Chapter 832

The only thing Ding Huan couldn't understand was that Chen Chi was, after all, the Dao Lord of a Dao Court.

He had absolutely no need to whisper to Peng Fu.

He had far too many ways to help that woman, who was merely at the Divine King realm.

The simplest way would be to produce a Divine Vein for her, allowing her to purchase the Yongsheng Dao Fruit.

Then he would owe no favor to the merchant association, while the young woman would be deeply in his debt.

For a Dao Lord of a Dao Court, two hundred or so high-grade Divine Veins were nothing.

Peng Fu's expression was icy; even the Great Wheel Dao Court could not break the Great Wheel Merchant Association's rules.

Moreover, this wasn't just about the Great Wheel Merchant Association anymore.

The combined strength of the Three Great Merchant Associations was certainly greater than the Great Wheel Dao Court.

If they broke the rules this time, the Three Great Merchant Associations' reputations would be utterly destroyed.

Once their reputations were gone, the Three Great Merchant Associations would surely be expelled from the Top Ten Merchant Associations.

Though the Small Heaven Ruins were vast, competition among merchant associations was just as fierce.

Here, cultivation resources were scarce, making merchant associations critically important.

Many merchant associations, though inferior to the Top Ten, were constantly seeking opportunities.

Besides, if Chen Chi truly wanted to help someone, did he need to beg for favor?

This was using his Great Wheel Merchant Association as a weapon.

Peng Fu spoke loudly without hesitation: "The bidder in Chamber 35 has falsely quoted a price—this is beyond my authority to decide."

Although Dao Lord Chen has pleaded on her behalf, our association must still follow its own rules…"

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Peng Fu's words not only gave no face to Chen Chi, but also intended to use Chen Chi's name to legitimize the Three Great Merchant Associations.

Before a figure could rush into Chamber 35 and slay the Divine King woman, a tall, muscular man suddenly appeared inside Chamber 35.

He laughed heartily upon entering: "My daughter just played a joke on Director Peng—I apologize on her behalf. This isn't a place for jokes."

After saying that, he grabbed a ring and sent it into the teleportation array.

Another Creation Saint?

Ding Huan's divine sense had not withdrawn; the muscular man had entered and immediately sent the ring through the teleportation array, without even checking his surroundings.

Even if he sensed Ding Huan's divine sense, Ding Huan would merely

withdraw his own divine sense—he had no intention of withdrawing it yet.

Peng Fu clearly knew who the man in Chamber 35 was; after the transaction was completed, he said no more.

Though it delayed things slightly, it caused no damage to the association's reputation, and he had no desire to stir up further trouble.

"Dad…" The young woman in the chamber, upon seeing the man, spoke with excitement.

"If you hadn't arrived in time, I'd be dead…"

The middle-aged man raised his hand to strike the young woman—but halted it just before it reached her face.

He lowered his hand and sighed deeply: "You…"

The woman retorted: "I just wanted to help Uncle Chen, make that guy spend more Divine Veins—he's your good friend, isn't he?"

Earlier, the guy in seat 591 on the fourth row fought Uncle Chen for the Lesser Destruction Technique, but Uncle Chen was magnanimous and didn't hold a grudge—otherwise, that guy would've been taught a lesson by Uncle Chen already."

In her mind, Chen Chi was an elder and overlooked the arrogance of these lone cultivators.

As a junior, she could use her own way to annoy that overconfident lone cultivator, while gaining Chen Chi's favor.

It was a win-win situation.

The man stared blankly at his daughter.

He felt it was a complete failure to have kept her from venturing out.

She actually thought he, Wu Jiu, and Chen Chi were good friends?

But with this level of emotional intelligence, how could he ever trust her to venture out alone?

He took a deep breath and slowly said: "Jiena, remember this—if ten people in the Small Heaven Ruins wish me, Wu Jiu, dead, the man you call Uncle Chen ranks among the top three."

The young woman named Jiena froze, then after a long pause said: "But Dad, when I had no Divine Veins to bid, Uncle Chen stood up for me himself."

And he used whispering—hadn't Peng Fu revealed it, I wouldn't have known Uncle Chen pleaded for me."

In her mind, Chen Chi wanted to help her but didn't want her to know.

Wu Jiu was utterly speechless; he knew his daughter's emotional intelligence made it impossible to explain anything to her.

Even a Bai Chi would know that Chen Chi, if he wanted to save his daughter, absolutely did not need to beg Peng Fu.

Because that method would only make Peng Fu kill her faster.

If Peng Fu truly agreed to Chen Chi's plea, he'd be a fool.

As soon as Peng Fu agreed, word would spread throughout the entire

Small Heaven Ruins that someone had bid wildly at the auction and been let off.

So the more Chen Chi pleaded, the more violently Peng Fu had to act.

Even if he was being used as Chen Chi's weapon, he had no choice but to act.

If Wu Jiu had arrived just a few breaths later, his daughter might already be dead.

Then he would be locked in a life-or-death feud with the Three Great Merchant Associations.

In this way, Wu Jiu would not only have fought the Great Wheel Merchant Association for Chen Chi, but also weakened his own strength.

Yet he had no way to explain—his daughter wouldn't understand.

He could only say: "You have so many Divine Veins on you—why couldn't you even spare two hundred?"

Wu Jiena's face flushed slightly: "Da Mo is closing off to break through to the Pretender Saint realm—I gave him all my cultivation resources."

Wu Jiu nearly spat blood.

If it weren't for his deep love for this daughter, he would have gladly slapped her to death.

Ding Huan did not continue listening; he retracted his spiritual sense.

At the very moment Ding Huan retracted his spiritual sense, Wu Qiu seemed to sense something—he swept his spiritual sense around, found no issue, and could only sigh again and let it go.

Ding Huan was speechless; with a daughter like this, Wu Yao was truly in for suffering.

Peng Fu was already introducing the next auction item, a

Sword Dao Divine Art.

Ding Huan had no interest; he turned to Guan Huan and asked, "Old Guan, I have a question—do you know Wu Qiu?"

Guan Huan stared at Ding Huan in disbelief—how utterly indifferent could one be to matters of the Lesser Tianxu?

"Wu Qiu is the Dao Master of Tianxu Dao Court, one of the Five Great Dao Courts. It's said that long ago, the Lesser Tianxu had only one Dao Court—that was Tianxu Dao Court.

Later, Tianxu Dao Court declined, and gradually the other Great Dao Courts emerged."

So that's how it was.

No wonder Chen Chi and Wu Jiu had a bad relationship.

Apparently, Chen Chi's Great Wheel Dao Court was carved out from Tianxu Dao Court—no matter who it was, they couldn't have a good relationship.

Time passed slowly; after this, Ding Huan made no further bids.

Though this was the highest-tier auction in the Lesser Tianxu, there were truly few items worthy of Ding Huan's attention.

The seven-leaf Reincarnation Grass, fought over by others until nearly coming to blows, Ding Huan didn't even bother to look at.

Until nearly a full day had passed, Peng Fu pulled out a leather scroll wrapped in sealing runes and announced loudly:

"The next item up for auction is the Light Dao Scroll. I can assure you all—this is not a copy, but the original scroll.

The starting price for the Light Dao Scroll is fifty supreme-grade spiritual veins; each bid must increase by at least one supreme-grade spiritual vein. Now, bidding begins.

Peng Fu did not say whether spiritual crystals or upper-grade spiritual veins could be used in bidding.

But the starting price was already fifty supreme-grade spiritual veins—using upper-grade spiritual veins for bidding made little sense.

The first bid appeared on the bidding screen: sixty supreme-grade spiritual veins.

Yet this price vanished as quickly as it appeared, overwritten immediately.

Moreover, the price surged rapidly; by the time it stabilized, the screen read one hundred ten supreme-grade spiritual veins.

Ding Huan internally sighed—indeed, the Lesser Tianxu was poor in cultivation resources, yet the rich remained rich.

Like Qu Ge of the Qu Clan Dao Court—too bad he couldn't crack open that man's world; otherwise, he'd have been far from disappointed.

"Young Brother Ding Huan, if you intend to bid on the Light Dao Scroll, bid early," Guan Huan said.

Ding Huan looked puzzled: "Old Guan, why's that?"

Guan Huan whispered: "I suspect both Chen Chi and Wu Yao are here for the Light Dao Scroll.

If you bid early, it shows you want it too. Then, when they bid, you raise again—it won't be humiliating them.

But if you wait for them to bid first, then jump in, you're directly competing with them—that'll offend them."

Ding Huan chuckled. Guan Huan was good in every way, not cowardly at all—but he overthought everything, always hesitating.

He had come to bid on the Light Dao Scroll—did he fear offending anyone?

The bidding screen now showed one hundred fifty supreme-grade spiritual veins, and beside the price appeared a name: Booth #1.

Peng Fu's face remained expressionless, but inside he was furious—here it comes again.

The Three Great Trading Houses brought out the Light Dao Scroll to accumulate wealth.

Chen Chi's repeated attempts to take advantage would never be tolerated.

Thinking back to how Chen Chi had once tried to turn the Three Great Trading Houses into his weapon, Peng Fu grew even angrier.

Peng Fu even wanted to fix his gaze on Ding Huan—he desperately hoped Ding Huan would bid.

Now that Chen Chi had bid, few would dare follow.

Only someone like Ding Huan would dare bid against Chen Chi.

Thankfully, he wasn't disappointed—the bidding screen updated again: one hundred sixty supreme-grade spiritual veins.

The bid was not from Ding Huan.

Peng Fu knew—if not Ding Huan, then only Wu Qiu could have placed this bid, and only Wu Qiu would dare.

Wu Jie Na stared in shock as her father bid, her mind filled with a thousand unanswered questions. She recalled her father's earlier words and dared not speak up.

All she wondered now was why her father and Uncle Chen Chi were so close.

Uncle Chen Chi had helped her before.

Now her father not only failed to thank Uncle Chen Chi, but was imitating Bidder #591 and bidding against him?

Could it really be true, as her father said, that Uncle Chen Chi wanted to kill him?

Chen Chi did not disappoint Peng Fu—he immediately raised the price to one hundred eighty supreme-grade spiritual veins.

Wu Qiu was equally decisive—he raised it to two hundred supreme-grade spiritual veins.

Ding Huan added his bid: two hundred supreme-grade spiritual veins, plus one Chaotic Spiritual Vein.

Seeing Ding Huan's bid, Wu Jie Na immediately said, "Father, that's him—he bid against Uncle Chen Chi for the Lesser Destruction Technique Scroll earlier."

Seeing Ding Huan bid, Wu Jienah immediately said, "Father, this is the one who competed with Uncle Chen for the Lesser Destruction Technique Dao scroll."