Chapter 1616: Encounter

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Chapter 1591: The Encounter

"What? Are there trading areas in the side halls? I thought this was where the auction was held," Han Li asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.

"Fellow Daoist Han, you may not be aware of this. To bid on items, one naturally needs a large quantity of spirit stones. Many cultivators prefer to exchange their accumulated rare materials for spirit stones just before the auction. Therefore, a period is always set aside before each Four Clans Auction for fellow Daoists to trade among themselves, either for spirit stones or other desired items. If you can't sell an item, you can also sell it directly to the Auction Hall. They will buy it, though the price will certainly be slightly lower than the normal market rate. The sole advantage of this is that with the backing of the four great clans, even the most precious items will always find spirit stones for acquisition. Of the side halls on either side of the main hall, one is specifically for purchasing items, and the other is for selling them," Tie Jian explained. "Purchasing items?" Han Li felt a stir of interest.

"Oh, Brother Han, do you also have treasures you wish to sell? I'd suggest you first explore the selling area, and only then visit the side hall for purchasing items. It would be ideal if your items could be directly exchanged for something you need," the bald man advised. "Indeed, what Fellow Daoist said holds some truth. I shall go and have a look first," Han Li nodded in agreement.

"In that case, let's head over together, fellow Daoist. With a bit of luck, we might truly find something beneficial," Tie Jian said, a pleased expression on his face upon hearing Han Li's decision. He then led Han Li directly towards the entrance on the right.

The blue-robed guards stationed at the entrance simply cast a glance at Tie Jian and Han Li, then allowed them to pass without any questioning.

"The primary purpose of this Four Clans Auction is simply to enhance Cloud City's popularity and reputation. Thus, anyone with the status of an upper clan member or higher can participate freely. As a result, the cultivation levels and statuses of the participants vary wildly, with immense disparities. Yet, this very diversity is why the number of attendees attracted to this auction annually far surpasses that of any other major auction in Tianyun," Tie Jian explained to Han Li the moment they stepped through the entrance.

"Upper clan members can all participate in this auction? Can this place truly accommodate so many people?" Han Li frowned, looking somewhat unconvinced.

It was no wonder Han Li spoke thus; the upper clan members in Cloud City undoubtedly numbered in the hundreds of thousands. While the hall before them was not small, it seemed impossible for it to accommodate so many people simultaneously. "Hehe, Fellow Daoist will soon discover the reason for yourself; there's no need for me to explain," Tie Jian said with a mysterious smile upon hearing Han Li's question. Han Li's expression stirred, and his gaze involuntarily shifted forward.

It was only then that he realized he had been in the entrance for an unusually long time; after walking for a while, he still hadn't stepped inside the main hall.

Wait! The exit, faintly gleaming with white light ahead, had seemed quite close just moments ago. Yet, after walking for some time, it still appeared to be no closer.

A hint of surprise appeared on Han Li's face.

"Spatial manipulation!" Han Li murmured, his expression solemn.

"Haha, Fellow Daoist Han finally noticed! This auction hall is actually a super magic treasure in itself, capable of freely expanding and contracting, and it possesses inherent spatial abilities. The space inside the hall is more than ten times larger than what appears from the outside, easily accommodating hundreds of thousands of people with room to spare," Tie Jian said with a laugh. "I see. No wonder that circular ring at the top of the building looked so peculiar," Han Li mused, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Although this entrance requires a bit more walking due to the spatial manipulation, it's not truly a long distance. We should be able to exit here very soon," Tie Jian said confidently, stroking his smooth forehead with a large hand. Han Li simply nodded, offering no further reply.

Just as Tie Jian predicted, after another short walk, the exit ahead suddenly flickered, and its distance to them instantly closed.

The two easily exited the entrance and emerged into an exceptionally spacious plaza. The area was bustling with people, resembling a lively market street with its constant flow of individuals.

Around the plaza, countless semicircular light screens were densely arranged, one after another, with many cultivators moving in and out of them.

In the center of the plaza, a white jade platform held a simple wooden table. Two clear-eyed young attendants in green robes were distributing items to several non-human cultivators gathered at the table. Han Li was absorbed in observing when Tie Jian turned, cupped his fists, and said, "Fellow Daoist Han, let us part ways here. I need to find suitable buyers to quickly sell off my treasures. I won't accompany you further." "If Fellow Daoist has business, please attend to it. I also wish to explore on my own," Han Li replied with a polite smile. "Then take care, Brother Han!" Tie Jian cupped his fist once more, then eagerly made his way towards a particular edge of the plaza.

Han Li watched the large man's retreating figure, his gaze flickering a few times. After a while, he shifted his attention back to the jade platform in the center, examining it for a moment, then abruptly walked toward it. Soon, he reached the platform's vicinity.

At that moment, several more individuals stepped onto the platform.

But now, Han Li could finally see clearly.

Each of the non-human cultivators who stepped onto the platform, after handing a bag of high-grade spirit stones to the two attendants, received small banners of various colors from them.

Han Li's gaze intently followed one of them, observing as the person walked to a deserted part of the plaza's edge. They then waved the small banner a few times, and a semicircular light screen materialized, completely concealing their figure. Han Li attempted to probe with his divine sense. However, the moment his divine sense touched the light screen, it was blocked by a protective barrier, preventing any silent intrusion. Clearly, these light screens served as private transaction spaces for cultivators in the plaza, eliminating any concerns about one's secrets being observed by others.

After Han Li scanned his surroundings, he saw flickering light screens as far as his eye could reach. Even further away from his current plaza, several smaller plazas were also bustling with activity. Han Li exhaled slowly and shook his head.

Even with valuable treasures, finding a suitable buyer among such a multitude would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. He couldn't afford to waste too much time here. If he, too, desired the Myriad Marvel Pill, he would need to raise a substantial amount of spirit stones before the auction.

With this thought in mind, Han Li began to move slowly and discreetly along the edge of the plaza. Most of the time, he merely observed from the outside, only occasionally stepping into one or two light screens before quickly emerging. After a quarter of an hour passed with no success, he frowned, turned decisively, and headed back towards the entrance along the path he had come.

Whether by coincidence or Han Li's deliberate action, when he stepped back into the entrance, he found himself to be the only person present.

As Han Li walked, he suddenly flicked his sleeve, and a black gauze scarf appeared.

Then, with a soft 'thump,' a faint cloud of black mist enveloped Han Li, making his figure appear unusually blurred.

Almost immediately, a flash of light appeared within the black mist, which then swirled and transformed into a dull black, lustrous long robe, settling onto Han Li. He emerged from the mist with his head slightly bowed.

His aura became faint and incredibly subtle. But when he raised his head again, he revealed a pale, unfamiliar face. In that instant, Han Li had completely altered his clothes and appearance.

Moving discreetly, Han Li calmly exited the entrance, brushing past several non-human cultivators who were just entering.

The blue-robed guards outside merely cast a glance at Han Li as he emerged, showing no further unusual reactions. Han Li then confidently strode into the side hall on the other side. It too featured a considerably large plaza, but the scene inside caused Han Li to pause slightly.

Unlike the selling area, though this place also had a significant number of people, they were all gathered in a smaller section of the plaza.

There, several bluestone walls, approximately ten *zhang* tall, stood prominently, displaying shimmering silver characters. The non-human cultivators were all gathered around these walls, each gazing with a different expression.

Slightly behind these stone walls stood a dozen or so connected jade rooms, encircling a multi-story pavilion. Each room was crystal clear and exceptionally white.

However, white light flickered at the entrances of these rooms, obscured by a shimmering aura, yet they all appeared vaguely wide open. The central pavilion, entirely crimson, was shrouded in a faint blue smoke, from which a subtle fragrance emanated, making it seem otherworldly.

Among those gathered around the stone walls, individuals occasionally entered the jade rooms. Upon emerging, some displayed shifting, uncertain expressions; others appeared dejected and gloomy; while still others were exceptionally excited. Once Han Li understood the situation, he no longer hesitated and walked towards one of the stone walls.

But just then, near another stone wall, a slender figure suddenly turned and began walking in the same direction, changing her objective.

Han Li's gaze instinctively swept over the figure, causing his body to tremble and his expression to suddenly change dramatically, beyond his control.

The woman had long black hair and wore a blue robe. Her face was pretty, but her expression was unusually cold. She did not notice Han Li's unusual reaction and walked directly to the stone wall, then gazed at it with tightly furrowed brows.

"How could it be her? Impossible. But is there truly someone in this world who bears such a striking resemblance?" Han Li came to a complete halt, his face slightly pale, staring unblinkingly at the blue-robed woman. He muttered ceaselessly to himself in a voice only he could hear.

Han Li's discomposure as he stared at the blue-robed woman seemed to make her sense something. She subconsciously turned her head, and her gaze met Han Li's directly.

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