Chapter 1113: Everything Is Part of the Plan

Wang Qingjing explained while injecting spiritual power into the five metal spheres.

After several mechanical sounds, the five metal spheres transformed into five tall armored figures of various colors. Their bodies were covered in glowing spiritual runes, constantly flickering.

With a hand seal, the red-armored figure's right fist erupted with crimson flames and struck towards the blue-armored figure. The blue-armored figure's body glowed intensely blue, and a hazy blue shield materialized out of thin air, blocking the attack.

*Boom!* The blue shield shattered, turning into a large cloud of white mist. The red-armored figure flickered, suddenly appearing before the blue-armored figure, and relentlessly hammered it with both fists.

A series of dull thuds echoed as the blue-armored figure's body dented with each fist mark. However, these indentations quickly disappeared, leaving no trace of damage on its surface. Its recovery ability was quite impressive.

"This demonstrates only a portion of the Five-Element Puppet Beasts' power," Wang Qingjing explained. "If they were to combine and form a formation, their strength would be even greater. For the sake of the bidders, I will not demonstrate that."

Wang Qingjing retracted her hand seal, and the five armored figures reverted into five metal spheres.

Complete sets of puppet beasts were rare. For smaller factions, this set of Five-Element Puppet Beasts was exactly what they needed.

"Two million!" "Two point one million!" "Two point two million!" The bidding was fierce, and the price steadily climbed.

In a private room, Lu Yongkang's brow furrowed slightly. Several third-tier puppet beasts had been auctioned earlier, and now a complete set had appeared. Lu Yongkang would absolutely not believe it if someone claimed these were from another faction.

It seemed the Wang family had a cultivator skilled in puppetry, most likely True Monarch Taihao.

"Ancestor," a voice asked, "should we bid for this set of Five-Element Puppet Beasts? We have third-tier puppet beasts in our clan, but no complete sets. Acquiring this set would give Brother Qi and his team more reliance when escorting goods."

A complete set of puppet beasts could be used individually or controlled simultaneously. Two Core Formation cultivators controlling the Five-Element Puppet Beasts would be equivalent to having five additional Core Formation guards.

Lu Yongkang considered this, then nodded and said, "That's true. Let's bid for them!"

In another private chamber, Ye Yuwei held a steaming cup of spiritual tea, a thoughtful expression on her face. Two men and a woman stood behind her.

"Five-Element Puppet Beasts!" Ye Yuwei murmured to herself. "The Wang family is actually auctioning Five-Element Puppet Beasts. It seems they have a third-tier puppet master skilled in puppetry."

Ye Yuwei spoke to herself. The Ye family did not have a third-tier puppet master, and very few of their clan members used puppet beasts.

"Ancestor, should we perhaps bid for this set of Five-Element Puppet Beasts?" a middle-aged scholar, around forty, stepped forward and asked in a low voice.

"No need," Ye Yuwei replied. "Complete sets of puppet beasts are not easy to refine. This set is likely just an experimental model. If the Wang family offers another set at the next large auction, it won't be too late to bid then."

The Ye family had also consigned some items for auction, which had already been sold. The finale items had no relevance to the Ye family.

While Ye Yuwei was not interested, many other factions were keenly interested in this set of Five-Element Puppet Beasts.

After a round of fierce bidding, the set of Five-Element Puppet Beasts was sold for a high price of 3.7 million spirit stones, acquired by the Lu family.

Wang Qingjing flipped her palm, and with a flash of blue light, a palm-sized blue boat appeared in her hand. The surface of the blue boat was covered in runes, its spiritual light flickering continuously.

"The fourth ultimate auction item is the Flying Sea Skiff, a flying magic treasure," Wang Qingjing announced. "It's crafted from millennium Crane Cloud Wood and boasts an exceptionally fast flight speed. The starting bid is one million spirit stones, with each increment no less than one hundred thousand."

Flying magic treasures were already rare, and this Flying Sea Skiff was ultimately acquired by Ye Yuwei for 1.8 million spirit stones.

"The next ultimate auction item is fifty catties of Heavenly Moon Divine Water," Wang Qingjing continued. "This concubine hardly needs to elaborate on its effects! The starting bid is 1.5 million spirit stones, with each increment no less than one hundred thousand."

"I bid two million!" a hearty voice suddenly declared. As soon as the words fell, a dark light flew in, landing near the circular high platform. It was precisely Ren Zizai.

"Isn't that Senior Ren, one of the Five Immortals of the Overseas?" someone whispered. "I didn't expect him to be here."

"Senior Ren is proficient in poison arts," another added, "and other seniors are exceptionally wary of him."

The cultivators present stirred, murmuring among themselves.

Upon seeing Ren Zizai, Wang Ruyan's beautiful eyes lit up. After they had returned, they inquired about the Nascent Soul cultivator who had intercepted the Sea Clan pursuers for them, and were surprised to discover it was True Monarch Myriad Poisons, Ren Zizai, one of the Five Immortals of the Overseas.

Ren Zizai considered the four seas his home and lived without restraint. No one knew his whereabouts, making him the most mysterious of the Five Immortals of the Overseas.

The Wang family's primary intention in offering Heavenly Moon Divine Water at this auction was to attract Ren Zizai.

"Fellow Daoist Ren, you've indeed arrived. I knew you wouldn't miss this opportunity," Ye Rou'er said, emerging from a private room with a faint smile.

"What?" Ren Zizai's tone was indifferent. "Did you offer the Heavenly Moon Divine Water? Was it to lure me here?"

"If I had Heavenly Moon Divine Water, I wouldn't offer it to lure you!" Ye Rou'er retorted. "The Wang family is the host; you should ask them."

Wang Ruyan stepped out of her private room, floated down before Ren Zizai, and politely said, "Fellow Daoist Ren, I trust you have been well?"

"So it's you!" Ren Zizai exclaimed. "Are you the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple?"

"Indeed," Wang Ruyan affirmed. "Thanks to Fellow Daoist Ren's timely intervention, my husband and I managed to escape from the Sea Clan."

Wang Ruyan spoke with gratitude. Though her voice was not loud, all the cultivators present heard her clearly.

Earlier, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan had diverted trouble towards True Monarch Myriad Poisons. Although they had warned him, their primary intention was to shift the danger. To prevent any misunderstanding, Wang Changsheng had offered fifty catties of Heavenly Moon Divine Water, hoping to draw out True Monarch Myriad Poisons. It would be best if he came, but it wouldn't matter if he didn't.

In his private room, Lu Yongkang's expression was peculiar.

"Ren Zizai has the strangest temper among the Five Immortals of the Overseas," someone muttered. "He actually saved the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple. No wonder they returned alive."

The cultivators present wore varied expressions; they had not expected Ren Zizai to have saved the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple.

"I didn't intervene to save you," Ren Zizai said indifferently. "It was those others who were foolish and deserved to die."

"Regardless, Fellow Daoist Ren, you saved my husband and me," Wang Ruyan said with a graceful smile. "We always repay our debts of gratitude. Please accept these fifty catties of Heavenly Moon Divine Water as a token of our appreciation."

Wang Ruyan spoke with a graceful smile. Resolving the misunderstanding and forging a connection with a late-stage Nascent Soul grand cultivator was important. More critically, this was an opportunity to convey to the outside world that the Wang family repaid favors and avenged grievances, thereby warning other factions not to scheme against them.

"In that case, I won't stand on ceremony," Ren Zizai said.

Ren Zizai accepted a blue gourd from Wang Qingjing without declining, then turned and left without further delay.

"Senior Wang, wasn't the Heavenly Moon Divine Water supposed to be auctioned?" a voice called out. "If you've given it to Senior Ren, do you still have fifty catties for auction? If not, aren't you misleading us?"

"Exactly!" another chimed in. "If there's no Heavenly Moon Divine Water, at least offer something else rare for auction!"

"Right," a third voice added. "If you can't produce the Heavenly Moon Divine Water, a few other treasures would suffice! We came specifically for the Heavenly Moon Divine Water; you can't let us come all this way for nothing!"

These cultivators were all shills arranged by the Wang family. If Wang Ruyan had presented another fifty catties of Heavenly Moon Divine Water after giving it to Ren Zizai, other factions might assume the Wang family had an inexhaustible supply. However, if she couldn't produce more, the cultivators who had specifically traveled for the Heavenly Moon Divine Water would be displeased. Rather than letting others cause trouble, it was better to arrange shills themselves to create an honorable exit.