The entire auction hall erupted into noise.
Whispers collided with gasps. Some people immediately pulled out their communicators, urgently contacting their families for funds. Others stared at the stage with bloodshot eyes, calculating, hesitating, regretting.
Before the auctioneer could even announce the starting price—
A voice rang out from one of the VIP rooms.
"Five hundred million."
The hall froze.
All gazes snapped toward the source of the voice.
It came from the Ye family's private room.
The speaker was Ye Fan, the second young master of the Ye family.
Ye Xiu's cousin.
Inside his private room, Ye Xiu's expression did not change in the slightest. His eyes remained calm, almost indifferent.
He already knew.
This sword possessed a faint weapon spirit. It was not something that could be claimed with money alone. In the end, the blade would choose its own master.
The silence lasted only a moment.
Then another clear voice sounded.
"Six hundred million."
The speaker was VIP Number Four.
The young miss of the Jiang family.
The Jiang family was renowned for their swordsmanship, feared and respected across Shenxing City. Their inheritance revolved around blades, and for them, a spiritual sword was not a luxury—it was destiny.
Ye Fan's lips curled into a cold smile.
"Seven hundred million."
The pressure in the hall thickened.
Jiang Rui, the young miss of the Jiang family, did not hesitate.
"Eight hundred million."
"Nine hundred million."
"One billion."
Each number struck like a hammer.
The auction hall fell into stunned silence once more.
A billion yuan.
For a single weapon.
Sweat trickled down the foreheads of countless attendees. Even the auctioneer's breathing became unsteady as she looked between the VIP rooms, her fingers tightening around the gavel.
In the private room above, Ye Xiu finally narrowed his eyes slightly.
The game had truly begun.
And he knew one thing for certain.
No matter how high the price climbed—
This sword would never belong to the Ye family.
Before Ye Fan could raise the bid any higher, the butler standing beside him leaned forward and spoke in a low, urgent voice.
"Young master… our funds are insufficient. We have already exhausted most of our reserves purchasing other items at this auction."
Ye Fan's expression darkened instantly.
He slammed his hand onto the armrest. "Shut up!"
His eyes burned as he stared toward the stage, greed and obsession twisting his features.
"I want that sword. That blade is priceless," he snarled. "Call my father. I don't care how you do it."
The butler stiffened. "Young master, the head of the family—"
"I said call him!" Ye Fan roared. "No matter the cost, I will have that sword!"
The words echoed within the private room, heavy with arrogance and desperation.
Outside, the auction hall held its breath.
And somewhere above it all, Ye Xiu watched calmly, a faint smile forming at the corner of his lips.
Soon, Ye Fan raised the bid again.
"One point five billion."
A ripple of shock passed through the hall.
Before the murmurs could settle, another voice answered without hesitation.
"One point seven billion."
The bid came from the Jiang family's private room.
Inside, a young woman stood quietly near the window. She was exquisitely dressed, her posture straight, her expression cold and composed. Her eyes never left the sword displayed on the stage.
Jiang Rui.
Behind her, an attendant spoke cautiously. "Miss, our available funds are limited. We cannot keep raising the price recklessly."
Jiang Rui did not look away. "Don't worry. We came prepared."
She turned slightly, her voice calm but confident. "We have two billion allocated for this auction."
The attendant hesitated. "But the Ye family also has around two billion remaining. If both sides reach the limit, how can we secure the sword?"
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Jiang Rui's lips.
"We won't rely solely on bidding," she said softly. "If it comes to that, we'll settle this directly with the sword's owner."
The attendant's eyes widened in understanding.
On the stage, the numbers continued to rise.
"Two billion!"
The bid came from the Ye family.
The entire auction hall erupted.
Gasps echoed from every corner as countless eyes fixed on the stage in disbelief. Two billion yuan—for a single weapon.
Yet no one questioned the price.
A spiritual weapon was not something that appeared in auctions every day, nor could it be casually purchased in the market. Many great families possessed such weapons, but most were sealed, dormant, or never fully awakened.
A living, active spiritual sword was priceless.
Above the hall, Ye Xiu watched silently.
His expression remained calm,
Suddenly, a shout rang out from the Jiang family's private room.
"Two point two billion!"
Inside the Ye family room, the butler's expression stiffened. "Young Master… we've already exceeded our budget."
Ye Fan's jaw tightened. His fingers curled slowly against the armrest as a cold glint flashed through his eyes.
"Call my father," he said through clenched teeth. "Tell him to send someone at the Grandmaster stage. If we can't take it with money, we'll take it by force."
The butler's face drained of colour. "Young Master… if the Jiang family retaliates—"
"They won't," Ye Fan cut in sharply. A faint, dangerous smile curved his lips. "They won't even know who take it ."
The auctioneer's voice rang out across the grand hall, final and ceremonial.
"Sold. Spiritual Sword , final price: 2.2 billion. Congratulations to the Jiang Family."
A wave of murmurs swept through the audience as attendants carefully lifted the sword case and escorted it toward the Jiang family's private room.
Inside, Jiang Rui's expression remained calm, but her eyes lingered on the sword far longer than necessary.
She turned to the attendant.
"I wish to meet the sword's original owner. I intend to settle price matter with him."
The attendant froze. "Miss Jiang, this—this goes against auction protocol."
Jiang Rui slowly raised her gaze. The room seemed to cool.
"I am not asking," she said softly.
The attendant swallowed hard. Knowing exactly who stood before him, he bowed quickly and retreated. Moments later, the request reached the branch manager himself.
After a brief, tense deliberation, the answer came. Soon A young girl came to Ye Xiu room she is the auction branch manager "sorry not to properly entertain our esteem guest" she said. Ye Xiu didn't reply anything, seeing this she directly said about the jiang family request. He agrees without any hesitation.
A few breaths later, footsteps echoed beyond the door.
It opened, Jiang Rui with his body guard enters in the room. She saw Ye Xiu far younger than she expected. Plain robes, no family insignia, no visible cultivation aura. His presence was quiet to the point of being almost invisible, like a shadow that had learned how to breathe.
Jiang Rui's pupils shrank.
She could not sense his cultivation.
"Are you the sword's owner?" she asked, her voice steady.
"Yes." In a one-word answer came.
"Where did you find the sword?" Jiang Rui asked, her gaze sharp as a blade.
Ye Xiu's expression did not change. His voice was cold, distant.
"Why ask? You already know. I wouldn't tell you."
Seeing the rude behaviour, the bodyguard behind Jiang Rui face darkened.
"Insolent brat! Do you know who you're speaking to?!"
He reached for sword releasing a killing intent but stopped, he cannot move any inch he can't speak. No one cared that tiny details and continue their conversation.
Jiang Rui spoke calmly, her tone sincere.
"Apologies for that"
She paused, then continued, "As for the sword… at present, I can only provide two billion. If you require anything else—resources, protection, information, or assistance—the Jiang family can offer it. There's no need to worry about auction formalities."
Ye Xiu regarded her in silence. And agreed for her request.
The invisible pressure on the bodyguard did not lift.
Ye Xiu thought for few seconds and remembers about his living condition "yeah I need one thing, I want to buy the best villa in the city".
Hearing the demands of Ye Xiu she delighted and said "no problem I can arrange it".
She said I will choose best villa and send the paper till tomorrow. But um... what's your address sir.
Ye Xiu gave his phone numbers to her, then branch manager came and presented the bank card and said, "after cutting the cost of auction, money is in that card".
After taking the money Ye Xiu started to left before that he said to Jiang Rui that she should make a contract with sword soon as possible. Then he left.