Wu Bufan cast Chao Lingyue a faint, dismissive glance before taking Chao Chen’s hand and leading him straight into the auction hall.
Chao Lingyue tried to follow but was stopped and blocked by the guards at the door.
“You really think everyone is as poor as you?” The guard snorted in irritation, as if he had been forced to swallow a grievance because of her. “I almost offended an important guest because of you.”
He lifted the long spear in his hand and pointed it at her. “Get out. Your invitation isn’t enough to enter this auction.”
“You are pushing things too far!” Chao Lingyue had never imagined the fire would burn all the way to her. “Is this how the Heavenly Spirit Treasure Pavilion treats its customers?”
The guard sneered coldly. “Customers? That depends on what kind of customer. People with suspicious intentions are not people we dare entertain.”
Chao Lingyue felt the shame pierce straight into her chest. “You…”
A warm, gentle voice landed beside her ear, the tone so calm that it effortlessly soothed the anger and agitation rising inside her.
A tall figure walked past her, taking out a yellow tier invitation and handing it to the guard. “May I bring her inside with me?”
The guard’s expression immediately shifted. His posture straightened as he bowed. “Naturally you may. Please enter, Young Master Yu.”
Chao Lingyue stared blankly at the man’s retreating figure and quietly asked Fengtian, “Who is he?”
“Young Master Yu, Yu Weijin. Son of the Sect Master of the Dragonfish Sect. He reached mid Golden Core realm at such a young age and is known as a once in a thousand years prodigy. He carries a trace of destiny on him as well.” Fengtian summarized with a nod. “Someone worth befriending.”
“Senior Brother Yu, why should we bother with her?” The pretty young woman following Yu Weijin shot Chao Lingyue a displeased glare. “She clearly comes from some small, backwater place. No experience and no dignity.”
Chao Lingyue’s face flushed red. “Just now there was a misunderstanding. My invitation is perfectly valid.”
Yu Weijin turned to her, his gaze gentle. “I believe you.”
Some of the tension holding her stiff loosened.
The young woman beside him continued glaring. “Senior Brother Yu is kind but once we go in, keep your distance. Do not cling to us.”
“Junior Sister Liu.” Yu Weijin’s voice carried a hint of reprimand. “Mind your manners.”
Liu Jiyun’s pretty face drooped at once, the unhappiness obvious.
Yu Weijin looked back at Chao Lingyue with a bit more warmth. “The main hall will be crowded and noisy. If you do not mind, you may join us in our private box.”
Chao Lingyue lowered her gaze slightly. “Thank you, Young Master Yu.”
Liu Jiyun’s expression darkened instantly.
Her senior brother had clearly seen this woman make trouble at the entrance, which was why she could not enter. So why was he still helping her? How could he be so willing to get involved with someone like that?
Anger simmered in Liu Jiyun’s heart. She refused to say another word to either of them and quickly walked into the auction house ahead of them.
“Jiyun can be a bit spoiled. I hope you will not take it to heart.” Yu Weijin said helplessly.
Chao Lingyue hid the cold sharpness at the bottom of her eyes and replied softly, “Of course not. Young Master Yu’s assistance today is something I am truly grateful for.”
Inside another private box, Wu Bufan and Chao Chen entered under the guidance of a concierge. The moment the door closed, Chao Chen spoke with certainty.
“Someone was watching us just now.”
There was no strong malice but the gaze had been unpleasant, almost probing.
Wu Bufan reached out and pinched both sides of his cheeks upward. “They did not do anything to us. Let us pretend we did not notice. No need to be angry.”
Chao Chen let him tug at his face and mumbled, “Why could Chao Lingyue see through our identities at a glance?”
Wu Bufan’s gaze deepened.
A knock fell upon the door. Wu Bufan released Chao Chen’s face and instead played idly with his hand. “Come in.”
The attendant stepped in carrying a plate of fruits and snacks, as well as the list of items for today’s auction.
Wu Bufan disliked unnecessary people lingering in the box, so he waved the attendant out.
Once the door shut again, Chao Chen leaned toward the viewing window and looked toward the entrance of the auction hall.
“Chao Lingyue came in!” His voice filled with dissatisfaction. “What is wrong with that gate guard?”
Wu Bufan’s gaze shifted toward the man walking beside Chao Lingyue. “The one watching us earlier might have been him.”
Chao Chen made a small sound of realization. “Then why would he bring Chao Lingyue in? Is he infatuated with her beauty? He looks proper enough, not the type. Or maybe he likes women who are both stupid and malicious? What kind of hobby is that?”
Wu Bufan let out a quiet laugh. “Just as we are curious about how Chao Lingyue saw through our identities, he might be curious as well.”
But with such extraordinary presence, that man’s identity was definitely not ordinary. Would someone of his standing lower himself simply out of curiosity to befriend Chao Lingyue?
Chao Chen’s eyes lit up with understanding. “So he wants something from her?”
A sly glimmer flashed across his eyes. “Chao Lingyue must have something good on her. Otherwise where would she get so much money?”
She thought they were poor. They thought she could not possibly afford a hundred spirit pearls either.
Wu Bufan tapped a finger lightly, thoughtfully. “Perhaps she really does have something.”
The drastic change in Chao Lingyue’s temperament made everything about her feel soaked in strangeness and quiet danger.
The auction officially began. The first item presented was the Immaculate Armor, a yellow tier high grade defensive artifact. It could withstand a full powered strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator. The starting price was thirty spirit pearls and each bid could not increase by less than three spirit pearls.
Wu Bufan glanced at Chao Chen. “Do you want it?”
Chao Chen shook his head at once. “It is too expensive. That is three thousand gold coins.”
More importantly, he felt it was not worth that price at all.
Wu Bufan lifted the auction list and flipped through it. When his gaze landed on a certain item, a faint shadow of excitement flashed beneath his calm eyes. “The One Winged Grass.”
It was a profound tier spirit herb, the primary medicinal component for refining the Spirit Wing Pill.
Although his cultivation manual did not grant him access to profound tier pill formulas, the records of spirit herbs were not restricted. In fact, their descriptions were detailed and complete.
Chao Chen leaned closer. “You want it?”
Wu Bufan gave a light nod.
Profound tier spirit herbs were rare. If one encountered such a treasure, it would be a waste to simply let it pass.
Chao Chen took out an orange money card and handed it to him. “There are still some spirit pearls left in here.”
This was the card Wu Bufan had given him for buying stones earlier, yet after spending what he needed, Wu Bufan had never asked for it back.
Wu Bufan did not accept it. “If the One Winged Grass goes over one hundred spirit pearls, then there is no need to buy it. I have enough spirit pearls of my own.”
Even if he himself was short on money, he would never allow Chao Chen to be short on money.
“Oh.” Chao Chen put the card away again and leaned lazily against Wu Bufan’s shoulder. “I am getting a little bored.”
Wu Bufan shifted his posture slightly so Chao Chen could rest more comfortably. “There is nothing you want from the booklet?”
Chao Chen lifted his eyelids, looking innocently at him. Wu Bufan sighed in helpless acceptance and raised the auction list to his eyes, flipping the pages only when Chao Chen signaled him to do so.
When they reached the final pages, Chao Chen frowned. “Why is there a broken stone here?”
Wu Bufan looked at the description. A mysterious stone that could not be pierced by blades or spears, a stone that a Nascent Soul cultivator could not shatter even with a full strike.
“This must have been added to the auction at the last minute. With so little time, the Treasure Pavilion probably could not determine what it actually was.”
Items added at the last moment were usually placed at the very end of the list.
“Do you want it?”
“It feels like something valuable.” Chao Chen spoke carelessly. “If it is not too expensive, then buy it.”
“Alright.” Wu Bufan lowered the booklet and picked up a piece of the spiritual fruit on the table, holding it to Chao Chen’s lips.
Chao Chen blinked, opened his mouth and bit into it obediently.
“If you keep pampering me like this, one day I might not even want to walk by myself and will cling to you all the time.”
Wu Bufan replied softly, without a moment of hesitation. “Then cling.”
While the two chatted idly, the time for the auction of the mysterious stone arrived.
When the auctioneer introduced it, most people in the hall looked completely uninterested.
If even the Heavenly Spirit Treasure Pavilion could not identify what the object was, then what use would it be to buy it? They would not even know how to begin using it.
Inside box room number one hundred and four, Chao Lingyue’s fingertips trembled slightly.
Fengtian’s voice rose in excitement. “This is a spatial cornerstone. Bid for it immediately. It is the core material for creating a personal life space.”
“I never imagined something so rare would appear here. It must have only surfaced in the past few days. It is extremely likely that someone came for the competition, had no idea what it was and foolishly sent such a treasure to the auction.”
Chao Lingyue quietly tightened her hand. “Alright.”
✦ ✧ ✦
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
A coffee would be extremely convenient right about now. Just saying.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Dream to RealityChapter 2 · Those who survive a great calamity are destined for good fortuneChapter 3 · Retrieve the tokenChapter 4 · Top-tier alchemistChapter 5 · A cooperative treasure hunt?Chapter 6 · Thousand mile Thundercloud LeopardChapter 7 · Chaotic Strange EntityChapter 8 · Back to Xichuan TownChapter 9 · How could Wu Bufan be stronger than him!Chapter 10 · Wu Bufan possess so many top-grade pills?Chapter 11 · This time, she will not let anyone take what is hers away againChapter 12 · Seize the luckChapter 13 · Mutant Purple Thunder BeastChapter 14 · I’m afraid he’ll get angryChapter 15 · PumiceChapter 16 · Enemies meet on a narrow roadChapter 17 · Becoming Daoist CouplesChapter 18 · Top-grade Calamity-Breaking PillChapter 19 · The amazing effects of top-grade pillsChapter 20 · Basic Body ForgingChapter 21 · One world cannot contain two chosen ones.Chapter 22 · PuppetChapter 23 · AuctionChapter 24 · Space FoundationChapter 25 · Top-grade Foundation Building PillChapter 26 · Increased space areaChapter 27 · The competition BeginChapter 28 · RobbedChapter 29 · Turn Defeat into Victory!Chapter 30 · The Death of Wu KeyuanChapter 31 · BetChapter 32 · Even the way Chao Chen talks is so cuteChapter 33 · Avenge Wu KeyuanChapter 34 · Finding Bodhi Wood at a BargainChapter 35 · Little PuppetChapter 36 · Explosive PillsChapter 37 · I’ll concedeChapter 38 · You are a genius, so your Daoist partner must also be a genius.Chapter 39 · The Third Elder was refused a disciple.Chapter 40 · Has the floating marrow stone secret been exposed?Chapter 41 · How Could There Be Such a Sinister Human!Chapter 42 · The Mutated Mugwort FoxChapter 43 · Wandering the JianghuChapter 44 · Ancient ElixirChapter 45 · I feel like I’m about to be struck by lightning!Chapter 46 · Earth-level Secret RealmChapter 47 · The spot is practically yours.Chapter 48 · His Daoist partner is truly amazing!Chapter 49 · The legacy in the libraryChapter 50 · Dual cultivation techniquesChapter 51 · First genius Ji Pu RanChapter 52 · Shifting the blame eastwardChapter 53 · The little puppet went to run errandsChapter 54 · The Explosive Pill once again demonstrated its power.Chapter 55 · Chao Lingyue’s cultivation levelChapter 56 · Little Money-GrubberChapter 57 · What a venomous mouth!Chapter 58 · Enter the secret realmChapter 59 · A huge windfall fell from the sky.Chapter 60 · The birth of a rare treasureChapter 61 · This alchemy furnace is quite uniqueChapter 62 · The alchemy furnace that walked right into the trapChapter 63 · Xiao Zi’s Self-Rescue GuideChapter 64 · Spirit Field Micro RealmChapter 65 · Someone Planning to Reap the Benefits?Chapter 66 · Are You Lost?Chapter 67 · Chao Chen, Corrupted by the Big Handsome PotChapter 68 · Is Your phoenix Fish Sect Collecting Trash?Chapter 69 · The Death of Hui SipingChapter 70 · No, Junior Brother Chao, Where’s Your Backbone…Chapter 71 · Has His Identity Been Exposed?Chapter 72 · This Child Is Far Too ShrewdChapter 73 · Young people are wonderful. They fall asleep the moment they lie downChapter 74 · Sparrow Alchemist Chao Lingyue?Chapter 75 · The Silver Tongued Chao ChenChapter 76 · What’s the rush? I have moreChapter 77 · Leave the sectChapter 78 · Showing Off on a Grand ScaleChapter 79 · The Sparrow Alchemist Returns to the Martial WorldChapter 80 · Does Junior Brother Chao know about this?Chapter 81 · The Mantis Stalks the Cicada, Unaware of the Oriole BehindChapter 82 · So FierceChapter 83 · They’ve been targeted by the local bulliesChapter 84 · The Kid Is Missing?Chapter 85 · A Thing from the Void: SilkChapter 86 · Chao Chen became famousChapter 87 · The Devil MentorChapter 88 · The four little ones went out to gain experienceChapter 89 · The Students Who Were Truly ConvincedChapter 90 · What a Bountiful Harvest!Chapter 91 · No Random KissingChapter 92 · Detoxification PillChapter 93 · Master Wu, your Daoist partner has disappearedChapter 94 · The Demonic ThiefChapter 95 · Fellow Daoist, are you selling this sparrow?Chapter 96 · Unexpected disaster, nothing moreChapter 97 · My Daoist partner was born in the Year of the PigChapter 98 · The Undying Devil ChildChapter 99 · Exotic Treasure! Buddha Flame Glazed Light!Chapter 100 · We stole the Beast Taming Sect’s treasure vaultChapter 101 · Waaaaah… Why is this strange fire so gay?Chapter 102 · The Mysterious Pill – Flower in the MirrorChapter 103 Part 1 · As Expected, You Can’t Produce Different Dreams from the Same Bed…Chapter 103 Part 2 · As Expected, You Can’t Produce Different Dreams from the Same Bed…Chapter 104 Part 1 · Separation and ReunionChapter 104 Part 2 · Separation and ReunionChapter 105 Part 1 · Renowned throughout the continent!Chapter 105 Part 2 · Renowned throughout the continent!Chapter 106 · Chao Chen’s RevengeChapter 107 · The Death of Chao LingyueChapter 108 · A Narcissistic Man or a Great Beauty?Chapter 109 · This Person Has No MannersChapter 110 · The Ancient Spirit Botanical GardenChapter 111 · Thousand-Thread Poison WomanChapter 112 · I am not kindChapter 113 · Are you the most handsome man here?Chapter 114 Part 1 · ReunionChapter 114 Part 2 · ReunionChapter 115 Part 1 · Diandian said that you got it into someone’s stomach yourselfChapter 115 Part 2 · Diandian said that you got it into someone’s stomach yourselfChapter 116 · Central ContinentChapter 116 Part 1 · Central ContinentChapter 117 Part 1 · The Ancient Dao Companion ContractChapter 117 Part 2 · The Ancient Dao Companion ContractChapter 118 · Heaven Above, Dust BelowChapter 118 Part 1 · Heaven Above, Dust BelowChapter 119 · Xiao Chen will also be embarrassedChapter 120 · The moon is so bright tonightChapter 121 Part 1 · Treasure ArrayChapter 121 Part 2 · Treasure ArrayChapter 122 Part 1 · Poisonous MushroomChapter 122 Part 2 · Poisonous MushroomChapter 123 Part 1 · Turmoil at the AuctionChapter 123 Part 2 · Turmoil at the AuctionChapter 124 Part 1 · Advancement! A Nascent Soul Cultivator Reaches the Divine Transformation Realm!…Chapter 124 Part 2 · Advancement! A Nascent Soul Cultivator Reaches the Divine Transformation Realm!…Chapter 125 Part 1 · Xiao Chen Displays His Great Divine Might: Wu Bufan…Chapter 125 Part 2 · Xiao Chen Displays His Great Divine Might: Wu Bufan…Chapter 126 · Ice spirit tower has explodedChapter 127 Part 1 · Meeting an Old Acquaintance AgainChapter 127 Part 2 · Meeting an Old Acquaintance AgainChapter 127 Part 3 · Meeting an Old Acquaintance AgainChapter 128 Part 1 · Being Followed?Chapter 128 Part 2 · Being Followed?Chapter 129 · Magical ArtifactChapter 131 · A Declaration of WarChapter 132 · A chaotic war of words: Friend or foe indistinguishable…Chapter 133 Part 1 · The Royal Grand CompetitionChapter 133 Part 2 · The Royal Grand CompetitionChapter 134 Part 1 · Adults Don’t Make Choices, I’ll Take Them All…Chapter 134 Part 2 · Adults Don’t Make Choices, I’ll Take Them All…Chapter 135 Part 1 · Little Daddy Takes a Bite, Big Daddy’s Form…Chapter 135 Part 2 · Little Daddy Takes a Bite, Big Daddy’s Form…Chapter 136 Part 1 · Where the Wild Geese Fly, Not a Single Feather Left BehindChapter 136 Part 2 · Where the Wild Geese Fly, Not a Single Feather Left BehindChapter 136 Part 3 · Where the Wild Geese Fly, Not a Single Feather Left Behind