Chapter 758: Wang Teng’s Sinister Scheme
“Ten million!” An extremely resonant, unmistakable voice rose at the scene. One could immediately recognize young master Ji from the Coiling Dragon Clan. With this bid, the competition became even more crazy. A leap from seven million straight to ten million! Many noble sons had been eager to give it a try, but such boldness instantly made them throw the flag down in surrender. Are you kidding, ten million! It wasn’t something an average son of a ninth rank aristocratic house could usually afford!
On top of that, judging from young master Ji’s attitude, he was clearly determined to win no matter what. His air and manners suggested he would do in anyone who had the gall to go against him. Joined Ridge’s young master was flushed with delight when he heard that price. He said, smiling, “Young master Ji’s boldness is without compare, instantly catapulting the price to ten million. This extravagance is worthy of the number one heavyweight among all the heavyweights in our Capital! However, is there only one heavyweight in town?” His words were very unsubtle, extremely provocative, even. However, as the foremost auction house, they weren’t afraid of offending anyone.
Indeed, at his goading, another son of a great clan promptly called out, “Eleven million.”
“Very well, eleven million. The Steelwing Clan bids eleven million! That right there is the style of our Capital’s heavyweights. Any more bidders?”
Without even sparing a glance for his opponent, young master Ji lifted his hand and spoke, “Fifteen million!”
Everyone present was a wealthy dandy of a top-rate faction in the Capital. Who would be afraid? The temperament of a young master was clearly surfacing in young master Ji. A figure at his level would naturally not blame the young master of the Linked Ridge Pavilion for fanning the flames. That was what the auction business was all about to begin with. Nothing he did would be excessive. On such an occasion, the weapons one fought with were precisely boldness, wealth, and who possessed the strongest charisma. All of them were young masters from top-rate factions. It was a contest of ne’er-do-wells, and everyone was a troublemaker. Who was afraid of anyone?
“Haha, fifteen million. Worthy of clan that held the spot of number one in our Capital for more than a hundred years in succession! There’s simply no one who can obstruct this style, this bearing, this wealth!” Seeing young master Ji so obliging, the auction house’s young master sighed in admiration and publicly proclaimed the Coiling Dragon Clan as the number one clan. His words weren’t incorrect in any case. Indeed, in the Capital, the Coiling Dragon Clan was still the number one clan in name.
However, public ranking was one thing and what everyone thought in private was another. But in any case, the Coiling Dragon Clan was still the foremost clan in name. This was something no other clan could openly contest.
Only, these words had obviously made the Majestic Clan’s young master a little unhappy. As an underling, Sikou Nan immediately lifted his arm as soon as he saw Wang Teng’s expression sour. “House Sikou bids eighteen million!”
This bid created a commotion. House Sikou? House Sikou was a mere ninth ranked aristocratic house, were they openly challenging a great clan? It was a fight between scions of great clans, what was the trivial House Sikou butting in for? However, folks quickly understood.
House Sikou’s efforts were all for the sake of the Majestic Clan. They were embarrassing the Coiling Dragon Clan on purpose! In their opinion, the Majestic Clan’s young master was clearly the one who wanted to bid, but Wang Teng was for some reason, not acting personally. Instead, he was letting his subordinate do it in his stead, thereby grossing out young master Ji. Young master Ji, aren’t you a picture of poise and elegance? I’ll embarrass you and make you compete with my Clan’s underlings, I’ll infuriate you and make you look like a clown! This Wang Teng was extremely sinister.
Even Jiang Chen could tell that from his position in the rear. This Wang Teng was definitely embarrassing young master Ji on purpose by making House Sikou vie over the three Longevity Pills. On top of that, it was obvious Wang Teng had struck young master Ji’s soft underbelly. He knew the young master was determined to obtain the Longevity Pills no matter what, so Wang Teng was bidding like a madman, forcing young master Ji to constantly raise the price and act like a foolish wastrel. Jiang Chen frowned. He might not have much feeling for young master Ji, but Wang Teng’s actions were even more repulsive.
“Brother Zhen, you were saying that the Longevity Pill really is useless for emperor realm cultivators?” Wei Jie had noticed the problem therein. Seeing young master Ji’s attitude, he knew he wanted to use the pills to postpone the hour of the clan master’s cultivation dissipating.
“There’s no much use. There’s a greater probability of side effects occurring,” Jiang Chen’s answer was very firm.
“Then, should I tell young master Ji?” Wei Jie was a little hesitant, because there was now a clear split between House Wei and the Coiling Dragon Clan after the matter of the pill king. He wasn’t intimate with young master Ji either. The young master might not believe him if he were to speak at a time like this. If by any chance young master Ji’s thoughts took a crooked turn, he might even think Wei Jie was preventing him from obtaining the Longevity Pill on purpose. Then, he’d buy even more strongly into what people said about House Wei being the Majestic Clan’s agent. As a result, Wei Jie was a little conflicted. He didn’t want young master Ji to be taken advantage of and be made to endlessly raise the price, but he didn’t to be misunderstood either.
Jiang Chen saw Wei Jie’s expression wholehearted devotion and knew he was brimming with House Wei’s sense of loyalty. He glanced at young master Ji’s determined attitude. Secretly smiling wryly to himself, Jiang Chen transmitted his voice, “Wei Jie, do you think young master Ji will listen to you? He definitely won’t listen to you if you tell him now that Longevity Pills are useless for the emperor realm, and he’ll even be suspicious of your motives. Do you feel confident you can convince him? Besides, this young master Ji doesn’t look like someone short on money to me. Let him bleed a little, waste some money. It doesn’t matter.”
Wei Jie heaved a sigh. “It’s not a matter of money. Young master Ji is indeed not lacking in money. Even at ten times the price, he could clench his teeth and still pay it out. But right now, these people are clearly making fun of him on purpose and forcing him to constantly raise his bid. They’re making him dance like a monkey!”
Wei Jie apparently felt his words were a little disrespectful to young master Ji, but the present scene was indeed like a circus. Everytime the young master upped the bid, the gazes gathered on him were all very conflicted. There was derision, sympathy, and also resignation. It was obvious that since the bidding price had reached such a step, it wasn’t a bidding war anymore, but a grudge match.
Unfortunately, young master Ji couldn’t even admit defeat, or he would become the object of ridicule. A grand scion from the Coiling Dragon Clan unable to beat even the son of an aristocratic house? If rumors were to spread out, where would he hide his face?
However, if they were going to increase their bids with no end in sight…The price was already close to thirty million, and the bidding war wasn’t showing signs of stopping any time soon. At present, the other sons of great clans had already stopped bidding and switched to watching to the current act as spectators instead, watching young master Ji and Wang Teng’s fiery and explosive contest.
On the Coiling Dragon Clan’s side, young master Ji hadn’t called upon his underlings. There were several noble families under the clan’s banner, House Wei as well, but they didn’t dare intrude without the young master’s order. Jiang Chen had an increasingly strange feeling about the situation. Wang Teng’s attitude was very odd. If he were trying to embarrass young master Ji, then his goal had already been long accomplished. Why was he still driving up the price so wantonly? Was it truly for a mere three Longevity Pills? For the Majestic Clan, bidding forty million for these three pills was already far beyond their true value.
In Jiang Chen’s opinion, they were simply driving up the price on purpose. “What on earth is this Wang Teng plotting?” Jiang Chen frowned. His feeling was that there was definitely something else to Wang Teng’s bidding other than simply opposing young master Ji.
Only, what on earth was Wang Teng’s real scheme? Though Jiang Chen knew that guy had his motives, he couldn’t still piece them together no matter how hard he racked his brains. Wang Teng was presently feeling free and leisurely, quite proud of himself while enjoying young master Ji’s expressions. From the very beginning, the Majestic Clan had been the one who’d brought out the three Longevity Pills to test the waters. He’d also drove up the price on purpose to take advantage of young master Ji’s sense of urgency.
First, he’d embarrassed young master Ji, humiliating his archenemy.
Second, he was naturally magnifying the allure of the Longevity Pill, making it the center of attention and a popular topic in the Capital. The reason was that the Eternal Celestial Capital had already made the Majestic Clan the exclusive retailer for the Longevity Pill! After this auction, the pill would be publicly available for sale! Wasn’t this the best form of advertising today? After the Longevity Pill’s public launch, the price certainly wouldn’t be as high as in the auction.
When the time came, young master Ji would find out that the Longevity Pills he’d bought at a sky-high price were something from his archenemy to begin. The entire Coiling Dragon Clan would lose all its prestige at that time. They would turn completely into a foil for the Majestic Clan to soar to new heights. One had to admit that Wang Teng’s plan was extremely sinister, killing several birds with one stone. Meanwhile, young master Ji had no choice but to fall into the trap! Wang Teng was greatly pleased with himself.
“I bid fifty million!” The usually poised and elegant young master Ji was starting to to lose his temper at Sikou Nan’s constant price raising. He was well aware Wang Teng was embarrassing him on purpose. However, he still had no choice but to push through and continue bidding.
“Fifty five million.” The more he raised the price, the more relaxed Sikou Nan appeared to be, as though House Sikou was the true first moneybags in the Capital. How could he not be relaxed? No matter how much he raised the price, he wouldn’t have to pay anything at the end in any case! After all, this thing belonged to his house’s master to begin with! Besides, he didn’t think young master Ji would give up.
“Sixty million!” Young master Ji finally had a little trouble holding his anger in check. “Wang Teng, if you want to grab it, then come fight with real swords and spears. What’s the meaning of hiding behind a sidekick?”
Jiang Chen sighed silently when he saw young master Ji’s manners. Wang Teng has finally succeeded pissing this young master off. Just as he thought, Wang Teng smiled easily, “Old chap, you must be imagining things. I don’t have the slightest interest in these Longevity Pills. I wonder though, why do you cling so fiercely to them? If you don’t have the money, how about I have Sikou Nan give you one to play with after he wins the bid?”
He’d simply grasped his tone, manners, and cadence to perfection and sent a vicious slap to Young master Ji’s face. Even Jiang Chen had a little trouble sitting still. When he saw Wang Teng’s proud and smug face, and thought back to the fact that the Longevity Pill was his own thing that this wretch was using to face-slap another with, Jiang Chen also started to grow angry. Trying to slap his face are you? Then I will make you fail!
With a turn of his thoughts, an idea occurred to Jiang Chen. The price was still climbing as his thoughts swirled, flaring past seventy million in the blink of an eye. At this rate, it was thundering straight to a hundred million. Even though young master Ji had money, everyone thought he really was being a good-for-nothing this time. The real value of these three Longevity Pills was capped at ten million saint spirit stones at most. One would be a stupid dandy to pay any more than that. And judging from Wang Teng’s attitude, he clearly wanted to turn young master into a fop unparalleled in the whole of the Capital! His side was incredibly excited and expectant at the moment, looking forward to mercilessly crushing the young master of the Coiling Dragon Clan under their boots.