King of Creation
Chapter 568 - 561: Furious Scolding

Chapter 568: Chapter 561: Furious Scolding

Ding, ding, ding!

The sound of knocking startled Fengh Qingyue, who had been immersed in joy like a child, back to reality. It was then she realized she was actually clutching Ye Zhen’s hand tightly with both of hers?!

The instant she let go lightning-fast, her pretty face instantly blushed as if brushed with rouge.

"Master Fengh, your pledged mid-grade Spirit Crystals total up to 1.15 million, and the Spirit Crystals earned from the auctioned items amount to 920,000. Now, you only need to present 1.63 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals to complete the auction bid!" said the deacons from the Heavenly Spirit Auction House as they entered. Luckily, their arrival saved Fengh Qingyue from the embarrassment she just awakened to.

At a bidding price of 3.7 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals, Fengh Qingyue bet all her assets. After giving away everything she owned, she finally received the Sealing Jade Disc from the auction house.

Tears silently rolled down Fengh Qingyue’s beautiful face as she gazed at the shining Qing and Zi rings within the Sealing Jade Disc.

In the next instant, amidst violent fluctuations of spiritual power, the Sealing Jade Disc emitted a sound like a balloon being popped, and the three layers of seals on it were directly torn apart. Fengh Qingyue had already pressed the Mystic Light Purple-Cyan Ring tightly to her chest, feeling as if she were embracing a dear family member.

Tears and joy flew across her lovely face together.

"1.05 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals!"

"1.1 million!"

"I bid 1.2 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals!"

"1.25 million..."

"1.5 million!"

"I bid 1.7 million!"

....

"2.1 million!"

The bidding for the Demon Cloud Fruit began, and the price soared like a roller coaster. Within a hundred breaths, the bid had risen rapidly to 2.1 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals, and Tian Guizhang had yet to make a single bid.

However, as the price was called out to exceed 2 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals, the frequency and number of bids clearly began to slow down.

An asset of 2 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals is a hurdle for many martial artists, an amount of wealth that only seasoned veterans could possess.

"I bid 2.22 million. Who else wants to compete with me?" Duan Yingnian, the Hall Master of the Vermilion Bird Hall of the Longevity Sect, spoke up again, having been the most aggressive bidder from the start.

"Hall Master Duan is fortunate. I, of course, have to join Hall Master Duan for a few rounds. 2.4 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals!" voiced Yao Sen, the Vice Sect Hierarch of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect.

"At the auction, the Demon Cloud Fruit is a rarity that appears once in decades. How could our Heavenly Net Sect possibly miss out on such an opportunity? 2.6 million!"

After several increases, Ye Zhen had already recognized the voice of this person, Jih Xuan, the Third Elder of the Heavenly Net Sect!

Inside the number three VIP room, the successive bidding calls made Tower Master Yan’s brows furrow tightly. The Demon Cloud Fruit was even more popular than he had imagined.

Originally, Stars Tower had reserved 3 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals for this Demon Cloud Fruit, but now it seemed insufficient.

"Deacon Ding, how many Spirit Crystals do we still have available?"

"Tower Master, due to the previous high bids, our funds are very tight. Just over 3 million..." Deacon Ding said helplessly.

The most regretful was the overpayment for the Purple Spirit Jade, nearly 2 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals over the odds. Otherwise, the current funds available for bidding on the Demon Cloud Fruit would be more than sufficient.

"Just 3 million?"

"Here’s what we’ll do, bring out your personal Spirit Crystals for the bidding. When we return, the tower will reimburse you!" Yan Cong instructed.

"Alright!"

Steward Ma and Deacon Ding exchanged glances and responded simultaneously.

"I bid 3 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals; who else wants to compete with me?" Duan Yingnian once again increased the bid substantially, raising it by 400,000 mid-grade Spirit Crystals in one go, determined to win.

"I still have to contend for it. 3.22 million!" Jih Xuan, the Third Elder of the Heavenly Net Sect, declared.

"Hmph, talk about competing after you win. 3.5 million!" Amidst the bidding, Duan Yingnian’s eyes turned red first.

He had no choice. He had brought great trouble to the Longevity Sect, a tremendous problem. If he failed to win this Demon Cloud Fruit to make amends, heaven knew how the Sect Hierarch would deal with him!

Whereas Yao Sen, the Vice Sect Hierarch of the Sun and Moon Divine Sect who had been bidding before, had silently dropped out amidst the bidding of the two men, the price having exceeded his authority.

"Heh, Hall Master Duan is bold. I, however, will bow out!" Jih Xuan, the Third Elder of the Heavenly Net Sect, said with a laugh.

"Hehehe....."

Hearing Jih Xuan bow out, Duan Yingnian laughed with relief, the laughter tinged with both relaxation and smugness.

But, his laugh hadn’t lasted for long before it was interrupted by another bid.

"3.6 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals! We, Stars Tower, bid 3.6 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals!" Tower Master Yan’s voice came through.

"3.7 million!"

Duan Yingnian’s expression turned stern as he raised the bid like lightning!

"3.8 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals!"

"3.9 million!"

"4 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals!" However, as Yan Cong called out the sky-high price of 4 million, his voice didn’t stop, "Hall Master Duan, don’t just focus on shouting numbers when you bid. When raising the bid, you still have to see if your wallet is thick enough!"

In the VIP room, Duan Yingnian, who had been bidding aggressively, suddenly slumped back into his seat as if he were a defeated rooster.

In fact, when he called out 3.5 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals, it was already the limit of Duan Yingnian’s wealth, and within that 3.5 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals, there were even 1.5 million lent to him by Divine General Pan, one of the Eight Divine Generals of the Longevity Sect.

But, Duan Yingnian thought that Divine General Pan might still have some reserves, and with his other miscellaneous assets, he might be able to pawn about ten or more million mid-grade Spirit Crystals, so he rashly raised the bid to 3.9 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals.

Now reminded by Yan Cong, he was like a deflated ball, completely void of strength, and turned a hopeful gaze towards Divine General Pan, wishing the latter could bring out some more Spirit Crystals.

But all Divine General Pan returned to him were a bitter smile and a head shake.

It made sense, after all. Divine General Pan had no reason to bankrupt himself alongside him.

With no more sounds in the auction hall, Yan Cong’s gaze sharpened like a hawk’s and fixed on the auctioneer Youx Fang, startling him into promptly banging the auction gavel.

"4 million mid-grade Spirit Crystals for the first time, anyone else willing to raise the bid?"

At the same time, in VIP room number three, Yan Cong finally breathed a sigh of relief. As long as a Demon Cloud Fruit made it to headquarters, his evaluation for the year would at least be above average, if not superior.

In VIP room number twenty-four, Tian Guizhang’s gaze fell upon Ye Zhen, his expression growing slightly tense.

After receiving a nod from Ye Zhen, Tian Guizhang’s voice suddenly rose.

"Demon Cloud Fruits are a rare treasure that appears only once in decades. I must join in on the excitement. I bid 4.1 million Mid-grade Spirit Crystals!"

Tian Guizhang’s bid made Yan Cong in VIP room number three quite annoyed.

Seeing the prize that was almost in his grasp being intercepted midway by someone else was irksome to anyone.

"Being able to put forth over four million Mid-grade Spirit Crystals, tsk tsk, Vice Sect Master Tian, are you using the funds of Sun and Moon Divine Sect, or did you rob a subdivision somewhere?"

As he opened his mouth, Yan Cong nailed the crux of the matter. Even Yao Sen, who controlled the finances of Sun and Moon Divine Sect, was unable to bid anymore. Tian Guizhang, bidding at this level with his own wealth, had to be up to something fishy!

Moreover, in the face of blatant self-interest, any relationship that Tian Guizhang and Yan Cong had was now nonexistent.

Tian Guizhang, being an old fox himself, naturally wouldn’t lose his temper over Yan Cong’s remark.

"Hehe, after tonight’s auction is over, I might act out of desperation and even think about robbing a Stars Tower subdivision!"

Tian Guizhang’s veiled response instantly set off a round of hearty laughter from the martial artists below.

"If Vice Sect Master Tian indeed has such elegant hobbies, I shall personally wait to welcome you at that occasion. Stars Tower bids 4.2 million Mid-grade Spirit Crystals!"

The bidding had reached a level where each increase was a significant cut into their wealth, which is why both individuals kept their increments very structured.

"Well said, well said! 4.3 million Mid-grade Spirit Crystals!"

"4.4 million!"

"4.5 million Mid-grade Spirit Crystals!"

The back-and-forth bidding by the two shocked all the Vein Forging Realm Martial Artists present, as well as those in the VIP rooms.

What did 4.5 million Mid-grade Spirit Crystals signify?

The entire annual pure income of the Longevity Sect Xining Branch was merely 250 million Low Grade Spirit Crystals, which was close to 2.5 million Mid-grade Spirit Crystals.

The current bid was already equivalent to two years of the pure income of the Longevity Sect Xining Branch.

This time, Yan Cong unusually did not raise the bid but instead sneered again.

"I didn’t realize, when did Vice Sect Master Tian become so wealthy as to rival entire nations! This price, even we at Stars Tower are feeling the pinch using public funds, yet Vice Sect Master Tian seems to be bidding so effortlessly, which really baffles me!"

Verify assets, I strongly demand an asset verification!"

First with sarcasm, then with a swift turn, Yan Cong revealed his true intentions because bidding to such an outrageous extent personally raised Yan Cong’s suspicions.

As a major client of Heavenly Spirit Auction House, they could not overlook a request from Yan Cong. A response came swiftly.

"As an asset verification has been requested, by rule, we will verify the assets of the bidding parties...."

Hearing this, Tian Guizhang’s face suddenly became extremely unsightly. The very thing he and Ye Zhen had feared most in their plan was an asset verification.

Once the bidding finished, everything would be manageable.

But if they had to verify assets midway, that would be a considerable, almost fatal complication.

"Now this is troublesome... Has my reputation truly come to an end here today?" Tian Guizhang sighed helplessly.

"No matter, you just follow my lead!" Ye Zhen suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"How should I follow?"

Tian Guizhang asked anxiously, but before he could finish speaking, Ye Zhen approached the window, and a thunderclap-like cursing tirade erupted!

"What is the meaning of this? Is Heavenly Spirit Auction House picking on Sun and Moon Divine Sect or what?

So we from Sun and Moon Divine Sect are all shams, all broke?

Why always verify our assets? Once is not enough, you need twice?

Do others pay with Spirit Crystals while we pay with stones?

The rules, are the rules of Heavenly Spirit Auction House merely for show?

If Sun and Moon Divine Sect were truly bidding maliciously, just penalize us by confiscating the Spirit Crystals and kicking us out of the auction house. Why verify assets over and over again? Someone shouts and you jump to verify assets; is Heavenly Spirit Auction House nothing but a yes-man?

Alright, since you love verifying assets so much, then at your next grand auction, we’ll verify assets for the entire event. Whoever dares to bid against us, we will demand verification, and then another verification, let’s see what you do then?

Even if they truly have the funds, we can still disgust them a bit, right?

What do you say, Tower Master Yan?"

Ye Zhen’s last words pointed straight at Stars Tower Master Yan Cong.

In an instant, the Heavenly Spirit Auction House was thrown into a bind.

The martial artists filling the auction hall were stunned by Ye Zhen’s tirade!

Of course, there were those who gave Ye Zhen a thumbs-up for his outburst!

Auctioneer Youx Fang looked anxiously behind him, knowing that if this situation wasn’t handled properly, it would indeed be troublesome.

If it really went as Ye Zhen said, with someone deliberately calling for asset verification for the whole event, that would be a huge problem.

And if such a precedent were set, how would future auctions be conducted?

The voice of the person in charge at Heavenly Spirit Auction House fell into sudden silence.

And at that moment, Tian Guizhang also began to voice his rage.

"Exactly, we at Sun and Moon Divine Sect finally decide to seriously join in a bid, only to be suspected. Are you bullying us or something? Mr. Qiao, if you don’t give me an explanation today, we will not let this go!"

Even if Tian Guizhang was slow, by now he knew how to play along with Ye Zhen.(To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with a recommendation ticket or monthly ticket at qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)