MTL NOVEL Chapter 93: Chapter 93: The Auction House
"Xiao Tao, calm down! He's provoking you!"
Dai Yueheng firmly held onto Ma Xiaotao, his expression filled with vigilance as he scanned the seemingly astonished Xu Cheng.
This man was truly terrifying.
He even knew about events from ten years ago. Even as an experienced inner court student, Dai Yueheng had only vaguely heard rumors, never knowing the full details.
"Sir, aren't you going a bit too far? Elder Xuan would never collude with some gutter-dwelling rats," Wang Yan said coldly.
"Who knows?"
Xu Cheng smirked.
"When everything turns into a mystery and all clues point to a certain person, perhaps the thing you thought was most impossible… is actually the truth."
Wang Yan's throat moved as he swallowed, his face darkening while he stared at Xu Cheng.
This man was simply too frightening.
His ability to manipulate hearts and minds—whether through strength or mere words—was terrifying.
In just a few sentences, Xu Cheng had actually made him entertain the thought… What if it's true?
After all, everything about this situation seemed too strange.
No! I can't think about this anymore!
"We'll see you in the tournament," Xu Cheng said with a faint smile. He suddenly paused mid-step, turned around, and looked at the highly tense Shrek group. "Oh, by the way, I hope you can make it into the top sixteen…"
With that, he led the Sun Moon Empire team away in large strides.
Wang Yan's face was grim as he looked at the seething Ma Xiaotao.
"Wait until Elder Xuan arrives before acting. Otherwise, with our current state, we can't match them, whether in the tournament or outside of it. Fighting now would just be giving them an opportunity…"
Wang Dong also put on a heavy expression, but in truth, she secretly glanced at Xu Cheng's departing figure.
This guy is such a classic villain.
That aura, those blood-red eyes… absolutely captivating.
She exchanged a quick look with Xiao Xiao.
In that moment, it was as if they were whispering to each other like close friends, needing no words to understand.
Xiao Xiao: Something feels off, right?
—
The Auction House
Xu Cheng surveyed the surroundings, and he had to admit, this royal-backed imperial auction house was impressive.
The exterior seemed ordinary.
But stepping inside revealed its vast scale—like the tip of an iceberg, most of it hidden underground.
The auction house had different tiers.
The one they were attending today was specifically for soul devices, limited to grade six or lower. The auction houses were ranked from one to five, with one being the highest, while this one was a level-four auction.
The only reason the Soul-Devouring Engraving Knife was even in this auction was because no one dared to bid on it. In the original story, this was how the protagonist Huo Hang managed to pick it up for cheap…
Auction Hall 12
By the time Xu Cheng and his team took their seats, nearly sixty percent of the venue was filled.
Though many attendees wore masks, their figures and mannerisms were still recognizable.
Many of them were academy participants, and it didn't take long for them to recognize Xu Cheng and the Sun Moon Empire team.
Immediately, the atmosphere tensed.
After all, Xu Cheng—the so-called Demon King—was already demonstrating overwhelming dominance.
His power was frankly terrifying.
Xu Cheng, however, remained indifferent. He lounged in the spacious sofa, simply waiting for the auction to begin.
Nana, ever attentive, handed him a cup of water, her scent lingering faintly.
She sat beside him, while on his other side was Tang Ya.
Meng Hongchen sat next to Tang Ya, and beyond her was Xiao Hongchen, who was yawning in boredom.
The dimly lit atmosphere concealed much.
While the intention was to help guests maintain their anonymity, in reality, unless one had access to the top-tier, private VIP rooms, there was very little true privacy.
At that moment, the Shrek team entered and sat right behind Xu Cheng's group.
Xu Cheng remained seated, eyes closed, resting.
Soon, a woman in a violet dress stepped onto the stage. After a brief introduction, the auction officially began.
She was undoubtedly beautiful, but compared to the various uniquely charming beauties at his side, she was still a bit lacking…
Noticing that Xu Cheng opened his eyes as soon as a beautiful woman appeared, Tang Ya huffed in annoyance and pinched his waist.
Xu Cheng: ???
Tang Ya snorted and turned away, acting all haughty.
However, the moment she withdrew her hand, Xu Cheng grasped it tightly. No matter how she struggled, she couldn't pull it free. With so many people around, she didn't dare make a scene.
Her fair ears turned a light shade of red, but she maintained an expression of indifference.
She leaned in close and whispered, "What are you doing?! Let go of me."
"Heh, so I got pinched for nothing?" Xu Cheng chuckled, gently kneading the soft, delicate hand in his grip.
"You… you're such a scoundrel!"
Tang Ya rebuked, flustered.
"You sound like you're pouting," Xu Cheng said, unbothered, casually watching the auction unfold.
"I'm not pouting at you!"
Tang Ya's face turned red as a ripe apple.
Yet, despite her protest, the sensation of their hands entwined… it was strange, yet mesmerizing.
Coincidentally, Bei Bei was sitting behind them, his expression filled with frustration.
With the dim lighting and no sensory-type soul skill to aid him, he couldn't see their hands, but he could still tell that Tang Ya and Xu Cheng were far too close—almost snuggling together like a couple.
Damn it!
Some of the Shrek members also noticed the scene, but they awkwardly looked away.
Poor Bei Bei…
Wait, no, wasn't this just his one-sided wishful thinking?
"That Shrek student, Bei Bei, seems to like you," Xu Cheng whispered teasingly into Tang Ya's ear.
"Ugh, disgusting!"
Tang Ya rolled her eyes at Xu Cheng.
The atmosphere had been so good just now, but the mention of that guy completely ruined her mood!
With a forceful tug, she finally freed her hand.
Hmph! Not playing anymore!
(Chapter End)