Chapter 716: The Opening Is King Bomb

The Ling Que Trade Fair's invitations didn't discriminate based on whether someone was from the underworld or the legitimate world—as long as they had money, even from Sheng Shen Dian Tang, Ye Mao would extend an invite.

Naturally, the Wang Cheng Alchemists Association also received an invitation to attend.

At that moment, in the 183rd private box at the trade fair site, a curvaceous middle-aged woman, dressed in an alchemist's robe that still accentuated her figure, slowly settled onto the sofa. She held a high-heeled wine glass in one hand, lightly sipping from it with her red lips.

Though she was middle-aged, the woman had taken excellent care of herself, appearing as fresh and vibrant as a young woman in her prime. Her elegant and graceful demeanor stood in sharp contrast to the several elderly men beside her.

For most participants, it was wise to minimize their numbers to avoid drawing attention. But for the Alchemists Association, such concerns were trivial. In Wang Cheng, no one was more fearless than those living in the Dan Tower.

This was because anyone daring to attack the Dan Tower would face retaliation from countless powerful figures whose lives had been saved by its alchemists, who would step in to eliminate the enemies one by one.

And if anyone held the most life-saving favors from Wang Cheng's elite, it was this very woman seated on the sofa.

"President Dong Ling."

Shi Ti sat up straight and bowed slightly toward the woman, asking respectfully, "Is it really possible that the Ling Que Trade Fair could help the Sheng Shi find the person they're looking for?"

Hua Luo, who had been crouched in front of the large screen, intently staring at the beast-faced figures below without making out any details, immediately turned around upon hearing this, her face full of eager anticipation as she looked at President Dong Ling.

This was the head of the Wang Cheng Alchemists Association headquarters!

If even President Dong Ling couldn't find Xu Shi Bo, then in the vast expanse of Wang Cheng, Hua Luo had no other options left.

"Searching for someone depends on fate..."

President Dong Ling curved her red lips into a smile, her beautiful eyes sweeping over Hua Luo before glancing at Zhou Tian Can, who had been reluctantly brought along and was feeling somewhat uneasy. She chuckled lightly, "After all, according to what Zhou has said, the person the Sheng Shi is looking for is quite high-profile, so it's likely they'll show up at the trade fair."

"But in the end, it's all uncertain."

Her voice was calm and unhurried, laced with a lazy tone: "All we can do is wait patiently."

"I'm really not a Sheng Shi..." Hua Luo muttered from the side, her focus differing from others as she explained feebly.

Yet no one paid her any mind.

Anyone coming from Sheng Gong was to be treated as a Sheng Shi!

Hospitality and proper etiquette were essential and could not be neglected.

If it were someone else, they might have already placed Hua Luo in the main seat of the private box and honored her, for the Jin Zhao lineage was like a divine miracle to alchemists across the world.

Even if her reputation wasn't widespread, the higher-ups had certainly heard of the Jin Zhao lineage.

But Dong Ling was different.

She had once gone to Sheng Gong to study, and though she wasn't officially a disciple, she had followed Mu Lin for a time.

Setting aside cultivation, just in terms of alchemy, Dong Ling could be considered a half-nominal disciple of Mu Lin.

So, in terms of seniority, she was of the same generation as Hua Luo's master, which is why no one found it inappropriate for her to sit in the main seat now.

And precisely because of that experience, Dong Ling had become something like an insider of the Jin Zhao lineage.

That day, after returning from discussions at Sheng Shen Dian Tang, Dong Ling had learned some of the truth from Shi Ti and Hua Luo.

Although she still didn't know exactly who Hua Luo was searching for, due to Zhou Tian Can's insistence, Dong Ling had brought both Zhou Tian Can and the Sheng Shi Hua Luo to the Ling Que Trade Fair site.

Finding the person was secondary, and Dong Ling didn't hold high hopes for it. Her primary goal was to let these young people get out, see the world, and broaden their horizons.

As a result, Dong Ling had also brought along several of the young alchemists she favored the most.

"By the way, Zhou Tian Can, how are you so sure 'he' will come here?" Hua Luo pouted, turning to look at Zhou Tian Can, the one responsible for dragging her into this.

After that incident, she knew Xu Shi Bo was wanted, so they referred to him externally as "he."

"Instinct!" Zhou Tian Can replied.

He was actually quite nervous inside.

Being separated from the Ling Gong group and brought to this ominous place, with only the powerless Shi Ti as his elder protector, made him feel extremely anxious.

But he was also desperate to find Xu Xiao Shou.

Glancing at Su Qian Qian, who had come along with the group and remained silent the whole way, he noted that her face was hidden by the beast mask, making her emotions unreadable. Having a companion with the same hopes eased Zhou Tian Can's mind a bit.

He looked at Hua Luo: "If the person you're looking for is in East Tian Wang Cheng, based on my investigations over the past few days, there aren't many who fit the criteria. Xu Shao from Tian Shang Di Yi Lou counts as half..."

Zhou Tian Can shared his speculation, though he still had many doubts.

In the last few days, he had reviewed a lot of information. Ever since Xu Shao, also known as Xu De Yan, entered the city, his behavior had been erratic, and during the Tian Luo War, he had displayed sword sect strength.

This style and sword cultivation ability were strikingly similar to Xu Xiao Shou himself.

The only thing that made Zhou Tian Can doubt was how Xu Xiao Shou had suddenly become such a wealthy figure. How could he afford to rent Tian Shang Di Yi Lou?

Where did the money come from?

But thinking about how Xu Xiao Shou had joined the Sheng Nu, Zhou Tian Can felt somewhat relieved.

"Where else could the money come from? It must be from the organization! He couldn't have earned that much in just half a month after leaving Ling Gong, right?"

Still, all of this was just speculation.

What truly solidified Zhou Tian Can's belief was another person who had appeared in the Tian Luo War.

"Mu Xiao Gong..."

Zhou Tian Can murmured inwardly.

He had reviewed the battle videos earlier. Wood attribute, twin tails, green outfit, short stature—this was almost certainly Mu Zi Xi!

The remaining uncertainty wasn't really a factor at all.

In this line of work, who wouldn't change their appearance if they were being watched?

The key was that the name "Mu Xiao Gong" was too targeted, and he was very familiar with Xu Shao. Further checks showed he was also from Tian Shang Di Yi Lou...

"You'll see!" Zhou Tian Can thought it through and felt even more confident. He glanced at Su Qian Qian and said to Hua Luo, "Tian Shang Di Yi Lou has money. If they show up at the trade fair tonight for the excitement, I just need one test to confirm if my judgment is right..."

"That way, when we go to Tian Shang Di Yi Lou later, our safety will be more assured."

The reason they hadn't gone to Tian Shang Di Yi Lou right away to verify the identity was that President Dong Ling had stopped them.

"Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, this semi-saint force has some issues, and Sheng Shen Dian Tang is keeping an eye on it... With the situation in Wang Cheng being tense right now, you all should avoid provoking them or getting too involved, or you might end up in danger yourselves."

Recalling President Dong Ling's serious warning that day, Zhou Tian Can felt a wave of panic.

Deep down, he hoped his judgment was wrong—that Xu Xiao Shou hadn't become a semi-saint successor and was instead hiding in some corner of Wang Cheng, quietly studying alchemy as he did in Ling Gong.

But objectively speaking, that hope was slim...

That guy was never one to sit still!

"It's starting."

At that moment, President Dong Ling suddenly spoke up.

She had been holding her wine glass while keeping an eye on the participants entering the private boxes outside.

As the frequency of entrants dwindled to nothing, she realized the trade fair's bell was about to ring.

"Dong—"

Sure enough, a deep bell toll echoed moments later.

On the high stage of the trade floor, a black-robed beast-faced person timely stepped up.

"Good evening."

The voice, altered by the beast mask, came from the lead trader and clearly reached the ears of everyone in the VIP seats and private boxes.

The black-robed beast-faced person picked up the small hammer on the wooden stand and tapped it lightly, then calmly said, "First of all, thank you all for gracing us with your presence at the 18th Ling Que Trade Fair, hosted by Ye Mao."

"Here, I must first state the rules of the trade fair."

He paused, turned his masked face as if surveying the surroundings, and then nodded gently.

"One, all traded treasures must be valued at over a billion."

There were frequent nods from the audience below.

This rule was already well-known to everyone.

"Two, the trading format is auction-based, with each bid increment no less than a billion." The beast-faced person held up a finger.

A sudden murmur erupted in the audience.

Although everyone knew the trade fair was on a grand scale, requiring each bid to increase by at least a billion...

For ordinary forces, even one bid could drain their resources!

Some representatives from first-time participating organizations were so shocked they stood up, nearly turning around to leave the site.

These people had no idea about this rule and hadn't brought enough funds.

The black-robed beast-faced person remained unfazed, tapping the hammer lightly on the wooden stand to instantly quiet the room.

"Three, each item will be auctioned one at a time, with the trader displaying its characteristics to all."

"If an item doesn't sell, Ye Mao will assess it based on its attributes, abilities, and market value to determine a reasonable purchase price."

"But it's also possible we don't want the item, so we hope everyone understands."

As soon as these words were spoken, Xu Xiao Shou in the 172nd private box was stunned on the spot.

"Ye Mao is that wealthy?" He couldn't help turning to Liu Lu.

From the sound of it, the trade fair was just a front.

This was Ye Mao using the world's forces to hunt for treasures!

But crucially, with so many people present and his own number being "172"...

Even if each person only brought one treasure, the total value was unimaginable.

Xu Xiao Shou shuddered at the thought, feeling a chill run through him.

For the first time, he realized that his conversation with Yuan Hai Sheng that day had only scratched the surface of Ye Mao's immense power.

Indeed, an organization that could summon all of Wang Cheng's underworld and legitimate forces under the guise of a trade fair and ensure the site's safety...

Such influence was simply unfathomable.

Liu Lu was clearly startled too, stammering in response: "Xu, Xu Shao, this is my first time at the Ling Que Trade Fair too."

Xu Xiao Shou: "..."

He fell silent and continued watching, but inwardly, he grew wary of Ye Mao.

This force was anything but simple!

The site wasn't the only one shocked—many other first-time participating organizations' leaders and representatives were equally taken aback by Ye Mao's statement.

Yet the black-robed beast-faced person on the stage remained as calm as ever, as if he had just mentioned something trivial.

After announcing the rules, he tapped the hammer and got straight to the point.

"I believe everyone is already eager to see what's next. Since Ye Mao is hosting this trade fair, we've naturally brought some valuable treasures."

"Next, I'll showcase three items in a row to set the tone, and I hope the items you all bring will be even more precious than mine."

The black-robed beast-faced person set down the hammer and first took out a tray covered with black cloth from his ring.

This treasure looked too plain!

Everyone had expected the opening item to at least radiate holy light, right?

But this tray was merely expensive, and the black cloth on it only had the ability to block spiritual senses, just like the beast masks.

The only explanation was that whatever was hidden under the black cloth was a treasure worth over a billion.

What could be that valuable and so small?

A pill? An array disk?

People in the VIP seats below stretched their necks in anticipation, while those in the private boxes perked up with interest.

After all, the black-robed beast-faced person had just made such a bold claim about buying unsold items, so the opening treasure couldn't be ordinary.

"Stop teasing us, brother!"

"Hurry up and uncover it—show us what it is that's covered in black cloth? Making it so mysterious—could it be the 'Void Order'?"

"Ha, the Void Order... That's insane. Sheng Shen Dian Tang must be sitting in one of the private boxes—do you think Ye Mao would dare pull that out?"

"Exactly, they only announced clues about the Void Order earlier. I bet under that black cloth, it's at most a map."

"Hurry up and reveal it!"

The private boxes remained silent, but those in the VIP seats, watching up close, were buzzing with excitement.

Everyone's voices were altered by the beast masks, so even bold remarks were fine.

Naturally, there were no inhibitions in speaking.

Besides, the opening needed some atmosphere, and it was clear to discerning eyes that many of those stirring things up were Ye Mao's plants.

The black-robed beast-faced person on the stage pondered for a moment. Seeing that he had built up the suspense, he slowly raised his hand, pinched the black cloth with two fingers, and lifted it bit by bit.

"Everyone, take a good look!"

As the cloth was gradually pulled back, all eyes were glued to it in intense focus.

Once the cloth was removed, what was revealed on the dark Xuan Ming wood was merely an ordinary-looking... order token.

"What the heck?"

The audience below was baffled.

These well-traveled individuals couldn't spot anything special about this black order token.

The only thing they could sense was a hint of mystery.

But which treasure at the trade fair wasn't mysterious?

The crowd was puzzled, but in the 172nd private box, Xu Xiao Shou's pupils suddenly contracted.

The Black Order!

He recognized this thing!

Wasn't it the second reason the storyteller had tearfully come to him—to throw three such black orders on the table and urge him to cause trouble?

But the key was...

Ye Mao had only previously claimed to have clues about the "Void Order."

Now, were they really bold enough to openly display this strictly forbidden item right in front of Sheng Shen Dian Tang?

"Bang!"

At that moment, a loud crash erupted from the No. 1 private box.

Everyone jumped a little.

Clearly, the private box's soundproof array couldn't let noise escape like that.

The only explanation was that someone inside was using the sound to express their fury toward Ye Mao.

"Is Sheng Shen Dian Tang in the No. 1 private box?"

"Of course—who else in Wang Cheng would have that privilege?"

"But..."

The people below looked back at the black order and recalled the noise from the No. 1 box, their pupils widening. "It can't be, right?"

They remembered the outrageous idea that had been joked about earlier.

" Is it really the 'Void Order'?"

"Is Ye Mao going this big?"

"Opening with a bombshell?"

The black-robed beast-faced person on the stage merely glanced lightly at the No. 1 box before tapping the hammer calmly, restoring order to the room.

"You're all incredibly sharp—your guesses are spot on."

The black-robed beast-faced person's tone remained composed and steady as he admitted, "The first treasure Ye Mao is presenting is the key to the sacred secret realm—the Void Order."