"Yes, I believe you. Just tell your friend that I can cure her disease, but the treatment fee of five million cannot be reduced."

"Thank you, Mr. Ling, once again." Li Yuetong still felt somewhat awkward about the earlier matter.

The atmosphere between the two had become somewhat unpleasant due to the previous issue, and Ling Zhenfei, having lost his appetite, ate only a little before making an excuse to leave.

"I'm really sorry, Divine Doctor Ling. Is it really boring to have dinner with me? I'm sorry, I'm just not good at interacting or conversing with others." Li Yuetong appeared very desolate, which made Ling Zhenfei feel somewhat pity.

He observed that Li Yuetong's expression did not seem deceitful, which truly made it difficult for him.

"Miss Li, don't say that. I genuinely had something to do today. I have to take a ride to Provincial City tomorrow morning, so I still have a lot to handle tonight."

"How about this, I will return to Capital City at the beginning of next month. If you are still in Capital City, then I'll invite you to dinner, and you can bring that friend of yours as well. I'll take a closer look at her condition, and that way, I won't let down your kind intentions."

"Really, Mr. Ling? I'm truly thankful, then. It's a deal; I'll wait for your call."

Li Yuetong genuinely seemed very happy, which didn't appear feigned. However, people in the entertainment industry are good actors, so who knows whether their words are sincere or not.

Ling Zhenfei made a promise and then left the restaurant. By then, it was not early anymore; Ling Zhenfei actually didn't have much to do and considered heading back to Provincial City tonight if there were still cars available.

The auction was drawing near at the end of the month, and he wondered how the preparatory work was going. He also had no idea what Zongheng International was planning now.

Dragon and Tiger Auction House had scheduled its auction on the same day as Zongheng International's, which clearly signaled a direct challenge to Zongheng International.

Zongheng International had previously suppressed Dragon and Tiger under its prestige in Provincial City, but with Ling Zhenfei's current momentum and full support, a public frenzy had been set off, leaving Zongheng International lagging in attention.

Now everyone knew about Dragon and Tiger in Provincial City, yet few were aware of Zongheng International. After this incident, the hierarchy of auction houses in Provincial City would be thoroughly reshuffled, and the tripartite balance would no longer exist.

With only a few days left until the auction, Ling Zhenfei felt that Zongheng International would definitely strike back, but it was unclear how they would do so.

Dragon and Tiger Auction House had his Cultivation Technique Manual, Seven-Colored Flower, and Breakthrough Pill. These items had already attracted much interest, and if Zongheng International wanted to counter, they would need something better, but such items weren't easily procured.

Of course, it wasn't easy. These three items were highly attractive even for someone like Ling Zhenfei, not to mention other cultivators.

Zongheng International was in a dilemma, holding their auction on the same day as Dragon and Tiger. Currently, their offerings were not as appealing, and they were far behind in terms of attention. Running an auction simultaneously was not an option, and there was even a risk of unsold lots; such an outcome was unacceptable for an auction house like Zongheng International.

However, changing the date was not a viable option either. Whether moving it earlier or later, both were signs of weakness. Zongheng International could not afford to show such vulnerability. Merely changing the date would be equivalent to announcing their fear of Dragon and Tiger, making it even more difficult to gain the upper hand in the future.

Ling Zhenfei returned to his hotel to rest, but at that moment, his phone rang, displaying an unfamiliar number.

After some thought, Ling Zhenfei decided to answer the call.

"Hello, is this Mr. Ling Zhenfei?" The voice on the other end of the phone was that of a polite middle-aged man.

"Yes, I'm Ling Zhenfei. Who is this?" Ling Zhenfei was quite curious about this person, having never heard his voice before.

"Hello, Mr. Ling Zhenfei. I'm delighted to have obtained your phone number. I am Wei Bingzhong, the owner of the Zongheng International Auction House."

Ling Zhenfei was taken aback. Unexpectedly, just as he had been thinking about Zongheng International, they had called him, and it was the owner himself who had made the call.

"Hello, Boss Wei. May I know the reason you are contacting me?"

Wei Bingzhong replied with a smile, "Divine Doctor Ling, I'm not sure if you are currently in Provincial City, but I have a matter I would like to discuss with you. Would you have time for it?"

Ling Zhenfei, fully aware of Wei Bingzhong's purpose, quickly said, "I think it's unnecessary. I'm not in Provincial City right now, and besides, couldn't you just discuss it over the phone? Why go to such trouble?"

Surprised to hear that Ling Zhenfei was not in Provincial City, Wei Bingzhong still said, "Divine Doctor Ling, when will you be returning to Provincial City? The matter I need to discuss with you is very important. I'm confident that you'll be pleased once you hear what I have to say."

"Oh, now I'm really curious. Can't you tell me over the phone?" Ling Zhenfei was indeed curious about what Wei Bingzhong was up to.

"Of course not over the phone. For such an important matter, it definitely needs to be discussed face-to-face. I assure you that it will be worth your while," Wei Bingzhong said with great confidence.

It must be said that Wei Bingzhong had successfully piqued Ling Zhenfei's interest. He hurriedly said, "Okay, then I'll return to Provincial City tomorrow morning. I should arrive by noon, and then I'd like to meet you, Boss Wei, to hear what important matter you have."

"That's wonderful, Divine Doctor Ling. In fact, let's not trouble you too much. Simply tell me when your train arrives, and I'll have someone wait for you at the entrance. We can talk over lunch, how does that sound?"

After thinking it over, Ling Zhenfei said, "Alright, then it's a date. I hope you won't disappoint me, Boss Wei."

"Of course, I'll be waiting for you tomorrow."

After finishing their conversation, they hung up the phone. Ling Zhenfei didn't think much about it but was slightly curious about what Wei Bingzhong intended to do, knowing it must be one of Zongheng International's counter-moves.

The next morning, Ling Zhenfei bought a high-speed train ticket to the Provincial City and headed straight there.

On the train, Ling Zhenfei called Su Wanlong to inquire about Wei Bingzhong's identity.

Su Wanlong was quite surprised when Ling Zhenfei asked about Wei Bingzhong and then shared his background.

It turned out that Wei Bingzhong was somewhat of a legendary figure, who had influence in both the lawful and the underground circles. This was the reason why his auction house was thriving, allowing Zongheng International to suppress competitors like Dragon Tiger Storm and other auction houses in Provincial City.

After understanding this, Ling Zhenfei did not hide the fact and shared the details of Wei Bingzhong's call and their upcoming meeting. Su Wanlong was deeply touched by Ling Zhenfei's candor.

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