Chapter 725: Perhaps, I Can Order Her Around?

The moment Hua Nong appeared, the entire venue was stunned.

Everyone recognized this young woman.

Hadn't she just emerged from Box 183?

She was the team leader of the treasure-offering group, the one wearing the beast mask, right?

But…

If she came out of Box 183, she should be associated with the Lian Dan Shi Association.

So why was Dong Ling, the president, stepping in for this treasure-offering team, and now their leader was speaking up for that insolent “old auntie”?

Before the crowd could even sort out the situation, Hua Nong's sudden remark threw everything into chaos again.

"You have a disease!"

"The Lian Dan Shi Association really thinks this is Dan Ta, where they can just play around?"

"Yeah, from the looks of it, that person in Box 172... Xu Shao, was he misunderstood? Did Dong Ling make a mistake by stepping in?"

"So, is the current situation that the Lian Dan Shi Association brought people to deliver treasures... or maybe used it as a pretext to cause trouble, and then Dong Ling escalated it?"

"What are they after?"

The crowd analyzed themselves into confusion.

Yeah, what are they after?

No one knew!

Not even Dong Ling knew!

This conflict started out of nowhere and stopped just as mysteriously.

The atmosphere shifted dramatically with Hua Nong's appearance.

The Lian Dan Shi Association, which had always enjoyed a good reputation, was now thrust into the spotlight of controversy because of Hua Nong's words.

Indeed, based on what Hua Nong said, it seemed like the Lian Dan Shi Association had staged the whole thing and forced the drama.

Look at Xu Shao standing off to the side, frozen in place... how pitiful!

He'd been burned by Dong Ling's Luo Yuan Zi Huo, and yet he still maintained such a good attitude, as if he could overlook the offense without holding a grudge.

And then there's that Lian Dan Shi badge, tenth rank...

Well, tenth rank is still a rank!

"Dong Ling, how could you go after your own people like this?"

Everyone whispered among themselves, carefully watching the scene unfold.

Unlike the audience, the one most hurt by Hua Nong's words was Dong Ling herself, who had acted in a rage.

Without a word, Dong Ling turned back and gave her an inquiring look.

Her earlier outburst had essentially been to protect Hua Nong's identity.

No matter what happened in Box 172, once a fight broke out, the Lian Dan Shi Association had to shield the envoy from Sheng Gong.

But now, even the person she was protecting had turned to say:

"Dong Ling, you were wrong."

"You shouldn't have stepped in for me."

—Who could handle that?

If it were anyone else, Dong Ling might have dragged them back to Dan Ta for a stern lesson!

But Hua Nong...

Dong Ling felt a surge of irritation in her heart, though she didn't show it.

On the other side, Hua Nong, receiving the inquiry, could only shake her head bitterly.

She knew that Shi Bo Xu was wanted.

In this public setting, she couldn't explain much.

In a trading event filled with Zhan Dao and Tai Xu experts, sending a sound transmission would likely get intercepted.

So, Hua Nong was left with nothing but a expression like she'd eaten bitter herbs, unable to offer more of a response.

In Dong Ling's eyes, that expression took on a different meaning.

"Did they threaten you?" Dong Ling asked, her face turning cold as she looked toward Xu Xiao Shou.

Xu Xiao Shou waved his hands frantically. "I wouldn't dare!"

"No, no..."

Hua Nong shook her head too.

Why would Shi Bo Xu need to threaten her?

If he wanted to deal with her, it would take just a word, and she'd be sent back to her master for punishment.

At that moment, Dong Ling picked up on something from Hua Nong's troubled expression.

She began to realize.

Hua Nong's look suggested she wasn't threatened, but was held back by something even bigger that she couldn't speak of.

So, what could that bigger issue be?

"Did she find the right person?" Dong Ling thought, glancing at Xu Xiao Shou's face with a flicker of surprise.

Connecting it to the earlier reminder from Shi Ti, she grew more certain.

"She really found the right person!"

But this outcome was far too unexpected, completely beyond Dong Ling's expectations.

Xu Shao from Tian Shang Di Yi Lou was the person Hua Nong was looking for... This guess came from a junior's judgment.

And not just any junior—one from a small place like Tian Sang Cheng, whose opinion hardly seemed credible before.

Honestly, when Dong Ling brought people here, her goal wasn't really to "find someone"—it was more about training and gaining experience.

She had let Hua Nong use the "Pu Ti Shu Gen" to verify identity with a mere "what if" in mind, worth a try.

Subjectively, she never imagined that such a needle-in-a-haystack search could succeed on the first try.

But now, it seemed...

It had worked!

Had Hua Nong truly verified the identity in one go?

Was that Xu person really the one she sought?

Though Hua Nong hadn't detailed the person's identity to Dong Ling or the Lian Dan Shi Association back at Dan Ta,

Everyone had vaguely guessed it was a close relative of hers.

Perhaps even a senior from Sheng Gong.

But a senior?

Looking at that young face and recalling those arrogant words...

This Xu person didn't seem like a senior at all!

Dong Ling stared at Xu Xiao Shou in a daze, while he responded with a silly, awkward smile, leaving her mindset in disarray.

"Just this?"

"Isn't this guy from a semi-saint force in the Northern Domain? How does he connect to Sheng Gong?"

"And according to Hua Nong's description, the person she's looking for should be some kind of senior, right?"

"How could a senior be so young?"

The scene descended into a tangled mess.

Dong Ling was shocked by Xu's identity.

Hua Nong was fixated on how to explain to Dong Ling what was a simple matter elsewhere but incredibly complicated here at the trading event.

Xu Xiao Shou, for his part, stayed put, unmoving, quietly observing Hua Nong and wondering why this young woman had suddenly switched sides to join his camp.

With this three-way standoff, they all held each other in check.

The sudden silence, the abrupt halt to action, created an eerie, indescribable awkwardness, like being trapped in a frozen cellar...

And it was awkward!

The most awkward of all was the auctioneer on the trading platform.

He had been enthusiastically selling a treasure worth over a billion.

Then, midway, he was interrupted by the window smashing in Box 172.

After that, Dong Ling's Luo Yuan Zi Huo forced him off the platform.

Now, he was standing below, still trying to avoid unknown risks!

Little did he expect that this group seemed ready for a brawl... but then, just as quickly, they stopped.

—What the hell? Were they even here to trade treasures?

Others came to trade, but this lot was just peddling anxiety!

Worse, they didn't even charge for it—they forced it on people like the auctioneer, now hiding below the platform.

"I..."

Holding his small hammer, the auctioneer wanted to speak up and break the rhythm.

His treasure had just reached thirteen billion—he didn't want to leave it hanging.

But glancing at the three parties above, he ultimately chose to stay silent.

Finally, at this critical moment, the organizer, Ye Mao, spoke up.

"It was all a misunderstanding..."

Nangong Yin chuckled as he flew up, with the Tai Xu expert following closely.

Yet, neither chose to vent their anger at the three parties for disregarding Ye Mao's rules.

In fact, the shrewd and seasoned Nangong Yin even spotted something in this three-way deadlock.

Xu Shao, from a semi-saint force, needed no explanation.

Dong Ling, from the Lian Dan Shi Association, was obvious too.

The key was that beast-masked woman...

Now, everyone could see she wasn't with the Lian Dan Shi Association.

But the real question was, how could a minor figure dare to provoke Xu Shao from a semi-saint force under the guise of delivering treasures, and still get Dong Ling to ignore the rules and act at the trading event?

—That was impossible!

Nangong Yin was displeased with Dong Ling's forceful intervention.

If he were from another organization, he might at least scold them to salvage some face.

But Nangong Yin was smart and wouldn't do that.

In Dong Tian Wang Cheng, who didn't know Dong Ling wasn't the type to flout rules?

And this person with a big background was subtly on good terms with Xu Shao.

Xu Shao was also an alchemist, even if only tenth rank, which made him one of the Lian Dan Shi Association's own.

So, in the end, this whole scene was like a family feud...

"A big flood washing away the Dragon King Temple... these three from the same family fighting at the trading event because of some weird reasons?"

Thinking about it, Nangong Yin felt like spitting blood.

Anywhere else, no one would stop family squabbles.

But here and now, they hadn't left any face for Ye Mao!

What could Ye Mao do?

None of the three factions were easy to mess with, so all they could do was swallow the humiliation.

The crowd below had been eagerly waiting to see how Ye Mao's higher-ups would handle this.

After all, if there was a ranking for the most egregious disruptions, these three would top the list.

To their surprise, Nangong Yin showed no resentment as imagined.

Instead, he flew calmly and steadily into the middle of the three parties.

"Misunderstanding, it was all a misunderstanding..."

Forcing a smile, Nangong Yin stepped in as the peacemaker:

"Since it's a misunderstanding, resolving it is no problem. If you three still want to fight, please take it outside the trading event."

"If not, Ye Mao can arrange new boxes for you."

As he spoke, Nangong Yin pointed to the completely shattered window of Box 172.

From outside, you could still see the tangled vines inside...

He paused, then added: "We can give you new boxes, but you must guarantee—no more incidents!"

A wave of commotion erupted from the crowd below.

"No more incidents..."

Last time, when Dong Ling was in the box without her beast mask, she had said something similar.

Was Nangong Yin not embarrassed saying this now?

The organizers had stooped to this level—losing all face!

But before the noise could build, the Tai Xu expert following Nangong Yin released a wave of pressure, silencing the entire venue.

Some who didn't understand the situation truly felt Ye Mao had lost face.

Yet, among the crowd, there were seasoned observers.

From Ye Mao's handling, they could tell that these three parties were absolutely not simple.

The Lian Dan Shi Association was well-known.

As for the other two...

Especially that beast-masked woman—it was the first time anyone had heard of her!

"Investigate that beast-masked woman who needed Dong Ling to act for her—who is she exactly?"

"And the connection between Xu Shao, that woman, and the Lian Dan Shi Association..."

"Get to the bottom of it!"

Almost simultaneously, the perceived threat level of Tian Shang Di Yi Lou rose another notch in the minds of many major force leaders.

Earlier, the Lian Dan Shi Association had only delivered treasures.

People had noticed, but still looked down on them somewhat.

But now?

The Lian Dan Shi Association wanted to befriend the beast-masked woman, and she, in turn, seemed to want to befriend Xu Shao from Tian Shang Di Yi Lou.

With this back-and-forth, wasn't Tian Shang Di Yi Lou effectively surpassing the Lian Dan Shi Association?

Who could withstand that?

Suddenly, in Wang Cheng, a new force had emerged...

Right under their noses, and it was growing fast.

You can't have someone snoring next to your bed.

Now, not only had they lain down, they were snoring loudly.

If they didn't uncover the truth about this sleeper, any dreams from here on would be nightmares!

This fight was all thunder and no rain.

Even as Xu Xiao Shou was led away with Hua Nong and Dong Ling, he was still in a daze.

"Is that it?"

Xu Xiao Shou had already braced for battle.

He'd been ready to use his silver tongue to pull himself onto the same level as Dong Ling.

After playing the family card, he believed Dong Ling wouldn't care about that "old auntie" comment anymore.

But now, out of nowhere, because of Hua Nong, Dong Ling had backed down, and Nangong Yin had glossed over their rule-breaking as if it were nothing.

Their words and actions screamed a desire to make amends.

While Xu Xiao Shou enjoyed the thrill of being courted and flattered, he also felt a twinge of unease.

He knew this wasn't due to Tian Shang Di Yi Lou's status—it was Hua Nong elevating that status.

"So, who is she?"

At this point, Xu Xiao Shou seriously began to ponder Hua Nong's identity.

He hadn't cared before, but she was too powerful—her single word had changed the whole dynamic.

Now, he had to think about how to... ahem, value her identity properly!

"Jin Zhao Tian Yan, the great bathtub..."

Could Hua Nong really be from the Jin Zhao lineage, perhaps a disciple or grand-disciple of Sang Lao?

And because she grew up in Sheng Gong, that's why she held such a position?

Based on how Zhou Tian Shen had vaguely asked about identity earlier, outsiders might not see much, but Xu Xiao Shou could tell Zhou Tian Shen was helping Hua Nong search for someone...

"Hua Nong is looking for someone, and that someone is me?" Xu Xiao Shou mused, narrowing his eyes.

Does that mean, aside from any conspiracy theories, Hua Nong might actually be one of his own?

After all, from the start, she seemed respectful.

Was her urgency to find him because Sang Lao was imprisoned, and he was the only one left from the Jin Zhao lineage outside?

"So, she's desperate?"

Xu Xiao Shou's brows relaxed as he felt he'd figured out about seventy percent of it.

The remaining thirty percent was that conspiracy theory: Hua Nong could be a corrupted heir of the Jin Zhao lineage...

But from her shifting attitudes in this conflict, Xu Xiao Shou thought it more likely she was on his side!

So, he started seriously considering another question:

"She's one of my own... well, even if not, she seems as clever as Zhou Tian Shen, so she could probably be swayed to my side?"

"Plus, with her respectful attitude, it's clear her status in the Jin Zhao lineage isn't that high..."

Xu Xiao Shou's heart began to race—he saw an opportunity:

"Maybe I can try to give her orders?"