In an instant, the vast auction hall was filled with upwards of a million inscribed talismans hovering densely midair!
Every single one was a tier-seven inscribed talisman!
Even if they were of the lowest grade and simplest function, such as light-body talismans...
A million tier-seven talismans was worth well over a hundred million spirit stones at the absolute minimum.
Ru Meng felt her heart skip a beat. If this million talismans were to detonate at once, half of Qin Imperial City would be wiped off the face of the earth!
Gu Li was no fool, however. Just as the standoff threatened to escalate, he scratched his head and grinned broadly.
Sweeping all the talismans back into his storage, he cupped his hands warmly toward all four corners of the hall.
"My apologies, my apologies! Got a little carried away there."
"Pardon me for making a fool of myself before the seniors. Lady Ru Meng, please take no offense—I only meant to show that I can indeed produce this much pocket change."
"Ha... haha. As for, uh, the barrier screen's repair cost, I'll pay five times over in compensation. Terribly sorry, terribly sorry!"
Gu Changsheng rolled his eyes, utterly at a loss for words.
Resigned, he had no choice but to stand up and offer an apology of his own.
Only then did the concealed auras of the auction house's powerhouses gradually fade. Ru Meng, whose face had gone pale on stage, breathed a quiet sigh.
She realized her own error: she never should have openly questioned a client from the stage. A reprimand would surely follow.
Ye Bingxin took a deep, lingering look at Gu Li, and then at Li Guanqi beside him.
A glint stirred within her deep, pool-like eyes, and a trace of an amused smile touched her lips.
"Saintess, are we really not pursuing it?"
Ye Bingxin leaned back in her chair and chuckled softly. "No need. That piece of Dragon Scale Divine Wood is too small anyway. Even if we took it back, it wouldn't be enough to fully trigger our flood dragon's bloodline reversion."
"Let him have it."
Ru Meng brought down her gavel. The piece of Dragon Scale Divine Wood that could have been claimed for sixteen million had now fallen into the wealthy Gu Li's hands for forty million.
While the crowd was still marveling at Gu Li's million talismans, Gu Li had already sprawled across the table, his hands moving in a blur as he drafted new inscribed talismans.
He scribbled furiously while muttering under his breath, "How many of these do I have to draw to make up for that?!"
The corner of Li Guanqi's mouth twitched upward. He made sure to engrave this favor deep in his heart.
The next few auction items kept the atmosphere heated. Gu Changsheng and Meng Jiangchu placed several bids in succession, each successfully acquiring what they desired.
"For our next item, the Sky Patrol Blood Vine. It replenishes vital essence and blood. The starting bid is three million high-grade spirit stones."
Ru Meng's gentle voice drifted across the hall.
Li Guanqi was the first to bid: "Six million."
Yet before the words had finished echoing, Zhao Bin called out from below: "Eight million."
Li Guanqi's brows furrowed slightly, though his expression remained unruffled.
"Nine million."
"Ten million."
"Eleven million!"
The staggering speed of the escalation left many cultivators without even a chance to chime in.
Yet as soon as the bid hit eleven million, Zhao Bin went silent.
While this price was somewhat inflated, it was not excessively so. Had Zhao Bin not interfered, however, Li Guanqi could likely have taken it for eight or nine million.
Gu Li bristled in anger and leapt to his feet, cursing loudly, "That bastard! Is Zhao Bin looking for a miserable death?!"
"Did I slap him too lightly before? Does he want another beating?!"
Gu Changsheng said nothing. It was a trivial matter; what if his son had thrashed Zhao Bin?
A beating was just a beating.
Gu Changsheng had no need to walk on eggshells around the feelings of a petty Zhao family.
As for Zhao Bin driving up the price...
No one could openly fault him under auction rules.
Below, Zhao Bin was secretly gloating, though the elder beside him frowned and cast a wary glance toward the second-floor box, murmuring softly, "Don't push it too far."
Still, his grandson had taken a beating earlier. Spiting the boy by jacking up the price was hardly a major transgression in his eyes.
Over the next several lots, Zhao Bin repeatedly drove up the bids. Li Guanqi's expression turned grim, yet he continued to pay exorbitant prices to secure them.
After all, his recent breakthrough had caused considerable harm to Pengluo and Jiuxiao, and he was more than willing to spend whatever it took to nurse them back to strength.
To him, Pengluo and Jiuxiao had long transcended the status of mere pets or tamed beasts.
They were family—a family willing to risk everything for one another.
Through it all, Gu Li never once discouraged Li Guanqi; he even offered more money if needed.
To his mind, this was precisely how the Li Guanqi he imagined ought to act.
Gathering his primal energy, Gu Li manifested multiple phantom hands to draft hundreds of inscribed talismans simultaneously. Resting his chin in his palm, he stared at Li Guanqi.
His brows were furrowed in deep contemplation, his eyes weighed down as though harboring a heavy secret.
Li Guanqi suppressed the rising fury in his chest, casting a chilling glance down at Zhao Bin.
In the adjacent pavilion, Qin Wushang sat swirling the wine in his goblet. He cast an indifferent gaze below.
"Throw him out," he said softly.
Buzz!
The space behind him rippled slightly. A figure draped entirely in black robes knelt in silence before fading from sight.
Boom!
A terrifying, overwhelming pressure swept across the entire auction hall!
"A Mahayana cultivator!"
Li Guanqi raised an eyebrow, unsure of what had prompted this.
The entire auction froze under the sheer might of the mysterious powerhouse. In the next moment, the black-robed figure reached out with a pair of withered hands, pinning Zhao Bin firmly in place.
Beside him, the Zhao family ancestor turned ashen, yet his body was completely immobilized. He could only watch helplessly as the figure hurled Zhao Bin straight into the void.
With that done, the crushing pressure vanished instantly, and the black-robed figure disappeared without a single word.
Ru Meng's melodic voice pulled everyone's scattered thoughts and gazes back to the stage.
"Distinguished guests, please refrain from malicious price gouging. Otherwise... you may find yourselves waiting for your family members outside the Ethereal Immortal Domain."
A light chuckle accompanied her words, her seductive demeanor softening into playful charm, which instantly eased the stifling tension in the room.
Qin Wushang said softly, "Make sure to give the Zhao family a proper warning later."
The old servant behind him bowed. "Understood, Young Master Qin."
Then, as if struck by a sudden thought, Qin Wushang curled his lips into a smile and slowly stood up.
Knock, knock, knock!
A peculiar rapping sounded at the door, and Qin Wushang's slender, commanding figure appeared within Li Guanqi's private room.
When Meng Jiangchu and Gu Changsheng caught sight of him, they both started, quickly rising to their feet.
Gu Changsheng laughed, "Haha, Young Master Qin!"
Meng Jiangchu nodded slightly and greeted with polite restraint, "Young Master Qin."
Qin Wushang gave an acknowledging nod, then turned his gaze toward Li Guanqi and Gu Li.
Looking first to Gu Li, he said in an easy tone, "Brother Gu, you wouldn't mind if I asked you for a few Nine-Revolutions Realm-Breaking Talismans, would you?"
Gu Li blinked in surprise, then curled his lip. "I have some, but not many."
Qin Wushang chuckled heartily and stated frankly, "Eight million apiece. I'll take three."
Gu Li furrowed his brow, then answered softly, "Deal."
With a flick of his wrist, three unique inscribed talismans carved from golden scales flew across the room. Qin Wushang tossed over a storage ring in return and said softly, "Thanks."
Gu Li smiled and said nothing.
Watching this transaction unfold, Li Guanqi's mind spun with countless thoughts. Even he was secretly stunned by the immense value of those talismans.
Yet it was plain to see that these three talismans were exceptionally rare—so precious that Qin Wushang had felt the need to come in person to request them, even harboring concern that Gu Li might refuse.
Chapter 833