Hence, the paper-elemental source-type item's criteria for forming a contract were almost too simple.

For some reason, Lin Yuan thought back to a character in an anime he had seen in his previous life after he heard about the paper element.

A foolish thought entered Lin Yuan's mind.

I'm definitely not stupid, but if I can get my hands on the paper-elemental source-type item, Chu Ci and Wen Yu would be eligible to contract it.

However, Chu Ci was going to contract the fairy source-type item Burning Sunflower.

The Burning Sunflower would not be compatible with a paper-elemental source-type item.

As a mutation of the wood element, the paper element would soon go up in flames when it came into contact with the Burning Sunflower's all-engulfing flames.

Thus, the best candidate to contract the paper-elemental source-type item was Wen Yu.

Wen Yu was a support-type spirit qi professional, and both the Sunlight Egret and Earth Rush Golden Lotus did not have any combat abilities.

Wen Yu was like a blank canvas, and she could contract any source-type item she wanted. She did not need to worry that the source-type item she contracted would limit her.

Lin Yuan was in the throes of this dilemma. He wanted both the 500 grams of Thousand Opportunities Secret Crystal and Diamond s.h.i.+ning l.u.s.ter Amphiptere scales as well as w.a.n.g f.u.xiang's paper-elemental source-type item.

As this was a group welfare auction, Lin Yuan could only trade with the person who offered the highest bid.

Although this was the most cost-effective course of action for Lin Yuan, it pained him to see such precious items slip out of his grasp.

Lin Yuan could not help but start scheming about how he could obtain the valuable items offered by both women.

“If there's really an elemental-type amongst the 20 source-type items you're offering, that means you're clearly the highest bidder,” said Lin Yuan to w.a.n.g f.u.xiang.

w.a.n.g f.u.xiang giggled and said, “I adore the heavenly-maiden-grade elemental pearls you're selling. I wonder if you'll be auctioning off more in the future?”

Everyone who was interested in the elemental pearls, including Duan He, perked up their ears at her question.

They waited with bated breath to hear what Lin Yuan had planned.

Lin Yuan was momentarily stunned by her question, but he replied without hesitation, “I'm auctioning off these 9.9 purity heavenly-maiden-grade elemental pearls as group welfare instead of the ones that were 9.8 purity because I wanted to compensate for the two-day delay. The next group welfare auction will no longer be for heavenly-grade elemental pearls. The next item will be Flower Brocade Pearls like the first time.”

The disappointment was visible on the faces of the people who were waiting for Lin Yuan's reply.

When he saw their reaction, Lin Yuan gently knocked on the table.

Lin Yuan was not stupid. If he auctioned off heavenly-maiden-grade elemental pearls of such quality again next time, some of the group members who wanted them would hold back and wait to see if they could enter the auction with a low bid.

There were not many people in the group who could afford to partic.i.p.ate in an auction for heavenly-maiden-grade elemental pearls. If he auctioned in such a way, how would he sell them for a profit?

Lin Yuan knew that the more precious the item, the more valuable it was.

Although Lin Yuan possessed the 9.9 purity heavenly-maiden-grade elemental pearls in the greatest abundance among all his resources, he would not continuously conduct group welfare of such caliber.

However, Lin Yuan did not kill all their hopes. All he said was that the next item auctioned off as group welfare would be Flower Brocade Pearls.

How the group members took it was up to them, for everyone had different perspectives after all.

w.a.n.g f.u.xiang glanced at the platter of heavenly-maiden-grade elemental pearls in Listen's hands before saying, “If I'm able to put up more resources for bidding, is it possible for me to bid for 20 more heavenly-maiden-grade elemental pearls based on the price they end up being sold at?”

Lin Yuan shook his head determinedly and said calmly, “No.”

Lin Yuan was actually more than willing to comply with her request, and the current bid had reached the amount he had in mind. Moreover, the tense atmosphere and faces of the volatile bigshots told him that he was going to gain a huge windfall from this auction.

If he could multiply the winning bid by two, it would be twice the joy.

The fact that w.a.n.g f.u.xiang posed the question meant that she had the purchasing power to back it up.

Lin Yuan was in awe of the amount of wealth she controlled.

She really was someone who had cursed 100 men to death and seized their wealth.

However, Lin Yuan had laid down the group welfare auction rules from the first time that he held one.

As the owner of the Purchase With No Loss store, as well as the head of Sky City, he could not change his mind at the last moment when it came to the group welfare auction.

Despite how badly he wanted it, he had to bite the bullet and said no.

After being denied by Lin Yuan twice, w.a.n.g f.u.xiang pouted but did not sit down again. She stood gracefully as she waited for the rest of the people to make their bids so she could out-bid them.

Master Duan Li's face was irked and reddened as she heard w.a.n.g f.u.xiang's syrupy voice. Just as she was about to rebuke her, she suddenly remembered a rumor. She looked exceptionally frightened as she pushed down the words that were already on the tip of her tongue.

Li Xiaotiao, who was next to Master Duan Li, heard his Master murmur, “Older than 100 years old.”

Li Xiaotiao dazedly scanned the flirtatious w.a.n.g f.u.xiang, who looked no older than 30 years old.

However, he could not be sure if he had heard correctly since many people yelled out their bids.

The hesitation on Master Duan Li's face was replaced by determination after she looked at the elemental pearls on the platter in Listen's hands.