Xiao Hongchen was on the verge of going mad.
Relying on his status, he had successively mortgaged several top-grade level-nine soul tools to the Star Luo imperial family, and at the cost of the development rights to a rare metal mine, he had exchanged them for a full five hundred million gold soul coins in chips to bid for this supreme treasure.
And it wasn't until the other party had added a hundred million on top of his limit in one breath, putting up a full six hundred million in chips, that he finally felt a sense of powerlessness and could only dejectedly withdraw from this auction.
Seeing that Xiao Hongchen had finally given up, the members of the Sun Moon team finally couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief. They were so afraid that Xiao Hongchen, in a fit of heat, would have sent the entire Illustrious Virtue Hall into it!
...
The Star Luo Emperor Xu Jiawei's face was heavy, even somewhat ugly as he looked at the six hundred million on the screen, unable to say a word for a long time. Princess Jiujiu temporarily handed over the hosting of the auction to a Titled Douluo and then immediately walked into the room. If one looked carefully, one could find that a small white earplug was tucked into her right ear. Previously during the auction, she had from time to time made a listening posture.
Closing the door, only the two siblings were left in VIP room number one.
"Speak. Which faction is it that has disrupted our plans?" the Star Luo Emperor asked Princess Jiujiu.
Princess Jiujiu's face was also not very good. She said, "According to the registered information, it is people from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
The Star Luo Emperor took several heavy breaths. "The situation has already exceeded my expectations. The great-grandson of the Illustrious Virtue Hall's Dean is the most outstanding genius in the history of the Sun Moon Empire. If he can complete the fusion with the embryo, it will surely be like adding wings to a tiger. He would not have missed this opportunity originally. After all, when competing in financial resources, the Illustrious Virtue Hall is the undisputed number one on the continent. I had originally thought that after getting my hands on all the Illustrious Virtue Hall products they used as collateral, I would immediately send them to the research institute. I never thought that a money-is-no-object idiot like the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would jump out halfway!"
"Then..." A trace of unwillingness was revealed in Princess Jiujiu's eyes. No matter how much money, it was still just money. Although six hundred million was enough to support the empire's military pay for several years, it could not truly let their empire make a rapid breakthrough in the research of soul tools. She gritted her teeth and continued, "How about we raise the price ourselves, take this embryo back, and then trade with the Illustrious Virtue Hall?"
His Majesty the Emperor closed his eyes wearily. "It's already too late. Ever since we took out this supreme treasure, it's impossible to take it back safely anymore. It has already attracted too, too many sect forces. The current situation is already not something you and I can control. It's still an unknown whether those few fools from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can smoothly take the auction item back."
He seemed to be talking to himself, and also as if venting, "This plan was originally flawless. Three months after the auction ended, we could have issued a mission to the Adventurer's Guild to seize the treasure from the Illustrious Virtue Hall, with a mission amount of one hundred million gold soul coins. No matter how talented the great-grandson of the Illustrious Virtue Hall's Dean is, it would be impossible for him to attempt fusion for at least ten years. And this is even considering them using the most precious medicines to help increase his body's strength. Ten years is already enough for many variables to occur."
Princess Jiujiu dejectedly lowered her head. "It's just a pity that our originally perfect plan has been completely disrupted by this Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect that appeared out of nowhere."
The light in Xu Jiawei's eyes dimmed. "If we had enough strength, why would I need to do this? According to our inside line, the Illustrious Virtue Hall has made successive major breakthroughs in the research of soul tools. If we don't put some restraint on them, I'm afraid the Sun Moon Empire will have a big move in less than ten years. But we are still far from being ready."
Xu Jiujiu couldn't help but comfort, "Brother, you can't be blamed for this. We have already worked very hard. It's just that in the research and development of soul tools, we don't have the natural advantage of the resource-rich Sun Moon Empire. And, long before the Sun Moon Continent collided with our Douluo Continent, they already had many years of research experience."
The Star Luo Emperor powerlessly waved his hand and said, "No reason can change reality. We can only work hard for reality. After a period of time, I will personally make a trip to Shrek Academy. If the Sun Moon Empire really has a big move, the only ally we can count on is them. How are the reactions of the other few factions with the strength to compete?"
Xu Jiujiu thought for a moment and said, "They all reacted. Two of them have a relatively clear intention and have also sold us many good things. Conservatively estimated, through this auction, we can directly profit by more than fifty million gold soul coins. This sum of money can buy a lot of good things in the Sun Moon Empire through our agents."
A cold light instantly flashed in the Star Luo Emperor's eyes. "Try to make them create some friction."
"Yes!"
VIP Room Number Three.
"Bastard. Let me know who made this bid, and I'll kill him." In this VIP room, there were only two people from the Body Sect, both looking to be in their forties. The speaker was tall, and his most peculiar feature was that his right arm was particularly thick, at least twice as thick as his left arm. His entire person actually exuded a bit of an aura like a prehistoric ferocious beast.
The other person was short and small, but his head was particularly large, looking a bit like a big-headed doll. The few sparse hairs were yellow, but when his two eyes opened and closed, a refined light shot out, as if shining like a bright lamp.
"I think we will know who it is. This thing, if we can't take it back for Young Master Cao, we at least have to know where to snatch it back from."
As he spoke, this big-headed man narrowed his eyes, and the air in the entire VIP room actually began to twist violently. The feeling was like seeing the watery ripples above a raging fire when one is in a trance. Everything in the room seemed to become illusory. In every VIP room, there was an auctioneer and two maidservants responsible for reception. These three auction house staff members were the first to be affected. After their entire bodies trembled, their eyes soon became dazed, standing there blankly and motionless.
The big-headed man sat back down on the sofa, beckoned to the female auctioneer who was also a black-level, and said, "You, come over here!"
The black-level female auctioneer quickly came forward and stood blankly before him.
"Go out and check for this old one what the origin of the person who just bid six hundred million gold soul coins is!" As he spoke, he was even somewhat shamed into anger.
"As you command," the black-level female auctioneer actually replied respectfully, turned around, and left.
Besides Huo Yuhao, who possessed Monarchy and Kotoamatsukami, this big-headed man could actually, without releasing his martial soul, easily control the minds of several people. Even if they were just a few ordinary people, this was still a god-like existence.
"Second Brother, you are really amazing. Why don't we just control the people in this auction house and snatch the thing away?" the coarse-armed man said in a low voice. A fierce light shone in his eyes, and his thick right arm even burst out with a series of "crackling" sounds. That was not the sound of bones, but of the airflow around his arm changing.
The big-headed man immediately shook his head. "No. This Starlight Auction House has the background of the Star Luo imperial family. And how could a top-tier auction like this have no one presiding over it? I can feel that there are at least four powerful auras here. Four Titled Douluo are here. Do you want to die? Unless a sect elder is here, otherwise we will definitely not get any advantage. Don't worry, this hundred-thousand-year soul beast embryo is not so easy to absorb. So what if they bid for it? As long as we find the right target, are we afraid we can't get it back?"
A similar situation was playing out in several VIP rooms at almost the same time. It was just that their methods of inquiring about the news were different. With the Starlight Auction House's cooperation without leaving a trace, how could the identity of Ning Tian from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect in the VIP room be kept secret?
The number of six hundred million gold soul coins finally did not continue to jump. This astronomical figure was terrifying to any faction.
"So what if we let them get it first?" In VIP room number two, Xiao Hongchen snorted unwillingly, turned his head to Old Ma, and said, "Old Ma, this supreme treasure is definitely a hot potato. Although this auction house can guarantee their safety during the handover, after the transaction is over, it's hard to say. As long as they are out of the auction house, let's see if they still have the ability to take the thing and leave!"
Old Ma nodded and said, "We should have done so. Even if the person who bought the thing keeps a low profile, an auction item worth several hundred million has rarely appeared in the history of the continent. Not just us, I'm afraid there are also many factions watching covetously. They won't be able to leave."
Xiao Hongchen fiercely smashed everything on the table to pieces, panting like an ox. "When can my old man grandpa arrive?"
Old Ma pondered for a moment and gave a clear reply. "Two days. With the empire's breakthrough in level-nine flying soul tools, even with a group of people, it will only take two days."
"Good!" A cruel smile immediately appeared on Xiao Hongchen's face. "The countdown to their lives is just these last two days!"
Returning to VIP room number one.
His Majesty the Star Luo Emperor listened to one after another of the transmitted messages, and the cruelty on his face became more and more intense.
"Six hundred million... Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Illustrious Virtue Hall's Dean, and also the Body Sect... I hope you like the gift I've sent." After speaking, he slowly stood up. The soul tool screen in front actually split to both sides, and the figure of this imperial emperor disappeared into the secret corridor.
The secret passages in each VIP room opened one after another, so that the distinguished guests participating in the bidding in the VIP rooms could leave secretly. Huo Yuhao's group was no exception.
But what all the factions didn't expect was that the moment Huo Yuhao's group of six left this secret passage, they escaped into the Kamui space. At the same time, another group of men in black, having changed into the decorations of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, rushed away from another passage exit of the auction house.
Looking at the God-Sealing Platform in Huo Yuhao's arms, everyone couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief. At the same time, they cast a worried look at Ning Tian.
They would surely be fine, but Ning Tian had to register her identity under the name of a successor of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect behind her would surely not be able to escape this calamity.
More importantly, in their future daily cultivation in the Sun Moon Empire, it was very likely that Ning Tian would reveal her Eight Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul and be discovered by Xiao Hongchen and the others as the Young Sect Master.
At the same time, to have spent six hundred million in one go, even the rich-as-a-country Ning Tian, this little rich girl, felt as if she had had a great dream. This amount had undoubtedly greatly injured the muscles and bones of her sect.
As if seeing the anxiety of the crowd, Huo Yuhao had long had a plan for this.
"A few days ago, I already sent a message to the Holy Ghost Cult, asking them to find people to impersonate us and escort the God-Sealing Platform away. Ning Tian, from today on, you must publicly declare that the Young Sect Master Ning Tian is dead, and immediately change your name to Ning Tiantian."
"Ning... Tiantian?" Ning Tian was instantly covered in black lines. Only a naming ghost like Huo Yuhao could think of such a tacky name for her.
"As for the six hundred million that your Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect lost at the Starlight Auction House, I promise you that not only can I make your martial soul evolve to the level of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda like your ancestor from ten thousand years ago, but I will also additionally gift you multiple soul rings, hundred-thousand-year soul rings!"
"What?"
The moment Huo Yuhao said this, the others immediately couldn't remain calm. How could a hundred-thousand-year soul ring be so easy to obtain? Among the few of them, besides Cui Yejie who had obtained a hundred-thousand-year nine-tailed immortal fox soul spirit through artificial means, the highest for the others at present was Xie Huanyue's ten-thousand-year soul ring.
If these six hundred million gold soul coins could be exchanged for several hundred-thousand-year soul rings and a Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, even if it were ten hundred million, her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect would be willing!
Regarding the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect behind Ning Tian, he naturally would not be too worried. Even if this sect was at a disadvantage in high-end combat power due to its legacy martial soul, the Nine-Colored Goddess who was alive and well above them would give them sufficient protection.
"Later, report this news back to your sect. Also, have them take defensive measures during this time," Huo Yuhao patted Ning Tian's shoulder. Looking at the shoulder-length hair she had kept because of his preference, he couldn't help but laugh, "You really do look much better with long hair."
Ning Tian's pretty face turned red, and she turned her head away. "Didn't you always say I was a tomboy before? Now you have nothing to say."
"Aren't you still one now!" Huo Yuhao teased. "A man's wife, isn't that a tomboy?"
"Get lost! Who's your wife?" Ning Tian directly flew a kick at him. Huo Yuhao dodged with a smile. It was a pity that Ning Tian didn't like to wear skirts at present, otherwise this one kick would have been much more beautiful.
"Hahaha, I never said which man!" Huo Yuhao laughed loudly, and using the characteristics of the Kamui space, led everyone to quickly return to the Star Emperor Grand Hotel.