Chapter 753: Gods Bestow Island, I am Coming!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
As the shopkeeper of the art pavilion, the old man was naturally a high-grade art appraiser. When Qian Wanguan brought out the painting, the old man immediately saw something special.
It was truly a Heaven Painting, but it was as he said, the painting skills were too inferior. Otherwise, the price would increase by ten folds or a hundred folds. Furthermore, the dao presence inside the painting was of the lowest grade, the dao presence of the Power of Fire. So the price of two million was actually very reasonable. Of course, if he was to sell it out, he would be able to profit at least one million celestial stones!
In fact, he didn’t have any intention to sell this painting as he wanted to collect it and use it as a shop-defining treasure. He didn’t expect that Qian Wanguan actually had more? Moreover… it was 600 more!
A thousand and two hundred million celestial stones was an astronomical figure for a small art pavilion. His annual turnover for this year was probably only a few hundred million celestial stones. After all, he didn’t have any famed paintings with him; and only those people who had nothing better to do would come to this place to study about calligraphy and paintings.
He stood up awkwardly and asked with a bitter smile, “My Lord, are you certain?”
Qian Wanguan replied indifferently, “Absolutely certain. If your place is unable to buy all of it, I will just have to go to the other merchant associations!”
“My Lord, please wait. I need to seek advice.”
The old man’s brows knitted as this deal was too huge, and it wasn’t something a small art pavilion shopkeeper could decide. He had to seek advice from the merchant association’s chief supervisor.
“Go and come back quickly. I will only wait for 15 minutes.” Qian Wanguan sat his butt down on the lion chair by the side and spoke apathetically.
The old man nodded and walked out quickly. He returned in less than ten minutes and brought along a voluptuous and beautiful young woman. After the old man entered the door, he introduced. “My Lord, this is our Purple Dragon Merchant Association’s Chief Supervisor Li.”
Qian Wanguan stood up and spoke in a cold voice, “Greetings to Chief Supervisor Li.”
“Greetings to my Lord!”
The voluptuous young woman let out a faint smile and said, “My Lord’s 600 paintings will all be bought by us. However, the price might be a little lesser as the quantity is just too huge, and it will be hard for us to sell them all. We are only able to offer 600 million celestial stones at best. If my Lord wishes to deal, you can bring out your paintings for the transaction.”
Qian Wanguan considered for a moment and spoke indifferently, “800 million. Any lesser, and I will not sell it!”
The young woman revealed a smile on her face and nodded lightly. “As long as you have the paintings, 800 million it shall be. I will treat my Lord as my new-found friend!”
Buzz!
Qian Wanguan’s ring lit up and sent out a few hundred rolled-up paintings, which piled up on the table.
“Uh…”
The young woman and the old man took a glance and exchanged eye contact. Their eyes were filled with shock as these paintings exactly the same. Could they be painted by the same individual? In other words, was there a chance that an Art Emperor was in the Purple Dragon City?
Not only did an Art Emperor have a supreme status in the art world, but they had a special status in the entire Stellarsky Domain. They could condense the dao presence of a dao pattern into the painting. Those clans which bought Heaven Paintings could pass down the painting for generations and allow their descendants to use the painting as a reference to comprehend the dao pattern easily.
Like the East Imperial Continent’s Buddha Thearch who was an Art Emperor, but his paintings were seldom circulated in the outside world. Only his clan’s descendants had the qualification to appreciate his paintings. The Buddha Thearch had once condensed a high-grade dao pattern onto a Heaven Painting and auctioned it. As a result, it was sold for the sky-high price of 10 billion celestial stones.
If Qian Wanguan’s backer was truly an Art Emperor, then it would be advisable to be on good ties with him. If they were able to purchase a few high standard Heaven Paintings, they could offer it to the Qu Clan of the Purple Dragon City and would definitely be rewarded generously.
Hence, the reason that the young woman’s smile was getting more radiant. She waved her hand, indicating for the old man to inspect the paintings while she took two steps towards Qian Wanguan and spoke after breathing out a fragrant breath, “My Lord, are these all painted by you? You are so incredible!”
Honey trap?
Qian Wanguan was already used to such unconventional approaches as he remained calm and spoke with a cold smile, “Chief Supervisor Li, it is best not to ask about things that shouldn’t be asked. Otherwise… the next business will not be as successful.”
Chief Supervisor Li lightly nodded and wasn’t angry as well. Instead, she took out a piece of token and said, “My Lord, this is the Purple Dragon Merchant Association’s token; and with this token, you can buy everything in the merchant association with a 20% discount. This is a token of the highest grade, and Li Xiang truly wants to be friends with my Lord.”
Qian Wanguan kept the token indifferently and said, “Many thanks to Chief Supervisor Li. However, my clan’s master doesn’t want anyone to know about this. In the future, if there are higher grade paintings, I will definitely come and look for Chief Supervisor Li.”
“Many thanks for my Lord’s preference. Li Xiang will definitely give my Lord a satisfactory price and promise not to divulge any information.”
Chief Supervisor Li’s beautiful eyes swirled with light waves as she silently gave Qian Wanguan higher approval. It seemed like Qian Wanguan was a crafty fellow who wouldn’t bribe, meaning his backer was definitely an influential figure. She originally wanted to get someone to track and investigate, but now, she didn’t dare to act recklessly.
The shopkeeper inspected all the Heaven Paintings and nodded. “Chief Supervisor, all the paintings are inspected!”
A ring lit up in Chief Supervisor Li’s hand as she took out eight rings and said, “My Lord, here are 800 million celestial stones. Please check it.”
Qian Wanguan checked it and made sure that there was nothing wrong with the celestial stones. He cupped his hands and said, “Farewell, I will come again next month.”
“Alright!”
Chief Supervisor Li bowed and spoke with a sweet smile, “When my Lord visits next time, this servant will prepare a small gift that will certainly excite my Lord.”
One had to admit that Qian Wanguan was very good at this, and it was fortunate that he had come personally. If it was the Golden Flood Dragon that came, he would definitely not be able to hold back Chief Supervisor Li and might possible expose their whereabouts.
After Qian Wanguan walked out of the merchant association, he consecutively walked into a few more merchant associations and constantly altered his appearance. He then casually threw that token into a toilet and circled around for one hour before returning to the Green Bird Merchant Association. He then took out 400 million of the 800 million celestial stones and exchanged them for merits before heading back to the inn.
He had originally exchanged 700 million celestial stones into merits, and this time, he exchanged another 400 million. In the black market, one billion celestial stones were worth 100 million merits. This meant that they had 110 million merits which were enough for them to buy a courtyard in the Gods Bestow City.
“Boss, everything is done!”
Back at the inn, Qian Wanguan excitedly clenched his fist and said. Jiang Yi closed his eyes and didn’t say anything. He waited for at least one hour before he opened his eyes and said, “Wanguan did well. No one is tracking you from behind.”
Jiang Yi had entered the Union of Heaven and Man state earlier while paying close attention to the outside of the inn as he was afraid someone might be stalking Qian Wanguan. Right now, it was already one hour, and he still didn’t notice any anomaly.
Qian Wanguan handed over the merit token to Jiang Yi and took out 300 million celestial stones. Jiang Yi didn’t ask anything else and kept them immediately. He then looked at the weather outside the window and asked, “When are we leaving?”
“In another two hours. The Heaven Fate Ship will be in the north of the city! We will be able to board the ship once we are outside the city gate,” Qian Wanguan replied.
Jiang Yi didn’t say anything else and entered the Union of Heaven and Man state again as he continued to check the surrounding situation of the inn. The merchant’s Heaven Fate Ships were very safe, but if Lu Lin knew he was on the Heaven Fate Ship, they would similarly be in a dangerous situation.
“Let’s go!”
Two hours passed very quickly, and it was sunset. There was a fiery sun that hovered in the west, which illuminated the city with a brilliant red light.
The two of them disguised themselves and headed over to the north city gate quietly. There were over a dozen giant Heaven Fate Ships that were hovering dozens of miles up in the sky at the north of the city. They looked just like a dozen massive creatures which caused the heart to palpitate.
“Boss, over here!”
Qian Wanguan took a glance and locked his eyes onto the largest Heaven Fate Ship and transmitted his message. Jiang Yi waved his hand as the due soared into the sky and towards the Heaven Fate Ship in the sky.
“Tokens!”
There were a few hundred Heaven Monarch guards there were wearing green battle armor as they looked at the duo with cold eyes. Qian Wanguan took out a green token and tossed it over. One of the guards received it and took a glance and spoke in a serious voice, “Ship hold no. 768. You should know of the rules. Apart from your own hold and the no.1 hold of the ship, you are not to trespass other places and not to scout with your divine senses. You are not to act violently on the Heaven Fate Ship, or you shall suffer the consequences.”
The two of them knew these rules and had immediately found the hold of the ship which was meant for them. They entered it and activated the restriction.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
There was an endless flow of people boarding the Heaven Fate Ship, and in just one hour, a few thousand people had boarded. When the sky was completely dark, the Heaven Fate Ship lit up with a dark green barrier as it slowly departed towards the northern horizon.
Jiang Yi’s divine senses went through the hold of the ship and extended towards the pitch-black void of the northern skies. His eyes were filled with excitement and hope while he spoke with a voice that only he could hear. “Gods Bestow Island, I am coming. I hope that place is truly a paradise bestowed by the gods. I hope that I can truly soar in Gods Bestow Island.”
…
