When Liu Lanyi opened the door, what greeted her was a group from the Peacock Clan.
Song Wanníng frowned, not quite understanding what they were after.
Liu Lanyi's expression was just as unreadable. A flicker of doubt flashed in her eyes as she looked at the beast cultivators.
"Our young lady sent me to tell you this. The Peacock Clan is willing to let you join us," one of them announced.
"But don't forget, just because the young lady thinks you're promising doesn't mean you can do whatever you want. Don't get arrogant!"
The beast cultivator didn't bother watching their expressions. He just launched into a long lecture, bragging about how powerful the Peacock Clan was, repeating over and over how being chosen was the greatest honor of their lives.
At first, Song Wanníng and Liu Lanyi didn't even know what he was talking about. Only halfway through did they realize his meaning, and their faces instantly darkened. Who the hell gave him the courage to come here and spout this crap?
Song Wanníng had no patience for it. She cut him off mid-rant. "We're not interested in the Peacock Clan. Don't bother us while we're here for the auction. We don't have time for your nonsense!"
With a wave of her hand, the door slammed shut with a loud bang, leaving the beast cultivator standing outside.
Bang!
The sound of the door still echoed when he stared in disbelief, completely dumbfounded. When he finally snapped back, his face twisted with fury, killing intent flashing in his eyes. "Good, very good!"
His chest rose and fell with rage. Just two Out-of-Body cultivators dared treat him like this? Arrogant to the extreme! He glared at the door, his anger boiling over, stuck in his chest with nowhere to vent. When he returned, he immediately twisted the truth to smear Song Wanníng and Liu Lanyi before Hua Kongque.
"Young Lady, those two were unbelievably arrogant. They said the Peacock Clan wasn't worthy, that they had no time for my words! In my entire life, I've never seen such insolence. It's outrageous! They insulted me, fine, but to look down on the Peacock Clan itself? That's unforgivable!"
He acted heartbroken, but in his heart he was already cursing those two women, wishing death upon them.
As expected, Hua Kongque's face turned stormy when she heard it. The Peacock Clan was her pride and her backing. Someone dared to trample on it? And not just anyone, but two nobodies? How could she possibly swallow that?
"Heh."
Hua Kongque laughed coldly, her expression twisting. These two really didn't know their place.
"I was willing to overlook their low origins because they had some skills, so I offered them a place in the Peacock Clan. And they dared spit in my face?"
Her eyes narrowed dangerously. She didn't need to say more. Everyone around her already knew that with her temper, she'd never let this go.
Right then, the auction began.
The beast clans' auctions were a little different from the human clans'.
Most of the items were rare spiritual materials or beast treasures that could be absorbed directly. There were almost no magic treasures, since beast cultivators preferred using their bodies and innate divine abilities over external tools.
The first item was a Luo Han Fruit. It was said the Luo Han Fruit could cleanse one's marrow and purge inner demons. That made it crucial for beast cultivators preparing to condense their Dharma Aspect. Every time one appeared, a frenzy of bids followed. Sure enough, as soon as the fruit was brought out, the hall erupted with frantic offers.
Song Wanníng's eyes lit up as well. To her, the fruit was also a precious alchemy ingredient, excellent for refining pills. Besides, it was almost impossible to find in the Southern or Eastern regions. So, she joined the bidding.
The moment she made a move, the Peacock Clan noticed.
"They want the Luo Han Fruit!" someone said.
Almost instantly, Hua Kongque raised her paddle, joining the bid.
The Peacock Clan didn't actually lack Luo Han Fruit. Hua Kongque just couldn't stand the thought of letting Song Wanníng get what she wanted. Her bid silenced the hall for a moment. No one expected the Peacock Clan to compete for this item. But nobody wanted to offend her, so the competition quickly died down.
"It's them…"
Liu Lanyi also noticed the Peacock Clan's actions, her brows furrowing slightly.
They had wanted her and Song Wanníng to join, but their arrogant attitude had soured everything. She now felt nothing but distaste and rejection toward them.
Song Wanníng glanced at the opposite private room and raised her paddle again. She wanted to confirm something. Did the Peacock Clan really need the Luo Han Fruit, or were they just targeting her?
The moment she bid, the other side instantly raised the price again. That confirmed it. A playful smile curved her lips. So this was just aimed at her?
Heh, no shortage of brainless second-gens anywhere. They always loved flaunting their backing and bullying others. Absolutely disgusting. But if they wanted to play games, Song Wanníng wasn't the type to take it lying down. So, the bidding war began.
It was like they'd planned it, back and forth, both sides raising the price until it soared well past the fruit's actual worth.
Yet neither backed down.
By now, everyone in the auction house could see the grudge between them. Many looked toward Song Wanníng's private room with respect. She was actually going head-to-head with the Peacock Clan!
The auction house staff quickly noticed too and reported it to the boss. The boss didn't care much. It was just a personal feud, nothing to do with the house. As long as bids kept climbing, it only meant more profit. In no time, the price shot past five thousand mid-grade beast stones.
When Hua Kongque bid again, the beast cultivators around her all looked uneasy. They wanted to stop her, but none dared.
The young lady's temper was infamous.
Finally, one of them couldn't hold back.
"Young Lady, we came here for the Beast King Map. This Luo Han Fruit isn't worth the price anymore." He spoke with good intentions, but Hua Kongque's face instantly turned black.
"You're teaching me how to act?" Her cold gaze stabbed at him, sending a chill through his heart.
"You think I care about a little money? I'll do whatever I want. Don't forget your place!"
She turned away again, glaring toward Song Wanníng's room. Of course she knew the fruit wasn't worth it. But that woman was an alchemist. She definitely needed it. Otherwise, why fight this hard for it?