It Was Actually This

After breaking through to Da Dou Shi, Li Xingluo was in high spirits. He turned to gaze at the star-studded night sky, which made a beautiful picture.

The black ring gave off a faint red glow, growing brighter and brighter. In an instant, Li Xingluo's consciousness was once again drawn into that strange space.

Just as before, the barrier on the third floor had vanished. With the excitement of opening a mystery box, Li Xingluo looked forward to what he might find, though he was also a little uneasy.

Unlike his first two visits, when he had been unfamiliar with the space and spent a long time exploring, Li Xingluo now knew his way around like the back of his hand.

He soon found the hidden compartment on the third floor. As Dou Qi flowed into it, the compartment slid open bit by bit, and Li Xingluo's heart began to pound faster.

The compartment stopped with a creak. Li Xingluo withdrew his hand and took the third-floor reward from inside.

Unlike the first two times, there was only one item on the third floor. It was wrapped in a layer of silk, making it impossible to tell what lay beneath.

Li Xingluo carefully unwrapped the silk. What came into view was a Dou Technique scroll—but it was a Flying Dou Technique.

His hands trembled a little as he unwrapped the silk. Flying Dou Techniques were as rare as they were precious. Thinking of how Xiao Yan had obtained the Purple Cloud Wings in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, Li Xingluo knew this was the perfect tool for showing off.

If he couldn't win a fight, he could use it to run. At least until he became a Dou Wang, this was undoubtedly the best Dou Technique there was.

Two bold characters were written on the scroll: Sky Feather! What a domineering name. Li Xingluo could hardly wait. He sat cross-legged on the spot, opened the scroll, and began cultivating.

In a corridor in the rear courtyard of the Aus Auction House, an old man and a young man walked one behind the other.

The young man seemed deeply aggrieved. His face was gloomy, and he was clearly angry, swinging his arms with exaggerated force.

Perhaps he could no longer suppress what was on his mind. The young man strode ahead of the old man.

"Grandpa, I don't understand. Why were you so respectful toward Li Xingluo? You even gave him so many benefits. Whenever I ask you for money, you barely give me any."

Yan Gui vented his grievance and resentment. Yan Yun stopped, seeing him speak like that.

His brow furrowed, then relaxed. He let out a long sigh. There was the frustration of a man who couldn't make his grandson understand, but even more, a sense of helplessness.

"Grandpa..."

"Gui'er, you're only seeing the surface."

Yan Gui had no way of understanding what the old fox Yan Yun was thinking. He simply stared at him like a fool, waiting for an explanation.

"Putting aside who was right and who was wrong in this matter, as long as Liu Yuntian is around, your grandpa can't do anything to Li Xingluo."

"Besides, Li Xingluo managed to refine a pill that helped that old bastard Liu Yuntian advance by two stars. That alone is proof of his ability."

"A fifth-grade Alchemist isn't someone I can afford to offend. Across the entire Chuyun Empire, fifth-grade Alchemists are rarer than phoenix feathers and qilin horns. If he wanted to, forget Dou Kings—even Dou Emperors would agree to work for him. Your grandpa may be old, but he isn't stupid."

Yan Yun laid out his reasoning. Yan Gui nodded as if he understood, though Yan Yun didn't care whether he truly did.

Yan Yun gave Yan Gui one last warning: he was not to provoke Li Xingluo again. That was a great figure Yan Yun couldn't afford to offend.

"Do you think your grandpa gave away all those precious things for nothing? There's a saying: once you've eaten someone's food, you're less inclined to speak against them; once you've taken their gifts, you're less inclined to turn them down. As long as I show him enough goodwill, he won't refuse if I ask him to refine another pill like that one."

After saying this, Yan Yun couldn't help laughing. Perhaps that had been his true goal all along.

He had been on the verge of bringing Liu Yuntian down and securing the position of Second Elder, only for Li Xingluo to appear out of nowhere and help Liu Yuntian cement his hold on the post.

If he couldn't destroy him, he might as well get close to him. There was nothing wrong with that. If Li Xingluo was willing to refine another pill like it, Yan Yun would still have a chance.

Yan Yun's gloomy mood lifted. Yan Gui didn't understand any of this; he only thought his grandpa was incredible and immediately started sucking up to him.

The next day, just after dawn, someone knocked on Li Xingluo's door.

After cultivating through the night, Li Xingluo had discovered that Sky Feather could be upgraded. At its peak, it could even rival a Heaven-tier Dou Technique, and its speed was enough to let him teleport a hundred thousand li away. The time, effort, and resources required, however, were astronomical.

Li Xingluo opened the door and saw Liu Li standing there with a cheeky grin.

"Up so early?"

"Grandpa asked me to tell you there's an auction today."

Li Xingluo suddenly remembered. Right, today was the third day. He hadn't realized time had passed so quickly.

"Thanks. Let's go."

Just then, Xiao Yi Xian also came out of her room. Liu Li resumed his role as their guide, leading Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian to the Holy Capital Auction Arena at the Aus Auction House.

It was countless times larger than the auction house in Maple Forest City, and certainly lived up to its title as the empire's foremost auction house.

Liu Li was quite proud as he stood in a private box on the third floor, looking down over the auction hall.

"Brother Li, there's another surprise in store for you today."

Li Xingluo surveyed the auction hall below. Quite a few people had already arrived, and it looked like the second and third floors were reserved for VIPs.

Liu Li's mysterious, almost secretive manner piqued Li Xingluo's interest.

Could Liu Yuntian have arranged something? Never mind. If it was a surprise, he wouldn't find out until it was revealed.

As more and more people entered the auction hall, the lively atmosphere reached its peak. There were people in the private box directly opposite them on the third floor, too.

Liu Li began introducing the VIP boxes to Li Xingluo. The third floor was what interested him most.

"You mean the one opposite?" When Li Xingluo nodded, Liu Li leaned close and whispered in his ear, "That's Princess Luo Xin of the Chuyun Empire's Imperial Family. Don't underestimate her. I hear she's going to be the next ruler."

"Uh, from the way you put it, there's a story behind this." Li Xingluo caught the implication in Liu Li's words, and his curiosity was piqued.

Xiao Yi Xian could only shake her head helplessly. The two men were huddled together, whispering secrets. She couldn't help shivering.

"Brother Li really is Brother Li. I'm impressed."

"Enough flattery. Tell me what happened."

Xiao Yi Xian was curious, too, and edged closer to them.

"Doesn't the ruler of your Chuyun Empire have any sons?"

"He does."

"Then how—?"

"That's why I said Her Highness the Princess is no simple woman. I only heard this myself, mind you. It's just what I heard."

Liu Li hurriedly explained. Xiao Yi Xian's curiosity had been piqued, too.

She urged Liu Li to go on. Liu Li motioned for them to leave the balcony; he had noticed Luo Xin's gaze resting on them.

The three of them hid behind a pillar. Only then did Liu Li lower his voice. "No one knows why, but Her Highness's older brother and younger brother suddenly went mad. They've both lost their wits and wander around in a daze. With no other choice, they had to start grooming Princess Luo Xin as the successor."

Li Xingluo frowned. The Imperial Family? Sigh. He hadn't expected things to be the same everywhere.

"People say the Imperial Family is cursed, and that no man can inherit the throne. They believe choosing Princess Luo Xin will surely lead the Chuyun Empire to greatness."

Xiao Yi Xian couldn't help scoffing. "You actually believe that?"

"But it's the truth."

Li Xingluo's brow creased slightly. What people called fate was probably just a trick used by certain people.

It had only lasted an instant, but when Li Xingluo and Luo Xin met eyes, her cold, breathtakingly beautiful face and those domineering eyes made it clear that Princess Luo Xin was no ordinary woman.