Chapter 160: Ning Fengzhi Offers Ten Million Coins!
Qian Renxue spoke up at just the right moment, interrupting everyone’s train of thought: "That is enough."
Her voice was cool and crisp, snapping everyone back to reality from their state of shock: "Gentlemen, do you agree to this Pope’s proposal?"
Silence fell upon the crowd.
If they agreed, they would have to pay a fee to the Spirit Hall.
But if they refused...
Nine ten-thousand-year-level Spirit Bones lay right before their eyes—who could bear to give them up?
However, to claim those nine Spirit Bones, they would have to compete for the championship title.
And how fierce would that competition be?
With so many advanced Spirit Master academies scattered across the entire continent, only thirty-three teams would ultimately make it to the grand finals.
To fight their way through that gauntlet of thirty-three teams and seize the championship—was that an easy feat?
But... those were nine ten-thousand-year-level Spirit Bones!
Just then, someone asked in a timid voice: "Your Holiness, Elder Jiang..."
The speaker was a middle-aged man with an unremarkable face, his voice tinged with apprehension: "If a team were to win these Spirit Bone prizes, but then... members of the Clear Sky Sect were to show up..."
He left the sentence unfinished, but his meaning was abundantly clear.
Although the Clear Sky Sect had sealed its gates and withdrawn from the world, it remained, after all, the greatest sect under the heavens.
Tang Hao was a direct-line disciple of the Clear Sky Sect; if his Spirit Bones were to fall into the hands of outsiders, would the Clear Sky Sect simply stand by and do nothing?
Acts of murder and treasure-snatching were hardly uncommon in the world of Spirit Masters.
Jiang Bai cast a glance at the man and gave a slight nod: "That is an excellent question."
His gaze swept across the assembly, his voice calm and resolute: "You may all rest assured. For the championship team that claims these prizes, the Spirit Hall will dispatch several Spirit Douluo—and perhaps even one or two Title Douluo—to escort them safely back to their academy."
As his words fell, the last lingering shred of apprehension in everyone’s hearts vanished into thin air.
With Title Douluo acting as their escorts, what need was there to fear the Clear Sky Sect?
Bolstered by this guarantee, everyone’s minds began to stir with renewed ambition.
This championship... was worth fighting for!
After all, while the Spirit Hall was indeed powerful, it hadn’t monopolized the championship title; both the Heaven Dou Empire and the Star Luo Empire had claimed the victory in the past.
Although the Spirit Hall’s team consistently reached the finals, they were not invincible.
What if... just what if? "Canghui Academy is willing to offer fifty thousand gold soul coins!"
The Dean of Canghui Academy was the first to speak, his voice booming.
Their academy was neither large nor small, possessing strength that placed it squarely in the middle tier.
Based on past experience, simply making it to the qualifying rounds was a decent enough outcome; reaching the grand finals was a pipe dream—something not even worth thinking about.
Rather than engaging in such wishful thinking, it was far more practical to simply put up a bit of cash—a token gesture—just enough to save face.
With someone having taken the lead, the others quickly followed suit: "Exotic Beast Academy: one hundred thousand gold soul coins!"
"Plant Academy: one hundred thousand gold soul coins!"
"Elephant Armored Academy: one hundred thousand gold soul coins!"
"Blazing Fire Academy: one hundred and fifty thousand gold soul coins!"
"Heavenly Water Academy: one hundred and fifty thousand gold soul coins!"
"Divine Wind Academy: one hundred and fifty thousand gold soul coins!"
...
The sounds of bidding, rising and falling in succession, echoed throughout the hall.
Jiang Bai listened in silence, the corners of his lips curling upward ever so slightly.
Once the bidding clamor had gradually subsided, he suddenly turned his head to look in a specific direction within the crowd.
"Sect Master Ning."
His voice was soft, yet it carried clearly into the ears of every person present: "Won’t you make an offer?"
The smile on Ning Fengzhi’s face stiffened ever so slightly.
He met Jiang Bai’s gaze—those eyes that seemed to hold a smile yet didn’t—and inwardly gritted his teeth.
He offered no verbal response, maintaining only that same artificial smile.
It was a smile so flawless it seemed cast from a mold—utterly devoid of any discernible emotion.
Jiang Bai looked at him and let out a sigh of mild disappointment: "What a pity..."
There was a distinct note of regret in his voice: "I had rather hoped to witness, firsthand, the true financial might of the wealthiest sect in the land..."
The smile on Ning Fengzhi’s face stiffened yet another notch.
The wealthiest sect in the land...
It was a title he usually savored hearing, but at this moment, it felt like sheer torture.
The gazes of those around them had already begun to take on a subtle, nuanced quality.
The deans of the academies who had just placed their bids were now all looking at Ning Fengzhi, their eyes glinting with a hint of playful amusement.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect claimed to be the richest in the world; surely they wouldn’t be so stingy as to refuse to put up even this paltry sum?
The corner of Ning Fengzhi’s mouth twitched involuntarily. He took a deep breath, gritted his teeth, and squeezed the words out from between them: "The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—ten million gold soul coins!"
As his voice faded, the entire hall erupted in an uproar!
Ten million?!
That was more than the combined total offered by all the academies earlier!
The smile on Jiang Bai’s face instantly became a few shades more genuine: "Many thanks, Sect Master Ning!"
Ning Fengzhi wore a professional, fake smile on his face, yet his voice sounded somewhat parched: "It’s a trivial matter..."
Trivial matter, my ass!
Handing money over to the Spirit Hall was the last thing he wanted to do—he was absolutely loath to do it!
But standing here in front of so many people, what choice did he have?
Could he really allow the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—renowned as the "Wealthiest Sect Under Heaven"—to suffer a humiliating stumble right here?
He ground his back molars together, yet on his face, he still had to maintain a dignified smile.
...
The banquet finally drew to a close.
With their own private thoughts weighing on their minds, the guests were guided by Spirit Hall attendants back to their respective lodgings.
The hall, which had been bustling with noise all night long, gradually fell silent.
All that remained were the figures of waiters moving about softly to clear away the aftermath, accompanied only by the occasional clinking of cups and plates.
Qian Renxue let out a soft sigh and rubbed her shoulders: "It’s finally over..."
Her voice carried a hint of weariness, yet also a sense of relief.
Jiang Bai reached out and gently massaged her shoulders and neck: "You must be tired?"
Qian Renxue nodded, then shook her head: "It’s not too bad. It’s just that I’ve been smiling all night, so my face feels a bit stiff."
Jiang Bai chuckled: "In that case, I’ll give it a rub for you when we get back."
Qian Renxue turned her head to look at him, a flicker of amusement dancing in her beautiful eyes: "Just face?"
Jiang Bai put on a deadpan expression: "Of course..."
He paused, then leaned in close to her ear and lowered his voice: "... not just that."
Qian Renxue gave a soft, playful scoff, though she offered no verbal rebuttal.
However, the tips of her ears quietly flushed crimson.
Jiang Li’er stood to the side, arms crossed over her chest, watching the pair with a completely expressionless face.
A moment later, she spoke up in a low, languid tone: "Did you two forget that there’s still someone else here?"
Jiang Bai and Qian Renxue turned to look at her in unison. Jiang Li’er rolled her eyes: "Come on, let’s go. We can talk about it once we get back."
Walking side by side, the three of them headed toward the sleeping quarters deep within Pope Mountain.
The night breeze was cool, stirring the hems of their robes.
...
Meanwhile, at the hotel where the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan was staying...
Inside the luxurious penthouse suite on the top floor, the lights blazed brightly.
Ning Fengzhi sat in the seat of honor, cradling a cup of tea in his hands. The tea had long since gone cold, yet he had not taken a single sip for quite some time.
Chen Xin sat opposite him, equally silent.
Outside the window, the moonlight flowed like water.
Inside the room, the atmosphere was heavy with tension.
After a long while, Ning Fengzhi finally spoke.
His voice was soft, yet tinged with a hint of hoarseness: "Uncle Sword, what do you make of this?"
Chen Xin remained silent for a moment, then slowly replied: "That Jiang Bai... is no simple man."
Ning Fengzhi nodded: "With nine 100,000-year Spirit Rings, he is certainly not simple."
Chen Xin shook his head: "It’s not just that."
He paused, his gaze drifting toward the window as if lost in recollection: "I’ve been observing him all evening."
"Although the man is young, there isn’t a shred of the arrogance typical of a youth who has achieved success too early in his demeanor or speech. When faced with flattery, he remained neither humble nor haughty; and when faced with probing questions..."
Chen Xin paused again, the corner of his mouth twitching slightly: "He is utterly inscrutable."
Upon hearing this, a faint look of unease crossed Ning Fengzhi’s face as well.
He recalled that remark about "how pleased" he was, the scene where Jiang Bai asked to "have a word in private," and—most painfully—the ten million gold spirit coins he had lost...
He took a deep breath, suppressing the sense of frustration welling up inside him, and stated in a low, grave voice: "The way this man operates defies all conventional logic."
"When I tried to probe him, his words—both spoken and implied—seemed to suggest he felt the Spirit Hall had treated him unfairly."
Chen Xin frowned: "Do you believe him?"
Ning Fengzhi fell silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "I’m half-convinced, half-skeptical."
He rose from his seat and walked over to the window, gazing out at the moonlight.
The moonlight flowed like water, washing over his refined and scholarly features, yet it could not dispel the shadow of gloom lingering in his eyes. "But one thing is certain."
His voice was low and grave: "This man’s power is unfathomable."
"Nine hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings—that is absolutely beyond the reach of mortal man. Behind him...behind this, there must lie a world-shaking secret."
Chen Xin nodded.
Ning Fengzhi continued, "Moreover, he killed the Clear Sky Douluo."
He turned around to face Chen Xin, his gaze filled with complexity.
"Tang Hao was a direct-line disciple of the Clear Sky Sect—a disgrace to the sect, and a source of deep anguish. Now that he is dead, the Clear Sky Sect may remain silent on the surface, but beneath the surface..."
He left the sentence unfinished, yet Chen Xin had already grasped his meaning.
The fact that the Clear Sky Sect had withdrawn from the world did not mean they had ceased to exist.
No matter how unworthy Tang Hao may have been, he was still a member of the Clear Sky Sect.
With his Soul Bones having been taken and offered up as a prize, could the Clear Sky Sect possibly tolerate such an affront?
Chen Xin spoke in a deep, grave tone, "You wish to win Jiang Bai over?"
Ning Fengzhi nodded, then shook his head. "I do wish to—but..."
He let out a sigh. "Jiang Bai killed the Clear Sky Douluo; his relationship with the Clear Sky Sect is, in all likelihood, beyond reconciliation."
"If we were to recruit Jiang Bai, then how would the Three Upper Sects..."
He paused, his voice sinking even lower. "...continue to stand united in solidarity?"