Chapter 4849 — Still One Short
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"A direct challenge is out of the question. Never mind whether the fellow surnamed Lin would dare accept—even if he did, the Academy higher-ups would surely step in to stop it. We'd gain nothing." Su Kesheng shook his head.
"Then think fast—what other way is there?" Bao Zuoliang pressed him.
Su Kesheng pondered a long while, then suddenly clapped his hands. "I have it! Since it's inconvenient for us to move against the fellow surnamed Lin ourselves, we can only contrive to borrow another's blade. The grand auction is on right now—let's see if we can work through the auction. We must find a way to make him offend some powerful figure!"
"Mm, that makes sense. Get to planning at once—the next auction session is nearly upon us." Bao Zuoliang nodded again and again.
"Young Master Bao, how is one to plan for this? We can only wait and act as the moment serves at the auction itself!" Su Kesheng smiled wryly and shook his head, then scratched at his scalp. "Though there is some groundwork we can lay beforehand—it might come in useful."
"Good. Do as you say." Bao Zuoliang nodded at once.
Wei Zhao and the two women had no notion that someone had already fixed their eyes on them from behind. These past days their only business had been to roam and make merry. One thing worth noting: along the way Wei Zhao recalled Jiang Yuechuan's charge and asked Wang Xinyan to inquire after the female cultivator named Qin Chan—only to learn in return that the woman was in secluded cultivation. So he set the matter aside for the time being, meaning to deliver the Gestation-Infant Golden Elixir into her hands once she emerged; there was no hurry.
The guild's special auction session stirred up wind and waves, becoming the talk of the whole city over meals and tea, and Wei Zhao, its pivotal figure, had become the most talked-of man in all Morning Star City. Three days on, the Morning Star Grand Auction at last welcomed its crowning event: the long-awaited solo auction session had formally begun.
Wei Zhao came to Morning Star's First Tower with Wang Xinyan and Huang Xiaotao. As one of the Academy's three giants, the East Sea Divine Nun needed no qualification or quota whatsoever to attend such an auction—yet she showed no inclination to come.
In fact it was not only she; Ling Yuanqing, Wei Hebei, Qing Xuanzi, and nearly all the Academy higher-ups were absent. Such was the established custom.
To appear there would have seemed too petty. When it came to wealth, after all, none could match them. If they took part, the solo auction session would end up like the guild's earlier session—degraded into a war fought solely between the VIP boxes—and the grand auction would then have been a dismal failure indeed.
"My apologies, Young Master Lin. You three are still one entry slot short." A staff member suddenly barred the way of Wei Zhao and his companions, drawing a great crowd of onlookers at once. After all, whether Wei Zhao, Wang Xinyan, or Huang Xiaotao, all were figures of intense scrutiny—especially Wei Zhao, who had cut such a figure three days ago that there was now no one in Morning Star City who did not know his name.
"Is that so?" Wei Zhao and the two women exchanged a glance.
"That's right. Your Hong Merchant Guild has two slots, but Miss Wang and Miss Huang have none of their own. So of the three of you, only two may enter. My apologies." The staff member wore a look of apology.