Flowing Light Flying Boat

Qin Nanyue froze for a moment before realization dawned.

The total value of Lu Yang's bids today had indeed far exceeded the threshold of one hundred thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

By the auction house's rules, that volume of transactions was enough to earn him a Low-Level VIP Token Plaque.

For a moment, she felt a tightness in her chest.

For years, she had worked hard, attending every auction without fail and building up her transaction total bit by bit, only then managing with great difficulty to exchange it for her Low-Level VIP Token.

Yet Junior Brother Lu had come for the first time and gotten one outright in a single auction.

Comparing yourself to others could really drive you mad.

Qin Nanyue secretly ground her teeth, unable to say whether she felt more frustrated or more envious of the fellow.

Lin Ying, standing beside her, had no such thoughts.

She had never had a VIP Token Token, nor had she ever dared hope for one.

She simply stood quietly to one side, stealing a glance at Lu Yang's handsome profile. Junior Brother Lu is amazing...

Lu Yang also remembered it now, and a smile rose to his lips.

His smile was bright and clean. In the soft glow of the private room's spirit lamps, it resembled the warm sun shining through thin clouds on a winter afternoon.

Liu Yaoyao was dazzled for a moment.

She felt her heart skip another half beat beyond her control, as though something had gently bumped against the inside of her chest.

She took a quiet breath before forcibly suppressing the inexplicable flutter.

This martial nephew's smile is far too unfair. How is anyone supposed to hold a proper conversation with him?

Still wearing her signature soft, alluring smile, Liu Yaoyao took a finely grained wooden bottle and a Low-Level VIP Token Plaque from her Storage Bag and offered them to him with both hands.

"I still don't know your name, Martial Nephew." Her voice was as soft as honey, and her peach-blossom eyes curved slightly, three parts curious and seven parts serious. "You're able to spend so lavishly while you're still in the outer sect, yet I don't recognize you. As a member of the External Affairs Hall, I've been neglecting my duties."

Lu Yang heard the unobtrusive probing in her words, but paid it no mind.

He smiled openly and accepted the items. "Greetings, Martial Aunt Liu. My name is Lu Yang."

Liu Yaoyao silently repeated the two characters of his name, her smile growing even brighter. "So you're Martial Nephew Lu Yang. I'll remember you."

She tilted her head slightly, a strand of her bright red hair ribbon slipping over her shoulder. Her voice carried just the right hint of anticipation. "I hope I'll see you at the auction again next year, Martial Nephew Lu."

Lu Yang nodded, his tone confident. "I'll definitely come next year."

There was still some time before the next auction, and sooner or later he would accumulate more Rebate Cards.

An auction, where individual transactions were large enough, was practically a stage tailor-made for Rebate Cards.

Besides, as long as he had enough Spirit Stones in his pocket, he really could unearth good things at an auction.

Lu Yang lowered his eyes and unobtrusively glanced at the wooden bottle in his hand.

The bottle was small but heavy in his hand. Fine spirit-sealing formation patterns were carved into its surface, and he could feel a faint, cool fluctuation of spiritual power beneath his fingertips.

Azurite Jade Liquid could awaken Divine Sense ahead of time.

Uncontainable anticipation flashed through his eyes. He wanted nothing more than to hurry back and use the treasure on himself immediately.

Just then, a translucent panel appeared before him without warning, lines of text coming into focus one by one:

[The host spent lavishly at this auction, reaped a generous harvest, and enjoyed the pleasure of spending. Rewards: Intermediate Storage Ring ×1, Flowing Light Flying Boat ×1]

Lu Yang's pupils contracted slightly, though his expression remained unchanged.

There's a reward too?

And it gave me two physical items at once!

A storage ring and a flying boat—both were substantial treasures.

A storage ring was far more precious than a Storage Bag, and a flying boat was a transportation Law Treasure that even Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators might be reluctant to buy!

His heart itched as though a cat were clawing at it. He wanted nothing more than to open the details and examine the attributes of both treasures immediately.

But with Liu Yaoyao, Qin Nanyue, and the others right in front of him, he could only suppress the urge and hide the panel for the time being.

After he accepted the wooden bottle and VIP Token Token, Liu Yaoyao showed no intention of leaving immediately.

Her gaze shifted, and she winked at Lu Yang with her captivating peach-blossom eyes. Her tone held an easy familiarity, with a hint of almost imperceptible playfulness. "By the way, Martial Nephew Lu, since you're also a disciple of the sect, why don't we exchange voice transmission marks? Before the next auction starts, I might let you know what items will be up for sale in advance~"

At those words, Qin Nanyue and Lin Ying raised their heads almost simultaneously, their gazes turning in unison toward Liu Yaoyao.

Both women's bodies involuntarily tensed for an instant.

As women, they knew all too well how charming their junior brother Lu Yang was now.

That face and his ethereal, otherworldly bearing had a terrifying effect on female cultivators.

They hadn't expected even a Foundation Establishment Realm martial aunt to take the initiative to exchange voice transmission marks with Lu Yang.

The air in the private room seemed to freeze for a breath.

But Liu Yaoyao's latter words made both women breathe a sigh of relief at the same time.

So it was because of the auction.

On second thought, that made sense.

The way Lu Yang had acted at the auction, as though he had more Spirit Stones than he could spend, made him the ideal customer for any auctioneer.

As an auctioneer for the External Affairs Hall, it was only natural for Liu Yaoyao to take the initiative to maintain a relationship with such an important customer.

Even so, Lin Ying pursed her red lips and lowered her head slightly.

The light from the spirit lamps fell on her lowered lashes, casting a small, faint shadow.

An indescribable bitterness welled up in her heart, as though an invisible hand had gently twisted inside her chest.

She knew perfectly well that there was still nothing between her and Junior Brother Lu.

Yet seeing Martial Aunt Liu smiling like a flower as she tried to draw closer to him, she couldn't help the jealousy that rose in her heart.

How could I have such dark thoughts?

Lin Ying quietly clenched her fists inside her sleeves, feeling a wave of shame at her own pettiness.

Qin Nanyue, on the other hand, was experiencing an earthquake in her heart.

She didn't even understand—why had she been nervous just now?

What kind of joke is this?

That kid is only a good friend of mine!

What reason do I have to be nervous?

Qin Nanyue's thoughts raced as she desperately searched for a reason for her unusual reaction.

Hmm... it must be because of Yingying!

Right, it's because of Yingying!

After all, that girl's heart is completely tied to him.

As Yingying's best friend, of course I don't want to see her get hurt.

Hmm, that's it. Perfectly reasonable!

Qin Nanyue secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The logic seemed flawless to her, and she immediately felt much more at ease.

Lu Yang hadn't expected Liu Yaoyao to take the initiative to ask to exchange contact information.

He was more than happy to oblige—Martial Aunt Liu was a nine-point beauty certified by the system, and he could get a favorability reward for adding her contact information.

His smile was sincere and radiant. "Of course. Sorry for the trouble, Martial Aunt Liu, but I'll have to ask you to let me know about the auction items from now on."

Knowing about the auction items in advance would be quite advantageous to him.

At the very least, he could decide what he needed ahead of time and make preparations early.

He had been lucky this time, running into Azurite Jade Liquid on his first visit.

If he encountered something he was truly determined to obtain next time, only for someone to compete with him head-on while he didn't have enough Spirit Stones on hand, he would really be in trouble.

After the two exchanged voice transmission marks, Liu Yaoyao smiled and bid the three farewell. With a swirl of her red skirt, she left the private room with Sun Shouzheng and the maid.

As she turned, the arc of her lifted hair was like a streak of red drifting cloud beneath the spirit lamps.

The private room door closed gently behind them.

The room fell quiet for a moment, and the faint tension from before dissipated with it.

Lu Yang looked at Qin Nanyue and Lin Ying and smiled slightly. "Let's go too."

The two women came back to their senses and nodded.

Qin Nanyue stretched vigorously, raising both arms high above her head and bending her waist backward in a supple arc. A comfortable little hum escaped her lips. "Ah... after sitting all day, it's finally over. Come on, let's go back and cultivate!"

Watching her eagerness, Lin Ying couldn't help the smile that curved her lips. "I think you're just eager to go back and refine that Cinnabar Sword-Binding Silk, aren't you, Nanyue?"

Qin Nanyue's body stiffened slightly. The feeling of having her little secret exposed showed on her cheeks, and the tips of her ears quietly reddened.

She gave two awkward chuckles but stubbornly replied, "Of course I want to refine a new supreme-grade Law Artifact and start using it right away. Isn't that right, Junior Brother Lu? Don't you want to hurry back and refine your Gold-and-White Sword-Scar Waistband?"

Lu Yang turned his head, his gaze resting on Lin Ying for a moment before he smiled at Qin Nanyue. "I'm not in that much of a hurry."

Qin Nanyue's face darkened. She folded her arms and pursed her red lips, her tone sour. "Tsk, putting beauty before friendship! Nothing's even happened yet, and you're already taking Yingying's side every time?"

Lin Ying's cheeks grew slightly warm at her words. "Nanyue, don't talk nonsense..." she chided softly.

Talking and laughing, the three walked out through the auction house's main entrance.

Night had fully fallen, and the evening breeze in the mountains swept over them, carrying the fresh scent of grass and trees.

High overhead, the bright moon cast its clear light over the bluestone plaza in front of the auction house, giving the ground a faint, warm jade-like sheen.

Just then, a gentle yet refined voice came from nearby. "Martial Niece Qin, it's been a long time."

The three turned at once to look in the direction of the voice.

In the moonlight, two men were walking toward them, one behind the other.

One was a young man, the other a youth. Both were quite handsome, with sword-like brows and starry eyes.

The young man wore the plain robes of an inner disciple. He walked at a measured pace, a perfectly tempered, gentle smile on his face, like a pool of warm water whose depth could not be seen.

The youth beside him, however, had an entirely different bearing.

When his gaze swept over them, it carried unconcealed arrogance and hostility.

Upon seeing the young man, Qin Nanyue raised a brow and cupped her hands in greeting. "Martial Uncle Li, I didn't expect to meet you here."

She turned and briefly introduced him to Lu Yang and Lin Ying. "This is Li Feng of the Li Household, a Golden Core Aristocratic Clan. He's an inner disciple of Golden Light Peak. Martial Uncle Li, these two are my good friends, Lu Yang and Lin Ying."

The Li Household, a Golden Core Aristocratic Clan?

Lu Yang and Lin Ying cupped their hands in greeting. "Greetings, Martial Uncle Li."

Li Feng nodded slightly, his expression as gentle and lustrous as a piece of flawless white jade.

Smiling, he made a gesture to raise them. His voice was as warm as a spring breeze. "There's no need for ceremony, Martial Nephews. This is my younger cousin, Li Yao. He only joined the sect this year."

Li Yao nodded to the two of them. When his gaze passed over Lin Ying and Qin Nanyue, unmistakable admiration flashed in his eyes.

In the moonlight, the two female cultivators were each beautiful in their own way, one gentle as water, the other strikingly heroic. He couldn't help taking a few extra looks.

What two beautiful fellow disciples!

Still, he hadn't forgotten why he had come along.

Li Yao's gaze finally settled on Lu Yang. He stared straight at him, making no attempt to hide his scrutiny.

His surname is Lu?

The renowned experts and major sects in Qin Province with the surname Lu...

There doesn't seem to be a single one.

Who is his father? Who is his master? What Lineage stands behind him?

Li Yao rapidly searched his memory, but couldn't match him to any of them.

Lu Yang was somewhat uncomfortable under the stare, which was almost rude enough to breach etiquette, and frowned slightly.

He looked Li Yao straight in the eyes, his voice calm but edged with coldness. "Junior Brother Li Yao, why are you looking at me like that?"

Li Feng's expression changed slightly, and he inwardly cried out that this was bad.

He immediately sent a voice transmission into Li Yao's ear, his tone stern. "Rein yourself in! Don't forget what we came here for!"

Li Yao pursed his lips and withdrew his gaze from the youth whose background he couldn't fathom.

But when he turned toward Lu Yang, he deliberately curved his lips in a faintly provocative smile, as though silently declaring that he didn't take him seriously.

Since he couldn't match Lu Yang to any of the powers in his memory that he couldn't afford to provoke, he relaxed somewhat.

Li Feng, meanwhile, maintained his gentle, refined expression, as though the awkwardness just now had never happened.

Smiling, he brought the conversation back on track. "Martial Nephew Lu, you really shone at the auction today."

The three of them immediately understood.

So they had seen him at the auction.

It seemed the two members of the Li Household had also taken part in the bidding tonight.

Lu Yang's expression remained unchanged, and he merely smiled faintly. "You flatter me, Martial Uncle."

"That's no flattery." Li Feng shook his head slightly, a mixture of consideration and inquiry in his eyes. "The way you bid on those five bottles of Supreme-Grade Yellow Dragon Pills alone has stayed with me even now, Martial Nephew Lu—direct and decisive, with an overbearing presence."

Hearing this, Qin Nanyue frowned almost imperceptibly.

Lin Ying's eyes also grew more wary, and she involuntarily moved half a step closer to Lu Yang.

Hearing him broach the subject so directly, Lu Yang understood that he probably hadn't come over simply to exchange pleasantries and get acquainted.

He quietly looked at Li Feng and Li Yao, his deep eyes betraying little emotion in the moonlight. His tone was neither warm nor cold. "If you have something to say, Martial Uncle, please speak plainly."