Chapter 706: A Mixed Bag
The group headed toward the auction house.
Along the way, they drew a lot of attention.
Ling Zhan's handsome looks, Avril's charm, Ansely's icy elegance, and Adolphus's imposing stature.
These qualities made people around them unable to resist stealing glances at the four.
Especially Ansely. Despite her frosty expression, her alluring figure beneath her Holy Light Robes made the surrounding men secretly swallow hard.
However, because of Radiant City's strict rules against private fighting and killing, the crowd only observed from a distance without daring to approach.
There's no choice...
The City Lord of Radiant City was so renowned that no one dared to entertain improper thoughts.
The trade district of Radiant City was bustling and lively.
On the outermost edge, many Professionals had set up stalls, selling items they had obtained from killing monsters in the wilderness or purchasing from others.
However, these individual sellers generally didn't have anything valuable to offer.
As a result, not many people lingered in this area.
Ling Zhan and his group didn't stop here and continued further inside.
After a few minutes, they arrived at an enormous and majestic hall. Above the entrance hung a sign engraved with the words [Radiant Auction House].
Surrounding it were luxurious shops.
It was clear...
The atmosphere here was extremely lively and packed with Professionals browsing for good items.
Entering the auction house also required a fee.
Each person needed to pay 200,000 Holy Crystal Stones.
That's twenty times the cost of the city's entry fee.
You might think...
Ordinary Professionals wouldn't be willing to spend 200,000 Holy Crystal Stones just to enter.
The reason is simple...
They were already struggling financially. Even if they spent 200,000 Holy Crystal Stones to get in...
What then?
Every good item inside was worth millions of Holy Crystal Stones, far beyond what ordinary Professionals could afford.
And that's just the starting price.
Some items could go for tens of millions or even billions of Holy Crystal Stones.
It was rumored that SS-tier skill books were often auctioned inside.
So, despite the bustling crowd outside, the entrance to the auction house wasn't particularly crowded.
Occasionally, a few well-dressed Professionals would enter, clearly wealthy individuals.
Ling Zhan and his group also paid their fees and entered the auction house.
Their main goal wasn't to bid but to gather intelligence.
Strong contenders would likely be here looking for valuable items to bid on.
Furthermore, it was said that five premium items were being auctioned today, three of which were related to the upcoming Radiant Secret Realm.
This made it certain that powerful figures would be gathering here.
Entering the grand hall...
The four walked down a long corridor, eventually reaching the massive auction room at the end.
The auction room was already filled with a bustling crowd, and the seats were packed.
The room was structured in a circular, tiered layout.
Ling Zhan and his group had purchased ordinary seats costing 200,000 Holy Crystal Stones each.
The front rows were priced at 500,000 Holy Crystal Stones per seat.
Only those with power, status, and wealth would spend that much to sit up front.
At this moment...
After taking his seat, Ling Zhan's sharp gaze swept the room. It quickly landed on a group of people to the right in front of him.
The reason was simple...
Yamashita Masahiko was among them!
Though Ling Zhan and his group sat farther back, their distinctive appearances and demeanors still drew many eyes.
Naturally, Yamashita Masahiko noticed them as well. He glanced back, surprised to see them here, but quickly sneered disdainfully before turning away.
"Why is Yamashita Masahiko mingling with the people from the Demon Dragon Palace?"
Avril frowned and asked.
"Demon Dragon Palace?" Ling Zhan raised an eyebrow.
"Those dressed in black robes embroidered with golden dragon patterns—they're from the Demon Dragon Palace. The leader is Zhang Mingruo, the fourth son of the Palace Master, and a level 140 powerhouse."
"For this Radiant Secret Realm, the Demon Dragon Palace seems to be led by him."
"The Demon Dragon Palace doesn't have a great reputation on the Holy Continent. Its members are ruthless and enjoy killing innocents. Worst of all, there are rumors they have ties to the Demon Arrival Organization."
"But since there's no concrete evidence, it remains just a rumor."
Avril explained softly.
She was a native of the Holy Continent and had long been familiar with such rumors and intelligence about major factions.
Ling Zhan nodded slightly upon hearing this. So they were from the Demon Dragon Palace.
"I just didn't expect the Ten Thousand Beasts Alliance and the Demon Dragon Palace to have grown so close..."
Adolphus sighed softly.
Ling Zhan's gaze shifted to another group near the Demon Dragon Palace.
This group was dressed in gray robes adorned with ferocious tiger head emblems, likely members of the Ten Thousand Beasts Alliance.
The Ten Thousand Beasts Alliance.
A guild of Beast Tamers, all members specialized in beast-taming professions.
At this moment, they were engaged in conversation with the Demon Dragon Palace members.
Their leader was named Ding Haoji, a burly man with a long beard and a rough demeanor.
Using his Appraisal Eye, Ling Zhan smirked slightly.
It wasn't because he was intimidated by Ding Haoji's stats or level, but because this burly man was only 22 years old!
Despite his face looking like someone in his 40s or 50s, his actual age was just 22!
Can you believe it?
It just goes to show that appearances can be deceiving.
Ding Haoji and Zhang Mingruo were conversing with Yamashita Masahiko, clearly indicating that Yamashita had strong ties to these two factions.
Besides the Demon Dragon Palace and the Ten Thousand Beasts Alliance...
There were other powerful factions that couldn't be ignored.
The Shadowmoon Pavilion, an assassin guild, led by a young man named Qiao Duo, a level 140 Shadow Master.
The Radiant Guild, founded by the City Lord of Radiant City, was represented by Liu Zheng, the son of the acting City Lord Liu Hong'an. Liu Zheng was a level 140 Martial God who shamelessly flaunted his love for women, boldly embracing them in public.
The Holy Sword Guild, led by Jian Zicheng, a level 140 Sword God.
There were also independent individuals and those who chose not to reveal their affiliations, all present at the auction.
In one phrase...
A mixed bag of dragons and fish.
Both prominent and shadowy forces were present.
This made Avril and the others visibly tense.
It seemed this Radiant Treasure expedition would be far more challenging than anticipated...