Zi Linling smiled faintly, her willow-like brows curving, "Thank you, Master Dong! But I am in a hurry and fear I must decline the Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce's kind offer. However, should we require your services in the future, the Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce will certainly be our first choice. For now, please assist me in settling the fees!"
Though her words were polite, the confidence radiating from her eyes clearly conveyed: this small matter was beneath her concern.
Master Dong was taken aback for a moment, then offered a fawning smile, "Since you are so confident, I shall not press the matter. Miss Zi, please wait a moment, and I will assist you in settling the fees!"
With that, he withdrew.
After the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, Master Dong returned.
He bowed respectfully and smiled, "Miss Zi, thank you for your patience! All fees have been settled. There are still one hundred million two hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones remaining in this card. Please accept it!"
Zi Linling gasped in shock, "How can it be so much?"
Master Dong chuckled, "I have already applied for approval from my superiors. Miss Zi's auction of the ten-thousand-year-old Nine Twists Acacia Vine and two bottles of Supreme Emotion Flower Dew today incurs no transaction fees."
"These two items combined auctioned for six hundred million two hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones. After deducting the fifty million high-grade spirit stones for the Ancestral Dragon Essence Blood, precisely one hundred million two hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones remain."
"Furthermore..."
Master Dong paused here and lightly clapped his hands.
The door to the VIP room opened, and an attendant entered carrying a tray covered with silk brocade.
The attendant placed the tray on the table, bowed respectfully to Zi Linling, and then withdrew.
Master Dong stepped forward, pulled away the brocade from the tray, and said, "These items are gifts from the Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce, presented to Miss Zi. We hope you will accept them."
Zi Linling looked on in disbelief, "Gifts for me?"
On the tray lay nine boxes of various sizes.
Each box was exquisite, and the contents within were undoubtedly of great value.
Master Dong nodded with a smile, "Indeed!"
As he spoke, he arranged the boxes in a line on the table, and then opened the first box.
Inside lay a string of luminous white pearls.
Zi Linling exclaimed in astonishment, "Are these... Deep Sea Mermaid Pearls?!"
Master Dong nodded, "Miss Zi has a discerning eye! This is indeed a string of Deep Sea Mermaid Pearls!"
Next, he opened the second box, which contained a transparent lotus flower.
"Ice Plain Snow Lotus?!" Zi Linling was once again astounded.
Master Dong smiled, "Miss Zi's knowledge is extraordinary! This is indeed an Ice Plain Snow Lotus from the far north!"
He then proceeded to open the third box.
Inside the third box was a dark, black token. The token had an ancient design, exuding an aura of ages past.
"This token is said to belong to our Revered Mother. It is most fitting for it to be entrusted to you."
Master Dong said meaningfully.
As he spoke, his gaze never left Zi Linling's face.
Zi Linling looked at the token, and a sense of inexplicable familiarity washed over her.
However, given that it belonged to Revered Mother Feng Lixi, the familiarity could be easily explained.
After all, she was a wisp of Feng Lixi's soul that had separated from her. Furthermore, Feng Lixi had resided in her sea of consciousness for a time, and she had personally witnessed Feng Lixi merge into the Demon Suppressing Seal to seal the Ancestral Demon.
Every subtle shift in Zi Linling's expression did not escape Master Dong's notice.
Master Dong nodded subtly, "This token from our Revered Mother was brought to the Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce by a woman a thousand years ago. She specifically left a portrait and instructed us to give this token to the person in the portrait a thousand years later."
"The person in the portrait... is me?" Zi Linling asked incredulously.
"Yes."
Master Dong nodded, "When you first visited the Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce, our superiors noticed you. To ensure no mistake, they even specifically compared it against the portrait."
Zi Linling stood frozen.
What was going on?
How could someone a thousand years ago have known she would come to the Divine Remnant Continent? No, more precisely, known she would come to the Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce!!!
"Good heavens! This is too strange! Someone predicted Miss Zi's arrival a thousand years in advance and even left her portrait!"
Shangguan Yulin, unable to contain himself, snapped out of his shock and exclaimed with an exaggerated expression of disbelief.
Rong Guang suddenly awoke and mumbled in agreement, "Strange! Truly strange! It is indeed strange!"
His demeanor clearly indicated he hadn't fully recovered.
Shen Liuxing steadied himself, his brows furrowed, "Something is not right! Sister Zi, could there be a conspiracy behind this?"
Xuan Yuan Xun pondered for a moment and said, "I agree with Brother Shen's assessment!"
A hint of displeasure crossed Master Dong's face, "What do you mean? A conspiracy? We are merely fulfilling a trust, why would there be a conspiracy?"
Shen Liuxing paused, then offered a conciliatory smile, "Master Dong, you misunderstand! The conspiracy we speak of is not directed at the Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce, but at the woman who entrusted you a thousand years ago!"
Xuan Yuan Xun also chimed in with a smile, "Indeed, Master Dong! To know that Miss Zi would come to the Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce on the Divine Remnant Continent a thousand years later and to leave behind a portrait, it makes one suspect the woman's motives!"
Hearing this, Master Dong's expression softened slightly, "Let alone you, even the President of the Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce at the time found it incredible. But the woman was adamant, and she left sufficient compensation, indicating that everything was within her expectations."
"Master Dong, does your Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce have any information about that woman?" Zi Linling suddenly asked.
Master Dong shook his head, "That woman wore a black veil when she arrived and did not reveal her true face. Later, our then-President thoroughly investigated the woman's origins, but found nothing."
"How can that be?"
Zi Linling was once again astonished.
Master Dong gave a wry smile, "It is indeed so! That woman appeared like a fleeting bloom, as if she had never existed before, leaving no trace afterward."
"Isn't that too bizarre?" Shangguan Yulin exclaimed.
Master Dong gave a bitter smile, "Who's to say? Well, there's no point in dwelling on this. Miss Zi, let us move on to our fourth gift for you."
He said this as he presented the fourth box, which contained a Bodhi seed.
Bodhi has three treasures: Bodhi leaves, Bodhi seeds, and enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree.
The Nine Domains Chamber of Commerce presenting Zi Linling with a Bodhi seed now demonstrated their sincerity.
However, they were unaware that in Zi Linling's Divine Maiden Palace, there already stood a ten-thousand-year-old Bodhi tree.