Chapter 735: The Remains of the Heavenly Mechanism Puppet

The discussions among the major forces in the private boxes did not disrupt the order of the auction venue.

After several rounds of bidding, the door to Box 122 was pushed open, and a person wearing a blue Yan Wang mask stepped out.

The atmosphere in the venue turned strange.

Everyone recognized this as one of the only two organizations bold enough to directly confront Shengshen Diantang.

The other was Tian Shang Di Yi Lou, which everyone knew.

However, the origins of Box 122 remained a mystery to all.

Some curious onlookers even glanced toward Box 1, wondering what kind of reaction Shengshen Diantang would have.

But even though Box 122 had previously bid against Box 1 and failed to secure the item, the level of enmity it stirred was still far less than that caused by Xu Shao in Box 209.

Box 1 showed no reaction at all.

The person in the blue Yan Wang mask, Bi'an Hua Kai, walked with utmost composure onto the auction stage.

"Everyone."

His tone was light, devoid of his usual playful manner, as if he were simply stating an ordinary fact while pulling out an item:

"This time, I've brought something good for all of you—it's a complete remnant of a Tianji Kuilei."

"It has no intelligence; it's already been destroyed, but it's perfect for studying the complete Tianji technique."

"Because the Tianji Dao patterns on it are perfectly preserved!"

There was a sudden click.

The entire venue seemed to plunge into an icy silence, with not a sound to be heard.

Bi'an Hua Kai finally pulled the item from his ring.

It was the form of a burly man, taller than most people, but it was not human—it was truly a remnant of a Tianji Kuilei!

With a thud, the Tianji Kuilei remnant was slammed onto the stage, and the venue erupted in an uproar.

"Tianji Kuilei?!"

"Damn it, am I dreaming? Where did this Box 122 come from, pulling out a Tianji Kuilei remnant right in front of Shengshen Diantang? Are they out of their minds?"

"I've lived my whole life and never even seen a Tianji Kuilei, and now I see one here?"

"It's a remnant!"

"A remnant? Have you ever seen one?"

"Uh, I've only heard of it."

"Then shut up!"

Everyone in the venue was clutching their heads, feeling like they were going mad.

They all sensed that the situation was getting out of control...

What was a Tianji Kuilei?

It was the trump card of the Baiyi and Hongyi organizations, used only to deal with the leaders of evil organizations or Taixu-level powerhouses—their ultimate ace.

If you ever saw one while it was still active...

There were two reasons:

One, you were guilty.

Two, your lifespan was ending.

But now, a Tianji Kuilei remnant was openly displayed.

People were full of questions.

"Where did they get a Tianji Kuilei?"

"Aren't these things supposed to be recovered by the Dao Bu after they're destroyed?"

"How could a Tianji Kuilei remnant still have intact Tianji Dao patterns? Don't they have a self-destruct program?"

"Is this from an illegitimate source?!"

The venue was in an uproar.

The last question was the biggest doubt on everyone's minds.

Bi'an Hua Kai pressed his hand lightly on the stage and explained, "Perhaps you all don't know, but Tianji Kuilei from the Dao Bu can actually be traded—it's just that your levels aren't high enough, and you don't have the channels."

Everyone: ...

This statement basically called everyone present trash.

Bi'an Hua Kai didn't stop there and continued smoothly, "Of course, this remnant in my possession wasn't obtained through trade, but its origins are absolutely clean."

He turned his head toward Box 1, "On this point, the people from Shengshen Diantang are here, so they can verify it on the spot."

All eyes followed his gaze.

In Box 1, Cheng Ji and Chu Lisheng were both stunned.

They had lived so long and were seeing someone dare to trade a Tianji Kuilei remnant for the first time.

Box 122...

Had they eaten the hearts of bears and leopards? This organization must have issues!

At that moment, Chu Lisheng thought that Cheng Dianzhu's decision to cast a net tonight was incredibly wise.

Once the net was cast, at the very least, all these suspicious individuals would be registered.

Cheng Ji was also pondering in his heart but didn't react immediately.

While the people here might not believe that Tianji Kuilei could be traded, as the dianzhu of a Shengshen Diantang branch, he knew full well that what the man in the Yan Wang mask said was true.

Tianji Kuilei weren't just used to bolster the forces of Baiyi and Hongyi—they were also high-value family guards that various Bansheng factions could purchase.

But...

How could a Bansheng faction let a complete Tianji Kuilei remnant leak out unless they were wiped out?

Cheng Ji pulled out a Tianzhu Abacus from his ring and asked the venue, "Serial number?"

Bi'an Hua Kai's gaze didn't flicker at all as he calmly replied, "Serial number: Wu 087, code name: Tian Geng. You can verify it."

With a flash of spiritual thought, the Tianzhu Abacus glowed faintly.

Cheng Ji lifted his head from the abacus, his entire being lost in confusion...

"How is it?" Chu Lisheng asked hurriedly.

Cheng Ji didn't answer, still immersed in the information from the Tianzhu Abacus:

"Tian Geng, Tianji guardian kuilei of the Taixu Lei family, died in battle sixteen years ago, not yet recovered."

This information confirmed that Tian Geng's origins were legitimate.

But...

The Lei family?

Cheng Ji was truly shocked.

Any other Bansheng family would be fine, but why the Taixu Lei family?

How could a Tianji guardian kuilei that died in battle for the Lei family end up in this person's hands?

That incident back then involved too much and was sealed.

Even as a branch dianzhu, Cheng Ji didn't know many details.

But he knew that in that battle, forces below Bansheng weren't even qualified to participate, and even glimpsing it could risk death from leaking heavenly secrets.

So, the "Tian Geng" that died then must have been recovered by the Dao Bu on the spot.

How could it have fallen into an outsider's hands?

"Perhaps, not an outsider?"

Cheng Ji suddenly thought of this possibility.

If not an outsider...

Either the person on stage was from Shengshen Diantang's Dao Bu.

Or, it was someone from the other Bansheng families that participated back then!

Cheng Ji was speechless.

He didn't even know how to respond to the people here.

Under that Yan Wang mask on the stage, what kind of face was hidden—was it friend or foe? Impossible to tell...

This matter had exceeded the scope of what he, as a branch dianzhu, could handle.

"Notify the Dao Bu and have them come overnight."

Cheng Ji instructed, then looked back at the stage: "No matter the price, we must secure this remnant!"

After a moment of daze, Chu Lisheng nodded immediately.

"Yes!"

On the stage, Bi'an Hua Kai saw that Box 1 was silent and felt a bit surprised inside.

When Lord Huang Quan ordered him to bring out the Tianji Kuilei, he had reacted just like the people below—shocked at how they dared.

But Shengshen Diantang's attitude of neither confirming nor denying after his words was exactly as Lord Huang Quan had predicted.

Everything was proceeding as planned...

"Impressive!" At that moment, Bi'an Hua Kai's admiration for Lord Huang Quan surged like a flood.

What kind of influence could make Shengshen Diantang tacitly allow the trade of a Tianji Kuilei remnant?

"Since there's no objection, I'll start the bidding?"

Bi'an Hua Kai asked rhetorically, and Box 1 remained silent.

The audience below was baffled.

One by one, in states of excitement, confusion, or utter bewilderment, they saw the man in the Yan Wang mask on the stage slam the gavel.

"Starting bid: one trillion!"

A screeching halt—

The entire venue fell dead silent.

Everyone's faces turned pale on the spot.

One trillion?

That was a figure they couldn't scrape together even if they sold themselves!

In Box 1, Chu Lisheng's face darkened immediately. "Cheng Dianzhu, this person is toying with us. They're certain we'll have to bid and take it..."

"Buy it." Cheng Ji interrupted, his expression indifferent, his thoughts inscrutable.

Yes.

This situation was no longer something he, Cheng Ji, as a mere Wangcheng branch dianzhu, could control.

And this money wouldn't come from the Wangcheng branch anyway.

Secure the Tianji Kuilei remnant first, and when the Dao Bu people arrive overnight, they can personally hold the man in the Yan Wang mask accountable.

If he's not from that battle back then, take him down.

If he is...

Cheng Ji shuddered, not daring to think further.

He felt this had nothing to do with him.

For now, he just needed to play the role of a normal auction participant...

"One trillion!"

In the midst of the dead silence, the voice from Box 1 stood out starkly.

The crowd stared in shock.

Even someone as naive as Mu Zixi in Box 209 could see the situation clearly, so how could the others not?

"Are they idiots?"

Mu Zixi tugged at Xu Xiaoshou's sleeve. "This person from Box 122 is clearly here to rob them, so why is Shengshen Diantang just openly stepping up like this?"

Xu Xiaoshou brushed her hand away, his mind elsewhere, murmuring, "One willing to fight, the other to suffer..."

"Has Shengshen Diantang gone mad?" Liu Lu exclaimed from the side.

He quickly covered his mouth and looked around. "Who... who was speaking?"

Xin Gugu: ...

He glanced at Liu Lu, rolled his eyes, and turned to Xu Xiaoshou. "Xu Shao, what's the background of Box 122? They're straight-up robbing Shengshen Diantang?"

"Yan Wang!" Xu Xiaoshou said gravely. "That day when we went out, didn't we keep sensing someone watching us? It was them."

Mu Zixi was startled.

Though her senior brother's eyes hadn't shifted, the certainty in his tone reminded her of the forces he had warned about after returning to the building that day.

Yan Wang—wasn't that the organization that specialized in digging out eyes?

And now, they were digging into Shengshen Diantang's affairs?

"How do they dare?" Mu Zixi hesitated.

How do they dare... Xu Xiaoshou frowned too.

Yes!

How do they dare to so openly display a Tianji Kuilei remnant in front of Shengshen Diantang?

Not afraid of investigation?

Just for money?

Xu Xiaoshou shook his head inwardly.

He didn't believe Yan Wang was that short on funds—no matter how desperate, they wouldn't pull something this big in front of Shengshen Diantang.

So, what were they after?

"Eyes!"

In a flash, Xu Xiaoshou thought of Yan Wang's goal.

But why release such a massive shockwave at the auction to go after eyes?

"Wait, shockwave..."

Xu Xiaoshou's thoughts stalled, his pupils contracting as his lips slowly parted.

"Xu Shao?" Mu Zixi looked up, noticing the change in his expression.

Xu Xiaoshou ignored her.

In his mind, he connected Yan Wang's ultimate goal with the shocking scene before him, piecing together a path he had considered not long ago—diversion.

"Yan Wang is planning something big!"

In that instant, Xu Xiaoshou realized the possibility.

Planning something at the venue?

No, this was just to create a massive distraction at the auction, drawing everyone's attention here.

The Lingque Auction was a grand event in Wangcheng, gathering representatives from nearly all major forces.

And with outsiders all here...

Shengshen Diantang's gaze was also fixed here.

What did that mean?

Other places were completely undefended!

The perfect moment for a diversion!

Moreover, the "east" that Yan Wang was diverting to was in the form of a Tianji Kuilei remnant—something Shengshen Diantang couldn't ignore.

Thus, the success rate for their "west" strike was nearly 100 percent!

So, the question was...

"Who is the 'west'?"

Xu Xiaoshou panicked.

This "west" could be his Tianzhi Eye, or his junior sister's Shenmo Pupil, or even Jiang Xian's San Yan Pupil!

"A two-thirds chance..." Thinking of this, Xu Xiaoshou wanted to cry.

He hadn't even started his own plans, and now someone was coming after him?

Could tonight just be a normal auction?

Did it have to be this dramatic?

These people really wouldn't miss any opportunity—it was terrifying!

Feeling like he'd accidentally uncovered a heavenly secret, Xu Xiaoshou looked at the people around him, still shocked by Yan Wang's audacity in trading the Tianji Kuilei remnant, and a strange sense of superiority rose in his heart...

Their boldness was even beyond your wildest imaginations!

"Sold!"

Without a doubt, no one dared to bid against the one-trillion price, and no one dared to interfere with Shengshen Diantang's recovery of the Tianji Kuilei remnant.

Bi'an Hua Kai stepped down contentedly as the attendant took the remnant to Box 1; he just needed to wait for the payment.

This money would fund Yan Wang's operations for a long time.

The auction continued.

In the private box, Xu Xiaoshou suddenly stood up.

He was making his move!

If chaos was inevitable tonight and he might be one of the targets, he couldn't just sit back.

Xu Xiaoshou decided he should be the one stirring up the chaos.

If Yan Wang was after him, he'd set the whole place ablaze and use Shengshen Diantang as a shield, then watch from the sidelines.

After all, on the surface, he was still an upstanding citizen under Shengshen Diantang's protection.

When it was all over, the real instigator wasn't him, and as the main party involved, he could slip away...

Even if the bystander was blamed, the punishment wouldn't be fatal.

"Liu Lu, handle the arrangements—I'm selling something!"

"Uh, okay... What does Xu Shao want to sell? I'll get the next slot ready for you."

Xu Xiaoshou leaned over the windowsill, staring at Box 122 with a sly grin:

"I'm selling Iron Fan Princess's banana fan—the kind that fans the flames!"