I Possess a Scroll of Demon-Subduing Records

There must be a reason for the gathering of demons.

Lin Yi didn't rush to celebrate; to be on the safe side, he decided to go in first and find out what was going on.

Two fists can't fight four hands. What if there are some powerful figures hiding among these monsters? He's too arrogant and might get punished.

Even with 5,500 years of physical cultivation, one should not become too arrogant and should not forget one's original mindset.

Stability is the core requirement for development.

Lin Yi entered the Red Chamber and still used the invisibility technique. With his current level of cultivation, it was difficult for him to be detected when he used the invisibility technique. Neither humans nor demons could detect it.

This red building was filled with filth and demonic energy, far more arrogant than Yuzhang County. Some demons even brazenly exposed their tails, while the people around them showed no fear, even pulling and playing with their tails.

It was an eye-opening experience for Lin Yi, but they were just ordinary mortals; how dare they?

This must be because they completely believe that demons won't harm people, which is why they dare to be so promiscuous.

The demon that revealed its fox tail did not commit any evil deeds according to the Demon Extermination Manual, so it seems that it did not devour human essence like the demon in Yuzhang County.

Could it be that humans and transvestites have truly achieved peaceful coexistence here?

Lin Yi had doubts in his heart and did not do anything rashly.

Under Lin Yi's all-seeing eye, there were indeed some monsters in the Red Mansion, but the ones that truly exuded demonic energy were underground.

There must be secret passages in this Red Mansion, which wouldn't be difficult for Lin Yi to find. His eyes can see through illusions, and with his current level of cultivation, most disguises are useless against him.

After wandering around casually for a bit, Lin Yi found the entrance.

There was no one guarding the entrance, as if they weren't afraid of anyone breaking in, displaying an air of confidence that anyone who found the entrance could simply enter.

Thinking of this, Lin Yi became more cautious.

"Little Cloud, you have a very keen sense of perception. Be careful once you go in, understand?"

"clear."

Wuyun spoke in a childish voice. She didn't mean it; it was just that her voice was naturally like that after she turned from a cat into a human.

Lin Yi patted her head like petting a cat, then hugged her in his arms and walked into the entrance.

Upon taking this step, I discovered a hidden world beneath the surface.

Various demons roamed among the crowd, a group of succubi danced on the stage, and the audience cheered loudly. This was just the prelude.

The underground layout is somewhat like a sports stadium, with a large platform in the center where the brilliance of gemstones converges.

The surroundings were somewhat dimly lit, with passageways and seats in each area.

There are humans, and there are demons.

Whether human or demon, everyone wears a mask, as if it were the rule here.

Seeing this, Lin Yi couldn't stand out from the crowd. He was already wearing a human skin mask, so he took out a smiling mask from his cloud bag and put it on, and also put one on Wuyun.

Once he blended into the crowd, Lin Yi deactivated his invisibility spell.

Demons and monsters each possess supernatural abilities; perhaps one of them can see through invisibility spells. Rather than being caught by others, he might as well dispel it himself first.

Anyway, there are a lot of people here, so no one will notice that he is different.

There were many empty seats in the four-sided area; if one or two extra people came, no one would really care.

On stage, after the succubi finished their dance, they swayed their alluring figures off the stage, and Lin Yi secretly memorized their aura.

Once we take action, we definitely can't let these demons go.

There are four categories: demons, monsters, and ghosts. Only demons are infallible.

The other three categories may or may not harm people, but the demon is the only one who cannot avoid harming people.

The fact that so many succubi are working as dancers suggests there's an even more powerful demon behind them. Once he shows up, we should have a great haul.

"Fellow Daoists, welcome to the underground market hosted by the Hanzhong Chamber of Commerce. Today, our Chamber of Commerce has 180 items for sale, all of which are rare treasures. Fellow Daoists, please do not miss it."

In addition, fifty fellow cultivators submitted a total of seventy commissions. After the bidding concludes, those interested can obtain the details of these commissions. Alright, enough chit-chat, let's start with the first appetizer!

Lin Yi watched the middle-aged man on stage speaking passionately, but he was actually quite disappointed. In other novels, wasn't this kind of classic auction scene usually handled by a glamorous female auctioneer?

Negative review?

This auction was indeed like the ghost market of Star Sand City, with buying and selling, and commissions and orders, only it was more bustling and therefore looked more upscale.

Soon, the first item was brought up for auction.

It was a large cage, about the size of a small classroom, covered with a black cloth, and no one knew what was inside.

When the middle-aged auctioneer went over and lifted the black cloth, Lin Yi was surprised to find that the room was packed with people.

"The first item for sale consists of fifty ordinary young men and women, all of childbearing age. Fellow Daoists, you may buy them to enjoy directly, or you may raise them for a period of time to produce offspring. This batch of appetizers is not sold individually; the starting price is 40,000 gold."

As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, there were immediate responses from the audience.

"The first appetizer is so luxurious; it seems there are many delicacies today. Forty thousand, I'll take it."

"You won't lose money even if you buy this batch of goods for 100,000 gold. You can earn it back in a few years. I'll offer 50,000."

"Fifty-five thousand!"

"Sixty thousand..."

The bidding from the audience was very enthusiastic. Lin Yi watched this scene and listened to what these demons were saying, his clenched fists still trembling.

He thought the auction items were something special, but it turned out to be just an appetizer!

very good!

Lin Yi memorized the scent of every bidder, making sure they wouldn't escape later.

In the end, the 100 people were sold for 75,000. A servant handed the buyer a small wooden tag with the number 1. The buyer would then pay and collect the goods by presenting the tag.

The buyer was a wolf demon with nine hundred years of cultivation. When he received the small wooden plaque, his mouth was practically watering.

He seemed really hungry for it.

Lin Yi forcibly suppressed his anger and observed the situation.

"The second item for sale is fifty young boys and girls, all under the age of five, whose innate energy has not yet dissipated. The starting price is fifty thousand gold coins..."

"The third item for sale: ten young men who have been nurtured by poetry and literature..."

"..."

Without exception, all the auction items were people, and different kinds of people at that—some were educated, some were young, and some had special physical conditions.

Some were sold as food, and some as cooking pots. Lin Yi's mood changed from anger at the beginning to calm now.

There's no need to get angry with the dead. Once we've finished reading the Demon-Slaying Manual and broken the defensive formation here, all these people will die.

Even if they escape from here, those he has locked onto won't get far.

Unless someone more powerful than him appears, but Lin Yi had done a quick calculation. The variety of demons and monsters here is abundant, and most of them are of medium to high cultivation level.

Moreover, there are several powerful demons whose cultivation has exceeded 1,500 years.

It's entirely possible to help him accumulate enough for a 6,000-year Heavenly Tribulation. Once the Heavenly Tribulation is over, Lin Yi will be able to easily reach 7,500 years of cultivation.

Yan Qingqiu, who is ranked among the top nine on the demon list, has not yet reached seven thousand years of cultivation. He couldn't possibly be so unlucky as to encounter a higher-ranked demon here.

"...Then there are forty items left to sell. They are the concubines and daughters of the previous emperor. These women have lived in the imperial city for many years and have been tainted by the dragon's aura. They are excellent furnaces."

Ten of the pairs are mother-daughter pairs and can be auctioned as a pair, starting at 200,000 gold. The remaining twenty are sold individually, starting at 90,000 gold. There are plenty of them, everyone can buy one!

Upon hearing this, the entire audience was thrilled, not only the demons but also the people mixed in with them.

For a little money, you can sleep with the emperor's woman, the emperor's daughter. Is that expensive?

This isn't expensive!

Amid cheers from the audience, thirty cages were pushed onto the stage one after another. The ten larger cages were in front, each containing two people, while the twenty cages behind were single-person cages.

The black cloth was lifted, revealing shapely noblewomen and young girls inside. They were dressed very thinly and seductively. These people, who were once high and mighty, were now locked in cages, looking pitiful, which seemed to excite the people inside even more.

From the moment the first imperial concubine and princess were brought up, the bidding never stopped.

The little girl looked to be only ten years old, and her big eyes were filled with fear.

The woman beside her held her tightly, even though she herself was trembling.

The people on the stage were fearful and timid, while those below cheered excitedly. Lin Yi looked around and suddenly felt that this was probably the real hell.

Hell is not in the underworld, but in the world of the living.

Lin Yi had witnessed the horrific conditions of the Avici Hell, where the demons had lost their minds and suffered daily torment.

But the shock of hell was far less chilling to Lin Yi than the scene before him.

It's one thing for demons to persecute people, but what chills him to the bone is the mutual harm people inflict on each other.

Why are these concubines and princesses, who should be in the capital, in such a place?

And what about the children of disgraced officials, the well-read young men, who have been reduced to food here?

The answer is obvious.

This is a demon auction house supported by the imperial court. Lin Yi had heard about it before. Xiao Zhao was cooperating with demons, but this was the first time he had witnessed it firsthand.

Humans were bought and sold at will, just like animals, yet he saw not a trace of sympathy in the eyes of those involved at the scene.

"It's about time to make a move."

Dark clouds quietly slipped back from the shadowy corner and gave Lin Yi a thumbs-up.

The reason Lin Yi waited so long was to use his Heavenly Eye to lock onto all the array's key points and secretly have Wu Yun set up talismans that he could counter, to ensure that the array here would fail later.

The petite and delicate cloud was perfect for this kind of work, and Lin Yi's attention was always focused on her, so he could react quickly if anything changed.

Everything went smoothly, and now that the dark clouds had returned, there was no need for him to wait any longer.

Just then, his patience was almost at its limit.

Two million.

Not far in front of Lin Yi, a clear voice suddenly called out a bid, instantly silencing the entire room.

Two million gold coins to buy a mother and daughter, what kind of super-rich person is this?

Once that price was announced, basically no one else followed suit.