Ji Juechen, What a Fine Sword

"If you want to look at Engraving Knives, Junior Brother, you can take a look at these."

The Senior Sister pursed her lips in a faint smile, then laid out the Engraving Knives that had been set aside before Xue Xiao Ran and gestured for him to pick them up and inspect them.

Some Engraving Knives had been crafted from natural raw stones, while others were both Engraving Knives and Soul Tools. There were many options.

Xue Xiao Ran quietly activated his Purple-grade Demonic Eye and began sweeping his gaze back and forth over the Engraving Knives.

He was searching, using the Minute Observation of his Demonic Eye to judge the quality of these Engraving Knives.

It had to be said that this Senior Sister's collection was quite excellent. After looking through them all, he found no flaws.

His gaze flickered slightly as he picked up an Engraving Knife from the stall and asked, "How much is this one?"

It was a completely transparent Ice Crystal Carving Knife, its surface seemingly flowing with a smooth gleam.

It had originally been placed farthest from the other Engraving Knives, as though it were somehow taboo.

The Senior Sister blinked and said with a bitter smile, "Junior Brother, I suggest you choose another one. You probably won't be able to hold this Engraving Knife."

"Can't hold it?"

Xue Xiao Ran carefully examined the Engraving Knife in his hand. Then, a fierce chill suddenly surged out, dropping the temperature of his entire right hand by several degrees.

The Senior Sister explained with a bitter smile, "The raw material for this Engraving Knife is mystical ice mined from the Extreme North, but it has always been difficult to use. Even with gloves on, that chill will seep into your arm and leave your hand unable to move."

"Thank you, Senior Sister. I'll take this one."

Xue Xiao Ran chuckled. He had not expected such an unexpected gain.

"Since you're a Junior Brother, I won't take advantage of you. How about a flat price of seven hundred Academic Credits?"

Xue Xiao Ran nodded. Seven hundred Academic Credits—he had made a killing.

"I'll take that knife. Eight hundred Academic Credits."

A cold voice came from nearby, accompanied by Wang Shaojie and his two lackeys.

"You really are impossible to get rid of," Xue Xiao Ran said.

"Did you hear that? Eight hundred Academic Credits. It's mine."

Wang Shaojie took out his Student ID and walked up to the Senior Sister, then shot Xue Xiao Ran a provocative glance.

"Kid, if you don't have money, don't come out and pretend you do."

"Seven hundred Academic Credits. Deal." The Senior Sister smiled at Xue Xiao Ran, took his Student ID from him, and swiped it across a Soul Tool beside her.

With a crisp electronic chime, Xue Xiao Ran watched his original nine hundred and fifty Academic Credits plummet to two hundred and fifty.

"What do you mean by this?"

Wang Shaojie questioned the Senior Sister with an ugly expression. The vicious glint in his eyes made his two lackeys step forward at the same time.

"What do I mean? I don't want to sell it to you. That's what I mean."

The Senior Sister brushed back her long hair, wrapped up the Engraving Knife, and handed it to Xue Xiao Ran. Then she picked up a second-level Soul Core from the stall and placed it in his hand.

"Seven hundred Academic Credits is still too much. This Soul Core is a gift for you."

The usual market price of a second-level Soul Core ranged from one hundred to three hundred Academic Credits. This Soul Core the Senior Sister handed him had clearly been personally carved. Its precise Soul Power channels made Xue Xiao Ran unable to help immersing himself in the world of Soul Tools.

"You!"

Seeing that the woman before him completely ignored him, Wang Shaojie realized that she was not from the noble faction, but the commoner faction. His expression grew even uglier.

The laughter from all around sounded like mockery directed at him. Wang Shaojie could no longer endure it. Three Soul Rings instantly appeared behind him as he charged straight at Xue Xiao Ran from behind.

"Watch out, Junior Brother."

Xue Xiao Ran shook his head. With a shift of his feet and an elegant turn, he dodged the Soul Skill that was about to strike him at point-blank range, then lashed out with a whip kick that brutally drove the airborne Wang Shaojie into the ground.

The entire sequence flowed like water without the slightest hesitation, leaving the onlookers stunned.

"You little brat."

Wang Shaojie patted the dust from his clothes and rose to his feet with hatred burning in his eyes. He had utterly humiliated himself just now. Two yellow and one purple Soul Rings appeared behind him again, his gaze savage enough to devour someone.

"Stop!"

A loud shout came from a corner of the Auction House. As soon as the voice fell, the sound of several people approaching followed.

They all wore the uniforms of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Tool Academy, with an insignia on their arms.

"Fighting is prohibited within the Auction House. Violators will be blacklisted and permanently barred from entering again."

The leader spoke sternly, though his gaze was fixed on Xue Xiao Ran.

Xue Xiao Ran inwardly scoffed. What the hell did any of this have to do with him?

"Let's go."

Fire blazed in Wang Shaojie's eyes as he backed away step by step. Then he snorted furiously and led his two lackeys out of the auction area.

Seeing that one of the parties involved had left, Xue Xiao Ran shrugged, put the Engraving Knife and Soul Core into his ring, nodded to the kind Senior Sister beside him, and likewise left the Auction House.

This trip had been a huge harvest.

Not only had he acquired an Engraving Knife containing a trace of the aura of Extreme Ice, but he had also obtained a second-level Soul Core.

To Xue Xiao Ran, this Engraving Knife was worth far more than seven hundred Academic Credits. A trace of Extreme Ice aura—even merely its aura—was enough to make anyone who wanted to buy it lose their entire fortune.

Still, it was strange that this knife had not ended up in a teacher's hands.

With a second-level Soul Core, Xue Xiao Ran could study it up close and quickly learn the process of crafting second-level Soul Cores from this original piece.

Xue Xiao Ran walked out of the Auction House with a calm expression, when his eyes suddenly flickered.

Two sharp strands of Sword Intent suddenly stabbed toward him.

Those two strands of Sword Intent were two gazes!

Xue Xiao Ran was completely fearless. A fierce glint flashed through his eyes, and with a metallic clang, a strand of Sword Intent shot fiercely from his Jade Eyes to meet the two incoming strands.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

An invisible clash unfolded in the air. Four strands of Sword Intent collided, and only Xue Xiao Ran could hear the ringing of blades.

"Senior Brother, I don't believe I've offended you."

Xue Xiao Ran's voice was somewhat cold as he looked at the blue-green-haired young man in his twenties before him.

The four strands of Sword Intent in the air dissipated like smoke, leaving only the two pairs of eyes locked together.

It was the confrontation of two swords.

"Whether Junior Brother has offended me, I do not know. But I came here today to seek instruction."

The Senior Brother bowed slightly, and Xue Xiao Ran noticed the Sword Sheath strapped to his back.

"I heard that during the Freshman Competition, Junior Brother used the Swift Sword to sever a Martial Soul Fusion Skill outright. I wonder if I might have the honor of witnessing it. Of course, I will not use any Soul Skills."

His hand gripped the hilt behind his back and slowly drew the blade.

An utterly ordinary sword.

"Ji Juechen, the Sword Fanatic!"

Someone nearby instantly recognized this Sword Fanatic and could not help letting out a quiet cry.

"Are you sure you can take my sword?"

Xue Xiao Ran shook his head as though he found it amusing. His previously calm gaze instantly became sharp as a blade. At some point, a longsword had appeared in his hand, its blade like a pool of autumn water.

His originally unremarkable aura instantly turned wild with sword qi, causing Ji Juechen to narrow his eyes slightly.

What a fine sword. The two of them sighed inwardly at the same time.