Chapter 123: Older Sister Stands Up for Her Little Brother
The auction had begun.
This grand event, inviting almost every influential figure in Silver Moon City, filled the hall to capacity.
Fatty Nian delivered a brief welcome speech, setting a lively atmosphere, before a beautiful auctioneer took the stage, officially commencing the bidding.
The three of them tacitly dropped their previous conversation, their concerns momentarily forgotten as they focused their attention on the auction unfolding below.
One armed with the script, the other two with memories of their past lives, they were all aware of the impending drama.
When the third item, a Mystic Tool Embryo, was presented, Yan Zhen placed his first bid.
A Mystic Tool Embryo was a semi-finished Mystic Tool, usually shaped like a hilt. Its unique property was its ability to transform into various weapons when infused with Mystic Power.
The quality of the weapon generated depended on the strength of the infused Mystic Power, with a maximum rank of Tier 3. It was considered a rather useless novelty, primarily for flashy displays of wealth.
However, it was quite useful to Yan Zhen.
He possessed the Gold and Silver Fire, eliminating the need for a physical weapon. He could simply condense his flames into weapons. However, he wouldn’t be able to achieve this until he reached the Mystic Scholar realm. For now, he needed a temporary solution.
By infusing the Mystic Tool Embryo with the Gold and Silver Fire, he could utilize its transformation ability to shape his powerful flames into any weapon he desired.
With this, he wouldn’t have to worry about losing control of his flames and could unleash their full power in combat, significantly boosting his fighting capabilities.
The starting bid for the Mystic Tool Embryo was only 150,000 gold coins, with a minimum increment of 10,000. Yan Zhen immediately doubled the bid to 300,000, demonstrating his determination to win, effectively silencing the other bidders.
“Guest number sixty-nine, with a bid of 300,000! Any higher bids?”
“Number one, 310,000.”
Number one referred to the City Lord’s Mansion, occupying box number one.
Lan Ke had entered the fray.
He wasn’t interested in the Mystic Tool Embryo, but he had noticed Yan Zhen’s token number, 69, and decided to make things difficult for him.
Driving up the price or snatching away something Yan Zhen desired would bring him immense satisfaction.
Besides, it wasn’t expensive. He had plenty of pocket money. He could always use it to impress some girls.
Even the City Lord didn’t stop him, clearly displeased with Yan Zhen’s earlier attitude. This emboldened Lan Ke, though he was puzzled by Yan Zhen’s presence in a private box. Had he been invited by someone, perhaps accompanying Instructor Yu Xuan?
After all, she was quite famous in Silver Moon City. Even his father had harbored certain… fantasies about her.
The thought filled him with jealousy.
She treated all men with indifference, except for Yan Zhen, her student, towards whom she displayed a surprising tenderness.
Yan Zhen scoffed inwardly. That little bastard is trying to provoke me again.
“Number sixty-nine, 320,000.”
“Number one, 330,000.”
Lan Ke was determined to outbid him.
Yan Zhen, suppressing his irritation, continued raising the bid until it reached 500,000, the point where Lan Ke finally backed down, according to the script.
500,000 was far beyond the actual value of the Mystic Tool Embryo. He had clearly been taken advantage of by Lan Ke. The other guests now viewed him as a clueless fool with more money than sense.
He didn’t care. Whether in the script or in reality, he wouldn’t have to pay in the end. Lan Ke’s attempts to irritate him were futile.
In the script, after he saved Ji Ya’s life with the Supreme Grade Detoxification Pill, she had invited him to her private box as a gesture of gratitude, promising to gift him anything he won at the auction.
Now, she would probably even give him the entire branch if he asked.
He was perfectly calm, but Ji Ya and Instructor Yu Xuan were not. Someone was trying to bully their… little husband.
“Little Brother Yan Zhen, if you wanted that Mystic Tool Embryo, you could have just told Older Sister. I would have had someone deliver it to you. Why bother arguing with that fool… Have a cherry to calm down.”
— I’m on a mission, Older Sister. I have to follow the script.
He put on a convincing act, his face grim, opening his mouth wide like a hungry tiger, accepting the cherry she offered.
Instructor Yu Xuan gently stroked his head, soothing his ruffled feathers. “It seems Lan Ke still holds a grudge against you. I never expected him to be so petty. It’s truly disappointing.”
— Don’t worry, my turn is coming.
The Mystic Tool Embryo was quickly delivered to their box.
He withdrew his hands from their embrace, testing the embryo by infusing it with Mystic Power. As expected, it transformed into various weapons, their power quite impressive.
If he infused it with the Gold and Silver Fire, the power would be…
“It’s quite handy.”
After examining it, he was satisfied. This would be one of his trump cards before he advanced to the Mystic Scholar realm. After the auction, he would use this to deal with Lan Ke.
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The auction continued.
He didn’t bother keeping track of the items. He simply waited for something Lan Ke desired.
“Flowing Spring Boots,” a Tier 2 Mystic Tool. Wearing these boots would significantly enhance one’s mobility, even allowing for short bursts of flight. Perfect for Lan Ke, an Ice-attribute Mystic Scholar who favored a hit-and-run fighting style.
Such auxiliary Mystic Tools were rare and valuable. Lan Ke was instantly captivated. He wanted to bid immediately, but his father stopped him, waiting until someone else was about to win before raising the bid by 100,000 gold coins.
“Number one, 500,000!”
The other bidders, including the Xiao and Yu families, hesitated, then decided to give the City Lord some face, ceasing their bids.
It was only a Tier 2 Mystic Tool, after all. They had their eyes on other prizes.
Lan Ke smirked, thinking he had won, when Yan Zhen spoke up.
“Number sixty-nine, 510,000.”
Lan Ke’s smile froze. Even the City Lord was taken aback. Wasn’t number sixty-nine Yan Zhen? Was he trying to get revenge?
Considering Lan Ke’s earlier provocation, it wasn’t surprising. But did he even have the money?
“Guest number sixty-nine, with a bid of 510,000! Any higher bids? These Flowing Spring Boots might be Tier 2, but they’re more than sufficient for Mystic Adepts. They’re a great investment!” The auctioneer continued to entice the bidders.
Lan Ke’s face darkened. “Number one, 520,000.”
“Number sixty-nine, 530,000.” Yan Zhen’s bid was swift and decisive. After all, it didn’t matter how high he bid. It was free for him.
“540,000!”
“550,000!”
They continued their bidding war, the price skyrocketing from 500,000 to 600,000, then 700,000.
Lan Ke, unable to contain his frustration any longer, flung open the window of his box, his voice filled with rage. “Yan Zhen, what do you think you’re doing?!”
Yan Zhen, momentarily escaping the confines of his “sandwich,” leaned out of the window, his expression innocent. “What do you mean? I’m just bidding. Are there rules against bidding against the City Lord’s Mansion?”
“You’re deliberately driving up the price! Do you even have the money?!” Lan Ke scoffed. “I heard you had to borrow money from Instructor Yu Xuan recently. Who are you trying to impress?”
“Is it up to you to decide whether I have money or not?” Yan Zhen gave him a pitying look. “Why don’t you ask Shopkeeper Nian if I have money?”
Lan Ke turned to Nian Lun, who was standing on the auction stage. Nian Lun smiled. “Young Master Yan Zhen does indeed have sufficient funds to participate in the bidding, Young Master Lan Ke. Please rest assured and continue bidding freely.”
His words elicited laughter from the audience. Yu Yue, the master of face-saving and entertainment, occupying box number three, chuckled. “Are you trying to use your influence to pressure him, Young Master Lan Ke? That might work elsewhere, but this is the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce. Your face doesn’t carry that much weight here~”
Lan Ke, humiliated, quickly retreated into his box, his anger simmering.
“Calm down, Lan Ke. Don’t let that boy get to you.” The City Lord was displeased. “You’re usually not like this. Why do you lose your composure whenever he’s involved? Is it because he stole the girl you like? Or are you jealous of his talent?”
Lan Ke gritted his teeth, his pride wounded.
The City Lord sighed inwardly. “Alright, just win this item. Otherwise, you’ll only embarrass yourself further.”
Lan Ke nodded, resuming his bidding.
Yan Zhen, of course, followed suit.
The price climbed to 800,000, far exceeding expectations, but Yan Zhen showed no signs of backing down. Lan Ke’s face was as dark as thunder.
The City Lord reassured him. “He’s just throwing a tantrum. Keep bidding. Let’s see how far he’s willing to go.”
Emboldened by his father’s support, Lan Ke confidently raised the bid by another 100,000!
Yan Zhen, however, calmly declared, “One million.”
“One and a half million!” Infuriated by Yan Zhen’s nonchalance, he impulsively raised the bid by 500,000. He instantly regretted it.
But what made him even more frustrated was that Yan Zhen continued bidding.
“Two million.”
Bang!
The window flew open again. Lan Ke, his voice filled with rage, roared, “Shut up, Yan Zhen! You don’t have that kind of money! Why are you even bidding?!”
Two million! Even he would have to gather his funds to afford that much. And having that much money and being willing to spend it on a pair of shoes were two different things!
He was starting to feel the pinch, while Yan Zhen remained calm and composed. How was that possible? Martial Tang City was a backwater town, barely better than a rural village!
Yan Zhen leaned out of the window, addressing Nian Lun. “Shopkeeper Nian, do I have that much money?”
Nian Lun smiled pleasantly. “Of course you do.”
— After all, the Head Shopkeeper’s money is practically your money, heh heh~
Lan Ke nearly spat blood. He almost lost his mind, about to shout “Three million!” when his father’s voice stopped him.
He slammed the window shut, his anger replaced by a sullen silence.
Yan Zhen smirked.
— You think you can outbid me? I’ll bankrupt you.
Moments later, the Flowing Spring Boots were delivered to their box.
Their function complemented the Shadowstep movement technique Instructor Yu Xuan had taught him. Wearing these boots would enhance the technique, making it even smoother and more agile.
— I’ll use these to deal with Lan Ke and his men later.
The auction continued.
However, from that point on, whenever Lan Ke showed interest in an item, Yan Zhen would engage in a bidding war with him, ultimately winning every item at a price far exceeding its actual value, leaving Lan Ke empty-handed. Meanwhile, Xiao Mie and Yu Yue both managed to secure some treasures. At this rate, the gap between them would only widen.
Lan Ke was fuming, baffled by Yan Zhen’s seemingly endless wealth.
Yan Zhen retreated into the box, closing the window, and turned to his “older sister,” a smile on his face. “Thank you, Sister Ji Ya~”
She took his hand, pulling him back down, her voice filled with affection. “They bullied you, so of course I had to retaliate~ Do you feel better now? If not, I can make sure that City Lord doesn’t get anything either. What do you say, Little Brother Yan Zhen?”
In her previous life, she had never targeted the City Lord’s Mansion for his sake. After all, the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce was a business, valuing neutrality and avoiding conflicts.
They could mediate disputes, but taking sides went against their core principles.
But things were different now.
They were sworn siblings. How could she stand by and watch her little brother get bullied?
He understood her intentions. He also wanted to teach the City Lord a lesson, but it wasn’t in the script. Humiliating Lan Ke was enough.
“It’s okay, Sister Ji Ya. The Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce operates in Silver Moon City. Antagonizing the City Lord’s Mansion wouldn’t be wise.”
Her lips curved into a pleased smile.
Her silly little brother was always thinking of her. That’s why she had to stand up for him.
“Don’t worry. Silver Moon City can survive without the City Lord’s Mansion, but not without the Mystic Academy and the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce. Otherwise, it will regress to its former mediocrity, something the other families won’t tolerate.”
And right now, the two most beautiful women representing the Mystic Academy and the Gold and Jade Chamber of Commerce were both holding his arms, their affection and favor undeniable.
It was no exaggeration to say that he held the fate of Silver Moon City in his hands. His words could determine whether the city continued to prosper.
Finally, only the two most anticipated items remained: the grand finale and the closing act.
The grand finale was a General Tier Mystic Technique.
Mystic Techniques were valuable inheritances. In Silver Moon City, only the top three families possessed General Tier Mystic Techniques. The rest only had Master Tier Mystic Techniques, limiting their cultivation to the Mystic Master realm.
A General Tier Mystic Technique had the potential to create a Mystic General expert!
As the Mystic Technique was unveiled, the audience’s eyes lit up with fervor. The powerful figures began bidding fiercely.
The price skyrocketed. The City Lord placed the highest bid, followed closely by the heads of the Xiao and Yu families.
When the City Lord reached a staggering 50 million gold coins, the other two families finally backed down.
However, before he could celebrate, another bid came from the neighboring box. It wasn’t Yan Zhen, but a woman.
“One hundred million.”
Her voice was seductive, yet filled with an undeniable authority.
From 50 million to 100 million in an instant!
Outrageous.
The City Lord’s expression mirrored his son’s earlier shock.
He didn’t recognize the voice, but she was clearly targeting him.
One hundred million? What could he possibly bid against that? He had no choice but to abandon the General Tier Ice Mystic Technique, setting his sights on the final item, an incomplete King Tier Mystic Skill.
However, just as he thought he had secured the incomplete King Tier Mystic Skill, the woman spoke again.
“One hundred million.”
Her voice was nonchalant, as if 100 million gold coins were merely a trivial sum to her.
The City Lord sank back into his chair, defeated.
Every faction had secured some treasures at this auction, except for the City Lord’s Mansion. Despite their ample preparations, they had left empty-handed.
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