Chapter 5: Holding the Auction

After the two had left, Su Zeduan took out the "Sword Manual" and the "Devouring Spirit Sword" to examine them.

However, Su Xun's interest in watching further had waned. He closed the ice mirror and entered a secluded chamber. He needed to consolidate his cultivation and adapt to the strength of the Profound Origin Realm.

Before he entered seclusion, he used a Spirit Crane Art to inform Su Zeduan of his intentions. He trusted Su Zeduan to make the decisions for the Su family in his absence.

Upon his return, Shen Wansan immediately devised a plan and presented it to Su Zeduan. After reviewing it, Su Zeduan found it promising. However, as he wasn't skilled in commerce, he entrusted the matter to Su Zerui.

Su Zerui was Su Zeduan's younger brother and possessed a natural aptitude for business. He was the one who had founded the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce and served as its chairman.

After conversing with Shen Wansan, Su Zerui found him to be a kindred spirit. He granted Shen Wansan full authority to implement the plan without needing to consult him, acknowledging Shen Wansan's talent.

Su Zerui even offered to transfer the title of company chairman to Shen Wansan, which was met with polite refusal from Shen Wansan as he finally abandoned the thought.

That very night, Shen Wansan and Li Mochou set out. Their preparations were underway.

They journeyed to the governmental hub of the Hexi Prefecture, Nanfeng City.

Once they revealed their identities, they were promptly received, and the local officials handed over authority to Shen Wansan. Despite not sharing the Su surname, they posed as Su family servants and complied with Su family orders in all matters.

Thanks to the Su family's influence, Hexi Prefecture and its neighboring provinces were virtually under their control. Several officials in the capital were also under the Su family's sway, though their positions were minor. Nevertheless, it sufficed.

News of the upcoming auction, featuring True Martial Pills, Earth Tier Martial Arts, and Martial Skills, spread even faster. Within two days, the information had become common knowledge, even reaching neighboring kingdoms.

On one hand, there were the auction items, and on the other, the reputation gained from the incident involving the Heavenly Sword Sect. The culmination of all these factors had catapulted the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce's fame to new heights.

Following the killing of the fifth elder of the Heavenly Sword Sect, their anger had reached its pinnacle. The fifth elder had marched to the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce, demanding an explanation. However, Shen Wansan had completely ignored him, not even bothering to meet him.

The fifth elder had never experienced such humiliation before. Enraged, he intended to take action against the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce. Yet, a sudden icy spike shot out from the company, piercing the elder's face and instantly turning it into shards of ice. This sent a chilling shockwave through the surroundings, leaving everyone in awe.

Heavenly Sword Sect.

"Such insolence, such insolence."

The Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect raged, smashing decorations in the hall. Two elders had been killed, including a True Martial Realm expert. While his branch had been slightly stronger than the first elder's branch, with the death of the fifth elder, the first elder's branch had even turned against him.

This insolence was unbearable.

The Sect Master of the Heavenly Sword Sect took a deep breath, then walked towards the rear mountain. This time, he would show the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce the consequences of provoking the Heavenly Sword Sect.

Royal Palace of the Azure Cloud Kingdom.

The Azure Cloud Kingdom's monarch pondered as he studied the report in his hand. He didn't believe the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce was as simple as it appeared. Auctioning True Martial Pills, Earth Tier Martial Arts, and Martial Skills indicated they had some backing.

"Send the Third Prince to represent the royal family. You'll accompany him. Remember, investigate the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce's background as thoroughly as possible."

The Azure Cloud Kingdom's monarch tossed the report onto the dragon-carved desk and instructed the elderly eunuch by his side.

The elderly eunuch accepted the command and exited the room.

Other influential forces also dispatched individuals. Whether descendants of noble families or elders from sects, the allure of True Martial Pills, Earth Tier Martial Arts, and Martial Skills was strong.

Many forces possessed only Profound Tier peak or upper-grade techniques. It was rumored that the royal family owned a lower-grade Earth Tier technique, albeit an incomplete one. Still, even this was far superior to Profound Tier peak-grade techniques.

For the sake of the upcoming auction, the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce expanded its premises in Hexi Prefecture. It was already growing, and further expansion was becoming difficult.

Shen Wansan's intention was to develop Hexi Prefecture into the economic center of the Azure Cloud Kingdom and the surrounding nations. However, he was somewhat dissatisfied with the current scale. Nevertheless, he had a solution – create a pocket dimension or use spatial formations. Although these resources were valuable, they could wait a little longer.

As the auction date approached, Nanfeng City saw an influx of people, mostly wandering cultivators. These individuals were rebellious by nature, causing headaches for the Prefect of Hexi Prefecture.

He had no choice but to station the regional garrison outside Nanfeng City. Reliance solely on the prefectural troops and the Offering Pavilion staff wouldn't suffice. Though he appeared as Hexi Prefecture's Prefect, he couldn't directly ask the Su family for help as he was now officially part of the Azure Cloud Kingdom's administration.

The Su family.

Su Zeduan handed over a storage ring to his daughter, instructing her to take it to the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce in Hexi Prefecture. He saw it as an opportunity for her to gain experience.

He also brought the two old ladies, Jin Hua and Yin Hua, from the Offering Pavilion. They had sought refuge with the Su family and were different from those affected by the Life and Death Charm, yet Su Xun had left some means on them.

Back then, these two were wandering cultivators, entering the Su family at only the Heavenly Martial Realm's early stage. After years of nurturing, they were already Half-Step True Martial Realm experts. However, they still had a long way to go before breaking through.

After leaving the Su family, Su Xing'er had become like an untamed wild horse. It had been a long while since any members of the Su family had ventured outside.

Jin Hua and Yin Hua were helpless. With time on their side, they could catch up.

Su Xing'er first headed to Tiannan City. The Su family's base had been there before they moved to Cloud Mist Mountain. However, she was unaware of that. Since her earliest memories, she had only known Cloud Mist Mountain as her home.

The old Su family residence had long been abandoned, its existence forgotten. When the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce was established, it used the old Su family base as its headquarters, preventing inquiries.

Su Xing'er arrived at the Kyushu Chamber of Commerce in Tiannan City. Thanks to the auction, the company's business had expanded, and while it wasn't bustling, there was a steady flow of people.

As soon as Su Xing'er entered, she witnessed a heated argument. Two individuals had their eyes set on the same Spirit Flame Herb. Both wanted it, yet the Spirit Flame Herb was considered a rare elixir. The Kyushu Chamber of Commerce in Tiannan City only had this one.

Although the company could arrange for more, the two individuals were unwilling to wait. Their bids had escalated.

Su Xing'er glanced at the Spirit Flame Herb on the shelf. It was priced at fifty thousand Spirit Stones, but the bidding had already reached over seventy thousand. The youth appeared to have run out of money, making it difficult for him to raise the bid. However, his composure remained unchanged.

Conversely, the other bidder was composed, raising his bid with ease, maintaining full control over the situation.