The next day.
The little girl appeared again, her face tired and listless. It was obvious she had been nagged relentlessly the night before. When her eyes caught sight of the familiar corner of the Sutra Pavilion, hope bloomed instantly,
as if she had found her sanctuary, her place of refuge.
Chu Xun noticed her at once. A trace of tenderness and pity flickered in his eyes, but his tone remained calm.
"The sutra you were reading yesterday is still there. If you didn't understand it, you can continue today."
Li Yaochi nodded vigorously.
This time, she wasn't as timid as before. She slowly walked over to the corner, leaned against the wall, and after just a few breaths, fell asleep. Only in deep sleep did her young face finally look peaceful.
And so it went.
For several consecutive days.
Chu Xun gradually grew familiar with the little girl, though there was still little conversation between them. Each time she came, she was exhausted. Under the constant supervision of her mother and servants, she had no chance to rest at all. The Sutra Pavilion had quietly become her sanctuary.
"It's time to prepare a few things," Chu Xun murmured to himself after she left one day.
As someone investing in destiny villains, opportunities could appear at any moment,
but suitable investment items were another matter entirely. Coincidentally, a grand auction would soon be held in Tianbao City. He could select some items there.
Not long after.
An elder arrived at the Sutra Pavilion.
After hearing Chu Xun's request, the elder revealed a satisfied smile. Chu Xun entrusted him with consigning an item for auction. The spirit stones obtained would be used to bid on several things, jade pendants, protective ornaments, or items suitable for future villain investments. As for compensation, Chu Xun would give the elder a bit of guidance once the matter was done.
The elder left cheerfully.
…
Eastern Region.
Tianbao City.
This was a unique city, neither affiliated with the Six Holy Lands nor belonging to the Jiang ancient clan. There was no single city lord; instead, it was jointly operated by various major powers, with chambers of commerce at its core.
Among them, the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce was the most famous.
It handled auctions and sales of all kinds of treasures.
Its reputation and quality were guaranteed.
Deeply trusted throughout the Eastern Region.
Today.
The annual grand auction of the Wanbao Chamber of Commerce had arrived.
This was no ordinary event.
Every item up for auction was top-tier.
In just a quarter of an hour, the auction house was packed to the brim. Whether it was the VIP rooms or the main hall below, the place buzzed with excitement.
Some newcomers exclaimed in awe:
"So many people!"
"It filled up in just a quarter of an hour!"
"Amazing!"
"I saw so many big shots entering the VIP rooms!"
"There was even a Human Emperor-level senior!"
Exclamations echoed endlessly.
Then,
With the ringing of a bell, the noise gradually subsided.
An old man with a ruddy complexion walked out from behind the auction platform. Holding a small hammer, he tapped the table lightly and said with enthusiasm:
"Everyone, please be quiet. The auction is about to begin. I am Li Yang, the chief auctioneer of this event. Thank you all for coming. I believe this trip will be well worth your while!"
"Huh?"
"It's actually Master Li Yang!"
"That's strange, don't they usually open with a beautiful female auctioneer?"
"Could it be that…?"
Eyes lit up as guesses formed.
At that moment, two stunning women with graceful figures stepped onto the stage together, carrying a wooden tray.
Li Yang didn't reveal the item immediately. Instead, he smiled and said,
"Many of you might be wondering why I'm personally hosting the first item. To be honest, I only received this consignment yesterday. This item is simply too precious. I originally wanted it as the finale, but since this is our annual grand auction, I decided, boldly, to place it first!"
A few short sentences.
Yet they successfully stirred curiosity and focused everyone's attention.
"Buzz"
As Li Yang removed the red cloth, revealing a plain, unadorned sword, the crowd waited in silence for his introduction.
Li Yang spoke slowly:
"This sword is the first item of today's auction,
a Human Emperor–level divine weapon…"
"…The Tai Xuan Sword!"
For a brief moment,
Silence.
Then, an explosion of noise.
A Human Emperor–level divine weapon, no matter how restrained, should still radiate terrifying killing intent, something ordinary cultivators could never control. Yet this sword felt astonishingly gentle, not releasing even a trace of ferocity. If Li Yang himself hadn't introduced it, many would have thought it an ordinary blade.
"Impossible!"
"A Human Emperor weapon is this precious?"
"This sword looks too plain!"
"I don't see anything special!"
Whispers filled the hall.
Li Yang waited calmly until the discussion died down, then said in a deep, resonant voice:
"I was just as shocked when I first encountered it. How could there be such a gentle sword one that seems controllable by anyone? But once a trace of Human Emperor aura flowed into it, all doubt vanished."
Buzz!
The Tai Xuan Sword trembled lightly.
It rose into the air.
Wisps of Human Emperor aura coiled around it like sacred light.
"Hiss!"
This time, no one could stay seated.
Shock filled every face.
It truly was a Human Emperor–level divine weapon.
"This item is incredibly precious," Li Yang continued. "Not only is the sword gentle, but its lethality is terrifying. When unleashed, it surpasses even ferocious demonic weapons."
As he grasped the sword, sharp sword intent flooded the venue, making pupils shrink.
"A top-grade weapon!"
"It's hard to find a match even among Human Emperor weapons!"
"It rivals ordinary half-step Saint weapons!"
"This trip was worth it!"
"Just seeing this sword made it worthwhile!"
Even the powerful figures in the VIP rooms were visibly shaken.
VIP Room No. 4.
Jiang Chen sat inside.
He had come only to auction a few items casually, but never expected the first treasure to be such a shocking divine sword. As a sword cultivator, his first thought wasn't for himself, but for his teacher.
His eyes gleamed as he murmured,
"If this sword were given to Master, he'd be happy for a long time."
Seeing the atmosphere was fully primed, Li Yang smiled.
"The auction begins!"
"No starting price!"
He eagerly wondered just how high this divine weapon would sell for, and whether it could break recent records.
"Thirty top-grade spirit stones!"
"Fifty top-grade spirit stones!"
"One hundred top-grade spirit stones!"
Spirit stones were the main currency of the Eastern Region, divided into low, medium, high, and top grade. One top-grade spirit stone was worth thousands of high-grade ones. Though the price seemed low for the Tai Xuan Sword, the opening bids were already astonishingly high.
The bidding continued.
The price climbed rapidly.
VIP Room No. 7.
A young man spoke steadily.
"Junior Brother Ye, this divine weapon is excellent. Do you want to bid?"
Others turned their gazes toward the young man called Ye.
They treated him with clear respect.
They were from the Xiandao Sect.
His name was Ye Chen.
He had once cultivated in the Donglin Holy Land, but after offending Jiang Chen, he was expelled. Despite that, his talent was monstrous. In a short time, he stirred waves within the Xiandao Sect, breaking record after record. Everyone present recognized his potential, if he didn't die young, he would surely claim a place in the Eastern Region's future.
Ye Chen's eyes flickered with obscure light.
He had been tempted by the sword at first. It suited him perfectly; even at the Dharma Realm, he could likely wield it. But hearing the rapidly escalating bids, he was about to give up. He had a clear goal this trip, this sword wasn't it.
Then,
He heard a familiar voice.
He froze.
"Jiang Chen…?"
Ye Chen muttered uncertainly.
When he confirmed it again and again, resentment and fury erupted together. He clenched his teeth and said coldly:
"You bastard. Even if I can't use this sword,
don't even think about getting it easily."