Stranger Danger

Chapter 621: Hot When Chilled, Cold When Burned

Tang Jincai was torn apart by five horses, and his whole family was executed because he turned into a dictator.

Li Hentian disappeared without a trace because he did whatever he wanted with no regard for social norms whatsoever.

And finally, Shen Wanjin was imprisoned and tortured because there was no low he wouldn’t stoop to for money. The imperial court also confiscated all of his wealth.

The five people’s endings matched Tian Xingzi’s description of the Wenliang Pearl perfectly.

Everyone’s breathing grew heavier when the realization struck them.

If most people were skeptical of Xi Duoduo’s claims before, now they were truly starting to believe.

“Hahaha, I should remind you all that what I just told you is pure speculation on my part. Not even the quote in ‘Identifying Truths’ is necessarily the truth,” Xi Duoduo added casually after observing the crowd’s reactions for a moment.

Ye Qing smirked. He had to admit that Xi Duoduo was a masterful businessman. He never stopped claiming that everything he said was just guesses and conjectures on his part, when in reality he was consistently leading the people deeper into the hole he had dug for them.

He knew that, the more he insisted that he wasn’t sure, the more people would think that Wenliang, Wen Qianqiu, Tang Jingcai, Li Hentian and Shen Wanjin’s successes and reputation were thanks to the Wenliang Pearl.

Ye Qing’s demonic thought told him that the greed and desire brimming in the main hall right now was akin to a live volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

They all knew that there was a chance—a good chance even—that the successes of those famous persons had nothing to do with the Wenliang Pearl.

They also knew that the Wenliang Pearl was most likely cursed. For all its boons, it would most likely lead them to a miserable end.

But the human heart did not care for logic. Never did, never would.

When presented with the promise of unprecedented glory and power, there was only one and only one thing most people would do: seize it with all their body like moths to flames.

“The authenticity of your stories aside, Xi Duoduo, I have but one question for you. Are you sure the Wenliang Pearl behind you is the genuine article?” Ancestor Greenwood asked.

“Of course it’s real! Even if I am audacious enough to trick you all, I wouldn’t dare to risk my reputation as a Hill Carrier, would I?”

Xi Duoduo smiled. “To verify that it’s real, I had checked it with thirteen of my faction’s appraisers. They all believe that it is the Wenliang Pearl, if not a convincing fake that’s so real it might as well be the real thing. Please look.”

Xi Duoduo produced a round, transparent stone that looked like some sort of gem. At the center of the stone was a tiny, bead-sized blue flame swaying here and there as if the gem was hollow on the inside.

As soon as the stone appeared, the entire Popularity Tower suddenly turned as hot as a furnace. Countless people broke into a sweat instantly.

The heat did not last even a second when a soothing chill emanated from the Wenliang Pearl and dispeled the heat wave.

“The Flame In Stone?!”

Ye Qing raised an eyebrow, recognizing the flame Xi Duoduo was holding instantly. Its name was Flame In Stone, and it took five hundred years for a single wisp to be born from earthly qi. Stored inside a stone, it was thick, heavy, and rich in yang. It was one of the Spirit Flames of Five Phases and, while not as valuable as his Purple Sun Trueflame, was still pretty damn precious.

“As you know, the Wenliang Pearl is supposedly cold when it is scorched by fire and vice versa. What I’m currently holding in my hands is a Flame In Stone, and it is a flame of absolute yang. Let us see if the legend is true, shall we?”

Xi Duoduo began fanning the Flame In Stone, and as the flame grew hotter, so did the Wenliang Pearl become colder. Despite the growing intensity of the clash, the temperature within the main hall remained stable. No matter how hot the Flame In Stone became, the Wenliang Pearl would produce more cold to counteract it.

After Xi Duoduo put away the Flame In Stone, he produced an ice cube next and declared, “Now then. Let us check if the Wenliang Pearl will turn hot when chilled.”

The ice cube was sky blue in color. As soon as it appeared, the temperature inside the main hall immediately nosedived. It was like they had suddenly plunged into a frigid hell.

“This is the Ten Thousand Year Ice. An object of absolute yin, it—”

Before Xi Duoduo could finish, the universe within the Wenliang Pearl spun round and round and produced waves and waves of heat. It immediately washed away the Ten Thousand Year Ice’s cold.

Seeing this, Xi Duoduo fell silent and began stroking the power of the Ten Thousand Year Ice just like he did with the Flame In Stone. The outcome was the exact same as before. No matter how cold the Ten Thousand Year Ice became, the Wenliang Pearl would match it with the same amount of heat. As a result, the temperature within the main hall was soothing and comfortable like spring.

The Wenliang Pearl returned to normal after Xi Duoduo put away the Ten Thousand Year Ice.

Ye Qing had to admit that he was impressed by what he saw. Even if this was all the Wenliang Pearl could do, and it did not, in fact, possess the mysterious power to transform a person into a dragon among men as Tian Xingzi claimed, it was still a precious treasure. In extreme environments, it could even mean the difference between life and death.

Take the time he was at the Firewind Valley for example. If he had the Wenliang Pearl then, he wouldn’t have almost burned to death because of the Burning Wind.

“So? You’ve witnessed its power with your own eyes. You now know that the Wenliang Pearl is real!” Xi Duoduo declared.

“Cough, cough... If this really is the Wenliang Pearl, then why are you auctioning it? Wouldn’t it be better to keep it to yourself? Also, legend has it that the last time the Wenliang Pearl showed up was centuries ago. How on earth did you obtain it?” Weak Old Man asked before panting like a dog. His face was pale, and his breathing was heavy from saying so many words in one breath.

“My humble apologies, senior, but us Hill Carriers are required to obey a certain set of rules. For one, we are not allowed to reveal how we obtain our items. Therefore, I cannot tell you how I came across the Wenliang Pearl.”

Xi Duoduo said apologetically, “However, I can promise you that the Wenliang Pearl comes with no strings attached. You have my word that you don’t have to worry about some ancient monster springing out of nowhere and chasing you down for the Wenliang Pearl.”

“As for why we are auctioning the Wenliang Pearl instead of keeping it to ourselves, there are two reasons. First, we are ultimately unable to confirm if this item truly is the Wenliang Pearl, or if it possesses the mysterious power the legends claim it has. Second, even if the Wenliang Pearl truly possesses the mysterious power of legends, it is ultimately just a merchandise to us Hill Carriers. All Hill Carriers are businessmen, and there is nothing we wouldn’t sell so long as the price is right.”

It was at this moment the Red Calabash Celestial burped and interrupted sleepily, “Enough already. How much longer is this introduction going to continue? Or are you keeping the Wenliang Pearl to yourself after all?”

“Of course not, dear customer.” Xi Duoduo did not get angry despite the rude interruption. He declared with a wide smile on his face, “The starting bid is one pearl. Without further ado, let the bidding begin!”

There was a moment of silence after Xi Duoduo was done speaking. Then, an uproar.

“The bid has been increased to two pearls.”

“Now it’s ten pearls.”

“Oh my! One hundred pearls!”

“Oh my oh my! Another customer has upped the bid to five hundred pearls!”

“One thousand pearls...”

Xi Duoduo was all smiles as he dutifully reported the latest bid. Ye Qing chuckled. Knowing that the Wenliang Pearl would not be wanting of bidders, the businessman had dared to set the starting bid to one pearl. He was right. In just a dozen or so breaths, the bid price of the Wenliang Pearl had risen to one thousand pearls and was still increasing at a terrifying rate.

In fact, this was just the foreplay. The truly wealthy ones such as Ancestor Greenwood, Weak Old Man and Red Calabash Celestial hadn’t joined in after all.

In Ye Qing’s own estimations, the Wenliang Pearl was going to sell at least as much as the Dark Overlord Token, if not more.

After all, the Dark Overlord Token only represented an opportunity to obtain the Dark Overlord’s inheritance, whereas the Wenliang Pearl was a chance to lead a life that was as glorious and legendary as the legend’s own.