"Let's hope Lingxian doesn't bid any higher," Ye Chen muttered to himself, a wry smile on his face. While he had access to a decent amount of spirit stones, it was nowhere near the wealth that Ji Lingxian, the Da Zhou princess, could muster.
"In my past life, Lingxian only bought this jade pendant as a decorative trinket. She wouldn't have spent a fortune on it," Ye Chen reassured himself.
Right now, there was no connection between them. If Ji Lingxian won the pendant, Ye Chen couldn't rely on their current relationship—or lack thereof—to acquire it from her.
If this were his past life, when their bond was closer, Lingxian would have given it to him without hesitation. But now? The outcome was uncertain.
In the highest suite of the Immortal Terrace Auction House, Ji Lingxian sat with a hint of displeasure on her face.
Initially, no one seemed interested in bidding for the pendant. Yet, as soon as she joined the fray, someone from a lower-tier suite immediately countered her bid. Was this a deliberate provocation?
Under normal circumstances, she wouldn't have spent extravagantly on an unidentified artifact. However, since Qin Tian had expressed interest, she was determined to secure it for him, no matter the cost.
"Fifty thousand spirit stones," Ji Lingxian declared, her tone resolute.
Even for her, a sum of fifty thousand spirit stones was no small matter. Though she was the cherished princess of Da Zhou, her regular expenses and cultivation needs meant her personal wealth wasn't limitless.
"Fifty thousand spirit stones! Fifty thousand spirit stones!" Elder Wan's voice rang out, barely able to contain his excitement.
The jade pendant had been an unknown gamble, and its appraisers had warned that it might not sell at all. Yet now, it was fetching an astronomical price. Elder Wan felt as though fortune itself had smiled upon him.
"Could Lingxian have lied to me in my past life?" Ye Chen thought, his expression turning grim.
The Ji Lingxian he remembered had described the pendant as a mere whimsy, something she bought casually. Yet her actions today suggested otherwise.
"Or perhaps… my rebirth altered her behavior?"
Ye Chen found himself in a dilemma. If he continued bidding, the price would surpass what he had budgeted. But if he didn't, the pendant—crucial for awakening his War God Physique—would slip through his fingers.
"Sixty thousand spirit stones," Ye Chen growled through gritted teeth.
He resolved to secure the pendant, even if it meant making risky moves later to replenish his resources. He could always sell another high-grade cultivation technique if absolutely necessary, though such actions carried significant risks of exposure.
The hall fell into a hushed silence. A bid of sixty thousand spirit stones was no small sum. From the crowd to the suites, many nobles and powerhouses began directing their spiritual senses toward Ye Chen's lower-tier suite, curious about this mysterious competitor.
"Twelve thousand spirit stones."
Ji Lingxian's crisp voice shattered the quiet.
Without hesitation, she doubled Ye Chen's bid, pushing the price to a staggering 120,000 spirit stones.
The auction house collectively inhaled in shock. The Da Zhou royal family's wealth was on full display.
Ji Lingxian's heart pounded as she delivered the bid. She had just pledged the entirety of her current funds. Even if she had to empty her coffers, she would ensure Qin Tian received this pendant.
In his lower-tier suite, Ye Chen sat paralyzed. His face alternated between shades of anger and despair.
"Why is Lingxian so intent on getting this pendant?" he thought.
Something didn't add up. In his past life, she had shown little interest in the artifact. Yet now, she seemed utterly determined to secure it at any cost.
The implications gnawed at him.
Had Ji Lingxian lied to him in his previous life? Or was her current behavior a ripple effect of his rebirth?
Regardless, Ye Chen was at a breaking point. His resources were finite, and the 120,000 spirit stones required to outbid her were simply beyond his reach.
Clenching his fists, Ye Chen leaned back in his chair, his mind racing. He couldn't risk exposing himself further by selling more high-grade techniques or revealing his identity in this highly scrutinized setting.
"Perhaps I'll have to wait," he thought bitterly. "When the time is right, I'll ask Lingxian to hand it over."
On the auction stage, Elder Wan's joy was palpable.
"One hundred and twenty thousand spirit stones! Going once!"
The hammer hovered in his hand, poised to seal the deal.
"Going twice!"
He cast a fleeting glance toward Ye Chen's suite, anticipating a response. None came.
"Going three times!" Elder Wan's hammer fell with a satisfying thud. "Sold! Congratulations to the distinguished guest in the royal suite for securing this mysterious jade pendant!"
Applause rippled through the crowd.
"120,000 spirit stones for an unknown artifact. Only Da Zhou royalty could make such an extravagant purchase," one noble muttered.
In the highest suite, Ji Lingxian's face glowed with satisfaction.
"Qin Tian, the pendant will be delivered shortly," she said, her voice soft and tinged with a shy warmth.
Her flushed cheeks betrayed her excitement. Though she didn't understand why Qin Tian wanted the pendant, she was thrilled to fulfill his request.
Qin Tian, meanwhile, watched her with a faint smile. The game had only just begun.
His gaze drifted downward, catching a glimpse of Ye Chen as the latter prepared to leave the auction. The protagonist's plans had been thrown into disarray, and Qin Tian relished the quiet despair written across his face.
"Ding! Host has intercepted a key opportunity from the protagonist Ye Chen. +100 Destiny Points," the familiar voice of the system rang in Qin Tian's mind.
His smirk deepened. While the jade pendant was of little personal value to him, the disruption it caused to Ye Chen's destiny was immensely satisfying.
"Let's leave. There's nothing else worth bidding on here," Qin Tian said, rising from his seat.
"Yes, my lord," Ji Lingxian responded eagerly.
As they exited, a demure attendant approached Ji Lingxian, carrying the pendant in an exquisite wooden box.
"Your Highness, here is the jade pendant you successfully bid on," she said with a respectful bow.
Ji Lingxian accepted the box with both hands, her heart fluttering.
Beside her, Qin Tian's smile widened ever so slightly. The jade pendant wasn't just a trinket—it was the first of many threads he would pull to unravel Ye Chen's carefully laid plans.