1979 Gray’s Gains! Liu Jie’s sacred source lifeform, the Emperor Core of All Insects, could fuse with the Insect Queen to explosively increase its individual combat power, but the price of using the ability was much too heavy. However, the Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle was different. As Liu Jie set up his formation, the insect-species carcinoma feys’ reproduced lifeforms and insects produced by the Insect Queen would die continuously. The Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle’s defense mode of metal characteristics could change into offense mode and stack up, allowing it to fight far beyond its grade. The Diamond Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle’s feat of heavily injuring Cicada Song was the best example of this. !! No one had fought with Lin Yuan over the Perfect Touch Wisteria. But when Liu Jie placed a bid for the Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle, he was met with competition from several factions. Yi Huailong was afraid that Lin Yuan’s mood would be spoiled. Moreover, Lin Yuan was extremely fond of his retainer. Yi Huailong explained, “Young Master Chu, most of these competing factions need a large number of insects as nourishment for their feys. For example, the head of the Yu family has the Insect-Consuming Bone Ficus, which needs to eat at least 500 tonnes of insects daily. The Yu family’s bid for the Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle is so large because he wants to provide the Insect-Consuming Bone Ficus with a long-term meal ticket.” Without even a shift in his expression, Lin Yuan placed a bid of 50,000,000 Great Lush dollars after the Yu family announced their bid of 40,000,000 Great Lush dollars. The Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle had inelastic demand to the Yu family. The rainy season was almost upon the Divine Wood Federation. At that time, it would be extremely easy to catch insect-species feys. As such, the middle-aged man who was representing the Yu family at the Crown Wood Banquet had no choice but to ball his fist in front of Lin Yuan and say, “I didn’t expect Young Master Chu to be interested in the Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle. However, it is much too important to the Yu family. I hope that you can let us have it. The Yu family will be sure to show our deep gratitude! If you also have a need for the Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle to attract insects, we promise to send it to Sky Creation’s tree castle every afternoon for as long as you’re in Sacred Wood City so you can use it as you please!” While the Yu family was determined to buy the Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle, they also did not want to insult Lin Yuan. As such, the middle-aged man had said something so placating. Nonetheless, Lin Yuan did not intend to give way to the Yu family. The Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle was far too important for Liu Jie. If they missed this opportunity, he might never be able to obtain one for the rest of his life. Since the matter concerned Liu Jie’s future, Lin Yuan was not above using martial power against those who interfered, no matter how much he wanted to keep his nose clean before he entered the Sacred Wood Mystic Realm. Lin Yuan said to the middle-aged man from the Yu family, “I am very interested in the Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle. If the Yu family wants it, you can continue raising the price. I don’t have any obligation to the Yu family.” When he was done speaking, Lin Yuan made his bid of 70,000,000 right on the tails of the Yu family’s bid of 60,000,000. The Yu family was not as illustrious as the Yang, Bai, Yi, or Su families in Sacred Forest City. However, their intermediate Class 4 Creation Master had reached advanced Class 4 in recent years. Two of their juniors had also reached Class 4 from pinnacle Class 3. As a result, the Yu family was about to grab the tails of the Yi family. Although the middle-aged man knew that this lavishly-dressed young man was extremely powerful, he, who was used to being a bully, could not swallow being treated in such a way. “Since Young Master Chu has made his stance clear, I will have no choice but to affront you and continue raising the price! I bid 90,000,000 Great Lush dollars!” Since Lin Yuan knew that Great Lush dollars was the only accepted currency in the Crown Wood Banquet, he had come prepared. This was why he had allowed such a large quantity of Bronze/Epic Item-Storing Walnuts to leave his hand. It only took a few minutes for Lin Yuan to nurture one of the Item-Storing Walnut Trees, and one tree produced over 100 Item-Storing Walnuts. Thus, the Great Lush dollars were completely worthless to Lin Yuan. The middle-aged man needed to consider carefully each time he increased the bid by 10,000,000 Great Lush dollars, but Lin Yuan did not need to do so. Lin Yuan was too lazy to go on slowly adding 10,000,000 to each subsequent bid. “150,000,000.” He had upped the price by 60,000,000 at once, as though it was worth as much as garbage. Of all the people from the Divine Wood Federation who were present, only Yi Huailong, who understood Lin Yuan’s background, could remain calm. Bai Qinghuan’s ambition shone as brightly as it always did in her eyes. However, she now also looked at Lin Yuan with fear and respect. She knew that just like how the young man had cut off all her paths of retreat by inviting her to stargaze with him, she would never be able to leave once she joined him. Yet, this young man was willing to cough up 150,000,000 Great Lush dollars for his retainer. This meant that he was very kind to his subordinates. As long as she provided value, it was likely that she would lead a comfortable life under him. Lin Yuan could earn around 30,000,000 Great Lush dollars by selling a pair of the Bronze/Epic Item-Storing Walnuts. On the other hand, the Yu family needed money to manage all of its operations. They could not afford to part with 150,000,000 Great Lush dollars. Eventually, the middle-aged man decided not to raise the bid. He could tell that Lin Yuan was set on winning. If he continued raising the price, he would only incite Lin Yuan to continue to do so as well. This would only further blacken their name in the books of Sky Creation. It seemed that the Yu family was still going to have to use a large amount of manpower to seek out 500 tonnes of insects daily. As Liu Jie looked at the Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle that Lin Yuan had just bought for him, Liu Jie felt as though he had just traveled through time. Liu Jie could still remember how Lin Yuan had done all he could to buy the Hurricane Owlet Moth for him at a king-class expert’s auction eight or nine months ago. The Lin Yuan of then was completely different from the Lin Yuan of today. He was going to be Lin Yuan’s retainer knight forever, protecting him as his sword and shield. Liu Jie intended to make the Halberd Corner Sky-Defying Rhinoceros Beetle the center of his combat system of insect-species carcinoma feys. After the fight against the Freedom Federation envoy group, Liu Jie understood the enemy’s might. It was very likely that there would be more dangers at the Major Federation Meeting. Liu Jie wanted to improve himself as much as possible during the next two years so that he would not have to hide behind Lin Yuan in the face of danger. Instead, he would be able to fulfill his duty of being Lin Yuan’s retainer knight. Both Lin Yuan and Liu Jie had great gains from the Crown Wood Banquet. Besides the two of them, Gray’s gains were also significant. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖 The Sand Storm Acacia, Frozen Rain Bellflower, and Hazy Weeping Willow that could produce weather phenomena were also auctioned off during the Crown Wood Banquet.