C17 The Richest Man in Yungang

In the Grace Hall on the second floor, all the famous antiques and jades were displayed.

When the auction officially began, the waitresses would bring out the antiques and jades according to their serial numbers for the wealthy and influential guests to choose from.

Of course, if you were eligible to enter the second floor ahead of time, you could directly purchase the items you liked, bypassing the auction process entirely.

This privilege was reserved for the elites. After all, if they were no different from ordinary people, they wouldn't be considered elites.

Led by Ye Tianxin, Chu Tian arrived here. Although the Grace Hall had fewer antiques and jades compared to the first floor, each piece was exquisite, with starting prices at ten million.

If someone weren't an elite, they likely wouldn't have that kind of money.

After all, there's a difference between a person's assets and their available cash.

Many people might have substantial assets but limited liquid funds. Most of their money is tied up in running companies and businesses. Only the real big shots could access hundreds of millions within minutes.

Chu Tian scanned the room and noticed that the items were mainly jade. This was because jade, a spiritually compatible material, resonates well with the energies of heaven and earth.

Before reaching the Mortal Detached Stage, Chu Tian felt his self-defense capabilities were inadequate. His current physical strength couldn't withstand bullets. He could deflect bullets reying on reaction and Qi. But what if someone shot him from behind?

Since Chu Tian had chosen to no longer keep a low profile, more and more people would grow dissatisfied with him, including many elites. For these elites, hiring gunmen to eliminate him would be easy.

Not wanting to die so soon after reincarnating, Chu Tian's immediate goal was to gather enough Jade Marrow to craft a small-scale defensive magic treasure.

Living is the prerequisite for achieving anything; everything else will be a matter for the future.

Chu Tian searched for a long time but could not find a suitable piece of jade. Even if the quality of these jades was high, they didn't meet his minimum requirements for crafting magic treasures.

"Mr. Chu, all the jades for tonight's auction are here. If you find one you like, feel free to pick it out. We'll cover all your expenses for the evening," Ye Tianxin whispered to Chu Tian.

"It's not about the money. The issue is that these jades are subpar and don't meet my requirements. Are there any other options?" Chu Tian responded, shaking his head in disappointment.

"None of these meet your standards? These jades are pretty much all we have for tonight's auction!" Ye Tianxin said, quite surprised.

Chu Tian's standards seemed exceedingly high.

"None of these will do," Chu Tian shook his head.

Initially, he thought he would acquire more Jade Marrow tonight, but to his disappointment, the available jades were unsatisfactory.

"Isn't this Miss Ye? Are you here to find some jade artifacts? Have you set your eyes on any particular piece?"

Just as Chu Tian and Ye Tianxin were conversing, a portly middle-aged man approached them.

The man's gaze remained fixed on Ye Tianxin, occasionally glancing at Ashan. As for Chu Tian, he didn't even register a glance.

Chu Tian was dressed plainly, almost as if he were invisible.

In the middle-aged man's view, whether in Qingzhou or his own turf in Yungang, people might not know him, but there was no one he did not know.

Wuu Wenhao was the wealthiest man in Yungang City, and the true leader of its business community. Compared to Qingzhou's notable Lin Tianbiao, Wuu was in a league of his own.

After all, Lin Tianbiao was an associate of the Ye Family, while Wuu Wenhao had built his empire from the ground up.

He had connections everywhere, even government officials in Yungang greeted him respectfully as Mr. Wu.

"So, it's Mr. Wu from Yungang. Do you see anything that piques your interest?" Ye Tianxin greeted Wuu Wenhao politely when she saw him.

Although the Ye Family of Qingzhou was not intimidated by Wuu Wenhao, they had no wish to be at loggerheads with him.

In business, having friends is better than having enemies.

As long as Wuu Wenhao didn't cross any lines, the Ye Family would be happy to consider him a business partner.

"I've picked up a few small items, not worth much. I brought hundreds of millions with me but can't find a place to spend it," Wuu Wenhao lamented, seemingly regretful.

Every word out of his mouth served as a reminder of his wealth.

Had anyone else made such a statement, people might have considered it pretentious. But because it was Wuu Wenhao, people saw him as modest.

To Wuu Wenhao, a few hundred million was indeed not a lot. Rumor had it that he once lost over a billion in a single night gambling in Hong Kong, and it didn't bother him.

To him, a few hundred million was just pocket change.

In Jiangzhou Province, the three cities of Jiangbei lagged economically behind the three cities of Jiangnan. Of the Jiangbei cities, Qingzhou was the least prosperous, followed by Shui'an, with Yungang being the wealthiest.

Tang Kangde, the richest man in Qingzhou, reportedly had assets close to 10 billion, which paled in comparison to Yungang's richest man, Wuu Wenhao.

Generally, when someone reaches the status of the richest person, money becomes just a number. Such individuals often become indifferent to its value.

"There really isn't anything good here," Ye Tianxin shook her head and turned to Wuu Wenhao. "Mr. Wu, I've heard you didn't just come to Qingzhou because of an invitation. You also brought treasures for the auction. Could you show them to us first? We'll make sure our offer is not less than the auction price."

"Haha! Miss Ye, no need to be so formal," Wuu Wenhao chuckled. "If you like something, I could simply gift it to you. There's still time before the auction starts. Would you like to have a look?"

"Sure, that would be great," Ye Tianxin nodded in agreement.

Following Wuu Wenhao's lead, the group entered his lavish private room.

Though termed a 'private room,' the space rivaled the opulence of a presidential suite. It was fully equipped with all amenities and spanned several hundred square meters.

Upon entering, they were greeted by a pleasant, light fragrance that filled the air.

"This is Dragon Saliva fragrance from the Eastern Sea," Ye Tianxin identified the aroma immediately. "Mr. Wu, you have excellent taste! You even take your own incense when traveling."

"Haha! Miss Ye, you're quite knowledgeable," Wuu Wenhao laughed. "I just assume that if it's expensive, it must be good. To me, all fragrances are quite similar."

As the two conversed, Wuu Wenhao led them deeper into the room.

Inside, various people had already gathered. Many were likely drawn by Wuu Wenhao's reputation, and some were clearly his personal attendants.

However, the most noteworthy individuals were just five.

Three men in black suits stood in a corner, radiating a martial vigor. Their level of skill seemed no less than that of Ashan's.

The other two appeared as Taoist priests, donning sparse goatees and exuding an air of arrogance.

On any regular street, people would easily label them as con artists.

But here, amidst all who were standing, these two were the only ones seated, signifying their esteemed status.

When Wuu Wenhao entered, the two masters scanned the newcomers. However, they displayed a hint of contempt when their gaze fell on Chu Tian.

It was an involuntary reaction.

Both Ashan and Ye Tianxin radiated either a strong aura or an aristocratic poise, clearly separating them from ordinary people.

Especially in the eyes of these magical practitioners, one's aura was valuable. Their judgments were usually on point.

Chu Tian, lacking any noticeable aura, was naturally regarded as an insignificant individual.