Chapter 761: Life and Death as Brief as Incense Smoke

"I can allow your friend to leave the auction house. How far it gets will be entirely up to its own ability."

Lan Ling stated seriously, "You understand that because you are a Taixu, we wish to avoid excessive bloodshed, which is why we're offering this option. However, since you are all ghost beasts, the Red Cloaks cannot simply allow any of you to escape."

The dark figure remained silent.

Just the right to leave the auction house...

For him, this was far from sufficient.

He knew that outside, a perimeter of Red and White Cloaks would surely be waiting.

Whether Scorpion Tail Moon could genuinely break free at that point remained uncertain.

While the concession offered by the Red Cloaks was utterly inadequate in the dark figure's estimation, it was astonishing news to everyone else present.

"The Red Cloaks and ghost beasts can negotiate?"

"Are you serious? With such a massive presence from the White and Red Cloaks, is there truly no Taixu here?"

"Why don't they just take it down directly? What's with all the talk? Our lives are still hanging in the balance here!"

"Quiet! Can't you see one of the Red Cloaks has already been defeated?"

"The opponent is clearly not to be underestimated..."

As the old saying goes:

Keep your nose out of other people's business.

But when a ghost beast, particularly a Taixu-level one, genuinely appeared at the auction house.

At this moment, the spirit refiners present were truly united, all eager to first eliminate this cancerous threat to human social order.

"Roar..."

Inside the private room, suppressed by several powerful cultivators, the Scorpion Tail ghost beast had no strength left to resist. She could only growl softly, signaling her protest.

The dark figure, however, paid no mind.

He listened to the murmuring crowd nearby, showing no irritation, and simply addressed Lan Ling again: "Just leaving the auction house isn't enough. I could accomplish that with ease, or even ensure two people leave together."

Lan Ling frowned. "Are you implying you have other demands?"

The dark figure pointed at Scorpion Tail. "Let her leave, and grant her one hour. What the Red Cloaks do after that is none of my concern."

"Impossible!" Lan Ling instantly refuted.

One hour.

A cultivator of the Slash Path, fleeing at full speed for their life, could escape not just from the Eastern Heavenly Imperial City, but from the entire Eastern Heavenly Realm into another realm!

Seeing Lan Ling's refusal, the dark figure said nothing more.

He suddenly pointed a finger skyward.

The next instant.

Without the slightest ripple of spiritual energy, the multiple grand formations enveloping the auction house suddenly shattered with a thunderous roar.

"Rumble—"

Following a deafening explosion.

Glistening fragments of the barrier slowly dissipated and faded from the sky.

The entire venue fell silent.

Everyone watched the scene in stunned silence.

The multi-layered spirit formation that they had just desperately attacked with all their might, yet failed to break.

The ghost beast shattered it with just one finger?

"The spirit formation... it's shattered."

When someone finally voiced this observation, everyone's hearts began to pound with a restless excitement.

With the spirit formation broken.

Given the strength of those present, if they scattered, the White and Red Cloaks would be unable to stop them.

Even if some were intercepted, others could certainly escape the impending judgment undetected.

Yet, moments ago, with the spirit formation intact, everyone had dared to resist.

Now, with the spirit formation shattered and even the Red Cloak Night Guard incapacitated, everyone stared at Lan Ling and the dark figure confronting each other in the front private room, suddenly hesitant to make any rash moves.

People, in many situations, are precisely like this...

When protected by an absolute defense, everyone dares to speak freely, to curse, to fight, to make a ruckus.

But once that barrier is gone, and they truly face the situation head-on.

Things forgotten while shielded and shouting frantically immediately surged back into their minds.

Such as order.

And also the Night Guard's earlier declaration: "Anyone inciting rebellion will be considered an accomplice of the ghost beasts, and their entire nine generations will be implicated!"

"Run! What are you waiting for? The barrier's broken..." someone whispered, egging them on.

"That's right, run! It's a golden opportunity, why hesitate?" Others agreed.

"Charge!"

"Go!"

"As long as we all scatter and escape, the White and Red Cloaks won't be able to stop us. The law doesn't punish the masses, and besides, I'm innocent; why should I submit to their Red Cloak judgment?"

"Yes, let's run!"

"Alright, I'll count. Everyone, let's go together: three, two, one..."

"Charge!"

No one dared to move.

Someone's leg twitched, lifted slightly from the ground, as if urged to move.

But upon turning around, they found everyone was waiting, waiting for someone to take the lead.

But no one stepped forward!

So, even if someone genuinely felt inclined to move and lifted their foot.

The next second, they would grimace, twitch their lips, and grumbling, place their foot back down.

"Sect Master Leng, you take the lead!"

Someone grew indignant. If no one led, who would dare to move?

Before the barrier broke, Leng Qi, the Sect Master of the Great String Heavenly Sect, had been the first to openly defy them.

Now, he didn't even want to lift a foot.

How could this be?

"Are you trying to morally bind me?" Leng Qi scoffed. "If you want to run, then run. I'm staying put."

"That's not what you said earlier!" someone immediately retorted, furious.

Leng Qi's grim eyes swept over them. "Indeed, back then, I didn't know if Hall Master Cheng's actions were merely an excuse. Now that the ghost beast is out, why don't you try running?"

"Try..."

Everyone grimaced, falling silent.

"Try, and you'll die!"

The clamor of the interlude in the auction hall sharply contrasted with the heavy atmosphere of the standoff inside the private room.

Lan Ling had initially been concerned that once the barrier broke, everyone present would riot.

But seeing everyone collectively cower now, she couldn't help but feel a wave of relief.

In this instance, the dark figure couldn't incite a riot among the crowd; it relied entirely on the weakness of human nature.

"What a massive setup!"

After breaking the barrier, the dark figure's gaze swept upwards, and he spoke with grave intensity.

He had clearly discerned the immense scale of the White and Red Cloak encirclement this time.

Turning his gaze back to Lan Ling, the dark figure stated sternly, "You have three breaths to consider. Either grant her one hour, and I will surrender and go with you, or everyone here... will perish alongside me!"

Lan Ling's eyelid twitched at his words.

She had already significantly overestimated the ghost beast's power here, but its ability to shatter the barrier with a single touch truly astonished her.

"One hour is absolutely out of the question," Lan Ling replied seriously.

"Three!"

The dark figure paid no attention, beginning his count.

Outside, the crowd began to panic.

Someone cried out in alarm, "Esteemed Red Cloaks, if you cannot protect us, then let us leave first! Why should we be pawns in a war between the Red Cloaks and ghost beasts?"

"Two!"

Initially, some individuals in the venue remained composed.

But when the death knell of the countdown resounded again, all composure shattered, and everyone buckled under the pressure.

Even Leng Qi found himself subtly stepping back.

"Esteemed Red Cloaks!"

Someone, already startled, shot into the air, yelling, "Either agree to him, or I'm leaving! What the hell is this? I've lived this long without even touching a woman, and you want me to die here?!"

Lan Ling glanced back, letting out an angry roar.

"Silence!"

However, this only intensified the defiant murmurs in the hall; cursing and complaints became unstoppable.

"One!"

The dark figure's expression hardened, and he raised both hands high.

At that moment, everyone in the hall tensed, poised to flee as if they would sprout wings the next second.

"One incense stick's time, I agree to that!"

Lan Ling closed her eyes tightly and said, "However, I can only grant you the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn. I will personally bear any ensuing punishment."

Seeing the dark figure's hands still raised, unmoved.

Lan Ling quickly added, "I am a Red Cloak commander; this is the extent of my authority. If you refuse, no one can offer you more!"

Upon hearing this, the dark figure finally ceased his movements.

At that moment, everyone in the hall collectively exhaled in relief.

However, in the very next breath, the dark figure acted once more.

In a flash, a black, inky light shot into the sky, blossoming into the shape of a black octopus against the azure.

"What the hell!"

Someone jumped in fright and swiftly flew away to dodge it.

Mid-flight, they realized it wasn't the dark figure attacking to doom everyone, but merely a signal, and awkwardly descended back to the ground.

"A signal..." Lan Ling's eyes blazed with anger. "What are you doing?"

The dark figure replied calmly, "I agreed to your deal: one incense stick's time."

Lan Ling looked up at the black octopus signal. "Then what's that for?"

The dark figure remained unperturbed. "Our agreement is solely between us; it doesn't preclude other methods. I never said that if I don't act, others can't."

Everyone's heart skipped a beat upon hearing this.

Was he calling for reinforcements?

"Don't worry, there are no more ghost beasts."

The dark figure smiled, seemingly having read their thoughts. "Do you truly believe a mere Eastern Heavenly Imperial City could conceal any more ghost beasts apart from us?"

Lan Ling frowned.

Just then, a message from the White Cloaks reached her ears:

In the Eastern, Southern, and Northern Districts, almost all the supreme powers of those regions had erupted in rebellion as the octopus signal ascended.

Lan Ling understood in an instant.

This was the dark figure's accumulation over many years.

His aim was, fearing defeat, to draw out a portion of the pursuing forces.

"A drop in the ocean..." Lan Ling shook her head with a sigh.

The dark figure said indifferently, "Consider this my final gift to you; you won't have to bother yourselves with finding and eradicating them."

Lan Ling countered, "Do you truly believe she can escape within the time it takes for one incense stick to burn?"

The dark figure replied, "At least I tried."

With that, he looked towards the Scorpion Tail ghost beast.

At that moment, the Scorpion Tail ghost beast, whose eyes were blood red, even had tears welling up, a sight that stunned everyone.

Ghost beasts, capable of emotion?

"Go now. We have one stick of incense. Perhaps our paths will cross again."

As he spoke, the dark figure's form suddenly solidified.

He transformed into a strikingly handsome middle-aged man with black hair, freely flowing.

Clad entirely in black, his aura was one of chilling malevolence, yet the only trace of tenderness lay in his gaze as he looked back at the Scorpion Tail ghost beast.

"Roar!"

The Scorpion Tail ghost beast roared in a fit of rage, and the surrounding space instantly collapsed.

Cheng Ji quickly intervened to prevent the collapsing space from harming anyone in the auction house.

Then, after a profound shared glance, the Scorpion Tail ghost beast, no longer lingering, turned and vanished into the swirling spatial fragments.

Despite the reluctance.

There was no turning back.

Everyone watched with a sigh.

Some lamented the opportunistic nature of ghost beasts, believing that profound affection ultimately led only to betrayal.

Most, however, knew deep down that any further delay would ensure neither of the two ghost beasts could escape.

"Come on."

The black-haired man watched his companion depart, then ascended into the air.

His movement startled everyone, immediately putting them on guard.

Yet he did not attack. Instead, with his hands clasped behind his back, he ascended higher and higher, finally gazing with profound nostalgia at the majestic Eastern Heavenly Imperial City below.

Over a decade...

If humans can develop attachments, why not ghost beasts?

"The time of one incense stick."

The black-haired man withdrew his gaze and stated, "When the time is up, I'll go with you."

Lan Ling grew anxious.

This was entirely different from their agreement.

However, the black-haired man had already ignored her, turning his head to gaze into the endless void. "My word is given; you trust it, don't you, Rao Yaoyao?"

A ripple flashed in the void, and a woman reappeared.

Rao Yaoyao, with the Profound Azure Divine Sword on her back, smiled and said, "Of course, I can wait for the time it takes for one incense stick to burn."

Private Room 209.

When the black-haired man revealed his true form, Xin Gugu could no longer remain still.

"Senior Wu Xia..."

He recognized him.

This was one of the former elders of the Xu Yue Gray Palace.

However, having defied the palace's orders, he chose to defect and had not returned to Xu Yue Gray Palace for over ten years.

In that case, the other individual could only be his companion, Elder Yue Xie...

"You know him?" Mo Mo's voice transmitted, asking again.

Xin Gugu had behaved unusually twice now.

This was very unsettling!

This guy wouldn't be foolish enough to forcibly intervene with the power of the throne, would he? Mo Mo had to get clarification.

"I know him."

This time, Xin Gugu's reply was unequivocally certain.

He couldn't claim not to know him; they were practically intimately familiar!

Within the Xu Yue Gray Palace, Wu Xia and Yue Xie were both taboo figures and legends.

In its early days, the Xu Yue Gray Palace was founded with the sole purpose of protecting the continent's remaining ghost beasts.

This, naturally, only included benevolent ghost beasts.

However, as it grew and more ghost beasts joined, the Xu Yue Gray Palace gradually became a mixed bag of individuals.

As its power expanded, internal factions within the palace inevitably began to vie for control.

Eventually, two distinct factions emerged.

One was the conservative faction, still upholding the palace's original founding principles.

The other was the militant faction, discontent with the Red Cloaks' suppression, seeking to recruit more powerful ghost beasts to join them and launch a rebellion.

As time passed, the Red Cloaks' suppression grew increasingly stringent.

Consequently, very few within the conservative faction of the Xu Yue Gray Palace could still uphold their original tenets.

Although the position of Palace Master of the Xu Yue Gray Palace technically remained reserved for an heir of the conservative faction.

In reality, the militant faction had seized control over most of the palace's power.

Wu Xia and Yue Xie were indeed elders of the conservative faction over a decade ago.

However, once the militant faction seized power, they relentlessly issued commands designed to corrupt the conservative elders.

It was precisely these commands that led some to capitulate.

While others chose to leave.

Wu Xia and Yue Xie were, of course, prime examples of those who left.