“You’re calling me?”
Chen Xiao turned his head, looking at He Xinyi with a blank expression.
Upon seeing this, those who were about to leave the auction venue stopped in their tracks, curious to see if there would be any drama.
“That’s right!”
He Xinyi got straight to the point, asking imperiously, “I’m asking you, do you recognize this thing?”
He Xinyi held up the Buddha’s Hand Turmeric.
Chen Xiao let out a cold smile and said indifferently, “What if I recognize it, and what if I don’t?”
He Xinyi frowned. Ever since she came to the mainland, everyone had been treating her with extreme caution, serving her and catering to her, fearing that a single misstep would displease her.
When had anyone ever spoken to her like this? Her displeasure was immediately apparent.
Master Lin, seeing that Chen Xiao was so ungrateful and disrespectful towards the young lady He, immediately rebuked him, “Boy, how are you speaking? Do you know who is standing in front of you?”
“Who cares who she is? She called out to us first, we didn’t approach her!”
Li Qin stepped forward, saying with a pout.
Gu Zhendong also let out a cold laugh and sneered, “Such poor upbringing, truly a waste of a good appearance!”
Seeing this, the crowd immediately perked up. Even some who had already left hurried back to watch the spectacle.
Huang Wenlei quietly retreated to the side. He hadn’t expected Chen Xiao and his group to be so reckless. He needed to distance himself, or he would be implicated later.
Master Lin was taken aback. He hadn’t expected these country bumpkins from the mainland to be so defiant, even calling Miss He ill-bred. It was outrageous!
“Presumptuous! I am Lin Zhengdao from Hong Kong. Do you scoundrels dare to reveal your names?”
Lin Zhengdao was quite famous in Hong Kong. He thought that by revealing his identity, he would surely subdue this group.
As expected, as soon as he spoke, whispers erupted from the crowd.
“I didn’t expect him to be the legendary Lin Zhengdao. I heard that many wealthy individuals in Hong Kong regard him as an honored guest!”
“I’ve also heard of Master Lin’s name. His influence is not only in Hong Kong but also renowned in the Guangdong region!”
…
Hearing these words, Lin Zhengdao finally revealed a smug expression. It seemed that even in this remote and desolate place, there were still some knowledgeable individuals.
Gu Zhendong, however, scoffed dismissively, “Lin Zhengdao? Never heard of him. Of the masters who have made a name for themselves in Hong Kong, I’ve only heard of Chen Zhonghe. How do you compare to Master Chen?”
Upon hearing this, He Xinyi’s face showed embarrassment.
Chen Zhonghe was the foremost master in Hong Kong, his reputation far-reaching. Compared to this Lin Zhengdao, he was countless times superior!
To say they knew Chen Zhonghe but had never heard of Master Lin clearly showed they didn’t take Master Lin seriously.
She was about to reveal her own identity to suppress this group when Master Lin stepped forward, his eyes flashing with sharp light. “Naturally, my abilities are somewhat inferior to Master Chen’s, but dealing with you is more than enough!”
Before his words even finished, Master Lin thrust out a palm, carrying a powerful surge of spiritual energy, directly towards Gu Zhendong.
Chen Xiao’s brow furrowed slightly, but he didn’t intervene. Such a person wasn’t worthy of his action.
Gu Zhendong’s eyes gleamed, and he did not show any weakness, raising a palm to meet Lin Zhengdao’s.
“Hmph, you’ve come at the right time. I can use you to practice my skills!”
In recent days, spurred by Chen Xiao, Gu Zhendong had been cultivating diligently, making rapid progress. Although his strength had not yet recovered to its peak, it had returned to about fifty to sixty percent.
He wanted to use this Master Lin to test his own strength and see how much it had recovered.
Bang!
Their palms met, and after a crisp sound, they both retreated.
Although both retreated, the distance they moved was vastly different.
Master Lin took three steps back before steadying himself.
Gu Zhendong, however, staggered back five steps and still hadn’t stopped. In the end, Chen Xiao had to support him to prevent him from retreating too far.
“Uncle Gu, are you alright?”
Chen Xiao asked softly.
Gu Zhendong shook his head with a relaxed expression and said in a low voice, “No major harm. I haven’t sparred with anyone for a long time. I wanted to stretch my muscles today, but I ended up losing face. That Master Lin probably has the strength of the peak of the Dao-Initiation realm. Once my strength recovers further, taking him down will be no problem.”
After all, with Chen Xiao present, Gu Zhendong only felt embarrassed by his loss, not threatened.
On the other side, Master Lin’s expression was grim.
“How is it, Master Lin?”
He Xinyi asked with concern.
However, her concern was not for Lin Zhengdao himself, but for the extent of his strength.
Master Lin said in a low voice, “The opponent is not weak. Although I can defeat him, I will have to go all out.”
Hearing this, He Xinyi couldn’t help but frown, becoming conflicted.
If Master Lin could crush the opponent, she naturally wouldn’t hesitate. But if Master Lin needed to go all out just to fight the opponent to a draw, she immediately felt it wasn’t worth it.
“Heh heh, we’ve met by chance. Since we are both fellow cultivators, let’s stop at a friendly spar. We shall meet again!”
He Xinyi immediately cupped her hands, unwilling to prolong the entanglement. Her main business was more important.
Seeing this, everyone was stunned. They didn’t think this was He Xinyi being magnanimous, but rather that Chen Xiao’s group had an extraordinary background, forcing even He Xinyi to show some respect.
Huang Wenlei, however, was indignant. In his mind, He Xinyi should have severely humiliated Chen Xiao, not let that brat off so easily.
“Wait!”
However, just as He Xinyi was about to leave, Chen Xiao spoke, stopping her.
Everyone was shocked. What was this kid up to? Miss He was no longer going to pursue the matter, and he still wouldn’t know when to quit.
He Xinyi’s gaze narrowed slightly as she looked at Chen Xiao, “Do you need something else?”
Chen Xiao smiled faintly and said, “I can answer the question you just asked me, but in exchange, I need to ask you a question.”
“Alright, speak,”
He Xinyi agreed.
Chen Xiao said, “I do indeed recognize the medicinal herb in your hand, and I know its effects…”
“…”
Seeing Chen Xiao stop speaking, He Xinyi was speechless. “Wait, that’s it?”
Chen Xiao nodded. “Yes, what else? We agreed on one question for one question, and now it’s my turn to ask.”
“I’d like to know, why are you frantically clearing the market of Coptis chinensis and other medicinal materials?”
He Xinyi snorted, “I don’t want to answer your question!”
She was clearly playing the rogue, as if seeking revenge for the earlier slight!
Chen Xiao didn’t get angry, saying lightly, “Even if you don’t say, I know. You want to go to Ice Fire Island, right?”