Lu Mingfei, who had read Dragon Clan before slaying the dragon

A waiter in white rang the bell as he walked through the aisle. The voices of the guests gradually died down, the curtain opened on the stage, and a man in a black tuxedo came out with a microphone and a hammer.

"Ladies and gentlemen, Sotheby's directional auction, the first Chicago Cultural Journey auction of the summer of 2010 will begin in five minutes. I am the auctioneer this time. Please hold on to your number plates and don't miss out on your favorite items, because each of the items we will auction next is unique." The auctioneer smiled mysteriously.

"Now, please close your eyes when it gets dark."

In the dim hall, all the guests closed their eyes, including Neo who was sitting next to Lu Mingfei. Everyone closed their eyes and lowered their heads, as if they were praying a sacred prayer, visualizing the great God.

Among the hundreds of morbid images with heads bowed and eyes closed, only Lu Mingfei was leaning on the back of the chair with his eyes open. He was so out of place. It seemed that this boy had no gods in his heart for him to worship.

"Ming Fei, no matter what happens later, don't be surprised and don't act rashly." Angé's kind reminder sounded in his ears.

"Okay, Principal." Lu Mingfei responded indifferently.

"It's daybreak now, please open your eyes!" The host's voice covered the entire conference hall through the loudspeaker.

As if they had received some kind of amnesty, everyone opened their eyes at the same moment. In an instant, the lights in the opera house seemed to be on again, but what illuminated the place was no longer the crystal chandeliers, but... hundreds of pairs of translucent golden eyes!

This wasn't some masquerade or some cosmetic contact lens special effect; these were truly hundreds of golden pupils, dazzling even brighter than daylight. Expensive suits, custom-made leather shoes, black, gold, purple, or white cards weren't enough to indicate a person's nobility at this point. The only thing that could determine a person's nobility was the captivating golden light in their eyes and the purity of their bloodline...

This is a... feast for dragons!

Neo was sitting on Lu Mingfei's left, and a curly-haired uncle was sitting on his right. At this moment, the golden light on his left side obviously overshadowed the right side. Lu Mingfei tilted his head and saw the brilliance in Neo's eyes.

This guy has a bloodline that is no weaker than "A" grade... This was Lu Mingfei's first reaction when he saw those golden eyes.

"You're very low-key." Neo stared at Lu Mingfei, stunned. "Everyone who comes here is showing off all the time. They flaunt their luxury cars and female companions at the door, and their clothes and conversation when they enter. Now they're even directly competing with each other about the nobility of their bloodlines. Everyone lights up their golden eyes to the extreme, as if they can dominate the whole place with two big light bulbs on their faces. After a few hours, they're as tired as if they've just run a full marathon, and they're out of breath."

"Even I can't help being vulgar." Neo pointed at his own bright golden eyes, then at Lu Mingfei's casual outfit and calm black eyes. "But you're different. I've never seen someone as...unconventional as you."

"Uh... Actually, 'unconventional' isn't quite the right word here. 'Out of tune' is more appropriate. Of course, if you want to praise me, you can also use 'not particular about trivial matters'." Lu Mingfei introduced Chinese idioms to Neo on the spot.

"That's about it." Neo waved his hand indifferently, then looked through the crowd in front of him until he saw girl number 38. He was stunned.

Lu Mingfei originally thought that Neo was shocked by the dazzling golden eyes and bloodline of girl No. 38, but he didn't expect that this guy's perverted nature was exposed as soon as he opened his mouth.

"Ah... she's even more beautiful with her eyes turning golden! My Queen!"

Neo couldn't help but shout out, attracting the crowd around to look at the two weird guys with strange eyes. Lu Mingfei rolled his eyes.

"Ming Fei, you're smarter than I thought. You were right not to ignite your golden eyes. They're too terrifying, their power could even overshadow Chu Zihang's. If you reveal your S-level bloodline, it would easily arouse suspicion, and our plan would fail." Ange's voice rang out again. "As for boy number 25 next to you... you can continue chatting with him. No problem. Just don't reveal your identity. The dumber you act, the better."

"Okay." Lu Mingfei replied in a low voice.

"Actually, I've been paying a little attention to him. During the conversation, you can tentatively ask him which camp of mixed-bloods he belongs to." Ange said, and then introduced the overview of the mixed-blood world to Lu Mingfei.

"There are too many mixed-bloods in the world. They are spread all over the world. Kassel Academy only covers a small part of them. Mixed-bloods will attract each other and eventually integrate together to form forces similar to tribes."

"For example, our Kassel Academy, or the mixed-blood underworld group in Japan called the Snake Eight Clan, or the Italian Gattuso family... They form distinct systems, each with its own internal principles. And this situation, you could think of it as a kind of interaction between these different groups. This is what mixed-blood society is."

"A society of mixed-race people..." Lu Mingfei muttered to himself, chewing on the word while quickly scanning the hall for people with different skin colors and faces from all over the world.

"Some of these families have existed for thousands of years, and their accumulated wealth and power are astonishing. However, due to their different positions, many of them are at odds with the secret party."

"Do you know why many collectors in the world are very low-key and never want to reveal their names to the public?" asked Ange.

"Because many of them are mixed-race." Lu Mingfei replied.

"Bingo, to be exact, more than half do." Ange explained, "Legend has it that dragons love gems and metals. The most representative is the Bronze and Fire King, who has a fondness for bronze artifacts. The Sky and Wind King favors gems of all colors. And the Earth and Mountain King has a special liking for hard stone and armor... Half-bloods have half dragon blood flowing through their veins, so our desire for physical works of art far exceeds that of ordinary people."

"Really?" Lu Mingfei thought for a moment and realized that he didn't seem to have a hobby of collecting gems and artworks... Maybe it was because he was poor.

"Generally speaking, there are two ways to win the auction of your dreams. One is to rely on your presence and financial resources to pressure others. To use a Chinese term I particularly like, it's called 'zhuangbi'. When you have a strong enough background and you can show your determination to win a particular item, and you can intimidate the other party, you may be able to win it in one fell swoop... But this method is suitable for experts, not for beginners like you."

"The other one is..." Ange didn't finish his words.

"Playing dumb?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"That's exactly what I mean," Ange exclaimed. "If you act like, 'I don't know anything, but I'm rich, and I'm here simply because I love art and picking up girls,' people generally won't try to drive up the price. They'll simply think you're a clueless, show-off who's trying to take advantage of you."

The auction on the stage is in full swing, and the eighth lot is now being auctioned.

"The one about to go up for auction is a Qing Dynasty Qianlong light yellow ground yangcai brocade embellishment Wanshou longevity long-necked gourd vase. At the time, after the imperial porcelain artisans of JDZ adopted and mastered the painting techniques pioneered in the early years of the Qianlong reign, a luxurious and elaborate decorative technique known as 'Zhadao Jindi' became highly regarded. This technique, which used fine needles to incise scrolling grass patterns, phoenix tail patterns, and floral patterns into the glaze to create a 'jindi' effect, was continuously perfected at JDZ. This long-necked gourd vase is a masterpiece of this period," the auctioneer enthusiastically introduced. "The patterns painted on the vase are vibrant and varied, with overlapping and interlaced patterns, and the composition is intricate and detailed. The starting price is... US$10 million!"

This gourd bottle was finally bought by Ange while he was chatting with Lu Mingfei and joking with the lady next to him. The transaction price was a full 20 million US dollars. Lu Mingfei was shocked and thought that the secret party was so rich!

I wonder what my uncles and aunts in the coastal town would think when they knew that I was participating in an auction of this scale?

He probably thought that this amount of money would be enough to enroll his fat cousin Lu Mingze in a gifted class for a full ten million years, right? Hmm... truly learning until the end of time.

Neo beside him seemed to have little interest in these precious antiques, calligraphy and paintings. Lu Mingfei couldn't figure out whether this man was a young master from a wealthy family sent here for training or just to join in the fun with an invitation.

"The following will be the special part of this day, as always, 'Unexpected Encounter'." The auctioneer smiled.

Lu Mingfei's eyes fixed, he clearly saw that Neo beside him tensed up instantly. Could it be that the other party... collided with his target?

"Ming Fei, choose the right moment. If nothing unexpected happens, our target will appear!" Angé said in a deep voice in the headset.

In the center of the stage, a huge black hard-shell box was pushed up on a cart by a beautiful assistant wearing a cheongsam. The auctioneer pressed the lid of the box with his white-gloved hands, looked around at the audience with a smile, but was in no hurry to open it, as if it contained some treasure of One Piece, whetting everyone's appetite.

"This extraordinary piece is the pinnacle of craftsmanship. No words can describe its magnificence. At the seller's request, we are offering a rare zero starting price auction, allowing for unlimited bid increases."

"Exquisite craftsmanship, a set of seven alchemical swords, and now... the auction begins!" The auctioneer's voice was extremely tempting as he was about to lift the heavy lid of the box.

"one million."

Before the item was revealed, the auctioneer's introduction was abruptly interrupted in the air. Everyone turned around and their eyes were focused on the back corner of the venue.

On the left side of Lu Mingfei..., Neo held up his number plate high.

"VIP No. 25, are you sure you are talking about one million?" The auctioneer's hammer hung in the air, hesitant.

"five million."

A cold voice sounded, and everyone's attention was drawn to the front of the venue again.

VIP No. 38, Ling sat there holding her number tag, her face expressionless, like the queen attending this grand banquet.

Chapter 118 He Enters as the Emperor

The magnificent hall was silent for a moment, and then it was like a boiling pot, with discussions rising one after another.

The first time, the price was increased by a million times the starting price. Are young people nowadays so good at playing games?

Many guests who were ready to start bidding from the starting price had their half-raised number plates frozen in the air. They lowered them awkwardly with a wry smile, gnashing their teeth and glaring at number 25... Is this kid sick?

If the straightforward "one million" was the spark that heated up the atmosphere in the venue, then the cold "five million" in the next second was like a basin of cold water poured down, completely chilling the fiery atmosphere. In the magnificent hall, you could hear a pin drop. The auction items were called out like this before they even saw them... It was really dizzying.

Before the auctioneer could recover from the last bidding, a new round of numbers pricked his nerves again. It was like riding a roller coaster. It had clearly jumped to an exciting high point in one fell swoop, but was instantly pushed to an unexpected height. The strong sense of unreality even made him feel a little... weird.

He hadn't even opened the lid yet and the price had already shot up to five million?

Damn it, the items weren't even opened and displayed, and the introductions weren't even read out. The order of the auction was completely disrupted. I'm going to have my salary docked!

"Five million...first time!" The auctioneer hurriedly held the microphone in one hand and hurriedly opened the black box lid with the other.

A sharp, dark-gold light flowed along the gap in the lid of the box. Under the illumination of the headlights on the dome, the cold light of metal flickered. The seven blade tips seemed to symbolize the power of life and death, and possessed the sharpness to cut through everything.

"I'm sorry, but let me introduce it first. This alchemical sword set has excellent craftsmanship and is well preserved. The blade is as sharp as a new sword. The shapes imitate the Chinese saber, Tang sword, Japanese samurai sword, wakizashi, Damascus sword, etc., and are stored in the same box, which has a secret button to open it..." The auctioneer waved the hammer with emotion, as if he was giving an exciting speech.

At the same time, assistants on the stage performed the skills of cutting cucumbers with a sharp knife, chopping rolled bamboo mats, chopping iron nails and iron sheets, etc. This was a pre-arranged process. Perhaps the auction house was struggling to explain the inheritance, age and origin of this thing. All the background was unknown, and they could only show how sharp it was.

"Damn it, I bumped into her!" Neo, whose limelight was completely stolen, was furious.

After No. 38 called out a number five times his own, Neo was dumbfounded. While he had little interest in other items, his attention had always been on the girl, and the other party had no intention of bidding from the beginning to the end, until the bid just now. Neo's heart skipped a beat. The feeling of competing with the girl he likes for something... is actually not bad!

Immediately, his depressed mood was swept away, and his perverted face returned, "She is worthy of being my goddess, so courageous! I can't help but bow down to her crystal skirt!"

"Five million... Second time. If no one else takes action, this mythical alchemical sword set will go to the beautiful lady 38."

When the auctioneer confirmed twice and was about to hammer down the deal, Neo put away his perverted smile and held up the number plate marked "25" as if he was being cynical.

"Five million... and one dollar."

The whole audience was in an uproar again. A million was offered, and the price was raised by one dollar... They had no idea what this flamboyant red-haired young man was up to. He looked determined to win but seemed like a shill. Could this be a new bidding tactic?

"Six million." Number 38 Zero raised the number plate again, his voice cold, and snatched the person with an overwhelming price.

"Principal, is Zero also a shill arranged by you?"

While the fight was going on, Lu Mingfei lowered his voice and asked, if Zero was also arranged by Ange, then with that girl's queen-like demeanor, he might not need to take action in this fight, but if Zero did not represent the power of Kassel Academy... then the situation would be completely different.

"I'm sorry to tell you, no," Ange replied into the headset. "If she was someone I arranged, she wouldn't have started at five times the price. As a shill, that's incredibly unprofessional... But as a genuine buyer, it's quite impressive. I remember that Ling has a deep background, even the secret party can't fully uncover it, so there's no way to determine which faction she represents. Mingfei, you still have to find an opportunity to make a move."

"I understand." Lu Mingfei nodded.

"Ms. No. 38, six million per time." The auctioneer raised the hammer excitedly.

"Damn, this set of swords is so new, it looks like a Swiss Army knife just produced this year, and there is no background information yet. Why is the price so crazy?" someone was puzzled.

"No. 25 and No. 38 are both unfamiliar faces. Could it be that they were arranged by the auction house?" someone questioned.

"I've met auction house agents before. They've all been systematically trained and wouldn't use such unprofessional terms. Either these two young men have a problem with their brains, or this set of swords is really worth the price! Don't you feel the sharpness of that set of swords? Just looking at them makes me feel as if my blood vessels have been cut open and my blood is about to solidify! Never mind, an auction is like a casino, and the current price is still within my affordability!" Someone gritted his teeth.

"Six million and one hundred thousand!" No. 69 gritted his teeth and shouted while holding up the sign.

"Ming Fei, the atmosphere is gradually heating up. You can try to enter. Remember, don't make your high jump too obvious. Disguise yourself as an inexperienced supporter." Ange reminded lightly in the headset.

Lu Mingfei held the number plate, but he did not raise it, because within two seconds, the price was refreshed again. It seemed that there was no room for a newbie like him to intervene in this battlefield... Or maybe he simply did not want to intervene at this time. In short, he just looked at the seven deadly sins on the stage, listened to this war without gunpowder with an expressionless face, and no one knew what he was thinking.

"Seven million." Neo next to him raised the sign again, as if he was determined to win the alchemical sword on the stage.

Passerby No. 69 put down his number plate in frustration. The price was obviously beyond his tolerance. He gave up and chose to withdraw from the battlefield.

"Brother, trust me. I have a very good eye. That set of alchemical swords on the stage is definitely a good item, even worth a lot more." After making his bid, Neo glanced at Lu Mingfei ostentatiously. "I see you weren't interested in those mundane items before, but you don't want to go home empty-handed, do you? Why don't you give it a try now?"

"The way you bid is too outrageous. I can't keep up. Let me just watch your performance." Lu Mingfei smiled and shook his head.

"Eight million." The voice of No. 38 Zero was as cold as ice, and the numbers came crushing down again.

"Interesting, really interesting." Neo muttered to himself with great interest, "Girls like this are the most exciting. They are completely different from those vulgar and flirtatious bitches. It's this kind of inherent arrogance...that makes people want to conquer them!"

Neo was like a severely schizophrenic patient whose true nature was exposed. He had an expression of admiration and longing on his face, but he spoke explicit words in a sick tone... There was a hint of madness and hideousness in his eyes.

"Eight million... and one dollar." Neo held up the sign.

Everyone's eyes turned to him again, and they also realized that this man seemed to only increase the price by one dollar every time he faced girl No. 38, like a tit-for-tat.

If the first dollar was a matter of gentlemanly conduct, then doing so again would seem somewhat humiliating. After all, no one who can come here is short of money.

However, before everyone could digest the deeper meaning, the bidding started again.

"Nine million."

The whole audience was in an uproar because the person bidding was still No. 25, Neo.

"Wait a moment, Mr. No. 25, no one else was bidding against you just now. Was your bid nine million or eight million... and one US dollars?" the auctioneer asked cautiously.

"It doesn't matter. It's ten million now." Neo raised the sign again and said indifferently.

The whole place was boiling with excitement. This guy was completely crazy! Was anyone bidding against him? He actually raised the highest bid twice, adding two million for no reason?

Two million dollars is not a small amount of money to be thrown around, no matter how wealthy one is, right?! Did this guy just get all that money?

"One thousand and one..." No. 38 Zero was interrupted before he could finish his words.

"One thousand two hundred dollars." Neo raised the sign again.

Zero turned around and glanced coldly at the guy far behind her. The other guy felt Zero's gaze, licked his lips in satisfaction, and responded with a sick and exaggerated smile.

Ling coldly ignored him and glanced at Lu Mingfei who was sitting at seat 24. Golden light flickered in his golden eyes, as if expressing something, and then he quickly turned his head away.

"Do you know each other?" Neo looked straight at Ling and asked Lu Mingfei without turning his head, but he didn't seem to intend to give the latter a chance to answer. "I'm sorry, brother, this woman will be mine, and the things on the stage... will be mine too!"

Hearing this naked provocation, Lu Mingfei said nothing, his eyelids didn't even flutter, and he remained as steady as a rock.

"Fifteen million." Other buyers held up the number "96" and shouted out the number.

"Twenty million." Neo said with a sneer.

"Two thousand and two..." Buyer No. 96 wanted to raise the bid again.

"Twenty-five million." Neo interrupted again.

"Two thousand six."

"Two thousand seven."

"Forget it, let's make it an even number, 30 million!" Neo shouted out four prices in succession, raising the price all the way to 30 million.

There was no trace of pain on his face, as if he had just asked for two more cabbages at the vegetable market to make the two dollars and seventy-nine to three dollars.

He successfully became the focus of the whole audience. Everyone was overwhelmed by his lavish spending power and the speed of his bidding. Although many people present disliked him, he seemed to have the confidence. In this invisible battlefield, those numbers were the most powerful weapons. Hey, who could not be impressed by money?

"Thirty million at a time, number 25, what a big deal!" The auctioneer raised his hammer excitedly.

Neo looked down upon the whole place, as if he was sitting not on a chair but on a small mountain of shining gold coins.