Chapter 179: The Only Winner
Night fell, and the Jinque Grand Auction hosted by the Duanmu Family came to a perfect conclusion.
Exquisite rare transcendent equipment, premium high-tier potions, fourth-rank spiritual items, high-tier Ferocious Beast cubs, low-tier meditation methods…
It could be said that treasures rarely seen on ordinary days appeared one after another at the Jinque Auction like cabbages on a market stall.
The Source Crystal Coins used for bidding were even treated as if they were ordinary Alliance Coins.
Especially the final few finale items—every single one of them was sold for a price exceeding fifty thousand Source Crystal Coins.
However, as the saying goes, while some rejoice, others grieve.
Some people returned with bountiful gains, while others gained nothing at all—and among them was the Qi Family of Qinghui Base.
Inside a luxury hotel room at Yunhai Base, Qi Shoufeng’s expression was gloomy like stagnant water. The wrinkles on his already lined forehead now looked like deep ravines.
He had clearly obtained precise intelligence that a Calming Spirit Potion would appear at the Jinque Auction, yet throughout the entire Jinque Grand Auction, there was not the slightest trace of it.
“Second Elder, there’s news.”
A Qi Family clansman hurried into the room and immediately reported to Qi Shoufeng.
“What’s the reason?”
“Reporting to Second Elder, the seller who previously sold the intelligence revealed that the high-tier Calming Spirit Potion was temporarily withdrawn from the auction by Duanmu Family upper management. The specific reason is unknown.”
After learning the reason, Qi Shoufeng immediately began to ponder. Especially when he thought of the two Earthcore Fire Stones that had appeared at the auction, a restless agitation spread through his heart.
“Could it be that the Han Family has gotten involved with the Duanmu Family? Impossible.”
After pacing back and forth several times, a thought had just arisen in Qi Shoufeng’s mind before he immediately denied it himself.
With the Duanmu Family’s strength, even if their Qi Family was in Qinghui Base, they had no qualifications whatsoever to oppose them.
“Could it be that the Han Family has connected with some high-ranking member of the Duanmu Family?”
Qi Shoufeng had lived for decades not in vain. If the Duanmu Family truly needed a high-tier Calming Spirit Potion, they would have intercepted it long before it ever reached the auction.
For it to go on the auction list and then be suddenly withdrawn meant there had to be a reason.
However, with such a vast gap in strength and status between the two sides, there was no way for him to investigate the truth.
After thinking for a long time, Qi Shoufeng immediately asked the clansman waiting nearby.
“When is the nearest airship back to Qinghui Base?”
“Reporting to Second Elder, the soonest would be the day after tomorrow, because an airship just departed for Qinghui Base today.”
Seeing that he could not return to Qinghui Base in time, Qi Shoufeng immediately issued an order.
“Go borrow the Internal Affairs Department’s long-distance communication and inform the Family Head and the Great Elder about this matter.”
Hearing Qi Shoufeng’s order, the Qi Family clansman standing by hesitated when he saw the Second Elder’s irritated expression and carefully reminded him.
“Second Elder, the Internal Affairs Department has already closed. We won’t be able to borrow it until tomorrow morning at the earliest.”
Hearing the clansman’s reply, a stifling surge of frustration instantly welled up in Qi Shoufeng’s chest, his fists clenching so tightly they crackled.
“Then tomorrow morning. The moment the Internal Affairs Department opens, notify them immediately.”
“Yes.”
Hearing the Second Elder’s teeth-gritted voice, the Qi Family clansman immediately accepted the order.
……
Aside from the Qi Family, there was another person who was not having an easy time either—that was Scorpion-Lion.
Zhou Ming knocking out Duanmu Lingyan was one thing, but when leaving the auction hall, in order to avoid any accidents, he had added another chop to Duanmu Lingyan’s neck.
As a result, Duanmu Lingyan—who had originally entered the auction in high spirits—ended up lying in deep sleep for an entire day not long after entering.
It was only after nightfall that she felt soreness in her neck and slowly woke up from that deep sleep.
As the one responsible for looking after Duanmu Lingyan, Scorpion-Lion naturally could not escape blame, and she directly declared that she would report the matter to her father.
In order to settle the issue, Scorpion-Lion had no choice but to pay hush money. One million was not enough, and in the end it was raised to five million before Duanmu Lingyan reluctantly agreed.
However, Scorpion-Lion had already put this account squarely on Zhou Ming’s head.
The next day, both the Qi Family and the Han Family successively received news from Yunhai Base.
After Qi Chenguang learned of Qi Shouwu’s judgment, a faint sense of unease also arose in his heart. The Qi Family’s strength was no longer what it used to be. If someone from the Duanmu Family interfered in the struggle between the Qi and Han Families, the Qi Family would have no chance of victory whatsoever.
At this moment, Qi Chenguang had already begun considering how to preserve the Qi Family’s inheritance, ultimately choosing to secretly transfer part of the Qi Family’s younger generation.
Then, depending on the situation, he would make a final decision.
On the other side, after receiving the news, the Han Family did not display much joy either.
Their original plan was simple—either Zhou Ming would bid for the Calming Spirit Potion on behalf of the Han Family, allowing the Han Family to obtain it as a foundation. That way, the Source Crystal Coins would not be spent in vain, and they could also give Zhou Ming additional benefits.
Or, if they failed to obtain the Calming Spirit Potion, it would most likely be taken by the Qi Family, who were determined to get it. They would then spend money to have Zhou Ming snatch it from Qi Shoufeng, conveniently eliminating one professional Beast Tamer from the Qi Family.
At that point, in the struggle between the Qi and Han Families, the Han Family would hold an absolute advantage, and the initiative in their cooperation with Zhou Ming would firmly be in the Han Family’s hands.
However, the current situation was somewhat special. The Qi Family did not obtain the Calming Spirit Potion, but neither did they. Qi Shoufeng was still alive and well, and neither side had broken the existing balance.
And Zhou Ming could be considered to have barely completed the task. There was a high probability that he would not return the five thousand Source Crystal Coins.
“Third Uncle, what should we do now?”
This time, it was Han Zhenshu who asked Han Yanshuo.
“The Calming Spirit Potion being withdrawn from the auction definitely has a reason. Right now, we haven’t figured out that person’s background. This matter can only be left at that for now.”
Han Zhenshu truly lived up to being the family head, immediately guessing Han Yanshuo’s line of thought.
No matter what, without the Calming Spirit Potion, the Han Family could not restore Han Chenyu’s strength as a professional Beast Tamer.
Moreover, the longer this dragged on, even if they obtained the Calming Spirit Potion later, recovery would become extremely difficult.
As for Zhou Ming, the moment he saw the five thousand Source Crystal Coins, he had no intention of returning them to the Han Family.
A cooked duck—how could he possibly let it fly away?
The Qi and Han Families continuing to maintain their balance was the most beneficial outcome for him. Qi Chenyu of the Qi Family could not recover his strength, and the Han Family lost a year’s quota of Source Crystals. Both sides’ strength would be restricted.
After sitting on an airship for two days and one night, Zhou Ming finally returned to Qinghui Base.
He casually found a restroom, changed his disguise again, and headed toward the outskirts of the base.
Seeing the rolling mountains of the wilderness, Zhou Ming did not return to the camp immediately. Instead, after confirming that no one was around, he summoned his Ironthread Snake swarm.
Inkband, Vermilion Jade, Silver Scale, Golden Horn, Colorful Scales, and Iron Block—Zhou Ming’s six current generals surrounded him tightly, as if expressing their dissatisfaction.
“Alright, alright. I’ve been busy lately and left you hungry.”
The reason Zhou Ming had not immediately returned to the camp was precisely because he had starved his snake swarm.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Zhou Ming summoned his snake swarm and let them graze and hunt freely in the wilderness.
The valley he had chosen was the Ironthread Snake swarm’s dining hall. In an instant, the mutated animals and low-tier Ferocious Beasts within the valley met with disaster.
The ravenously hungry Ironthread Snake swarm was not picky at all—whatever they caught, they ate.