Chapter 1174: Fierce Bidding

"Lingxiao Gong bids one thousand five hundred and ten thousand yuan shi. Is there any higher bid?" Changshan Zhenren asked, glancing at the private room where his shen zi was. His expression was still a bit displeased.

"One thousand six hundred thousand yuan shi."

"One thousand seven hundred thousand yuan shi." As soon as Huatian Du spoke, Ye Chen raised the bid.

"One thousand eight hundred thousand yuan shi."

"One thousand nine hundred thousand yuan shi."

"Those two must be crazy!" Whispers of astonishment rippled from below.

"What a spectacle."

"Having money really does make all the difference." Someone muttered, their face twisted in envy. They were all here for the auction, so why was the gap so huge?

"Is the shen zi going to bid more?" Amid the discussions, Ye Chen smiled and glanced towards the opposite side.

"Since you want it so badly, I'll let you have it." Huatian Du smirked mockingly. His goal had been achieved; he had made Lingxiao Gong spend nearly a million more yuan shi, and it felt quite satisfying.

"In that case, thank you, shen zi." Ye Chen's words were ethereal, but his lips curved into a cold smile.

"Ye Chen, are you sure you have that much money?" Bi You asked tentatively, looking at him.

"Am I that unreliable?"

"You're reliable." Bi You smiled charmingly.

"The Linwang Tian Dun, forged from qilin scales, indestructible, with a starting price of fifty thousand yuan shi. Bidding starts now." Down below, Changshan Zhenren had already put away the Jiu Xiao Shen Lu and produced a shield, causing everyone in the audience to sit up straight, their eyes gleaming with golden light.

"What a treasure! I'll bid sixty thousand yuan shi."

"Seventy thousand yuan shi."

"One hundred thousand yuan shi." One person's voice boomed like a great bell, shaking everyone's heads and making them dizzy. It was enhanced with cultivation power, leaving most people feeling light-headed.

"Are you sick?" A few seconds later, curses erupted from below.

"People were bidding over a million yuan shi without batting an eye, and you're yelling over a hundred thousand? Proud of yourself?"

"I've got plenty of money—what about it?"

"Fine, a hundred thousand? I'll top you by ten thousand." Someone shot back defiantly, ready to fight on the spot.

"You're tough—it's yours." The person backed down immediately, his bravado lasting less than three seconds as he slunk back to his seat, drawing disdainful and mocking glances from all around.

"Bi You, have you ever heard of Kunlun Xu?" While the bidding continued below, Ye Chen turned to Bi You.

"I haven't." Bi You shook her head lightly.

"What about Da Luo Zhutian, Shen Dian, Jiu Huang Tian, or Da Xia Huangchao?"

"I don't know."

"Surely you've heard of Zhutian Jian Shen."

"Of course, I've heard of him." Bi You smiled. "Da Luo Jian Zong of Ziwei Star has deep ties with him."

"Do you have a star map for Ziwei Star?"

"I don't, but the palace master might." Bi You said, "As for the places you mentioned like Kunlun Xu, the palace master might know as well. Once this is over, come back with me and ask her—she's seen a lot."

"I suppose that's the only way."

"You'll find it eventually."

"Ah!" As they talked, a woman's agonizing scream suddenly echoed through the auction hall.

"It's coming from the Guihuang Zong's private room." The heated bidding was interrupted by the woman's cry, and everyone's eyes turned to the private room where the Guihuang Shen Zi was, as if they had guessed what was happening.

"Another innocent woman suffering!" Someone sighed.

"I still remember what happened three years ago—the Guihuang Shen Zi assaulted a female cultivator and wiped out her entire family."

"The Guihuang Shen Zi's cruelty is well-known. It's no surprise—who can stand up to Guihuang Zong's power?"

"Why are you all staring? Let's continue the auction." Amid the scrutiny, a rebuke came from the private room. Just as people had speculated, the Guihuang Shen Zi was brutally assaulting a female cultivator, even more viciously than Huatian Du, and more than one woman in the room had already been tortured to death.

"This is Tianfu Shen Chao—please restrain yourself, Guihuang Shen Zi." Changshan Zhenren's voice was deep and stern.

"I'll listen to you, senior." The Guihuang Shen Zi sneered mockingly, then stood up. But the woman beneath him was already lifeless, her body mangled and her death horrific.

"The auction continues." Changshan Zhenren said somberly, producing the next item.

"Continue, continue."

"He's even more hateful than Huatian Du." In their private room, Bi You's words were ice-cold.

"In a world where the strong rule, that's just how it is." Ye Chen said flatly.

"Ah!"

"I heard Lingxiao Gong has deep ties with Guihuang Zong." Ye Chen asked.

"Not just Guihuang Zong—we have deep connections with Tianfu Shen Chao and many other ancient stars and forces."

"Oh?"

"You probably don't know what kind of existence Lingxiao Gong is." Bi You explained, "Lingxiao Gong is all female, but we don't forbid dual cultivation with men from outside. If a child from such a union is a girl, she joins Lingxiao Gong; if it's a boy, he goes with the father."

"That's quite unique." Ye Chen coughed dryly.

"That's how it's always been in Lingxiao Gong." Bi You laughed. "So, many ancient stars and forces in this star domain have Lingxiao Gong's bloodline, which makes our influence quite complex."

"Before I came, I heard something—there's someone in Lingxiao Gong trying to compete with you for the palace master position. Is that true?"

"It is." Bi You nodded lightly. "To claim the palace master role, you can bring one male cultivator as an ally. The woman challenging me is a descendant of the previous palace master and has massive influence in Lingxiao Gong."

"What interests me is who she's dual cultivated with and who she'll bring as her ally." Ye Chen smiled slightly.

"It's the Guihuang Shen Zi." Bi You said, a flash of cold light in her eyes.

"What about you? Who have you chosen?"

"No one—just me."

"One against two, you're bound to lose."

"I never really wanted the palace master position." Bi You smiled gently and leaned on Ye Chen's shoulder, linking her arm with his. "Once this is settled, I'll go with you to find the people of Da Chu. Don't shake me off again—wherever you go in the vast universe, Ye Chen, Bi You will follow."

Ye Chen smiled but said nothing.

The private room fell into a peaceful quiet, far from any imagined romantic scene—it was simply serene.

Down below, the auction remained intense, with treasures being brought out one after another, bidders arguing heatedly. If not for the auction hall's ban on private fights, they might have started brawling right there.

During this time, Yan Laodao cleverly secured a secret scroll.

Hua Tian Laozu also bid aggressively, outbidding others to acquire a decent artifact for three hundred thousand yuan shi.

The most astonishing was the Guihuang Shen Zi, who had stopped tormenting women and was now bidding frequently, his wealth overwhelming and stifling the competition—few dared to challenge him.

At some point, Ye Chen slowly stood up and walked to the window, looking down below.

Bi You followed, standing beside him at the window.

At that moment, on the high platform, Changshan Zhenren had brought out an item for this round's auction.

From a distance, it was a divine pearl the size of a wine jar, but the actual auction item was the cluster of purple thunder sealed inside it, radiating immortal light and exuding tremendous power.

Tian Lei?

There were waves of surprise from below, and even the quasi-saints sat up straight, as if they recognized the thunder's origin.

What a treasure!

Many eyes sparkled with greed, and people were already gearing up for a fierce bid. Thunder from a heavenly tribulation was incredibly powerful—these were treasures nurtured by the heavens, rare and hard to come by.

That's mine!

In his private room, Huatian Du lounged leisurely on his couch, a mocking smile on his lips. As a Xuan Lei Shen Ti, this tian lei was a supreme treasure for him.

No one can take it from me!

He smiled playfully again, his eyes full of determination, as if the tian lei was already his.

Glancing toward the Guihuang Shen Zi's side with interest, his mocking smile grew—once he absorbed the tian lei, his cultivation would surge, and he wouldn't fear the Guihuang Shen Zi anymore.

Huatian Du might not have realized that as he watched the Guihuang Shen Zi, someone was watching him.

That someone was Ye Chen, who had guessed that Huatian Du was determined to get the tian lei.

If you want it, you'll pay the price!

Ye Chen stretched his neck casually.