Inside the Heaven Dou Auction House.
After exchanging greetings with Ning Fengzhi, Lin Yu settled back into his seat alongside Dugu Yan. Not long after, two more familiar faces arrived at the auction hall.
One was an older man with a mane of white hair and a silver mustache, dressed in an opulent silver robe that matched his stern and somewhat calculating demeanor. This was Prince Xue Xing. Beside him strode a young man, similarly adorned in a silver robe, with an air of arrogance typical of a pampered aristocrat. This was the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, whose face had been seen in the livestreams before.
"Your Highness, Fourth Prince," Ning Fengzhi greeted them warmly, standing as the pair approached. His tone was courteous, but he made no effort to hide the faint smile playing on his lips.
Prince Xue Xing's expression tightened at the sight of Ning Fengzhi, though he forced a polite nod in return. Xue Beng followed suit, offering a curt acknowledgment.
The reason for their strained politeness was simple: past auctions held by the Heaven Dou Auction House had sometimes featured similar lots, including the sale of captured female slaves. But the stakes had been lower—those sales weren't focused on rare Body Spirit maids, and the attention had been on exotic captives from remote tribes rather than powerful soul masters.
In a few instances, Prince Xue Xing had shown interest in these past auctions, aiming to acquire rare slaves for his collection, only for his efforts to be thwarted by Ning Fengzhi. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's influence and wealth had tipped the scales against him more than once.
Adding to the frustration was the delicate political balance between the royal family and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Ning Fengzhi's deference in addressing Prince Xue Xing masked a strategic edge; he was well aware that, should tensions arise, Emperor Xue Ye might not side with the prince.
Despite their irritation, both Prince Xue Xing and Xue Beng chose to take their seats, preferring to assess the situation before taking action.
Not long after, the person Lin Yu had been most eager to see made their appearance. Entering the auction hall was a young man dressed in an elegant gold suit, his golden hair neatly trimmed, and his features both refined and graceful. He carried an air of gentle composure, his smile warm yet concealing a keen intelligence as he made his way toward the front-row seats.
"Teacher, Uncle Xue Xing, Fourth Brother," he greeted smoothly upon reaching the red section.
"Qinghe, you're here as well. I assume you have an interest in today's auction for the Body Spirit maids?" Ning Fengzhi smiled warmly as he addressed the young man, whom he believed to be Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
Xue Qinghe—secretly Qian Ren Xue in disguise—returned the smile with a calm nod. "I wouldn't say I'm particularly interested. I'm here to observe, and I'll decide my course of action once I've seen what's on offer."
While Ning Fengzhi and the prince exchanged pleasantries, Lin Yu studied the Crown Prince intently. This was his first time seeing Qian Renxue's persona in person, and he was struck by the prince's elegant and composed demeanor.
So, this is Qian Renxue as Xue Qinghe. Weren't they supposed to look unremarkable?
Lin Yu mused to himself, realizing that the prince's appearance was far more distinguished than he had expected. Then it dawned on him—Of course, it makes sense. As royalty, the Heaven Dou Emperor's descendants would have been selected for their superior traits over generations. Even if the founding emperor had been plain-looking, his descendants were bound to inherit refined features by now.
Ning Fengzhi's voice brought Lin Yu back to the moment as he introduced him. "Oh, by the way, Qinghe, this is Lin Yu."
"Ah, the famous Lin Yu!" Xue Qinghe turned to Lin Yu with a smile, extending a hand. "I've heard much about you. It's a pleasure to finally meet in person. I am Xue Qinghe, Crown Prince."
Lin Yu shook the offered hand, returning the smile. "The pleasure is mine, Your Highness. I've also heard many good things about you—your reputation for wisdom and virtue precedes you."
After a few more rounds of polite compliments, Xue Qinghe took a seat next to Ning Fengzhi. Lin Yu, meanwhile, kept his observations to himself, knowing full well the true identity hidden beneath that composed exterior.
With everyone settled, the auction hall gradually filled up with guests, though no more familiar faces made an appearance. Half an hour later, the chatter began to subside as the auctioneer finally took the stage.
A tall, well-groomed man with slicked-back hair and a perfectly tailored suit, complete with a neatly trimmed mustache, emerged from a doorway behind the auction platform. He walked confidently to the center of the stage, clutching a wooden gavel.
"It looks like the auction is about to start," Lin Yu murmured, catching Dugu Yan's eye.
As the auctioneer raised his gavel, the room fell silent. He struck it down with a clear, ringing sound.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the Heaven Dou Auction House! Today's auction has been eagerly anticipated, and we won't delay any longer. Without further ado, let us begin with the first item!"
With a theatrical gesture, the auctioneer clapped his hands. A slender young woman in a silver dress stepped forward, carrying a velvet-draped tray. She moved gracefully, placing the tray on the auction block before stepping back.
The auctioneer lifted the red cloth, revealing a stunning necklace strung with deep green jade beads and centered around a large, lustrous emerald stone.
"Our first lot is the Jade Heart Necklace, crafted from the heartstone of a thousand-year Jade Emerald Bird, accompanied by the finest jadeite beads. Known for its life-essence properties, the centerpiece stone is said to slow aging when worn. It's the perfect gift for someone special!"
His voice carried through the hall, drawing admiration from many attendees as they studied the necklace.
"Bidding starts at fifty thousand gold soul coins! Minimum bid increments of one thousand gold soul coins!" he declared, his gavel poised to announce the first bids of the day.