Having left the auction house, Huang Yi found himself with nothing pressing to attend to. As Thornbush City gradually succumbed to slumber, the number of people on the streets began to dwindle, leaving only the dim glow of streetlights. The city exuded a tranquil beauty in the stillness of the night.
The noise had slowly faded away, and Huang Yi, stepping on his own shadow, wandered through the city, and without realizing it, ended up in Sally Garden again. The garden was abloom with a variety of flowers—roses bowing under the moonlight, night-blooming cereus basking in solitary splendor against the darkness, and Golden Kudzu climbing the mottled statues...
Arriving at this garden, it felt as if he had been transported to a medieval noble’s estate.
Huang Yi took a seat on the same bench he had the night before, and turned to look at the apartment building not far away. The young girl’s window was still lit, the orange light casting a hazy glow through the paper screen, with her graceful silhouette still visible inside.
Several vines of ivy twined around the girl’s window, dotted with small white flowers, framing her silhouette as if it were a picture in a frame.
Huang Yi sat there quietly, watching the silhouette of the young girl, his mind at peace. The tension from a day of continuous battle seemed to be soothed, slowly relaxing in the solitude of the garden. It was as if the garden, empty and silent, had become his own secret haven.
Gradually, he fell asleep under the moonlight, entering dreamland amidst the fragrant flowers, without the need to worry about any potential dangers.
Some people, with just one glance, can be remembered for many years.
...
In the blink of an eye, three days had passed.
During these three days, Huang Yi had cleared the Tower of Pantheons’s solo runs daily, sometimes even taking Biyue Qingkong and Little Fatty to tackle the five-person rooms, securing for them two sets of fine equipment.
Each day, Huang Yi secured dozens of Blue Gear and a few Purple Gear, assembling the entire Murloc Nightcrawler Suit, elevating his strength to a new peak. His Level soared to 31, and he could now solo clear up to the 27th floor of the Tower! That was only four Levels shy of his own.
This was unimaginable to most players!
All of this was thanks to the benefits of the Overlord’s Pact Storage Ring. Being able to wear High-level equipment ahead of time meant strengthened abilities, enabling the tackling of higher floors, benefiting from a higher Drop Rate, securing better equipment, and enhancing his power even further... It created a virtuous cycle.
Apart from the gear he needed, the rest was sold at the auction house, and his savings had surged from 100,000 Gold Coins to 300,000.
That evening, Huang Yi arrived early at the auction house because today was the exclusive auction hosted by the continent’s leading Rune Master, Master of Law Longwen!
In recent days, the flux of people in Thornbush City had noticeably increased, and the Teleport Plaza was exceedingly lively. Many came from other cities and regions specifically for this auction—a rare opportunity that attracted the attention of numerous powers, including several high-ranked NPC powerhouses who entered the Thornbush City auction house with vast fortunes.
The auction house was packed with people, all there for the auction. Long queues formed, snaking along predefined paths into the gallery at a snail’s pace.
Huang Yi didn’t join the line but instead approached an usher, flashing a gold card. Seeing the Gold Card, the usher immediately dropped what she was doing to lead Huang Yi through a separate VIP channel.
This Gold Card was an indication of membership to the auction house, signifying Huang Yi as a distinguished guest. After selling a large amount of quality gear there over the past days, he was already a valued customer. The auction house was part of a chain; wherever he went to any city’s auction house on the continent, showing this Gold Card would secure him superior service.
Huang Yi followed the usher down a corridor, eventually stopping in front of a door at the end. The usher opened the door, revealing a blue energy Barrier, with blue points of light converging toward a central Black Hole, an intriguing sight.
"Respected Mr. Instakill," the usher said with a Smile, "passing through this Magic Gate will take you into the auction hall space. It’s a magical space created by several Mages working together. It’s vast and designed to nullify most skills, ensuring safety."
Huang Yi nodded and passed through the Magic Gate, instantly finding himself in a different space. It was a large hall, several times more spacious than the outside, filled with tens of thousands of seats laid out like in a real-world sports arena. At the forefront of these seats was a large stage, currently hidden behind a red curtain, shielding the background from view.
By this time, many seats were already filled, the atmosphere buzzing with noise.
"Respected Mr. Instakill, please follow me. Your seat is in one of the second-floor boxes," said the usher, leading the way forth.
The usher took Huang Yi up to a second-floor box, enclosed by a Magic Barrier. From the inside, one could see out, but from the outside, one couldn’t see in, ensuring excellent privacy.
Huang Yi sat quietly in the box, awaiting the start of the auction. The usher had already departed. He took out his 30 Diamond Coins from the storage ring, gently caressing them. Diamond Coins are a tier above Gold Coins, with one Diamond Coin equivalent to ten thousand Gold Coins.
With his 300,000 Gold Coins, ordinary players would definitely not be able to outbid him. Only certain powers or powerful NPCs could possibly pose a challenge to him. However, the very best runes were still beyond his reach; he would have to pick the right moment to bid, not for the best, but for the most suitable.
After waiting for half an hour, the auction was about to commence, and most of the seats below were filled with people, each wearing an expression of anticipation, hoping to make some gains.
At that moment, the red curtain on the stage was slowly raised. A man in his forties, dressed neatly, wearing crystal glasses, and hair combed without a strand out of place, stepped onto the podium. He addressed the tens of thousands below with fervor: "Respected guests, thank you all for coming to this auction. This event is held by special arrangement on behalf of the continent’s premier Rune Master, Master of Law Longwen..."