Independent Cultivator Chenyu had spoken so tactfully, and Chen Yixin had responded so amicably, that some of the guests who had expected a tense confrontation and public denunciation were beginning to feel disappointed.
Several independent demonic cultivators approached one after another and paid their ransoms. Chen Yixin accepted each payment and likewise promised them complimentary Thousand-Year Dream.
Yet none of the orthodox sects had made a move so far. Their attention was no longer focused on retrieving their own disciples, but on the “divine scion” Chen Yixin was holding.
“The Sect Master of the Wuliang Sect requests an audience.” Ping Cheng turned toward Wenren Li and Chen Yixin to report, deliberately speaking loudly enough for every cultivator present to hear.
Wenren Li nodded, and Ping Cheng went out to receive the visitor. Chen Yixin’s eyes curved slightly, looking rather expectant at the thought of someone from one of the orthodox Buddhist sects arriving.
But before Ping Cheng could lead the visitor inside, another Demon Guard came to report. “The Sect Master of the Qingxia Sect has arrived.”
They had probably heard how unexpectedly peaceful things were inside the main hall and could no longer sit still.
“Invite them all in. They’ll have to present their thank-you gifts before A-Li and I can release anyone.” As Chen Yixin spoke, he fed Wenren Li a spiritual fruit with practiced ease.
“The Demon Consort is right,” several independent cultivators who had already paid their ransom immediately agreed. Being fleeced themselves had admittedly left a sour taste in their mouths, but watching Chen Yixin fleece the orthodox Immortal Sects instead filled them with a strange sense of anticipation and secret satisfaction.
Of the Ten Immortal Sects, all eight besides the Yuding Sect and the Yanyue Sect—whose sect master Wenren Li had killed—had arrived. Some had not even had disciples detained, yet they still found excuses to visit. Their purpose could hardly have been more obvious.
The ransoms were presented under the polite name of wedding gifts, and Chen Yixin promised to release their disciples. But these people were not getting any Thousand-Year Dream. Chen Yixin would rather pour the wine over flowers and waste it than give it to people he disliked.
Chen Yixin carefully counted every ransom before gesturing for Wu Fei to bring the captives over. The released cultivators automatically found their respective sect masters and leaders before settling safely behind them.
Chen Yixin took a small sip of wine. Seeing everyone still staring at him and Wenren Li, the corners of his lips curved. He set the cup back on the table and lightly clapped his hands.
A black-iron cage descended from above the main hall. Inside lay Jing Zhihua, who had smelled the wine earlier and promptly fallen asleep, remaining unconscious until now.
“Name your price. Highest bidder wins.”
Chen Yixin made no attempt whatsoever at subtlety. He was openly auctioning off the “divine scion” from the Upper Realm—and even the highest bid would still have to satisfy him before he actually released the man.
“Demon Consort, isn’t this… somewhat inappropriate? If the man inside that cage really is the divine scion, for you and me to treat him like this…” Hei Yu sounded rather tempted himself. He too wanted to study what exactly this so-called “divine scion” was. Perhaps they genuinely might discover a path beyond Soul Transformation through him.
And if Jing Zhihua had to fall into someone’s hands, surely it would be better for him to remain with the demonic path than end up in the hands of the orthodox sects.
“If Lord Hei Yu thinks selling him is inappropriate, then how about I simply kill him instead?” Everyone knew that Chen Yixin bore grudges against both the Yuding Sect and Jing Zhihua. The fact that he was merely selling Jing Zhihua instead of killing him was already considerable restraint.
His words were also a warning to everyone present—and to those hiding in the shadows. Push him too far, and Chen Yixin really would kill Jing Zhihua.
“No, no, no!” Hei Yu hurriedly shook his head. The “divine scion” concerned the future of both the Upper Realm and Taixuan. Even as a demonic cultivator, Hei Yu could hardly stand by and watch Chen Yixin kill him. Strangely enough, after Chen Yixin countered him like this, Hei Yu actually found himself thinking that Chen Yixin was being rather reasonable.
“If none of you want to buy him, that’s fine too…”
Before Chen Yixin could finish, Han Zichuan of the Tianji Sect spoke first. “One hundred thousand spirit stones.”
Chen Yixin turned toward him and smiled noticeably. “Sect Master Han has reminded me of something. I forgot to tell everyone just now—the starting price is one hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones, and each bid must increase by at least ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones.”
When Han Zichuan said one hundred thousand spirit stones, the ordinary interpretation would have been one hundred thousand low-grade spirit stones. Chen Yixin’s clarification immediately multiplied that price a hundredfold. One mid-grade spirit stone could normally be exchanged for a hundred low-grade spirit stones, and depending on the quality of the stones, sometimes even one or two more.
Several of the independent cultivators present sucked in sharp breaths. They might already be Golden Core Perfected Masters or Nascent Soul True Lords, but asking them to produce one hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones at once was still impossible unless they sold off practically every valuable possession they owned.
Chen Yixin was demanding an outrageous price. Whoever bought Jing Zhihua from him would have to cough up most of their fortune.
“Sect Master Han has offered that price. Anyone willing to go higher?”
Han Zichuan opened his mouth but found himself momentarily speechless. Even he had been startled by Jing Zhihua’s newly inflated price. Still, he did not contradict Chen Yixin. If Jing Zhihua truly was the “divine scion,” then buying him at that price might actually be worthwhile.
“Seriously? Are all of you this poor…?” Chen Yixin muttered softly, already beginning to regret setting the opening bid so low.
Wenren Li turned toward him and gently stroked his hair. “If A-Rong isn’t satisfied, then we won’t sell him.”
“Mm. A-Li is still the best.” Chen Yixin nodded, turned to look at Wenren Li, and gave him a dazzling smile bright enough to make anyone staring feel blinded.
“One hundred and ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones.” Hei Yu gritted his teeth and made the bid. Even though the demonic factions had accumulated wealth over thousands, even nearly ten thousand years, their reserves were hardly deep enough to spend so extravagantly without pain.
But moments earlier, Hei Yu had distinctly felt pressure coming from Wenren Li. Under that pressure, he had gritted his teeth and called out the price.
“One hundred and twenty thousand.” Wuyuan, Sect Master of the Wuliang Sect, immediately raised Hei Yu’s bid by another ten thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Then he asked, “Can the Demon Lord guarantee that he truly is the divine scion?”
If they bought Jing Zhihua only to discover he was a fake, would they be allowed to come back to the Demon Palace and demand their spirit stones?
Wenren Li met Wuyuan’s gaze without avoiding the question. “He was identified as the divine scion by both the Yuding Sect and an envoy of the Tianji Sect. If you have doubts, you may ask them. All I can tell you is that he is indeed Jing Zhihua.”
The Sect Master of the Wuliang Sect looked toward Han Zichuan. Han Zichuan paused briefly before nodding. He had not personally been present when Jing Zhihua’s identity was examined at the Yuding Sect, but he trusted the person they had sent without reservation, and every characteristic described to him had matched.
“I’ll make this clear in advance. Once you buy him, he’s bought. A-Li and I will accept returns of the person, but we do not refund spirit stones.” If someone later discovered something wrong with Jing Zhihua and wanted to return him, Chen Yixin would certainly take him back. But if they expected so much as half a spirit stone in return, they could forget it.
Chen Yixin spoke with such shameless confidence that everyone was rendered speechless. Yet seated beside him was Wenren Li, the uncrowned king among Soul Transformation cultivators. Whether they agreed with Chen Yixin or not, no one dared openly argue with him.
“Mm.” Not only did Wenren Li allow Chen Yixin to say it, he even voiced his agreement. He clearly intended to indulge Chen Yixin completely.
Here in Taixuan, as long as Chen Yixin did not kill the divine scion or tear a hole in the sky itself, Wenren Li would apparently let him do whatever he wanted. For no particular reason, everyone who reached that realization felt as though they had been force-fed an enormous mouthful of sweetness, leaving an oddly cloying taste behind.
Chen Yixin turned and smiled at Wenren Li. Then he picked up another fruit and held it out for Wenren Li to take a bite before eating the remaining half himself.
The powerful sect leaders and great cultivators around them froze. Some could barely stand to keep watching…
“One hundred and thirty thousand mid-grade spirit stones…”
The bids continued rising—one hundred and forty thousand, one hundred and fifty thousand, higher and higher. Chen Yixin remained dissatisfied, and since no time limit had ever been set, the auction simply continued.
“Two hundred thousand.”
Han Zichuan, who had remained silent since his initial bid, finally spoke again, jumping directly by thirty thousand to two hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones. In Taixuan, that was by no means a small sum. Even for the wealthiest and most deeply established sects, that many spirit stones represented close to half the value of their treasury.
Hei Yu, who had still been somewhat tempted, immediately fell silent. The highest amount he was willing to accept was two hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Any more than that simply was not worth it.
The Hei Yu Demon Palace was hardly an orthodox sect. Even if Hei Yu paid Jing Zhihua’s ransom, there was no guarantee Jing Zhihua would feel any gratitude toward him. Given Jing Zhihua’s ability to repay Chen Yixin’s kindness with betrayal, Hei Yu would count himself lucky if the man merely refrained from holding a grudge against him.
Trading two hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones for such an uncertain possibility of gratitude? Not worth it. Definitely not worth it.
Chen Yixin straightened slightly and looked toward Han Zichuan. He was barely satisfied with two hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones. Yet the fact that Han Zichuan had not so much as furrowed his brow made Chen Yixin reassess the Tianji Sect’s resources. Apparently, their foundations were not much weaker than those of the Likui Demon Palace.
If Han Zichuan ever irritated him in the future, Chen Yixin would have to fleece him even harder. He happily made that decision on the spot.
“Two hundred and fifty thousand!” A black-robed man suddenly stepped out from among the independent cultivators. He was even more ruthless than Han Zichuan, raising the bid by fifty thousand mid-grade spirit stones in one go and looking even more determined to obtain Jing Zhihua.
“Two hundred and sixty thousand.” Han Zichuan did not move, but his divine sense swept toward the newcomer. The man’s black robes were clearly a magical treasure, however. Han Zichuan could not sense his aura at all, much less determine his cultivation or origin.
“Three hundred thousand!” The black-robed man raised the bid again. Three hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones left the entire hall stunned. Everyone turned back toward Jing Zhihua sleeping soundly inside the cage. This “divine scion” really was worth a fortune.
The hall remained silent for another stretch of time. Han Zichuan stared toward the black-robed man and considered the matter again and again before finally abandoning the bidding.
“Sold!” Chen Yixin looked at the black-robed man, his expression growing somewhat colder. He lifted one hand in a clear gesture: spirit stones in exchange for the prisoner.
The black-robed man evidently had the same understanding. He swept a hand toward Chen Yixin, and a storage bag floated across the hall.
Chen Yixin’s eyes curved with pleasure. Receiving three hundred thousand mid-grade spirit stones was genuinely delightful. Yet he did not reach out to take the bag. Wenren Li did instead.
Pale silver spiritual power flowed outward and wrapped around the storage bag. Wenren Li caught it in his hand and held it there for a full quarter hour before finally passing it to Chen Yixin.
Chen Yixin accepted the storage bag and looked back toward the black-robed man. He gave a slight nod, and a key supported by a mass of blue flame flew toward him.
The black-robed man’s face was completely concealed within shadow. He reached out, but the instant his hand touched the blue flame, he recoiled in shock. At that moment, the flame suddenly surged out of control and engulfed him completely.
“AAAHHH—!” The black-robed man screamed, clearly having never expected such a thing. Chen Yixin had not expected it either, but he made no attempt to suppress his blue flame. Blue light flashed through his eyes as he fixed his gaze on the man.
“Demon… an Otherworld Demon!” Two trails of bloody tears streamed from Ming Yue’s eyes beside Han Zichuan. She pointed at the black-robed man with a trembling hand, her face even more frighteningly pale than it had been after divining the heavenly secrets earlier.
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