Dragon's Soul: An End's Beginning

by Tony Tran

  Whoosh!

  The dagger began weaving between the hulking men and Jin Chang at unbelievable speed.

  Zhang made the chain form knots and loops around the men while skillfully controlling the dagger.

  As if it was a snake the chain began constricting the men and binding them closely together.

  "Let me loose. Let me loose! You can't do this to me my father is the ruler of this city!!!!", Jin Chang screamed as he was bound with his guards and struggling to break free.

  "You want me to let you go? Sure if that's what you want.", Zhang said with a smile.

  With a wave of his hand the dagger snaked itself through the air and back into his hand. Once the dagger was in Zhang's grasp he released the chain links he had formed using the Underworld Heart.

  The chain links that he had formed dissipated and turned into specks of white light.

  Yuying who was standing next to Zhang quickly covered Ai's eyes and looked away.

  A cool breeze blew by.

  "What the...", Jin Chang said as he felt the breeze brushed against his skin.

  When he looked down, all he saw were strips of cloth barely covering his body. In fact, all of his guards were also in strips of clothing and were practically nude.

  Zhang had made the dagger cut all of their clothes to ribbons.

  Once realizing what happened Jin Chang quickly uses his hands to cover his important parts.

  "You bastard! I'll get you for this!!!", he screamed at Zhang.

  Before Jin Chang could say anything else the dagger in Zhang's hand shot out and once more soared through the air. This time with a loud bang it embedded itself into the ground right in front of Jin Chang.

  "Maybe next time I'll cut something else off. Probably this dagger, you or maybe no one would miss it? ", Zhang said with a taunting tone.

  Hearing this, fear could be seen on Jin Chang's face.

  "You idiots what are you doing! We are leaving. Do you like being watched by others!! And quickly form up around me.", Jin Chang said as he kicked one of his guards.

  "Qu-quickly form up around the young master we are leaving!", one of the guards yelled toward the others.

  As they walked away a small crowd formed around them. Many onlookers burst into laughter as they saw the sorry sight that Jin Chang was in. Many of them had been bullied by him and watching this spectacle had helped them work off some of their anger of him.

  "What the fuck are you looking at!?", Jin Chang screamed at one of the onlookers.

  "No-nothing.", The man replied.

  "Get out of my way!", Jin Chang yelled as he kicked at the man and stormed off. Seeing this the trio couldn't help but break out into laughter.

  "So what do you two want to do today?", Zhang asked Yuying and Ai.

  "I was wanted to go see the auction house with brother and sister.", Ai said.

  "Yea I wanted to have a look at the auction house too.", Yuying said.

  "Then that will be our destination today. But first I wanted to place a special order at the weapons store.", Zhang said as he started heading for the door.

  After placing his order at the weapon store Zhang, Yuying and Ai began heading for the auction house.

  Oddly the large castle that they saw before entering the harbor was not the lord's castle but the Golden Lotus auction house.

  While the trio walked through the streets they reviewed a mix of gazes. Some were filled with awe due to the two beauties. Once they donned the dresses that Zhang had bought they became like polished gems. Just by walking on the street they would mesmerize people.

  While other gazes were filled with envy. Some people upon seeing Zhang sandwiched between the two beauties, cursed inside their hearts. They are men too but why wouldn't they be accompanied by women with such beauty.

  While others looking at the women beside them thought that they were lacking and felt somewhat dejected.

  After an uneventful stroll through the streets, the trio came upon the Golden Lotus auction house.

  Seeing it afar from the harbor was one thing, but seeing it up close was another.

  In front of the auction house was a water fountain that was ran by magic. Water shot out in sequence. On the top of the fountain was a giant golden lotus.

  The auction house itself looked magnificent with many beautiful statues built into the side of the building. Its entrance was a pair of golden gates with flowers and vines laid on top with gold. In the center of each gate stuck out two large golden lotuses.

  Once the trio walked through the gates they walked up toward a counter where an elderly man was standing.

  "Hello young master and misses, how may I help you today." The elderly man said in a kind tone.

  "Hello senior, we would like to partake in an auction." Zhang replied.

  "Ah is that so, to take part in the auction you must pay an entrance fee of two gold coins per person. And if you wished to bid for anything a deposit must be put out beforehand. This is to ensure that people do not bid and then not be able to pay for the item they won." The man explained.

  "Of course." Zhang replied and with a wave of his hand six gold coins appeared on the counter.

  Once the elderly man recorded the six coins with another wave of his hand Zhang made a pile of one hundred thousand gold coins appear.

  "Here are one hundred thousand gold coins. I would like to deposit this for the bidding." Zhang said.

  The man was stupefied once he saw how casually Zhang seemed and for him to be so young yet have so much wealth on him.

  Because one hundred copper coins was one silver coin. Then one hundred silver coins was one gold coin.

  A hundred silver coins would allow an extremely poor family to survive and thrive for a year. While a hundred of gold coins were all a regular family has.

  Ten thousand or so gold coins was close to all the wealth a middle classes family had.

  While the entire wealth of a regular wealth family was only a few hundred thousand gold coins.

  An extremely wealthy family most likely had a few million or so gold in assets. For someone of Zhang's age to casually pull out one hundred thousand gold coins the elderly man could only guess how rich his family was.

  If he knew this was only a small fraction of what Zhang had in his ring he would probably lose his mind.

  The amount of gold Zhang had looted from the pirates was unbelievable. It included golds that were accumulated over years of pillaging, and the amount they received to assassinate Jian Wei was astronomical.

  This of course, because Jian Wei was practically a king and if one did not pay an astronomical sum who would have the guts to try and assassinate a king.

  After counting the coins Zhang had placed into the counter, the man led the trio to a VIP room with a balcony. The balcony overlook where the auction would be taking place.

  There were many balconies reserved for vip clients. While regular people sat in stands below.

  Zhang naturally knew the value of the amount of coins he put out; but having never been to an auction house before, he did not know how much the winning bids ranged from.

  Naturally, he did not want to come short when bidding for something that he wanted. And of course, he did not want to deposit too much money either.

  The room the trio was in had fruit and refreshments placed on a table for guests and came equipped with comfy seats and even a maid.

  Soon the auction began, all of the light that were kept on magically turned off besides the light on the auctioning stage.

  A pretty young lady walked onto stage and greeted the people in the auctioning hall. She is going to be the auctioneer for this auction.

  "Welcome ladies and gentlemen, my name is Chi Zhen and I will be your host tonight." She said.

  Many whistles and cheers could be heard from the audience. This was, of course, because majority of the bidders had come just to see her. In Red Mist City she was one of the most sought after women; naturally, the auction house hired her because o
f this.

  "The first item we will be auctioning off today is a fairly sought after interspatial ring." Chi Zhen said as a pretty maid pushed a cart out from behind stage and on top of it, placed on a cushion, was a green interspatial ring.

  Seeing this, a portion of the audience went nuts. Interspatial rings were indeed very sought after and not very often put into auction. Only the rich could afford to own one of these rings and most of the time they kept them within the family.

  The bid started at one gold coin and immediately shot up to one hundred and then to a few thousand. In the end a chubby looking man had won the ring with a bid of twenty thousand gold coins.

  This man was named An Gao and controlled roughly twenty percent of the cities rice trade.

  Then next few things up for auction did not catch Zhang's attention although they were rare they were not things he needed.

  "Next we have a pair of hairpins, made of extremely rare white jade. They are treasures that would make any woman's heart move." Chi Zhen said as a maid placed two delicate looking hairpins on a pedestal.

  The hairpins looked very pleasing to the eye and all of the details on them were extremely well done. The body of the hairpin was made of ice jade and decorated with gold with a pearl handing to one of its ends by a small gold chain.

  "We will start the bidding at two hundred gold coins."

  Naturally the hairpins are not as sought after unlike the interspatial ring; so it was set a reserve price to ensure it met the price the auctioneer wanted to sell it at.

  "One hundred and fifty!" Zhang yelled from the balcony he was in.

  "Two hundred gold coins." Another voice rang out.

  "Three hundred." Zhang yelled.

  He wanted to get the two hairpins as gifts for Yuying and Ai.

  "Any more bidders?" Chi Zhen asked with a slight smile on her face. She was somewhat amazed that the price of the hairpins shot up so quickly. Usually, the bid went up by one or two gold coins or in increments of ten for such items.

  "Five hundred gold coins! Who's the fucker who keeps upping the price!" A voice rang out.

  Looking toward the balcony where the voice came from, Zhang saw Jin Chang. A smile appeared on his face.

  "Young master Jin! So we meet again!" Zhang yelled out as he stood up at the balcony.

  "It's you!!" Jin Chang yelled.

  Before Jin Chang could say another word Zhang placed another bid. "One thousand gold coins!"

  Yuying and Ai couldn't help but giggle when Zhang doubled the price. This was because they did not like Jin Chang and seeing how mad he got when Zhang raised the price made them somewhat happy.

  "Hmph you can have those two useless hairpin! There are better things going up for auction later!" Jin Chang yelled as he sat back down.

  "Thanks young master for letting me win the hairpins for my two lovely ladies here. I couldn't possibly outbid you if you wanted the hairpins for yourself." Zhang teased.

  After winning the hairpins a maid had brought them up to the room where Zhang was and once he got up and received them he called out to Yuying and Ai.

  "You two come here and let me put it on for you." He said as he gestured Yuying and Ai to come.

  Seeing this the two girls for up and stood in front of him.

  "Brother how can you be so cheap. Getting only a pair of hairpins while there are two of us." Ai said.

  "Don't you want one? I'll give this both to Yuying." Zhang replied with a smile on his face.

  "Of course I want one! Since they are a pair I'll match with sis!" Ai quickly replied.

  "Fine come here." Zhang said as he gently put the hairpin on each of them.

  The two hairpins looked as if they were made to be put into these two beauties, once they were place on Yuying and Ai's hair.

  "Next up we have a level four demonic beast. This beast is called Death Worm. It is of course tamed by our auction house before being put up for auction." Chi Zhen said as two hulking men pushed out a cage with a beast the size of a large dog inside.

  "We will start the bidding price at three hundred gold coins. Don't miss out the chance to own a demonic beast!" Chi Zhen said.

  "Three hundred and ten gold coins!" A skinny looking man yelled out from the audience below.

  "Five hundred gold coins! If you know what's good for you don't you dare to bid against me." Zhen Chang yelled out.

  Hearing this, no one wanted to offend the Jin clan, so naturally, the bidding stopped.

  Seeing this, Chi Zhen of course was not happy. If no one bid, then the auction house would not make a profit and she would get into trouble.

  "Only five hundred gold coins for a demonic beast of the 4th level. That's a very cheap price, anyone wants to bid?" She said trying to get someone to vote.

  "Five hundred and one gold coins."

  When Jin Chang looked to the direction where the voice came from he could see Zhang along with Yuying and Ai.

  "Son of a...." Jin Chang cursed in his mind.

  Before, he only saw Zhang and not the two beauties; but now that he saw them, he was reminded once more of their beauty, and of course like many other men, he became envious of Zhang and with envy, comes hatred.

  "Hmph two thousand gold coins." Jin Cheng yelled out.

  "Two thousand and one."

  "Three thousand!" Jin Chang yelled.

  "Ten thousand! Hmph some people think they have money but they just keep waving around chump change." Zhang said in a mocking tone while sneering at Jin Cheng.

  Hearing this, Jin Cheng became extremely mad.

  "Twenty thousand gold coins! Fucker, you think you have more money than my Jin clan?" Jin Cheng barked.

  "Of course not you're Jin clan, but more than you of course." Zhang replied.

  "Twenty thousand and one gold coins."

  "Gahhhh!!!! Forty thousand gold coins!!" Jin Cheng yelled out.

  "You can have it ha ha ha that overpriced worm." Zhang laughed hysterically.

  Yuying and Ai beside Zhang also began laughing to the point that tears formed at the corner of their eyes.

  "Sold! To the young master of the Jin Clan. Thank you for your patronage!" Chi Zhen said cheerfully.

  Of course she was happy, the death worn at most was worth one or two thousand gold coins. But Zhang has made Jin Cheng bid with forty thousand gold coins.

  "Young master, the clan leader won't be happy about this." A guard standing behind Jin Cheng said.

  "Shut up! Go back to my estate and bring more money! I have to wipe that smug look in that fucker’s face." Jin Cheng barked

  "But"

  "But what! Go and do as I say or I'll toss you in the dungeon!"

  "Ye-yes young master." The guard said as he sped out of the room.

  "How much more money do we have." Jin Cheng asked another guard.

  "After that forty thousand, we have another twenty thousand left young master." The guard said.

  "Next up we have ten bottles of Phoenix blood. Each bottle will start at one thousand gold coins. Cultivation materials such as these don't come by very often, and in such quantities, so make sure to place your bids." Chi Zhen said.

  Phoenix blood was a very rare cultivation elixir that had many uses. One could use it to boost their cultivation speed or heal fatal injuries. As long as someone hasn't died yet, the Phoenix blood could save their life.

  "I'll take all ten bottles for two thousand gold coins each!" Zhang yelled out.

  Although the Underworld Heart could mend wounds and recreate lost limbs, it was not possible to use it to heal disease. Whereas Phoenix blood could heal practically anything.

  "Any other bidder? Since that young master wishes to buy all of the bottles of Phoenix blood we will now sell them as a set." Chi Zhen said.

  Although Jin Chang wanted to bid against Zhang his bodyguard had not return with more money yet so he only had twenty thousand gold coins to bid with.

  "Going once, going twice, sold!"

  Like before, a maid broug
ht up the ten bottles of Phoenix blood to Zhang's room.

  With a wave of his hand the ten palm sized bottles disappeared into his interspatial ring.

  After the Phoenix blood, a few more items were auctioned; however, none of them caught Zhang's attention.

  There was even a fists size worth of liquid mithril up for auction. But even that did not catch Zhang's attention. This was because Zhang knew a place that had an unbelievable quantity of it. Thanks to Xin Tao of course.