Chapter 833 - Stone Tablet Obtained

"Ye Feng?"

Phoenix Rain's mouth twitched slightly when she saw s.h.i.+ Feng suddenly raise his hand.

She hadn't expected him to be here.

Moreover, he had placed such a high bid. This placed her in a somewhat awkward position.

She only had around 4,000 Gold on hand. It would be difficult for her to continue bidding.

However, Phoenix Rain's surprise was minor compared to the shock everyone else in the venue felt. This had been a contest between G.o.d's Domain's major powers, yet someone from a lesser Guild had actually dared to outbid them. He had practically issued a direct challenge.

How does he have so much money? Surprise flashed in Hidden Cloud's eyes when he turned to the calm s.h.i.+ Feng.

He had already read through the information his team had collected about this man. s.h.i.+ Feng had been an unknown p.a.w.n before entering G.o.d's Domain, an insignificant existence that did not warrant his attention. However, after joining G.o.d's Domain, s.h.i.+ Feng had begun to s.h.i.+ne.

During the game's early stages, he had only been well-known in a town. Afterward, he had vanished from the public eye.

The next time he appeared and displayed his strength was when he had helped Gentle Snow. Not only had he defeated Soaring Snake, one of Ouroboros's top experts, but he also helped Gentle Snow become the Guild Leader of Ouroboros.

However, the match against Sirius in the Dark Arena had truly earned him fame.

Nevertheless, compared to Hidden Cloud, s.h.i.+ Feng was still insignificant. Even if the Swordsman were more powerful, at the end of the day, he was merely the upper echelon of a small Guild. A small Guild could never compete with the Nine Heavens Pavilion.

The resources each Guild commanded were on entirely different levels.

Yet, a minor character like s.h.i.+ Feng had bid 4,000 Gold. s.h.i.+ Feng was even richer than he was!

However, after a brief period of silence, Quiet Melody suddenly shouted, "Four thousand, five hundred Gold!"

She rose the bid by 500 Gold instantly. Even s.h.i.+ Feng could only smile bitterly while shaking his head. Like Phoenix Rain, he had only brought around 4,000 Gold.

"That was a close call. Luckily, I managed to borrow some Coins at the last minute. Otherwise, I really would've lost the item to Phoenix Rain." Quiet Melody revealed a relieved smile as she turned to s.h.i.+ Feng.

If not for s.h.i.+ Feng raising the bid and earning her some time, she would have lost this auction.

"d.a.m.n it! The Sacred Temple is going to s.n.a.t.c.h it from us!" Hidden Cloud's frustration was overwhelming as he glared at the satisfaction on Quiet Melody's face. If he obtained the golden tablet, not only would the Nine Heavens Pavilion give him the right to use the tablet first, but he would have also made a huge contribution to the Guild.

Moreover, with the first usage rights to the golden tablet, he could nurture a group of trustworthy experts. With those experts by his side and his contribution to the guild, he could advance his position in the Pavilion.

Now, however, not only did he have to hand the golden tablet over to someone else, but that person was also a long-time rival. This was far more vexing than losing the golden tablet to Phoenix Rain.

"Ye Feng, lend me your 4,000 Gold. I'll pay you back with 30% interest," Hidden Cloud asked desperately, his voice no longer carrying any hints of superiority.

s.h.i.+ Feng shook his head, saying, "No, I want 50% interest."

"That's going too far!" Hidden Cloud growled, killing intent lacing his words. "Thirty percent is already high! If you hurry, you'll lose the 30% interest and earn yourself a powerful enemy!"

Emotion warmed Gentle Snow's face. She had never thought that Hidden Cloud would ever make such a threat.

His desperation truly confused the Snow G.o.ddess.

Just what kind of item was this golden tablet? It had actually driven Hidden Cloud to lose his composure. At this moment, the man before her behaved nothing like the Hidden Cloud she knew.

"Going too far?" s.h.i.+ Feng grinned. Unhurriedly, he pointed his finger at the distant Phoenix Rain, saying, "The Phoenix Pavilion Master has also asked for a loan. Since you don't want to borrow it, I can lend it to the Phoenix Pavilion Master."

"You!" Furious, Hidden Cloud wanted to rage. However, when he heard the hostess smash the gavel a second time, he gritted his teeth and said, "Fine! I promise 50%!"

On the surface, although Hidden Cloud had agreed to s.h.i.+ Feng's conditions, he changed his view of s.h.i.+ Feng from someone who needed a warning to someone who needed to be extinguished. Once the auction was over, he would introduce s.h.i.+ Feng to despair.

Meanwhile, s.h.i.+ Feng had long since been prepared as he quickly retrieved a contract and handed it to Hidden Cloud.

The terms of the contract were very simple. As long as Hidden Cloud signed it, he would obtain 4,000 Gold. However, the a.s.sa.s.sin was required to return 6,000 Gold within a day. If he violated the contract, he would have to pay s.h.i.+ Feng three times the amount he borrowed in Credits.

After Hidden Cloud examined the contract, his hatred for s.h.i.+ Feng deepened.

This was the first time anyone had taken advantage of him to such a degree, yet he was powerless about it.

Unfortunately, he could only swallow this humiliation and sign the contract. Immediately, an additional 4,000 Gold appeared in his pockets.

"Seven thousand Gold!" Hidden Cloud shouted.

As these words echoed throughout the auction venue, even Quiet Melody was momentarily stunned. She couldn't believe that Hidden Cloud would be this decisive. She had only managed to gather a total of 5,100 Gold. The auction would be long over by the time she gathered enough money to make a counterbid.

"This Ye Feng really is hateful. Even though we are secret partners, he loaned the money to Hidden Cloud," Blue Phoenix huffed as she watched the calm s.h.i.+ Feng. "I was truly blind to have thought of him as a good person."

However, Phoenix Rain, who sat beside Blue Bamboo, remained silent as she seriously evaluated the distant s.h.i.+ Feng.

She, too, had initially been angry. However, her anger quickly dissipated after she read the message s.h.i.+ Feng had sent her.

The message was very simple.

The golden tablet is dangerous!

Although she did not know what kind of danger the golden tablet possessed, she did not think that s.h.i.+ Feng would lie to her. After all, she had a close partners.h.i.+p with Zero Wing. She had previously stated that, after she obtained the golden tablet, she would split half of the slots to learn the Secret Technique with Zero Wing. This trade would benefit both sides. There was simply no reason for s.h.i.+ Feng to reject her offer. She also did not believe that Hidden Cloud would be generous enough split any of the learning slots with anyone else.

While Phoenix Rain pondered, the hostess smashed her gavel a third and final time.

"Congratulations to this gentleman for obtaining this tablet! Let us give him a round of applause!" the beautiful hostess announced as she clapped her hands.

"I finally got it." At this moment, Hidden Cloud felt ecstatic. When the golden tablet rested in his hands, wonderous fantasies of a powerful future filled his mind. He then s.h.i.+fted his gaze to s.h.i.+ Feng, ridicule flas.h.i.+ng in his eyes. Now that I've obtained the tablet, I'll take care of you soon.

s.h.i.+ Feng paid no heed to Hidden Cloud's gaze. Instead, his eyes s.h.i.+fted towards the venue's second floor.

The moment Hidden Cloud obtained the golden tablet, the mysterious youth on the second floor smiled happily at the a.s.sa.s.sin.

When s.h.i.+ Feng had first laid his eyes on the golden tablet, he, too, had wanted it for his own. However, when he shouted his bid of 4,000 Gold, he had turned his attention to the second floor.

Indeed, just as s.h.i.+ Feng had guessed…

This golden tablet was not some kind of treasure at all. It was a fatal poison.

The instant he announced his bid, the mysterious NPC on the second floor had s.h.i.+fted his gaze towards him.

s.h.i.+ Feng had lived in G.o.d's Domain for many years, so he was very familiar with the game's NPCs. He was also very familiar with the look in the youth's eyes when he turned towards him. It had not been a look of curiosity or congratulatory. He had looked at s.h.i.+ Feng as a predator looked at prey. Since the golden tablet was the youth's apparent target, s.h.i.+ Feng had dropped out of the foolish compet.i.tion for it.

After the first auction item sold, the venue's atmosphere grew heated. The items that appeared afterward sold quickly, one after another. However, none of these items caught s.h.i.+ Feng's attention.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the next auction item is a precious tool in G.o.d's Domain! With this, not only can you strengthen your Defense, but you can also preserve your equipment's Durability! This is definitely a must-have when adventuring!" The female hostess then presented the Attributes of the Strengthening Device.

When the players in the venue saw the Strengthening Device's Attributes, they were flabbergasted, and a pa.s.sionate flame began to burn in their eyes.