Chapter 717: Who the Hell Taught You to Bid Like This?

"Insane!"

In private room number one, a middle-aged man with gray hair violently slammed a wine pot onto the table, sending it crashing to the floor.

He made no attempt to suppress the noise.

Instead, he deactivated the sound-proofing array in the room, allowing his outburst of anger to echo throughout the entire auction venue, broadcasting the frustration of the Sheng Shen Dian Tang.

"Calm down," Cheng Ji said, waving his hand, signaling the man in front of him to relax.

"Is Ye Mao out of their minds?"

Chu Lisheng pointed at the Void Token that had suddenly appeared on the stage, his face red with rage. "Last time I went to talk to Ye Mao, what did they tell me? They had clues about Void Island!"

"They were just clues, and we bought them, so that's fine."

"But now…"

Chu Lisheng was livid, his hair practically standing on end, and he said in disbelief, "Damn it, have these guys lost all sense? Are they after money? They're directly putting the Void Token up for auction?"

Cheng Ji remained silent.

As the branch hall master of the Sheng Shen Dian Tang in Dong Tian Wang Cheng, he had explicitly forbidden external forces from trading the Void Token.

This information wasn't known to the lower levels.

But the major top forces in Wang Cheng couldn't possibly be unaware.

Ye Mao's actions were like pulling a tooth from a tiger's mouth.

They were testing his limits!

However…

Cheng Ji narrowed his eyes, unconsciously twirling his wrist, and said calmly, "Well, they've brought it out, and that's that. Coincidentally, there are all these rumors about 'Void Island' spreading wildly in Wang Cheng lately. We can see which force dares to bid on this Void Token."

"This is clearly Ye Mao leaking clues on purpose!" Chu Lisheng erupted in anger.

He was the person in charge of the Wang Cheng trials.

Secretly, he was also the main coordinator for the activities in the Sheng Mi Zhi Di.

Ye Mao had suppressed him before.

But on the surface, they were amicable, while behind the scenes, they pulled this rug out from under him, slapping Chu Lisheng right in the face!

"Calm down…" Cheng Ji looked at him calmly. "Ye Mao is just a small outfit. Do you think they'd dare to leak Void Island intelligence recklessly? If there wasn't someone backing them, even if you gave them ten times the guts, they wouldn't do this."

Chu Lisheng didn't agree with that.

"Hall Master Cheng, if Ye Mao isn't bold, then what explains their actions right now?"

He pointed at the Void Token that had instantly set the auction site ablaze and said firmly, "Once the auction ends, I can lead people to raid Ye Mao's entire operation!"

Cheng Ji raised an eyebrow. "That might be going too far…"

He paused, shifted his gaze, and gestured for Chu Lisheng to sit down for a calm discussion.

Once the man in front of him sat down with a huff, Cheng Ji continued:

"Think about it—the incident at Pi Xiu Shan did involve a major force obtaining a Void Token."

"Then Ye Mao released information saying they had clues to the Void Token. At that point, anyone with eyes could guess that Ye Mao had gotten their hands on it."

"But without solid evidence, we can't touch them."

Cheng Ji smiled as he spoke, sighing, "So, tell me, is it better to keep controlling the clues about the Void Token, using it to manipulate everyone's attention and maximize benefits… or to hand it over at the auction site right now and get more out of it?"

This was a simple truth.

The answer, of course, was to hold onto the token and release it at the key moment to maximize profits.

Chu Lisheng had been clouded by Ye Mao's move, but now that he thought about it, his mind cleared up instantly. "Hall Master Cheng means…"

"They're scared!"

Cheng Ji said confidently: "First, someone made Ye Mao release the intelligence… and Ye Mao, with their influence, could withstand the pressure from Sheng Shen Dian Tang and do it. Then, they immediately turned around and sold the Void Token. That can only mean the force meddling in Wang Cheng’s undercurrents has a big background."

"Bigger than Ye Mao, the local powerhouse?" Chu Lisheng was stunned.

Ye Mao was already tough to handle.

They'd been operating in Wang Cheng for years, and even Sheng Shen Dian Tang had to give them some face.

This was evident from Cheng Ji personally attending the auction.

But if there was an even larger force stirring things up behind the scenes…

"Your meaning?" After calming down, Chu Lisheng felt a bit embarrassed. He hadn't seen through such an obvious clue right away.

Cheng Ji leaned back on the sofa and said, "It's simple—whoever bids on the Void Token is suspicious. Or, after the auction ends, whoever still eyes the Void Token won't be able to escape involvement!"

"As for what we need to do…"

Cheng Ji spread his hands. "Just wait."

Chu Lisheng suddenly understood and asked, "So, after the auction, I send people to track the Void Token's path and follow the leads to root out the culprits?"

"Sure."

Cheng Ji nodded, then smirked. "But we still have to settle the score with Ye Mao… Let's watch for now. The show has just begun!"

The show had indeed begun.

Throwing out a Void Token was like casting a stone to test the waters, instantly igniting the auction site's atmosphere.

Amid the uproar, the black-robed figure with a beast mask gently tapped the gavel. He didn't like dragging things out, and seeing everyone's excitement at its peak, he said directly:

"The Sheng Mi Zhi Di and Feng Sheng Dao Ji—everyone understands these, so I won't go into details."

"The Void Token, as the key to the Sheng Mi Zhi Di, is priceless in itself, but here at the auction, it needs a starting price for trading."

The black-robed figure with the beast mask raised the gavel solemnly. "Ye Mao's sincerity: starting at one billion. Its true value depends on your interest!"

As soon as he finished, the room fell silent.

People looked at each other, hesitant.

Ye Mao could produce a Void Token as the auction's highlight, so its authenticity was beyond doubt.

What the representatives of major forces worried about was that with private room number one—effectively the eyes and ears of Sheng Shen Dian Tang—watching intently, would bidding on the Void Token put them in danger?

But after waiting a while, private room number one only had that initial loud crash and said nothing more.

This could be seen as Sheng Shen Dian Tang's silent approval.

They allowed it!

Immediately, someone in the main seats raised a sign.

"Two billion."

This bid instantly dispelled everyone's doubts.

Opportunity knocks but once!

That was the "Sheng Mi Zhi Di," a blessed land said to contain the "Feng Sheng Dao Ji."

Normally, even searching desperately for a Void Token, you wouldn't get a whiff of it.

Now, this black token was right there in front of them.

With such a chance, who could stay calm?

"Three billion!"

"Five billion!"

"Ten billion!"

The terrifying price jumps shocked the frenzied crowd back to sobriety.

It had only been a few bids!

And the token had already soared to ten billion?

Ten billion Ling Jing wasn't chump change—most people couldn't just pool it together on the spot.

If it sold at that price, most of the forces present would have to bleed heavily to come up with the cash.

"Why isn't anyone in the private rooms bidding?"

At this point, people in the main seats started to suspect.

The bidders so far were all from the lower floor; the true heads of major forces in the private rooms were all holding back.

Those with good connections and inside knowledge on the beast-masked people began whispering through voice transmission.

"What's going on? I think the Void Token is worth more than that, but why aren't they bidding…"

"It's the Sheng Shen Dian Tang sealing off information!"

Some savvy ones responded, "The Void Token is strictly prohibited from trading… We might get away with it, but the top-tier ones probably can't bid without getting targeted by Sheng Shen Dian Tang."

"That makes sense… But this situation is giving me chills."

"Then just sit tight and follow their lead—hold back!"

The atmosphere cooled down after the initial high.

The black-robed figure with the beast mask on stage remained unfazed, calmly raising the gavel, as if he'd accept whatever price the Void Token fetched.

"Three calls to set the price, three strikes to finalize. Are you all giving up on the Void Token?"

"Currently, the leading bid is from bidder number 83: ten billion once…"

He struck the gavel with a thud.

"Twenty billion!"

A voice came from a second-floor private room, making everyone's hearts skip a beat as they looked over.

The private room was quiet.

It was as if the bidder had casually doubled the price.

People started speculating.

In Wang Cheng, few forces could so calmly throw out twenty billion Ling Jing.

Most were financial clans or chambers of commerce.

Sect and overt organizations couldn't easily muster that much cash—they'd have to barter.

The black-robed figure with the beast mask under his mask also curved his lips slightly and said calmly, "Private room number 13 bids twenty billion: twenty billion once…"

"Twenty-five billion."

Another private room joined in.

Everyone turned to look: private room number 99.

"These people…"

Forces new to the event were shocked. Were they not treating Ling Jing like money?

The price jumps were outrageous!

"Thirty billion!"

From the other side, private room number 13 bid again, dominating the room.

After turning to look, everyone turned back, their movements almost comical, just to see how private room number 99 would react.

But this time, private room number 99 stayed silent.

It seemed the price had climbed to a painful level.

In private room number 172:

Xu Xiaoshou and his group were stunned by the successive price wars, their jaws practically dropping.

Liu Lu's was the one that actually dislocated.

He gripped the windowsill with both hands, stars practically exploding in his eyes.

"Thirty billion…"

He'd seen thirty-billion deals before, like at Tian Shang First Tower.

But this was different!

It was climbing by billions each time.

The impact was soul-shattering!

Liu Lu stared at the ancient black token on stage, feeling like the entire auction was being buried under a rain of Ling Jing.

This was insane.

Was this how Ling Que Auction worked?

Was this how Wang Cheng's major forces played?

And this was just the first item—with hundreds more to go…

"Hiss!"

Behind him, Xiao Wanfeng and Xin Gugu both slumped onto the sofa at the same time. They exchanged glances, both feeling a surge of inferiority.

"I'm impressed."

Xin Gugu slapped his forehead, his face full of shock under the beast mask.

Mo Mo was equally stunned; the way Wang Cheng's major forces operated was an eye-opener for her.

In the private room, she was one of the few who could still keep a composed expression.

But there was another exception…

Mu Zixi suddenly jumped in front of Xu Xiaoshou, smacking his clearly numbed arm with force.

"Xu… Shao, join in!"

"Bid and crush private room number 13—I know you're loaded!"

The girl was thrilled; she felt an unnamed energy surging inside her. She wanted to dive into this money battle—it was more fun than blowing things up.

"Get lost!"

Xu Xiaoshou shoved the clingy one aside.

He only had seventy Ling Que left in his card, which was seventy billion Ling Jing.

He already had Void Tokens—why bid?

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head to clear it.

He knew the inside story of Void Island, and while not many major forces did, there were probably quite a few in all of Wang Cheng.

What he was considering was whether private rooms number 13 and number 99 were clueless newbies trying to grab the "Feng Sheng Dao Ji"…

Or if they already knew everything and were boldly bidding despite Sheng Shen Dian Tang's might.

Down below:

The room was dead silent; the black-robed figure with the beast mask struck the gavel again with a thud.

"Private room number 13: thirty billion once…"

Mu Zixi panicked at the sound, lunging back to grab her senior brother's arm and shaking it desperately. "Bid! Play with them!"

This scene looked way too exciting.

She wished she could snatch Xu Xiaoshou's card and join in!

"Private room number 13: thirty billion twice…"

Hearing this, Xu Xiaoshou suddenly thought of his three Void Tokens.

True, he didn't need to bid for one.

But if he jumped in and drove the price up, then when he auctioned his own later, the value would skyrocket, right?

If the other side stopped bidding, he could end up with all four Void Tokens at the event and control the whole market!

Remember, some forces feared Sheng Shen Dian Tang, some knew the Void Island secrets…

But those were minorities!

With the lure of "Feng Sheng Dao Ji," the unaware forces outnumbered the rest by far…

"Bid, bid, bid!"

His arm was being shaken so much it didn't feel like his own; Mu Zixi was acting cute while practically climbing all over Xu Xiaoshou.

She was determined to pester her senior brother, even using her tree seeds to influence his thoughts!

Xu Xiaoshou made up his mind, glancing at private room number one before deciding.

He pulled his hand free, ruffled his junior sister's hair, pointed ahead, and said indulgently, "Fine, I'll give you the chance—shout it out!"

Under the beast mask, the girl froze for a second, then green light burst from her eyes.

"Private room number 13: thirty billion, three…"

On the stage below, the black-robed figure with the beast mask hadn't finished when a loud, excited voice from private room number 172 overpowered the room:

"Fifty billion!"

In private room number 172, Mu Zixi rushed to the window, tossing Liu Lu out of the way.

She planted her feet wide, flipped her twin tails, pointed down furiously, and shouted, "If you've got the guts, keep bidding!"

At that moment, Mu Zixi felt like a conqueror of mountains; she was the lord of money, the king of Ling Jing, unmatched in the room!

At the same time, with a bang, Xu Xiaoshou stumbled, his hand slipping and smashing the table.

He snapped out of his daze, staring at his spirited junior sister, completely stupefied.

"F-Fifty billion?"

"Who the hell taught you to bid like that? Is Ling Jing not money to you???"