Chapter 459: I Offer One Hundred Million

"Let's go."

As the group led by the Heavenly Sang Spirit Palace disappeared into the entrance of the Spirit Teleportation Formation, Xu Xiaoshou finally spoke to the three people behind him.

By the time the four masked figures arrived at the Spirit Teleportation Formation, it was already the last chance for all those officially entering the White Cave. There were only a few people left at the teleportation gate. However, the crowd of onlookers outside, who were eager but unable to enter, was immense.

"Excuse me."Xu Xiaoshou pushed his way through."Why are you pushing? Do you even have a Linglong Stone? You think you can just walk in!"Not only couldn't he get through, but he was also reprimanded, which immediately angered Xu Xiaoshou.

"Turn around!"The person in front turned his head, and three gleaming Linglong Stones nearly blinded him.

Passive value received: Suspicion, 1.

"Linglong Stones?"The opponent's gasp instantly silenced the entire buzzing crowd. At this, not only did those nearby turn to look, but even those outside who couldn't see projected their spiritual senses toward them.

Passive value received: Attention, 425.Passive value received: Envy, 892.Passive value received: Doubt, 1945.Passive value received: Fear, 232.

This surge of passive value growth immediately startled Xu Xiaoshou. Good heavens! A business opportunity! He looked around; there were at least two thousand people present. All were Spirit Refiners! What did this mean? Xu Xiaoshou's eyes instantly gleamed. It meant that if he pulled off a stunt here, he could gain tens of thousands of passive value in minutes!

"Xiao Xin, Junior Sister, unfurl the banner!"Xin Gugu didn't react immediately. It was Mu Zixi, with a look of utter resignation, who gave him a push, making him realize that "Xiao Xin" was him.

Passive value received: Curse, 1.

With a rustle, the banner instantly unfurled. Everyone was immediately bewildered."Masked Organization: Straw Hat.""—Specializing in selling Linglong Stones."These two perfectly clear lines of text quickly spread by word of mouth, covering the entire square.

"Linglong Stones? Someone's specifically selling Linglong Stones?""What kind of organization is this, Straw Hat? How come I've never heard of them before?""Are they joking? At this point, someone's selling Linglong Stones? Don't they plan to enter?""I'd just rob them, dares to sell here?"

"I advise you not to."Someone immediately spoke up to dissuade them, "You know Old Du, right? If the organization you're talking about is really 'Straw Hat,' then it must be the person who just violently thrashed Old Du at the town entrance.""That… is a freak!""Old Du?"Everyone was stunned. Old Du's reputation was well-known throughout the Eight Palaces. A high-end auction for three Linglong Stones had directly propelled his fame to almost the top of the Eight Palaces' notorious villain list. Someone like that was thrashed by the 'Straw Hat' organization? And just now?

Passive value received: Gaze, 2333.Passive value received: Suspicion, 1989.Passive value received: Awe, 2020.In roughly a single breath, the passive value directly increased by nearly twenty thousand.

Xu Xiaoshou immediately felt his spring had arrived. Damn, Old Du appeared just in time! If it weren't for that recent beating, he might have had to spend a lot of time building his reputation to sell Linglong Stones here. But by standing on the shoulders of a giant, he instantly plundered all the popularity Old Du had accumulated over this period!

"Phew!"He let out a heavy breath, then led the three behind him, banner in tow, all the way to the entrance of the Spirit Formation. This time, no one dared to stop them. More and more people saw this strangely dressed organization and were incredibly curious about this group that dared to cause such a commotion under the watchful eyes of the Red Clothes.

Xu Xiaoshou didn't immediately shout his wares. Instead, he looked up at the Red Clothes figures above. Earlier, at the town entrance, no one was watching, so it didn't matter what he did. Now, the Red Clothes were watching from above. While the Eight Palaces seemed to have no rules, once such beings appeared, their words *were* the rules. "Seniors, may I ask how long this Spirit Formation will remain open?"

Lan Ling frowned as she watched from above. With a single glance, she couldn't discern anything about this strange organization's leader—not their cultivation, characteristics, or any other hidden information."How odd."She glanced slightly at Xin."A rat?"Xin was also bewildered. He found his intuition completely useless on the masked Straw Hat leader. Forget about discerning anything. Even after secretly using identification techniques, there was no reaction at all."I can't see or feel anything.""But this person's concealment technique is too clever; it feels unusual.""I suggest proceeding with caution."Caution... Lan Ling wholeheartedly agreed. This sudden appearance had caught her high attention. But even if this fellow was a ghost beast, the ultimate outcome would be to let them into the White Cave and deal with them there. So...

"A quarter of an hour.""Currently, there's about half a quarter of an hour left before the Spirit Teleportation Formation closes."Lan Ling replied. Ostensibly, since the masked Straw Hat person possessed Linglong Stones, they were naturally under the Red Clothes' protection. For these "insiders," it was clear they had the basic right to ask questions and receive answers.

Xu Xiaoshou nodded in relief. Half a quarter of an hour... That was plenty of time. He took a deep breath, then cupped his hands around his mouth and roared ferociously:"Come take a look, everyone!""Linglong Stones, authentic Linglong Stones, genuine and honest, no deception! The Red Clothes seniors are right above us; you can have them verify on the spot!""Currently, only three remain. The auction ends in half a quarter of an hour. Starting bid: twenty million spirit crystals. Highest bidder wins!"

With that, Xu Xiaoshou tossed the three Linglong Stones in his hand upwards. Under the manipulation of spiritual threads, these three crystal-clear beads circled the crowded square, bypassing the range of the Spirit Teleportation Formation, making a grand tour. Everyone saw them.

"This...""My heavens, real Linglong Stones? If he dares to say that, then they must be real Linglong Stones!""But how can he have so many? Three of them?""Oh my god, 'Straw Hat's' business acumen is incredible! Auctioning them at this time, in this situation, I can't imagine how crazy those who can't get in will become!""But isn't he afraid of being robbed?"

"Rob?"Everyone looked at the two Red Clothes figures overhead, who were equally stunned by Xu Xiaoshou's methods. They wanted to rob. But they only dared to think about it. With the Red Clothes right above, who would dare to steal Linglong Stones that they themselves had distributed?

It was exactly as Xu Xiaoshou had predicted. After circulating for a round, the Linglong Stones returned to his hand completely unharmed. However, they brought back more than just the whistling wind.

Passive value received: Admiration, 2530.Passive value received: Attention, 2647.Passive value received: Expectation, 729.With a large influx of passive value in an instant, Xu Xiaoshou felt his soul had ascended.

Xin Gugu, however, nearly swore out loud. When he unfurled the banner, he had already realized things might go in a bad direction. But he never expected Xu Xiaoshou to be so ostentatious. This was practically drawing everyone's attention directly to this spot, wasn't it? Over two thousand pairs of eyes, plus the two Red Clothes figures looming menacingly overhead. Xin Gugu was on the verge of tears. He was a ghost beast host! His heart couldn't bear such a heavy burden. If he were exposed, how would he even live afterward? He wouldn't even have a life!

Xu Xiaoshou calmed himself, seeing Xin Gugu's hand, holding the banner, tremble slightly beside him, knowing what he was thinking."Relax.""At this moment, no one will pay attention to you.""They might not even realize your existence, hehe."Xin Gugu's face was pale, unable to utter a single word. His other hand, gripping the golden Zen staff, was pouring with sweat, and even his forehead beneath the straw hat was drenched with cold sweat.

"Hold steady.""I've got this."Xu Xiaoshou patted his shoulder, then turned his head to look at the two astonished Red Clothes figures overhead."Seniors, if there's still half a quarter of an hour, can I go in a bit later?""A businessman prioritizes business. Rather than entering the White Cave to search for unknown fortunes fraught with great danger, I find spirit crystals more suitable for me.""And as the owner of Linglong Stones, I presume I still have the right to dispose of them as I see fit, right?"

Xin was so enraged he almost went down to tear this person apart. Earlier, upon learning that someone was trading and auctioning Linglong Stones, he felt it was a disrespect to the Red Clothes. It was clearly an extremely important treasure, truly a chance to change one's destiny. How could anyone do something so base? But Lan Ling held him back. Compared to Xin's simple-mindedness and brawn, she believed that all sorts of people existed in the world. And existence implies a certain reasonableness. People who chose to compromise for survival. They were not uncommon. In fact, often, this was the reality for the majority of humanity.

"You have that right," she said lightly. Though she didn't know where this fellow got the Linglong Stones, she had no interest in finding out. Her task was simply to send the people here inside, and then her mission would be complete. Any small incidents that occurred during this time were clearly harmless.

"Heh heh, that makes things easy."After receiving authorization from the Red Clothes, Xu Xiaoshou became truly bold. He flew high into the sky, then, under everyone's gaze, held up one of the Linglong Stones."Starting bid: twenty million. Each bid must be no less than one million. If no one bids within ten breaths, the transaction is complete!"

A sudden uproar erupted below. After all, time was short, and the news of Old Du's thrashing hadn't spread that quickly. So, no one knew that Xu Xiaoshou had effectively doubled the market price of Linglong Stones."Twenty million?"At this figure, everyone felt like spitting blood. This act of price gouging at a critical moment was simply shameful! And buying an entry ticket for twenty million, knowing you might still die inside—who could bear that? Only a fool would buy it!

Passive value received: Suspicion, 2680.Passive value received: Scorn, 2188.Passive value received: Disdain, 2323.However, the truth was, before Xu Xiaoshou's words had even settled, those who had long been green with envy below simply couldn't hold back."Twenty-one million.""Twenty-two million.""Twenty-five million!"

At this, people nearby looked insane. Yet, when they turned to look at those who were bidding, they saw that these individuals... were truly mad! Their faces were flushed, eyes bloodshot and seemingly smoking, as if they had gone berserk. The White Cave, the Four Swords, special otherworldly dimensions... Just these few terms were enough to make countless people flock to it. One could say that there was no shortage of wealthy individuals present. But there were also many who had slim chances, those whose cultivation was stuck at a bottleneck, or those who sought adventure but had no means to embark on it! Xu Xiaoshou's statement that the auction would end in ten breaths, combined with only three Linglong Stones remaining, truly struck a nerve with these people. The last three stones. And an opportunity officially acknowledged by the Red Clothes. If they hesitated again, waiting for such an opportunity might take many years. And once they entered the White Cave first and found some resources... Perhaps, a starting bid of twenty million would be utterly insignificant!

"Thirty-five million!"A decisive shout instantly sent shivers through everyone's hearts. The restless square fell silent. Even Xin, who had been indifferent at first, became utterly solemn."Thirty-five million? If the market price is ten million, this is more than three times...""This guy."Xin slightly turned his head: "He's definitely not a ghost beast. If ghost beasts had this kind of mind, humans would have gone extinct long ago."Lan Ling's lips curled into a smile. She had initially dismissed it as insignificant. But the frenzy of the people below was truly unexpected. Clearly, these two, who had long been in high positions, had forgotten how strong the desire for opportunity was in the lower ranks.

"It won't stop at thirty-five million. This is just the first Linglong Stone; there are two more after this."Lan Ling said quietly. Xin's heart trembled, and he said no more. He continued to watch, a hint of expectation now in his gaze."This guy, he's quite amusing?"

Passive value: 78221.Xu Xiaoshou closed his eyes deeply. Damn, this felt great! Over seventy thousand already? And the message log's refresh rate wasn't decreasing; it was increasing, even in an upward trend!"A quarter-hour of glory, perhaps..."Composing himself, Xu Xiaoshou spoke, "Thirty-five million. Is there any bid higher than this?""I'll count down from ten. If there are no more bids, this Linglong Stone will belong to him, alright?""There are the Four Swords, you know..."

Passive value received: Hatred, 2555."Heh heh.""Ten, eight, six, four, two..."This peculiar way of counting, as if giving no chance at all, quickly reached the critical point."Holy shit!"Those who were still hesitating were all flustered. Even though they knew there were two more Linglong Stones coming, having witnessed many grand occasions, they knew that buying the first one might be the most valuable.

"Forty million!"A furious, gritted-teeth roar finally burst out just before the last word of "transaction successful" could land."Excellent."Xu Xiaoshou immediately clapped and encouraged, "Anyone else? Ten, nine, eight, seven..."Everyone was instantly stunned."Forty million! My heavens, are they crazy? A fourfold difference, and someone actually bought it?""Damn it, I'll never understand the joy of rich people. They just spend it like that. If someone gave me forty million, I'd die on the spot!""Why did he count normally again?""This despicable guy must be doing it on purpose!""Wuwuwu, I forgot to bring money! Can someone lend me thirty-nine million nine hundred ninety thousand? I only brought twenty thousand..."A chorus of exclamations and wails instantly intertwined, erupting across the square.

"No one?""Transaction successful!"Seeing no further bids, Xu Xiaoshou decisively finalized the result without hesitation. With "Step to Heaven," having Linglong Stones or not made little difference to him. Especially when it was just one... He still had a whole basketful!

"Brother, come settle the payment first."Xu Xiaoshou beckoned, and a green-robed figure flew out from below, distinguished and exceptionally poised. This was a masked individual, evidently male and not very old, likely a scion from a prominent family elsewhere. Seeing his sword, Xu Xiaoshou knew this was another person drawn by the "Four Swords"; clearly, he was also a fan of the Eighth Sword Immortal.

"What kind of card do you take?"The man made no attempt to disguise his voice, which was firm and robust, clearly that of a straightforward swordsman. Xu Xiaoshou was surprised by this boldness. What kind of card... Did that mean he had a way to complete the transaction no matter what card Xu Xiaoshou presented?"Golden Hoard..."Slowly taking out a card from the Golden Hoard Merchant Bank, the man swiped it, and Xu Xiaoshou watched his account balance jump. Nine digits! The man took the Linglong Stone, cupped his fist at Xu Xiaoshou, then nodded slightly at the Red Clothes figures above, and with a leap, entered the Spirit Formation."Whoosh!"Clean and decisive, without any delay. The figure disappeared. The entire crowd erupted in a frenzy once more!

"Damn, he really went in?!""This is making me crazy, I want to go in toooooo—""I'm breaking down, I'm crushed. Today, I'm the king of envy. Why don't I have that much money?""Can I trade something else for it? I really didn't bring any money!"

Passive value received: Envy, 2626.Passive value received: Jealousy, 2510.Passive value received: Resentment, 2333.Xu Xiaoshou happily looked at his card.

Xin Gugu below was already dumbfounded. Even his inner nervousness was scared away by the sudden calculation in his mind."If I'm not mistaken, seventy million plus forty million...""Xu Xiaoshou earned a hundred million in one afternoon?"

Mu Zixi was also stunned into a daze by Xu Xiaoshou's methods. She looked at the man in the sky. It seemed as if nothing in this world could defeat him. Even with making money, it was either he didn't earn any, or he earned a hundred million at once?"No."She shook her head and corrected, "One hundred and ten million."

Passive value received: Envy, 2."M-mom..."

Passive value received: Summon, 1.

"You're out of time."Lan Ling's reminder came from beside his ear. Xu Xiaoshou couldn't help but look up. Seeing the Red Clothes woman above nod, he immediately realized there wasn't much time left."Thank you for the reminder."After cupping his fist, Xu Xiaoshou pondered. Indeed, given more time, he could have sold the remaining twelve Linglong Stones in four batches of three, earning a large wave of spirit crystals while also gaining passive value. But now, circumstances wouldn't allow it.

Xu Xiaoshou raised a hand to quiet the crowd, then cleared his throat and said:"As everyone knows, the White Cave is incredibly dangerous. Entering with just one Linglong Stone gives you only one chance to request the Red Clothes' aid and teleport away from danger.""If you encounter peril prematurely and that one Linglong Stone is used up, you might find yourself subsequently timid and unwilling to take risks.""For an adventure, this is extremely unsatisfying and imperfect."

The crowd below was momentarily stunned, unsure what Xu Xiaoshou was trying to convey. But this person was the owner of the Linglong Stones, so obviously, everyone had to listen to what he said. Xu Xiaoshou then waved his hand grandly, his spirits soaring, and his voice significantly louder."However, once you possess two Linglong Stones, these concerns vanish!""Even if you encounter danger immediately after entering and use one, you still have another!""This is the benefit of having a spare!"

The crowd: "..."

Passive value received: Disdain, 2735.

"Now, I'm selling two Linglong Stones as a package deal. No haggling, no auction."Xu Xiaoshou slowly held up a finger and shook it: "Flat price: one hundred million."

"Hiss!"The air in the entire square was almost sucked dry. When a breathtaking figure like "one hundred million" truly reached their ears, the sense of shock that resonated from their very souls was the most overwhelming.

Passive value received: Doubt, 2777.Passive value received: Amazement, 2244.

Xin Gugu swayed. At that instant, he even considered leaving the "Xuanyue Grey Palace" and following Xu Xiaoshou for the rest of his life. This guy was too good at captivating people's hearts. And too good at making money. Following him, even if they didn't get the bones, the soup they drank would be golden broth and silver broth!

Above the void.Xu Xiaoshou looked at the silent, lifeless crowd below and continued his profound yet concise speech."Comfort leads to ruin. Sometimes in life, you need to be impulsive.""Is one hundred million a lot?""No, it's not.""What can one hundred million buy?""Nothing.""But two Linglong Stones? Two chances to turn the tables and reverse fate.""Now, that's completely different."

Xu Xiaoshou's expression was grave, and he spoke earnestly:"Spirit Refiners refine spirits and cultivate their hearts. What they seek, isn't it the so-called defying fate and changing destiny?""The opportunity is now laid before you. How you choose is your own business.""The old rules apply: ten breaths. If no one acts, I will keep these Linglong Stones for myself.""Remember, no bargaining, no negotiation. The first person to speak will be the owner of these two Linglong Stones, the creator of two opportunities to change destiny!"

"Hiss, hiss...""Thump-thump, thump-thump..."The square was so quiet that one could hear the heavy breathing and pounding heartbeats of those around them. Before anyone could react or think, the death-like countdown had already begun.

"Ten!""Nine!""Eight!""Three!""Two!""One!"Xu Xiaoshou's eyes narrowed. No one? As expected, was one hundred million still too much? Never mind! Even without waiting for an answer, he didn't hesitate. Acting decisively, he put the two Linglong Stones back into his ring, then turned and leaped towards his companions below.

"Transaction com—"

"I'll bid one hundred million!"