Nashan's clothes were tossed out one by one from the group of ladies, his cries like a little tune, the intonation quite pleasant. "Oh dear, this... ah... I can't take this off, hey... I'll get angry if you touch me again... ah, still touching... hee hee... it tickles, ouch... how come there's something like this here..."
The laughter in the room reached a fever pitch. No one expected such a farce to unfold before the grand auction even began. However, almost everyone became intensely interested in what they called the Dreamy Night." Anything that could drive these noble ladies crazy must be a rare treasure, which inadvertently served as excellent publicity for the Dreamy Night.
Nashan realized something was wrong; the last line of defense was about to break. He couldn't help but shout, "Boss, you have the Dreamy Night you want... I don't have it..."
Li Qiang's heart skipped a beat when he was called out. The group of noblewomen also noticed that Nashan had nothing, and immediately rushed towards Li Qiang.
The crowd dispersed, revealing Nashan. He was only wearing a pair of shorts, his hands gripping the waistband tightly. He seemed a little embarrassed as he slowly walked to his clothes and began to put them on, one by one.
Tange laughed so hard he was panting, and asked, " Old Na, how did it taste... hahaha..."
Nashan whispered in Tange's ear, "Brother, hehe, this is so much fun... I'm really having a blast! Boss is really taking good care of me."
Tange's laughter was immediately choked up, making him cough. So this guy had been faking it all along; he had actually taken the opportunity to grope him. Tange slapped him hard on the shoulder. "Impressive! Impressive! Then why did you call for Dreamy Night ' with the boss? Otherwise, we could have kept having fun."
Nashan chuckled and said, "Still having fun? Your big shorts are about to come off... I, Old Na, am not that stupid... You're so dumb!"
Tange was almost driven mad by him; this guy was such a good faker.
The wealthy women surrounded Li Qiang, their sweet, coquettish words sending chills down one's spine.
"Hey buddy, can I have a bottle of Dreamy Night?"
"Sister, he doesn't look like he has much. Let's grab it first, then we can negotiate the price."
"Little sister, he doesn't seem to have any pockets. He must have hidden them."
Seeing the situation was dire, Li Qiang immediately spread his True Essence Power around himself, releasing a tremendous pressure that even pushed back the Divine Envoy Kaben. The noblewomen couldn't possibly approach him. He then said with a grin, "Ladies, don't worry... hehe, the auction will begin in a little while. There will be four bottles of Dreamy Night, but I don't have a single one left. Please leave."
Amidst screams of surprise, the group of ladies seemed to have been pushed back to their original positions by an invisible hand. Li Qiang gave a graceful bow and invited everyone to take their seats.
Divine Envoy Kaben that Li Qiang had used his power to force them back, and he was also very curious about what exactly the Dreamy Night was.
Divine Envoy Kaben chuckled, "So, Boss, you also have some rare treasures to share. What are they?"
Li Qiang sat down beside him. Almost everyone around them was a stranger, yet they all turned to look at him with curious expressions. Li Qiang nodded to them in a friendly manner and smiled, "It's nothing big, just a little trinket."
He deliberately lowered his voice, but everyone in the VIP section could hear it. "Hehe, Your Excellency, this is a magical spiritual water. Just a little bit... I brought it from a very far away place."
He deliberately muted the middle part of the audio, making everyone incredibly eager to hear it. Seeing the divine messenger nod repeatedly, everyone knew it must be a rare treasure, and many had already decided to spend money to bid for it.
Li Qiang was a successful businessman in his hometown and had a deep understanding of customer psychology. As long as he could arouse the curiosity of these wealthy people, they wouldn't care about the price. So far, many people have been eagerly waiting for him to make his move.
At the same time, Li Qiang was also looking forward to it, because the auction would include raw materials used by cultivators for refining weapons.
The Heavenly Gold Essence that Nanzi Dong brought out last time was obtained at an auction.
Nashan, Hong Qian, Kubo, Zhao Hao, and others sat behind Li Qiang, while Kankanqi followed Boboran to Princess Lanqiu to take their seats.
The VIP seating area is also divided into five sections, with the main guest seat in the center and two secondary seats on each side. There are strict rules for which seat a guest can enter; it's not simply a matter of having money.
Li Qiang glanced around and found that there were indeed quite a few people. The seven sections of the Glorious Hall were basically full, and people kept coming in. He suddenly noticed that in the next section, the head of the Banshou Trading House, Bazhong Dekong, was sitting there. His gaze swept over him, and a sinister smile appeared on his face.
Li Qiang Divine Envoy Kaben with his shoulder. "What kind of seats are those next door?"
Following his gaze, the Divine Envoy Kaben, chuckled, "Boss, those are the banquet halls for big merchants, seats for the wealthy."
Each seat has a small, petal-shaped table in front of it, which is quite unique. There is a row of star-shaped buttons on the table, which are divided into red, pink, green and light green, and there is also a black button on the left.
Li Qiang touched it curiously and asked, "What is this? What's it used for?"
Thanks to Li Qiang, Chairman Siting Sting was seated in the VIP chairman's seat for the first time. He explained, "These are bidding codes. Red represents 100,000 coins, pink represents 60,000 coins, green is 30,000, pink-green is 10,000, and black is for calling someone over. You just need to state your amount... Almost nothing here is worth less than 30,000 coins. This slot is for holding various denomination cards. Boss, I've already instructed them to set up this table. Just bid on whatever you want to buy."
Li Qiang hesitated slightly and said, "Well... what if I can't stop once we start filming?"
Chairman Siting laughed and said, "Don't worry, just go ahead and bid, I can handle the amount of money." He certainly had the air of someone who was rich and powerful.
The surroundings gradually darkened, and the star-shaped platform in the center of the hall began to glow. At the same time, a line of waiters came out from each section, with one standing every few steps, ready to serve at any time.
Suddenly, a hole appeared in the center of the star-shaped platform, and a semi-transparent cylinder slowly rose up, upon which rested a strange-looking statue, about two feet tall, and milky white in color. Li Qiang couldn't understand what it was, Chairman Siting whispered an explanation, "This is just for show, not an auction item. It's an auspicious object."
Sure enough, it sank after a while, and then something else appeared—a coiled rope, shimmering slightly. A person dressed in a magnificent suit stepped forward and announced loudly, "First item: Bright Cloud Silk Rope from the Western Continent, starting price 40,000 coins. Please place your bid!"
Kubo whispered behind Li Qiang, "At first, the items are all pretty average, but after about ten items are sold, there will be some good ones."
Sure enough, after about ten items were auctioned, another item appeared. Li Qiang looked closely and was extremely surprised.
Tange tugged at his collar from behind and whispered, "Boss, isn't this the Black Prison Spear you made?"
The person on the stage announced, "This is an extremely powerful Spine-Piercing Spear, three times stronger than an ordinary Spine-Piercing Spear, and it only requires a small amount of crystals. The spear has smooth lines, exquisite craftsmanship, and an ancient and elegant design. Its name is also very strange; it's called the Black Prison Spear. Its origin and maker are unknown. The starting bid is 100,000 coins, with a minimum increment of 30,000 coins. Please place your bet!"
Immediately, many small displays lit up.
Gradually, fewer and fewer of the lit platforms remained lit until only one small platform was still illuminated, presumably because a businessman had won the bid.
Li Qiang and his group discovered that the Black Prison Spear had fetched over 300,000 coins at auction. Nashan kept muttering, "What a huge loss... such a rip-off!" He leaned close to Tange's ear and said, " Old Tan, your brother's going to make a fortune, hehe, give Old Na a share when he does!"
Tange tilted his head, his head bumping squarely into his nose, and laughed, "No problem! Oh, Old Na, I was too excited, I accidentally... I accidentally!"
Nashan covered her nose, her eyes brimming with tears, and cursed, "Damn it... you... you're so sour!"
Tange laughed and said, "Huh, that's strange. Old Na even knows what sour is. Do you want me to rub it for you?"
After several rounds of bidding, the items became increasingly rare and unusual, and fewer and fewer people recognized their value. As a result, many items were sold at the reserve price.
Li Qiang also managed to bid on a few items, but he wasn't quite satisfied. Then, another item caught his attention: the Yinyin Fruit, a rare elixir used in alchemy.
The starting price for the Yinyin Fruit was 150,000 coins. There were six fruits in total, about the size of an egg, with a dark blue base covered with small white granules. Li Qiang pressed the red bidding button without hesitation. He was very knowledgeable in the trade; if he raised the price slowly, it could easily exceed 100,000 coins, possibly even reaching 300,000. Sure enough, everyone else was intimidated, and he easily won the bid.
What appeared next made Li Qiang's heart stir. It was an ancient talisman, shaped like a jade tablet. He didn't know what it was for, but the base value was 350,000 coins.
Li Qiang hesitated, unsure if it was worth it. Just then, he saw a red light flashing on the table next door, where Bazhong Dekong had placed an additional 100,000 bet.
Li Qiang immediately added 10,000 to the bet.
Bazhong Dekong and saw it, his face turning red with anger. He slammed down the red code again. Li Qiang chuckled and added another 10,000 to the bet.
The two of them started snapping photos back and forth.
Bazhong Dekong gritted his teeth and frantically slapped the red code while turning his head to stare intently at Li Qiang, his eyes burning with rage.
Li Qiang suddenly stopped filming, rubbed his hands casually, and said as if to make light of the situation, "My hands are sore from filming, never mind... I'll take a break."
Bazhong Dekong was dumbfounded to find that he had already bid more than seven million yuan. Even when Li Qiang stopped, he bid three more times. He was furious; this money was a complete waste.
Suddenly, the ladies in the side seats next to Li Qiang made a commotion. Li Qiang realized that the Dreamy Night had started playing on the Star Platform.
On the star platform, a bottle of perfume, common on Earth, appears strangely mysterious and magnificent under a soft beam of light.
These exquisite glass bottles, with their peculiar shapes and gleaming caps, amazed even the most knowledgeable high-ranking officials and wealthy businessmen.
Thanks to Princess Lanqiu and the leader of the Bobo Association, the group of noblewomen had long since learned about the benefits of this product. It could perfectly mask certain body odors, and the pure fragrance it emitted was intoxicating. Once you used it, you couldn't help but go crazy for it.
The announcer on stage said, "This is a bottle of Dreamy Night, a mysterious and unique item, full of exotic charm. The starting price is 400,000 coins. Please place your bet!"
In an instant, many small platforms lit up.
Li Qiang was shocked: Good heavens! It's just a bottle of perfume, yet it's so powerful. It's true that rarity makes things valuable. What surprised him most was that the Divine Envoy Kaben also bought the red keypad.
Suddenly, all the lights went out, except for one in the group of wealthy women, which emitted a blinding glow. Li Qiang asked, puzzled, " Kaben, what's going on?"
Kaben shook his head with a wry smile, "Sigh, someone actually bought the black code. It'll cost at least three times the price of the base code."
A waiter quickly stepped forward, and a moment later he turned back, his voice changed, and exclaimed, "Upgrade... five million coins!"
The hall was silent for a moment, then a buzz of discussion arose. Because the bid was so outrageously high, the bottle of Dreamy Night was successfully sold, and the next three bottles of perfume also fetched good prices.
The Divine Envoy Kaben regretfully did not obtain it, as it was simply too expensive for anyone to bear, even for a divine messenger like himself. After all, he was a cultivator, far more rational than mortals, and would not go mad for something; if he felt it was unacceptable, he immediately gave up.
Li Qiang had already seen this, and he grinned as he handed Kaben a bottle. "Hehe, this is for you. Tell me, Divine Envoy, this is for girls, what do you want it for?"
Divine Envoy Kaben laughed, "Boss is something else! Thanks. I'm an envoy, after all, always on the go, so I always need to have some rare and unusual gifts on me."
Li Qiang nudged him with his shoulder. "So even the Divine Envoy has to pay tribute? I thought the Divine Envoy could just go around freeloading."
Kaben was both amused and exasperated by what he said.
"Today's last item: a longbow and three arrows. The bow's name and origin are unknown. Starting bid is one million coins. Minimum bid increment is pink. Please bid!"
Many people shook their heads; who would want something that costs a million dollars?
Suddenly, someone in a regular seat in the distance took a picture of the pink code.
Li Qiang's curiosity was piqued, and he secretly channeled a wisp of his True Essence Power to investigate. He immediately discovered that there was something strange about the bow, and he snapped a photo of it without hesitation.
Immediately afterward, the pink light on the platform started flashing again. Kaben's heart skipped a beat: What's the boss doing?
This is a three-foot-long bow, made of some unknown metal. The bow body is dark blue, with purplish-red patterns floating on the outer layer. The shape of the bow is that of two people bending over, one above the other, with a two-headed monster devouring their feet. The handle is the two-headed monster, and the bow tip is the head of the two people tilting back, with the bowstring in their mouths and their hands around their mouths, as if they are crying for help. The appearance is very eerie.
After several rounds of bidding, only Li Qiang and the person opposite him remained in the competition; everyone else had stopped bidding.
Nashan and Tange were whispering among themselves, neither understanding why their boss wanted that broken bow. Nashan muttered, "The bow the boss made himself is definitely better than that. Wasting money on this is really..."
Tange said thoughtfully, "Hey, Old Na, maybe this is a treasure we can't see, but the boss knows. Enough said... let's see the boss take a picture."
Seeing that the other party was taking photos at a leisurely pace, Li Qiang felt that this was inappropriate. He casually snapped a photo of the black code, thinking: Anyway, the perfume sold for a good price, so I can compete with you for money.
A waiter immediately rushed over and asked solicitously, "How much are you offering?"
Li Qiang smiled slightly, "Five million."
This was the second five million today, causing a sensation throughout the venue. Nashan collapsed next to Tange, crying, "It's over! It's over! Boss's gone mad! Spending so much money on a broken bow, Old Tan... it hurts so much!"
Tange chuckled and patted his Baldy: "What the hell? It's not like it's your money, why are you so upset?"
The person opposite seemed hesitant. No one thought he would add more; some had already stood up to leave, but then the person's small table lit up again.
Nashan was overjoyed and said, "Boss... don't film it, let him eat it."
Without hesitation, Li Qiang slapped the black code again, causing a stir among the crowd. The waiter from before hadn't left yet, and Li Qiang's voice trembled as he asked, "You... you... how much more do you want to add?"
"Six million." Li Qiang still had a grin on his face.
Divine Envoy Kaben gasped, finding Li Qiang truly terrifying; he seemed to have no regard for money whatsoever. Chairman Siting was even more frightened; thankfully, Li Qiang's "Dreamy Night" had sold for a high price. If his Grand Alliance's funds were used to inflate the price like that, he truly couldn't afford it.
The man opposite was also taken aback. He knew Li Qiang was determined to win, and his earlier bid was already barely enough. Helpless, he could only watch as the item fell into someone else's pocket. He wondered to himself: How could anyone recognize such a treasure?
Everyone in the hall was talking about it; it was truly astonishing—a bow and three arrows had fetched over ten million coins! The Glorious Hall was abuzz with discussion when the person on stage announced, "Today's grand auction is now concluded. The next auction will begin tomorrow. Thank you all!"
Back at their lodgings, Li Qiang and the others were still discussing today's auction. People gradually came out of the room, gathering together to chat and laugh.
The Divine Envoy Kaben and Princess Lanqiu arrived shortly after, followed by more than thirty guards and Chief Steward Aji.
Divine Envoy Kaben said anxiously, "Boss, I'm so sorry, but you have to leave immediately. The situation is very bad right now. I've already sent several flying boats to take you to Desperation Cape."
Li Qiang asked in surprise, "Why the rush? Did something happen? Wasn't the Wind of Fear still blowing? Even if we reached the Desperation Cape, we wouldn't be able to leave." He wondered to himself: Why didn't you say so earlier?
The Divine Envoy Kaben leaned closer and whispered, "I just received news that the army of the Tante Kingdom is approaching Fengnan City. The Bangqining Kingdom suffered a major defeat at the front, and a large force of Heavenly Strike Soldiers has broken through the defenses and penetrated deep into the heart of the country. If the Tante Kingdom occupies Fengnan City, Desperation Cape will soon fall as well, and then no one will be able to escape."
Then, the Divine Envoy Kaben took out a rectangular box. "Give this to Princess Lanqiu when we reach Heavenly Halberd Peak. Don't forget, it's very important. Try to set sail as soon as possible. There's a special ship ready to take you from Desperation Cape. Time is running out; I have other matters to attend to. Hurry up." He thought for a moment and then gave Li Qiang a green, carved plaque. "This is a token of the Great God. The army and local officials know about it and will help you."
Li Qiang nodded. Having experienced many upheavals, he was much more experienced now. He said, "Alright, let's prepare to set off immediately. Take care, Divine Envoy. Perhaps we'll meet again in the future."
The Divine Envoy Kaben actually touched his forehead in a gesture of respect, gave Princess Lanqiu a few words of advice, and then hurriedly left.
Seeing Li Qiang's serious expression, everyone knew something had happened and gathered around. Zhao Hao asked, "Master, what happened?"
Paben also came out of the room. Li Qiang looked at him and said, " Paben, we're about to head to the Western Continent..."
A glint of anticipation immediately flashed in Paben's eyes.
Li Qiang said loudly, "Except for those who want to stay in the Grand Alliance, everyone else prepare immediately. We're leaving Fengnan City right away. Zhao Hao, Nashan, Paben, and Tange, you few will coordinate and command. Princess Lanqiu, your people will join us as well, with Chief Steward Aji assisting. Be quick! Everyone put on your armor and wings, and get your weapons ready. Kubo, take those who want to stay in the Grand Alliance with you, and come here afterward. Hong Qian, come with me for a bit. Okay! Begin preparations."
The people in the courtyard immediately sprang into action.
Zhao Hao and his group didn't have much stuff, and they packed it neatly. Each of them had a large backpack containing spare crystals, a leather bag for sleeping, as well as food and solid water.
Li Qiang took Hong Qian out the door, and when they got to the street, he realized that the people in Fengnan City were completely unaware of the approaching Tante Kingdom army. Many people were still strolling leisurely on the road, without any sense of tension.
Hong Qian asked curiously, "Uncle-Master, where are you going?"
Li Qiang walked incredibly fast, almost flying off the ground. "I'm looking for a friend... I think he's up ahead..." He wasn't very familiar with the streets, but fortunately, he was incredibly fast. Passersby had just seen them appear in the distance when, in the blink of an eye, they were already behind them.
After crossing several main streets, Li Qiang started to panic. "Damn it... where am I... I'm so confused... damn it!"
Hong Qian couldn't ask any questions at all. His martial uncle's speed was getting faster and faster, but it wasn't flying. He couldn't fly, and he couldn't walk either. He felt very troubled.
Li Qiang kept darting into and out of the shops along the street, leaving Hong Qian bewildered as he followed.
Suddenly, Li Qiang shouted, "Haha, I found it... It was here!"