Chapter 15: This Is s.n.a.t.c.hing Money!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
When Zhuo Yifan heard that, the anger and disappointment in him could hardly be described. He felt disconsolate upon seeing w.a.n.g Baole create Spirit Stones on the spot.
“This is unfair!
“How can the Dao College leave such unbalanced matters unchecked? If this goes on, won’t the auction house end up being reserved specially for people from the Dharmic Armament faculty?” Zhuo Yifan was trembling in anger. It felt impossible for him to vent the aggrieved feelings and anger in him.
However, before he could finish, a senior student beside him laughed.
“You are really naive.”
“They specialize in the art of printing money. Why would the Dao College interfere in that? But what you said is right. Auction houses are prepared for the Dharmic Armament faculty. Didn’t you notice? The moment he bid, everyone fell silent. You are still a freshman and lack experience.”
The senior student sighed. Many of his peers beside him sighed as well.
“Once people from the Dharmic Armament faculty appear in an auction house, they will always have first dibs. Once they are done picking, the rest will be left to us from the other faculties. There’s no other way about it. We earn money, and if we are lucky, s.n.a.t.c.h money, but they… they create money.”
“Isn’t that so? They can create as much as they want. How can you compete with that?”
The senior students had a lamentable tone to their words. It drove Zhuo Yifan crazy once again. In his rage, he felt like he had suddenly become a pauper. However, he caught wind of the term ‘s.n.a.t.c.h money’ and could not help but ask, “The Dao College allows the s.n.a.t.c.hing of money?”
The senior students did not reply and only smiled.
Zhuo Yifan felt despondent that even the senior students did not reply to him. He glared at w.a.n.g Baole, feeling extremely indignant. He felt that he had a lot of Spirit Stones, and even if w.a.n.g Baole could print money, he would ultimately be slower. There was no way he could s.n.a.t.c.h the pill from him. Therefore, when the auctioneer had struck the hammer twice and was about to deliver the third final strike, he shouted, “I offer 1,700 Spirit Stones!”
w.a.n.g Baole turned his head and glared at Zhuo Yifan. He found Zhuo Yifan an increasingly sore sight and was bent on going all out.
“I offer 2,000 Spirit Stones!” The moment he said that, w.a.n.g Baole finished refining a Spirit Stone and began to refine a second one. He had already made up his mind. At worse, he would stay back for a period of time after the auction, leaving only after he was done refining all the Spirit Stones. Even if he became fat again, he had to win the auction. He needed to get the last say to vent his anger.
“You!” Zhuo Yifan’s eyes turned red. Just as he was about to speak further while w.a.n.g Baole had taken out the second Empty Stone to refine, the auctioneer laughed bitterly. He saw that w.a.n.g Baole was a specially-recruited student of the Dharmic Armament faculty. He felt that the Cleansing Pill’s price was already sufficiently high and did not wish to offend the Dharmic Armament faculty. He immediately said aloud, “This student from the Dharmic Armament faculty, there’s no rush. As a member of the Dharmic Armament faculty, all you need to provide is an IOU and spend it like Spirit Stones at my Cloud Hawk Auction House. After which, you simply need to make up for the amount within a stipulated amount of time. There’s no rush.”
The moment that was said, no one seemed to react except the freshmen who drew a gasp. Many people immediately regretted choosing the wrong faculty.
“Ah? That can be done?” w.a.n.g Baole was taken aback. His eyes widened, apparently somewhat uncertain. When he saw the auctioneer nod his head in confirmation, w.a.n.g Baole felt a rush of excitement. He immediately felt enlightened, as the adrift him finally realized at that very moment… that the Dharmic Armament faculty was truly formidable!
Compared to w.a.n.g Baole’s excitement, Zhuo Yifan was completely dumbfounded. If his seniors’ words had dealt a blow to him, then what the auctioneer had said was like using a sharp blade to stab deep into his nascent and tiny heart.
He felt faint as his body stumbled. The setback and helpless emotions overwhelmed him. When he saw w.a.n.g Baole’s smug look, he recalled the running and weight-lifting incidents. He then noticed the strange looks that people around him were sending his way. His eyes turned crimson-red as he roared, “w.a.n.g Baole, I challenge you!”
With that said, he directly issued w.a.n.g Baole a challenge.
The moment that was said, there was an uproar once again. w.a.n.g Baole frowned as well.
When he saw w.a.n.g Baole hesitate, Zhuo Yifan felt a lot better. He had nearly been driven crazy just moments ago. Although he might not have been as rich as w.a.n.g Baole, but his martial strength was sufficient. He definitely needed to vent his anger.
He had thought it through. Even if w.a.n.g Baole did not accept his challenge, he could forcefully attack to teach him a lesson. With his challenge issued, he was about to walk out the auction house and wait outside.
However, at that moment, w.a.n.g Baole snorted. He was completely uninterested in such a challenge and could not be bothered with it. His goal was to become Head Prefect, not be caught up in meaningless challenges.
He recalled the auctioneer’s words and drew inferences from it. He immediately wrote an IOU of a hundred Spirit Stones and raised it high up in the auction house, shouting proudly, “This IOU for one hundred Spirit Stones will be given to whoever deals with him for me!”
The moment he said that, everyone drew a gasp once again. This act that caught people by surprise left Zhuo Yifan dumbfounded once more. Before he could react, the eyes of the senior student who he had recently become acquainted with lit up. With a loud laugh, he charged forward and grabbed the IOU and ran toward Zhuo Yifan.
“I’ll do it!”
The other senior students were reeling in excitement as they charged at Zhuo Yifan with loud roars. They were even saying things like…
“He’s mine! Don’t you s.n.a.t.c.h it from me!”
“Darn it, all of you are too fast! This opportunity is a rare one!”
Instantly, Zhuo Yifan was surrounded by at least dozens of senior students.
“Seniors…” Zhuo Yifan trembled. He wanted to escape, but it was too late. He was pummeled by the dozens of people surrounding him. Amid the blows, Zhuo Yifan’s tragic cries sounded.
“I’m… a specially-recruited student. How can you…”
“That’s right. I’ve long wanted to beat one up!”
The senior student who had sat beside Zhuo Yifan was especially enthusiastic. He explained as he delivered his blows, “You previously asked me what s.n.a.t.c.hing money is. Well, this is what’s s.n.a.t.c.hing money!”
Immediately, the auction house was thrown into chaos. Some even took out video equipment to begin a live stream.
Zhuo Yifan uttered an aggrieved cry. It was tragic, but thankfully, this was an auction house. Soon, ma.s.sive numbers of guards came in to pull the crowd apart.
If others had been fighting, the Cloud Hawk Auction House would definitely have dealt with it harshly, but since the fighting parties were students of Ethereal Dao College, it did not dare offend Ethereal Dao College, which always took the side of its students. These students were always a trouble for it, despite its powerful background. The students were like ancestors: ent.i.ties not to be provoked.
Therefore, all they could do was persuade them and pull them away. Only when everyone was sent out did the commotion come to an end.
As for w.a.n.g Baole, he had long left. A young lady working at the auction house led him around while looking curious and charming. He wrote an IOU and took the Cleansing Pill away before he was sent out the auction house. The service was excellent, and before he w.a.n.g Baole left, the lady even deliberately leaned toward him and asked for his contact details.
This made w.a.n.g Baole realize how impressive he was. Pleased with himself, he returned to the Dharmic Armament faculty. He sat in his cave abode and felt the desire to become Head Prefect become more intense.
The Dharmic Armament faculty is indeed impressive. If I can become Head Prefect, that will be my first step toward the pinnacle of my life! w.a.n.g Baole was delighted. Just as he was about to take the Cleansing Pill, he suddenly smacked himself on the forehead.
I can’t be so careless. I need to remember many of the lessons written in the high officials’ autobiographies. I was too rash today and ended up being high-profile. I should keep a low profile. w.a.n.g Baole approved of his realization and, after some reflection, calmed his agitated emotions. Only then did he take out the Cleansing Pill that he won at the auction. After looking at it carefully, he took a whiff and swallowed it.
The pill instantly melted the moment it entered his mouth. A warmth immediately rose up from his abdomen, like a roaring wave, and spread through his body rapidly and forcefully. This was the first time w.a.n.g Baole had eaten a pill. Furthermore, it contained a sizable number of precious herbs, making it extremely potent. w.a.n.g Baole’s body trembled as a result.
w.a.n.g Baole’s breathing hastened as he began to sweat profusely all over. He hurriedly took off his clothes and sat there naked. He was alarmed when he saw his sweat pores secreting black impurities that looked like slag.
That’s scary!
As the impurities were purged, he clearly felt that his body seemed to turn more permeable. Even his Blood Qi was much richer than before.
Amid w.a.n.g Baole’s delighted surprise, the impurities continued purging for three full days until the medicinal effects wore off. After he washed his body thoroughly, he looked at his round body and smooth skin before laughing loudly.
It’s indeed a good pill!
After he admired what he felt was a perfect bodyline, he put his clothes back on and took out some Ice Spirit Water. He finished a huge bottle before eating some snacks. Filled with antic.i.p.ation, he began refining Spirit Stones. He wanted to know if he could break the bottleneck of 75%!