Inside a small appraisal room.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A target embedded with several metal needles—faint yellow toxin fog drifted around.
Tang San looked calm, tossing a Powder Shooting Shadow in his hand. "This 'Hidden Weapon' is my improved version. It's even stronger than the last one auctioned here."
"Last time the starting price was 1,000 gold coins; this time it's 2,000." The auction official, a white-haired elder, looked at him in amazement.
"A truly marvelous work! At such a young age, you can make such treasures. You will be famous in history!"
"It's nothing," Tang San waved dismissively.
The reaction from Ning Rongrong nearby was also one of awe.
But his eyes narrowed.
This time, he was targeting the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
That's right. Before the auction, he asked Ning Rongrong, who said Ning Fengzhi was attending...
He'd hinted to Ning Rongrong several times. The girl acted as his ambassador, pestering her father to buy his hidden weapons, even at a huge price. But he underestimated Ning Fengzhi's cunning and how little say Ning Rongrong truly had in the clan…
On real core interests, even the two elders would side with Ning Fengzhi, no matter what.
To this day, the clan chief, rich as any nation, was still "considering," showing no willingness to buy or cooperate.
This left him passive.
He wanted to lower the price but felt such a fat sheep shouldn't go for cheap. He needed this start-up capital for Tang Sect.
But he couldn't wait forever either.
Tang San's eyes grew cold.
Dammit.
Can't they see this as an investment? The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan is loaded. What's a mere ten million gold coins to them? Can't they see my potential?
Invest in me, and after I take down the Spirit Hall, the Sect will be second only to... wait, number one is my Clear Sky Clan.
So you'll be second place.
But trust me, investing in me pays off—guaranteed.
Tang San ranted inside, thinking Ning Fengzhi was short-sighted, as he expressionlessly handed the Powder Shooting Shadow to the old man, and left with Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong.
And then, they bumped into another trio.
Su Lin, Dugu Bo, and the prince of Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe…
"Damn!!!"
At the sight of Dugu Bo, Tang San nearly flipped. Were it not for Xiao Wu holding his arm, he'd have rushed up to fight. The other three seemed not to notice, chatting joyously. Tang San took a deep breath and slipped around via the hallway.
His grudge against Su Lin, and even Xue Qinghe, deepened.
He'd never forget Dugu Bo's humiliation.
And as for Su Lin's humiliation of Shrek Academy, of the teachers and Dean Flender—he remembered ALL of it…
"Third Brother." Xiao Wu was worried.
"That's him! Poison Douluo, Dugu Bo!" Tang San's eyes flashed with rage. "He's why I'm like this! And Su Lin, that bastard, drove us from Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, nearly leaving us nowhere to go…"
"It's fine, we'll get revenge in time!" Tang San snorted. Limping, he let Xiao Wu help him toward the auction.
Ning Rongrong turned back, gazing at the trio, especially Su Wen. Her eyes flashed with disgust, anger, even a touch of sly calculation. She seemed to have an idea, smirking slightly…
"..."
"You're also auctioning something?"
Seeing Prince Qinghe show up personally, the white-haired old man smiled obsequiously. After all, Heaven Dou Empire's royal family was the main investor in this auction house.
"Yes." Su Wen smiled.
Hands outstretched, left holding a ranged soul tool cannon, right a delicate wrist guard.
"Ranged soul tool cannon, and… defense soul tool."
"This is…"
Everyone in the room was confused.
A cannon?
Those exist only millennia later when Tang Sect's hidden weapons evolved further. Now, it's the age of iron weapons and armored cavalry.
"Yes."
Su Wen smiled.
Aiming at the wall, he poured soul power into his palm. With a heavy boom, the test wall shattered, black smoke drifting from the gun barrel.
"Amazing power!" The white-haired steward hurried over, inspecting the damage.
"This wall can withstand a Soul King's full attack, but not yours…"
"A level 5 soul cannon, targeted for Soul Kings. Most importantly, mine don't require martial souls… injecting soul power is enough. Even support-type soul masters can fire it."
"..."
Silence in the room.
Even Xue Qinghe was stunned.
If Spirit Hall armed their people with these… conquering the continent would be easy?
And this is just level 5?
What about level 9? Could it match Titled Douluo strength?!!
"Gulp..." the old man carefully took the cannon as if it were priceless.
"And the soul shield…"
"It holds against a Soul King's... mm, even a Soul Emperor's best attack. Test it later." Su Wen waved his hand.
In this era, strength was "inflated" anyway. Level 5 rivaling Soul Emperors wasn't impossible.
"Yes!" The elder rushed to have a Soul Emperor come test it.
The royal auction had this much face, at least.
"Let's go." Su Wen said blandly.
In the corridor.
Dugu Bo spoke quietly: "That boy just now, Tang Hao's son..."
"I know." Su Wen grinned.
"He'll probably hold a grudge."
"Heh. In a bit, even Tang Hao won't be able to touch me anymore. Let him hold a grudge, we'll just wipe them out if necessary." Dugu Bo grunted.
"Watch out, old poison..."
"Heh, with you on my side, what's there to fear."
...
Inside the auction.
Tang San's trio still sat in the regular area—Ning Fengzhi and his people, instead of sitting in the VIP section, pretended to be low-key and sat in the regular area too.
"Grandpa Bone! Su Lin, and Poison Douluo are here too," Ning Rongrong pouted.
"They dared to snatch people from Shrek Academy right in the open. Last time it was Third Brother, will it be my turn next?"