Chapter 153: Sent to the Door

Liu Qingxian looked bewildered. She shook her head slightly and said, "It was a gift from a friend. I've forgotten what it is."

"A gift?" Su Xiangquan clicked his tongue in surprise. His eyes gleamed as he probed, "Miss Liu, your friend must be wealthy or influential, no?"

"Wealthy or influential? Jiang Fan? The guy who goes out on monster-hunting missions without even decent resources?"

She shook her head, took the Gale Orb back, and hung it around her neck again. "Vice President Su, what exactly is this?"

Su Xiangquan gazed longingly at the Gale Orb. Losing his former arrogance, he rubbed his hands together and said, "Miss Liu, this is a Gale Orb. It's the eyeball of a rare, high-bloodline monster, a White-Furred Jadebeast, a creature rarely seen."

"When activated, it makes one as light as a swallow, as if possessing an advanced movement technique," he explained. "Its market price... is one hundred thousand crystal stones."

Liu Qingxian's beautiful, snowy eyes widened. Holding the verdant orb, she exclaimed in shock, "How much? One hundred thousand crystal stones?"

One hundred thousand crystal stones was an astronomical sum, even for her, the daughter of a sect leader.

Su Xiangquan waved his hand. "One hundred thousand crystal stones is just the market price. This item is priceless; it's practically unavailable on the market. If it were placed in an auction, it would fetch far more than one hundred thousand!"

"What?" Liu Qingxian looked at the Gale Orb repeatedly, unable to believe it. "Vice President Su, are you mistaken? This is just an ordinary gift; how could it be such an expensive treasure?"

Su Xiangquan said meaningfully, "There's no mistake. It's more likely that Miss Liu doesn't quite understand the true capabilities of your friend."

"Casually giving away a peerless treasure worth one hundred thousand crystal stones – that's certainly not something an ordinary person would do."

Liu Qingxian was stunned into silence. Jiang Fan had actually given her a priceless, astonishing treasure. This revelation stirred countless waves in her heart. To give such an expensive gift for no apparent reason... was he trying to convey something? At this thought, her heart pounded.

"Junior Sister, which senior gifted you this?" Wang Chengjian looked nervous. Who would give such a valuable treasure for no reason? Not even the elders would be so generous, would they?

Su Xiangquan, his face beaming, also asked, "Miss Liu, could you arrange for me to meet this esteemed individual?" He noticed that the Gale Orb was very fresh, as if it had only recently been removed. This suggested that the person had likely just slain the beast. It was possible he had another Gale Orb and other equally valuable monster materials.

The two men's questions brought Liu Qingxian back to reality. She was about to refuse them and keep Jiang Fan's identity a secret. Suddenly, she froze. She saw Jiang Fan, accompanied by a woman in her thirties, approach Su Xiangquan.

Uh— He delivered himself to their doorstep?

"Vice President Su."

Wen Shengnan returned, looking radiant. Su Xiangquan, who had been smiling moments before, immediately frowned upon seeing her. He asked in a cold tone, "What's the harvest in the city like?"

Wen Shengnan cupped her hands and replied, "Mission accomplished!"

"Is that so?" Su Xiangquan raised an eyebrow. "You managed to find something good? Let me see."

Wen Shengnan quickly turned to Jiang Fan. "Junior Brother Jiang, please show it to Vice President Su." This time, she was confident she would earn Su Xiangquan's approval and temporarily alleviate her crisis.

Jiang Fan nodded but didn't immediately present the White-Furred Jadebeast. For some reason, he vaguely felt a hint of mockery in Su Xiangquan's gaze towards Wen Shengnan. So, he only took out the Sky-Shaking Powder, intending to test the waters first.

Upon seeing the item, Su Xiangquan's face showed some surprise. "Sky-Shaking Powder? Not bad, not bad, you actually found something good."

Su Xiangquan took the Sky-Shaking Powder, carefully evaluated it for a while, and said, "And the purity is very high; there are no impurities. It looks like it's been refined by a Soul Master. In short, it's a good item."

Wen Shengnan felt a strange sense of confusion. This item hadn't passed through anyone else's hands; Jiang Fan had refined it himself. However, this minor oddity was quickly forgotten in her joyous mood. She looked hopeful. "Vice President Su, do you think this item can be put up for auction?"

Su Xiangquan nodded, then abruptly changed the subject and called out the door, "Meng Tingting, come here."

Soon, a charmingly dressed woman, holding up her red skirt, walked in with a smile and bowed. "Vice President Su, how may I help you?"

Su Xiangquan pointed to the Sky-Shaking Powder in his hand. "Your performance this time was excellent. By finding this Sky-Shaking Powder, I, the Vice President, will credit you with a great deed. You can take this young master to discuss the specific details." With that, he gave Jiang Fan a genial smile.

Liu Qingxian frowned slightly. Stealing credit? While common in the martial arts world, such open appropriation was rare.

Wen Shengnan even doubted her own ears and quickly interjected, "Vice President Su, Young Master Jiang was invited by me! Why are you giving him to Meng Tingting?"

Su Xiangquan's face was indifferent. "Meng Tingting is just a little short of the credit needed to be promoted to a Five-Star Manager. As for you, you're only a One-Star Manager, so whether you have a little more or a little less credit doesn't really matter."

"What?" Wen Shengnan was beyond endurance. This kind of thing had happened many times before, otherwise she would have been a Two-Star Manager long ago. "Vice President Su, I disagree!"

Su Xiangquan didn't care about her at all. "You disagree, do you?" he said indifferently. "Perfect, I have something to announce to you. I don't keep idlers under my command."

"I've already applied to the President to transfer you out of my department. The President has agreed to transfer you to Vice President Chen's department. From now on, you are no longer my manager. If you have any grievances, take them up with Vice President Chen."

"What?" She was transferred directly? To Vice President Chen, whose performance was consistently poor? This was equivalent to extinguishing her future. What was even more infuriating was that not only was she transferred, but before she left, they didn't forget to snatch her credit. But she was just a manager. No matter how wronged she felt, she dared not speak out. She could only turn and leave indignantly, tears of humiliation in her eyes.

Jiang Fan watched with a cold gaze. He retrieved the Sky-Shaking Powder from Su Xiangquan's hand right then and there and went after Wen Shengnan. "Senior Sister Wen, stop." This Su Xiangquan's character was hardly commendable; Jiang Fan was a little worried that if he cooperated with him, his auctioned treasures might be embezzled. Moreover, Wen Shengnan was Wen Hongyao's niece. For Wen Hongyao's sake, he felt he had to support Wen Shengnan. "I'll go with you to see Vice President Chen. I'll help you secure your position." He planned to take out some beast king materials to help Wen Shengnan establish herself with her new superior.

Wen Shengnan felt greatly comforted and thanked him with a slight tremor in her voice, "Thank you, Junior Brother Jiang..."

Meanwhile, Meng Tingting, seeing her catch fly away, became anxious. She quickly stepped forward and intimately linked her arm through his. Her full chest intentionally brushed against his arm as she said coquettishly, "Young Master Jiang, let's talk this out properly. Who sells Sky-Shaking Powder isn't the point, right? How about we find a private place and talk things over slowly, carefully?" Her breath was like orchids, and her seductive tone carried suggestive words.

"Audacious!" Jiang Fan felt disgusted. He gave a slight shake, sending her stumbling onto the ground. She gasped sharply from the fall.

"You're the audacious one!" Su Xiangquan quickly helped Meng Tingting up and glared furiously at Jiang Fan. "For me, Su Xiangquan, to even consider your Sky-Shaking Powder is to give you face! Yet you don't know what's good for you! Once I contact the owner of the White-Furred Jadebeast, your Sky-Shaking Powder might not even qualify for the auction house."

Jiang Fan was momentarily stunned. When he noticed the Gale Orb around Liu Qingxian's neck, he immediately understood. He couldn't help but say meaningfully, "No need. You won't be waiting for him." With that, he and Wen Shengnan went together to see Vice President Chen.

Su Xiangquan glowered darkly at Jiang Fan's retreating back. "You refuse a polite offer, so you'll suffer the consequences! Only Vice President Chen, with his lack of achievements, would be interested in your Sky-Shaking Powder! Here, I have an abundance of good items."

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself. Then, putting on a smile again, he earnestly said, "Miss Liu, please don't hesitate to tell me who the esteemed individual was who gave you that gift. I'd like to pay them a visit, and I humbly ask for an opportunity."

Liu Qingxian's expression had already turned cold. Not only did Meng Tingting fail to seduce Jiang Fan, but Su Xiangquan also insulted him? Hearing Su Xiangquan's plea, a hint of schadenfreude couldn't help but curve her lips.

"That esteemed individual? Didn't he just leave?"