The griffin had already soared about seventy or eighty feet high when suddenly, Qu Shanling leapt up and with a single palm strike sent it crashing to the ground. Housekeeper Sun and the other two disciples quickly approached and secured it with an iron chain.
The griffin was overpowered by Qu Shanling’s slap. It seemed to recognize his prowess and didn’t dare to struggle, obediently staying by the entrance.
Mu Hanyan silently sighed. Although she had helped purify the griffin’s bloodline, the bloodline was still insufficient, merely retaining the griffin’s physique and animal instincts. Neither its intelligence nor its strength could compare to a true griffin.
A true griffin was said to possess the Wind Element Superpower, capable of unleashing the mighty Wind Hammer, far more powerful than the common Wind Blade. It wouldn’t have been something that a few guards could stop. Additionally, griffins were highly intelligent. If nurtured with Qi, they would typically bond with their owner, forming a life-and-death contract, and wouldn’t simply fly away one had.
Of course, Mu Hanyan wasn’t too disappointed. Even if the bloodline was lacking, its appearance was still that of a griffin, and it was magnificent enough to fetch a good price. The world has many people with money, but there are even more fools with money burning a hole in their pockets, looking to show off!
"Young Master Mu, I wonder if you’d be willing to part with this griffin?" As expected, as soon as Qu Shanling had captured the griffin, someone immediately stepped forward to inquire.
"Who might you be?" Mu Hanyan assessed the individual. Nanyan Chamber of Commerce had not been established for long, and most of the merchants who visited were poor. If the person couldn’t pay a decent price, there was no deal to be had—she had just spent a hundred thousand taels herself.
"I am Wu Songxing, a steward of the Wu Family from Nanxi County. If Young Master Mu is willing to sell, once we agree on a price, I can put down a deposit of a hundred thousand taels immediately, and later pay the balance when I come to collect the merchandise," the man introduced himself.
So it was the Wu Family from the county, Mu Hanyan thought, a well-established and reputable old family, whose history could match many of the families in the Capital. What a coincidence that he came to the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce today—lucky, indeed; she stamped a mental marker noting a potential "fat sheep."
"My name is Zhu Yi, the external steward of the Zhu Family from the Capital, and I’m also interested in purchasing this griffin," another middle-aged man interjected, just as Mu Hanyan was taken aback by the visitor’s provenance.
The Zhu Family from the Capital, although not far behind the Mu Family when it came to reputation, was certainly significant. Zhu Yi’s reputation evidently surpassed that of Wu Songxing. Ah, another "fat sheep," thought Mu Hanyan as she mentally stamped another marker.
Both men showing up here made Mu Hanyan belatedly realize that their presence was no mere coincidence. The Nanyan Chamber of Commerce had long since transcended the old Nanmu Auction. During the time she and Qu Shanling were immersed in studying the Star Illusion Thousand Machine Technique, the Chamber’s reputation had spread far and wide, as if on wings, attracting even the wealthy families of the Capital to leave their pride behind and venture to Heishi City to see for themselves.
"Gentlemen, please wait a moment, I have one more matter to take care of. After that, we can discuss this at leisure," Mu Hanyan replied, while her gaze shifted towards Yuan Tianbo and his companions.
"It’s not my fault, I was forced into it!" Yuan Tianbo’s knees buckled, and he fell to the ground.
He was genuinely terrified! The Yuan Family couldn’t compare to families like the Zhao Family or the Zhou Family, who excelled in cultivation and had produced notable strong figures. The Yuan Family’s standing relied solely on generations of commerce, without significant prowess in cultivation, and thus they were not highly regarded by those established cultivation families.
Hence, the Yuan Family valued their reputation even more and could not afford to lose face. If he were to face the same embarrassment as Fourth Miss Zhao and Zhou Qi did today, running around naked and disgracing the family, he’d be beaten to a pulp or left crippled, never getting the chance to step out again.
This thought made Yuan Tianbo suddenly feel that associating with Fourth Miss Zhao was bad luck. Previously, it was only her who ended up running around naked, but this time there were two of them. What about next time? Would it be two plus two or two times two? He resolved to clearly distance himself from her in the future, absolutely!