While Mu Zhi'an was still contemplating making a discreet exit, the auction commenced.
A voluptuous woman in a black cheongsam, her eyes sparkling with charm, walked onto the stage, surveyed the crowd, and delivered the opening remarks.
She's like a modern-day hostess… Mu Zhi'an thought to himself, observing Feiying from his private room on the second floor.
He scanned the rows of seats below, each separated by a respectful distance, searching for Ye Lingxuan.
It seems I've been stood up. Or perhaps she's in another private room?
But if she was in a private room, it would be difficult to find her. He couldn't just go around knocking on every door, could he?
It would be inefficient and risky.
He had told Lan Mulian that he was busy today. If she saw him here, it would be awkward.
"Miss Huang, do you know who's occupying those private rooms?" he asked.
She glanced at him, her voice indifferent. "The servants handle those matters. I don't concern myself with such details."
Seeing his lack of interest, she continued, "However, I can have someone prepare a list for you. But first, tell me what you're planning."
"I'm looking for someone," he replied.
"Who?"
"You're asking too many questions, Miss Huang. We're not that close," he said with a smile.
She scoffed. "Then you'll have to figure it out yourself, Young Master Mu. Go ahead, knock on every door. You might find them… after the auction is over."
He chuckled. "Helping those in need can brighten your day, Miss Huang."
She raised an eyebrow, leaning back in her chair, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. "If it were a friend asking for help, I would oblige. But we're not that close, are we?"
She paused, then added playfully, her feet swinging gently, "However, if you were to kneel down and clean my toes… I might reconsider."
She arched her foot, the curve of her instep alluring, her long legs flawless beneath her black dress.
He glanced at her, noticing her teasing smile. "You're agitated."
It was clear that she was annoyed, her composure slipping.
Normally, she wouldn't make such a request in public.
As they chatted, various items were presented on stage, sold at exorbitant prices, fueled by Feiying's charm and persuasive skills.
Some items weren't worth their price, but her influence… it made a difference.
"The next item is… unique. It's said to be a medicinal herb from a thousand years ago. Only a small portion of its root remains, but… if one could acquire Rebirth Water, it might be possible to restore its potency."
"The starting bid is one hundred Spirit Stones."
The crowd's interest waned.
At the Morning Glory Auction House, there was an unspoken rule: worthless items, or items of unknown value, started at one hundred Spirit Stones.
They had auctioned countless similar items in the past, most of them useless, worse than garbage.
If every "ancient treasure" turned out to be genuine, the cultivators would have snatched them up, leaving nothing for the "protagonist."
But after being fooled so many times, they were wary of such items.
One hundred Spirit Stones wasn't much, but Mu Zhi'an wasn't interested in being a fool.
Even if the herb was genuine, the Rebirth Water required to restore it… it was probably more valuable than the herb itself.
Rebirth Water was found in a forbidden zone in the Eastern Region. Most cultivators who entered never returned.
There had been a few lucky survivors who managed to bring back Rebirth Water, only to die mysteriously soon after selling it.
The forbidden zone was cursed. No one had ever escaped its influence.
The crowd shuddered at the mention of Rebirth Water, their interest in the herb vanishing.
Feiying, observing their lack of enthusiasm, wasn't surprised.
She smiled. "I'll count down from three. If there are no bids, this item will be passed."
"Three."
"One hundred and ten Spirit Stones."
A calm voice echoed through the auction house, and all eyes turned towards the speaker.
It was Ye Yu from the Ye family!
Mu Zhi'an also looked at him.
He's here too? I didn't notice him earlier
And judging by his aura, he's reached Foundation Establishment?
Now this is interesting.
He wouldn't bid on that withered root for no reason… The old man in his body must have told him something.
Huang Manting also glanced at him.
She had been planning to recruit him before the entrance exams.
To reach Foundation Establishment in just a few months… he was a valuable asset.
However, he and Mu Zhi'an were rivals. If she recruited him, she would have to distance herself from Mu Zhi'an.
If not for their recent encounter, she would have already made her move.
But after being outsmarted by him, she had reconsidered.
It wasn't just his intelligence. She enjoyed the thrill of conquest. The more indifferent he was, the more she desired him.
Countless men had tried to play hard to get, only to fall at her feet.
Those men… she wouldn't even let them lick her toes.
She wanted someone who was truly uninterested in her, someone she could break, someone who would worship her, a slave at her feet.
The lover of Tianxuan City's most beautiful woman, secretly her servant, kneeling beside her bed, pleasing her every whim… the thought was intoxicating.
It seemed like a difficult task.
But that was what made it exciting.
"Bid one hundred and twenty Spirit Stones," Mu Zhi'an instructed the servant beside him.
The servant glanced at Huang Manting, hesitant.
"Hurry up!" Mu Zhi'an said, slapping her backside playfully.
She looked at her mistress, her eyes filled with a mixture of admiration and… something else.
"Do as he says," Huang Manting replied lazily.
If she refused such a small request, he might leave. And that wouldn't be good for her plans.
Meanwhile, the other cultivators in the auction house were watching Ye Yu, their eyes filled with mockery.
Why was that Ye family genius so obsessed with useless junk?
First the bronze fragment, and now this withered root.
Ye Yu ignored their stares, his gaze fixed on the woman on stage, his heart pounding with anticipation.
According to the old man in his body, this root was indeed an ancient herb from a thousand years ago, called the Dragon Soaring Tendril. While Feiying claimed it required Rebirth Water to be restored, it wasn't true.
Those with alchemical talent possessed an innate affinity for plants. Simply carrying the Dragon Soaring Tendril would gradually restore it, though it would take centuries, even millennia.
However, there was a pill that could accelerate the process. In other words, if he acquired this tendril and refined the appropriate pill, he could restore it much faster.
These fools didn't understand its true value.
He chuckled inwardly, keeping his knowledge a secret.
To acquire such a treasure at such a low price was a steal.
"One hundred and twenty Spirit Stones," a clear, feminine voice called out from a private room.
He narrowed his eyes, glancing up at the second floor.
Judging by the bid, they were just trying to stir up trouble. He raised his voice. "One hundred and thirty."
"One hundred and forty Spirit Stones."
His smile vanished. They were clearly targeting him.
"Two hundred Spirit Stones!" he exclaimed.
"Two hundred and ten."
The crowd murmured, their curiosity piqued. They stared at the private room, wondering who was inside.
They weren't truly interested in the withered root. They were simply trying to annoy Ye Yu.
He frowned, his voice strained. "Three hundred Spirit Stones!"
It was his limit. He had also brought some pills he had refined to sell, but they hadn't been auctioned yet. He didn't have enough Spirit Stones.
Why is someone always trying to obstruct me? He clenched his fists, his anger burning.
The last time, it was Mu Zhi'an who had acquired the bronze fragment. His master had later told him that Bai Ruoxi's sword was probably formed from that fragment.
He hadn't expected to be pushed to such a desperate situation.
He knew this herb was valuable, that no one else recognized its true worth, yet someone was bidding against him.
If not for Mu Zhi'an, he would be the invincible one.
He looked up at the private room, his eyes narrowed. Could it be Mu Zhi'an again?
His hatred for Mu Zhi'an intensified.
Mu Zhi'an sipped his tea leisurely, a smirk on his lips as he heard the silence below.
He had spent almost half the hundred thousand Spirit Stones he had acquired from Master Huang, but he still had fifty thousand left. It was a small fortune.
He didn't know what that root was for, but if Ye Yu wanted it… he would bid against him.
The Chosen One was a fat sheep, ripe for the shearing.
He took another sip of tea, offered by the servant beside him.
"One thousand Spirit Stones," a clear, sweet voice called out.
He looked towards the source of the bid.
That voice… it was Ye Lingxuan!
She's standing up for him? He felt a pang of jealousy.
Then, a thought occurred to him. If I bid against her, would she back down?
However, he couldn't risk revealing his presence.
"Keep bidding. No matter what price they offer, keep raising it," he instructed the servant.
He set down his cup and left the room.
"One thousand one hundred Spirit Stones."
"One thousand two hundred."
The servant continued to bid, and Ye Lingxuan's voice echoed from the other room.
Mu Zhi'an's eyes narrowed. He spotted the room in a secluded corner. "There she is"
He quickened his pace, heading towards the Ye sisters' private room.
…
Ye Qian sat quietly, her youthful beauty as radiant as ever, her arm linked with Ye Lingxuan's.
"Sister, why are you bidding on that thing?" she asked softly.
"For Brother Ye Yu?"
Ye Lingxuan glanced at her. "He's still a member of the Ye family. We might not have been close these past few years, but if he wants it, I'll get it for him. It's better to give it to family than to a stranger."
She would be leaving Tianxuan City soon. After that, she wouldn't have much contact with him. This would be her farewell gift.
Ye Qian nodded silently.
Then, she murmured, "I wonder where Brother Mu went. He promised to meet us here."
Ye Lingxuan scoffed. "I knew he wasn't a good person. How could you expect him to keep his promise?"
Ye Qian looked at her, her brow furrowing slightly. "Then why did you dress up this morning?"
Ye Lingxuan chuckled. "Qian'er, wouldn't you dress up for such an important occasion?"
She tapped Ye Qian's lips playfully. "You, on the other hand, usually prefer a simple style, but today you're even more elegant than I am."
"Are you trying to impress Mu Zhi'an?" she asked, her eyes twinkling mischievously.
Ye Qian blushed, her gaze downcast. "What are you talking about, Sister? I dressed up for the same reason as you… because it's an auction."
Ye Lingxuan, seeing through her friend's denial, took a sip of tea, then continued, "Whatever your reasons, that Mu Zhi'an, he's not a good person. He promised to meet us, yet he's nowhere to be found."
"He's probably… entertaining another woman."
Ye Qian's face fell, but she didn't argue.
He had broken his promise. Perhaps her sister was right.
"One thousand three hundred Spirit Stones," a voice called out from a nearby room.
The price was far beyond what most young cultivators were willing to pay. It wasn't that they lacked the funds, but spending so much on a withered root wasn't worth it.
"One thousand five hundred."
Ye Lingxuan frowned, her competitive spirit ignited.
Ye Qian placed her hand on her friend's arm, her voice soothing. "Sister, calm down. It's not worth it. It's just a useless herb."
Helping Ye Yu out of past affection was one thing, but wasting so many Spirit Stones.
"I want to see how far they're willing to go," Ye Lingxuan said, her voice cold.
She was clearly annoyed, unwilling to back down.
She was about to bid again when the curtain to their room was suddenly pulled open.
They looked up to see a handsome young man standing there, a sheepish smile on his face.
"Sorry I'm late."
Ye Lingxuan blinked, then her expression turned cold. "Young Master Mu, I thought you weren't coming."
"I couldn't find you. If I hadn't heard your bids, I probably would have searched all night," he replied with a chuckle.
He paused, then added, "If I hadn't arrived, you two would have driven the price up to ten thousand."
"Even I would feel the pinch at that price."
They exchanged glances, their eyes wide with surprise.
The one bidding against them… it was the Mu family's young master?
…
Ye Yu stared at Feiying on stage, his heart pounding with anxiety.
"Strange, why did Qian'er stop bidding? Does she not have enough Spirit Stones?"
He couldn't allow that Dragon Soaring Tendril to fall into someone else's hands. It would be a waste. Only those with exceptional alchemical talent could nurture it. In anyone else's hands, it would remain useless.
He had to acquire it. It would be a valuable asset in the future. He hurried towards a private room on the second floor, his gaze fixed on the withered root.
"This must be it… I heard Lingxuan's voice coming from here."
He reached for the curtain, about to enter.
"Qian'er, I told you I was searching for you. Don't you believe me?" a familiar voice echoed from within.
"You smell like another woman's lipstick, Young Master Mu. Were you entertaining someone at a pleasure house?" Ye Lingxuan's voice was cool and clear.
"That's your lipstick. Smell it."
"Behave yourself, Young Master Mu!" she scolded, but her tone was playful, not angry.
Ye Yu's heart sank as he heard their laughter. He pulled open the curtain.