In the short time it took for the two to exchange a few words, the price of the Calming Stone had already soared to ten million.
Ming Qi was clearly struggling with this price, but he still called out a price of eleven million.
For Meng Ling, he wouldn't have cared less about the Yuan Jing.
But the price trend completely defied Ming Qi's expectations. Perhaps Zhui Yue had somehow thrown out some alluring uses for the Calming Stone, but the wealthy guests in the VIP rooms and the hidden experts below were all excited and charged forward, bidding the price ever higher, no longer keeping a low profile.
In the space of a glass of wine, the price had already reached fourteen million.
"Have these people gone crazy?"
At this moment, he heard Mo Changli from the next room say, "Just bid."
The two sides had become more familiar with each other, and Ming Qi no longer insisted. For now, he didn't care why Mo Changli had so many Yuan Jing. He just wanted to get the Calming Stone first. As for what he owed her, he would just consider it a temporary loan and repay her later when he had more money.
With Mo Changli's support, like a treasury, Ming Qi's bidding suddenly became easier.
After a frantic and almost bloody battle, Ming Qi finally won the bid for the magical jade stone that had survived for hundreds of thousands of years, paying a staggering 20 million yuan.
The auction ended, and it was time to pay and take possession. As the special waiter delivered the Calming Stone to Ming Qi's VIP room, many people had already quickly left.
A short while later, the door to VIP room 89 rang, and the graceful Zhuiyue entered, accompanied by two waiters and a white-haired old man.
"Congratulations, sir, on winning this precious treasure."
Zhuiyue's words were crisp and clear, their calmness evoking a refreshing warmth.
However, Mingqi felt a little uneasy. He had been bidding without thinking, completely disregarding the Yuanjing. Now that the treasure had been presented to him, it was clear that it was time to collect. But what about Mo Changli?
"Sir, after completing this pleasant transaction with us, you will receive a Rose Supreme Card. Holders of this Roland VIP Card enjoy exclusive treatment within the Tan Mansion."
Zhuiyue said with a smile, placing a gold card with a dark purple violet printed on it on the table.
Then, a waiter brought in the massive True Heart Divine Stone.
"Time to pay! I'm here."
Just as Mingqi was struggling with his thoughts, a handsome, fair-skinned man walked in, smiling broadly and holding a Rose Supreme Card.
"Rose Supreme?!"
Zhuiyue and the old man couldn't hide their surprise when they saw the Rose Supreme card.
The Rose Supreme card was significantly higher than the Roland VIP card. There weren't many Rose Supreme cards in the entire Bailingtan Mansion, and they were only given to the heads of prominent families and sects. They had no idea who this young and handsome man had appeared at that moment.
Surprised, the two men were momentarily distracted, forgetting what they were doing.
A moment later, Zhuiyue was the first to react, smiling brightly, "Your distinguished guest has arrived, and Junzilou was unable to greet you in time. Please forgive me for not blaming you."
The handsome young man nodded, still smiling.
Zhuiyue continued, "Holders of the Rose Supreme Card receive a 20% discount on all purchases. If you, the distinguished guest, are determined to complete this transaction for this customer, you will only need to pay 16 million Yuanjing."
The handsome young man nodded, then flicked his sleeves. A flash of light appeared, instantly filling the entire VIP room with a dazzling radiance.
Sixteen dazzling beads rested on the table.
Wang Jing!
Sighting these sixteen round, smooth beads, Ming Qi immediately recognized them. They were Wang Jings, crystal stones that, like Yuan Jings, imbued the spiritual energy of heaven and earth.
Wang Jings are sometimes called top-grade Yuan Jings, but more people prefer to call them Wang Jings.
One Wang Jing is equivalent to one hundred high-grade Yuan Jings.
The value of these sixteen Wang Jings is undoubtedly in excess of 16 million low-grade Yuan Jings.
After placing the sixteen royal crystals on the table, the handsome young man approached Ming Qi with an extremely respectful demeanor and whispered, "Young Master, it's time to put away your Calming Stone."
It was obvious that this handsome young man was Mo Changli. He wondered what had happened in the VIP room next door that had left her in this state.
Hearing Mo Changli casually address him as "Young Master" was a bit of a turnoff for Ming Qi. It made him look like a spendthrift, extravagant rich kid.
And, as luck would have it, Ming Qi actually hated rich kids.
But Ming Qi couldn't afford to ruin his own plans in the current situation, so he nodded politely. Then, the black ring on his finger flashed a faint light, swept up the Calming Stone on the table, and tossed it in.
"I'll return it to you later," Ming Qi said to Mo Changli via voice transmission as he put away the Calming Stone.
"No rush."
Mo Changli smiled softly and replied with two words via telepathic transmission.
The two men's coordinated actions immediately left Zhuiyue and the white-bearded old man in a state of confusion. A young man, a servant.
The servant had already made a move, claiming to be a Rose Supreme, one of the few in Bailingtan Mansion. So, the young man's identity had to be seriously considered.
How many major factions were under the jurisdiction of Bailingtan Mansion? Which of them possessed a Rose Supreme card and a young master of considerable power?
But before Zhuiyue and the white-bearded old man could come up with any specific reason, Ming Qi spoke up.
"Do you have a place to rest? I see the beautiful winter scenery of Fengxian City and would like to stay for a few days. Would that be convenient?"
"Yes, I'll arrange it right away if you're willing."
The white-bearded old man quickly replied, his initial surprise instantly concealed.
It was clear that the white-bearded elder was also worldly-wise and understood Ming Qi's intention.
Ming Qi nodded and left the auction hall with the white-bearded elder and Zhui Yue.
"Why stay?"
Mo Changli asked in a voice transmission as they walked.
"We've already been deemed wealthy and powerful. We'll probably be slaughtered as soon as we leave."
Ming Qi had considered this very carefully. The frantic bidding just now had put him in the spotlight. If he left Junzi Tower, he didn't know how many eyes would be watching him secretly, and they might not even wait for him to leave Fengxian City.
The innocent man is guilty of possessing a treasure. Although Ming Qi didn't consider himself an ordinary man, he understood this principle very well.
He also knew that this was not an era of rule of law. This was the world of immortal cultivation, an era where the nakedly strong were respected. Any constraints and rules were utterly worthless without the backing of immense strength.
"Oh, you're so clever!"
Mo Changli's lips curled up, and he transmitted a voice.
Ming Qi smiled and replied, "You're not bad either."
The walk wasn't long, but Ming Qi could tell they hadn't left Junzi Building, but had instead arrived at a magnificent location behind it.
Guiding Ming Qi and the others to the door of a spacious suite, Zhuiyue smiled brightly and explained the location and related matters before leaving with the white-bearded elder.
"Huh..."
Entering the room, Ming Qi breathed a sigh of relief. Turning around, he discovered that Mo Changli had, as if by magic, returned to his original form.
With long golden hair, a round face, sparkling eyes, and a graceful figure, she was a truly exceptional beauty.
However, this beauty wasn't like those ladies from prominent families. Mo Changli always exuded an unpredictable yet awe-inspiring aura.
Perhaps this was due to the Celestial Clan's divine bloodline.
In the end, Ming Qi attributed Mo Changli's unparalleled aura, unmatched by any other woman, to the gift of divine bloodline.
"Aren't you afraid of others discovering your Celestial Clan identity?"
Ming Qi walked over to a chair and sat down, looking at Mo Changli with a smile.
"Of course I am, but as long as the Martial King doesn't show up, it's impossible for me to be discovered."
Mo Changli blinked mysteriously.
"Then I discovered you anyway."
Ming Qi clearly didn't believe it, but she'd discovered her Celestial Clan identity purely because of Meng Ling. Meng Ling was a notorious demon from ancient times, so it was no surprise that she knew the Celestial Clan's secrets. And in the modern world, it seemed unlikely that someone like Ming Qi would ever encounter her again.
"You, you're an exception."
Mo Changli couldn't explain himself, so he just pouted and treated Ming Qi as an exception. She was also curious about how Ming Qi knew about the aura of divine punishment, but she was too embarrassed to ask directly.
However, ever since Ming Qi appeared, she found herself somewhat inseparable from him.
Suppressing divine punishment was something she had dreamed of countless times before but had never achieved. But now, she suddenly realized how simple it had become. Simply by staying by this young man's side, she could do it.
Ming Qi didn't dwell on why Mo Changli wasn't afraid of discovery, but he could tell she had something else on her mind, judging by the hesitation in her eyes.
Ming Qi didn't ask, but simply sipped his tea quietly.
"What are your plans now?"
Mo Changli was silent for a moment, then asked.
"I can't leave during the day, so I'll leave Fengxian City at night."
"Then, can you take me with you?"
Mo Changli finally expressed his thoughts, but coming from a young woman, such words were somewhat suggestive.
"Haha, I really do want one. That way I could have an ATM."
Ming Qi joked, noticing a flicker of amusement on Mo Changli's face.
"ATM? What's that?"
Clearly, this place wasn't high-tech like inserting a card and dispensing cash.
"It's just a wallet," Ming Qi laughed.
Mo Changli's uncanny wealth astounded Ming Qi. She casually swiped tens of millions of Yuan Crystals—that was more than just a number. Imagine if anyone knew a little girl like Mo Changli possessed a seemingly inexhaustible supply of Yuan Crystals, the world would go wild.
"..."
While Mo Changli didn't understand the word "ATM," she did understand the word "wallet."