Chapter 956: Five for Twenty-Five Thousand

With these words, he once again bowed deeply to the Tenebrous Demon Emperor before returning to his room.

In VIP Room Eleven, Mei Gongzi gazed at the crystal screen before her, a hint of puzzlement flickering in her eyes.

She hadn't participated in the previous rounds of bidding simply because nothing suitable had come up yet. The Peacock Demon clan was among the wealthier ones, but the prices today were quite inflated. She needed to save her funds for something truly valuable.

Did she want a Blue Gold Fruit? Of course she did! Who wouldn't want a heavenly treasure that could greatly enhance one's life force

and

be used directly in battle? But five thousand amethystine coins was simply too much; it was a terrifying price. That kind of money could buy a normal city!

That speech from the new leader of the Blue Gold Tree clan had sounded impassioned and convincing, but for some reason, Mei Gongzi found it somewhat peculiar. That persuasive tone gave her a strange sense of déjà vu.

"He's really quite the talker. That new Blue Gold Tree clan leader is no ordinary fellow," Luo Qingzhu muttered coldly. "Five thousand amethystine coins, and he claims he doesn't want to see the price go higher?

Pft.

Who was it that bumped it to three thousand in one go earlier? Now he's suddenly offering four more, all while ignoring how scarcity impacts value? A shameless profiteer! Five fruits—that's twenty-five thousand amethystine coins! If Lin Ximo offered your father so much money back then, he may have just sold Kali City to the damn phoenixes!"

Su Qin smiled gently. "The Blue Gold Tree clan is said to be on the rise lately, doing very well in the Solstice Empire. Especially after the Ancestral Tree killed a Nymph Emperor, all major races have been cozying up to them. Demons of the Empyrean Dominion are no exception. Didn't you hear what he said? Producing fruits means giving up hope to become an Emperor, and he wants to preserve that hope. Meaning, he himself hasn't grown one yet! That message was clearly for the Emperors. If he becomes an Emperor and then grows a fruit... then what would that fruit be worth? Who wouldn't be tempted? He's painting himself as a unique strategic resource that every single Emperor must vie for."

As if to confirm her words, just as Tang San sat back down, a furious divine consciousness blasted straight into his mind.

—What the hell happened to the three knowing a secret?! Does the entire auction house only count as one to you?!

The Sunborne Nymph Emperor was livid! He had just warned Tang San a few moments before, and yet Tang San had proceeded to reveal practically everything in that speech! Even though he hadn't been explicit on the matter of his own fruit, it was impossible not to draw the attention of other Emperors.

Feigning surprise, Tang San replied,

"Ah... I think there might have been a misunderstanding. I thought you were referring to how I promised you my first Blue Gold Fruit. Whether I actually grow one after becoming an Emperor is still up to me, isn't it? I never said I was going to grow one myself! But actually, I'll enter seclusion as soon as I become an Emperor, and then I'll present the fruit to you directly, without anyone knowing. I thought that was the secret part. Please forgive me, Your Majesty. That was my mistake."

The Sunborne Nymph Emperor's eyelid twitched. He'd been thoroughly cheated, and he had no way of retaliating for it.

"Your Majesty, you still need to help me out. Let me capitalize on this and sell a couple at a high price. Please urge the Scorching Sunflower clan to agree to my proposal."

—Two fruits for me. And you better not "misunderstand" it this time. Hmph!

The Sunborne Nymph Emperor snorted coldly. For some reason, Tang San even sensed a tinge of sulkiness in his tone.

Of course, Tang San had anticipated this reaction and already planned his response. He wasn't afraid in the slightest.

"VIP rooms that participated in the bidding, will you accept the Blue Gold Tree clan leader's proposal? If not, we will continue the auction," the Tenebrous Demon Emperor said solemnly.

The Scorching Sunflower clan was the first to respond. "VIP Room Two agrees!"

"VIP Room One agrees."

"VIP Room Four agrees."

"VIP Room Six agrees."

"VIP Room Ten agrees."

All five participating VIP rooms accepted the offer, and that ended the bidding for the fruit. Tang San had driven up the price with one Blue Gold Fruit only to ultimately sell five for the same price. Well, he actually needed to supply six in order to please the Sunborne Nymph Emperor, but even with that considered, he had unquestionably earned quite the profit for the Blue Gold Tree clan. A Blue Gold Fruit from a Great Nymph King would have been sold for 1,500 amethystine coins at best under normal conditions, and even that was an astronomical amount of money.

In VIP Room Eight, the Blue Gold Tree clan elders were now laughing their bark off, their blue dorsal spikes swaying wildly in excitement. Tang San had barely spent six thousand earlier, and now he had made twenty-five thousand back. This was triple what the fruits were worth, and four times what he'd spent! The elders were all filled with admiration for their leader.

Could the VIP rooms not see through Tang San's ploy? Of course they could. Each had Emperors backing them, and no one was an idiot. So why had they agreed in the end? The reason was simple: none of them wanted to offend someone who, if he just so happened to become an Emperor, would produce life-extending medicine of unimaginable value.

Even though they could only speculate for now, the Ancestral Tree was the source of life energy for the entire plane. If someone born to its direct lineage ascended to Emperorhood, the value of its Blue Gold Fruit would be simply beyond estimation.

Tang San had naturally grasped this mindset, which was why he had managed to pull off such a profitable coup. He had made it clear he was going to milk them, yet they had no choice but to accept it.

The auction resumed. Tang San instructed the Grand Elder to deliver four Blue Gold Fruits to the auction house; as for the Scorching Sunflowers, he would deal with them himself.

Three bids, three showstoppers. Tang San, as the new leader of the Blue Gold Tree clan, had now become the center of everyone's attention. But he didn't mind. This was the role he was meant to play.

He was laying the groundwork for his future ascension to Emperor. If he truly became the kind of top-tier resource everyone needed, the Emperors themselves would vie to recruit him. But he had to actually reach that level first.

His proposal for the Blue Gold Tree clan to remain neutral had yet to be formally discussed by the Ancestral Court's Council; it was still stalled because of the rivalry between the two great countries. But once the matchmaking tournament concluded, there would surely be a verdict.

The auction continued. The following items were also of exceptional quality, and the fevered pace of bidding showed no sign of slowing. Tang San, on his part, grew quiet again, merely observing the others.

Among VIP rooms, number ten was bidding the most frequently, securing many valuable items. The other rooms were more restrained. Main cities and first-tier bloodline clans had plenty of divine items in their own vaults; they didn't need to win everything at this auction to feel confident about the upcoming tournament. In contrast, the smaller clans were going all out, pouring every last coin they had into equipping their eleventh-order contestants.

The competition was brutal. Nearly every item was sold for more than double its base price. The greatest beneficiary, naturally, was the Ancestral Court.

Half a day passed quickly. An hour of rest followed, during which no one could leave the Grand Auction Hall. Whether it was eating, drinking, or attending to other needs, everything had to be done within the confines of this space.

VIP rooms offered a significant advantage. Each had its own dedicated space guarded by the Ancestral Court's guardians, allowing their occupants to move around freely. Food and drink were abundant, and there was no need to queue for restrooms.

Tang San stepped out of VIP Room Eight, the Blue Gold Tree clan elders fanning out to guard the area.

He stretched a little, then looked up to see the sky dimming. Dusk was setting in. There would be another round of auctions from evening to midnight, followed by a rest period of about three hours before resuming at dawn. This cycle would repeat for three straight days.

For those stuck in cramped spaces, it would be a grueling experience.

The Blue Gold Tree clan elders got busy preparing the evening meal. Only Jin Miaosen remained at Tang San's side.

Just then, a voice came from nearby. "Clan Leader Jin, care to lend me a few minutes of your time?"

Tang San turned to see none other than Xu An'yu, the Radiant Dragon King, smiling warmly from the door of VIP Room Ten.