Under the strange gazes of the many guards, Hong Yu fled the Beichen Mansion at the fastest speed he had ever mustered in his life.
It was just too embarrassing!
Even now, his mind was filled with the image of Beichen Tianshuang's soft and vulnerable eyes, her shy face, and her beautiful figure.
These images were like maggots clinging to bone, impossible to shake off.
He glanced at his palm, where the faint fragrance of the young woman seed to linger. Hong Yu shook his head with a wry smile and sighed. "Hong Yu, oh, Hong Yu... Even facing a Primordial Core Realm expert didn't leave you this flustered. How could you fall apart like this in front of a woman?"
Frustrated, he tapped his head.
Gazing at the bustling street, Hong Yu contemplated his next move.
'There's absolutely no way I can go back to the Beichen Family anyti soon!'
'Setting aside whatever Beichen Tianshuang's attitude might be, my own conscience is already killing !'
'Especially since Beichen Tianshuang is Little Feng's aunt. If that little guy finds out I saw his aunt naked and touched what I shouldn't have, who knows how he'll react!'
He was a stranger in a strange land here in the Qin Kingdom. Besides the Beichen Family, the only other person he knew was Sister Qin.
But...
Hong Yu felt an instinctual aversion to the Royal Family.
Just as he was feeling helpless, Hong Yu suddenly thought of a place to go. 'Since I can't go anywhere else, I might as well take this chance to visit the Underground Alliance. This is their headquarters for the Southern Ten Nations Alliance, so they should have plenty of good stuff. Hopefully, I can find the materials for the Spirit Communication Pill and a cultivation technique all in one go!'
The Underground Alliance was an imnsely vast organization.
No one knew who the true backer of the Underground Alliance was. The only thing known for sure was that it had branches throughout the entire Southern Border Profound Domain.
If one were to judge purely by the number of powerful experts, the Underground Alliance was without a doubt the number one power in the Southern Border Profound Domain!
Of course, compared to the Sects, Royal Families, and Noble Families, the experts of the Underground Alliance were much more loosely organized.
It was precisely this loose structure that allowed the Underground Alliance's existence to be accepted by other powers without too much resentnt or backlash.
The various interests were intricate and complex.
However, none of this had much to do with the common folk.
Hong Yu quickly found the entrance to the Underground Alliance. As the headquarters for the Southern Ten Nations, the branch in Qin Royal City was built on an exceptionally grand scale.
Gazing at the tall, palace-like building before him, Hong Yu couldn't help but smack his lips. Compared to this, the Underground Alliance in Shishui City was like a beggar's den.
As he stepped inside, an air of opulence and splendor washed over him.
'First, I'll check the mission registration desk.'
Although the scale was much larger, the operational procedures followed the sa system, so he easily found the mission registration desk.
Behind the counter was a young woman with long, flowing hair. She smiled sweetly at Hong Yu and asked, "Hello, sir. How may I help you?"
Hong Yu rubbed his nose. "What I need is a bit complicated. Could I have a piece of paper, if possible?"
"Of course. Please wait a mont."
The young woman took out a pen and paper and placed them on the counter.
After so thought, Hong Yu wrote down the dicinal ingredients needed for refining the Spirit Communication Pill on the white paper.
The Spirit Communication Pill was classified as a Third-Grade Pill.
The ingredients it required were naturally very precious. In particular, the Celestial Star Vine and the Seven-Scented Ganoderma Grass were Third Grade Advanced Spirit dicines, making them extrely rare and valuable.
After listing all the ingredients needed to refine the Spirit Communication Pill, Hong Yu handed the paper to the long-haired young woman.
The young woman looked at the list and expertly checked it against a price chart. The smile on her face grew even more enthusiastic. "Sir, the ingredients you need are valued at over fifty million in total. The Celestial Star Vine and the Seven-Scented Ganoderma Grass are especially precious. This matter is beyond my authority, so please follow to the manager's office. He will make the arrangents for you."
"Alright."
Fifty million Gold Coins, and that wasn't even including the value of the Celestial Star Vine and the Seven-Scented Ganoderma Grass. If those two were factored in, the cost to refine a single Spirit Communication Pill would likely be several hundred million!
Because of this, on the continent, a single Tier Three Spirit Pill could often be sold for hundreds of millions, or even over a billion.
As for a Pill with a special purpose like the Spirit Communication Pill, its value was naturally even higher.
Of course, if not for practicing the Heaven-Swallowing Divine Technique, taking a Spirit Communication Pill would only serve to strengthen one's foundation and slightly enhance their Spiritual Power; it didn't have many other effects.
If it were actually put up for sale, its value probably wouldn't be that high.
But none of that mattered to Hong Yu.
When Hong Yu arrived at the manager's office, a young man in an embroidered robe was already seated inside. Judging by the manager's deferential attitude toward him, it was clear that this person was a scion of a powerful Noble Family.
"Manager!"
the long-haired young woman called out crisply.
The manager, who was in the middle of an animated conversation with the robed young man, frowned. He shot a displeased glance at the girl, and his expression turned to one of impatience, especially after seeing the plainly dressed Hong Yu. "What is it?"
The young woman faltered for a mont, then forced herself to say, "Manager, this custor's order is valued at over fifty million, which requires your personal approval, so..."
"Oh?"
The manager was taken aback for a second. Fifty million Gold Coins was not a small order. Normally, the manager would have to greet such a distinguished guest with great enthusiasm.
But right now...
Glancing at the composed, robed young man before him, the manager waved a dismissive hand at Hong Yu. "I'm entertaining a distinguished guest right now. Tell him to wait outside. I'll call him in after I've taken care of Young Master Tie's business."
"But..."
The long-haired young woman looked at Hong Yu, her expression helpless.
Hong Yu shrugged, not making things difficult for the girl. "Then we'll wait outside."
"Mm!"
The young woman breathed a sigh of relief. If Hong Yu had insisted, she would have been the one to suffer for it in the end.
Accompanied by the young woman, Hong Yu sat quietly in the main hall to wait. The wait lasted for three full hours.
During this ti, the young woman ca over to check on Hong Yu several tis.
It wasn't until the fourth hour was more than halfway through that the manager's door finally opened. The manager, all smiles, personally escorted the robed Young Master Tie out.
Finally, he gripped Young Master Tie's hand with great enthusiasm. "Young Master Tie, rest assured. The partnership between your Iron Soldier Pavilion and our Underground Alliance is a long-standing one. As for the matter you just ntioned, I'll have my people prepare for it right away. I will definitely give you a most satisfactory answer."
"Then I'll have to trouble you, Manager."
Young Master Tie gave a faint smile.
The manager quickly offered a few more pleasantries, then extended an enthusiastic invitation, "Young Master Tie, we happen to be holding a grand auction today. If you are interested, I'll have soone arrange a private box for you right now!"
"Well... don't you need a reservation to attend your esteed establishnt's auctions? I ca in such a hurry..." Young Master Tie said, hesitating.
The manager waved his hand dismissively. "Rules are made by people! Young Master Tie, please, just go ahead!" The manager beckoned to an attendant. "You, co here. Arrange a top-class private box for Young Master Tie at the auction."
"Yes, sir!"
the attendant said respectfully. "This way, Young Master Tie."
Young Master Tie nodded. As he passed by Hong Yu, a hint of amusent and contempt flickered across his face.
Hong Yu rubbed his nose, feeling a bit speechless. 'Another rich second-generation kid.'
After seeing Young Master Tie off with a smile, the manager finally noticed Hong Yu. Without moving from his spot, he beckoned. "Hey, you. It's your turn. Co on over."
Once back inside the room, the manager's attitude had clearly undergone a complete one-eighty.
Just monts ago, when facing Young Master Tie, he had been all smiles, as warm as a sumr fire.
Now, facing Hong Yu, his expression was cold and superior. He leaned back in his chair without offering Hong Yu any courtesy, simply pointing a finger at the chair opposite him. "I hear you want so dicinal ingredients? What do you need?"
"It's all on this list."
Hong Yu smiled.
The manager glanced at the list in his hand. He was calm at first, but his eyebrows twitched when he saw Celestial Star Vine and Seven-Scented Ganoderma Grass.
He tapped his fingers lightly on the desk and said in a low voice, "Aside from the Celestial Star Vine and the Seven-Scented Ganoderma Grass, which cannot be sold directly, the other Spirit dicines can be sold to you. However, you should know that our Underground Alliance doesn't do credit. If you don't have enough cash or a Treasure to use as collateral, I suggest you go back for now."
"Fifty million, right? I have that."
Hong Yu smiled, then asked, "Manager, you just said the Celestial Star Vine and the Seven-Scented Ganoderma Grass can't be sold directly. Does that an your esteed auction house has these two Spirit dicines?"
"Naturally."
Hong Yu continued, "How can I buy them?"
The manager shot Hong Yu a disdainful look. "These two ingredients are precious Third Grade items. You can't get them for just a few tens of millions."
"I'm prepared for that," Hong Yu said with a nod.
The manager frowned. He felt that Hong Yu was being incredibly obtuse. He had already given such an obvious hint, yet the man still didn't know when to back off.
As he thought this, the manager's attitude grew even colder. "The only way to buy them is to participate in our auction. However, our auctions require reservations in advance. Do you have one?"
"I'm afraid I don't. But didn't that Young Master Tie just now also not have a reservation?" Hong Yu asked, puzzled.
The manager sneered contemptuously. "Young Master Tie is the Young Master of the Iron Soldier Pavilion, the number one rchant guild in the Qin Kingdom. The annual business between our Underground Alliance and the Iron Soldier Pavilion is in the tens of billions of Gold Coins. Can you compare to him?"
Hong Yu shook his head with a wry smile. "Then I'll just buy these for now."
The manager nodded. "Then sign the contract here. You can pay and pick up the goods directly after."
Hong Yu had no choice but to helplessly sign his na. He gave one copy of the contract to the manager and took the other, heading outside while thinking to himself that he would have to reserve a spot for the auction next ti.
"Damn it, a country bumpkin wants the sa treatnt as Young Master Tie? In his dreams..."
The manager muttered disdainfully as he straightened the contract, preparing to put it in a drawer. His eyes unintentionally fell on the signature, and the expression on his face froze instantly.
"Hong... Hong Yu?"
The manager froze, then shot bolt upright. He suddenly recalled the intelligence reports he had received over the past few days. The person ntioned most often in them was Hong Yu.
Even the higher-ups in the Underground Alliance had issued a directive, ordering the manager to find an opportunity to visit the Beichen Family and get in touch with Hong Yu, to try and win him over.
At this thought, the manager felt as if he had been plunged into an icy cellar. He swallowed hard and mumbled, "Ma Le Gobi, I just drove Hong Yu away? No, I absolutely cannot let him leave! Otherwise, if the higher-ups find out, won't I be finished?"
With this in mind, the manager scrambled out of his room in a panic, finally spotting Hong Yu at the paynt window.
The manager rushed over. Under the astonished gazes of Hong Yu and the surrounding passersby, he grabbed Hong Yu's hand with extre enthusiasm and began shaking it vigorously.
"Mas-Master Hong Yu, this lowly one had eyes but failed to recognize Mount Tai! I-I didn't recognize you just now! Th-This lowly one will arrange a private auction box for you imdiately! Pl-Please, Master, forgive this humble one's offense!"
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