C21 More Precious than Crystal Stones?

"What's your angle, Wang Fei?" Ye Wenxuan glared at Wang Fei, his anger palpable. It was clear to everyone that Wang Fei was deliberately driving up the price—how could he not see it?

"I really don't get what you're saying," Wang Fei scoffed. "The Treasure-seizing Organization is all about free bidding. Whether to trade or not is up to the owner of the treasure. Are you saying he's allowed to bid but I'm not?"

He hadn't been interested in the item initially, but that changed when he saw Xiao Yu make a bid.

Earlier, at the entrance, Xiao Yu had caused him a setback. He had come into the Treasure-seizing Organization with the intention of targeting Xiao Yu, planning to outbid him for anything he wanted, just to be contrary.

But to his surprise, Xiao Yu hadn't placed a single bid until now, thwarting his plan.

He had thought Xiao Yu wouldn't bid at all after that, but unexpectedly, Xiao Yu had taken an interest in this particular item.

While more than ten thousand crystals was a considerable sum for him, Xiao Yu had boldly raised the bid from one thousand to ten thousand, as if he recognized the item's worth.

Wang Fei figured that if Xiao Yu was willing to raise the bid so generously, the item might indeed be valuable. So he decisively bid higher, both to antagonize Xiao Yu and because, even if Xiao Yu stopped bidding, he might still come out ahead.

"Cut the crap!" Ye Wenxuan was livid, but before he could erupt, Xiao Yu held him back.

Remaining composed, Xiao Yu gave Wang Fei a dismissive look and asked coolly, "Are you certain you want to compete with me?"

"What's there to be unsure about?" Wang Fei retorted arrogantly. "The Treasure-seizing Organization is about fair competition. Whoever offers the most wins. Otherwise, what's the point of calling it a Treasure-seizing Organization? Of course, you're welcome to keep bidding. If you can outbid me in the end, the item is yours."

His tone made it clear that he was banking on his affiliation with the Wang Family, intending to use his wealth in crystals to overpower Xiao Yu and avenge a previous slight.

"So, this is a contest of who has more crystals?" Xiao Yu chuckled.

The hundred Spirit-gathering Talismans that had been previously inscribed were already delivered to Tianming Pavilion. While most of his crystals were entrusted to Lin Yurou for safekeeping, he still possessed nearly half a million crystals.

Wang Fei might have a substantial number of crystals, but they paled in comparison to his own reserves.

"You're right, I may not have much, but I certainly have an abundance of crystals!" Wang Fei boasted with unabashed arrogance.

Born into the Wang Family, he looked down on Xiao Yu, who was merely a servant of the Lin Family, convinced that Xiao Yu couldn't possibly have more crystals than him.

Xiao Yu did have the coveted Spirit-gathering Talismans, but using them for a trade would put him at a disadvantage. Wang Fei was confident Xiao Yu wouldn't resort to such a trade.

"Damn, you think you're the only one with crystals? You think I don't have any? Brother, don't worry. If you're short on crystals, I've got your back!" Ye Wenxuan exclaimed furiously.

Having received a Spirit-gathering Talisman from Xiao Yu before, Ye Wenxuan felt no qualms about offering all his crystals in support; he knew he was not at a loss, thus he staunchly backed Xiao Yu.

"Heh, if that's how it's going to be, I'm game. Xuehan, if I run low on crystals later, make sure to lend me some," Wang Fei said, not giving an inch, as he turned to Lin Xuehan.

Lin Xuehan exchanged a glance with Xiao Yu before nodding in agreement.

Ye Wenxuan's expression soured at this. The Lin Family might not rival the Wang or Ye Families in strength, but they were far from weak. United, Lin Xuehan and Wang Fei's combined might could potentially overwhelm him and Xiao Yu.

Onlookers exchanged uneasy glances. This confrontation had escalated beyond a mere competition for treasures; it was now a full-blown battle to crush the other's pride.

And with both parties being influential, no one dared to intervene, fearing the repercussions.

It was clear that this clash of titans was going to cost one side dearly.

"Well then, I won't hold back. The first to back down is a coward!" Xiao Yu's temper flared in response to Wang Fei's provocation.

Even a clay figure has its limits, and Wang Fei had tested his patience one too many times. Did he really think Xiao Yu was a pushover?

"Heh, you think I'm scared of you?" Wang Fei was not one to back down easily. Upon hearing Xiao Yu's challenge, he was determined to stand his ground, even if they were vying for a worthless lump of mud!

"Alright, brother, I'm game for a challenge today!" Ye Wenxuan, having heard Xiao Yu's declaration, felt compelled to join in, despite his reservations.

"Bidding in increments of a thousand is dull. You're up to ten thousand? Then I'll raise it to twenty thousand!" Xiao Yu declared nonchalantly.

Everyone gasped.

The bidding had escalated quickly from one thousand to ten thousand, and now from ten thousand to twenty thousand in a heartbeat. Xiao Yu spoke as if the crystals were mere pebbles!

Though they all hailed from noble families, ten thousand crystals was a significant sum. It wasn't that they couldn't afford it, but it would take a considerable time to accumulate such wealth.

"You think I can't match that? Thirty thousand crystals!" Wang Fei said through gritted teeth, pushed into a corner by Xiao Yu. If Xiao Yu bid ten thousand in one go and he only added a thousand, he would be conceding the upper hand.

"Forty thousand!" Xiao Yu's voice was calm but carried a weight of authority.

At the mention of forty thousand, Wang Fei hesitated. Could Xiao Yu really be so bold as to increase the bid by ten thousand without a second thought?

Forty thousand crystals had reached an astronomical figure, even in the history of the Treasure-seizing Organization. He could afford it, but it was nearing his limit.

"Xuehan, how many crystals do you have?" Wang Fei, feeling the pressure of the onlookers, was no longer concerned about the true worth of the mud. His only focus was to outbid Xiao Yu.

"I have about forty thousand," Lin Xuehan replied. She wanted to advise Wang Fei against this reckless bidding war, but seeing the fervor in his eyes, she held her tongue.

"Fine, I'll go fifty thousand!" Wang Fei declared, throwing caution to the wind. With his own sixty thousand crystals and all of Lin Xuehan's, they had a total of one hundred thousand.

"Sixty thousand!" Xiao Yu responded, still composed, showing not the slightest hint of hesitation.

"Bro, take it easy. I've only got about fifty thousand on me. Don't bid too high," Ye Wenxuan cautioned Xiao Yu in a hushed tone, a hint of worry in his voice.

He wasn't stingy about the 50,000 crystals; his concern was the embarrassment of winning the bid but not having enough crystals to cover it. So, he decided to give Xiao Yu a heads-up.

"No worries," Xiao Yu replied with a serene shake of his head, having no intention of using Ye Wenxuan's crystals in the first place.

Xiao Yu appreciated Ye Wenxuan's support, though. It was good to see him standing by his side, especially after he had given him a Spirit-drawing Talisman earlier.

"Seventy thousand!" Wang Fei was visibly upset, doubting Xiao Yu would dare to raise the stakes further.

"Eighty thousand!" Xiao Yu countered without a moment's delay, adding another ten thousand right after Wang Fei's bid.

Ye Wenxuan's heart skipped a beat at the rapid escalation, but he couldn't bring himself to urge Xiao Yu to back down now. That would be tantamount to conceding defeat and a total loss of face.

"Ninety thousand!" After a brief hesitation, Wang Fei bit the bullet and followed suit with his bid.

The bidding war between the two had everyone nearby astounded.

In previous Treasure-seizing Organization events, fierce bidding wars were common, but they typically saw incremental increases of a few thousand at most. Now, these two were upping the ante by ten thousand with each bid, far exceeding past norms.

And to the envy of many, the price had soared to an astonishing 100,000 after just a few exchanges!

Who could have imagined such a seemingly worthless item fetching such an exorbitant price?

Though they weren't directly involved, the frenzied bidding had many onlookers thrilled, all eager to see which of the two would back down first.