209 Spying on Spies (2/2)
Overexcited women screamed out bids before the auctioneer had a chance to say anything. They all wanted the fox desperately. It was the perfect pet for a noble woman and the best symbol of wealth and status among their peers. Forget precious jewels, flowers, or artworks. The women of Beast God Sanctum wanted cute beast pets!
He Xingping sat up straight and signaled the agent who immediately joined in the chorus of bids.
”One thousand!”
”One thousand one hundred!”
”One thousand five hundred!”
”Two thousand!”
”Four thousand!”
The bids shot up to the heavens faster than expected. Everyone was stunned by the ferocity and soon, most were left bitterly disappointed. The price was already way past what ordinary nobles could afford. There were only a few competitors left including He Xingping. He could guess which families could still afford to bid but he didn't care about offending them. He absolutely had to have this fox.
”Ten thousand!”
”Fifteen thousand!”
”Twenty thousand!”
The price was now astronomical. Twenty thousand could buy a peak Spirit Initiate Realm weapon or armor. He Xingping wasn't bothered and continued to raise the price. The crazed women gave up one by one until he eventually won the fox with an eye-popping amount, twenty-seven thousand taels of gold!
”My deposit should be enough, right?” He asked the agent.
”… of… of course sir!” The agent replied in a daze, ”Your account still has over forty thousand gold with us.”
”Good, expect another deposit from me soon with another twenty thousand.”
”Y… yes!”
He Xingping ignored the man's shocked expression, ”Deliver the fox to the usual location. Make sure to keep absolute secrecy regarding this transaction or heads will roll. Understood?”
”Yes sir!”
---
Some time after both men left the room, a black bee the size of a peanut flew down from the ceiling. It buzzed around the room several times before leaving the through the open door. The insect made its way carefully out of the Divine Beast Emporium. It avoided being detected by any human cultivator and followed the shadows into a dark, abandoned alley where it entered a dark crevasse along the walls.
Inside was a bee hive that was a mass of activity. Hundreds of bees were flying around each other. Some were coming in while more were going out. There were also bee combs filled with eggs and larva for even more bees.
The bee from the auction house flew to the middle of a mass of bees and started to dance in a strange, intricate pattern. It was using a mysterious method to transfer what it had seen and heard to its brethren.
Once it was done, a larger bee twice its size appeared beside it. This one made the exact same dance before flying out of the hive. It similarly followed the shadows but its destination was different.
It made its way down the mountain and sneaked past the guards and protective inscriptions without raising the alarm. It then shot eastward and disappeared into the wild forest. However, unbeknownst to the eager messenger bee, a undetectable pitch black shadow was following behind it.