Simultaneous traversal: All Abyss difficulty.

Chapter 734 Still Not Eating Beef
Jianzhou, in the northern part of the Yue Kingdom.

When Fang Yu arrived here, three months had passed since he said goodbye to Kinmen and Su Su.

Wanbaolou Auction House.

The auction hall was bustling with people, the air filled with the fragrance of spiritual herbs, the aroma of elixirs, and the intense, determined atmosphere of the cultivators.

The auctioneer on the high platform spoke eloquently, presenting one precious pill, material, and magical artifact after another in a continuous stream.

However, the entire auction process was disrupted by a young man in an inconspicuous gray robe who was sitting with his legs crossed in a corner.

Fang Yu leaned against the railing of the private room, tapping his fingers absently, a nonchalant smirk on his face.

Whether it's a century-old "Jade Marrow Fungus", a rare "Cold Tobacco", or a "Dragon Scale Fruit" that's said to be able to temper bones and muscles, as soon as the bidding starts, he lazily raises his hand and announces a number that just surpasses the current highest price.

"Starting bid! Ten spirit stones!"

Fang Yu raised his hand, "Eleven."

"twenty!"

Fang Yu raised his hand, "Twenty-one."

"thirty!"

Fang Yu raised his hand, "Thirty-one."

At first, there were some people vying for it, but when everyone realized that no matter how much they offered, this seemingly inconspicuous young man would follow closely behind, casually bidding a price that was neither too high nor too low, but always managed to outbid everyone else, as if he had endless financial resources as a backing, an invisible pressure began to spread.

"Who is this guy? Does he think spirit stones are nothing?"

"Shh, don't mess with him. Look at his eyes. They seem to be smiling, but they're actually very cold, like he's seen it all."

"Forget it, we can't win this fight. Why bother? There's more to come."

A subtle understanding formed among the bidders.

When Fang Yu's signature, slightly mocking bid rang out, many people instinctively fell silent, unwilling to get entangled with him.

One by one, the items were easily acquired by him at "fair" prices far below expectations.

However, in the front row of the auction hall, a thin young man wearing a brocade robe, with sunken eyes and a sickly sallow complexion, clenched his fists so tightly that his nails almost dug into his palms.

As he watched Fang Yu succeed time and time again, and saw the fearful retreat of those around him, a surge of anger burned ever brighter in his chest.

He dared not openly raise Fang Yu's price, so he could only grit his teeth and suppress his anger, staring venomously in Fang Yu's direction, waiting for an opportunity.

Finally, the auction was drawing to a close. The auctioneer cleared his throat and raised his voice:
"The grand finale! Three 'Gathering Essence Flowers,' the core spiritual herb for refining Foundation Establishment Pills! All are over fifty years old! Starting bid: 500 spirit stones!"

The atmosphere in the arena was reignited.

Foundation Establishment Pill! This is something that all Qi Refining stage cultivators dream of! The value of its core materials is self-evident.

The bidding instantly became fierce, and the price climbed steadily, quickly surpassing two thousand spirit stones.

"Two thousand three!" a voice shouted.

"Two thousand and five!"

"Two thousand seven!"

Just as the price soared to three thousand spirit stones, Fang Yu, who had remained silent until now, finally lazily raised his hand. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire hall:
"Three thousand and one."

That familiar taste again!

No matter how much you ask, I'll just add a little and go up the price!
That invisible sense of oppression returned.

Many people instinctively shrank back, ready to give up.

Just then! "Seven thousand five hundred spirit stones!!!"

The skinny guy in the front row, who had been holding back all day, suddenly jumped up from his seat like a firecracker, almost screaming out the suffocating price!

His face was flushed red with excitement and the satisfaction of revenge, and his body was trembling slightly. He stared defiantly in the direction of Fang Yu's private room, his eyes filled with a maniacal "Come on, bet again! Let's see if you can afford to bet!"

crazy!

This has completely exceeded the reasonable value of the Condensing Essence Flower. It's purely to vent my anger and let Fang Yu, the troublemaker, taste what it's like to be severely "bargained"!

The entire room fell silent instantly. Everyone was stunned by the insane price and the skinny guy's reckless attitude. Their eyes darted between the skinny guy and Fang Yu's private room, waiting to see how Fang Yu would handle this targeted provocation.

The auctioneer on the platform was stunned, then overjoyed, and was about to bring down the gavel to confirm the "sky-high price".

However, amidst the expectant gazes of the skinny man and the tense looks of the others, only a clear and short sneer came from Fang Yu's private room:

"Ah."

Then, that nonchalant voice rang out again, laced with undisguised mockery:
"Congratulations, fellow Daoist, on your discerning eye! This Qi Condensation Flower is indeed excellent, but it costs seven thousand five hundred?"

Fang Yu drew out the words, clearly uttering three:

"I'll let you have it."

boom!
It was as if a thunderbolt had struck the skinny man on the head.

The twisted, vengeful, and slightly manic smug smile on his face froze instantly!
His whole body stiffened, and the reckless momentum he had just displayed deflated like a punctured balloon.

My mind was buzzing, with only one thought swirling wildly within me:

"It's over. I've been tricked! He never wanted it at all! He did it on purpose!"

Seven thousand five hundred spirit stones!

In order to prove a point and to annoy the other party, he actually bid on a bunch of spiritual herbs that were far from worth the price!
This is almost all the wealth he can use, and he may even be in debt!
The immense panic and heartache instantly replaced the pleasure of revenge, causing his vision to blur and almost making him faint on the spot.

Fang Yu ignored the commotion in the auction house and the skinny man's dejected figure.

He calmly got up and, under the respectful guidance of the waiter, went backstage to hand over all the spiritual herbs he had previously bid on, storing them in his storage bag.

Then, under the gazes of countless people—some awe-inspiring, some sympathetic (towards the skinny man), and some gloating—he whistled, put his hands in his pockets, and trotted out of Wanbaolou with light steps.

He hadn't gone far when Fang Yu's keen senses caught sight of several "tails" trailing behind him.

A cold smile curled at the corner of his lips. He turned and seemingly casually walked into a relatively bustling street, heading straight into a restaurant called Zuixianju.

On the second floor of the restaurant, by the window, sat an unassuming old man with a white beard.

The old man, dressed simply, was drinking alone. In front of him was a plate of sliced ​​braised beef and a small pot of wine. His mouth was glistening with oil as he ate, and he looked relaxed.

Fang Yu's gaze casually swept across the second floor, and when it passed over the old man, their eyes met subtly in mid-air.

A glint seemed to flash in the depths of the old man's cloudy eyes, revealing a very subtle surprise, as if he recognized something. But then he quickly lowered his head, seemingly focused on the wine and meat in front of him, picked up a piece of beef and stuffed it into his mouth, chewing more vigorously, deliberately avoiding eye contact.

Fang Yu's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm.

Instead of going to any of the other empty seats, he went straight to the empty table opposite the old man, sat down, waved his hand, and shouted to the waiter:

"Waiter! Bring me ten catties of the best braised beef and a pot of strong wine! Hurry up!"

The waiter was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "Alright! Please wait a moment, sir!"

Before long, a large plate piled high with braised beef and a wine jug were brought out.

Fang Yu slammed his hand on the table, made a gun gesture with his hand, and said to the waiter, "I don't eat beef!"

(End of this chapter)