The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was never particularly wealthy. This was already the limit of what they could offer.
Meanwhile, Ning Zhen didn't even blink. With a flourish of his pen, he listed the sponsorship Xue Ye the Great had offered him the night before, along with several of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's core commercial streets, Spirit Bones, and the secret Heart Separation Control technique. The list went on and on.
A moment later, all the parchment had been collected and neatly stacked on the table in front of Qian Xunji.
The entire hall fell silent, every breath held. All eyes were fixed on Qian Xunji's long, slender hands.
Qian Xunji picked up the first sheet without a care, glanced at it, and set it aside.
The second sheet, set aside.
When he saw the third—the offer from Ning Zhen—his brows lifted slightly, and a flicker of amusement crossed his eyes.
Well, well. Ning Zhen really was a philanthropist. He could fleece him once now, then fleece him again a few years later over Soul Tools.
Qian Xunji didn't even feel like looking at Yu Yuanzhen's offer, but out of courtesy, he skimmed it anyway.
At the end, he pulled Ning Zhen's parchment out by itself and gently tapped it against the table.
"The result is in."
Qian Xunji rose to his feet and announced loudly to the crowd craning their necks below:
"After careful consideration, this peerless genius with Twin Spider Emperors will ultimately belong to—the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."
"What?"
Yu Yuanzhen slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet, his eyes bulging.
"That's impossible! Qian Xunji, have you gone blind?
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is full of people who play with pagodas. How could they possibly teach someone with twin Beast Martial Souls?
"Was the price offered by my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan not enough?"
"Clan Master Yu, watch your words."
Qian Xunji shot him a cold glance.
"I said the highest bidder would win. If you'd looked at Sect Master Ning's offer, you'd know just how... frugal your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was."
Ning Zhen suppressed his glee, stood, and cupped his hands to the people around him. "You've conceded the honor to me. Thank you, everyone."
Though Dai Tianfeng and Tang Zhen wore grim expressions, they had sworn a vicious oath moments ago. All they could do was swallow their anger.
Xue Ye, meanwhile, was fairly satisfied with how the trip had gone. Thirty years—he could wait that long.
"All right, today's auction is over."
Qian Xunji waved his hand, ushering everyone out.
"You've all traveled a long way, so feel free to enjoy Spirit City for a couple of days. Everything is ten percent off. As for Sect Master Ning..."
Qian Xunji turned to Ning Zhen and gave him a meaningful smile.
"That child has a special status. To prevent anything from going wrong, I'll personally escort her to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's residence tonight. While I'm at it... I'll take stock of the accounts.
"Everyone, please return."
Night fell, and Spirit City lay hushed and still.
In the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's residence,
Yu Yuanzhen paced anxiously back and forth in the main hall.
The table in front of him was laden with fine wine and delicacies, but he had no appetite for any of it.
"Creak—"
The door swung open, and Qian Xunji walked in alone, clad in a black robe.
"Hahahaha! I knew it."
The moment Yu Yuanzhen saw Qian Xunji, he eagerly went to meet him, triumph written all over his face.
"At Pope Hall today, you were putting on an act for those fools, weren't you?
"You'd give a twin Beast Martial Soul to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, that bunch of upstarts, instead of my Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? What a farce!
"Where is she? Hurry up and bring that little girl in!"
Watching Yu Yuanzhen's wild imaginings, Qian Xunji pulled out a chair without the slightest courtesy and sat down. He poured himself a cup of wine and sighed.
"Clan Master Yu, you're reading too much into it.
"I wasn't joking earlier. You really did lose."
Yu Yuanzhen's smile froze on his face, then fury took hold. "You played me?! Then what are you doing here in the middle of the night?!"
"Don't get worked up."
Qian Xunji took a sip of wine.
"I came to offer you a little confidential information as a friendly bonus, since you clearly have a genuine love for talent. It concerns your son, Yu Xiaogang."
At the name "Yu Xiaogang," Yu Yuanzhen's pupils contracted sharply. The Soul Power of thunder within him burst out of control for an instant.
"Xiao Gang... What happened to him?!"
"His Martial Soul, Luo Sanpao, isn't a trash Martial Soul at all."
Qian Xunji dropped a bombshell.
"After cross-referencing the highest-level records in Spirit Hall, we determined that it's actually an extremely rare 'beneficial mutation.' The problem is, the mutation didn't receive enough energy stimulation, so it stalled halfway through. That's why it seems useless."
"In other words, I don't know whether he himself has any hope, but there's a chance his Martial Soul can still be salvaged."
"What did you say? A beneficial mutation?" Yu Yuanzhen stared fixedly at Qian Xunji, his breathing growing ragged.
He had always felt guilty about his useless son. If this was really true...
"And that's not all."
Qian Xunji began gently leading him into the trap.
"When it comes to the deepest research on Mutated Martial Souls and Martial Soul defects, who on the continent can compare with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's theories?
"What's more, fully activating your son's Martial Soul will require an enormous amount of rare, top-grade natural treasures. Does your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan have the resources for that?"
Qian Xunji stood and patted the dumbfounded Yu Yuanzhen on the shoulder.
"Ning Zhen now has both money and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's records, compiled over generations, on Martial Soul defects and evolution.
"Clan Master Yu, for your son's future, your two clans should become a little more 'close' and exchange ideas more often."
With that, Qian Xunji left through the door and disappeared into the night, taking his merit with him.
Yu Yuanzhen was left standing there alone, his shock gradually transforming into fervor.
"Xiao Gang... Xiao Gang's Martial Soul can still be saved! The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect... Ning Zhen! Right, I'll seek his cooperation."
Yu Yuanzhen punched the table, as if he'd grasped the last lifeline.
Outside the door, Qian Xunji listened to the commotion inside and gave a satisfied, cold laugh.
Go on. Exchange ideas. Once you bring Yu Xiaogang and Bibi Dong together,
that'll be the grand spectacle of both the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect going down in flames.
After leaving the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's residence, Qian Xunji headed straight for the secret chamber behind Pope Hall.
At that moment, Bibi Dong sat quietly on the bed in the chamber, her eyes as cold as a viper's.
She was waiting.
Waiting for Qian Xunji to open the door just as he had in her previous life, offer her hypocritical concern, and then take her as his disciple.
She had even prepared the perfect speech to earn this beast's trust.
"Click."
The door opened.
Qian Xunji strode in briskly. Without a word, he grabbed Bibi Dong by the scruff of her neck, as if she were a chick, and hoisted her up.
"Your Holiness... What are you going to do?" Bibi Dong slipped into character at once, forcing a few frightened tears into her eyes as she trembled.
"Quiet. I'm taking you to your new home."
Qian Xunji wasn't fooled for a second. He grabbed a black cloak and wrapped her in it, then carried her out of the secret chamber and stuffed her into a low-key carriage that had been prepared in advance.
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