Chapter 32: Give the Wang Family Some Face?

Get out!

The voice boomed like a clap of thunder, reverberating throughout the private room.

In an instant, a ferocious look appeared on Sun Yan’s face, his killing intent surging. He looked like he wanted nothing more than to strike Ning Jiang dead on the spot.

As for Wei Yanran, the Iceberg Beauty, her already frigid demeanor grew even colder. The very air around them seemed to drop by several degrees.

As the Direct Disciple of Du Wanqing, not to mention one of the Four Beauties of Luoyang, when had she ever been treated this way?

Even the Luoyang Ten Heroes had to show her some respect.

Yet Ning Jiang dared to tell her to get out?

"You, with your meager Qi Cultivation Realm Cultivation, possess an arrogance that surpasses even the Ten Heroes. You may think you have backbone, but in my eyes, you are pathetic."

"Challenging Zhou Wenhao while only in the Qi Cultivation Realm is suicide."

"Spending one hundred fifty thousand Primordial Stones on a Pill Formula is the height of stupidity."

"And telling us to get out? That’s just pure, ignorant arrogance."

Wei Yanran’s tone was ice-cold, her words sharp.

"You might be giving yourself too much credit."

Ning Jiang’s attitude was nonchalant. "Why should I care what you think of me? I’ve never cared about the opinions of others, let alone an arrogant person like you. People like you are used to being high and mighty, so full of yourselves that you can’t tolerate the slightest contradiction. You’re the ones who are truly pathetic."

"Me, arrogant? Perhaps. But I’ve earned the right to be. And you? What do you have? Your Qi Cultivation Realm Cultivation?" Wei Yanran questioned, provoked by Ning Jiang and unable to let it go.

"Your disdain for me stems from nothing more than my Cultivation. You think that because I’m in the Qi Cultivation Realm, challenging Zhou Wenhao is a death sentence."

Ning Jiang suddenly let out a soft sigh. "You mortals are all the same, always believing only what your eyes can see. You don’t realize that your eyes can only perceive the surface, never the deeper truth."

"You look at a deep pool with your eyes and see calm, tranquil waters, beautiful in their serenity. But you can’t see the vicious dragon lurking below, waiting for its moment to strike. The second you enter the water, your life is forfeit."

"You’re like a frog at the bottom of a well, seeing only a tiny patch of sky, your perspective narrow, ignorant that there is always a heaven beyond the heavens."

"You believe in what your eyes see, yet your eyes cannot be trusted. You rely on what your heart feels, yet your heart is not to be relied upon."

"This is a truth you do not understand."

"As for what right I have... on the fifteenth of the first month, you’ll see for yourself."

Ning Jiang spoke slowly. Despite the hostility, his expression was relaxed. He spoke as if confiding in a friend, exuding an aura of tranquility.

’The fifteenth of the first month? Forget it. Why am I arguing with you about this? You’re going to die at Zhou Wenhao’s hands anyway.’ At this thought, Wei Yanran suddenly lost all interest. "Sun Yan, let’s go."

With that, the two turned to leave.

"Everyone, please give the Wang Family some face. My Wang Family will be taking this Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique!"

Suddenly, a deep voice thundered across the entire hall, reaching every corner.

The moment the voice sounded, the fierce bidding that had filled the auction house instantly fell silent.

The Wang Family, a First-Class Noble House in Luoyang City.

Those two words represented power and authority.

’Damn it, that Wang Tao actually pulled the Wang Family card. Looks like he’s dead set on getting the Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique,’ someone cursed under their breath.

Ever since the Wang Family’s own Wang Jiangshi had broken through to the Innate Limit two years ago, elevating them to the status of a First-Class Noble House, the family had become one of Luoyang City’s newly risen titans.

Now, two years later, the Wang Family’s power had grown even more profound, rivaling that of the Liu Family during its peak.

Everyone knew that with a few more years of consolidation, the Wang Family would become like the Liu Family of "Liu Ban City," turning into "Wang Bancheng."

Half the city’s territory would fall under the Wang Family’s control!

No one in Luoyang City dared to offend this powerfully rising Wang Family.

After all, even the once-glorious Liu Family had been repeatedly suppressed by the Wang Family, losing much of its territory over the past two years.

If this was the case for the Liu Family, what chance did any other family have against the Wangs?

"Forget it. The Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique is precious, but offending the Wang Family isn’t worth the price."

"There’s no other way. We have to give up."

"The Wang Family is too powerful. Backing down is the wise choice."

Voice after voice was filled with regret.

"Hahaha, thank you all for giving the Wang Family face! My Wang Family will remember this favor," Wang Tao roared with laughter, brimming with triumph.

The crowd pursed their lips. They knew Wang Tao was just spouting pleasantries. Was he really going to repay each and every one of them a favor?

Wang Tao was gloating, laughing boisterously.

But Ning Jiang’s expression, for the first time, turned cold.

Because the current price for the Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique was only one hundred thousand Primordial Stones.

Wang Tao was blocking his path to wealth!

On the auction stage, Elder Shen’s expression also turned a bit grim.

This Secret Technique should have fetched at least one hundred fifty thousand Primordial Stones. But with Wang Tao’s interference, everyone, intimidated by the Wang Family, had stopped bidding, causing the technique’s value to plummet.

But there was nothing he could say. These people were afraid of the Wang Family and didn’t dare bid. What could he do?

"Last three calls. If there are no more bids, the manual will belong to Young Master Wang."

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

"Congratulations, Young Master, on acquiring this Secret Technique for one hundred thousand Primordial Stones."

In Wang Tao’s private room, his attendants were already congratulating him. Wang Tao was also all smiles, but in the next moment, his smile froze on his face.

"One hundred fifty thousand Primordial Stones!"

Just as Elder Shen’s count had reached "one" and he was about to bring down the hammer to finalize the sale, a new bid suddenly rang out.

In an instant, the entire hall was in an uproar.

"It’s him again! The one who bought the Pill Formula is bidding again!"

"Who is this person? How are his finances so deep? Not even Liu Xianyu of the Liu Family could mobilize that many Primordial Stones, right?"

"And by doing this, isn’t he afraid of offending the Wang Family?"

Countless astonished gazes turned toward Ning Jiang’s private room. Everyone wanted to know what kind of heavyweight was sitting inside.

Wei Yanran, who had been about to walk out of the room, couldn’t help but stop and frown at Ning Jiang. She asked herself honestly: even she, after careful consideration, would be unwilling to offend the Wang Family.

Yet Ning Jiang, a mere Qi Cultivation Realm cultivator, actually dared to do such a thing.

Ning Jiang did what no one else dared to do!

"Brat, what’s the meaning of this? Refusing to give our Wang Family face? I advise you to take back what you just said!"

Wang Tao’s icy voice called out.

"What, can you only throw your weight around and engage in malicious competition? Let me give you a piece of advice: if you can’t afford it, don’t buy it. Don’t make a fool of yourself." Ning Jiang was merciless. ’The puny Wang Family dares to block my path to wealth?’

"Good, good!" Wang Tao laughed in fury. "One hundred sixty thousand Primordial Stones!"

He couldn’t possibly give up on this Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique. After all, it was related to the annual gathering on the fifteenth of the first month.

"One hundred eighty thousand Primordial Stones," Ning Jiang added, raising the bid by another twenty thousand.

"What? You’re courting death!" Wang Tao roared, his tone so frigid that anyone could hear the potent killing intent within it.

In reality, he only had eighty thousand Primordial Stones on him, even less than Wei Yanran.

Wei Yanran was, after all, Du Wanqing’s sole Direct Disciple. He, on the other hand, was merely the third-ranked figure of the Wang Family’s younger generation. To have eighty thousand Primordial Stones at his disposal was already a considerable fortune.

His original plan was to buy the Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique for one hundred thousand Primordial Stones, a sum he could only reach by getting twenty thousand from his four attendants.

But now that Ning Jiang had raised the price to one hundred eighty thousand, he simply didn’t have enough Primordial Stones. His only option would be to mobilize funds from the Wang Family.

For a moment, he was caught in a dilemma.

"Pauper."

Just then, Ning Jiang spat out a single word, his flat tone dripping with contempt.

"One hundred ninety thousand!" Wang Tao’s fist clenched, and he bit out the words one by one through gritted teeth.

"Heh, it’s yours." Ning Jiang smiled faintly. His goal had been achieved.

If the Wang Family hadn’t interfered, the price for this Secret Technique would have certainly surpassed one hundred fifty thousand anyway. Reaching one hundred ninety thousand was still a satisfactory result for him.

Crucially, Ning Jiang had sensed that Wang Tao was at his limit. If he had bid any higher, Wang Tao might have chosen to give up.

"Brat, you’ve done well. You made me spend an extra ninety thousand Primordial Stones. I just wonder if your life is hard enough to keep!" Wang Tao issued a blatant threat. The loss of those ninety thousand Primordial Stones made his heart bleed.

Ning Jiang remained perfectly composed, unconcerned.

"Go back, report to my father, and mobilize some Primordial Stones," Wang Tao commanded from within his private room. Immediately, two of his attendants departed.

"You’re truly audacious. After offending Wang Tao, do you really think you can remain safe in Luoyang City?"

Wei Yanran stood at the entrance to the room, not yet having left. "If you give me that Pill Formula, apologize for what you said earlier, and admit your mistake, I can mediate the dispute between you and Wang Tao. How about it?"

"It seems you care a lot about this Pill Formula," Ning Jiang said, picking up the scroll in his hand.

Seeing this, a smile touched the corners of Wei Yanran’s lips. It seemed Ning Jiang was finally starting to understand the stakes.

"Brat, looks like you know what’s good for you after all..."

Disdain flashed in Sun Yan’s eyes, but his words caught in his throat halfway through.

POW!

Ning Jiang gripped the Pill Formula, and True Qi surged into his palm.

In an instant, before Wei Yanran and Sun Yan’s disbelieving eyes, the entire Pill Formula disintegrated into dust.

The air froze!

"This Pill Formula that you see as a treasure... in my eyes, it’s just a piece of trash."

Ning Jiang lowered his gaze, his soft voice floating through the private room, so ethereal it seemed to have come from the heavens.

Wei Yanran’s expression grew even colder.

Was this act not a deliberate trampling of her pride?

The Pill Formula she valued so highly, the one she had wanted to buy from Ning Jiang, he had instead chosen to destroy rather than give to her.

"The fifteenth of the first month. I hope you live to see that day. I want to see then what foundation gives you such arrogance." Wei Yanran took a deep breath, suppressed her anger, and walked out of the room.

Not long after, the Primordial Stones from the auction were delivered. The auction house took its ten percent commission—nineteen thousand from one hundred ninety thousand—leaving him with one hundred seventy-one thousand Primordial Stones.

After Ning Jiang paid the one hundred fifty thousand Primordial Stones for the Pill Formula, he was left with twenty-one thousand. Adding the thirty-seven thousand he already had on him, he now had a total of fifty-eight thousand Primordial Stones.

After the Fiery Fire Qi Exposure Technique, there were a few more auction items, but none of them caught Ning Jiang’s interest.

He had already obtained the greatest treasure of this auction: an Innate Spiritual Treasure!

"Sister An, let’s go."

After the auction concluded, Ning Jiang and his two companions left the private room.

Just as they stepped out, several figures radiating killing intent walked up and blocked their path.