I Pick up a Lost Godhood

Chapter 106 - 104: Proof

"Senior Brother Wang, you’re too humble. I’ve come on behalf of the Holy Hall Pavilion to invite you to their auction. Are you interested in entering the sword you forged and those Pills?"

Zhang Liang asked.

Everyone exchanged glances. People had been inquiring about the items recently, but the offers weren’t very high. It wasn’t about the items’ intrinsic value; most just wanted to get a bit of Wang Meng’s good luck for themselves.

An auction was a completely different story. Who would spend a fortune on useless items? If nothing sold, wouldn’t they just be humiliated all over again?

The items belonged to Wang Meng, so naturally, the decision was his to make.

From their expressions, Zhang Liang could tell things were going just as he’d expected. They were reluctant to put themselves out there. After all, people are instinctively cautious; there was no need to take a risk.

The treasures at an auction were guaranteed to be quite valuable. By comparison, their items could easily become a source of embarrassment. This was especially true since Wang Meng hadn’t become a disciple of the four Ancestral Masters, which meant there was no value in trying to curry favor with him.

But Zhang Liang hadn’t come to make Thunderlight Hall look foolish. Rather, he trusted the judgment of the Ancestral Masters.

Wang Meng smiled. "An auction isn’t out of the question. What are the terms?"

Zhang Liang was momentarily stunned, not having expected Wang Meng to actually agree. "According to the Holy Hall Pavilion’s rules, they typically take a five to ten percent commission on auctioned items. However, if an item fails to sell, there’s a listing fee of two Low-Grade Spirit Stones per item. If you’re willing to participate, Senior Brother Wang, I’ll cover that fee. All I ask for is ten percent of the final auction price."

With Wang Meng’s sword plus three particularly special types of Pills, the total listing fee would be eight Low-Grade Spirit Stones. For an ordinary disciple, this was a massive investment.

"Done!"

Wang Meng said. Zhang Liang instantly let out a sigh of relief. "Senior Brother Wang, everyone, if there’s anything you need from me in the future, just say the word. I won’t disturb you any longer."

As soon as Zhang Liang left, the others crowded around. "Brother Meng, are you really going to sell that stuff? It seems a little risky."

Zhang Xiaojiang said, a little worried.

"You’re not worried about selling them. You’re worried about taking a loss, aren’t you?" Wang Meng said.

Zhang Xiaojiang scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed.

"We need to get rid of these things. They’ve already served their purpose. Whatever we can get for them is a bonus. The main goal here is to build a connection with this Zhang Liang,"

Wang Meng said.

Zhou Qian clapped his hands. "That makes sense. We shouldn’t underestimate this Zhang Liang. Even though he’s not in the top five of the Hundred Herbs Hall, he has connections in every Sub-Hall. He deals in everything from intelligence to missions; he’s incredibly resourceful. While the Ancestral Masters were a factor in the current situation, his efforts in fanning the flames were also crucial. If we play our cards right, he could be a huge asset to our Thunderlight Hall."

"Brother Zhou, that’s exactly what I was thinking!" Wang Meng nodded. ’I don’t want to get too involved in Thunderlight Hall’s affairs. After all, I’ll be leaving one day. For now, I’m just trying my best to help Hu Jing and the others build some forward momentum.’

Hu Jing nodded. "I think Zhang Liang is thinking along the same lines. He’s sold a lot of Wang Meng’s Talismans these past few days, but he couldn’t have made that much profit. The risk he’s taking by pushing us into this auction is considerable, and when you add in those ten Spirit Stones, his investment is huge. I just don’t understand why he’s doing it."

Wang Meng gazed in the direction Zhang Liang had departed and smiled. "He’s a smart man with good judgment. And as it happens, he’s also got guts. Do you think anyone from the other halls, besides us, actually takes him seriously?"

The group was stunned, and they all shook their heads. Suddenly, Suo Ming said, "He used to frequent Hengshan Hall. One time he sold them some information, and not only did he not get a single coin, he got a beating from Suo Ming and his people."

"Seriously? That’s messed up. Why would he still do business with Hengshan Hall after that?" Zhang Xiaojiang was speechless.

"It’s called playing the long game. His intelligence network is only valuable if it reaches into every Sub-Hall and every corner. There are plenty of talented people in the Holy Hall, and they don’t all follow the same script!"

Hu Jing nodded, starting to understand. ’But I still don’t get why he’s supporting Wang Meng so strongly. Thunderlight Hall can’t offer him anything, can it?’

Wang Meng didn’t know the answer to that, either. His own goal was simply to sell these items so the disciples of Thunderlight Hall could have a fresh start and pursue their own glory, rather than building their confidence on these casual creations of his.

After leaving Thunderlight Hall, Zhang Liang walked to a deserted grove of trees. He clenched his fists tightly. Only when he was alone like this could he vent his true feelings.

’This is a huge gamble!’

’Wang Meng is incredibly popular right now, but that popularity is limited to the low-level disciples—the ones who will never be able to touch the upper echelons. Their futures are already set. No Celestial Dao, no ascension, and certainly no glory. Those things are out of their reach. Wang Meng’s emergence fulfilled a fantasy for them, but it’s still just a fantasy.’

’In the eyes of the elite disciples, however, Wang Meng is still just a farmer who got lucky. They showed some interest, but after reading the profile I put together, their circles all settled on the same nickname for him: "the Farmer."’

’I heard them laughing and talking about it myself. A miracle-working farmer? Still just a farmer!’

’Wang Meng’s parents were farmers, and now that he’s at the Holy Hall, he’s inherited that farmer’s nature. So no matter what he does, he’s just a farmer.’

’Honestly, it made me furious. It’s just like what they say about me—that I’m nothing more than a third-rate peddler of information.’

’In any world, there are many kinds of strength. Maybe it’s difficult in a Small Thousand World, but I refuse to accept that.’

’All the other halls will be putting up treasures for this auction. After all, every hall needs to cover its own operating costs and requires massive amounts of Spirit Stones. The allocation from the Main Hall is nowhere near enough. The real point of the Hundred Treasures Hall Meeting *is* the auction. In a way, its purpose has been fulfilled, just not for the ordinary disciples. It’s for those at the very top of the pyramid.’

’I recommended Wang Meng’s items to the Holy Hall Pavilion, thinking that the four Ancestral Masters’ approval had to count for something, but I was rejected outright. So, I paid the security deposit myself. That fee of eight Low-Grade Spirit Stones wasn’t the real cost. I had to stake all the capital I’ve saved over the years—twenty Middle-Grade Spirit Stones!’

’I’m not doing this for the money. I’m doing it to show the people of the Holy Light Pavilion my guts and my vision!’

’If I win this fight, I refuse to believe the people of the Holy Light Pavilion will still dare to look down on me. How many people can just pull out twenty Middle-Grade Spirit Stones? And how many would dare to gamble everything on something like this?’

’I dare!’

’It’s a thrill, a real thrill. Maybe deep down, I’m also desperate for a miracle. I’ve earned a decent amount by selling information, and my network is extensive, but the one thing I’ve always craved is the one thing I’ve never received.’

’Respect!’

’I know I’ve hit a ceiling. This whole affair has put me in the spotlight. Anyone with half a brain can calculate that I’ve made a killing. How could someone like Tang Wei just let that slide? People left me alone before because they didn’t think I was worth the trouble.’

’If I don’t show some real backbone and power, I’ll either be swallowed whole by someone else or be reduced to being a bootlicking lackey.’

’This is my chance. I have to prove my worth to the Holy Light Pavilion, and at the same time, to Ning Zhiquan. I know full well that Ning Zhiquan’s ambitions lie with the entire Holy Hall, not just Dao Guang Hall. As long as I can prove myself, the vultures circling me will have a much harder time making a move. I’ll show them I’m not an easy target.’