Chapter 824: All Parties

Ma Ge Li Ta stood up from the sofa, bowed slightly toward Lei En, and said excitedly, "Thank you for Chairman Lei En's favor."

Her saluting posture was extremely graceful, making people feel as if bathed in spring breeze.

From Lei En's perspective, he could see a pale, slick stretch, a bottomless gorge that sparked endless imagination, an exquisite display of feminine charm perfectly timed, truly a top‑class beauty.

All female spellcasters are elves!

Lei En silently praised himself in his heart, but his face remained impassive as he calmly said, "This is only the first round of bidding, not the final result. Dean Ma Ge Li Ta, please sit down."

"Alright, I will continue to bid."

Ma Ge Li Ta gave Lei En a deep look, then sat down with abundant charm.

Although this is only the first round of bidding and there are two more rounds, an auction also requires strategy; winning the initial bid puts one ahead of everyone else, securing a certain advantage. She thought she had grasped Lei En's weakness, instantly gaining confidence and pondering how to raise the stakes.

The Soul Eye saw her mindset, and Lei En gave no further comment.

If it weren't for Thundercast Celestial Soldiers and Wizard avatars, a hundred female spellcasters' lifelong loyalty would indeed be highly competitive; I'm not after their beauty, but their strength.

Just as Ma Ge Li Ta said, spellcasters are also casters.

Casters are always superior to other extraordinary professions; spellcasters have lower talent requirements than Wizards, so there are many more of them.

Ai La Tu Sa Spellcaster Academy is the Empire's second largest academy after Bu Lu Wo Ci, but unlike Bu Lu Wo Ci, which is comprehensive and admits other extraordinary beings besides Wizards, it has over eight hundred Wizards among its ten‑thousand students—the highest number among all academies.

Ai La Tu Sa Academy, however, trains only spellcasters; all two‑thousand‑plus faculty and students are spellcasters, i. e., casters!

And they are predominantly female.

Over seventy percent of the Empire's spellcasters are Ai La Tu Sa alumni. For years the academy has employed beautiful female spellcasters to implement the "Pillow Wind" policy; its influence in the Empire is so great that even Holy Soul Wizards dare not ignore it.

With so many spellcaster reserves, Dean Ma Ge Li Ta can certainly select more than a hundred beautiful female spellcasters.

Lei En speculated that Ma Ge Li Ta would further increase female spellcasters as bargaining chips.

Unfortunately…

He couldn't help shaking his head; no matter how good, female spellcasters can't match Thundercast Celestial Soldiers in strength or numbers, nor are they as absolutely reliable.

Beauty is the greatest advantage—and also a drawback—of female spellcasters.

The few women he already has already give Lei En a headache; he must constantly manage timing precisely to prevent them from meeting and causing a backyard fire.

Don't even mention a hundred female spellcasters… even two or three more, if they're not discreet, would be unbearable with daily squabbles.

He could assign female spellcasters to Thundercast Celestial Soldiers, giving them wives.

After all, Thundercast Celestial Soldiers are his own avatars, feeling the same; a hundred wives, a hundred times the joy!

Uh… doing it this way seems too unscrupulous.

While Lei En was speaking with Ma Ge Li Ta, the bidders all examined her, each looking puzzled, unable to understand how she could have won.

Everyone also speculated what price Ma Ge Li Ta offered that could move Lei En.

It should be noted that their bids were not low either.

"Hm."

Storm Queen snorted through her nostrils, her face rather displeased, and taunted, "Ma Ge Li Ta, you wouldn't have sold yourself to Lei En for Fu Kong Cheng, would you?"

When those words were spoken, the people in the hall all wore strange expressions.

Storm Queen's boldness and licentiousness might be unknown to ordinary people, but among the Empire's elite it is almost common knowledge; selling oneself for Fu Kong Cheng is something only she would do.

Ma Ge Li Ta's expression shifted slightly, and she replied evenly, "I have always kept myself pure; Your Majesty the Queen, please do not speculate and tarnish my reputation. However, for the benefit of all Empire spellcasters, I am willing to sacrifice myself, though I fear Chairman Lei En might find my looks mediocre."

A hint of shyness appeared on her face, yet her eyes remained resolute.

The men present couldn't help cheering silently.

Ma Ge Li Ta's first half subtly mocked Storm Queen's claim of not being "pure," while the second half expressed her determination to obtain Fu Kong Cheng.

As for the claim of mediocre looks…

If the Empire's famed beauties were mediocre, then there would be hardly any women in the world worthy of being called beautiful!

For a moment, the men all envied Lei En's romantic luck.

Lei En felt a bit guilty and glanced toward the hall's corner, where Viola and Ao Xi Li Ya stood; although they appeared calm on the surface, the Soul Eye detected their emotions fluctuating intensely, harboring slight hostility toward Ma Ge Li Ta.

"Enough."

Lei En quickly stood, averting the women's brewing clash, "Dean Ma Ge Li Ta, please speak carefully; Your Majesty the Queen need not be overly agitated."

"Everything follows Chairman Lei En's word," Ma Ge Li Ta answered gently.

Storm Queen was angry but lacked the nerve to cause trouble before Lei En; if Lei En disclosed the contents of the memory crystal, she would have no face to stay.

"This round has four who wish to speak with me; we'll proceed in the order they were presented," Lei En opened a portal, "A Ka Lan De, please follow me."

The portal's destination was still the Fu Kong Cheng control room, the safest place, immune to eavesdropping.

The two entered the control room, and the portal closed.

"Lei En, the Mechanical Guild is not preparing to purchase Fu Kong Cheng," A Ka Lan De declared outright, surprising Lei En, who wondered, "If you're not buying Fu Kong Cheng, why are you here?"

A Ka Lan De added, "It is the chairman's decision."

"Why?"

Lei En was baffled; his ties with the Mechanical Guild were close, with deep and pleasant cooperation, yet he had never met the mysterious chairman, and had only seen the chief deputy chairman Bei Li Sa Liu once. The person he interacted with most was A Ka Lan De, serving as the liaison.

"The chairman believes the Mechanical Guild is unsuitable to control Fu Kong Cheng," A Ka Lan De explained, but his face was full of doubt, "Anyway, I don't understand either."

Lei En pondered.

Fu Kong Cheng requires casters to unleash its greatest power; Saint Rank is naturally superior.

The Mechanical Guild has only one Saint Rank mechanic, at least publicly, namely chief deputy chairman Bei Li Sa Liu, commonly addressed as "Grand Mechanic" or "Holy Mechanic."

Mechanics are half‑casters; their strength and status are comparable to spellcasters, fully capable of mastering Fu Kong Cheng and then vying for entry into the Supreme Council.

The chairman's "unsuitable" refers to the Mechanical Guild, not the mechanic.

Yet they abandoned the excellent opportunity.

Obviously, the Mechanical Guild and the mysterious chairman must have considered other factors; abandoning Fu Kong Cheng could grant the guild greater benefits.

"The Mechanical Guild doesn't want the floating city, so are you just here to make a scene?" Lei En asked directly.

"Yes."

Akalande forced a self‑deprecating smile and said helplessly, "The chairman said we still have to attend the auction; not attending would be abnormal, and he also asked me to cooperate with you, to help raise the price."

Lei En was speechless; it turned out to be an uninvited go‑between.

A secret bid still needs a damn go‑between!

He had cooperated with the Mechanical Guild for so long that he always sensed this massive, wealthy organization—representing advanced productivity—exuded a certain strangeness. They seemed to be plotting an astonishing scheme, and his appearance happened to align perfectly with it, or rather, his actions were extremely beneficial to the Mechanical Guild, so they kept currying favor toward him, almost to the point of sending money directly.

This matter must be clarified; there is no such thing as a free lunch.

All the gifts the Mechanical Guild gave him were probably already secretly priced, to be reclaimed with profit later.

"Lei En, what should I do?" Akalande asked.

"Act according to the situation," Lei En thought that a go‑between who isn't a fool would be useful; since they're here, make use of them, and smiled, "You need to be more active, showcase the Mechanical Guild's great wealth, but you can't state the price outright. You must intimidate the rivals, give them a sense of crisis, yet leave a sliver of hope—don't scare them away."

"Alright!"

Akalande answered eagerly but felt a pang of fear; those were several Holy Soul Wizards—what if offending them led to retaliation later?

Lei En saw his worry and said, "Don't overplay it, lest people see your true intent; just handle it as you see fit."

Having said that, he opened the teleportation gate.

Akalande returned to the hall, instantly adopting a buoyant expression as if he had secured a major victory, though he couldn't announce it yet.

That demeanor instantly made the bidders mutter ominously.

"Countess Kailin, Lei En sends you forward," Akalande said loudly.

"Thank you."

Countess Kailin Pomor entered anxiously; when the teleportation gate closed, she immediately pleaded, "Earl of Glamorgan, my bid has almost emptied the treasuries of five families, and the territory was only pieced together with great difficulty; I just hope you can give us a chance to redeem the floating city we have invested countless heartbeats and resources into."

"I understand your earnestness."

Lei En seemed moved, but he bluntly rejected her request, shaking his head, "Your offer is insufficient."

"But we truly can't produce more," Countess Kailin said helplessly, "Half of this forty million Gold Shields were borrowed from banks and various sources; we can only borrow this much. Lord Earl, we have evaluated the land's value, and at most it can reach thirty million Gold Shields…"

"I only need Glamorgan," Lei En cut her off, "The Empire's territories mean little to me; the whole New Continent awaits my expansion."

Countess Kailin sighed inwardly.

She naturally knew what Lei En currently possessed: beyond Glamorgan, there were the Augustus Principality, Gotham City, the entire Shield Island, and the Aibolaken region, whose area dwarfs Mo Du by thousands of times, with limitless potential; even a modest fief on Mo Du's western outskirts could hardly sway Lei En.

Having spent a lifetime in commerce, she had abundant negotiation experience, yet in the face of an absolute disparity in status and power, those business skills were useless.

With so few chips, how can one negotiate?

Countess Kailin deliberated, finally gritted her teeth, and produced a Mo Du map, already marked with boundaries.

"What if we are willing to cede more territory?"

Lei En glanced at the map; it showed a fief southwest of Mo Du, about half the size of Glamorgan, which could link Glamorgan with the previously offered land, forming a curved encirclement that would enclose most of Mo Du.

Thus, Glamorgan's holdings would surpass the combined territories of the other five nobles.

The Mo Du nobles would spare no expense to reclaim the floating city!

"I'll think it over."

Lei En did not decide immediately; he opened the teleportation gate to let Countess Kailin return, and the next entrant was Saint Luoxita of the Earth Church.

She stood nearly two meters tall, muscular with a bear‑like torso; even thick leather armor couldn't hide her exaggerated pectorals, and her rough brown skin resembled the earth's hue. She wore shoulder‑length short hair, and despite her size, her features were unexpectedly delicate—if reduced to a normal female stature, she'd be a striking beauty.

"Ms. Luoxita."

Lei En nodded in acknowledgment; this was the respect due to an Earth Saint over twenty‑five and the second‑most important figure of the Earth Church.

"Chairman Lei En."

Luoxita wore an affable smile and said, "I haven't thanked you in person yet; that Sandworm Demon Soul has greatly aided the Church, and another Earth Saint will soon be born."

"You're being modest, madam; we are conducting a fair trade," Lei En replied humbly.

The Sandworm Demon Soul procured a Tara Do Giant Thunder Elephant; its elephantine electric Element boosted Lei En considerably.

As for the Earth Church's request to build a cathedral in Gotham City to expand its followers, there has been no further word, presumably because the God of Magic rejected the Earth Mother.

Luoxita didn't bring it up again, but curiously asked, "Chairman Lei En, don't you wish to forge a Millennial Covenant with the Earth Ring?"

"I am a devoted follower of the goddess," Lei En answered earnestly.

Faith is no small matter.

Many high‑ranking members of the Empire have heard, via the Holy Soul Wizards of the Supreme Council, that Lei En is greatly favored by the God of Magic and may well be the goddess's Chosen One.

Luoxita had also heard this and instantly assumed Lei En didn't want to get too close to the Earth Church for fear of losing the goddess's favor.

The Empire's three deities are solid allies, and their mortal followers maintain excellent relations.

But that doesn't mean there are no taboos.

The floating city is a great creation of Wizards aided by the God of Magic; if the Earth Church lays claim to it, controversy is inevitable and could affect the trust between the two deities.

She originally had little opinion on the floating city, but Patriarch Lodiya, under the crown, thought it worth a try, so she could only attend the auction.

The Earth Church isn't as wealthy as the Mechanical Guild; the vast majority of its followers are ordinary people—impoverished civilians, farmers, and women—who not only cannot donate money but often rely on the Church's almsgiving to survive hardships.

Its already modest finances must also sustain Earth churches across the lands, train priests and Earth nuns; allocating twenty million Gold Shields is already the limit, so they can only use the Millennial Covenant to increase their chips and, incidentally, connect with Lei En, the Empire's rising star.

Now it seems all these plans are in vain.

"Then I won't disturb Chairman Lei En; I won't partake in the remaining two bids," Luoxita said, decisively abandoning the auction.

The last one to enter the control room was the Storm Queen.

"Lei En, what exactly must I do for you to sell the floating city to me?" the Storm Queen asked bluntly upon entering.

"Just give the money," Lei En replied.

"Fifty million Gold Shields, plus me—still not enough?" the Storm Queen lightly flicked her silver hair, her eyes seductive.

It must be said that her looks and figure are exceptionally rare; today she shed her usual tattered magical robe for a brand‑new elegant dress, tidied her disheveled hair into a waterfall over her shoulders, and spritzed fresh perfume that seemed to contain aphrodisiac notes, stirring the heart.

The queen's title, or a Holy Soul Wizard, can ignite limitless ambition for conquest.

She boldly shows affection, with a completely inviting, seductive posture, and almost no man can resist such temptation.

But Lei En is not an ordinary man.

He admires the Storm Queen's figure, his eyes showing no ripple, and calmly shakes his head, saying, "Not enough."

"Boring."

The Storm Queen curled her lip, put away her coquettish pose, yet felt deeply unwilling. Throughout her life she has clear loves and hates, never hides her feelings, and leverages her status to succeed in matters of men, never lacking a man.

But with Lei En she keeps hitting a wall; intimidation and seduction have no effect, and she ends up looking disheveled several times.

The more she can't get, the more she wants it.

The Storm Queen stared coldly at Lei En, and in a deep voice said, "Eighty million Gold Shields for your Fu Kong Cheng; I don't even want an extra copper Lisu."

"If you don't want it, of course someone else will." Lei En remained unmoved.

The Storm Queen sneered, "The New Village Fu Kong Cheng is too small, its development limited; eighty million Gold Shields is already an astronomical price. Do you think everyone is a fool? Spending eighty million on a damaged Fu Kong Cheng is better used to strengthen my own Fu Kong Cheng, or to build another."

Lei En offered no rebuttal.

The Storm Queen's words were not without reason; a Fu Kong Cheng is the magical item most coveted by casters, its power comparable to a divine artifact.

But under normal circumstances, a single Fu Kong Cheng is sufficient.

Because a caster's body is only one.

Although a Holy Soul Wizard can reside in one Fu Kong Cheng and remotely control another, multitasking is not difficult for them, the second Fu Kong Cheng becomes merely a casting platform, and the strongest protective effect loses its meaning.

Why is a Fu Kong Cheng so powerful? Its offensive power is only secondary.

What truly makes countless casters covet it is the protective barrier supported by the Iola Core, which even a deity's descent finds rather troublesome.

A caster hidden within a Fu Kong Cheng, as long as they do not emerge, can hardly fall, standing on an invincible ground.

Thus when the New Village Fu Kong Cheng was breached and reclaimed, it shocked countless people, who found it unbelievable.

The toughest fortress needs only one; when facing a strong enemy, one must never emerge, even teleporting to another Fu Kong Cheng is a huge risk, the enemy may seize the chance, and if the teleport is cut, it ends in total defeat.

Strategically, the second Fu Kong Cheng is worth less than half of the first.

Its cost‑performance ratio is very low.

From the second Fu Kong Cheng onward, its effect diminishes, and controlling two Fu Kong Chengs does not yield a greater‑than‑sum effect, sometimes even less than two.

It is better to invest money into the existing Fu Kong Cheng, continue enhancing its power, and expand its scale.

Therefore, in the Empire's history no Holy Soul Wizard has owned a second Fu Kong Cheng; not for lack of money, but because it is not worthwhile, requiring huge time and effort to build and maintain, making it a loss.

But if the Fu Kong Cheng is ready‑made and the economy is affluent, then it can be considered.

The three Holy Soul Wizards participating in today's auction—Storm Queen, Tim*Kenan, and KangJieladeGreatSage—are all considering this aspect.

Moreover, the Fu Kong Cheng they obtain may not be for their own use.

For instance, Tim*Kenan might give the Fu Kong Cheng to his student Master Bi Ge Bai, helping him achieve Holy Soul Ascension, enter the Supreme Council, and add a vote for the Balance faction.

KangJieladeGreatSage is much the same.

Regardless of the reason, their bids will not exceed 80 million Gold Shields; bidding higher is still less worthwhile than building one themselves.

Lei En is well aware of this.

But he is not worried; those three Holy Soul Wizards will not bid their full strength, whereas others without a Fu Kong Cheng will!

Duke Yin Xing, Lord and Lady Hei Sita Fu, and Margarita—this is their chance to obtain the first Fu Kong Cheng, and they will not miss it.

Their final bids will certainly exceed 80 million Gold Shields.

Especially the wealthy Lord and Lady Hei Sita Fu, for whom a Fu Kong Cheng holds even greater significance, because it can send them into the Supreme Council!

Lei En believes the Storm Queen would not be foolish enough to miss this; the woman is merely speaking a momentary retort, just arguing with him.

"Your Majesty, please."

He does not wish to waste words, so he opens a portal to send the Storm Queen back.

This round only four people raised bids, and it has already concluded. Lei En also returned to the castle hall, and addressed the crowd: "Now the second round of bidding begins, also limited to ten minutes."

Again, twelve memory crystals fell into the bidders' hands.

After only a few seconds, someone completed a bid; Akaland handed the memory crystal to Lei En, with a look of assured victory that drew everyone's attention.

Lei En caught the crystal, read it briefly, and found it empty.

But a surprised expression appeared on his face; although he quickly composed himself, the bidders noticed. The massive wealth of the Mechanical Guild is well known, and instantly the bidders grew tense, feeling immense pressure.

Spurred by Akaland, within five minutes everyone had placed their bids.

After Lei En read all the memory crystals, he immediately announced, "The winner of the second round of bidding is Vice President Akaland."

(End of chapter)