Dragon's Soul Chapter 51: Necklace

With the black book in hand Zhang fell into deep thought. “Perhaps if I find the other book then I might be able to combine the soul in the books together then using the Underworld Heart I can revive the dragon in an adolescent form and then raise it as my pet.” Zhang thought to himself.
While thinking of the soul within the book Zhang looked at Ai. Although he kept it to himself for a time Zhang had thought that Ai might be the soul within his lost pendant. However, the thought quickly faded away. This is of course because he knew one thing and it was that the Underworld Heart only created a body that was based on the person’s soul as a blueprint.
If the soul belonged to a dog the body the Heart would create of course would be a dog’s body. Had Ai been the dragon’s soul that resided within his necklace then she would have a body of a dragon. So for now her past was still a mystery. But Zhang knew one thing and that was that she meant no harm to him nor the ones around them.
“The past doesn’t matter what does matter is the future. Perhaps she is a dragon, who knows not like I’ve ever meet a real live dragon before.” Zhang laughed inside as he stored the black book away into his interspatial ring.
Today Zhang and the three beauties had to get ready for their trip to Red Mist city. It had been decided that Zhang would lead Ling, Ai and Yuying back to Red Mist city first. Then afterward when the opportunity presented itself his family, Ling’s family, a few other families with close relation to theirs and of course their soldiers would leave the Heilong kingdom and join them.
Although they wanted to join Zhang and Ling, Zhou Cheng and Wu Tong wanted to join their children they could not at least for the moment. As two ministers of the Heilong kingdom if they just upped and left there was no way the king would allow it. That is to say they left without any of their subordinates following them.
If the two of them left with their subordinates, then that might be seen as an act of rebellion toward the kingdom. But there was no way they would leave without bringing their subordinates. Even if king Huang He was the kindest king on the face of the planet there was no way he would let them just up and leave besides the subordinates the two of them knew too much. Wu Tong and Zhou Cheng knew too many of the kingdom’s secrets which if known by the enemy might spell the end of the kingdom.
So for them to leave safely the borders of the kingdom with their subordinates they needed an excuse or some kind of scenario to play out. Thus it was decided for Zhang and the three beauties to return to Red Mist city and then send out wedding invitations. Invitations to Zhang’s wedding with Ling of course.
Then using the excuse of hosting his daughter’s wedding Wu Tong would be able to leave. And of course Zhang’s father using the excuse of attending his best friend’s daughter’s wedding would also leave. Once they left the borders of the Heilong Kingdom they would be home free. With the looming threat of the Siw.a.n.g empire there was no way the armies of the Heilong kingdom would be moved out of its borders. Also although Aurora was not considered a kingdom it was only slightly weaker than the Heilong kingdom in terms of military might.
So today Zhang, Ling, Yuying and Ai decided to go check out the golden lotus auction house located in the capital of the Heilong kingdom.
“Brother where do you want to go after the auction house?” Yuying asked as she walked down the street with Zhang alone.  Today Ling gone home to pack some of her things and get ready for the trip and Ai had decided to tag along with her.
Zhang and Yuying were currently walking down the street arm in arm with each other looking like a lovely couple.
“This white dress suits you.” Zhang complimented as he and Yuying walked down the street.
“If you like I’ll wear dresses like this more often.” Yuying replied slightly blushed cheeks.
“Actually I’d prefer you wear a red dress for me.” Zhang said will a silly grin on his face.
“A red dress?” Yuying murmured. After a few moments she realized what he meant and her face turned deep red.
“If if you really mean it perhaps….” Yuying murmured shyly. However, her voice was to soft so it wasn’t audible by the person she was talking to.
“Ah we are here.” Zhang said as he pointed to a large building in front of them. This was an office of the Golden Lotus, although it was not a branch headquarters like in Red Mist city.
“Did you say something?” Zhang asked Yuying.
“No-nothing.”
“Alright let’s go inside I’ll pick out something nice for you.” Zhang said with a grin.
As the two of them walked hand in hand into the building they were greeted by a young lady.
“h.e.l.lo young master and young madam. How may I be of service to you two today.” The woman said as she curtsied.
“Ah yes we would like to partake an auction.” Yuying said to the young woman.
“Right this way.” The young woman said as she led them to the front desk of the auction house.
“Would the young master and young madam like for me to explain the rules of the auction house?” The young woman said.
“No need this isn’t our first time.” Zhang said.
“If that is the case how much gold would the young master like to deposit for the auction?” The young woman said.
“There will be no need for that.” Zhang said with a smile and with a flip of his hand a black card with an emblem of a golden lotus on it appeared. Those with the black card did not have to place a deposit and received some special treatment as all of the establishments of the golden lotus.
Once the young women saw this she bowed and said.
“I apologize for not knowing your status young master. Please forgive me.” She said hastily. Those with the black vip card are all special guests for the auction house and had to be treated with the utmost respect.
“It's not a problem. Please lead the way.” Zhang said.
“Right this way young master and young madam.” The woman said as she gestured them to follow her.
Zhang and Yuying were lead through the hallways of the auction house to the front of an exquisite looking set of doors half a lotus carved into each door. The inside of the room was comparable to the room they had been in for the auction in Red Mist city.
“If there is anything you need please tell the maid who will be a.s.signed to this room. I wish the young master and young madam good luck in finding an item that you like.” The woman said as she left the room and closed the double doors.
Zhang and Yuying sat down on a comfy sofa located on the balcony that overlooked the auction floor.
“This is nice, just the two of us today.” Yuying said as she sat beside Zhang on the sofa.
“Yes it is.” Zhang said as he leaned closer toward her and put his arm around her.
A short while later the auction began. Like in Red Mist city the auctioneer was a very pretty young woman.
“Welcome ladies and gentlemen to our auction today. I will be your host and I hope everything is to your liking.” The women said.
“For our first item we have here seven bottles of Phoenix blood.”
The instant Zhang saw those bottles of Phoenix blood go on auction he decided he wanted them. So far the bottles of Phoenix blood had proved to be very useful and the more he had the better.
 
“I'll take all of them for one thousand gold coins a bottle.” Zhang said standing up from his seat.
“The young master up there has raised the bid to one thousand gold coins a bottle making a total of seven thousand gold coins for all of the bottles. Any other bids?” The young women said.
“Ten thousand for all of them.” A middle aged man dressed in red robes who was standing at another balcony said.
“Ah master Yu Zhao of the Yu sect it is nice to see you here today. The current bid is ten thousand for all of the bottles.”
“Fifteen thousand.” Zhang yelled as Yuying got up don't the sofa and stood beside him locking arms and looking down below.
“Hmph young man I suggest you give up this middle aged man really wants those bottles and I don’t believe that you'll be able to our bid me. I bid eighteen thousand gold coins.” Yu Zhao said with an air of arrogance.
“Even if the king showed up he would not be able to outbid me! Twenty thousand!” Zhang said while knowing full well that he was overpaying for these bottles.
“Arrogant! You think you have more wealth than a king? Twenty-two thousand.” Yu Zhao said. As a sect leader he had to show that his sect would not back down to others so he kept bidding.
Beside him Yuying had a small grin on her face. She knew that Zhang meant that even if the king of the Heilong kingdom appeared he would not be able to outbid Zhang. Zhang currently had half the wealth of an empire in his interspatial ring. If he wanted to he could buy a small kingdom.
“Stop raising the bid by such little amounts already. Thirty thousand gold coins.” Zhang said while sneering at the man.
The rest of the audience was dumbfounded by what Zhang said. How is few thousand gold coins a tiny sum?
Beside Yu Zhao was another man. This man was the sect’s second in command who helped managed the funds of the sect
“Sect master we need to save our funds for that item that is going on auction later.” The man said.
“Hmph so be it.” Yu Zhao said.
Down on the auction floor there was utter silence.  
“Any more bids for the seven bottles of Phoenix blood?” The young woman asked.
A few moments later the bottles were brought up to Zhang’s private room.
After the Phoenix blood a few other items were put up for auction however they did not catch Zhang’s interest. Items such as suits of armor, weapons, and other things were of no use to him due to the high quality of his current equipment. These items that were auctioned although were rare and had good quality was not up to par.
“Today our last item will be this pendant made of a dragon's heart.” The young women said and some men carried in a pedestal with a pillow on top.
The moment Zhang saw the necklace on the pedestal that was brought in he recognized it right away. It looked exactly the same as necklace that had been lost.
“I'll tell everyone a bit of history on this item. This necklace is part of a series of dozens of identical necklaces that date back to the latest of roughly a thousand years ago.”
“Little is known about the origin of these necklaces however one thing that is known from the stories of those who possess these necklaces is there is always a beggar who gave them the necklace and left them with a prophecy.”
“Two particular things about these necklaces are the owner of these necklaces never possess an essence level high then two and no matter how hard the owner tries to get rid of them, they always reappear. From that a legend saying that these necklaces are cursed was born.” The young woman said while holding the necklace.
The crowd had mixed emotions about this item going up for auction some wondered why the auction house was auctioning such an ominous item. Whereas others felt a bit of intrigue and wondered if they could buy this necklace and plant it on their enemies.
“If the necklace doesn't leave its owner then how come the auction house is selling it.” A man in the audience asked.
“Through careful research we have found out that the necklaces sometimes unattaches itself from its owners as if it deemed them unworthy and this is one of those particular necklaces. These necklaces are truly mysterious so we do not know the exact reason why they act the way they do. But I would like to add that we have found through careful examination that in this particular necklace there is an extremely large concentration of energy that if successfully tapped into would be able to bring armies to their knees.” The auctioneer said.
“We will begin the bedding at fifty thousand gold coins.”
“Two hundred thousand gold coins.” Yu Zhao yelled out. His sect had a certain technique that allowed them transfer the essence from one thing into another. So once he heard about this necklace Yu Zhao had decided to buy it and then use the sect’s technique to transfer the energy inside into the sect’s treasure called the Slaughterer Sword. With the ma.s.sive amount of energy from the necklace inside the treasure sword he sect’s power would increase one hundredfold and they'd be able to stand at the peak of influence and power.
However, had Zhang not been here today Yu Zhao might have gotten his way.
“Three hundred thousand gold coins.” Zhang yelled. “I must have it.” Zhang thought. He knew of the necklaces true power and after having lost his previous one somehow he would not let this one slip of his hands.
“Three hundred and twenty thousand.” Yu Zhou said.
Beside Yu Zhou the man who was second in charge of the sect had a frown on his face.
“Master that is all of the gold the sect has on hand.”
“That doesn't matter once we get this necklace we will be able to dominate the other sects, perhaps the kingdom also.” Yu Zhao said.
“Hmph four hundred thousand.” Zhang said.
Once those words left Zhang's mouth Yu Zhao’s face sank. He could not bid any higher than the three hundred and twenty thousand gold coins. Had Zhang not been present he would have certainly gotten the necklace because not very many people were willing to sh.e.l.l out so much gold for a single item.
“Going once! Going twice! Sold to the young master up there for four hundred thousand gold coins.” The auctioneer said with a smile on her face.
“The commission that I will be getting will be huge.” She thought.
Everyone else was dumbfounded and stared at the balcony where Zhang and Yuying were standing. They all were wondering how can such a young man just casually spend four hundred thousand gold coins just like that on a single item.
 
=================================================
Will try to get another chapter done for tonight. Thoughts?  Give me ratings!!!!!!!!!! Also wrote this on phone if any errors please help me by pointing them out.
Also I'll run this through spellcheck and everything once I get home tonight.