C4 Kidnapping!

The first item up for auction was a Spirit Pill, designed to strip a person of all their cultivation for a time. It was the very pill that Tang Ling had deceitfully claimed to be a Spirit Gathering Pill when she gave it to Tang Yuan, resulting in the complete loss of his cultivation.

"Ha! What a treasure this is. Just a few days ago, someone snagged one from me. I wonder who the unlucky soul was that ingested this little gem?" Zhou Yang's voice carried through the room.

Tang Yuan shot a frosty glance in Zhou Yang's direction, realizing it was Zhou Yang who had supplied the Spirit Pill.

Excellent.

Tang Yuan was not one to forget a grudge. In his mind, Zhou Yang was as good as dead.

Despite the array of precious items on offer at the auction, none seemed to pique Tang Yuan's interest. They were trivial in his eyes.

Menng Ya's prowess as an auctioneer was undeniable, driving the final bids to astronomical sums, well beyond their true worth.

"Our next lot is an ancient artifact," Menng Ya began, her voice measured. An attendant promptly presented an object shrouded in red cloth.

"This was retrieved from the Small Holy Mountain. Our experts have determined it to be over ten thousand years old, though its exact value remains unknown."

With a flourish, Menng Ya unveiled the item, revealing a dark, unassuming lump.

"This is it!"

Tang Yuan's expression, previously disinterested, now burned with intensity. This item was of immense value to him.

It was a chunk of Solar Mother Gold! In his past life, Tang Yuan had never laid eyes on such a substantial piece of Mother Gold!

"The size of this Mother Gold should suffice to craft that particular item," Tang Yuan thought, his eyes alight with fervor. He had to have it.

"Just a piece of junk metal, Miss Menng Ya, you must be jesting with us," some of the attendees scoffed, unable to see any value in the dark relic.

"I may not know the material, but anything that has endured for ten thousand years is bound to be extraordinary," Menng Ya replied with a smile.

"Let's start the bidding at 100 gold coins!"

Tang Yuan couldn't help but snicker to himself in the private room. Such a vast piece of Solar Mother Gold was going for less than a Spirit Pill?

"100 gold coins!" he called out, placing the opening bid.

"Two thousand gold coins!" Zhou Yang's voice rang out, mocking, "The Young Master of the Tang family shows such modest courage—it's laughable!"

"What? That's Tang Yuan from the Tang family?"

"I've heard the Tang family's situation isn't great. Two hundred gold coins must be his max!"

"Humph, seems like he's desperate. Two hundred gold coins for some scrap metal?"

The auction hall buzzed with various comments as Tang Yuan unexpectedly drove the price of the scrap metal to an unforeseen level.

"Two thousand one hundred gold coins," Tang Yuan declared, "I must have this item."

"Think you can get it just like that?" Zhou Yang's voice rang out. "Still fancy yourself the Tang family's young master? I bid three thousand gold coins!"

"Three thousand five hundred!" Tang Yuan called out again, his voice betraying a sense of gritted determination.

"Running out of money?" Zhou Yang taunted with a smirk. "Five thousand gold coins!"

"Ten thousand gold coins!" Tang Yuan's voice was resolute, as if he was all in, announcing the auction's highest bid!

Menng Ya was taken aback, knowing full well that Tang Yuan's current standing in the Tang family meant he couldn't possibly afford such an amount. Clearly, he was bluffing!

This thought made Menng Ya frown slightly; she had little regard for men who put on airs.

Zhou Yang was also caught off guard by the bid. Having already spent three thousand gold coins, he was left with just eleven thousand. Tang Yuan's bold move made him waver.

"I told you, I'm determined to win this," Tang Yuan said nonchalantly upon noticing Zhou Yang's silence, his tone conveying a sense of relief.

"Eleven thousand gold coins, Tang Yuan. Let me tell you, I'm going to crush you today!" Zhou Yang retorted with a cold laugh.

A full minute passed without a peep from Tang Yuan.

"Haha, what's the matter? Conceding defeat?" Zhou Yang burst into laughter.

"Yeah, eleven thousand gold coins for a piece of junk. The Zhou family must be loaded! Haha!" Tang Yuan's laughter followed.

He had been played! From the start, Tang Yuan had been toying with Zhou Yang!

At this point, everyone at the auction, sharp as they were, grasped what had transpired.

For a brief moment, all eyes were on Zhou Yang with sympathy. Spending such a hefty sum on that item would undoubtedly earn him a scolding back at the Zhou household.

"Fine! I'll remember this debt," Zhou Yang stated icily before departing the auction hall with his guards in tow.

Tang Yuan watched them leave, a cold gleam flickering in his eyes. He then rose slowly and exited the private room.

Menng Ya hadn't anticipated Tang Yuan's bold move and was taken aback. As she looked up towards Tang Yuan, she caught sight of him standing and leaving.

Menng Ya didn't dwell on it and proceeded with hosting the subsequent auctions.

Tang Yuan trailed Zhou Yang and his entourage out of the Treasure Pavilion, eventually leaving the marketplace behind.

"Damn you, Tang Yuan, you're going to pay with your life!" Zhou Yang erupted in rage, hurling the piece of black Mother Gold to the ground.

"If Young Master Zhou doesn't want it, then I'll take it," Tang Yuan declared, materializing in front of them and retrieving the Mother Gold Zhou Yang had discarded.

"You!" Zhou Yang was taken aback to see Tang Yuan had the audacity to follow him. Shock quickly gave way to a sly grin. "You're asking for it, so don't blame me for not showing any mercy!"

With that, a massive Azure Wolf materialized behind Zhou Yang and lunged at Tang Yuan with a howl.

Tang Yuan's face was etched with a cold smile. With a deliberate motion of his hands, streaks of golden light flashed, shredding the Azure Wolf to pieces.

Zhou Yang's expression darkened as he realized Tang Yuan had effortlessly neutralized his attack, prompting him to go on high alert.

The two guards, sensing danger, charged forward, swords drawn, and struck simultaneously at Tang Yuan.

Tang Yuan swiftly retreated, repositioning himself behind the guards, and struck them down with a powerful blow.

Puff!

The guards spat out blood, collapsing to the ground in defeat.

"Now it's your turn!" Tang Yuan looked up at Zhou Yang, his figure a blur as he charged forward.

Zhou Yang's face drained of color. Overwhelmed by Tang Yuan's presence, he felt utterly powerless. As Tang Yuan closed in, Zhou Yang was paralyzed, unable to muster any will to fight back.

Bang!

Tang Yuan, a master of both physical and martial prowess, was far superior in strength to Zhou Yang. His fist drove through Zhou Yang's chest with lethal force.

Tang Yuan cast a glance at the three individuals on the ground and promptly left the area.

Meanwhile, the auction continued.

Menng Ya's gaze inadvertently swept over Tang Yuan's private room once more, and she noticed Tang Yuan still seated, even offering her a slight smile.

"Could I be mistaken?" Menng Ya questioned herself with a slight shake of her head, then carried on with her auctioneering duties.

Tang Yuan, catching Menng Ya's look, maintained his smile, remaining seated until the auction concluded.

"Miss Menng Ya, I have a proposition that might interest you. Would you care to discuss it?" Tang Yuan approached Menng Ya after the auction had ended.

"What sort of business are you referring to, Young Master Tang?" Menng Ya subtly stepped back, sensing an unsettling scent of blood emanating from Tang Yuan.

"I believe you might have an interest in a Pill Refining Master," Tang Yuan suggested, gesturing for her to follow.

Menng Ya gave Tang Yuan a penetrating look before slowly making her way into the reception room.

"Do you have connections with a skilled Pill Refining Master?" Menng Ya inquired once they were inside the room.