Chapter 100: Unhesitating by any means and cost
All eyes were fixated on the projector screen inside the dark auction venue as a video was then played.
The waves surged forth from the roaring, vast, and boundless sea, as it spread over and surrounded an isolated island that was like a mosaic gem inlaid. The eagle view hovered and dived down toward the isolated island. It was a quiet large island which was a few square kilometers in size, with rolling ranges of hills, verdant lush greeneries,and trees, as well as birdsongs and gorgeous brilliant flowers with butterfly groups flying around to play above them.
A European style castle stood magnificently at the central peak of the island as a smooth pathway at the hilltop branched out toward 3 areas, the road leading to the castle, one path to the nearby parking lot, and the other one to an aircraft parking ground.
Looking through the isolated island’s landscape, the astounding sceneries uncovered 9 ranges of hills that spread out to the sea. A European style small pavilion was built at the end of each hill as each hill had a road along downhill that was connected to the sea area with a private dock, where a few passenger ships were moored.
“Nine Dragons Spitting Beads?”
“How could it be?”
Tang Xiu’s pupils contracted unceasingly as a burst of disbelief was emitted from his eyes. His body slightly shivered as stormy waves struck inside his heart unceasingly.
When he was in the Immortal World, he had once possessed a treasured land with this great Feng Shui pattern. The place had a rich Heaven Earth Spiritual Qi, with strong and thick spiritual energy. Cultivating in that place would definitely lead to double the result for half of the effort. But the place was called the “Nine Dragons Spitting Beads Secret Region” there.
The video playback ended.
The lights at the auction site were re-lit again, followed by the auctioneer’s voice who spoke with a shallow smile, “We’ve seen the video. That is the last auctioned item for this auction today. The Nine Dragons Island is located at the Pacific Ocean nearby another island called the Southern Bird Island, which is 2,000 nautical miles away from each other.”
“This private island was originally owned by a European Financial Consortium owner. However, it was unfortunate that after the island has been developed for 2.5 years, the Financial Consortium owner had no choice but to sell this private island due to special circumstances. And it happens that the Big Boss of this auction has a good relationship with this private island’s owner, so the owner entrusted the auction rights to us.”
“I believe that each and every guest participating in this Violet Redbud Auction is one of the richest and powerful people in our country, and I’m sure everyone is interested in this Feng Shui treasured island. Thus, without further ado, the auction for this private island will begin now!”
“The floor price is 500 million yuan, and each bid increase is to be no less than 10 million. And now the auction officially begins.”
Along with the ending of the auctioneer’s voice, the following hundreds of people under the stage who were participating in the auction were talking in a whisper. After all, this was related to a 500 million business transaction. Although they were filthy rich, but 500 million was not a small amount of money, even for them.
“That private island is damn good.”
A bit of a smiling expression was cast on Miao Wentang’s face. But he didn’t wish to compete in bidding for this island. He glanced to Tang Xiu at his side before he turned his sight toward other direction and looked at Shao Mingzhen. He then asked with a smile, “If I remember correctly, you’re planning to buy a mansion overseas, aren’t you? How about it? Do you have any interest?”
Shao Mingzhen was silent for a moment before he slowly shook his head and said, “This private island’s floor price is indeed not high. If it could be bought for 500 million and then sold afterward, you can still make money off it. And this, everyone is crystal clear about it. So I thought that even if it were to be sold at 1 billion, I don’t think I can afford it. I’m not one of the local bosses, so there’s no way I can be compared to you. Thus, I’m gonna just watch and enjoy the fun!”
Miao Wentang smiled and said, “Well, if you really want to buy it, I can lend you some money. But I can’t get more than 1 billion in fluid capital though.”
Shao Mingzhen lightly laughed and replied, “Well, I’ll just take a look first!”
Tang Xiu stood up as he went to the back corner of the auction venue and then dialed a number.
****
Star City.
Chen Zhizhong had just bought a villa near the Gazebo King Villa at South Gate Town. As he sat cross-legged in his study room, he was carefully practicing the cultivation method and technique Tang Xiu had taught him. He used to be a martial arts practitioner, but what he had been cultivating before was cultivating True Qi, which was very different than an immortal cultivation method and technique.
However, the Great Dao had a myriad of paths, with each path being unique but leading to the same origin.
Because of his previous foundation, he was now trying hard to transform his True Qi into Origin Qi.
“Ring ring ring…”
The phone suddenly rang and abruptly awakened Chen Zhizhong from his cultivation practice. A slight anger immediately surfaced on his complexion as he quickly grabbed his mobile and looked at the caller ID on the screen. Then, the angry look quickly vanished without a trace, and was replaced with a respectful expression as he then pressed the answer button.
“Master, are you looking for me?”
“I need money. The more the better. How much money can you transfer in 10 minutes?”
“…”
For half a minute Chen Zhizhong fell into a silence. His mind unceasingly thought about it deeply. Only after half a minute had passed did he reply, “About 3 billion yuan. The time is too tight, if you can give half a day, I can gather up to 5 billion or more.”
Tang Xiu said, “I’ll send you my bank account number. 10 minutes later, transfer 3 billion yuan to my account.”
“Yes!”
Chen Zhizhong quickly complied and no longer gave a thought to continue practicing as he began to make a phone call without stopping.
****
Jingmen Island, at the auction venue.
Shao Mingzhen and Miao Wentang were having a private chat as they suddenly aware that Tang Xiu had left his seat. They immediately looked at each other. Tang Xiu had left his seat before, made a phone call and then came back to participate in the 1000-years-old wild ginseng auction.
“Brother Miao, could it be Tang Xiu also wants to participate in this auction? Does he want this private island?” An astonished expression flashed in Shao Mingzhen’s eyes as he asked in a whisper.
Miao Wentang whispered back, “It could be very possible. You also saw his serious expression. I could tell it for sure. However, I really don’t get him. He’s very young, why would he want to run away and buy a private island in the Pacific Ocean? Is it possible that he wants to move there to seclude himself and cut off from the rest of the world?”
Shao Mingzhen let out a forced smile and said, “I don’t get him, moreover, I can’t understand him in the slightest! To tell you the truth, seeing Tang Xiu’s age and appearance, he gives me a contradictory feeling. Basically, I can’t figure him out. He’s too young of a man, but his words, conducts, and actions are not that of a young man’s. In contrast, doesn’t he look like a deep and wise old man?”
“He’s a freaking genius or a monster.” Miao Wentang said his final judgement.
Tang Xiu returned back to his seat and quietly waited for the funds to be transferred to his account. Although he saw the strange expressions on Miao Wentang and Shao Mingzhen’s complexions, but he didn’t speak nor explain anything.
He did want the 1000-years-old wild ginseng, and very much at it. But this private island, he was determined to obtain it at all costs. Even if he must snatch it forcefully, then rob it he will.
“510 million.” A newly rich plump middle-aged man was the first to open the bid.
“520 million.”
“550 million.”
“…”
This was the last round of auction, and only a few number of people were involved in this auction compared to the previous ones. However few bidders in numbers there were, but the price was in constant increase. And one of the most spirited and jubilant in bidding was the fat middle-aged man who wore the gold chain. 7 or 8 minutes later, the price had climbed up to 1.48 billion.
“1.5 billion!”
A bead of sweat permeated on the fat middle-aged man’s forehead as he called for the bid.
“2 billion!”
Another old man over his 70s raised the sign in his hand and shouted.
The fat middle-aged man suddenly turned his head as he stared at the old man with eyes full of anger. He heavily breathed a few times before he shouted again, “2.1 billion.”
Up to this price, there were only the old man and the fat middle-aged man. The old man’s complexion was expressionless as though he turned a blind eye to the fat middle-aged man’s angry stares and face as he shouted his bid once again, “2.2 billion!”
“2.3 billion!”
The fat middle-aged man’s voice turned a bit hoarse, but he still insisted on bidding.
However, his anger was quickly replaced with happiness, because the old man silently shook his head and no longer bidded.
“Huff…”
The fat middle-aged man wiped the sweat from his forehead and secretly felt relieved inside. It was actually his limit, if the price increased again, he would have to renounce it.
The corner of the auctioneer’s mouth was curled as she smiled with sparkling eyes and said, “The price of the Nine Dragons Island has risen to 2.3 billion yuan. This is indeed a terrifying amount of money, but I do still think that some people have yet to bid. After all, this is a few tens of square kilometers island with completed construction and development. If this private island were to be used accordingly, it definitely would be a paradise on earth, the one and only kingdom for its owner.”
“There’s no legal and public law on the Nine Dragons Island, the master of the island is the king, the sole sovereign of the land. If the island’s owner wills it, he can apply to international laws to establish a new country.”
“This island is the dreamland, a paradise. Now, I would like to ask once more, is there no one who wants to increase the bid? No one wants to be the owner of this Nine Dragons Island?”
A deathly stillness and silence filled the entire auction venue.
Everyone was watching each other. The auctioneer’s words did instigate them and ignite their emotions and desires completely. But still, they couldn’t get so much liquidity, for their enterprises they would be seriously hit by the impact and would severely influence their companies and fracture them!
Hearts were palpitating!
But they were struck with helplessness!
This was the deepest and truest portrait to depict their hearts.
A trace of a disappointed expression was revealed on the young auctioneer’s elegant face, Xiao Ai. Despite the 2.3 billion price already exceeding her expectations, she still hoped to sell the island at a higher price.
In contrast, the fat middle-aged man was in the opposite mood as a smile emerged on his face; a proud expression could be seen on his complexion. His vision swept over to the last bidder, the old man, and then subconsciously glanced at Tang Xiu.
“2.5 billion!”
Tang Xiu’s voice finally reverberated inside the auction venue.
In just a split second, everyone inside the auction venue showed a very strange expression. Not even one of them had ever thought that Tang Xiu, who couldn’t buy the 1000-year-old wild ginseng before, was now participating in this private island auction. He even bidded with such outrageously sky high price.
Did he have so much money?
From where did he get so much courage?
Furthermore…
Who was he?
Each and every question surged and bubbled up inside everyone’s mind.
Miao Wentang, Shao Mingzhen, and even the immortal-manner-like Dao Master Ziyi who were sitting beside Tang Xiu, were shocked and shaken by Tang Xiu’s courage. They looked at Tang Xiu in disbelief. And never once did they expect that Tang Xiu was able to come up with so much money!
Shao Mingzhen gently touched Miao Wentang and whispered: “You persuade him as not to act recklessly in this place. The hidden big boss behind this auction is very powerful, and someone we must absolutely avoid to offend.”
Notes:
It’s been 8 months since I began translating Chinese novels. First novel was Demon God of which I’ve already dropped it due to some trolls who flooded my email and accused that I deliberately slowed down the pace to get donation money, the second is The Lame Daoist Priest which is being continued by Pangpang. The third is Great Dao Commander which now being suspended and waiting for its publishing issues to be resolved. And the last is this Returning from the Immortal World. Each and every chapter I’ve translated are for free and I’ve never gotten any payment for them. Our team has never gotten even a dime including the ads revenue, since all of them go to server upgrade and maintenance. I feel the need to tell all the readers about this, in case that someone is wondering whether we accept any financial compensation for our works.
However, apart from that note, we’ve reached 100 chapters for Returning from the Immortal World. I don’t know whether I can continue translating this novel or not due to publishing issues and such. However, I might slow down the translation speed to 7 chapters a week to a maximum of 12 chapters with sponsored chapters. It’s because I need to carefully plan my schedule in real life. I have a family with 7 children (5 of them are adopted), and I’m also working and must manage my business for 8-12 hours a day, 5 days a week.
I didn’t have a plan to accept donation at first though. However, recently I’ve found other uses for the donation money, that is, donating the money back to social activities I’m currently engaging in real life. For all the donors that have donated for the sponsored chapters, I sincerely give my thanks to all of you. And I want to tell you that the donations’ shares I have received, all have been donated back to the orphanage from where I adopted my foster children. So, once again, I thank you both from me and on their behalf.
For the rest of the novels beside RFTIW, I’ll resume translating them if some issues regarding the rights have been resolved. And truthfully, RFTIW might be entering these “rights” circle too. However, whatever will be, will be… since I’m not really that disturbed if I must drop the novels I’m currently translating because of stealing, poaching, or due to translating and publishing issues. I don’t own the novel, neither do I have the intention to have meaningless talks and fights over them.