The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 300: How Dare You Look Down Upon Me?

Chapter 300: How Dare You Look Down Upon Me?

How Dare You Look Down Upon Me? . . .

Nonetheless...

Events took an unforeseen turn, catching everyone off guard.

Unbeknownst to the onlookers, Wan-Er was far from finished.

Even after the Sunlight Sect had demonstrated their respect by raising their bid to 500 million, Wan-Er spoke with unwavering determination, her voice ringing clear through the room. "You seem genuinely intent on acquiring this dan bead. You added 200 million, so now we will set the bid at one billion! What will your response be? Surely, you won't simply concede, will you? Since you are so resolute..."

Her words were no longer a challenge; they were a direct affront.

The room erupted in chaos as the unexpected turn of events left the spectators astonished.

No one had anticipated that matters would escalate to this extent.

The elder from the Sunlight Sect, in response, found himself momentarily at a loss for words. Clearly taken aback, he struggled to articulate a response.

He thought to himself, "I had already extended an apology by offering to let her slash me, as long as it would put this matter to rest. But she refuses to accept that. Instead, she insists that I persist in my mistake! It's as though I've offered her my face to tread upon, and she refuses to relent. She refuses to dirty her own hands and would rather force me to continue making a fool of myself! What does she hope to achieve?"

The elder understood the implications of her actions all too well. His fury reached such a level that his face turned a furious shade of purple. His visage contorted, resembling a frog's erratic breathing as it swelled and shrank repeatedly. Deep down, he longed to shout, "What exactly is your aim? This has gone too far! Are you humiliating us just because you have more power? Is this relentless insult your ultimate goal? What do you truly desire? Give me a clear answer!"

However, he dared not vocalize these thoughts, as he remained paralyzed by fear.

After a brief moment of hesitation, the elder from the Sunlight Sect finally spoke in a humbled tone, his words dripping with submission. "It seems you are the one determined to acquire this dan bead. We will not engage in a bidding war for it. You may take it, Lady Wan-Er."

A wave of sympathy washed over the crowd upon hearing his concession. He had displayed his vulnerability to an extreme degree. There was simply no way he could express his acquiescence any more meekly. Regardless of the House of the Chaotic Storm's formidable reputation, it was evident that they should cease their pursuit now.

However, within the confines of the Sky No.1 Room, Lady Wan-Er's tone remained unyielding. "What did you say? Are you suggesting that I am the one hell-bent on obtaining it? Are you implying that you won't compete with me? Do you believe that I am leveraging our power to bully others? Are you accusing the House of the Chaotic Storm of exploiting its strength to intimidate you? I have no need for you to simply hand it over to me. Both of us are equally determined to acquire it. The victor will be the one who places the highest bid! Keep bidding! Refusing to do so would insinuate that you look down on me!"

Suddenly, silence enveloped the entire hall.

"What in the world?" ran through the minds of all those present. Lady Wan-Er had introduced the notion of 'bullying others through the leverage of power,' a theory that twisted right and wrong, effectively painting black as white.

She refused to relinquish the subject, relentlessly attacking the Sunlight Sect's reputation. Her barrage of verbal blows showed no signs of stopping or easing.

"If you dare utter a single word of protest, I will go as far as taking your life!" she seemed to declare. "But if you choose silence... very well. Simply continue bidding. I shall name my price regardless. Persist in this battle, you must! No other choice remains!"

Everyone understood her intentions all too clearly. She was unequivocally seeking retribution. "You dare to bully others in order to secure an item worth at least 300 million for a mere ten million? I won't allow it!" she seemed to assert. "If you seek to exploit others, I will make you pay a premium far exceeding the item's value!"

Her allegiance was unmistakable—she stood firmly by the side of Ling-Bao Hall, providing unwavering support.

For Wan Zhenghao, Liu Changjun, and his assassins, the atmosphere was electrifying, akin to savoring a delectable ice cream on a scorching summer's day.

From head to toe, an overwhelming sense of satisfaction washed over them. It was as if they had struck gold—pure elation.

It couldn't have gone any better!

Even Liu Changjun, a man who rarely displayed a hint of a smile, couldn't help but break into one. It was fleeting, but it happened. Eliciting a smile from this man was an achievement that even Cha Eun Xiao could never have accomplished.

"Now you want to maintain your arrogance! Now you wish to assert dominance! Now you seek to exploit!" Their thoughts mirrored their elation. "Humph! Now you're the one at a loss, aren't you?"

The elder from the Sunlight Sect, on the other hand, felt as though he were about to spew blood. An ominous sensation weighed upon him, akin to swallowing something utterly repulsive.

Numerous times, he yearned to bellow defiantly: "Yes, I am looking down on you! So what?" But facing the enigmatic and formidable House of the Chaotic Storm, he dare not utter those words. Even if they demanded that he consume excrement, he would do so with gratitude, praising its flavor wholeheartedly. If the House of the Chaotic Storm remained dissatisfied, it would spell utter annihilation for the Sunlight Sect, sparing no one, young or old, male or female.

The elderly gentleman spoke with quivering lips, "Very well. We bid one and a half billion."

Following that, he felt as though his spine had been cruelly extracted. His complexion resembled that of a man who had aged a century in an instant. Pathos clung to him like a shroud, and anyone who beheld him in this state would have shed tears of pity.

Yet Lady Wan-Er seemed oblivious to his pitiable state, or perhaps she deemed it insufficiently pitiable. She declared in a resounding voice, "You are indeed resolute, a true grand sect. As a result, let us escalate the stakes to three times the price! However, I am equally resolute. We offer three billion!"

Now, it was not just the old man who felt as though he were hemorrhaging internally. Everyone else in the room seemed on the verge of vomiting blood. "Lady, how much farther do you intend to push this? He's already bowed down completely!"

The elderly man held significant sway within the Sunlight Sect, and his decisions typically carried great weight. However, now, he was unequivocally humiliated in public.

With a stifled snort, he wiped a trail of blood from his mouth, staining his sleeve. He spoke with a mournful, plaintive tone, "Five billion! Lady Wan-Er, is this an acceptable price?"

A hush fell over the room as everyone watched, aghast. "Lady, to what extent do you intend to belittle him? He's already completely submitted!"

The elderly man bore a prominent position in the Sunlight Sect, and where he led, others followed. However, here and now, he found himself publicly debased.

After a brief silence, Lady Wan-Er spoke up once more, her voice unwavering. "My master used to say that when we choose to antagonize someone, we should commit to it fully. Now that we are adversaries... I have no qualms about intensifying the insult."

The elderly man from the Sunlight Sect hastened to exclaim, "This is my fault entirely. Why must we be adversaries? Lady Wan-Er, my sect refuses to acknowledge this. We have always maintained a harmonious relationship with your esteemed House. Today is a mere misunderstanding..."