Market Farce

A Profound-tier intermediate Dou Technique for poison masters? Xiao Yi Xian could certainly learn this.

"Many thanks!"

"No need for formalities. I presume you two have yet to find a place to stay in the Holy Capital." Liu Yuntian looked at Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian, his expression kind as he saw them fall silent.

"Why not stay at the Aus Auction House for the time being?"

"This..."

"There is no need to decline." Liu Yuntian instructed Liu Li to take Li Xingluo and his companion to the backyard of the Aus Auction House.

Liu Li did not understand why Liu Yuntian treated these two with such courtesy. He felt quite uncomfortable; not only did his grandfather refuse to vent his anger for him, but he even ordered him to escort them to their quarters.

Liu Yuntian glared at Liu Li with a stern look, and Liu Li, though unwilling, led Li Xingluo and the others to their temporary lodging.

After the three left, Liu Yuntian stood before the window, his expression turning sorrowful.

Xiao Ya, it is all Grandfather's fault. I should never have let you go back then. Sigh, you have suffered so much these past years. His eyes were filled with deep regret.

The next day, in order to increase their chances of success in the Nether Poison Swamp, Li Xingluo called upon Xiao Yi Xian to visit the market near the Alchemist Guild in the Holy Capital to purchase necessary materials and try their luck.

Liu Li, who had been full of resentment toward Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian yesterday, seemed like a completely different person today.

He was exceptionally enthusiastic toward them. Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian were puzzled, exchanging a glance before shaking their heads in unison.

Could this guy have been poisoned into stupidity yesterday? Xiao Yi Xian could not help but laugh aloud upon hearing this. When Liu Li turned back in confusion, she quickly covered her mouth.

Liu Li volunteered to act as a guide for Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian, and the two were naturally happy to accept.

"Why were you laughing just now?"

"Us?"

"Yes!"

"We were just wondering why you changed so much overnight. I recall you were ready to kill us yesterday."

Xiao Yi Xian's voice was soft, without any deliberate disguise.

Liu Li scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat embarrassed. He turned around, as if gathering his courage.

It was only after a long while that he revealed the true reason: he had learned from Liu Yuntian about Liu Ya's current condition and how Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian had helped her.

Although Liu Li was a playboy, he valued family deeply. He admired his sister, and naturally, he would not hold any hostility toward those who had helped his family.

Liu Yuntian had even pointed out that Liu Li had been used as a pawn by Deacon Han, warning him not to be so impulsive in the future.

"So, thank you for helping my sister."

Liu Li turned and bowed deeply to Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian—something that would have been unthinkable in the past.

Seeing Liu Li's sincerity, Li Xingluo felt that this playboy was not as annoying as he had first thought.

Liu Li introduced the Alchemist Guild of the Chuyun Empire along the way, and the three chatted and laughed until they reached the market where the guild was located.

The market was bustling with people, lively and noisy. As the three walked through, most of what they saw were merely mediocre goods.

Passing by a stall, Li Xingluo felt an anomaly from his black ring. He stopped in his tracks and carefully examined all the items displayed on the stall.

When his hand neared a tarnished copper piece engraved with strange patterns, the ring reacted even more intensely. Li Xingluo tried moving away, and the ring's reaction clearly weakened. Could it be because of this?

Liu Li, who had been walking ahead, was still introducing the market to himself. When he turned back, he found that Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian had stopped at a stall behind him.

Liu Li hurried back. Seeing Li Xingluo stop at his stall, the vendor knew a customer had arrived and immediately introduced his wares with a beaming smile.

Li Xingluo slowly reached out, picked up the copper piece, and asked, "How much for this?"

Seeing the copper piece in Li Xingluo's hand, the vendor's face, which had been full of joy just a moment ago, instantly darkened.

He seemed very dissatisfied with Li Xingluo's action.

The vendor, looking quite unhappy, held up one finger.

Li Xingluo frowned slightly. How much was one finger supposed to be?

He tentatively offered, "Ten thousand gold coins?"

When Li Xingluo's tentative offer of ten thousand gold coins left his lips, the vendor's previously unhappy expression immediately turned into one of delight.

Seeing the vendor's reaction, Li Xingluo immediately felt that he had overpaid with his test offer.

The vendor's joy was plain to see, and he looked at Li Xingluo with greed, fearing he might change his mind.

Just as Li Xingluo was about to take out the gold coins to pay, a voice rang out.

"I offer fifteen thousand gold coins for this item."

Li Xingluo stopped his movements abruptly. Following the voice, he saw a youth dressed in luxurious robes, walking over with an arrogant and domineering air.

Upon hearing this, the vendor immediately snatched the copper piece from Li Xingluo's hand. He had not expected an unremarkable copper piece to spark a bidding war between two people.

The youth's actions displeased Li Xingluo. He swept a cold gaze over the youth, but the youth continued on as if nothing had happened, completely ignoring Li Xingluo.

At this moment, Liu Li leaned into Li Xingluo's ear and whispered, "This person is Yan Gui, the grandson of the Third Elder of the Aus Auction House. He likes to go against me on a daily basis."

Li Xingluo felt an urge to punch someone. What kind of situation was this?

Yan Gui acted as if he had only just noticed Liu Li, his tone a mix of mockery and feigned sincerity.

"Young Master Liu is here as well. My apologies for the lack of a proper greeting."

Liu Li rolled his eyes at Yan Gui and offered a perfunctory cupped-hand salute in response.

Yan Gui did not take offense at Liu Li's attitude; instead, he grew even more smug.

The stall owner was a shrewd man. Seeing that the two parties knew each other and catching the look in Li Xingluo's eyes, he realized the young man wanted the copper shard.

"Do you still want it?"

The stall owner appeared to be asking Li Xingluo, but in reality, he was making his stance clear: ten thousand gold coins would not be enough for this copper shard.

"Twenty thousand!"

No sooner had Li Xingluo finished speaking than Yan Gui continued to bid without the slightest attempt at concealment.

"Twenty-five thousand!"

Yan Gui's actions left Li Xingluo deeply displeased. The Third Elder of Aus Auction House, was it? How interesting.

Though Li Xingluo felt a flicker of anger, he did not show it. Instead, he appeared cold—chillingly, suffocatingly cold.

Liu Li had no time to observe the subtle changes in Li Xingluo's expression at that moment.

"Yan Gui, I advise you not to go too far."

Yan Gui tapped his arm lightly, wearing an expression that practically screamed, "Come and kill me if you have the guts." He was truly asking for a beating!

Seeing that Li Xingluo had not bid for a long time, Yan Gui smiled triumphantly and reached out to snatch the copper shard from the stall owner's hand.

"Thirty thousand!"

Li Xingluo gripped Yan Gui's wrist, causing the corners of the latter's mouth to twitch in pain.

He glared at Li Xingluo with a mix of fury and resentment, as if telling him not to push his luck.

Yan Gui stared daggers at Li Xingluo, who only then slowly released his wrist, his sharp gaze locked onto Yan Gui.

Having been thwarted, Yan Gui intended to continue, but he felt a terrifying aura pressing down from Li Xingluo. Subconsciously, he spat out a harsh threat and turned to leave.

Seeing Yan Gui retreat in defeat, no one was happier than Liu Li; he was practically ready to jump for joy.

"He deserved to be put in his place."

Li Xingluo took out thirty thousand gold coins and handed them to the stall owner, who accepted them with a beaming smile. As he weighed the coins in his hand, his grin never faded; watching the backs of the three "big spenders" as they walked away, the stall owner could not have been more delighted.

Amidst his joy, Liu Li began to worry: "Although that was satisfying, Yan Yun dotes on this grandson of his more than anyone. I'm afraid..."

"You're afraid he'll come looking for trouble with me?"

Liu Li nodded vigorously. Li Xingluo let out a long sigh in his heart; what a mess this was.

It was clear that this fellow named Yan Gui was deliberately looking for trouble. It wasn't aimed at Li Xingluo, but at Liu Li—if not for him, he would have saved twenty thousand gold coins.