Stop Bidding? No Way! . . .
The salesroom plunged into an oppressive silence once more, the weight of anticipation and tension hanging thick in the air. The Sunlight Sect representative who had initially bid now wore an expression of profound embarrassment.
The House of the Chaotic Storm had chosen not to mince words; their threat was overt, a direct challenge to the Sunlight Sect's authority.
"You attempted to exert your dominance with the name 'Sunlight Sect,' and now I shall use the 'House of the Chaotic Storm' against you!" the unspoken message rang loud and clear. "You claimed you would secure the item? Well, then, continue your bidding. Do you dare?"
This was a kind of retribution many secretly relished seeing unfold. It was a clear message: while most dared not cross swords with the Sunlight Sect, someone did, and they did it boldly.
Watching this unfold, the onlookers couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. "We may not have the courage to challenge the Sunlight Sect, but someone does, and they're doing it right now. Even the Sunlight Sect must remain silent."
The Sunlight Sect representative wisely chose silence, his expression dark and brooding. The House of the Chaotic Storm was a mysterious and formidable organization. The Sunlight Sect couldn't afford to escalate this situation further; it would only lead to their disadvantage.
Meanwhile, Li Wanchun of the Starlight Sect nearly burst into laughter. "You brought this upon yourself! Thought you were invincible, didn't you? Now, you're eating humble pie. Hahahaha…"
As the Sunlight Sect remained hushed, Guan Wanshan continued the auction. "A supreme-level Bone Ablutionary Dan, 300 million going once, 300 million going twice…"
Then, suddenly, Wan-Er interrupted again, and the room was filled with astonishment. "Another 'wait'? What's happening now?"
Wan-Er's voice rang out, echoing through the room. "Sunlight Sect, do you believe that feigning ignorance will make everything right? You boasted about surely securing this item, but now that I've named my price, you suddenly turn a deaf ear? Is this how a supposed super sect behaves?"
The Sunlight Sect was once again directly targeted, and this time, it concerned the reputation of their sect. They knew they had to take action; ignoring this would be detrimental, not only in the context of this auction but also when they returned to their sect.
The three representatives of the Sunlight Sect felt their faces flush with embarrassment. They would rather hide under the table than endure the collective gaze of the entire room.
They were perplexed. "We had no inkling of any connection between Ling-Bao Hall and the House of the Chaotic Storm. Why are they extending such wholehearted assistance? It's evident they're going all out to help Ling-Bao Hall. There's something amiss here. That Lady Wan, Wan of the Clouds, is clearly awaiting our response in silence."
The elderly representative of the Sunlight Sect stood up, maintaining an amicable demeanor, and flashed a conciliatory smile. "While we are indeed eager to acquire this Bone Ablutionary Dan bead, Lady Wan, we shall gracefully step back and yield to your bid."
"Who do you think you are? Do I need you to?" Wan-Er retorted firmly, her voice laced with an unmistakable tone of defiance. "We don't require you to step back. I have no desire to have people assume that I'm resorting to underhanded tactics, such as leveraging the power of the House of the Chaotic Storm to intimidate you. I won't allow our reputation to be tarnished in such a manner."
Her words were, in essence, a condemnation of the Sunlight Sect's unscrupulous behavior, exploiting the influence of their sect to strong-arm others.
Gritting their teeth, the three Sunlight Sect representatives seethed with frustration, yet they dared not take any retaliatory action. The elder among them tried to maintain a veneer of cordiality as he responded, "Lady Wan, you may be overthinking this. Who in their right mind would dare besmirch the House of the Chaotic Storm's honor? Furthermore, you've presented a fair bid; that supreme dan bead should rightfully be yours."
"I am not overthinking it; I am speaking the truth," Lady Wan stated coldly. However, she wasn't done. "Yet, since you insist my bid is fair, may I inquire why you initially offered a mere ten million? What was the intention behind that? Is your ten million taels of silver so valuable that it equals our 300 million?"
The Sunlight Sect representatives seethed with rage.
"What is wrong with this woman? We've been trying our best to be polite in her presence, and yet she persists in antagonizing us. We've never wronged her," they fumed.
Little did they know that if this confrontation had occurred just fifteen minutes earlier, the House of the Chaotic Storm might have remained passive. They could have chosen to observe the situation, even permitting the Sunlight Sect to secure the dan bead for a paltry ten million taels, treating it as a jest.
At that time, the House of the Chaotic Storm had simply accompanied their master on this excursion, with no intentions of competing for any items.
However, circumstances had evolved.
Cha Eun Xiao had ascended the stairs for precisely this purpose. If the item was sold to the Sunlight Sect for ten million taels, the newly formed alliance would be rendered utterly futile.
Wan-Er, Master Bai, and the entire House of the Chaotic Storm could never abide by such a dishonor to their new allies. How could they allow their partners in the alliance to be bullied immediately after agreeing to collaborate?
As for the Sunlight Sect's initial ten-million-tael bid, no one in the room dared to respond, recognizing that this was not the opportune moment for an argument. Engaging in such a dispute would only lead to further estrangement and potential enmity with the House of the Chaotic Storm.
However, despite their initial intent to abstain and yield the bidding, Wan-Er was determined not to let them off so easily. She firmly reiterated, "The essence of an auction lies in bestowing the item to the highest bidder, as per historical tradition. You were unequivocal in your declaration that you would undoubtedly secure this dan bead. Yet now, after my bid, you have inexplicably fallen silent, creating the false impression that I am bullying you. I will not tolerate such a scenario. You must proceed with your bidding without delay!"
It was evident to everyone present that Wan-Er had made up her mind to stir up trouble for the Sunlight Sect on this day.
The unspoken message was clear: they couldn't cease bidding, yet they also couldn't muster the courage to continue.
The Sunlight Sect found themselves in an extremely uncomfortable situation. They had previously manipulated the situation to acquire the dan bead for a mere ten million taels, but now they were being compelled to purchase it at a much higher price.
Witnessing this reversal of fortune, the spectators couldn't help but savor the moment, reveling in the Sunlight Sect's predicament.
"They suppressed everyone to secure the dan bead for a mere ten million, and now their retribution has arrived, forcing them to outbid themselves! Let's see how the Sunlight Sect will handle this!" the onlookers mused.
The elder from the Sunlight Sect let out a resigned sigh, his visage etched with deep lines and wrinkles. He reluctantly declared, "Since Lady Wan has made her stance clear, we cannot permit the House of the Chaotic Storm to suffer any disgrace. Very well, we shall bid 500 million."
In adding an additional 200 million to the bidding price, the elder conveyed a subtle message: "We are only doing this to demonstrate our respect for you, Lady Wan. Otherwise, we would not have placed this bid. By offering this sum, we are paying our respects to you."
Although he made the price declaration with ease, internally, it was akin to enduring a painful, knife-like wound.
As the preeminent super sect in the world, when had they ever endured such humiliation before? They had been challenged, and yet they had to put on a facade of smiles, flattery, and bidding. To the elder, it felt as if he were being forced into a role that was wholly unbecoming of his sect's stature—a profound humiliation.
The spectators in the room couldn't help but sense the unwavering resolve and dominance emanating from the House of the Chaotic Storm. This display of power and influence left them trembling with trepidation, realizing that the House of the Chaotic Storm was a force to be reckoned with.