"Brother Tiancheng... it's you?" Ye Fan stammered, disbelief clear in his voice.
He had not expected to run into Xiao Tiancheng here.
"Yes, it's me," Xiao Tiancheng replied, smiling with his usual warmth.
Ye Fan lowered his head, looking embarrassed. "Brother Tiancheng, I—"
The task Xiao Tiancheng had entrusted to him was to win over Xiao Ruoyu as soon as possible. Now, she was inside the Tianqiong Auction House, while he was left stranded outside, unable to enter.
"No need to be so hard on yourself, Brother Ye," Xiao Tiancheng said, patting his shoulder reassuringly. "I understand the situation you're in."
Ye Fan's eyes brightened with relief. "If there's anything you need, just say the word."
Xiao Tiancheng glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention. Leaning closer, he whispered, "I've just received word that a fragment of a jade pendant will be auctioned tonight. It's crucial for me. I need you to acquire it."
Ye Fan's face showed a flicker of confusion. After all, he still couldn't enter the auction, and even if he could, he only had a million top-tier spirit stones on him—not nearly enough to secure such an item.
Moreover, he couldn't help but wonder why Xiao Tiancheng wasn't participating in the auction himself. Wouldn't that be far simpler?
"My sister is inside," Xiao Tiancheng explained, reading Ye Fan's thoughts. "It would be inconvenient for me to show up personally. The pendant's secrets are known only to me. If I were to bid openly, it would undoubtedly draw her suspicion—and possibly the attention of others."
"I understand," Ye Fan nodded, his curiosity about Xiao Tiancheng deepening.
Although Xiao Tiancheng's strength didn't match his sister's, his strategic mind and meticulousness were impressive. He had layers of foresight, and the subtlety of his plans was extraordinary. If Xiao Ruoyu were ever defeated by him, it would not be a surprise.
"Take this." Xiao Tiancheng reached into his robe, pulling out a spatial ring. Handing it to Ye Fan, he said solemnly, "This holds everything I own. Please, Brother Ye, make sure you secure the pendant. If you succeed, you will be well rewarded."
Ye Fan took the ring, and as his divine sense probed inside, he inhaled sharply. Ten billion top-tier spirit stones. It was an astronomical amount, enough to purchase an entire sect like the Immortal Sword Sect and still have a fortune left over.
The fact that Xiao Tiancheng entrusted such an enormous sum to him without hesitation showed just how much faith he placed in him. Respect and gratitude welled up in Ye Fan's heart.
"Brother Tiancheng, since you trust me so much, I will not let you down," Ye Fan said, nodding resolutely.
Xiao Tiancheng sighed in relief, his eyes crinkling with a smile. "Excellent!"
The two then parted ways.
With the ten billion spirit stones, Ye Fan finally met the auction's entry requirement and was able to stride inside with an air of triumph.
What Ye Fan did not realize was that his meeting with Xiao Tiancheng had not gone unnoticed. An unseen pair of eyes had observed everything.
———
The Tianqiong Auction House deserved its reputation as the number one auction house on the Tianxuan Continent. Its opulence was beyond Ye Fan's imagination.
The auction hall was resplendent, decorated with ancient wood furniture exuding a rich fragrance, tables laden with exquisite dishes, and the finest wines. Elegant attendants, dressed in refined attire, moved among the guests, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere.
Ye Fan scanned his surroundings, searching for Xiao Ruoyu amid the crowd. Tonight, he had two main objectives: to earn Xiao Ruoyu's trust and bid on that jade pendant fragment.
The Tianqiong Auction House had a grand hall as well as twenty-two private rooms, named after the ten Heavenly Stems (Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, Geng, Xin, Ren, Gui) and twelve Earthly Branches (Zi, Chou, Yin, Mao, Chen, Si, Wu, Wei, Shen, You, Xu, Hai). The top four rooms, Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding, were reserved for the heads of prominent families and leaders of the most powerful sects. Even Su Chen, heir to the Su family, was not qualified to enter them.
Those who could occupy these rooms were people of unimaginable strength.
In all the history of Tianqiong's auctions held by the Eastern Hua Branch, it was rare for anyone to claim those top four rooms.
At this moment, in the Ding room, a captivating woman lay languidly on a luxurious chaise, clad in a red dress that showcased her shapely legs and alluring figure. Her hips were round, her collarbone delicate, and every inch of her exuded a fiery charm.
This was Mu Yuqing, the Sect Mistress of the Heavenly Demon Sect from North Prefecture.
Mu Yuqing had used the Heavenly Demon Sect's methods to deduce that the prophesied "Child of Destiny"—the one who had awakened the Eye of Heaven—was located somewhere in Eastern Hua. Hurrying over, she had learned that the Eye of Heaven's appearance had centered around the Su family.
Thus, she and her disciple Lan Xiaoyou had been observing the Su family for days, just in time to see Su Chen escorting Chu Yanran and Su Meier out.
Using the Eye of the Heavenly Demon to probe Su Chen, Mu Yuqing sensed a mysterious force within him, blocking her ability to read his inner state. This piqued her curiosity—whatever could resist the Eye of the Heavenly Demon was certainly no ordinary power.
So, she had them quietly trail Su Chen, blending seamlessly into the crowd.
Upon entering the auction house, Mu Yuqing had instructed Lan Xiaoyou to use her Heavenly Demon Order to contact Chen Feng, ensuring they were placed in the "Ding" room, conveniently adjacent to Su Chen's "Wu" room.
She intended to keep a close eye on Su Chen.
———
In the Wu room, Su Chen, unaware of the danger next door, was seated with Chu Yanran nestled against him. The intimate pose between the two radiated an undeniable air of flirtation.
Su Chen's right arm was draped over Chu Yanran's slender waist, while his left hand caressed her smooth, delicate face.
His gaze was warm and tender, yet within his eyes was a glimmer of cunning—a cat's grin after stealing a fish. The faint smile on his lips hinted at mischief.
Chu Yanran, nestled in his arms, felt a sweet warmth blooming in her heart.
She had finally chosen the right man. Su Chen had defended her so fiercely outside the auction house, standing tall and unyielding as he avenged her pride.
The man she admired was every bit as powerful and thrilling as she had imagined.
"Yanran," Su Chen said softly, "did you mean what you said earlier?"
Chu Yanran blushed deeply at his words.
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