Lin Jie gave Hu Liena the Soul Power Grenade not just out of kindness, but with a purpose in mind. After witnessing its power firsthand, she would undoubtedly report it to her teacher—Bibi Dong—once she returned to Spirit City. With that, Lin Jie might have a potential opening to make contact with Bibi Dong herself. It was a calculated move.
As for whether Bibi Dong or Spirit Hall's researchers would be able to reverse-engineer the grenade, Lin Jie wasn't too concerned. Despite its outward simplicity, the Soul Power Grenade's effectiveness came from its core—the Soul Power Fuse. And that was something only he knew how to create.
"You're just giving me this thing? Aren't you worried?" Hu Liena asked, turning the grenade in her hand with a puzzled look.
"It's just a small trinket I made myself," Lin Jie replied with a calm smile. "As for its power… well, you saw for yourself."
He briefly explained how to use the grenade. Hu Liena listened intently, clearly impressed by its ingenious design, and her expression turned to quiet amazement.
In return, she handed him a special token and told him that if he ever came to Spirit City, he could use it to find her. Lin Jie accepted it without much thought and tucked it away.
The next day, Hu Liena said she had urgent matters to attend to. Lin Jie didn't pry. After leaving the Sunset Forest, the two parted ways.
After a short rest and some travel, Lin Jie arrived by evening at Weisi City, located roughly fifty kilometers from the Sunset Forest and about a hundred kilometers from Heaven Dou City. Though not as large as Heaven Dou, Weisi was still a bustling city of respectable size.
As night fell, the city lit up with vibrant street life. Lanterns lined the roads, hawkers shouted their wares, and the streets bustled with activity. Lin Jie had originally planned to find a place to rest, but as he wandered, a large auction house caught his attention.
It had been a while since he'd visited an auction. They often held rare or unexpected treasures, sometimes even things he could use. He decided to go in and take a look.
While this auction wasn't as large as the one in Heaven Dou City, it maintained strict rules. The prime auctions were held at night, and only bidders with a deposit of at least fifty thousand gold spirit coins were allowed to participate.
That wasn't a problem for Lin Jie. He handed over his card for verification, and after confirming his status, an attendant led him inside.
The auction center was located on the second floor of the main hall. It was a grand, amphitheater-style venue, with tiered seating in concentric circles around a central stage. The first few rows near the platform were red, followed by rows in black, purple, yellow, and white—clearly organized by bidder rank.
Lin Jie took his seat in the black-tier VIP section. After a short wait, the auctioneer stepped onstage.
She was a mature woman in a red cheongsam, her figure impossibly alluring. With every sway of her hips, she seemed to stir the crowd into a frenzy. Many of the male bidders were clearly more interested in her than the items themselves.
Several items were auctioned off in rapid succession, but none caught Lin Jie's interest. Just as he was about to leave, the next item stopped him cold.
"Ladies and gentlemen," the auctioneer said with a coy smile. "Our next item is something truly special."
She pulled away a red cloth, revealing not a treasure chest—but a massive iron cage.
Inside the cage, curled up, was a girl.
She was nearly naked, her modesty barely covered with ornamental shells. Because of her curled posture, it was hard to make out her full appearance—but her figure was exquisite, nearly perfect. Her skin was like flawless jade, and her short, pale green hair had a wild yet elegant charm.
"Some of you may be wondering why a girl like this has such a high starting price," the auctioneer said smoothly, "even compared to the beauties we've trained ourselves. But take a closer look—you'll see why."
She pulled out a thin stick and used it to brush the girl's hair aside, revealing her ear.
It wasn't a human ear—but a pointed feline one. A cat's ear.
"That's right," the auctioneer said. "This is a rare cat-girl. During her Martial Soul Awakening, her body underwent mutation, developing feline traits. One blue eye, one green. A long tail."
She tapped the girl's hip with the stick, and with a startled twitch, a white cat tail unfurled from behind her.
Seeing this, Lin Jie's first thought was of Zhu Zhuqing—her Martial Soul also resembled a cat. But then another memory surfaced.
Wasn't this just like the cat-girl who would be purchased by Ning Fengzhi during a future Heaven Dou City auction?
It couldn't be her—the timing was too early. Which meant… could she be that cat-girl's twin? A sister?
The thought intrigued Lin Jie. A mutated cat-type Martial Soul was already rare. If she and the other were twins, he might be able to connect them. And who knows? Introducing her to Zhu Zhuqing could lead to something interesting…
"A cat-girl twin? Heh… Zhuqing's going to have her hands full."
"Wait, don't get the wrong idea. I just want to introduce them, that's all. Pure intentions, of course."
At that moment, the bidding had already reached 100,000 gold spirit coins—and it was still climbing.
Lin Jie raised his hand. "One hundred fifty thousand."
"150,000!" the auctioneer called. "Do I hear any more bids?"
"Who the hell is that guy? So aggressive."
"Seriously, throwing money like that?"
After a few seconds of silence, the auctioneer continued, "150,000 going once… going twice… sold! To a mysterious guest in the black-tier VIP section!"
Lin Jie had successfully purchased the cat-girl for 150,000 gold spirit coins.
He went backstage, completed the transaction, and was handed the unconscious girl. She'd been drugged to prevent resistance.
Carrying her in his arms, Lin Jie made his way to a nearby inn, booked a room, and gently laid her on the bed. Then he went into the bathroom to clean up.
By the time he emerged, she was beginning to stir.
The moment she saw him, she screamed and scrambled to the corner of the bed, curling into a ball with her knees clutched to her chest. "Don't hit me! Please don't hit me! I'll be good, I promise!"
Lin Jie froze, heart sinking at the sheer terror in her voice.
"What kind of torment has she been through to react like this?"
He approached slowly, but she shrank back even further, trembling violently.
He sat down beside the bed and spoke gently. "It's okay. You're safe now. I won't hurt you."
His voice seemed to reach her. Her trembling eased, if only slightly.
"Those bastards… What kind of monsters turn someone into this?" Lin Jie thought grimly.
After some coaxing, she calmed down a bit more. He suggested she wash up, and though she looked hesitant, she nodded. She darted into the bathroom, glancing back nervously every few steps.
The room was a double. When she finished, she crawled into the other bed, curling up tightly and stealing glances at Lin Jie as if afraid he'd come over in the night.
Lin Jie lay back, exhausted from days of travel. He didn't even bother to guard himself. With her condition, she wasn't any threat.
Just as he was drifting off, she slipped out of bed and crept toward him. Lin Jie noticed immediately—but instead of running, she slipped under his blanket and wrapped her arms around him.
Her soft, freshly washed body clung tightly to his. She was trembling, but there was no hostility in her.
Opening one eye, Lin Jie looked at her and said, "Why are you here? I told you—I'm not going to hurt you."
She murmured softly, "I… I know, but… I just…"
Lin Jie sighed. "You don't have to explain." He closed his eyes and let her cling to him. Whatever helped her sleep.
—
The next morning, Lin Jie awoke to find her sitting at the edge of the bed, watching him intently.
"Can I come with you?" she asked. "I… I can work. I can serve you."
He chuckled. "I bought you, didn't I? Who else would you follow?"
They left the inn together, with a new shadow trailing Lin Jie wherever he went. Though she had a Martial Soul, her walking pace was slow and cautious. Lin Jie didn't mind. They traveled leisurely toward Heaven Dou City.
During a rest stop, he turned to her. "Are you a twin? Or do you have a sister?"
Her eyes widened in surprise. "You've seen my sister?! She's my little sister! We were separated when the slavers took us!"
Her name was Duo'er, as Lin Jie had learned during the journey. She'd been taken from an ordinary family and enslaved.
"I think I have some leads," he said. "If she's your sister, I'll help you get her back."
Tears welled up in her eyes. "Thank you, young master! I…"
She kept calling him "master" until Lin Jie couldn't take it anymore and told her to just call him "young master" instead.
"Damn these noble titles… So outdated."
Seeing her on the verge of crying again, he quickly added, "It's fine. You're mine now, right?"
Duo'er's cheeks flushed red, but she smiled shyly.
PS: Read Advance Chapters at https://www.patreon.com/c/ReadJin