Chapter 97

Chapter 97: Violet Redbud Auction

Translator: GravityTales  Editor: GravityTales

Tang Xiu had just come out from the villa’s hall when he bumped into a middle-aged man at the entrance. The man had a square face, a well-shaped figure, 1.8m in height, and sparkling eyes that were full of spirit.

“Who are you looking for?”

“I’m looking for Tang Xiu.”

Tang Xiu’s brow slanted as he sized him up and said, “I’m Tang Xiu, who are you?”

“I’m Tang Dong! I heard that you wanted to see me?”

Tang Dong also sized up Tang Xiu as a quizzical expression could be seen from his eyes. He didn’t understand why the young man who was recently famous in the last 2 days on Jingmen Island wished to see him.

Tang Xiu nodded and said, “Yes, I originally wanted to see the Old Master of the Manor. But since I heard that it was very difficult to see him, I wanted to see you to ask you about something. Can we find another suitable place to speak?”

Tang Dong looked at Tang Xiu’s villa as he turned around and said, “Come with me! There’s a villa specially used as a teahouse nearby. It’s usually not open to the public though.”

Shortly after…

They arrived at the villa as the attendants then served tea. Whilst savoring the taste of the tea, Tang Dong looked at Tang Xiu and asked, “Then, tell me! For what issues are you seeking me for?”

Tang Xiu said, “I’m interested in the ingredients you’re using for the main course. If I may, could you tell me the place where you have hunted the fierce beasts?”

Tang Dong replied with a smile, “Ah, it’s for this matter. In fact, there are a lot of people who know about the place where we hunt fierce beasts. There’s a marine trench near Jingmen Island called the Eyes of Death. There are some fierce beasts there, with each one of them being very ferocious, even the majority of them have simple spiritual wisdom.”

Tang Xiu said, “Hunting these ferocious beasts couldn’t have been easy, could it?”

Tang Dong replied with a helpless expression, “Naturally, it’s not easy. Every time we go to the Eyes of Death, some of our staff are injured and even die. This is also the reason why the meal pricing at our Seaside Strait Manor is very expensive.”

Tang Xiu replied with an expression of understanding, “I could tell that your Manor’s security personnel are martial arts expert. If you pay a little bit of attention, you could use tip pointed weapons to hunt the fierce beasts. Lastly, does your Manor sell the fierce beast bodies?”

Tang Dong frowned as he asked with a puzzled expression, “You need fierce beast bodies?”

Tang Xiu said, “Yes, that’s right!

Tang Dong shook his head and said, “Our Manor does indeed have fierce beast bodies, but they are not for sell. Because hunting fierce beasts is very difficult and it’s also our Manor’s specialty since we need the ingredients from fierce beast bodies. So… I’m very sorry.”

Tang Xiu was silent for a while before he slowly spoke, “If I don’t need fierce beast meat, can you sell me the fierce beast skin, claw, scales, bones, blood, and other materials?”

Tang Dong then asked with a curious expression, “What do you need these things for?”

Tang Xiu calmly answered, “I’m going to deploy formation array and need these things in particular.”

Tang Dong asked with astonishment, “You can create a formation array? Isn’t that some kind of ancient art of deploying formation for divination and making yourself invisible?”

Tang Xiu nodded and said, “I believe you’ve heard about me having broken through the sixth layer of the Thousand Revolution Array at the Everlasting Feast Hall, yes? If I have no knowledge about formation arrays, how could it be possible to break through the array?”

Tang Dong patted his forehead as he smiled and said, “Ah, how could my head be this murky at this time? Anyways, since you need these things, I can sell them to you. But since we’re businessmen, what price can you give me for these?”

Tang Xiu thought for a moment before he replied seriously, “For one fierce beast’s remaining skin, claws, scales, bones, and other materials, I’ll pay you 5 million, how about it?”

5 million?

Tang Dong looked at Tang Xiu with a dumbstruck expression. He never once dreamed that Tang Xiu would offer such a high price. His Manor only used the meat from the fierce beast’s body and had nearly no other uses for the remaining parts. Even so, all the meat taken from fierce beasts as food ingredients were only sold for about 10 million. As for the remaining parts, they sold them at a very low price.

“What? Is the price not enough?” Tang Xiu asked more.

Tang Dong waved his hand and said, “No no no. It’s satisfying enough. Your price is fair so we have a deal. Are there any other things you need?”

Tang Xiu said, “If you have them at present, I can directly buy them right now.”

Tang Dong immediately got up and spoke seriously, “Our Manor happens to have the remaining parts of fierce beasts. I’ll take you there to see them.”

“Alright!” Tang Xiu then got up immediately.

However, when he just followed Tang Dong for about 10 steps, only then did he remember that he also should buy the materials to draw paper talisman, so he immediately spoke and said, “May I ask for another favor?”

Tang Dong replied with an amiable expression, “Please do say!”

Tang Xiu said, “I was planning to go out to buy some things. Could you send someone to help me buy them? Those materials are not easy to find but are cheap. I believe that if you ask around, you can find and buy them.”

Tang Dong replied whilst smiling, “It’s alright. Write the things you want to buy on a note and I’ll send someone to buy them immediately. You can pay for them later after he comes back.”

“That’s fine!”

10 minutes later.

Tang Xiu and Tang Dong came to the kitchen deep inside the Manor area and went over to a large warehouse behind the kitchen. A large ice compartment was beside the warehouse with 2 dead frozen fierce beasts inside. After being dissected, the other fierce beast body parts were then piled on the stockpile outside.

“These are remaining body parts from 4 fierce beasts, and we have no uses for them. If you find them satisfying, then we’ll sell them to you according to your price.” With some expectation on his face, Tang Dong looked at Tang Xiu.

Tang Xiu scrutinized them for a few minutes as he nodded and said, “I’ll take them and transfer the money to you immediately. But could I ask for another favor again?”

“Do tell me!” Tang Dong happily replied.

Tang Xiu said, “I come from Star City, but I have no time and means to ship these things back to Star City. I’ll give you my address, could you send them to my place? After you deliver them, I’ll arrange some people to receive these things there.”

Tang Dong replied with a smile, “No problem.”

4 fierce beasts remaining body parts for a total 20 million. Since Tang Xiu had just learned to transfer through mobile banking, he transferred 20 million to Tang Dong.

“For six months, for every fierce beast your Manor hunts and dissects, please send all the remaining body parts to me. Save my mobile number and send them to Star City, and then I’ll transfer you the money immediately.” Having finished the transaction, Tang Xiu added again.

Tang Dong stared blankly as he then replied with astonishment, “Only half a year?”

Tang Xiu said, “Yes, only half a year! The fierce beasts you’ve hunted are only low-order fierce beasts and are only useful for about 6 months to me. After 6 months, unless you can hunt more powerful fierce beasts, they are no longer useful to me.”

Tang Dong suddenly understood as he smiled and said, “Rest assured! Since it’s only half a year, I will naturally send people to the Eyes of Death to hunt for a larger number of fierce beasts.”

Tang Xiu nodded and said, “That being the case, I’ll go back to the villa where I had my meal first. I’ll pay for the meals and the things I need to buy directly to the person you have sent.”

Tang Dong waved and said, “I already know the things you must buy. The money you’ve paid is already enough so you don’t need to pay more.”

He wasn’t a fool. He already got a high price from the fierce beasts’ remaining body parts. So he didn’t care about a small amount of money. He might as well give a little discount as a favor since he had a future transaction agreement with Tang Xiu to sell fierce beast materials.

“Then, that’s good!”

Tang Xiu only simply complied and left directly.

Tang Dong squinted his eyes as he looked at Tang Xiu’s back. A peculiar feeling sprouted in his heart. Tang Xiu was obviously only about 20 years old. But his attitude and mannerism were unlike a young man, and instead felt like a mature and experienced man, even giving off a vibe of a person with a distinguished status. This kind of feeling made him feel that it was absurd and ridiculous.

Tang Xiu returned to the villa where he had his meal before and found that Shao Mingzhen and Miao Wentang had arrived as they were chatting with Dao Master Ziyi.

“Mr. Tang!”

“Mr. Tang!”

Shao Mingzhen and Miao Wentang got up and greeted with a slightly cordial tone.

Tang Xiu nodded at them and said, “You need to wait for a while. I’ve asked someone to buy the materials to draw the paper talismans we would need, and they soon will be sent to me. Just wait for me to draw the paper talismans and we can begin our journey.”

Shao Mingzhen and Miao Wentang glanced at each other and they did n’t speak.

Dao Master Ziyi then spoke with a smile, “Benefactor Tang, this Poor Taoist has never thought that the 2 friends you’ve invited turned out to be Benefactor Shao and Benefactor Miao. This Poor Taoist has been acquainted with them before but didn’t know that they also visited Jingmen Island. I’ve just chatted with them and heard about the Violet Redbud Auction. If we may, can we reschedule the trip to the Evil Dragon Sea Area for tomorrow?”

Rescheduling and delaying the time?

Tang Xiu’s eyebrows wrinkled. He was somewhat unhappy inside, but did not directly show it, and instead asked, “What is this Violet Redbud Auction?”

Miao Wentang quickly explained, “The Violet Redbud Auction, is a nationwide large annual auction where some useful items for cultivators would sometimes be auctioned there. I’ve participated in a few events of Violet Redbud Auction and obtained a big harvest, even though I did spend quite a large amount of money. If we miss it this time, we have to wait again next year.”

“Things that are useful to cultivators?”

Tang Xiu thought for a moment and then slowly spoke, “That being the case, then we’ll leave tomorrow. However, when will Violet Redbud Auction be held? Is there any chance for me to participate?”

Miao Wentang secretly felt relieved. He was really afraid that Tang Xiu would not agree. Upon hearing Tang Xiu’s inquiry, he immediately replied, “2 days ago my friends on Jingmen Island had given me 4 tickets to the Violet Redbud Auction. I originally planned for me and Brother Shao to go, but added with the two of you, the tickets are sufficient.”

Tang Xiu said, “That’s good then. Fortunately, I have a little cash to spare. I’ll have a look whether there would be something that I need to buy there.”

Miao Wentang and Shao Mingzhen glanced at each other as they secretly smiled wryly in their hearts. They wanted to form a good relationship with Tang Xiu. If they happened to eye the same thing as Tang Xiu, they probably would not choose to compete with Tang Xiu.

*[Long Taos]: side characters in Chinese operas who perform acrobatics and fight scenes

*[12.47 to 13.07]: don’t ask me about the tree sap