At this moment, the auction house was presenting an item called the Seven Aroma Blazing Fruit.
Chen Chang'an had heard of this item before, but he wasn’t particularly interested. In his eyes, it wasn’t anything remarkable. Though Chen Chang'an had once been unable to cultivate, anything he had ever set his sights on and acquired had never been anything less than extraordinary.
Gu Xian'er seemed to find the Seven Aroma Blazing Fruit useful—perhaps due to her unique constitution—but this was merely Chen Chang'an's speculation. Sometimes, the right item could unleash value far beyond its intrinsic worth. Chen Chang'an hoped this would be the case for the Seven Aroma Blazing Fruit.
"Besides, do you think you can just buy it if you say so?"
"Do you think everyone down there is dead?"
"This thing is quite appealing to others too, you know." Gu Fengyao shot Chen Chang'an a disdainful look.
"Did I offend you somehow?"
"Why do you seem to dislike me so much?" Chen Chang'an asked curiously.
"If you’d just let her go free, I’d definitely find you more agreeable. After all… you really are quite good-looking."
Huh?
What kind of nonsense was that?
Did that make him sound like some wicked, devilishly handsome villain who cruelly restricted the freedom of an innocent young woman?
Was that his fault? Was being handsome a crime?
This was charm—pure charm—didn’t she understand?
"Five hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones! Do we have any higher bids?"
"Five hundred fifty thousand."
"Excellent! We now have an offer of five hundred fifty thousand. Any further bids?"
"The Seven Aroma Blazing Fruit grows within molten lava, containing immense energy. For those who cultivate flame-based techniques, its effects are exceptionally beneficial."
"This item is exceedingly rare to obtain. If you miss this opportunity, you may never encounter it again in your lifetime."
"The current bid stands at five hundred fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones. Are there any—"
"Six hundred thousand!"
Before the auctioneer could finish, someone raised the bid to six hundred thousand.
"Ah, it’s the Side-by-Side King! I’ve heard the Side-by-Side King practices flame-based techniques, correct?"
"Indeed. This item would be of great use to him."
"Seven hundred thousand!"
Hmm?
Another bidder?
Though the Side-by-Side King was also a non-imperial prince, he held no fiefdom and remained in the imperial capital. Yet, no one dared underestimate him—his strength had already reached the seventh level of the Immortal Realm, making him one of the top powerhouses within the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty.
Yet, shockingly, someone had the audacity to challenge his bid.
"Is that… the imperial family?"
"His Majesty is personally attending today. Could it be that the Emperor desires the Seven Aroma Blazing Fruit?"
"But His Majesty doesn’t cultivate flame-based techniques. What purpose would this serve?"
"Hard to say. Perhaps there’s discord between him and the Side-by-Side King?"
Rumors had long circulated that the imperial family kept the Side-by-Side King in the capital out of wariness toward his growing power—to monitor and restrain him.
Still, these were merely rumors. Yet now, the imperial family’s actions seemed to lend them some credibility.
However, with the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty already in turmoil and Chen Chang'an’s recent actions having dealt a heavy blow, provoking the Side-by-Side King at such a time seemed ill-advised.
After all, he was a formidable ally.
"If His Majesty desires it, then this subject shall withdraw." The Side-by-Side King merely smiled faintly, showing no sign of displeasure at the imperial family’s move.
Inside the private booth, Yin Gongyu also smiled. His attendant, however, was puzzled.
"Your Majesty, what is the meaning behind this move?" the attendant asked in confusion.
"I will purchase it and then gift it to the Side-by-Side King. This will demonstrate the imperial family’s favor and regard for him."
"In these troubled times, it’s better to have one more ally than one more enemy. There’s no harm in it."
"Perhaps the Side-by-Side King has already grasped my intent," Yin Gongyu said with a chuckle.
"Ah, I see! Your Majesty’s foresight is truly unmatched."
"With Your Majesty making the bid, surely no one else would dare challenge it."
Though Yin Gongyu knew this to be true, he still feigned humility. "This is an auction. Anyone may bid. I will not abuse my status to act unjustly."
"Your Majesty’s benevolence is truly—"
"Two hundred thousand… top-grade spirit stones!"
Before the attendant could finish, another bid rang out from outside—this time, an astonishing two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones!
This instantly tripled the previous bid, far exceeding the Seven Aroma Blazing Fruit’s actual value.
More importantly—who in the world had the nerve to defy Yin Gongyu’s authority?
Everyone’s curiosity was instantly piqued. All eyes turned toward the booth where the bid had originated.
"Who is seated in that booth?"
"I… I don’t know. Do any of you?"
"Not a clue. Wasn’t it empty earlier?"
"Judging by everyone’s reactions, it seems no one knows who’s inside."
"Could it be… someone not from the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty? That would explain such audacity."
"Possible. Perhaps a traveler who heard of the auction and came."
"Even so, this is the imperial capital of Fengtian. Doesn’t he fear the imperial family’s retaliation?"
"Maybe he has the strength to back it up."
"Strength? Don’t be ridiculous. Does he think he’s Chen Chang'an? Does he really believe anyone can act with impunity in Fengtian?"
"Shh! Are you trying to get yourself killed? Mentioning Chen Chang'an in such a setting?"
"My mistake, my mistake! Hopefully, no one heard…"
No one knew who occupied that mysterious booth. Meanwhile, Yin Gongyu’s expression darkened.
The bid of two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones had caught him completely off guard. While he could afford it, he would never spend so extravagantly—not only because the Seven Aroma Blazing Fruit wasn’t worth it, but also because such a lavish display of favor toward the Side-by-Side King was unnecessary.
"Did you take note of who is in that booth?" Yin Gongyu asked coldly.
"Your Majesty, I… I don’t know."
"What? You don’t know? Didn’t I instruct you earlier to confirm the seating arrangements of all attendees?"
Upon his arrival, Yin Gongyu had ordered his attendant to carefully note the locations of all guests and which booths they occupied.
Yet now, the attendant claimed ignorance?
Thud!
The attendant dropped to his knees in terror, pleading, "Your Majesty, spare me! I—I truly wasn’t negligent! I made sure no one else entered before I returned."
"When I left, that booth was empty. I don’t know how—"
"Enough. Perhaps they arrived late."
"Whoever it is, they are certainly not from the Fengtian Imperial Dynasty. Otherwise, they would never dare act this way."
Yin Gongyu was confident of this much. Only an outsider would have the audacity to slight him so openly.
But after all, this was the Gu family's auction house, so he didn’t dare to act rashly now and could only suppress his anger for the time being.
"Two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones. Are there any higher bids?"
"None at all?"
"Two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, going once."
"Two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, going twice."
"Two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, going three times."
"Sold!"
In the private booth, Gu Fengyao glanced at Chen Chang'an with surprise. Clearly, she hadn’t expected him to spend such a fortune on a mere maid.
After all, these were top-grade spirit stones. Could this be the reason Gu Xian'er was so devoted to Chen Chang'an?
"You’re not staying with him just because he’s generous, are you?"
"Two hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, spent without a second thought?"
"I have to admit, his lavishness does make him look rather dashing."
"But I still believe your worth is far greater. You mustn’t let his extravagance cloud your judgment."
Gu Fengyao seized every opportunity to advise Gu Xian'er earnestly. Yet, at this moment, Gu Xian'er didn’t hear a single word she said.
Her eyes were fixed on Chen Chang'an, brimming with emotion. She never imagined her young master would spend so much for her sake.
Such kindness was something she could never repay in this lifetime!
"Damn it!"
"She’s moved!"
Seeing the look in Gu Xian'er’s eyes after her lecture, Gu Fengyao felt utterly defeated. It was obvious—this girl had feelings for Chen Chang'an.
Gu Fengyao couldn’t understand it. What was so great about Chen Chang'an anyway?
Aside from being handsome and having an abundance of spirit stones, what else did he have? For cultivators, such things should be trivial!
"What a scoundrel, deceiving naive young girls!"
"Ugh!"
Chen Chang'an ignored Gu Fengyao’s sarcastic remarks and instead asked, "Is the next item the final lot?"
"Don’t know. Don’t ask me."
"Xian'er, tell me—yes, it is."
Chen Chang'an: "..."
Gu Xian'er: "..."
ng to die together with you." Lin Xuan is dead, his body thrown into the river by his scumbag lover and her accomplice. She, the president of the Su Group, is decisive, ruthless, and ice-cold. For three days and three nights, she had his body fished out of the river, and without hesitation, she kissed the bloated corpse of Lin Xuan. She laid down beside him in a cold coffin, their fingers intertwined, a smile lingering on her lips as she closed her eyes. The noble and cold-hearted woman, only bending for one man—Lin Xuan. Lin Xuan, with his golden finger, is reborn and returns to the day of his wedding to the treacherous woman. Su Qiang comes to steal the bride. Lin Xuan's eyes light up, eager to pledge his loyalty on the spot, but instead, her kiss transfers a glass of drugged wine into his mouth, causing him to pass out... 【Male Protagonist with Single Female Lead】【Yandere Tycoon】【Action-Packed】【True vs. Fake Heir】
he colors of other people’s emotions. Light red meant anxiety. Gray meant exhaustion. Orange meant excitement. Yellow... meant repression. At the same time, he could gain unlimited control over one of those colors. Pale cyan: relaxation. Using this ability, he started offering “two-yuan hugs,” spending an afternoon exchanging emotional-color experiences with others. Then came his final female customer of the day— a girl whose emotional color was pure black... —— A week later, Xu Chuan had become skilled at using pale cyan—Relaxation—treating it like a bottle of menthol balm whenever he needed it. That was when he discovered he had unlocked another unlimited emotional color: Purple, the color of fear. So these emotional colors refresh every week? Fine, I take it back—I’ll never call you useless again... —— Much later, after Xu Chuan had accumulated countless emotional abilities, one night, he suddenly found himself inside someone else’s dream. There, he could use the emotional colors he possessed to paint. And in her dream, he painted her a shower of pink shooting stars, spreading across the depths of the night sky...
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
for mindless slaughter, this isn't for you.] My name is Ye Shu, and I'm a transmigrator. It seems I'm supposed to be the protagonist, but that feels pretty unlikely. This world has been invaded by a system. The antagonists on the other side have suddenly become pure, flawless saints. The female leads have been force-fed the so-called "original plot," making them think they've been reborn. Now, everyone thinks I'm scum. Including the old lady in my ring. And here I am, in the Monster Beast Mountain Range, braising pork. To put my situation in perspective— It's as if, the moment Xiao Yan stepped into the Monster Beast Mountain Range, the Soul Emperor already knew he would become the Flame Emperor, and Yao Lao had been turned to the enemy's side. I have nothing right now. Oh wait, that's not true. I do have a white-haired loli child-bride who's the Heavenly Dao, and her only skill is acting cute. So, tell me guys... what are my chances of making it to the end?
