96: Auction, Xiao Huohuo is overjoyed

Taiyuan City, west of the city, Fuxi Inn.

Inside room number one of the Heaven character.

Lin Fan sat cross-legged, his face a bit pale, currently recuperating. Beside him, Nanny pouted her small mouth, carefully applying medicine to Xiao Huohuo's bloody arm, her small face filled with heartache.

Ling Ke'er leaned against the window, her Phoenix eyes cold and clear, gazing at the pitch-black night sky outside the window, lost in thought.

Just half an hour ago, a sudden ambush nearly caused all four of them to capsize in a ditch.

A Loose Cultivator Martial Emperor who appeared from who knows where!

That old geezer was truly vicious and ruthless! As soon as he made a move, it was with thunderous killing blows, not giving them any chance to breathe.

If Xiao Huohuo hadn't acted recklessly at the crucial moment, trading injuries to force a "Buddha's Angry Flame Lotus" he had compressed to the extreme into that old geezer's mouth...

Today's situation would have been truly difficult to resolve.

"Hiss—! Lighter, lighter! Senior Sister, it hurts!"

Xiao Huohuo grimaced, cold sweat beading on his forehead from the pain, yet he dared not dodge, only allowing Nanny's small hands to "scribble" on his arm.

"You still know it hurts!" Nanny's eyes were red, her voice childish but with a hint of anger, "Why didn't you know it hurt when you charged up just now? That old bad guy's bones are almost harder than your life!"

Xiao Huohuo chuckled, a hint of wildness on his face: "Wasn't that the only way? Besides, this is called tactics! See, isn't that old geezer suffering as if he's eaten dirt now?"

Although he said that, a lingering fear remained in his heart.

A Martial Emperor expert was truly terrifying!

Just the Qi emanating from him almost suffocated him. If his unique flame hadn't somewhat countered that old geezer's Cultivation Technique, he probably wouldn't even have had a chance to get close.

"Stop babbling."

Lin Fan slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a mouthful of turbid Qi. "Although that old fellow was severely injured by you, his foundation was not damaged. Now that he has suffered such a great loss, he will certainly not let it go. We must leave this place as soon as possible."

He increasingly felt the importance of strength now.

Foundation Establishment realm, in these Nine Great Dynasties, might already be considered a powerful expert.

But facing truly top-tier existences, it was still not enough!

"Leave?" Xiao Huohuo raised an eyebrow, "Senior Brother, are we just going to run away like this? That's too humiliating!"

"Otherwise?" Ling Ke'er turned around, her voice cold and clear, "A Martial Emperor expert is not someone we can handle right now. This person is probably here for the Black Moon Sect's bounty. Since he failed, the news will spread quickly. By then, it might not be just one Martial Emperor who comes."

Just as the few were discussing.

"Boom!"

Outside the inn, a terrifying killing intent once again completely enveloped the entire inn!

"You little brats! Get out here and die for this old man!"

It was that Loose Cultivator Martial Emperor!

He had returned!

The four of Lin Fan's expressions changed drastically, and without thinking, they were about to break out of the window.

But it was too late!

That "Emperor Domain" unique to a Martial Emperor expert had already completely sealed off the space within a hundred zhang radius!

"It's over!"

In the hearts of the four, a deep sense of powerlessness arose once again.

Just at this critical moment!

"Hmph! A cowardly rat who hides his head and shows his tail!"

A clear voice, without warning, came from the sky!

Before the words finished!

"Clang!"

A dazzling, brilliant sword light, as if descending from the Nine Heavens, tore through the long night!

That sword light was incomparably domineering.

One sword strike.

"Pfft!"

Outside the inn, the Loose Cultivator Martial Emperor staggered back several steps, his face filled with disbelief!

In the night sky, the green-robed figure, who had appeared at some unknown time, spoke in a hoarse voice, with a hint of apprehension.

"Profound... Profound Sword Sect Revered Master, Sect Leader Chu Xiaoyao?!"

The person who arrived stood with a sword on his back, his face handsome, his demeanor elegant, and he was precisely one of the three overlords of the Southern Region, the current Sect Master of the Profound Sword Sect!

A genuine... Martial Emperor Peak expert!

"Scram."

Sect Leader Chu Xiaoyao's tone was full of dominance.

The Loose Cultivator Martial Emperor's face turned pale and then green upon hearing this. In the end, he forcefully suppressed the unwillingness and venom in his heart and disappeared into the night, looking utterly disheveled and without a word.

He knew that if he stayed any longer, he wouldn't be able to kill the four.

After the Loose Cultivator Martial Emperor left, Sect Leader Chu Xiaoyao slowly descended and landed in the courtyard.

"Greetings, I presume you are the friends Zhuge Qing mentioned? I am Sect Leader Chu Xiaoyao of the Profound Sword Sect, I have long admired your names."

The four of Lin Fan dared not neglect, and all stepped forward, bowing respectfully to the Sect Master of the Profound Sword Sect.

"Junior Lin Fan (Xiao Huohuo, Ling Ke'er, Nanny) greets Senior, and thanks Senior for saving us."

"Haha, it was just a small effort."

Sect Leader Chu Xiaoyao waved his hand, then changed the topic, his expression becoming somewhat serious.

"Four young friends, forgive my frankness, but you are now the darlings of the entire Tianwu Continent."

"The Black Moon Sect's bounty has already spread throughout the Southern Region. Countless desperadoes, Loose Cultivator experts, and even some Sect forces with ulterior motives have already regarded you as mobile treasuries."

"Today's incident is just the beginning. Without a foolproof plan, your path ahead may be... fraught with peril!"

Upon hearing this, the four felt their hearts sink.

They knew that Sect Leader Chu Xiaoyao spoke the truth.

"Does Senior have any brilliant ideas?" Lin Fan asked in a deep voice.

Sect Leader Chu Xiaoyao smiled slightly and said, "I do have a suggestion. I wonder if the four of you would be willing to accompany me to Haozhou?"

"Haozhou is the base of my Profound Sword Sect. With my Profound Sword Sect here, even the Black Moon Sect would not dare to act presumptuously. The four of you will at least be safe there for a while."

He spoke sincerely, which was both a gesture of goodwill and a veiled attempt at recruitment.

The four of Lin Fan exchanged glances, and all saw a hint of eagerness in each other's eyes.

Currently, they were isolated and helpless, and their Revered Master was off somewhere fooling around. In this unfamiliar Southern Region, they indeed needed a place to settle down.

"In that case, we thank Senior for your kindness." Lin Fan, on behalf of the four, accepted.

...

On the official road leading to Haozhou.

A luxurious flying boat, pulled by an unknown exotic beast, was steadily traveling among the clouds.

On the flying boat, Sect Leader Chu Xiaoyao was discussing Dao over tea with the four of Lin Fan (mainly he was talking, and the four were listening).

Just then, an accompanying Elder of the Profound Sword Sect suddenly spoke with a smile:

"Speaking of which, in half a month, Lingwu City in my Haozhou will hold a grand auction that happens once every hundred years. By then, all sorts of rare treasures from the entire Southern Region will gather there."

"Oh? Auction?" Xiao Huohuo's interest was immediately piqued upon hearing this.

The Elder nodded and continued, "That's right. Moreover, I just received news that the grand finale item of this auction is a... mysterious flame discovered in an ancient ruin!"

Boom!

Mysterious flame?!

These four words were like a clap of thunder.

Xiao Huohuo's eyes, which always burned with flames, instantly burst forth with terrifyingly bright light!

Unique flame!

It was definitely a unique flame!