the price. He several times had to be exposed to rough insults that were unintentionally done by the two.

To small sect cultivators, they only occasionally bid a price, it was not too excited either. The only ones they fought over were pills and practice manuals.

Xiao Shuxiang had already seen his three types of pills sell at an unnatural price. He immediately recorded the losses he had obtained and the gains that Thian Zai had gained for having dared to deceive him.

"But..! The numbers kept spinning in my head. Zhi Shu and Hai Feng! I trust you to take care of this business, but instead.. Haaah.. May you guys not make a contract that could harm Xiao Shuxiang..!"

!

"Son, are you sick?" the old man sitting next to Xiao Shuxiang touched his right shoulder, he saw that since then the child was just sitting with a pale facial expression.

"Son, you don't hold it. If you want to poop, go, or do you want Grandpa to drop off?"

"Necessary. I don't want to poop." Xiao Shuxiang smiled awkwardly, he exhaled a long breath and tried to calm himself down.

"You sure, son?" the old man had since noticed Xiao Shuxiang, the look on the face of this child was like he was holding back the call of nature.

Xiao Shuxiang nodded, he was finally able to calm himself back down. Even though in his heart he was still struggling with nightmares that could have been real.

Who would not be depressed if his homemade pills sold at such a high price. The problem is that the proceeds from the sale are no longer his.

And what makes him even more depressed is that the renewal of the contract with Thian Zai has been signed by his two friends.

Xiao Shuxiang knew that while reading the letter given by Dai Chen. At first he did not care much, because his homemade pills only needed a few herbs to make it.

He assumed the advantages his friends had gained were already large enough to help them, but now...

"Aaiihh, my stomach hurts. First life Xiao Shuxiang, I belong to the poorest cultivator. The only valuable item besides my life is only the Sky Heirloom. The Demonic Core I got seemed like it was worth nothing because they instantly closed the door when I wanted to make an exchange. Only in this life was Xiao Shuxiang able to become a sultan, but.."

Xiao Shuxiang rubbed his face several times, his knowledge of business science was too shallow. He only hoped that the two friends entrusted to take care of his business did not plunge himself in a sea of losses.

"Alright Ladies and gentlemen, this 40th thing will be the closing of the first round auction before we enter the next round!" Thian Zai's cry echoed, he signaled for his four employees to immediately bring the 40th item.

The four Association employees who had high and muscular postures seemed to be pushing an object that Xiao Shuxiang believed to be a cage.

The moment the cloth opened, all the merchants and cultivators of the small sect stood up with shocked faces. Guests in the VIP room were seen jolting with this 40th auction item.

!!

Caged inside the cage was an 80-year-old Fire Phoenix, he was a legendary Demonic Beast that was much stronger than the Moon Tiger.

"How did their Association get it?!" Cheng Hai almost fell out of the chair from being too shocked.

"Did my eyes not see wrong?"

"It's really Phoenix!"

Xiao Shuxiang covered his ears, he cursed the people around his seat who called out to each other with such vigor.

"I know it's Phoenix, Xiao Shuxiang saw it! You don't need that shit!" Xiao Shuxiang was actually also surprised by the auction item this time around.

The Phoenix lantern he had always collected contained the Demonic Beast's blood. But there is a distinct advantage between Phoenix Lanterns and real Phoenix.

One of them is the advantages of the Twin Phoenix Lantern, where the lantern contains blood from two different Phoenixes. Its power could even match or exceed that of a real Phoenix.

Although they often hear the Phoenix Lantern, but this is the first time they see the owner of the blood.

To other cultivators, having the mount of a Phoenix was incomparable pride. But for Xiao Shuxiang, he needed the Phoenix for his food.

"... When else would I eat the Legendary Demonic Beast. All right, this auction's getting interesting." Xiao Shuxiang watched as Thian Zai mentioned the selling price of the Fire Phoenix.

Lan Guan Zhi who happened to also attend the auction appeared to be researching the Demonic Beast inside the black iron cage.

The body of this Phoenix looks as big as an adult tiger, with yellow-gold fur on its belly. The feathers on his neck, back, wings, and tail were jade-red, he had dark-red eyes.

The reason why this Fire Phoenix was so silent and seemed to be motionless was because he was heavily injured. Although the Fire Phoenix could come back to life when it died, but that situation only happened when it reached a hundred years of age.

Thian Zai also explained about the wounds the Demonic Beast had, as well as how to treat it. No losses were obtained even if the Fire Phoenix died, as its blood, flesh and fur were high-class treasures.

Zhi Shu looked sad, he did not like the auction where animals were harmed and traded this kind of thing. "I'll save him..!"

"You're right, Brother Xiao can definitely treat it." Hai Feng called a nearby Association employee and asked him to help himself bid the price. "You bargain until no one can bargain anymore!"

"Sure, Young Master. Leave it to me!" the Association employee was so excited, he had already imagined his salary would be raised so high by his superior.

Thian Zai began to open the price of 100,000 Spirit Stones for the Fire Phoenix. The price that made the breath of the merchant as well as the small Sect cultivators choked.

"150.000!"

An exclamation of the girl from the Middle Sun Empire shocked everyone, Xiao Shuxiang, Zhi Shu, and Hai Feng gasped because this voice was not foreign to them.

!!

"Li Qian Xie...?!"

Hai Feng and Zhi Shu were almost at the same time, they were shocked to see that the one sitting in the VIP room of the imperial family was their junior brother, Li Qian Xie.

A few days ago, Li Qian Xie said goodbye to Yang Shu and his fellow students, because he had not returned home for a long time.

Although Li Qian Xie's clan was the same as the family clan of the Middle Sun Empire, no one thought that Li Qian Xie was really a member of the kingdom. It was only fitting that when he met Xiao Shuxiang, he was so arrogant and acted like a princess.

"Yes, I am indeed not afraid to fight with the imperial army, but to do so in my practice is now the same as death." Xiao Shuxiang covered his face with a number board.

"170.000!"

"180.000!"

VIP guests who had been silent began to be more often involved in bidding. The Association Servant who was in the room of the Lotus Flower Sect was competing with her comrades who were in the room of the Butterfly Sect and the Blood Skull Sect.

"200,000!" only Cheng Hai and Li Qian Xie made the bidding without being represented by an Association employee near them.

Xiao Shuxiang though wanted the Fire Phoenix, yet he did not raise his number board. Inwardly, he cheered Hai Feng and Zhi Shu. The two friends subconsciously helped themselves to obtain the Demonic Beast.

Up to the 230,000 bid, Xiao Shuxiang started to feel bad. The offer was already too high for a dying animal.

Moreover, he remembered that the money issued by Zhi Shu and Hai Feng was his money. He certainly did not want to spend that much just for the sake of a Phoenix even though he included the Legendary Demonic Beast.

"The last ten items are still not out Hai Feng! Be aware of both of you..! Don't make me poor!"

"500.000!!"

!!

Xiao Shuxiang was flabbergasted as Hai Feng exclaimed. Thian Zai began to count and finally the Fire Phoenix that had been struck at the end of his life had now changed ownership.

Hai Feng and Zhi Shu were so happy to have obtained the Fire Phoenix, but not Xiao Shuxiang.

"You two have been deceived, boy..!! The guests in the other VIP rooms purposely did so so that you would spend a lot of money and no longer be able to bid on the next round!! Haaa.. My money.." Xiao Shuxiang almost cried, moreover he had already noticed that the life of the Fire Phoenix inside the cage was only ten breaths away.

The sale of the Fire Phoenix at such a great price ended the first round of the auction this time around. Thian Zai gave his guests a break before opening the next round.

*

*

Backstage, Zhi Shu and Hai Feng checked the condition of the Fire Phoenix which had already lost its life. Beside them, Xiao Shuxiang was hugging the neck of the Fire Phoenix tightly while sobbing.

Zhi Shu and Hai Feng also started crying, they had bid too long for the price until the Phoenix was unable to hold on anymore. Both of them regretted not being able to save the Demonic Beast's life in time.

"My money.. They spent a lot of my money on this carcass.." Xiao Shuxiang cried because he had lost a lot of money, he did not know what to say to Hai Feng and Zhi Shu because rice had become rice.

"Alright, Brother. Life and Death are arranged, and every living thing is bound to die. Don't be sad, brother.." Hai Feng gently rubbed Xiao Shuxiang's back, he simply did not understand what this brother was crying over.

"They spent 500,000 Spirit Stones just for the sake of an 80-year-old animal, let alone now that this animal is dead.." Xiao Shuxiang grew sobbing even more, he hugged the Fire Phoenix tighter and tighter.

*

*

The auction re-started, Xiao Shuxiang was now sitting beside Zhi Shu. He wears a mask that hides his face. The plaque in his room had been changed to the name of his sect.

Replacement of this plaque is enough to invite the attention of existing guests including guests in the VIP room.

"Aahs.. Room nine has found his partner."

"The plaque turned out to be useful for finding lost people."

"Couple Sect..? Hah, their sect name is funny."

"Hmph, insect."

Xiao Shuxiang, despite wearing a mask, tried to cover his face. This was the most embarrassing day he believed he could never forget.

Zhi Shu and Hai Feng were completely unaffected even though both of them also heard the mocking sounds of the guests on the first floor as well as in the other VIP rooms.

In fact, Hai Feng and Zhi Shu nodded in agreement when they heard the plastered plaque could be used to look for people. The proof, Brother Xiao they have been found.

Xiao Shuxiang glanced towards the VIP room of the Sky Sword Sect, from here he could clearly see that the one sitting in the room was Lan Guan Zhi, who was the one sitting in the room, Sian Ru and Lan Gaozu even though all three wore masks.

On Lan Guan Zhi's lap was seen the sleeping Lan Xiao. The Moon Tiger changes its size to become as big as a kitten, the sound of snoring indicates that he sleeps very well.

Lan Guan Zhi was also staring at the VIP room where Xiao Shuxiang was. He exhaled softly as Xiao Shuxiang showed an eye that looked like he needed a place to hide.

Lan Guan Zhi held up the Moon Tiger in his lap until Xiao Shuxiang could see it.

The expression on Xiao Shuxiang's face changed. He became excited and instead excited to the point where Lan Guan Zhi wanted to play with Lan Xiao. The Moon Tiger is so adorable while sleeping.

"What is that as an encouragement to me, Lan Zhi?" Xiao Shuxiang nodded and was apparently taken in by Lan Guan Zhi. It was as if Xiao Shuxiang's question could be heard.

"Well, he has a strange ability.."

"Who do you mean, Brother Xiao?" Zhi Shu touched Xiao Shuxiang's right hand and asked curiously.

"He," Xiao Shuxiang simply used his gaze to point towards Lan Guan Zhi.

As Zhi Shu turned his head, he saw Lan Guan Zhi just sitting with an expressionless face. Xiao Shuxiang let out a laugh as Lan Guan Zhi quickly put the Moon Tiger out of sight.

Zhi Shu who did not see any strangeness turned his attention back to Thian Zai who had currently decided the price of the item in the second half.

***

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Author's Note :

Oh dear reader. There will be some 'scenes' that you will meet later. That scene can create misunderstandings whose level of danger depends on how dirty your mind is. Especially you, Fujoshi.