“Cough, cough.”
Yan Zhen pulled his arms free from the two women’s embraces. Then he slung one arm around each of their waists, enjoying the company of two beauties. “Enough chit-chat. Let’s get down to business.”
This domineering move caught both Ji Ya and Mentor Yu Xuan by surprise. They glanced at each other, both feeling awkward, and dropped their passive-aggressive banter.
Once they’d adjusted their mindsets, Ji Ya spoke up.
“Sister had someone look into it. It seems there’s no Sea God Blood on the auction list this time. Everyone’s here for the other rare treasures.”
Yan Zhen explained, “My master said the Sea God Blood was added at the last minute. It probably just arrived.”
Mentor Yu Xuan asked curiously, “Who’s behind it?”
Yan Zhen didn’t mince words. “The Heavenly Gu Elder—or more precisely, his disciple. That vial of Sea God Blood is a trap. It’s infested with a special gu worm that even a Mystic Venerable couldn’t detect. Whoever buys it and refines it will end up as the Heavenly Gu Elder’s puppet.”
“It’s a last-minute addition, and something as precious as divine blood to boot,” Ji Ya analyzed. “Only someone who clearly needs it would bid. And who would need Sea God Blood? Naturally, cultivators of water Mystic force. In the central region, the super force that specializes in water Mystic force isn’t—”
She turned toward Mentor Yu Xuan, whose expression darkened.
The Merchant Alliance’s once-a-decade auction naturally drew representatives from the Yu Family. If Sea God Blood appeared, they’d bid with everything they had.
Yan Zhen nodded. “It’s aimed right at the Yu Family. They don’t have any Mystic Venerables, making them the easiest target. Plus, they’re insular and rarely interact with outsiders, so it’s hard to raise suspicions. Control the higher-ups, and you can slowly devour the whole family, eventually reaching out toward the Yu Shizun.”
Mentor Yu Xuan couldn’t help shivering. In her previous life, she’d never heard of this plot. She hadn’t realized such a crisis had brushed past the Yu Family.
“So the Heavenly Gu Elder failed because you bought the Sea God Blood, Little Brother Yan Zhen?”
“Yeah. I refined it with extreme flame and burned all the gu worms inside to ash. No issues at all.”
“Pfft.”
Aunt Mu, who had just finished brewing tea, couldn’t help bursting into laughter. Realizing her lapse, she quickly composed herself. “Little Uncle, please have some tea.”
Yan Zhen accepted it with a smile. “Thanks, Aunt Mu.”
Aunt Mu continued serving tea to the others.
Ji Ya smiled faintly. “The Heavenly Gu Elder was downright unlucky to run into Little Brother Yan Zhen. All that scheming for nothing—he came away empty-handed and lost a rare gu worm to boot.”
Pride shone in Mentor Yu Xuan’s eyes. “I’d say Yan Zhen is the Yu Family’s lucky star. Turns out, even in my past life, you saved us when I didn’t even know about it.”
Yan Zhen shyly scratched his cheek.
Ji Ya frowned inwardly as she saw the two exchanging loving glances.
This Mentor Yu Xuan had called her “President Ji Ya” when she first walked in!
Ji Ya might not measure up in every way, but she was still Yan Zhen’s sworn big sister. Yet Mentor Yu Xuan couldn’t even bring herself to call her “sister.” She wasn’t giving Ji Ya any face at all.
Mentor Yu Xuan felt the exact same way.
She and Yan Zhen had already confirmed their relationship, but Ji Ya was still calling her “Mentor Yu Xuan.” Clearly, she didn’t see her as one of their own. If she yielded first, who knew what grievances she’d suffer later? After all, that vixen was a master of tea art, with formidable tricks up her sleeve.
The two women engaged in a silent contest of wills. Aunt Mu pretended not to notice, while the four younger women quietly sipped their tea without a word.
Before, they might have bantered with Ji Ya, but not now. They couldn’t help with any of this, whereas Ji Ya could offer Yan Zhen an enormous merchant guild. Only someone backed by the Yu Family like Mentor Yu Xuan could stand against her.
Yan Zhen couldn’t figure it out. Mentor Yu Xuan got along great with Cai Lian, Xian’er, and even Yun Xiu. Why was she clashing with Sister Ji Ya? And Sister Ji Ya was the same—she hadn’t picked fights with Cai Lian, Xian’er, or Yun Xiu back in the Garo Royal Capital.
Were they really natural enemies?
“It’s getting late. Let’s head to the auction,” Yan Zhen said, releasing the two women and standing. “Oh, right—Sister Ji Ya, does the Golden Jade Chamber of Commerce have a private box?”
Ji Ya shook her head. “We only got an invitation. Private boxes go to the Ten Great Chambers of Commerce and the Ten Great Superpowers.”
The Ten Great Superpowers of Jialan Continent ranked just below the Holy Land. They included the eastern hegemon Black Horn Empire, the western hegemon Backmountain Ancient City, the southern hegemon Chu River Basin, and the northern hegemon Qi Lu Clan. Beyond those four directional overlords, the central region had six more:
One wind, one rain; one blade, one sword; one man, one beast.
Specifically: the Feng Family, the Yu Family, Sword Sect, Blade Sect, Invincible Sect, and Myriad Beast Sect.
Aside from the Yu Family, every one of the Ten Great Superpowers had at least two Mystic Venerables in command, with Mystic Ancestors aplenty.
Yan Zhen didn’t mind. “Then we’ll use the Holy Land elite’s exclusive box. Let’s go.”
The group headed downstairs and out to the plaza in front of the building. Yan Zhen retrieved his luxury speedboat from his storage ring. He took the pilot’s seat and gestured for the women to board.
Ji Ya and Mentor Yu Xuan took the two passenger seats on either side of him, while the others piled into the back—two on one side, three on the other.
The luxury speedboat rose slowly into the air before shooting off. A cup of tea’s time later, they arrived at the auction venue: the Merchant Alliance headquarters.
Yan Zhen’s speedboat—with its aggressive design and lavish decorations—stood out even among the crowd of luxury vehicles. The moment it appeared, it drew every eye. When people spotted the Holy Land emblem on its hull, they straightened up in respect.
—Which elder of the Seven Peaks has a descendant here?
But just as they prepared to land, a cyan flying skiff burst into view from the horizon. It hurtled straight toward them amid fierce winds, clearly floored on the throttle.
“Good dogs don’t block the path—get out of this young master’s way!”
An arrogant bark rang out over the wind.
Yan Zhen’s expression cooled. He immediately activated the speedboat’s Mystic force shield: a thin spherical membrane that was actually seven layers thick, enough to withstand a full strike from a Mystic Ancestor.
Bang!
The cyan skiff slammed into the Mystic force shield. The massive impact sent ripples across the barrier.
Any ordinary flying skiff would have shattered on impact, its occupants likely suffering severe injuries or worse.
But Yan Zhen’s luxury speedboat was top-of-the-line. Unless it rammed into something far larger like a battleship, it wouldn’t take damage easily.
The shield reached its limit and shattered with a boom, the shockwave hurling the cyan skiff away. It spun more than a dozen times in the air before stabilizing, its prow badly crumpled.
Bang!
A youth with effeminate features was flung from the pilot’s seat. Seeing the state of his cyan skiff, he let out a furious howl.
“My Azure Fang!”
He whipped around to glare at Yan Zhen’s luxury speedboat. “How dare you block this young master’s path, you lowly scum? Get down here right now!”
A faint killing intent flickered in Yan Zhen’s eyes.
This guy was Feng Chen, the infamous scion of the Feng Family among the Ten Great Superpowers. Talented, yes—but arrogant to a fault, with no regard for anyone.
In the script (his previous life), when Yan Zhen had attended the auction as an Upper Peak disciple, Feng Chen had nearly crashed into the Yu Family’s flying skiff. The Yu Family’s two elegant matrons held back out of deference to the Feng Family’s power. Later, the punk deliberately outbid Yan Zhen and the Yu Family on the Sea God Blood, trying to bleed them dry. Yan Zhen turned the tables, letting him win at an exorbitant price—only for Feng Chen to get ambushed and killed on the way back.
