To the north of the tribe was a rather s.p.a.cious snow plain. In that snow plain was a tent, and within that tent, Su Ming sat on a beast skin spread on top of the snow. The beast skin cut off the cold from the snow, causing the person sitting on it to not feel too cold.
There was a brazier that was roasted to a red shade in the tent. Due to the heat coming from the brazier, the snow on the ground was rapidly melting away. Once the snow inside the tent completely melted, the tent would be filled with warmth.
Besides the crackling sounds from the fire burning within the brazier, the entire area was silent. As Su Ming remained seated, a glint appeared in his eyes and the faint traces of a cold smirk could be seen on his lips.
He had made the puppet shatter on purpose so that his body, which weighed like a mountain at the moment, would fall on the ground and let out a huge bang. With this method, he could instil fear among the people of Western Sea Clan, which would make them not dare treat him poorly, which was the reason that led to the change of lodging.
It was not because Su Ming was being petty and fussing about this matter right down to the smallest detail. Instead, it was because he was no longer just representing himself this time. Most of the time, when he introduced himself, the ninth summit would be mentioned before his name.
He was one of the ninth summit. His reputation was the ninth summit’s reputation. If he truly stayed in the densely packed and noisy tribe, people would look down on the ninth summit.
This was something Su Ming refused to accept, especially when there was simply not much need for him to keep too much of a low profile within Freezing Sky Clan territory.
Besides, there was another reason as to why Su Ming acted this way. He wanted to stun those who harbored animosity towards him, and especially… Si Ma Xin and Tian Lan Meng!
During the few days he had been in a contemplative silence after he received the invitation, he came to understand what exactly was going on with this auction. Due to his lack of experience, he still did not possess a monstrous amount of cunning that allowed him to understand things quickly, but if he could not understand what was going on within two hours, he could use four hours to do so. If four hours were not enough, then he would use a day. Hence, after several days went by, Su Ming had come to understand clearly what was going on.
Si Ma Xin might not have played a big part in Su Ming receiving the invitation card, because Su Ming did not think that Si Ma Xin had the ability to ask Western Sea Clan to help him.
Besides, the invitation card asked for the people of the ninth summit to partic.i.p.ate in this auction. After some thinking, Su Ming did not think that there were any traps within the invitation itself.
However, if the ninth summit could receive the invitation, then with Si Ma Xin’s fame, he would definitely attend the auction as well. Tian Lan Meng and the others would undoubtedly come too.
That was why Su Ming decided to give up on keeping a low profile. Instead, the moment he stepped into the temporary tribe built by the auction committee, in his own way, he chose to arrogantly announce his arrival as Su Ming of the ninth summit to all the people there!
Surprising Si Ma Xin was to make sure he did not make any reckless moves, because Su Ming did not want to fight in this place. Compared to Si Ma Xin, he was much more concerned about Sky Mist Shaman Hunt.
However, on the off chance that Si Ma Xin would ignore his expression of goodwill, Su Ming had also provided him with a response right after his act of stomping on the ground.
"Pardon me…"
As for Tian Lan Meng, Su Ming also wanted to surprise her, but it was for a completely different purpose compared to Si Ma Xin. Tian Lan Meng had a request to ask of him, hence the stronger Su Ming presented himself before her, the more complicated their relations.h.i.+p would be.
By doing so, he could turn that woman into his temporary ally, which would make things easier for Su Ming during this auction. It did not matter whether he ran into danger or was buying things, that woman would become a great help to him.
‘After all, I don’t have a lot of stone coins on me…’
Su Ming stroked his chin and a smile appeared on his face. This was something he did not notice doing. Living in the ninth summit had caused his personality to change slightly without his knowledge. For example this scheme, before he came to Freezing Sky Clan, he would have never thought of it.
For another example, one has to remember the ‘loss’ of his things in Phantom Dais Tribe. This was also something Su Ming would have never managed to come up with in the past. All of this happened because he was slowly changed by second senior brother, Hu Zi, and… by Tian Xie Zi when he came to the ninth summit.
As Su Ming continued mulling over what was to come, he suddenly lifted his head. The heat from the brazier in the tent had melted all the snow on the ground. The ground beneath the beast skin was already toasted until it was pleasantly warm, making seem like it belonged to another world compared to the snow covered ground outside the tent.
Not long after Su Ming lifted his head, someone tapped on the tent, which was followed soon by Zi Che’s voice traveling into the tent.
"Uncle master, Western Sea Clan has sent the ill.u.s.trated list of auctioned items."
Su Ming waved his right hand, and immediately, the tent flaps were lifted. A cold gust of wind charged into the tent. It was already dark outside, but due to the contrast of the white shade of the snow on the ground, the world outside did not seem too dark, and he could still see snow floating down the ground due to the wind.
It was snowing outside.
Zi Che stood at the entrance respectfully. His hair was covered by snow and he was wearing a long robe. In his hands he held the ill.u.s.trated list for the auctioned items, which was really a book made of several thick beast skins bound together.
Once the tent flaps were lifted, Zi Che walked in and placed the ill.u.s.trated list respectfully before Su Ming. Then he took a few steps backwards. Once he saw that Su Ming did not have any further orders, he turned around and was about to leave…
"It’s cold outside. I should have asked you to come in and keep warm inside the tent, but your cultivation method is related to the cold. This sort of weather is suitable for your training. I’ve been observing your power for a long time, and I think there’s something lacking in it. I suggest you try listening… to the sound of snow."
Su Ming did not lift his head up. He simply spoke calmly as he flipped through the pages of the ill.u.s.trated list made of beast skins.
Zi Che’s footsteps came to an abrupt halt. He stood there for a moment as if he had just reached an understanding, then bowed deeply towards Su Ming before he left the tent.
A bright light appeared in Su Ming’s eyes after he flipped through a few pages on the ill.u.s.trated list. On that particular page was a cauldron, and some wisps of smoke were drawn above the caldron.
"The Nameless Barren Cauldron…" Su Ming mumbled. Those four words were written right on that particular page.
There were a few words written by the cauldron’s name as a simple description of its origins. The detailed descriptions of its functions were not written down, however.
"As the Barren Cauldron is a tribal item from the Great Yu Dynasty, that is why all items shaped in the form of a cauldron will contain incredible power, though they are also very rare. This cauldron was taken from a tribe in the land of Shamans and was regarded as a sacred item in that tribe. It was later brought to the Berserker Tribe and offered to Western Sea Clan."
Su Ming stared at the cauldron for a moment before he flipped through the remaining pages in the list. His main target was the cauldron, that was why he did not pay too much attention to the other items, especially since this list did not contain all the items that were going to be auctioned off. There were still some that were not recorded.
When Su Ming reached the last page and his eyes fell on it a look of concentration suddenly appeared in his eyes and he brought that list up to look at that particular page closely. The more he studied it, the more brightly his eyes shone.
‘This thing is…’
A glint appeared in Su Ming’s eyes. He was almost certain that this thing was exactly what he thought it to be!
That thing was a mountain rock that was taller than a person. It was colorless and transparent. Yet within the rock was a human shaped thing that was completely black and looked as if it was sitting inside.
That humanoid shape thing looked like a real person. It had all four limbs, five fingers on each hand, a head, and everything else that was characteristic of a human.
Su Ming stared at the humanoid shaped thing’s hands which were placed above its knees. The ill.u.s.tration was a little crude and he could not see too clearly. The details were not that accurately depicted either.
"It should be that thing," Su Ming mumbled.
He already had the ninth leg of the Nine-Legged Spider for the Welcoming of Deities but was missing two more materials. If this thing was truly one of them, then he would only need one more item before he could create the Welcoming of Deities - the scale from a python’s tail.
However, Su Ming remembered that the particular scale was different from a normal python tail’s scale. There were three corners on that scale.
Yet no matter what, if that small person in that mountain rock was what Su Ming needed, then it would be very important for him to get it, especially when he remembered that the Welcoming of Deities was the only medicinal pill out of all the ones he had obtained currently that did not need any offerings on the gates of the strange dimension.
This could only mean that it would be incredibly difficult to make this pill. Yet similarly, this also meant that the might of this medicinal pill would reach an unimaginable level, perhaps even surpa.s.sing that of Spirit Plunder’s!
Su Ming stared at the beast skin page and slowly closed the book.
‘This auction is very interesting…’
Su Ming rubbed the center of his brows and entered into deep thought.
Before long, while Su Ming was still immersed in his thoughts, someone suddenly lifted the tent flaps, causing cold air to rush into the tent. Su Ming did not even need to lift up his head to know who it was. There was only person who could come in without Zi Che blocking their way.
"Su Ming, I can’t sleep." Bai Su wore a white beast skin blouse with her hair falling down her shoulders. She yawned and moved to Su Ming’s side.
Su Ming ignored her and continued staying with his eyes half closed as he thought about the things regarding the auction.
"Su Ming, you deaf and mute jerk. You’re always like this. I can’t sleep. You have to talk to me, or else I won’t let you have your peace." Bai Su glared at him and moved to stand before him.
"You’re the one who insisted on coming." Su Ming cast a glance at Bai Su calmly.
A thought struck Bai Su’s head and she said, "I don’t care. I can’t sleep, and I want to go out and look at the snow."
Su Ming looked at Bai Su and asked after a moment of being silent,. "You want to look at the snow?"
"That’s right. I want to look at the snow. Come with me." Bai Su twirled a few locks of her hair with a finger and smiled at Su Ming.
"Sky Mist Shaman Hunt is around the corner… It’s about time we end this," Su Ming mumbled. Bai Su could not hear his voice, and he was the only one who knew clearly that he needed to make a decision.
"Alright."
Su Ming stood up and walked towards the entrance of the tent. Once he lifted the flap, he saw the silver land under the night sky. The silver light reflecting off the snow not only made him be unable to see the end of the land, it also gave him a sensation of familiarity.
"Let’s go," Su Ming said softly. He waved his hand, signalling Zi Che, who was about to get up, to not follow him, then walked out with the wind, and snow falling on him.
Bai Su followed quickly behind him with a smug expression on her face. During these past few months, she had entered that strange dream multiple times. Yet those dreams were blurred out and most of them could not be seen clearly. She really wanted to know the story of the girl who looked exactly the same as her and who Su Ming had met in the past.
At that moment, she did not know that her unconscious act had caused the Berserker Seed’s battle between Su Ming and Si Ma Xin reach a new height.
Si Ma Xin wanted to leave Bai Su’s image in Su Ming’s heart and use that familiarity of hers to make a thought blossom in Su Ming’s heart, then he could use his relations.h.i.+p with Bai Su and turn that thought into his Berserker Seed.
Su Ming wanted to do the exact opposite. He wanted to turn Bai Su completely into Bai Ling. He would also pour his entire heart and soul into doing so, and the moment he walked out of this, he would leave no traces of himself behind, just like the wind as it blew past a place.