Chapter 2675: Chapter 2675
"What a money-grubber! He barely said two words before bringing up value again. Does he think he’s selling some ferocious beast?" The princess couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly when Ye Liuyun mentioned value. Fortunately, her face mask concealed her amusement.
Ye Liuyun pointed at the small red snake and asked the young man, "When you caught this serpent, were its eyes already red?"
"That’s right!" The youth readily confirmed.
After receiving confirmation, Ye Liuyun announced to the crowd, "This crimson serpent is worth ten times more than any other beast here!"
The crowd erupted in murmurs, scrutinizing the snake but failing to discern anything extraordinary about it.
"It doesn’t seem like any special breed," someone voiced skeptically.
Ye Liuyun continued, "Exactly. It’s just an ordinary snake. And despite its red coloration, it possesses no fire attributes whatsoever."
"Then why is it so valuable?" another puzzled onlooker asked.
Turning back to the young man, Ye Liuyun inquired, "Has anyone in your party died suddenly under mysterious circumstances?"
The snake catcher, named Liu Yuanfeng, came from a family of minor officials.
Liu’s eyes widened in surprise. "How did you know? We did lose two guards inexplicably!"
"And then you put it in a cage? Did more deaths occur afterward?" Ye Liuyun pressed.
"Yes, after I stored it in my leather pouch, no one else died. Wait—was it this snake? Did its red eyes...?" Realization dawned on Liu’s face as he turned to Ye Liuyun for confirmation.
Ye Liuyun nodded gravely. "Precisely—its crimson gaze is lethal. You’re fortunate this serpent is both timid and underdeveloped in its cultivation. Otherwise, it could have slaughtered your entire party! Even now, that cage couldn’t contain its attack if it chose to strike."
"What?!"
Ye Liuyun’s words instantly sent a wave of panic through the surrounding crowd, causing people to scatter in alarm.
"Don’t worry, it’s very timid. As long as its eyes stay hidden, it won’t attack anyone!" Ye Liuyun reassured them.
The crowd relaxed slightly, though they still kept a safe distance from the red snake.
"So... what should we do?" Liu Yuanfeng asked, clearly at a loss. He had no idea the snake was this dangerous.
"First, let me explain the power of its crimson eyes. Then you can decide how to handle it."
Ye Liuyun offered a comforting smile before secretly sending a voice transmission to Liu Yunyao: *"Buy that snake later—no matter how many Origin Essences it costs. If you don’t have enough, I can lend you the money."*
On the surface, Liu Yunyao remained composed, but warmth bloomed in her chest. She had assumed Ye Liuyun didn’t recognize her, but now it was clear—not only had he known, but he also bore no grudge and even wanted to help.
A faint smile tugged at her lips, though she suppressed it, careful not to draw attention. She didn’t reply to his message, but Ye Liuyun didn’t wait for one. Instead, he turned back to Liu Yuanfeng.
"That snake’s crimson eyes are called Soul-Devouring Eyes. They can consume a person’s soul, erasing their consciousness without a trace—killing them silently. None of the beasts here could escape its attack."
He paused, letting the weight of his words sink in before continuing. "Not only that, but after devouring a soul, it converts ten percent of that power into its own, rapidly strengthening its spiritual force."
Gasps rippled through the crowd. Greed flickered in the eyes of every onlooker as they stared at the snake.
Ye Liuyun went on, "Right now, its power is still limited. It can only kill cultivators or beasts of a similar level. But as its eyes grow stronger, so will its ability to consume souls—and the amount of spiritual energy it gains will increase."
He fixed Liu Yuanfeng with a steady gaze. "If you keep it, you’ll need to feed it souls—human or beast. If you want to refine its eyes, you don’t even need to tame it. Just kill it and extract them. But afterward, the power of the eyes will grow much slower, requiring your own efforts to strengthen them."
Before Liu Yuanfeng could respond, a cultivator shouted, "Yuanfeng! Sell me that snake—I’ll pay five billion top-grade divine crystals!"
Ye Liuyun chuckled. "Five billion for a treasure like this? You’re dreaming. If this snake went to auction, the bidding would start at fifty billion at the very least."
"Then I’ll offer fifty billion! Farpeak, sell it to me!" another martial cultivator immediately shouted in response.
Yet Ye Liuyun simply raised his hand, signaling for silence.
The crimson serpent, startled by the commotion, trembled even more violently. Ye Liuyun kept his eyes locked on it, wary of another sudden attack.
The crowd, noticing the serpent’s agitation, instantly fell silent. Those nearby backed away even further. Liu Yuanfeng, too, was frozen in place, terrified of being ambushed by the venomous creature.
"Let me help you tame it first," Ye Liuyun suggested to Liu Yuanfeng. "Once it’s under control, you can decide what to do with it. That way, it won’t lash out and hurt anyone."
"Yes, please! I’d be grateful for your expertise, Master Ye!" Liu Yuanfeng agreed hastily, his voice barely above a whisper.
Without delay, Ye Liuyun unleashed his divine soul power, piercing into the serpent’s consciousness and imprinting it with a binding seal.
"Done. There’s no need to fear it now. Take a good look," Ye Liuyun announced to the onlookers.
At once, the serpent seemed to shed its fear, lifting its head to gaze at the crowd with eerie, ruby-like eyes. Its forked tongue flicked in and out, testing the air as it surveyed its surroundings.
Ye Liuyun unlatched the cage, and the serpent swiftly coiled around his arm before settling into a neat spiral in the palm of his hand.
"So, what will you do with it?" Ye Liuyun asked, offering the serpent to Liu Yuanfeng.
But Liu Yuanfeng hesitated, visibly reluctant to take it.
"Don’t worry, it’s fully tamed—it won’t attack," Ye Liuyun reassured him, though inwardly he knew Liu lacked the nerve to keep such a creature.
"Perhaps... you should hold onto it for now, Master Ye," Liu Yuanfeng stammered awkwardly. "After all, you were the one who subdued it."
The crowd erupted into chaos once more, voices clamoring with competing bids.
"Yuanfeng, how about selling this red serpent to me, your prince?" The Sixth Prince chimed in, his voice dripping with aristocratic nonchalance. "Name your price—I won’t quibble!"
At this, Ye Liuyun raised his voice again, cutting through the clamor with practiced ease. "Gentlemen, all this shouting puts our friend here in quite the predicament. Whoever he sells to, he’ll offend the rest. If he decides to part with it, why don’t we hold an impromptu auction right here? Highest bidder takes it—what say you?"
The novelty of Ye Liuyun’s proposal instantly electrified the crowd.
"Brilliant! Now that’s a proper solution!"
"Hah! Hosting our own auction—what a lark!"
The gathering erupted in enthusiastic agreement, their collective approval solving Liu Yuanfeng’s dilemma in one stroke.
Truth be told, the man had always been something of a coward, terrified of stepping on anyone’s toes. A treasure like this was far beyond his ability to keep. The very thought of choosing a buyer and setting a price had paralyzed him with anxiety. This auction scheme was perfect—once sold, the responsibility would be off his hands entirely.
"Done! I’m in!" he blurted out, relief flooding his features as he seized the lifeline.
