C47 The Skyhigh Painting!

"Hold on!"

As Sun Xiangnan raised his hand to strike Lin Chen, a resonant voice interrupted the moment.

Turning towards the source of the voice, they saw an elderly man dressed in a Tang suit approaching with measured steps.

The sight of the man in the Tang suit caused a stir among the onlookers.

"Isn't that Vice-chairman Liu from the three major chambers of commerce?"

"Wow, the Suns really do things in style. Even Vice-chairman Liu is here to celebrate the birthday."

"Of course. The Sun family is a prominent household in A City. It's only fitting for Vice-chairman Liu to attend."

"But that young man might be in for it now."

"Challenging the influential Sun family is practically a death wish."

The surrounding guests buzzed with conversation, their tones tinged with sympathy when they spoke of Lin Chen.

Despite Old Master Sun's seniority, his treatment of the younger Lin Chen could be seen as bullying.

But as the head of the Sun family, he had the clout and the capability to do so.

Lin Chen, merely a son-in-law, had the audacity to be so bold, like an ant trying to topple an elephant.

"Our family is embarrassed to have provided such amusement for Vice-chairman Liu."

Old Master Sun greeted Vice-chairman Liu with courtesy as he approached.

The Liu family might not have the same extensive enterprise as the Suns, but they were still significant.

Having the Vice-chairman of the three major chambers of commerce personally attend his birthday was a great honor for Old Master Sun.

"Master Sun, you've got it wrong. I didn't come for the birthday celebration," Vice-chairman Liu clarified with a shake of his head and an indifferent expression.

He had merely been passing by when he saw Lin Chen entering the Sun estate and decided to follow him in.

Little did he know that Lin Chen, Old Master Sun's grandson-in-law, would be subjected to such repeated insults.

This was something Vice-chairman Liu found hard to overlook.

"No worries, all are welcome here."

"Xue, fetch a chair for Vice-chairman Liu, please."

Old Master Sun's brow creased ever so slightly, sensing the chill in Vice-chairman Liu's tone, almost as if he was reluctant to be associated with the Sun family.

Though the underlying cause was a mystery to him, as a man of stature in A City, Old Master Sun wouldn't take offense over a mere comment.

"No need," Vice-chairman Liu declined Old Master Sun's hospitality once more.

"I actually came to the Sun family estate specifically for this piece of calligraphy and painting."

He paused, his gaze fixed on the artwork in Lin Chen's hands, eyes alight with eagerness. "Brother Lin, would you consider parting with this painting and selling it to me?"

"I'm prepared to offer one hundred million for it!"

Vice-chairman Liu's declaration caused a collective gasp among the gathered guests.

They had all seen Lin Chen's painting. Wasn't it essentially a veiled insult to Old Master Sun?

Yet now, Vice-chairman Liu was ready to shell out a staggering one hundred million to acquire it?

Was he out of his mind, or was this a deliberate challenge to Old Master Sun?

"One hundred million for this painting?"

"Vice-chairman Liu, what are you implying?" Old Master Sun's expression grew stern.

He couldn't fathom that the painting Lin Chen and Ann Lan presented could command such a price.

To him, Vice-chairman Liu's offer seemed nothing more than a roundabout way of backing Lin Chen in a provocation against the Sun family.

Otherwise, what was the meaning behind addressing him as 'Old Brother Lin'?

"I'll bid one hundred and twenty million!"

Suddenly, a voice rang out from the crowd—a man with a prominent belly.

"Zhang, what's your angle here?" Vice-chairman Liu, momentarily forgetting Old Master Sun, turned towards the new bidder, visibly agitated.

The man was Zhang Yongnian, patriarch of the Zhang family from A City, and a close associate of Vice-chairman Liu.

But personal relationships aside, he was not about to let Zhang Yongnian outbid him for Lin Chen's latest masterpiece.

"Liu, what else could I mean?"

"The latest work by Master Kunlun should go to the highest bidder, of course!"

Zhang Yongnian gave Vice-chairman Liu a taunting look.

"I had my doubts when I first saw this painting," he admitted. "A work by Master Kunlun presented so casually as a birthday gift had to be counterfeit."

"But now, you've bid a hundred million, old fox. That alone confirms this must be Master Kunlun's newest creation!"

Vice-chairman Liu's complexion turned a shade paler at Zhang Yongnian's words.

Vice-chairman Liu's face turned an iron shade of blue as he listened to Zhang Yongnian's explanation. Internally, he was kicking himself so hard he felt his insides turning green with regret. If only he had known, he would have quietly inquired with Lin Chen rather than airing the matter in public. Now, when it came to a show of wealth, he couldn't hold a candle to Zhang Yongnian, the infuriatingly rich tycoon.

"Brother Lin, if you're open to it, I'm prepared to offer 1.5 billion for this authentic work of Master Kunlun," Zhang Yongnian proposed, unable to suppress a chuckle as he noticed Vice-chairman Liu's eyes reddening with frustration. He then addressed Lin Chen with a grave tone.

The room fell into a shocked silence at his words. Vice-chairman Liu's offer of 100 million for the painting had already set the bar incredibly high. Yet here was Zhang Yongnian, effortlessly hiking the price to 1.5 billion and seemingly ready to go even higher if Lin Chen refused.

"Impossible!" someone exclaimed. "Ann's Group is on the verge of bankruptcy. How could they possibly afford such an extravagant birthday gift?"

"I'll tell you what," another voice piped up, "not only is this painting a fake, but this so-called Master Kunlun is a fabrication!"

"And why haven't I ever heard of such a master in our country?" Sun Xue stepped forward, her voice ringing with skepticism. Lin Chen and Ann Lan were almost trampled by the Suns, and now, out of nowhere, Vice-chairman Liu and Zhang Yongnian appeared, willing to pay a fortune for what she considered a worthless painting. It irked her to no end.

"A fake?" she challenged.

"Miss, are you questioning my judgment?" Vice-chairman Liu shot a frosty glance at Sun Xue. He might have shown restraint if Old Master Sun had been the one to speak, but what right did a junior member of the Sun family have to make such accusations?

"Young lady, your lack of experience with antiques and classical art is understandable," he said. "But let me make one thing clear: Master Kunlun's reputation is not to be tarnished. Even Old Master Sun can't shield you from the consequences of such disrespect."

Zhang Yongnian's eyes, too, bore into Sun Xue with a chilling intensity. Master Kunlun might not be a household name, but to those in the martial arts community, he was revered as a deity beyond reproach.

"Master Kunlun?" someone murmured in the crowd.

"Wait a second, I think I've heard of this big shot before," another voice chimed in.

"A few years back, a prominent figure in the martial arts world stumbled upon a piece of Master Kunlun's work."

"After delving into it, his power surged, breaking through to the Innate Stage in a single bound!"

"Ever since then, any genuine piece by Master Kunlun starts at tens of millions on the market!" A middle-aged man exclaimed, his voice rippling through the crowd.

His words triggered a wave of recognition among the cultivators present. Their eyes lit up with fervor as they turned to the calligraphy painting in Lin Chen's grasp.

With Vice-chairman Liu and Zhang Yongnian willing to pay such a steep price, it was clear that this painting was indeed an original Master Kunlun. If they could get their hands on it, imagine the leaps they could make in their cultivation journey!

"Brother Lin, I'll offer two hundred million for it," Zhang Yongnian blurted out, desperation creeping into his voice. "And you'll have my gratitude forever!"

Zhang Yongnian's anxious bid was met with the heated stares of the others, and he felt a surge of panic, fearing the masterpiece would be snatched from his grasp.

"Two... two hundred million?" Ann Lan, her hand gently held by Lin Chen, swallowed hard, her eyes wide with astonishment.

Moments ago, she, like the Suns, had assumed Lin Chen had simply picked up some worthless painting as a birthday gift. But now, the revelation had stunned not just Ann Lan but the entire Sun family and all the onlookers.

Could it be true? A two hundred million treasure, casually presented as a gift by Lin Chen? How incredibly wealthy—and audacious—must he be to pull off such a move?