Legendary Son-in-Law: The Man with Poison Talismans

Chapter 236 Late Night Tavern

A voice next to him lowered and chimed in, "I heard that this thing comes from Demon Dragon City, and it grows on a living tree deep within the Demon Dragon Blood Domain. That place is said to be even deeper than Crimson Moon Canyon, and even Celestial Venerables have never been there. Could someone who could bring fruit from that place be an ordinary person?"

At another table, someone slammed their wine glass down, their voice rising several decibels: "And that Overlord's Blade! Have you heard? Ancient texts record it as a symbol of power. It's said that only a few exist, all hidden by the Empress in the Bichon Palace, never shown to anyone. Now it's appeared in Mengzhong, and Prince Gu is determined to get it. City Lord Huo also said that if the Prince obtains this divine weapon, he will personally help the Prince upgrade and forge it, making the Overlord's Blade the number one divine weapon in Marfa."

A man at the next table, wrapped in an old cotton-padded coat, put down his wine bowl, frowned, and interjected, "But the seller said he's not selling; he's only giving it to the bravest man in the world. Even the prince might not be able to get it, right?"

The man paused for a moment, then slammed his fist on the table and shouted, "His Highness just won the martial arts tournament! Who among the younger generation in Mengzhong can defeat him? Who else in the world is the bravest and most valiant person besides His Highness?"

Some people nearby nodded in agreement, while others lowered their heads, drank a bowl of wine without saying a word, and shook their heads, thinking about the scene of the final that day. It seemed that they had different opinions.

Someone else chimed in, "But what if the seller doesn't acknowledge it? What if he has other standards in mind?"

"Who else could it be? Huo Yan from Shabak? He lost to the prince in the arena. How could he be the number one warrior in the world?"

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, their voices a cacophony of sounds—the clatter of teacups against the table and suppressed laughter—colliding and echoing in the candlelight of the night.

Lin Mu sat in the corner, holding a pot of tea that had gone mostly cold. He didn't drink a drop, but the corners of his mouth slowly turned up.

The items haven't even been put up for auction yet, and the fire is already burning so brightly. This auction is even more lively than he expected.

However, the stronger the fire, the more it suited his taste.

And judging from their words, their acorns had also attracted the other faction in the alliance, Shabak, which was even better.

Gu Changfeng was fishing with the Overlord's Blade, while Huo Lie was fishing with the Acorn. Fires were burning on both sides, and the muddier the water, the easier it was for him to catch fish.

Lin Mu put down the cup of tea, which had long since gone cold, and was about to call the waiter to get him a room to rest.

A voice, neither too loud nor too soft, rose from the next table, drowning out the surrounding noise. The tone was serious and thoughtful: "Gentlemen, everyone's talking about the Blade of the Conqueror and the Acorn, but has anyone thought about something else...? Can Mengzhong really survive the great calamity unscathed?"

The man wore a faded, old robe, and his appearance suggested he wasn't wealthy or powerful. However, his gaze was steady as he spoke, as if he had carefully considered his words before uttering them. "I've heard news from Bich and Woma that the monsters' intelligence is slowly increasing. The orcs are even allying with other monsters and have even raided and destroyed a market in the Woma Forest. In contrast, the monsters on all the maps in Mengzhong are quiet. Is this normal? Either Prince An has truly done a good job these past few years, reinforcing the seals effectively; or..."

He paused, then lowered his voice, "These monsters have also developed intelligence, and even higher intelligence at that. They're just pretending, secretly plotting something big."

Hearing his words, a few people at the next table who were drinking waved their hands dismissively: "Worrying about nothing. Mengzhong hasn't had any major troubles in all these years. Now that the crown prince has inherited the throne, he's surpassed his predecessor. What's there to be afraid of?"

Another person chimed in, "That's right, if you're scared, go back to Beach and stop scaring people here."

The man sighed, picked up his wine bowl, took a sip, and said nothing more.

Lin Mu sat back in the corner, holding the pot of tea that had gone cold, and gently tapped the rim of the cup twice with his fingers.

This person has insight; at the very least, they are someone who is willing to think things through on their own.

However, no matter what, the overall situation of the world is still a bit far from him, and he can't control that much. It's enough for him to protect himself and the people he cares about.

Then he stood up, called the waiter to open a superior room, washed his face quickly, and lay down.

The bed wasn't very soft, and the bedding carried the crisp scent of soapberry juice. He went through the events of tomorrow's auction in his mind before slowly closing his eyes and drifting into a light sleep in the dim silence.

It gets light very quickly.

When Lin Mu opened his eyes, the gray-white morning light was already filtering through the window paper, and there were sporadic footsteps and shouts coming from the street.

He got up, washed up, changed into a clean gray-white robe, and went out.

A long queue had already formed outside the auction house, with all sorts of people crowded under the narrow doorway. Some were whispering to each other, some were looking down at the catalogs of auction items, and some were standing on tiptoe to peek inside.

As soon as Lin Mu arrived at the door, before he could even look into the crowd, a waiter in a gray robe quickly came out to greet him, bowed slightly, and gestured for him to enter: "Young Master Lin, you've arrived. This way, please."

Someone in the queue looked up, glanced at the waiter's respectful demeanor, then at Lin Mu, his gaze lingering on Lin Mu's grey-white robe for a moment, but he didn't say anything.

The person next to him whispered, "Who is this guy? I've never seen him before. Does he have access to the VIP lane?"

Another voice chimed in, "I don't know, but those who can use that passage are no ordinary people."

Several people in the queue who had been complaining about the long line glanced at Lin Mu's back. No one was dissatisfied; their gazes toward Lin Mu were filled with envy and speculation.

Lin Mu followed the waiter around the queue at the main entrance and entered through the VIP passage on the side.

The passageway was narrow, but it was covered with a thick, dark gray carpet, and copper wall lamps were embedded in the walls on both sides, casting a soft light that made it seem like a different world from the crowded and noisy queue outside.

The waiter led him through the passageway and up a narrow staircase. At the end of the second-floor corridor, the manager was already waiting there. He nodded slightly to him and said in a low voice, "Young Master Lin, the private room is ready. Please come in."

Lin Mu followed the steward through a narrow corridor to the second floor, where he was led into a south-facing private room.

The private room wasn't large, but it was well-decorated.

A large armchair, covered with gray-blue cushions, stood before a half-closed bamboo curtain. Through the gap in the curtain, one could clearly see the auction stage and layers of seats in the hall downstairs, but the bamboo curtain blocked the view from the outside.

On the table was a pot of hot tea and several plates of dried fruit and snacks, with a gold-embossed auction catalogue next to it.

The steward asked again in a low voice, "Is there anything else you need, young master?"

Chapter 237 Additional Shooting

Lin Mu was about to shake his head and say no, when he suddenly remembered something. He reached into his Qiankun bag and took out the Demon Blood three-piece set, placing it on the table: "Just got it. Demon Blood necklace, bracelet, and ring. The whole set is top-quality, and each piece has 3 more points of magic limit than the ordinary ones. Please add it to the auction temporarily as one of the middle items."

The steward glanced down at the three pieces of equipment that gleamed with a dark red luster, his eyelids twitched, and he looked troubled: "Young master, according to the rules, the list of items to be auctioned is set in advance. Adding items at the last minute... is not in accordance with the rules."

Lin Mu leaned back in his chair, saying nothing, just looking at him.

The steward looked down at the three pieces of equipment again, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. After hesitating for a moment, he said, "Young master, please wait a moment. I can't make this decision myself. We need to ask our head steward to decide."

After saying that, he turned around and quickly left the private room.

Not long after, an elderly man with gray hair, wearing a dark purple robe, pushed open the door and walked in. He had a thin face and a steady gaze. He cupped his hands in greeting to Lin Mu and said, "My surname is Sun, and I am the head manager of this auction house. I heard that you have something to bid on at the last minute?"

Lin Mu pushed the Demon Blood three-piece set on the table forward: "Elder Sun, please take a look."

Manager Sun didn't rush to get his hands on the items. He first looked down and examined them carefully, lingering on each of the three pieces of equipment for a few moments. Then he reached out, picked up the ring, and turned it around. He gently rubbed the ring with his fingertips, and his brow twitched slightly.

He didn't speak immediately. He put down the ring, picked up the necklace and looked at it in the light, then put it down again. Finally, he picked up the bracelet and weighed it in his hand before looking up, his tone revealing a hint of undisguised surprise: "Oh? Could this be... the Demon Blood equipment that only the Rainbow Demon monsters in the Sealed Demon Realm drop!"

He paused, as if recalling something, "I only recently heard about this set of equipment through a friend in Bichon. It is said to increase the wearer's health, which is extremely rare for mages."

He glanced at Lin Mu, his tone somewhat tentative: "Young Master Lin, I have a favor to ask. I have never seen this set of equipment in person before. Would you allow me to try it on?"

Lin Mu nodded: "Please go ahead, Elder Sun."

Without any ceremony, Manager Sun first put on the ring, then the bracelet, and finally hung the necklace around his neck. He closed his eyes to sense it for a moment, then suddenly opened them, his voice rising a fraction: "My friend only said that a single piece could increase health by 25 points, but wearing all three together actually gives an additional 50 points of health from the set bonus, which is a full 125 points of health."

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he pulled out a worn-out booklet from his sleeve, flipped through a few pages, and carefully compared the text line by line. Then he looked up at the Demon Blood three-piece set on the table, his tone becoming much more serious: "These attributes, such high magic power, are top-notch, truly top-notch. Young Master Lin, this set of equipment is flawless; it's definitely the best item up for auction tonight, probably no less than that 42-attack Dragon Slayer sword."

Lin Mu leaned back in his chair, not surprised at all.

The area around Fengmo can be used to farm Rainbow Demon Scorpion Guards and Pig Guards through the Zongheng Road, Secret Passage (II), and Demon Soul Palace. In reality, these areas were not breached for long. This place is far away in Mengzhong, so it takes time for news to reach us.

It will take at least ten days to half a month for news of the new equipment revealed by Fengmo to travel from Bichon to Mengzhong.

My Demon Blood three-piece set is probably the first complete set to appear in Mengzhong, and it's all top-quality, so it wouldn't be surprising if it fetched a certain price at auction.

Manager Sun carefully put away the old booklet, placed the Demon Blood Three-Piece Set back on the tray, and looked up at Lin Mu: "According to the rules, we can't add anything, but the items you brought this time are really heavy, so I'll make an exception. This Demon Blood Three-Piece Set will be placed in the middle to the back as a highlight of the auction."

Lin Mu nodded: "Thank you for your trouble, Elder Sun."

Manager Sun cupped his hands in a respectful bow, then turned and left with the three pieces of equipment without lingering. The door closed again, and the footsteps in the corridor gradually faded into the distance.

Lin Mu sat down in the armchair, not flipping through the booklet, but looking down through the bamboo curtain.

The seats in the hall were slowly filling up, with people coming in in twos and threes. Some were talking in hushed tones, some were pointing at brochures, and some were leaning back in their chairs with their eyes closed, resting.

After the ground floor seats were full, people began to move around in the private rooms on both sides of the second floor.

Lin Mu saw that the bamboo curtain of the private room diagonally opposite was lifted slightly, revealing a section of dark gold robe, which was quickly lowered again.

The curtain of the private room directly opposite remained closed, but low voices could be faintly heard coming from inside. The content was unclear, but it was clear that there was more than one person inside.

Lin Mu picked up his teacup, took a sip, turned his gaze back, and sat quietly in the armchair, waiting for the auction gong to sound.

Fifteen minutes later, a clear gong sounded downstairs.

The noise in the hall gradually subsided, and all eyes were focused on the auction stage at the front.

A woman in a deep red dress walked onto the stage. The dress was a little revealing, barely covering her upper body and leaving her collarbone and shoulders exposed, gleaming delicately in the candlelight.

Her lower body, however, was clad in a long skirt that reached her feet, swaying slightly as she walked. A thin gold chain was tied around her waist, gently swaying with her movements.

She walked to the center of the stage, her gaze sweeping across the entire room. Her voice, neither too loud nor too soft, carried a calming composure: "Gentlemen, I'm sure you've all been waiting a long time for this auction. As usual, the best items are saved for later, but the very first lot will not disappoint. Without further ado, let's begin."

Her voice faded in the hall, and a servant came up with a tray covered with dark red velvet.

On the plate lay a sword, two bracelets, two rings, and a necklace, all gleaming with a cool, moist luster in the candlelight.

The auctioneer stepped to the side, made a gesture above the tray, and announced in a clear voice: "First lot: a complete set of trekking equipment."

She first picked up the pair of rings: "A pair of gold rings, [Gold ring, Magic Defense 0-3, Attack 1-4, Taoist Magic 1-4, Magic 1-2, Requires Level 22]; [Gold ring, Magic Defense 0-3, Defense 0-2, Attack 1-4, Taoist Magic 1-4, Magic 1-1, Requires Level 22] Suitable for Taoist players in the early to mid-game for transitional use."

Setting down the ring, she picked up two bracelets: "A pair of Sharpur bracelets, [Shapur bracelet, Accuracy +2, Taoist Magic 0-2, requires level 16]; [Shapur bracelet, Accuracy +2, Attack 0-1, Taoist Magic 0-2, requires level 16]."

She picked up the sword again: "Frost Condensation Sword, [Frost Condensation, Attack 10-20, Taoist Magic 0-3, Requires Level 25], combining sharpness and Taoist magic."

Chapter 238 Chopping Dao Equipment and Heavenly Venerable Robe

Finally, she picked up the necklace: "[Soul Necklace, Accuracy +3, Attack 0-3, Taoist Magic 1-6, Requires Taoist Magic 23]. The entire necklace has no unnecessary frills, and every attribute is used where it is most needed."

She placed the necklace back on the tray, looked up at the audience, and raised her voice slightly: "This set of equipment is suitable for Taoists who can both attack and cast spells. As you all know, in this world, magic potions replenish slowly, and relying solely on spells simply cannot keep up with the consumption. Furthermore, the growth of summoned creatures is not entirely affected by Taoist magic. Therefore, many veteran Taoists have taken a more pragmatic path, focusing on attacking and using spells as a supplement, which saves on potions and increases monster-killing efficiency. This set of equipment is tailor-made for this playstyle, offering both offense and defense, and allowing for strategic advances and retreats. It is convenient enough for both monster hunting and roaming. Starting bid: 50 gold coins."

As soon as she finished speaking, someone in a corner of the audience shouted the first word: "60!"

"70!" came another voice, tinged with urgency.

"90!" The third person jumped for twenty gold coins, as if afraid someone would beat them to it.

The Taoist priests below the stage seemed to have been set ablaze, raising their paddles one after another, with the price soaring from 90 to 150, and then from 150 to 300, almost without stopping.

Several young Taoist priests in robes argued heatedly, their faces flushed. As soon as one of them shouted "450," someone on the other side immediately countered, "500!"

The man gritted his teeth and shouted again, "550!"

But the person on the other end seemed determined to take the equipment, and simply raised his sign and shouted, "800!"

A moment of silence fell over the hall. Several people who had been hesitating withdrew their hands; some shook their heads, while others whispered among themselves.

Even two soldiers who were just there for the fun shouted "600" and "650" twice, but when they saw that the price had already soared to 800, they smiled and withdrew, clearly just joking.

The auctioneer glanced around and called out, "800 gold coins for the first bid... 800 gold coins for the second bid..." She paused for a moment, her voice rising slightly, "Any further bids?"

The Taoist priest who had shouted 800 straightened his sleeves, a slight smile playing on his lips, already waiting for the hammer to fall, already planning where to level up after putting on this set of equipment.

But before his smile could fully unfold, a gray-robed man who had been silent in the corner suddenly raised the sign in his hand and said in a voice that was neither too loud nor too soft: "850."