Chapter 223: Fatigued
Normally, given her condition, a sleepless night would have left her feeling utterly exhausted. But last night, that wasn't the case. In fact, she felt refreshed and invigorated, as if basking in sunlight.
Murong Qian stood up, sensing the changes within her. She discovered that her constitution, meridians, blood, and even the strength of her bones had all been greatly enhanced.
"Huh? What's going on?"
To her astonishment, she realized she no longer felt that bone-chilling cold. Instead, a pleasant warmth she had almost never experienced now filled her body, making her feel incredibly comfortable.
'How is this possible? Could he have done this?'
Murong Qian was utterly shocked. Nothing like this had ever happened before!
She had undergone treatment from countless others before—whether it was taking medicine, acupuncture, or injections, nothing had any effect. Those so-called masters had been completely helpless against her unique affliction.
But yesterday, Lin Feng had merely inserted four needles and performed an hour of therapeutic massage, and it had actually produced such a result!
'It seems he truly possesses extraordinary medical skills.'
'Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to expel the cold energy from my body so easily.'
Murong Qian thought to herself.
She then lifted her right arm, not having forgotten what Lin Feng had said yesterday.
Her body was still relatively weak, and it seemed Lin Feng still had a use for this cold energy. He couldn't force it all out of her body just yet, so they would have to wait and continue the treatment slowly in the future.
At this thought, Murong Qian subconsciously touched her chest. It felt as if the spot where Lin Feng's large hand had massaged her yesterday still held a residual warmth.
A deep blush, as vibrant as peach blossoms, bloomed on Murong Qian's pretty cheeks. She was overcome with shyness.
She parted her lips, her voice barely a whisper.
"Thank you..."
Murong Qian lowered her head, her face crimson, as she whispered her thanks.
...
"Whew, that was rather tiring."
Lin Feng opened his eyes and glanced down at his hands. The bone-chilling cold that had covered them was gone, and they had returned to their normal state.
'Looks like this was a blessing in disguise. The toll was a bit high, but it was worth it.'
'I should spend the next two days before the next treatment recovering my energy.'
At this thought, Lin Feng couldn't help but smile.
After all, if he could obtain this substance of extreme cold, refining the pill from the Red Flame Fruit would become much easier.
...
Meanwhile, in a luxury hotel in Jiangnan Province City.
An old man was lounging on a sofa, leisurely sipping tea. Sitting on a nearby sofa was a handsome young man. Anyone well-informed would have immediately recognized him as Zhao Xuan, the second young master of the Black Tiger Gang.
"Third Elder, do you think anything will go wrong with the auction?"
"There are too many people bidding this time. With our strength alone, we have no hope of competing against those clans and factions."
Zhao Xuan said with a frown. Although their Black Tiger Gang was considered a top-tier force among the ordinary secular powers, their overall strength was still far inferior to those Hidden Clans.
"Of course. Why else would I have called you here?"
The Third Elder smiled faintly. "I've already managed to persuade a few of my old friends from Kyoto. They've agreed to my request!"
Hearing the Third Elder's words, an excited expression appeared on Zhao Xuan's face.
"What conditions did you offer those old foxes for them to agree to help our Black Tiger Gang?"
A sharp glint flashed in Zhao Xuan's eyes. The Third Elder just smiled faintly and said, "That, I cannot tell you. You only need to do as I instruct."
Hearing this, a gloomy shadow flickered in Zhao Xuan's eyes. If he wasn't being thoroughly suppressed by his older brother in the gang, why would he ever need to rely on a mere Elder?
He took a deep breath and then nodded firmly.
"Very well. Since the Third Elder trusts me, I will not disappoint you."
"HAHAHAHA! Zhao Xuan, don't you worry. Once this auction is over, I guarantee that you will be the next Gang Leader of our Black Tiger Gang! And when that time comes, all of Jiangnan City will belong to us!"
The Third Elder stroked his beard and smiled. All his hard work these past few days had finally borne some fruit.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xuan's eyes reddened slightly, making him look deeply moved. The corner of his mouth, however, curled into a cold sneer.
'Hmph!'
'At this auction, I'll kill anyone who dares to stand in my way!'
"Third Elder, this time I'm going to wipe out all these factions in one fell swoop!"
Zhao Xuan's eyes revealed a ruthless and venomous hatred. The Longteng Group had nearly destroyed his ambitions once before; he absolutely would not let them off the hook now.
Just as they were speaking, a knock suddenly sounded at the door.
"Come in!"
Zhao Xuan said, his gaze turning to the door.
The door soon opened, and a middle-aged man walked in slowly. He wore a well-fitted Tang suit and held a jade flute, exuding an otherworldly, transcendent aura.
He looked to be around sixty, but there were no traces of age on his face; on the contrary, he had the vital, youthful complexion of one who has defied time.
"Zhao Xuan greets you, Second Uncle."
Zhao Xuan quickly stood up and bowed respectfully to the middle-aged man, his attitude exceedingly humble.
This middle-aged man was Zhao Zhiguo, the second-in-command of the Black Tiger Gang. He was the younger brother of Zhao Xuan's father and also his greatest supporter within the gang.
Moreover, Zhao Zhiguo's cultivation had reached the Late Stage of Innate, giving him immense authority and deterrent power within the Black Tiger Gang.
"Mm."
Zhao Zhiguo waved his hand, gesturing for Zhao Xuan to sit down, before asking, "How are the preparations for this matter coming along?"
"We've already gathered people from all the necessary channels. We're ready to make our move tonight."
...
As various factions made their moves, day turned to night, and the auction officially began.
Dressed in a suit, Lin Feng held Su Yanxue's hand as they walked slowly into the auction house.
"Welcome, esteemed guests. Do you have a preferred seating area in mind?"
Just as they stepped into the auction house, a beautiful female attendant with a professional smile approached them and inquired.
The guests here were either rich or noble, so the staff had to treat them with the utmost caution.
After all, they were just ordinary attendants. If they were to anger any of the guests, they would be the ones to suffer the consequences.
"Yes, we'd like to sit in the best seats available."
Lin Feng said, glancing at the surroundings.
The auction house was massive, divided into five floors. Each level was spacious and designed with a high-end, elegant aesthetic, giving one the feeling of being a treasured guest.
"Of course, sir. Our seating is divided into three categories. The first is the general seating area, the second is private rooms, and the third is the VIP rooms."
"The general seating area has roughly eight hundred seats, while this hall in total contains twelve hundred tables."
"As for the VIP rooms, only fifty are left. The rest have all been claimed by various dignitaries."