Chapter 425: Muzhen Auction (Trilogy)
Chapter 425: Muzhen Auction (Trilogy)
A very pretty creature?
Qiao Sang recalled the recent scene and realized who the Furyeye Fish was talking about, remaining speechless for a while.
At this moment, the green light on the Seasalt Lizard's body had brightened again, clearly illuminating the Furyeye Fish's bashful and shy expression.
A rather absurd thought suddenly popped into her mind:
Could it be that this guy has a crush on Lulu...
"What did it say?" Jiang Xiu asked curiously.
Qiao Sang translated, "It's looking for Lulu. It might have been bothered by her when she was picking up the Dark Crystal near it."
"What?!" Jiang Xiu's face changed, and he shouted at the Seasalt Lizard, "Full speed ahead!"
"Seasalt!"
The Seasalt Lizard called out and suddenly sped up.
"Pearl!"
The Furyeye Fish was initially stunned, then it showed an annoyed expression and also accelerated.
Along the way, small and medium-sized Water Elemental Familiars were scared and fled in all directions.
"Xunxun!" Treasure Seeker held the Microphone, looking excited.
After chasing for so long, it was still following. What could it possibly want... Qiao Sang grumbled inwardly.
If the Furyeye Fish's target is Lulu, it would be best to keep them apart. Although she isn't one to judge by appearance, Lulu's fondness for Fangy shows that her taste is normal.
A familiar as peculiar-looking as the Furyeye Fish is definitely not Lulu's type. Professor Jiang also mentioned that the Furyeye Fish is a troublemaker, indicating that its temper isn't great. Lulu's temper isn't the best either. What if they get into a fight because of a disagreement?
Not only does it look bad, but its temper is even worse.
No, absolutely not...
After chasing for a while longer, Jiang Xiu's face had turned as black as night, unable to bear the persistent pursuit of the Furyeye Fish. He finally opened his backpack and started searching.
"What are you looking for?" Qiao Sang asked.
"A Submarine Signal Device", Jiang Xiu replied while searching.
The Submarine Signal Device in the Ancient Fog Region is different from those in other regions. Due to the water-filled environment beneath the Ancient Fog Region, the communication and safety measures are far more advanced.
The Submarine Signal Device comes in two types.
One type is absorbed by the safety towers on the surface, where professionals can conduct rescues.
The other type is absorbed by others who also carry a Submarine Signal Device, which is the more popular method of seeking help in the Ancient Fog Region.
Nowadays, almost everyone who goes underwater in the Ancient Fog Region carries a Submarine Signal Device.
Those who carry this device can absorb distress signals from others within a certain distance and see the approximate distance to the sender.
Whether to help or not is entirely up to the individual.
Initially, most people were enthusiastic and would come to help as soon as a signal was sent.
However, over time, some unscrupulous individuals began using the Submarine Signal Device to lure others for robbery.
Others, despite having weak abilities and good intentions, would rush to help as soon as they absorbed a signal, only to end up as easy targets.
This led to a period where, although everyone carried a Submarine Signal Device, no one would come to help when a signal was sent.
Later, the Submarine Signal Device was improved and made available through a real-name purchase system, with a limit of one device per person. The device also categorized the level of danger, making it clearer to those who absorb the signal what kind of situation the sender is in.
Thus, the Submarine Signal Device has become one of the most common communication tools in the Ancient Fog Region.
"Found it!" Jiang Xiu said, pulling out a white device with a screen, similar to a mobile phone but much thicker.
He operated it for a moment.
A green signal point soon flickered on the screen.
Once the signal was sent, Jiang Xiu's expression improved slightly.
To think it would dare to cause trouble for Icechill. If it weren't for Qiao Sang being here, he would have given this Furyeye Fish a good talking to.
Now, he could only wait for others to arrive.
"Pearl!"
At that moment, the Furyeye Fish called out loudly.
"Ya Ya!"
Fangy translated promptly.
To still make us wait for it, what is it thinking? Can't it see we don't want to deal with it... Qiao Sang grumbled inwardly and asked:
"It's been chasing us this whole time. Does it know Lulu is here?"
Jiang Xiu paused for a moment before saying:
"It's likely. Although Icechill disappeared right before its eyes, its aura was still present. Otherwise, it wouldn't have chased us relentlessly. Besides, it has had contact with members who participated in the Water-Type Wild Beast Companion Exchange before and knows about Beastmasters."
No wonder... Qiao Sang thought to himself.
Seeing that Qiao Sang was silent, Jiang Xiu added worriedly:
"Don't you dare summon Icechill. This Furyeye Fish is clearly after Icechill."
No, it's after Lulu... Qiao Sang nodded, but before he could speak, Jiang Xiu continued:
"The last time members of the Water-Type Wild Beast Companion Exchange tried to befriend it, they brought some rare gems. But once it got the gems, it turned on them."
"Zhu Zhu!"
At that moment, the Furyeye Fish called out again.
"Ya Ya!"
Fangy translated.
What? It said Lulu left something behind and wants to return it when it sees her... Qiao Sang looked at the Furyeye Fish.
However, the underwater darkness made it difficult to see. Although the Seasalt Lizard emitted a green glow, it was only possible to make out the general outline and expression of the Furyeye Fish from a hundred meters away, with no details visible.
Meanwhile, Jiang Xiu kept talking:
"The Furyeye Fish is particularly obsessed with crystal gems and has a habit of collecting them. I think it's after Icechill because it saw the gem on her forehead."
Lulu had just picked up the Dark Crystal. So, the Furyeye Fish, being obsessed with crystals, still wanted to return the Dark Crystal to Lulu. It must really like her...
But wild beast companions are unpredictable, and we don't know the level of that Dark Crystal.
Forget it, if it's gone, it's gone... Qiao Sang suppressed the urge to summon Lulu.
"The Furyeye Fish only becomes less temperamental and willing to give up its collection when it finds a mate", Jiang Xiu continued. "Judging by this Furyeye Fish's bad temper, it's clearly still a single beast."
It becomes less temperamental and gives up its collection? Why didn't you say that earlier... Qiao Sang quickly made the hand signs.
Jiang Xiu: "!!!"
Jiang Xiu was dumbfounded. All his words had been in vain!
"Icechill." Lulu appeared in the water.
"Stop! Stop now!" Jiang Xiu shouted frantically.
The Seasalt Lizard came to an abrupt halt.
"Xunxun?" Treasure Seeker was puzzled. Why did they stop running?
Jiang Xiu took a deep breath:
"Why did you summon Icechill?!"
Of course, to see if the Furyeye Fish would give up its collection... Qiao Sang said seriously, "To ensure the Water-Type Wild Beast Companion Exchange goes smoothly."
To hell with the Water-Type Wild Beast Companion Exchange! This Exchange Meet was all for Icechill! Jiang Xiu exclaimed:
"These are all secondary! Icechill is more important! Summon her back quickly!"
Qiao Sang calmly replied, "Don't worry, just watch."
Jiang Xiu, eyes red with frustration, looked over and was completely stunned.
The Furyeye Fish had approached Icechill and, in a manner so shy it was almost unbearable to watch, handed over something in its side fin.
Jiang Xiu squinted to get a better look.
To his shock, it was the Dark Crystal he had thrown away!
Jiang Xiu was utterly baffled, unable to make sense of the situation.
Qiao Sang sighed:
"The Furyeye Fish really does like Lulu."
Like Icechill? Jiang Xiu's face froze, and he almost instinctively shouted:
"I don't agree to this marriage!"
Neither do I... Qiao Sang coughed and said, "I only summoned Lulu because of what you said. If the Furyeye Fish really likes Lulu, it won't attack her. This is a good opportunity to communicate and maybe convince the Furyeye Fish not to attack people who come here in the future. Otherwise, it will keep chasing us."
Jiang Xiu hesitated, but couldn't help but say:
"Is it that simple? Even if the Furyeye Fish likes Icechill, it will revert to its usual self once Icechill leaves."
Qiao Sang thought it wasn't important; she just wanted to take a look at that pile of crystal gems...
"Zhu zhu~"
On the other side, the Furyeye Fish, after handing over the Dark Crystal, twisted its body and called out with a shy expression.
"Icechill."
Lulu had a cold, aloof look on her face and was about to turn and leave.
"Zhu zhu!"
The Furyeye Fish, noticing this, hurriedly used its side fin to tug at Lulu.
"Icechill!"
Lulu mercilessly shook it off.
At that moment, the seawater surged, and a water column as thick as a meter suddenly rushed from behind toward the Furyeye Fish's position.
The Furyeye Fish, with its eyes fixed on Lulu, had its alertness drop sharply and didn't notice the threat.
"Icechill!"
Lulu noticed and leaped up, the water instantly swirling around her tail.
Then, she fiercely struck the incoming water column.
The water column instantly dispersed, turning into a cascade of water droplets that blended back into the surrounding water.
"Zhu zhu..."
The Furyeye Fish looked at Lulu, its long side fins covering its mouth, showing an expression of almost crying with gratitude.
She was protecting it!
"Zhu zhu!"
In the next second, the Furyeye Fish turned its head, baring its teeth with a fierce expression.
Who was attacking it!
"Old Jiang! Quickly take Icechill and leave! I'll handle this!" A deep male voice echoed through the dark water.
Qiao Sang followed the sound and saw the Shark Beast with glowing teeth that had left a strong impression on her.
Seeing the newcomer, Jiang Xiu was delighted:
"It's Old Xu!"
"Old Xu?" Qiao Sang asked.
"He's the one organizing this underwater beast companion exchange event", Jiang Xiu explained. "Looks like he received the signal I sent out."
This was a crucial moment for friendly communication, and Qiao Sang couldn't let anyone disrupt it. She took the Microphone from Treasure Seeker and called out loudly:
"Don't attack! Everything's fine here! We're just communicating!"
The sudden sound startled Xu Mingqing.
Damn, what the hell? They're using a Microphone?!
Communicating with who?
It can't be the Furyeye Fish, right?!
"Zhu zhu!"
The Furyeye Fish had already seen the Toothed Shark with its glowing teeth.
It opened its mouth, and a deep blue water energy began to condense.
"Icechill."
Just as it was about to release the energy, Lulu called out from the side, signaling not to attack.
The Furyeye Fish immediately dispersed the energy and obediently looked meek.
Indeed, whether it's humans or familiars, they all put on an act to impress someone they like, thinking it will win the other's favor. I spit... Jiang Xiu's fists clenched tightly at the sight of the Furyeye Fish's behavior.
Xu Mingqing, sitting on the Toothed Shark, arrived next to the Seasalt Lizard without any hindrance.
"What's going on?" Seeing the Furyeye Fish fawning around Icechill, Xu Mingqing couldn't help but ask.
Jiang Xiu remained silent.
"The situation is this..." Qiao Sang briefly summarized what had happened and told Xu Mingqing.
Xu Mingqing: "..."
He was silent for several seconds, processing the information.
So the Furyeye Fish has a crush on Icechill?
I didn't expect this guy to have such good taste with its big eyes...
"Zhu zhu~" The Furyeye Fish, seeing that Lulu wasn't paying attention to it, used its side fin to remove a large, dark red orb from its tail and split it in half.
A pile of crystal gems was revealed inside.
This thing can actually be removed? I thought the collected crystal gems were hidden somewhere else, not carried around. This is the first time I've seen it, and the Furyeye Fish is giving them away, absolute true love... Qiao Sang thought to herself.
Honestly, she didn't need money, and she didn't summon Lulu to take away the crystal gems collected by the Furyeye Fish.
Mostly, she wanted to observe the Furyeye Fish's behavior.
Specific behaviors unique to certain familiars.
For example, the Sword-Winged Bird would pluck a sword-shaped feather and stick it on the head of someone or something it dislikes.
The Paper Puppet would change its color based on its emotions.
Jiejie Bao couldn't stand any dirty things and would feel compelled to clean them up.
These behaviors of familiars fascinated her.
The Furyeye Fish giving its collection of crystal gems to a familiar it liked was also interesting.
So she wanted to see it.
Qiao Sang silently shifted her gaze away from the pile of crystal gems, determined to stick to her original intention and not be tempted...
"Xunxun!"
“Xunxun!”
Treasure Seeker clung to the inside of the bubble, its eyes shining as it stared at the pile of gem crystals, wishing it could stuff them all into its Ring.
"Forget it", Qiao Sang said beside it. "Those are for Lulu."
"Xunxun!"
Treasure Seeker let out an excited cry.
Lulu didn’t have a place to store them, so they would end up in its Ring anyway.
Qiao Sang: "……"
"Lulu won’t take them", Qiao Sang explained.
"Xunxun?" Treasure Seeker grew anxious.
Why not?
"You’re still young, you don’t understand", Qiao Sang said with a laugh.
"Xunxun!"
"Xunxun!"
Treasure Seeker pointed at the Furyeye Fish and gestured.
It understood! This big guy liked Lulu, so he was giving her gifts!
Qiao Sang was shocked. "How do you know that?"
"Xunxun!"
Treasure Seeker wore an expression that said, "This is too simple."
TV shows always do it this way.
Qiao Sang: "……"
How does it watch so many TV shows… Qiao Sang complained inwardly, then glanced at the aloof Lulu, understanding that Lulu wouldn’t take anything from the Furyeye Fish, and she wouldn’t let Lulu take anything either.
Lulu would leave with her soon.
Taking the Furyeye Fish’s gem crystals and leaving would make her no better than a gold-digger.
At that moment, Xu Mingqing suddenly exclaimed:
"Hey? Isn’t that an invitation card to the Muzhen Auction?"
Qiao Sang also saw the invitation card he was talking about.
The crystal card was placed on top of the pile of gem crystals, making it particularly noticeable.
Jiang Xiu seemed to have an idea and asked, "Isn’t your next national competition in Hollow Plains?"
Qiao Sang, surprised by the sudden change of topic, nodded.
After confirming she was the top of her group and directly advancing to the national competition, Teacher Sun Boyi had told her the location of the national match.
Jiang Xiu suddenly said, "Try to get that invitation card."
Qiao Sang was taken aback. "Why?"
Before Jiang Xiu could speak, Xu Mingqing explained, "The Muzhen Auction is a top-tier auction held exclusively in Hollow Plains. The invitation cards are issued annually with a limited number, and they’re not registered to specific individuals. Anyone with an invitation card can attend."
"The invitation card is valid for one year. After attending the Muzhen Auction, the card is taken back. This one is still here, so it hasn’t been used yet."
"The Muzhen Auction is scheduled for next month. You’ll be in Hollow Plains for the competition, so you might want to check it out."
Qiao Sang laughed lightly and said, "I’m not really interested in auctions."
She was there for the national competition, which was the most critical stage. With opponents who had advanced familiars, she had no time to attend an auction.
Jiang Xiu said, "The Muzhen Auction features items you can’t find anywhere else. Even if you don’t buy anything, you can broaden your horizons. If you see something you like, and your family won’t let you buy it, just give me a call."
Clever, subtly showing off the wealth and influence of the Ancient Fog Region while building a favor with Qiao Sang. If Qiao Sang really bought something and lacked the funds, he could suggest she visit the Ancient Fog Region. Indeed, old Jiang was sharp… Xu Mingqing silently gave Jiang Xiu a thumbs-up.
Jiang Xiu remained calm, pretending not to notice Xu Mingqing’s gesture.
Qiao Sang asked, "Do they have S-Class and above items and potions?"
Jiang Xiu and Xu Mingqing were clearly taken aback. They thought Qiao Sang would be too modest to ask, but she directly inquired about S-Class and above items and potions.
S-Class and above!
That was S-Class and above!
Was it really okay to ask like that?
Xu Mingqing glanced at Jiang Xiu, a bit worried about his wallet.
"Of course!" Jiang Xiu said. "Last year, the auction featured an Sss-Class Thunderstone."
An Sss-Class Thunderstone was something you couldn’t buy even if you had the money… Qiao Sang immediately turned and called, "Lulu! Lulu!"
Under the Beastmaster’s gaze, Lulu extended a paw and picked up the crystal invitation card.
"Zhu Zhu!"
Furyeye Fish happily wagged its tail at the sight.
In its eyes, taking the object meant that the beautiful creature in front of it was willing to engage in further communication.
“Icechill.”
Lulu's expression was cold and aloof, about to explain that this was just something her Beastmaster had it pick up.
At that moment, a Water Elemental Familiar with scales like Red gemstones slowly swam by.
“Zhu Zhu…”
Furyeye Fish's eyes went wide.
As the gem-encrusted familiar swam away, Furyeye Fish panicked, quickly closing the two halves of the dark Red orb and chasing after it.
“Zhu Zhu!”
Wait for me!
Lulu: “???”
Qiao Sang: “???”
Treasure Seeker: “???”
Jiang Xiu was more furious at this scene than if he had been dumped. He spat and angrily cursed:
“Scum fish!”
Xu Mingqing thought Furyeye Fish must have lost its mind.
Fangy looked at its Beastmaster, then at Lulu, completely bewildered.
It had thought Lulu would come out to battle the large familiar, but this?
…
At 7:30 PM, the Aquatic Wild Beast Companion exchange activity came to an end.
Qiao Sang followed the navigation to the appraisal center and had the Dark Crystal she had found in the water today appraised.
The appraiser quickly finished the appraisal.
“It’s a C-Class Dark Crystal.”
Qiao Sang was silent for a few seconds. “Can it be resold?”
The appraiser glanced at her. “This is an appraisal center.”
Qiao Sang fell silent again for a moment before saying, “This Dark Crystal was handled by Icechill.”
The appraiser was taken aback.
Qiao Sang continued, “Do you recognize my familiar?”
The appraiser carefully examined the young girl in front of her. After a few seconds, she was so excited and shocked that she covered her mouth.
“Can it be resold?” Qiao Sang asked again.
“Of course!” The appraiser nodded firmly.
…
Over the next few days, Qiao Sang took Fangy and the others to tour some of the famous landmarks in Seacity.
At some small stalls that didn't accept cards, she used the cash she had exchanged for the Dark Crystal.
Time flew by, and before they knew it, it was time for the National Campus Beastmaster League Regional Tournament's quarterfinals.
The familiar battle arena in Seacity, which had been empty for a week, was once again filled with spectators.
Whispers and discussions filled the air.
“I feel like I haven’t seen Icechill in ages…”
“Me too, these days have been so slow.”
“Do you think Qiao Sang will summon Icechill today?”
“I’m not sure, I can’t really guess what she’s thinking…”
“With Qiao Sang’s two Advanced Familiars, there’s no suspense in the first match.”
“I checked, and Qiao Sang’s Blazing Star Hound is a brand new Evolution form. There’s only one like it in the Yuhua Region!”
“Oh, I want to see Icechill.”
Contestant Area.
Qiao Sang looked at the profiles of the other seven contestants who had directly advanced to the national tournament on her mobile phone.
Xu Yixuan smiled and said, “You’ve already secured first place, and you’re still working so hard. How are the rest of us supposed to live?”
Qiao Sang looked at her and asked, “Are you sure you’re okay with not going back?”
Just yesterday, the Points Match rankings were announced, and Xu Yixuan had placed 49th, ending her Regional Tournament run.
“It’s fine,” Xu Yixuan shrugged indifferently. “This is the best I’ve done in three years. With this ranking and my academic scores, I should be able to get into a good university.”
Then her tone changed, and she smiled. “I have to watch your match. You’re the first person in our school’s history to have a chance at winning the Regional Tournament. So many people from our school would love to be here, and I get to witness school history.”
Even though she was so close to the national tournament, she must still be upset… Qiao Sang opened her mouth but didn’t say anything.
At times like this, empty words of comfort were unnecessary.
When someone achieved a result they had never before, what they needed was praise.
Yi Ao stepped onto the blue platform and rose into the air.
“Friends! Welcome to the National Campus Beastmaster League Regional Tournament! You all know the list of the eight finalists. Today, we will hold the quarterfinals to determine the four semifinalists!”
“Who will face each other?”
“Please look at the big screen!”
(End of Chapter)
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