I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense

Chapter 227: Chapter 228: I, Ling Xue'er, Making Money!

"Eighteen million!"

"Twenty million!"

"Twenty-one million..."

"..."

The bidding continued, and Li Xiaobai's expression became shock beyond belief. Before, he had thought that this Inner Armor would cause a scramble, but he never expected it to sell for such an astronomical price.

Did Su Mei'er's Inner Armor really possess such allure?

It seemed that in this world, male cultivators' spirits were truly empty. In the future, he should pay more attention to this kind of business. Although selling these items wouldn't always fetch astronomical prices, setting up a production line industry wouldn't be an issue.

"Gentlemen, I must have this Inner Armor. What if you let me have it?"

The old man on the second floor spoke sinisterly.

"Go to hell, you damn old man. At your age, you're still thinking about these wretched matters. Be careful, or you'll die young!"

A middle-aged man on the third floor cursed outright, finding the old fellow utterly shameless.

"Twenty-five million top-quality Spirit Stones!"

The female cultivator on the second floor spoke up again; she had just won Li Xiaobai's Spiritual Medicine.

"Miss, are you also interested in this Inner Armor?"

The old man asked, his voice somewhat cold.

"This sovereign has no interest in the Inner Armor itself, but does not wish for the intimate garments of our female cultivators to fall into you filthy men's hands!"

The female cultivator on the second floor said indifferently.

"Referring to yourself as 'this sovereign,' could you be the King of the Southern Ming Kingdom of Women, Ling Xue'er?"

The old man asked with a mix of suspicion in his voice; in his memory, no female cultivator in Central Province referred to herself as a sovereign.

"Indeed, this sovereign heard that a female cultivator's Inner Armor was to be auctioned here. What's more ridiculous is the multitude of men coveting it. To prevent you from desecrating the item, I made a special trip from Southern Ming to acquire it!"

Ling Xue'er stated coolly, her words heavy with mockery.

The male cultivators present all hung their heads in shame.

The renown of the Kingdom of Women's sovereign was well-known to them, a formidable figure indeed. Southern Ming was originally barren land, where the common man would find only death, yet there, a kingdom was founded, comprised entirely of women and known as the Kingdom of Women.

It was said that in the early years, Ling Xue'er specifically took in girls who had been oppressed and humiliated, teaching them cultivation and aiding their growth. As their numbers increased, gradually a kingdom was formed.

During that time, numerous malevolent male cultivators had attempted to intrude upon the Kingdom of Women, intending to abduct the female cultivators, but without exception, all were killed by Ling Xue'er. Since then, the mighty fame of the Kingdom of Women echoed throughout the Immortal Spirit Continent.

This sovereign of the Kingdom of Women was of the Mahayana Realm, which was no secret, and considered one of the top forces on the Immortal Spirit Continent.

Unlike typical powerhouses, Ling Xue'er took a great interest in fighting injustice, particularly when it came to women. If there was a girl being bullied, she would certainly lend a hand.

Her presence at the Treasure Pavilion was no different.

Now that she had spoken, the other big shots felt it was a bit tricky. This sovereign had considerable financial strength, and given her personality, it was entirely possible she would spend all her wealth to secure the Inner Armor.

However, having come this far, they still wanted to compete a bit more.

A moment of chaos ensued in the hall, and the old man on the second floor said sinisterly, "I offer twenty-six million top-quality Spirit Stones."

"Twenty-seven million,"

Ling Xue'er said coolly.

"Twenty-eight million!"

The elder gnashed his teeth with resentment.

"Thirty million!"

Ling Xue'er remained nonchalant.

The elder cursed inwardly, 'Madwoman!' To pay thirty million for a piece of Inner Armor was sheer madness. Even he wouldn't dare to easily bear such a price.

"May I ask if Lord Ling brought enough Spirit Stones for your trip? Or rather, do you actually have thirty million top-quality Spirit Stones on hand right now? Falsifying bids is not a good habit," again spoke the middle-aged man from the third floor, his tone indifferent.

As soon as these words fell, the elder on the second floor immediately chimed in, "Indeed, as the ruler of a nation, your every action must surely prioritize the state's interests. It's impossible that you would carry such an enormous sum with you. I demand that Treasure Pavilion inspect Lord Ling's finances!"

"This..."

At this remark, Yun Ya was also somewhat stunned; indeed, it seemed unlikely for anyone to bring so many Spirit Stones to an auction.

The Inner Armor had already been sold for an exorbitant price, and if the buyer couldn't produce the Spirit Stones when it came time to pay, that would be a serious dereliction of duty. But to question someone's financial capability at this moment seemed somewhat offensive, and the Kingdom of Women's ruler was not someone to take lightly.

For a brief moment, she was caught between a rock and a hard place.

She turned her gaze towards Gu Ling, hoping he could come up with a solution.

"It doesn't matter, I indeed did not bring enough Spirit Stones. All I have on me are a mere twenty-five million top-quality Spirit Stones," said Ling Xue'er lightly, without a hint of panic.

"Lord Ling, what you're doing is a serious breach of regulation. If you were to win the bid and then fail to produce the Spirit Stones, it would be quite the joke," said the elder indifferently.

"There should be quite a few female cultivators present, are you truly willing to see this Inner Armor fall into the hands of men and be desecrated? Think about it—if today it is Su Mei'er's Inner Armor being auctioned, tomorrow it could be yours. Are you really prepared to let this go?"

"Today, I have been careless and did not anticipate encountering these lascivious old men. My Spirit Stones are somewhat insufficient. Which sister is willing to lend me a helping hand?"

"Rest assured that I will return every single Spirit Stone, and I will forever be grateful for this kindness!"

Ling Xue'er ignored the elder's words and her voice spread throughout the entire auction house, seeking to borrow Spirit Stones.

"Sister is right, our private items as women must not fall into men's hands. I am willing to give Sister one million top-quality Spirit Stones!"

"Exactly, the Kingdom of Women stands as a model for us. Today the King helps the unseen Su Mei'er, tomorrow she could help us sisters. I will also give Sister one million top-quality Spirit Stones!"

"Us women already face more difficulties in the Cultivation World than men, and only we sisters truly understand the hardships we endure. Sister's words have struck a chord with me. Without a doubt, here's two million, no need to return it!"

"To hell with those stinking men, whatever amount Sister is short, I'll make up the rest!"

Ling Xue'er's speech resonated with many female cultivators; they too were displeased with the auction of the Inner Armor but alas, they lacked the financial means and cultivation level to compete with the real power players and felt helpless to act.

With the Kingdom of Women's ruler taking the lead, they immediately found their rallying point. In their hearts, this was no longer just an auction for Inner Armor.

It became a confrontation between men and women, an issue of male intrusion versus female self-protection. They had to stand up—and the reason was simple: they were women!

With the support of numerous sisters, Ling Xue'er's voice was heard once more: "Thank you, my sisters. I will remember this kindness today. I had not realized that the women of Central Province possessed such mettle; truly, they are the equals of men!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than an invisible pressure descended, carrying with it a terrifyingly extreme fluctuation of Spiritual Power that swept through the rooms of the middle-aged man and the elder.

At the same time, a room on the second floor burst open, revealing a face of exquisite beauty to the extreme, almond-shaped eyes shooting cold light, and red lips parting ever so slightly.

"I, Ling Xue'er, am paying the money!"