Seeing Li Youran's words now, it was truly a strategy unfolding step by step, cornering Hai Chenfeng completely. Even with Hai Chenfeng’s steadfast composure cultivated as a Heaven Profound expert, he was agitated into this state by Li Youran’s mere few sentences!

This Li Youran's cunning was deep as the ocean itself! Truly a formidable foe!

If Hai Chenfeng had continued to blindly raise the bid, Jun Moxie could have guaranteed that Li Youran would not have followed on the next turn. Because, putting himself in Li Youran’s shoes, if he had been pushed this far, he too would have seized the moment to back off.

But alas, Li Youran, oh Li Youran, your plan was certainly excellent, yet it suffered from excessive luck—you encountered Hai Chenfeng, and behind Hai Chenfeng stands me! It was fated that your scheme, which would have tricked anyone else, could not succeed here!

You were far too fortunate!

Therefore, Jun Moxie instantly made a decisive judgment and immediately curbed Hai Chenfeng's impulsive action.

"Hahaha," Hai Qiding, having been provoked by Li Youran just moments before in a fit of temper, instantly sobered up upon receiving the sharp warning from the great master Jun.

Xian, positioned at the table, found their stance undeniably awkward. Despite the etiquette befitting a supreme expert of the Great Profound level, Hai Chenfeng suddenly threw his head back and let out a loud laugh: "The Li family truly lives up to its reputation as a great house of Xiangcheng. Indeed, they are immensely wealthy! Heh heh. I am merely a humble figure from a minor martial arts faction; how could I possibly provoke the Grand Tutor’s Estate? Since Young Master Li is so determined to have these, and since this fine wine isn't limited to only these fifty jars, I shall grant Young Master Li face and withdraw from this bidding contest!"

Saying this, he slowly and deliberately stepped down from the table, bowed slightly toward Li Youran, the corner of his mouth curving into a knowing, almost-smile, "Young Master Li is indeed a lover of fine wine, and has gotten his wish by securing this first batch. My congratulations!"

In those few words, he completely reversed the entire awkward situation he had been placed in, having been cornered in the bid!

Li Youran froze instantly. No one could see it, but a flicker of confusion and doubt surfaced for the first time on his face, usually as calm as an ancient well, hidden beneath his veil.

Li Youran was genuinely perplexed. He absolutely had not expected that Hai Chenfeng, the master of the Golden Sun Gang, who was clearly trapped in his snare, looking at the intensity of his excitement—he was probably ready to shout a bid of ten million taels next—would suddenly shrink back at the crucial juncture and retreat?

I want the wine? What a joke! While I do desire the wine, any discerning eye could tell that every major faction present would certainly acquire wine, probably even without offering a high price, perhaps only at the base rate. Why would I bother spending five million taels of silver for a mere few jars?

For the first time, Li Youran felt that something had deviated entirely from his projections! However, Hai Chenfeng’s previous anger had seemed utterly genuine; what in the world was going on? Was this truly a last-minute change of heart? Not only did he gracefully exit a pointless contest, but he also managed to make it look like Li Youran was lifting a rock only to drop it on his own foot, even saddling him with the reputation of bullying others with power.

Did Hai Chenfeng possess such profound foresight?

Or, could it be that there was another master giving instructions behind the scenes? But if there was someone guiding him, the situation arose so suddenly; there was only a brief moment of clarity. By what method or means could a message have been conveyed? It was truly baffling!

Though it seemed protracted, this entire sequence of thoughts occurred in a fleeting instant. As Li Youran stood stunned, only a fraction of a second passing, he immediately recovered, flashing a profoundly sincere smile. He bowed gracefully, "Since that is the case, I thank Gang Leader Hai for his concession..."

He chuckled twice, a self-deprecating sound, "It turns out I played the fool and shot myself in the foot. I intended to cause some trouble, but Gang Leader Hai saw through it easily. I truly admire Gang Leader Hai's intellect! Should I have the chance another day, I shall seek guidance from you on superior strategy!"

Upstairs, Jun Moxie couldn't help but sigh. This Li Youran, when conducting business, was truly flawless, astonishingly polished.

Any clear-sighted person could see that Li Youran was deliberately causing trouble, forcing up the price, clearly intending to humiliate Hai Chenfeng. Yet, contrary to that expectation, Li Youran unexpectedly lost ground, and furthermore, had to needlessly spend the staggering sum of five million taels to buy those fifty jars of wine, leading many observers to harbor a degree of mockery.

But with Li Youran’s declaration, he surprisingly appeared magnanimous and forthright. To admit failure and stand by one's actions—that too required courage and grace!

Behind Princess Lingmeng, two figures in black robes exchanged a glance, their eyes holding approval.

"He can grasp victory, and he can let go of defeat. This Li Youran is indeed a character, rarely matched among the younger generation," Mr. Wen murmured with a smile. "Your Majesty, do you not consider such talent?"

The other figure in black, who was the current Emperor of the Tianxiang Empire, spoke in a low voice, his gaze profound, "He is certainly worth considering. However, what deserves my consideration more is the one behind the scenes guiding Hai Chenfeng. Not only was their intervention subtle and traceless, but that person’s intellect is in no way inferior to Li Youran’s—it might even surpass it by a significant margin!"

"Guiding from behind?" Mr. Wen looked puzzled.

"Think, Sir. Within three short exchanges, Li Youran set a trap for Hai Chenfeng—a trap he was guaranteed to step into. The first bid was raised by five hundred thousand taels; he knew Hai Chenfeng would follow. But the second raise was only a single copper coin—this immediately cornered Hai Chenfeng, leaving him nowhere to turn, and moreover, enraged him, shattering his composure! Then, the third bid raised the price by only two copper coins, and by then, Hai Chenfeng was already consumed by rage, unable to think straight! Like a blind, maddened bull, he could only charge forward! Even if a thick wall stood before him, impossible to breach, he would still rush it heedlessly."

Mr. Wen closed his eyes, replaying the preceding events. Indeed, Hai Chenfeng, despite his bearing as a Heaven Profound master, had completely abandoned decorum by jumping onto the table—he was already on the verge of exploding, his posture signaling imminent eruption.

"But after he leaped onto the table, he only spoke eight words: 'Wine, do not bully me too much, I…' and then he abruptly stopped! This pause occurred where no pause should be, like a mighty river suddenly severed halfway! Yet, he managed to descend with unusual calm, bowed, and conceded defeat, delivering an extraordinarily beautiful counter-strike—a feat of tremendous strategy."

"Look at that Li Youran boy; he is also glancing around, searching for something. He likely shares my suspicion. Only no one can decipher the method or manner by which that person guided Hai Chenfeng. Therefore, I assert that the person behind Hai Chenfeng must possess either peerless sharp judgment or uniquely subtle methods!" the Emperor mused slightly.

Mr. Wen observed, and indeed, Li Youran was subtly directing his profound senses outwards, while constantly—and deliberately—peeking at the movements around him, movements that naturally could not escape the Emperor’s keen eyes.

The Emperor's eyes shone with intellectual brilliance: "Mr. Wen, even if you and I were in Hai Chenfeng's position, suffering such grave insult, we might not be able to control our own emotions, let alone think clearly about deeper matters? Therefore, I assert that Hai Chenfeng was instantaneously restrained at that moment! And the person who restrained him chose the most opportune timing—just enough to cause Li Youran a massive loss! This person, perhaps, is the true reason Hai Chenfeng suddenly took charge of the Golden Sun Gang. Heh heh, I recall the former leader of the Golden Sun Gang was named Jin Feng, was he not?"

As a ruler burdened with the weight of state affairs, the Emperor’s ability to recall the name of a subterranean gang leader demonstrated considerable power!

"I even suspect this person might be the true organizer of today's auction!" The Emperor's gaze held a trace of coldness. "So, as long as we watch Hai Chenfeng, we will certainly uncover intelligence on this individual."

Mr. Wen stared at Hai Chenfeng, a sharp glint in his eyes. "If watching proves ineffective, I shall simply capture that boy Hai Chenfeng and interrogate him thoroughly. Even if he possesses an iron head and iron limbs, I can squeeze oil from him!"

Mr. Wen's tone was certainly bold. Hai Chenfeng was, after all, a mid-tier Heaven Profound master, a figure who could stride across the world nearly unchallenged, save for a select few. Yet, he spoke of capturing and slowly interrogating him.

"Hai Chenfeng is ultimately the disciple of the Azure Supreme. We should avoid provoking the Azure Supreme if possible; the cost would outweigh any gain," the Emperor stated calmly, turning his gaze toward Tang Yuan on the platform. "As for finding this person, there are countless other methods."

Under the gaze of everyone present, Li Youran calmly handed over the five million silver notes. He then had a retainer follow the nobles to arrange the storage of the wine, while he himself returned to his seat, completely composed.

"This Li Youran is a truly terrifying individual," Young Master Jun stared intently at Li Youran below, defining him with a single assessment. Instinct told him this fellow posed a very significant threat!

As a habit ingrained from his past life as the premier assassin, Jun Moxie absolutely could not tolerate any threat existing near him! Especially anything that could threaten his life—the first thought in Jun Moxie’s mind was typically annihilation!

Jun Wuyi looked at him with a knowing smile and remarked casually, "Li Youran is the eldest grandson of the Grand Tutor’s Estate, and also the leading figure among the younger generation of the Li family, the Meng family, and several other clans. He never attends these sorts of gatherings. Moxie, his presence here is a greater gesture of respect than even the Grand Tutor’s showing up."

"I care nothing for his 'face'! His face is less important than my backside to me; it holds no meaning whatsoever," Jun Moxie sneered, though his eyes betrayed a restless gleam. "What truly concerns me is how much silver he spent here."

This Li Youran, the great killer from a past life, secretly made a firm decision: this man must be brought into his immediate line of sight!

The first batch of fifty jars of wine unexpectedly commanded the sky-high price of five million taels. Tang Yuan, ecstatic, swiftly presented the second batch of fifty jars of premium fine wine.

"I bid one million taels for these fifty jars. Does anyone else wish to raise the price?" Hai Chenfeng stood up again. He was executing his role perfectly.

Of course, his bid was entirely reasonable; if he had remained silent now, that would have been truly illogical!

"I bid one million five hundred thousand," came a clear, melodic voice, spoken unhurriedly. Everyone turned to see the source. It was, unexpectedly, Princess Lingmeng. Her presence here was already surprising to most; now, she was placing such a high bid.