When she was just a young girl of ten, Tanfei had already lost everything—her home destroyed, her family gone, and she was left all alone with nowhere to turn.
That rainy night, by pure coincidence, a small figure holding an umbrella appeared before her.
His face was still tender with youth, but his presence remained proud and untouchable—so much so that she could only look up to him.
Then, he said something outrageous: he wanted to buy her entire life.
At the time, it sounded like a complete joke.
‘So why… why did she agree without hesitation?’
‘Was it because she had no choice? Or because of that elusive thing called fate…’
Whatever the reason, from that moment on, she rose from an insignificant sacrifice in the imperial capital to a position of unparalleled beauty and power at breathtaking speed.
All because of the boy standing before her.
“You promised me a lifetime of wealth and glory… but how could I ever repay such kindness?”
“My dear young master, you’re truly impossible to resist!”
Suppressing the surge of emotions in her heart, Tanfei suddenly lowered her head and smiled playfully, meeting Li Huaixian’s gaze.
“Huaixian, I’ve recently learned a new massage technique. I guarantee you’ll feel as light as a feather after. Want to try it?”
Li Huaixian frowned slightly, pushing up her enormous chest that was pressing against him.
‘A massage is one thing, but why are you so close? I’m no saint, you know.’
Still, he replied casually with a soft “Mm.”
Then he turned over onto his back again, per her request, and adjusted his head slightly outward.
Soon, he felt a pressing sensation at his temples.
Soft… and carrying a faint fragrance.
A familiar fragrance.
‘Wait—something’s wrong!’
Li Huaixian blinked and looked up.
Sure enough, what came into view were two massive… assets.
‘She was using those as massage tools?!’
‘What a little seductress! Where did she even learn such cheap tricks?!’
He immediately called her out in a righteous tone.
“Tanfei! What do you think you’re doing?!”
Seeing his serious expression, Tanfei placed a hand over her chest and pretended to be startled.
Her peach blossom eyes blinked innocently, looking soft and harmless—like a sweet little kitten.
“Didn’t Huaixian agree to let me massage you? Why are you angry all of a sudden? Is… is something wrong?”
Li Huaixian’s eyelids twitched as he stared at her chest, which was now heaving even more from the “shock.”
‘Good grief. She’s using innocence now? If this continues, who knows what she’ll try next…’
Right then, he figured he should teach her a proper lesson—otherwise, she might forget who’s in charge here.
***
At that moment, the opening segment downstairs had concluded, and the auction was officially beginning.
The first item was quietly placed onto the auction table.
“Tonight’s first item is the Heavenly Vault Five Element Technique. This is a cultivation manual from ancient times.”
“Although its grade isn’t particularly high, its power is unmatched among techniques of the same level.”
“Additionally, cultivating this technique can greatly accelerate the user’s progress, making it ideal for anyone below the Spirit Transformation Realm.”
“The current owner no longer has any need for it due to their strength, and has chosen to put it up for auction.”
Lan’er calmly introduced the evening’s first auction item.
“The Heavenly Vault Five Element Technique?! I’ve read about it in ancient texts! That’s a real treasure!”
“Indeed! A manual that increases cultivation speed… I may not need it anymore, but if I could take it home for the younger generation of our clan, “It wouldn’t be difficult to raise a few more prodigies!”
“Exactly. Ancient techniques like this are incredibly rare. Even a low-grade one is a hundred times stronger than many high-grade manuals available today.”
“As expected of Langya Terrace—starting off with such a valuable treasure!”
The crowd stirred as they listened to Lan’er’s explanation, many visibly eager to participate.
Although the manual was no longer useful for many of those present, the younger generations of clans and sects represented the future of their respective forces.
That kind of investment meant long-term power and growth.
Soon, the bidding began at a starting price of 30,000 spirit stones.
After a fierce competition—
It was finally won by a middle-aged man with graying hair and a commanding presence.
Many people couldn’t help but look over enviously.
It seemed that in the near future, yet another sect was on the rise.
Lan’er had the staff escort the middle-aged man away to handle the follow-up procedures.
Then, she introduced the second auction item—a broken divine weapon.
Although it was incomplete, the ancient aura it emanated was still impossible to ignore.
This round of bidding was even more intense than the last.
An ancient divine weapon! Even if it was damaged, it was still far beyond anything that could be made in the current era.
***
“What do you think of that divine weapon?”
Tanfei asked, resting her small hand under her chin as she looked at the noisy crowd below.
“The aura it contains is terrifying, yes, but after years of wear and erosion, I doubt much of its original power remains. Otherwise, no one here would be able to withstand its pressure,” Li Huaixian replied calmly.
Tanfei nodded. “That does make sense.”
But even if the energy inside was nearly depleted, a divine weapon was still a divine weapon.
Enough to drive countless people into a frenzy.
The second item quickly came to a close, ultimately selling for a sky-high price of 1.28 million spirit stones.
The buyer was a thin man with a pained expression on his face.
He shook his head, trying to adjust his mood, then excitedly headed off to complete the transaction.
Several more rare treasures followed, one after another, keeping the crowd’s excitement high.
Until the sixth item was brought on stage.
***
Unlike the previous rounds of enthusiastic bidding, the auction hall suddenly fell quiet.
Everyone stared at the charred piece of ancient wood in confusion.
No one knew what it was.
Lan’er, however, clearly knew each auction item like the back of her hand.
Seeing the crowd’s reaction, she smiled gracefully and said: “This item is known as the Charred Ancient Wood. It was found by a cultivator by chance, though we have no information on its specific effects. The starting price is 5,000 spirit stones. If any of you recognize its value, feel free to bid.”
5,000 spirit stones was as low as it could possibly go.
Yet despite that, the crowd only whispered quietly among themselves.
No one made an offer.
Li Huaixian also stared at the piece of wood with a deep gaze, unable to determine its nature.
Seconds ticked by.
The bidding time was nearly up.
The hall remained cold and silent.
Lan’er wasn’t surprised.
Even she, who had worked in the auction house for many years, had never seen anything like this before—let alone these bidders.
Though 5,000 spirit stones was a very low starting bid for an auction, no one was willing to spend that kind of money on what might turn out to be a useless piece of wood.
She glanced at the hourglass beside her.
The last grain of sand was about to fall.
She raised her hand slightly, and the staff came forward to remove the item.
“Five thousand spirit stones!”
Just as the staff was about to take it off the stage, a clear male voice rang out from the audience.
It was none other than Lin Tianyou of Dao Martial Sacred Mountain!
Tanfei’s eyes lit up when she saw who it was.
She tugged on Li Huaixian’s sleeve and leaned in close, her warm breath brushing against him as she whispered: “See that guy bidding down there? That’s Lin Tianyou, a rising star from Dao Martial Sacred Mountain. I heard he reached the Spirit Transformation stage at a very young age! He’s one of their top prospects now.”
“Dao Martial Sacred Mountain has always been a powerful force. And it’s deeply entwined with the Fucang Imperial Family. With the backing of both, his future is practically guaranteed.”
“Please tell me something I don’t already know.”
Li Huaixian shot a glare at the flirtatious woman trying to take advantage of him again.
At the same time, his gaze lingered thoughtfully on Lin Tianyou.
‘Dao Martial Sacred Mountain?’
What a coincidence.
He had just been fretting over who to target next.
Hopefully… this one would walk right into his trap.
***
At that very moment—
As if sensing Li Huaixian’s probing gaze, Lin Tianyou suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck.
A wave of unease crept over him.
He looked around warily but saw nothing unusual.
He chalked it up to imagination.
He had hesitated earlier too.
After all, even with his knowledge, he didn’t recognize the object.
But something about that charred wood felt extraordinary.
If he brought it back to the elders of his sect, perhaps it would lead to an unexpected discovery.
He stood up, preparing to go complete the transaction.
Suddenly—
“Six thousand!”
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