Chapter 00216: Being Targeted
# Being Targeted
Chapter 216
Novel: After the Myth
Chapter 216: Being Targeted
The price on the bidding screen changed once again, and a new offer appeared.
"Three hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones, plus one Tan Yuan Fruit."
Ding Huan glanced at the offer but didn't add his own bid.
When he first obtained the Spirit Blue Face Fruit, he hadn't known its true value, only that it was extremely rare.
After reading many jade slips about the cultivation world, he now understood that this fruit was incredibly valuable, especially to the Beast Taming Sect.
Its worth was almost immeasurable to them.
This was also why Cui Hu'er from the Beast Taming Sect had immediately tried to snatch Old Six when she found out he could talk.
As for the Tan Yuan Fruit, it was rather ordinary.
While it could indeed help demonic beasts improve their cultivation, the boost it provided was minimal at best.
"Five hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones, plus one True Star Pill."
Another bid came in.
Since this wasn't just a pure spirit stone offer but included additional items, multiple prices appeared on the bidding screen simultaneously.
The final decision on which offer to accept would be up to the owner of the spear.
After ten breaths of time, Pang Xiangxiang spoke up:
"I've just received a message from the seller. He's asking if the cultivator who offered one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones plus a Spirit Blue Face Fruit could increase the spirit stones to two hundred thousand."
Ding Huan didn't budge.
While he really wanted the spear, he wasn't a fool.
The price he had offered was more than enough.
Spending eight hundred thousand on the Hell Vine Seed had been a desperate move, as it was a matter of life and death.
But a spear-type magic treasure? As long as he had money, he could buy one anywhere.
Another ten breaths passed, and seeing no change in the bids, Pang Xiangxiang announced:
"The owner of the Parting Spear has agreed to this transaction."
Ding Huan thought to himself, "As expected."
His offer had been sufficient.
Soon after, two cultivators from the auction house brought the Parting Spear to Ding Huan's private room and completed the transaction.
Ding Huan immediately began refining the spear.
Even Sang Yuhe began to doubt whether her decision had been the right one.
With so many spiritual senses focused on Ding Huan, he was still struggling to refine the Parting Spear.
It was clear to her that it would take him at least a month, if not more than twenty days, to fully refine it.
What was the point of trying to refine it during the auction?
The cultivators who had left spiritual marks on Ding Huan saw how difficult it was for him to even break through the first layer of restrictions on the spear.
They quickly withdrew their spiritual senses.
Sure enough, in less than the time it took to burn a stick of incense, Ding Huan put the spear away.
To others, it looked like he had given up on refining it.
The auction continued, but Ding Huan didn't make any more bids.
"Ding Huan, I think someone is targeting us," Sang Yuhe said uneasily, sensing the spiritual marks.
Her life had been saved by Ding Huan, and his strength was comparable to that of a mid-to-late-stage True Core cultivator.
Suggesting they leave now felt somewhat ungrateful.
Ding Huan frowned slightly before replying, "That shouldn't be the case. The Yandao Commerce Guild is a well-known and reputable organization. Even if some cultivators dared to cause trouble, they wouldn't dare to do so at an auction hosted by the guild."
Hearing this, Sang Yuhe calmed down a bit.
She realized that Ding Huan wasn't speaking to her but to the cultivators who had left their spiritual senses in their private room.
If Ding Huan were a fool, he wouldn't have survived this long, let alone become a True Core cultivator.
Half a day later, as the auction was nearing its end, Ding Huan still hadn't seen any container-type magic treasures appear.
Even the items not listed in the brochure weren't particularly valuable.
It seemed that all the important items had been listed in the promotional materials.
Ding Huan stood up and said, "Sister Yuhe, let's go. There's nothing here that I need."
"Alright," Sang Yuhe agreed without hesitation.
As they left the auction house, her spiritual sense clearly detected at least five cultivators following them.
"Ding Huan, five people are following us," she whispered.
"It's fine," Ding Huan replied calmly as he walked out of the auction house and turned into a weapon shop.
Sang Yuhe had long since stopped trying to figure out Ding Huan's plans.
She knew he must have something in mind.
Five True Core cultivators, including one at the late stage, were following them.
If they were caught, it would be extremely dangerous.
"Friend, what kind of magic treasure are you looking for? Our Great Qian Weapon Shop has everything you could need," the shopkeeper greeted Ding Huan with a smile.
"Do you have any containers for holding water or mist?" Ding Huan asked, though he didn't hold out much hope.
He planned to visit a few more shops.
If he couldn't find what he needed, he would head to Zhenyun Dao City.
While Sang Yuhe had mentioned five people following them, Ding Huan knew there were at least a dozen.
However, after realizing that he and Sang Yuhe were being targeted by a True Core Perfection cultivator, most of the weaker ones had backed off.
In truth, only one True Core cultivator was still following them—the one at the Perfection stage.
"Friend, you've come to the right place. I have a Ten Thousand Capacity Bottle here that can hold water within a space of one zhang in length, width, and height. It costs ten thousand high-grade spirit stones and..."
Ding Huan suddenly realized something.
A space of one zhang was a cube with each side measuring one zhang.
But would a cubic zhang of poison mist be useful? And could the poison mist be compressed to fit more into the space?
"Ha! If you're looking for that kind of container, I happen to know a friend who has a Wide-Mouth Gourd. Its space is much larger than that, and it's even a spirit tool," a sudden voice interrupted.
Ding Huan didn't need to turn around to know it was the True Core Perfection cultivator who had been following him.
The man had concealed his cultivation to the late Foundation Establishment stage.
The fact that he had scared off the others showed he wasn't an ordinary person.
With Ding Huan's understanding of the Dao, he had sensed the man's approach the moment he got close.
Following the voice, a tall man wearing a mask entered the shop.
"There's really such a container?" Ding Huan asked, feigning surprise.
"Of course. Why don't I take you to meet him?" the True Core cultivator offered.
Ding Huan shook his head.
"If your friend is willing to trade, I'll wait outside. If not, this Ten Thousand Capacity Bottle will suffice."
The shopkeeper frowned.
"Friend, this is a bit too much. Poaching customers in my shop is against the rules."
The True Core Perfection cultivator immediately apologized.
"My mistake. I'll take my leave then."
With that, he actually left the shop.
Ding Huan didn't follow him.
Instead, he pointed to the Ten Thousand Capacity Bottle and asked, "Five thousand high-grade spirit stones, and it's mine."
The shopkeeper hesitated for a moment before saying, "If you really want it, eight thousand high-grade spirit stones."
He could sense that the man outside was trying to steal his business.
Ding Huan didn't hesitate.
He took out eight thousand high-grade spirit stones and bought the bottle.
At best, it was a high-grade magic tool, and even five thousand was overpriced.
But such tools were extremely rare, hence the high cost.
"Friend, do you still need a container?" The True Core cultivator, who had been waiting for Ding Huan, naturally didn't leave easily.
Ding Huan apologized, "Sorry, I just bought one. The space is a bit small, but it's enough for me."
The True Core cultivator gritted his teeth.
"To be honest, the Wide-Mouth Gourd is actually mine. A friend borrowed it and has been delaying its return. I was hoping to use your need for a container to get it back. He lives nearby, in the northern part of Yanyue City's rogue cultivator market. It would take us at most half an hour to get there."
As he spoke, he removed his mask to show his trust in Ding Huan.
Ding Huan chuckled.
"Forget it. I'm a lazy person."
With that, he waved to Sang Yuhe.
"Sister Yuhe, let's go."
The two quickly left Yanyue City.
As soon as they were outside the city, Ding Huan summoned his flying ship.
"Ding Huan, I feel like that guy was hiding his cultivation. His claim about the Wide-Mouth Gourd was probably fake. It's a good thing you didn't go with him."
Ding Huan nodded.
"He was definitely hiding his cultivation. Whether the gourd is real or not, I don't know. But he's definitely notorious in Yanyue City. Do you think he really wanted to take us to the rogue cultivator market?"
"Wasn't that the case?" Sang Yuhe looked puzzled.
Ding Huan confirmed, "Absolutely not. Of course, if we had dared to go with him, it would have been ideal for him, as we would never have returned. His main goal was to let all the other trackers know that we were now his targets, and they should back off. The fact that the others did back off shows just how fearsome he is in Yanyue City."
"But he didn't follow us," Sang Yuhe said, still confused.
Ding Huan smiled.
"He did follow us, just from a distance. And he left a spiritual mark on me, so he's not worried about us escaping."
(End of Chapter)