Auction House

Auction House

Feng Yao lightly rested his fingertips on the strings, and a flash of realization suddenly crossed his mind. He finally understood why even a powerhouse like Tang Hao had failed to notice Tang San cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Skill—within the conventional understanding of Spirit Masters, bodily cultivation mostly remained at the crude, external level. Techniques like the Chaotic Cape Hammer Technique and the Clear Sky Nine Absolutes, which combined bodily force with the circulation of Soul Power, were already regarded as secrets never passed down.

"Without the complete mental method of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, without detailed annotations and guidance, for Qian Renxue..."

Feng Yao sighed inwardly as the strings trembled faintly with his thoughts. To comprehend its mysteries through observation alone, one would need a foundation in Yin Yang Five Elements and the circulation of Meridians, like I have.

Feng Yao patiently explained the subtleties of the Mysterious Heaven Skill to Xue Qinghe, but he soon discovered that whenever concepts such as Yin Yang Five Elements and Meridian circulation came up, Xue Qinghe's eyes were full of confusion.

"Your Highness can simply understand it as a special form of meditation." Feng Yao gently stroked the strings, Soul Power winding around them like flowing water. "It simply offers greater benefits to the body and is more efficient to cultivate."

"You're saying you created an entirely new Meditation Method?" Xue Qinghe's pupils constricted slightly. The teacup in his hand hung in midair, and faint ripples spread across the tea.

Feng Yao nodded helplessly. "More or less. At this moment, I'm using Zither Sound as a guide. While helping Your Highness clear your Meridians, I'm also guiding your Soul Power along a specific route." He lightly tapped the body of the zither. "Your Highness must remember these circulation paths. If you cultivate with this method in the future, its effects will far surpass ordinary meditation."

"And what exactly does this so-called 'ensemble' mean?" Xue Qinghe pressed, unconsciously leaning forward.

"Just as different instruments resonate when an orchestra performs together." Feng Yao turned his wrist slightly, and the zither's tone suddenly became rich and deep. "If Your Highness masters this method, our Soul Powers can resonate in harmony like music, forming a larger 'vortex.'" A faint smile flashed through his eyes. "When that happens, both cultivation speed and the quality of Soul Power will greatly improve."

A sharp light flashed in Xue Qinghe's eyes. This simple analogy made everything suddenly clear to him. Then he laughed. "What nerve. You actually dare ask me to cultivate in tandem with you?"

Feng Yao plucked the strings without servility or arrogance. "There is no free lunch in this world. Just as this student has entered Your Highness's service, the path of cultivation is no different. If one wishes to gain something, one must first learn to give."

"How much faster is this cultivation method compared to an ordinary Meditation Method?" Xue Qinghe asked after pondering for a moment.

Feng Yao lightly plucked the strings, producing a clear, trembling note. "It varies from person to person, and it also depends on timing, location, and circumstance. If Your Highness is free tonight, this student can take you to the Mimicry Training Ground at Heaven Dou Royal Academy for a try. I believe the results will satisfy you."

"Good! I look forward to it." A rare hint of excitement flashed through Xue Qinghe's eyes, though he soon regained his usual composure. "But for now..." He smiled slightly. "Let us put cultivation aside for the moment and accompany me on a proper stroll."

A trace of surprise flickered in Feng Yao's eyes—this seemed somewhat different from the Qian Renxue he had imagined, one who thirsted desperately for power.

The carriage slowly came to a stop. As Feng Yao stepped down, a magnificent building came into view. White marble pillars supported a gilded dome, while the five gold-lettered words "Heaven Dou Auction House" above the main entrance shone brilliantly beneath the sun.

"Your Highness, this is?"

"Heaven Dou's largest auction house." Xue Qinghe's lips curved upward. "You gave me such a great gift. How could I not return the favor?"

A sharp-eyed attendant had already hurried over and respectfully led them into the inner hall. Even Feng Yao, with all his experience, could not help secretly marveling at the sight before him—dozens of maidservants in white gowns stood in rows along both sides. Their exquisitely tailored dresses perfectly outlined their graceful figures. The low necklines revealed delicate collarbones, while their slender legs beneath the short skirts appeared even more alluring in high heels. Most rare of all, they were all naturally exquisite beauties, without the slightest trace of artificial alteration.

Feng Yao subconsciously touched the tip of his nose. As a normal male, he naturally knew how to appreciate beauty. Yet when he considered that this body was only thirteen years old, and that he had always regarded Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling as younger sisters whenever he saw them, any hint of improper thoughts would be followed by intense guilt.

Now that he saw these obviously mature maidservants, he could not help but...

"What? Stunned speechless?" Xue Qinghe teased, a playful glint flashing through his eyes.

Feng Yao coughed lightly, his fingers unconsciously brushing over the strings. "Your Highness jests. I merely feel that the grandeur of this auction house is even more refined than Moon Xuan."

"Only the grandeur is refined?" Xue Qinghe raised a brow and chuckled, revealing an expression that seemed to say, "We are both men, so why hide it?"

Feng Yao coughed again, absentmindedly plucking at the strings. "Your Highness sees clearly." He gave a slight bow, though a faint, barely noticeable blush crept onto the tips of his ears.

Xue Qinghe suddenly leaned closer, his warm breath brushing past Feng Yao's ear. "The maidservants here have all been carefully trained by the Heaven Dou Auction House." He lowered his voice, carrying a hint of teasing. "If you like, I can give you one?"

The string beneath Feng Yao's fingers trembled faintly, but he quickly regained his composure. "Thank you for Your Highness's kind intentions." He raised his eyes with a faint smile. "However, this student fears becoming immersed in a life of pleasure and delaying his cultivation. It would not be too late to consider such matters when I am older."

A trace of surprise flashed through Xue Qinghe's eyes, and his gaze lingered on Feng Yao for a moment—with the talent he had displayed and his status as a Moon Xuan student, if he truly wished it, those noble young ladies of Moon Xuan would likely be his for the choosing.

"Good! To restrain oneself and remain disciplined—if the nobles of Heaven Dou were all like you, we would not have failed to cultivate a single Title Douluo all these years." Xue Qinghe clapped his hands in praise, the admiration in his eyes deepening. "For Student Feng to possess such character, I am greatly pleased."

"Your Highness overpraises me." Feng Yao smiled.

Xue Qinghe's lips curled upward, and a knowing look flashed through his eyes. After only a few short hours together, he had already seen through Feng Yao's character—this young man had his own scales in his heart, weighing a path and righteousness that belonged solely to him.

"Such a person..."

Xue Qinghe lightly stroked the Jade Pendant at his waist, thinking inwardly, Perhaps he cannot be commanded as easily as an arm or hand, but if I can earn his approval...

His gaze swept over the graceful maidservants, and from the corner of his eye, he glanced at Feng Yao. If Feng Yao had already reached great cultivation and come of marriageable age, he would likely have accepted this gift openly. Yet it was precisely because he held fast to his true heart that he remained unmoved before such temptation.

Xue Qinghe knew that his power and influence might be enough to force the other party to submit under external pressure, but to truly win this young man's loyalty, power and beauty would both be futile—only by sharing his ideals and path could he make Feng Yao willingly walk beside him.

The two proceeded down a corridor covered in dark-patterned carpets and were soon led into an elegant private room. Soundproof Soul Tool crystals were embedded in all four walls, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows that were transparent from only one side, they could take in the entire auction hall at a glance.

"Please, sit." Xue Qinghe elegantly raised a hand in invitation. His pale moon-colored sleeve slipped down, revealing an ancient jade bracelet around his wrist. "There is no need for formalities today. If there is anything you like, just say so." A smile rested on his lips. "Consider it a congratulatory gift from me to the future captain of the Heaven Dou team."

Feng Yao gently stroked "Fuxi" as he sat down, blue Soul Power flowing over the strings. "Your Highness's favor is more than this student deserves."

The attendant served fragrant tea at just the right moment. Amid the curling steam, the auctioneer had already taken the stage. The first item—a ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone emitting a dim glow—was slowly pushed onto the display platform, causing a stir throughout the hall.

Xue Qinghe took a sip of tea, but his gaze remained fixed on Feng Yao's profile. He wanted to know how this young man, who remained unmoved by beauty, would choose when faced with truly precious cultivation resources.

Agarwood incense drifted through the private room, while bids rose and fell outside the window. Feng Yao's fingertips unconsciously tapped against the zither's body, every faint sound seeming to strike Xue Qinghe's heartstrings.

Xue Qinghe watched Feng Yao's calm profile with deep eyes, thinking inwardly, Even a ten-thousand-year Spirit Bone cannot move him?

His fingers lightly tapped the tabletop before he suddenly broke into a smile. "Could it be that Little Feng is helping me save money?" As he spoke, he raised a hand toward the attendant. "Go and retrieve that Spirit Bone from earlier."

Feng Yao's fingers paused slightly, and the string produced a clear trembling note. "Your Highness, this..."

"What?" Xue Qinghe interrupted with a half-smile. "Could it be that you find my gift insufficiently sincere?"

Feng Yao shook his head with a bitter smile. "This student merely feels that he has no use for a Spirit Bone at present, and this Spirit Bone is not suitable for him either. If there is something suitable, this student naturally will not stand on ceremony with Your Highness."

Just then, the auctioneer's booming voice echoed through the hall. "The next auction item is a rare treasure from the Extreme North—Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow!"

On the display platform, a crystalline blue crystal was slowly raised. Visible ripples of cold air curled around its surface, and the temperature of the entire auction house seemed to drop by several degrees.

Before long, the Thousand Year Profound Ice Marrow was purchased by an ice-attribute Spirit Master.

The auctioneer's voice rang out once more. "The next item is a damaged Ancient Zither Score. According to research, it may have come from the hands of a music-type Title Douluo a thousand years ago!"

Feng Yao abruptly looked up, his gaze shooting toward the display platform like lightning. In the auctioneer's hand, several ancient notes on the yellowed and damaged score emitted a faint glow under the stimulation of Soul Power.

"The starting price is one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

The auctioneer's booming voice echoed through the hall, but no one responded. The nobles showed little interest—to them, it was merely a damaged sheet of music. The ordinary Spirit Masters shook their heads inwardly—even if it truly had come from a Title Douluo, as the auctioneer claimed, how valuable could an incomplete score possibly be?

Xue Qinghe keenly noticed the flash of interest in Feng Yao's eyes. His lips curled upward as he elegantly raised his bidding paddle. "One hundred ten thousand."

The entire hall instantly erupted in an uproar! Guests turned to look, and even the auctioneer froze for a moment—someone had actually bid on this unwanted damaged score, and the bidder was even a distinguished guest from Heaven Word No.1 Box!

"O-one hundred ten thousand, going once!" The auctioneer's voice trembled with excitement. He had already prepared for the item to go unsold. If not for the unusual material of the score, which even they could not identify, it might not have been worth fifty thousand.

Feng Yao smiled as well. "Thank you for Your Highness's expense."

Xue Qinghe merely took another composed sip of tea. "Consider it tuition I am paying you."

Feng Yao's mouth could not help twitching at those words. One hundred ten thousand Gold Soul Coins for the Mysterious Heaven Skill? If Tang San found out, would that not trigger the path to death?

The auctioneer excitedly struck the hammer three times, his voice trembling slightly. "Sold! Congratulations once again to Heaven Word No.1 Box!"

When the attendant delivered the score, Feng Yao carefully accepted it. The moment his fingertips touched it, the notes on the damaged score shimmered with a hazy glow.

Feng Yao then unceremoniously stored the score in his Soul Tool, intending to study it when he had nothing else to do.

As the final auction item was sold with the fall of the hammer, the crystal chandeliers in the auction hall gradually lit up, bringing this grand event to a perfect close.

As dusk fell, Xue Qinghe's gilded carriage slowly departed from the auction house. Four snow-white steeds moved in synchronized strides, casting long silhouettes beneath the fading light of the setting sun.

"Today's gains were quite plentiful." Xue Qinghe watched the shifting twilight beyond the window, lightly tapping the window frame with his fingers. "But the most precious gain was you, Little Feng."

Feng Yao raised his eyes and saw the last ray of sunset falling across Xue Qinghe's handsome profile, coating him in a hazy golden edge. "Your Highness's favor is more than this student deserves."

After an unknown amount of time, as the last remnants of sunset vanished, the Crown Prince's gilded carriage slowly stopped before the grand gates of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. The four snow-white steeds exhaled white mist, while the carriage shafts inlaid with the royal emblem still shone beneath the twilight.

Feng Yao was the first to step down, holding "Fuxi" in his arms. His blue robes fluttered gently in the evening breeze. Xue Qinghe stepped down after him, the gold-thread embroidery on his pale moon-colored robe faintly visible, while the Jade Pendant at his waist gave a crisp sound with his movements.

"Now, it is time for Student Feng to take me and experience that miraculous cultivation method." A smile rested on Xue Qinghe's lips, his gaze carrying a trace of anticipation.

Feng Yao bowed slightly. "It is this student's honor to guide Your Highness." He stepped aside and made an inviting gesture. "The Mimicry Training Ground is not far ahead. At this hour, no one should be using it."

The academy was exceptionally quiet at dusk, with only their footsteps gently echoing across the stone path. Soul Tool lamps along the road lit up one after another, casting warm halos of light over them.

The two passed through the academy's quiet paths and soon arrived before the uniquely designed Mimicry Training Ground. Its crystal dome gave off a faint glow beneath the starlight, while the Soul Tool lamps at the entrance stretched their shadows long.

Feng Yao took out his student identification and handed it to the guard. Just as the guard was about to stop Xue Qinghe, a flash of golden light appeared—the Crown Prince Golden Token shone brilliantly in the twilight.

"Y-Your Highness the Crown Prince!" The guard hurriedly dropped to his knees in salute, his voice trembling with nervousness. "This lowly one failed to recognize Your Highness. My crime deserves ten thousand deaths!"

Xue Qinghe calmly raised a hand. "Rise." His gaze swept over the empty training ground. "Convey my verbal decree. The Mimicry Training Ground will not be open today. No one is to approach."

"This servant obeys Your Highness's decree!" The guard deeply kowtowed before immediately withdrawing to arrange the clearing of the area.

Feng Yao watched the scene, his fingertips unconsciously brushing across the strings. Xue Qinghe turned toward him with a faint smile. "Now, we can begin our 'ensemble.'"

As the heavy stone doors slowly closed, the entire Mimicry Training Ground fell completely silent.

That was the first chapter for today. The author has to catch a train now. After getting home tomorrow and sleeping, the author will begin releasing a huge batch of chapters for you esteemed readers. Happy May Day, everyone!