Inside the VIP box.
Xu Tianzong, sitting next to Li Qi, stared with his mouth agape.
A cultivator at the third heaven of the Dao Integration realm spending eighty-five million spirit stones at once was beyond his limit of imagination.
Li Qi, however, had a faint smile playing on his lips. This auction trip had been a complete success.
The auction continued.
However, with the previous extravagance of eighty-five million pure spirit stones by Puppet Number Two, the subsequent auction lacked the same fervor.
At this moment, Li Qi, within the VIP box, had a thought.
He saw Puppet Number Two stand up from the common seating area and head towards the exit of the auction hall.
After all, having acquired what he desired, there was no need to linger.
Even if better treasures appeared later, they were not what Li Qi sought.
Although, with Li Qi's current financial standing, he was still qualified to contend for them if he chose to.
However, to be safe, it was better to have Puppet Number Two leave now.
"I'll wait a little longer, create some distance, then I should leave early too, so that Puppet Number Two isn't targeted when it goes out," Li Qi thought to himself.
He then continued to bid on a few more treasures.
Meanwhile, Puppet Number Two, having left the auction hall, completed its transactions in the backstage of the Azure Auction House.
The items it had purchased were now in its possession, with a small expenditure of over ninety million spirit stones.
Sensing the information conveyed by Puppet Number Two, Li Qi put on a look of lazy disinterest, stretched, and glanced at Xu Tianzong beside him.
"Ah, Fellow Daoist Xu, this auction has many good things, but I don't seem to be able to afford much and feel a bit stifled. Why don't I leave the auction first and get some fresh air outside?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Tianzong, who had been watching with great interest despite his lack of funds, was somewhat surprised.
However, he did not try to stop him.
"Since Fellow Daoist Li is feeling a bit tired, then Fellow Daoist Li may leave first. Although I can't afford much either, I still wish to watch for a while longer."
Subsequently, the two agreed to meet at the Void Black Market after the auction concluded and leave together.
Li Qi stood up and departed directly through the VIP passage.
Looking back, standing outside the Azure Auction House, he gazed at the incredibly luxurious building, still faintly hearing the passionate and lively sounds from within.
Li Qi quickly averted his gaze from this.
His form flickered, and he headed towards the outside of the Void Black Market.
...
In the Void, a short distance from the Void Black Market.
Puppet Number Two, displaying a cautious demeanor, streaked rapidly through the Void, seemingly eager to distance itself from the Void Black Market as quickly as possible.
Just then.
"Stop."
A cold voice rang out.
Immediately, eight terrifying auras completely sealed off all directions around Puppet Number Two.
The strength of these auras varied, with the weaker ones being at the fifth heaven of Dao Integration, and the stronger ones including two cultivators at the eighth heaven of Dao Integration.
The next moment, the owners of these eight auras flickered into existence, completely surrounding Puppet Number Two.
Several cold and greedy gazes roamed over Puppet Number Two.
"I never imagined a cultivator at the third heaven of Dao Integration could be so wealthy, possessing so much fortune."
"Hahaha, in the end, it all falls into our hands. Boy, if you want to live, hand over the treasures you bought and all your resources."
One of them said coldly.
However, Puppet Number Two remained motionless, uttering no words.
"Hmph, you refuse the offered toast and insist on a raw deal. Fellow Daoists, let's strike together and deal with him quickly. We'll split the resources then."
The cultivators who intended to intercept Puppet Number Two did not wish to waste any more time.
The auras of the eight men surged to their peak in an instant, and terrifying attacks began to condense around them.
But at this moment, a black shadow suddenly flickered, rushing towards Puppet Number Two with extreme speed.
This speed caused the pupils of the eight men preparing to ambush to shrink.
"There's an accomplice?"
Right before their eyes, Puppet Number Two took out several spatial rings from its embrace and handed them directly to the suddenly appearing Li Qi.
Immediately, the eight men detected Li Qi's cultivation realm and quickly relaxed.
"Hmph! So it's just another cultivator at the third heaven of Dao Integration? This is your helper? That's not enough to deal with the eight of us."
"Everyone be careful, don't get distracted. The guy who suddenly appeared seems quite fast, don't let him escape."
Suddenly, one of the eight men, perhaps recalling Li Qi's terrifying speed earlier, quickly said.
But as soon as he finished speaking, Li Qi's voice, laced with a smile, echoed.
"Run? Who said I was going to run?"
Li Qi's eyes gradually turned icy. With a thought.
The next moment, a terrifying and violent surge of power erupted from Puppet Number Two beside Li Qi, and this power fluctuation was rapidly expanding, appearing extremely chaotic and volatile.
To resolve the matter quickly, Li Qi intended to directly detonate Puppet Number Two.
Simultaneously, the eight cultivators at the Dao Integration stage quickly detected this.
Their expressions all changed slightly, and someone couldn't help but exclaim.
"Not good, this guy is going to self-destruct!"
But it was already too late.
"Boom!"
A terrifying explosion wave swept out in all directions, instantly engulfing the eight Dao Integration cultivators and Li Qi within it.