"One hundred million, going once, going twice..."
The young woman's auction mallet was poised in the air, ready to fall, when a bold voice interrupted.
"One hundred twenty million gold soul coins!"
Ning Fengzhi suddenly stood up, a calm smile on his face. "Not only that, but I can also add a pearl to the bid. As for its effects, I can explain them privately to the auction staff."
"Ning Fengzhi!" Chrysanthemum Douluo's eyes narrowed as he glared at him. A flicker of murderous intent flashed in his gaze.
At that moment, Bone Douluo raised his head, locking eyes with Chrysanthemum Douluo. The air between them seemed to crackle with tension, as if sparks were about to fly.
Of course, this was merely a metaphorical description.
In the next instant, the two simultaneously averted their gazes, neither willing to escalate the confrontation further.
Chrysanthemum Douluo had previously declared that this competition would be decided by financial strength. If he were to violate that principle now, what was the point of even holding an auction? They might as well just fight for the item outright.
"Please wait a moment, everyone," the young woman said, raising her hand to pause the proceedings.
A waiter approached her, and she whispered something into his ear.
"Ning Fengzhi, I never expected you to become so desperate," Huyan Zhen remarked from his VIP seat, his tone laced with sarcasm. "Could it be that this treasure is as valuable as the recipe on the stage?"
Xiao Tianyang couldn't help but sneer inwardly. 'Is this old man throwing a tantrum because he can't compete?'
He understood Huyan Zhen's frustration all too well. After all, if Xiao Tianyang hadn't delayed the auction by three hours, the recipe might already be in Huyan Zhen's hands. Perhaps the dishes would even have been prepared by now.
The situation was akin to a school outcast who harbored a crush on the school belle. One day, she walks up to him, and he's filled with excitement, only to realize she just wanted to borrow a pen...
Xiao Tianyang could empathize, but he couldn't fully relate. In both his past and current life, he had never experienced rejection.
"In terms of value, this peral certainly isn't as precious as the recipe on stage. Otherwise, I wouldn't be offering it as an addition," Ning Fengzhi replied with a composed smile. "However, in the hands of someone who knows how to use it, this pearl's value is far from insignificant."
His words were measured, neither inflating the pearl's worth nor diminishing its importance. This kind of ambiguity was particularly effective against someone like Huyan Zhen, whose mind was as simple as his muscles were developed.
The efficiency of the Heaven Dou Auction House was truly impressive. Within five or six minutes, a waiter returned to the young woman and whispered something to her.
Though her expression remained neutral, her eyes betrayed her surprise. After the waiter stepped back, she announced cheerfully, "Everyone, the auction will continue. The estimated value of the pearl exceeds one hundred million gold soul coins."
The room erupted in murmurs.
This was almost the same price as the cookbook earlier.
Even though Ning Fengzhi had interrupted the bidding, the cookbook's value had effectively peaked at that point.
After all, while rumors suggested it could enhance soul power, the extent of its effects remained uncertain.
How long the enhancement would last was also a key question. Given these unknowns, one hundred million was a reasonable price.
But now, pearl was being valued at one hundred million? This was hard for many to accept.
Just as someone was about to accuse the two parties of collusion, they quickly bit their tongues. The reason? They remembered who stood behind the auction house.
At first, they might not have known who the so-called "hegemony" was. But by now, news had spread through their families: the "hegemony" was none other than Miao Zhenshan, a Level 98 Super Douluo!
Would someone of his stature collude with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Sect in secret? Yes, and it was highly likely.
After all, Miao Zhenshan had once openly entered the Spirit Hall. While the conflict between the two factions wasn't irreconcilable, it was far from friendly.
It was entirely plausible that he would use Ning Fengzhi to humiliate the Spirit Hall.
But even if that were true, who would dare to say it aloud?
Even the Spirit Hall, as long as Miao Zhenshan didn't go too far, couldn't do much against him.
A Super Douluo wasn't someone to be trifled with.
Even during the encirclement of Haotian Douluo, several titled Douluo from the Spirit Hall had perished. The risks were simply too high.
Under normal circumstances, as long as there were no irreconcilable conflicts, the two sides wouldn't engage in open warfare. At least, not for now.
Those participating in this auction were no longer mere playboys. They were high-ranking, influential figures. If any of them spoke out of turn and angered the wrong person, it would spell disaster.
That's why, despite their surprise, everyone remained silent.
Huyan Zhen and Chrysanthemum Douluo both wore grim expressions. The former was embarrassed, while the latter felt that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Sect had overstepped.
But regardless of their feelings, the auction had to proceed.
The young woman turned to Ning Fengzhi with a smile. "Is Sect Master Ning satisfied with this valuation?"
Before Xiao Tianyang had taken the stage, he had instructed the young woman to handle certain matters independently. While she might not have fully grasped his intentions, she was smart enough not to make any foolish mistakes.
Xiao Tianyang's plan wasn't overly complicated.
The young woman's role was primarily to handle unexpected situations, such as the introduction of the pearl. Threats, theft, or coercion were unlikely to occur—unless Chrysanthemum Douluo had lost his mind, which he clearly hadn't.
"Thank you, Boss Xiao, for your consideration," Ning Fengzhi said politely, his tone gentle.
"So her surname is Xiao?" Xiao Tianyang thought, surprised by the coincidence.
What he didn't realize was that the young woman's surname, while pronounced the same, was written differently from his.
Though they shared a common origin, the characters had evolved over time. But this was a trivial matter, hardly worth dwelling on.
After all, what did her surname have to do with him?
The interlude concluded, and the auction resumed.
One hundred million plus one hundred twenty million amounted to two hundred twenty million gold soul coins! Even Chrysanthemum Douluo, representing the Spirit Hall, had to think carefully before making his next move.
"This cookbook is valuable, but not to this extent!" Chrysanthemum Douluo cursed inwardly. "Damn it, Ning Fengzhi is meddling again. Does he have a death wish?"
As he weighed his options, Chrysanthemum Douluo couldn't help but feel the pressure. He had been granted full authority to handle this situation, but the stakes were high. If he miscalculated, the consequences would be severe.
But if he backed down now...
…
If you'd like to support me and gain access to 60+ advanced chapters, you can follow the link:
patreon.com/DarkLord621
📖 Explore my fanfiction collections:
🔹 Douluo: Infinite Lottery System - 234+ Chapter
🔹 Douluo: Peerless Gu Master - 157+ Chapter
🔹 My Disciple Are All Dou God - 70+ Chapter
Thank you for your support!