Qian Renxue's Smile! Siblings Connected! Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire Erupts!

The air inside the private room stagnated for a moment due to Xue Qinghe's jest.

The scent of ambergris, elegant and mild yet carrying a presence that could not be ignored, lingered at the tip of Lan's nose.

Lan set down the chopsticks in his hand.

He raised his eyes, his deep, dark pupils quietly observing the peerlessly handsome face before him.

Xue Qinghe's features were exquisite, his brows and eyes carrying a smile; though dressed in men's attire, he could not hide that innate nobility and grace.

An inexplicable throb, originating from the depths of his bloodline, quietly swept through the bottom of Lan's heart.

Even when facing the woman who had given him life only to heartlessly abandon him—Bibi Dong—he had never felt this strange sense of closeness.

"If Your Highness the Crown Prince were a woman."

Lan's voice was cold and clear.

"You would surely be a peerless beauty of this world."

The playful smile on Xue Qinghe's face froze.

He stared blankly at Lan, and in those eyes that always held a gentle smile, a trace of genuine, unmasked astonishment flashed by.

Immediately, a brilliant smile, like ice melting and spring flowers blooming, blossomed across his face.

This time, it was not the refined and cultured smile of Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, but a smile from the heart, carrying a hint of a young girl's cunning and joy.

"Hahahaha!"

He could not help but laugh out loud, his body leaning slightly back against the chair.

"That mouth of yours is far more formidable than the blade in your hand."

Xue Qinghe picked up the serving chopsticks, plucked a piece of translucent Dragon Scale Fish, and naturally placed it into the porcelain bowl in front of Lan.

"Try this; it's the signature dish of Heavenly Fragrance Tower, not something you can eat just anywhere."

Lan looked at the fish in his bowl without a word, simply picking up his chopsticks again to silently lift it and place it into his mouth.

The taste was delicious, melting the moment it touched his tongue.

But what stirred his heart even more was the intimacy the other party had revealed so inadvertently.

This feeling was one that Aunt Xue and Aunt Bing had also given him.

The person before him was Qian Renxue, and also his own sister.

Connected by blood.

He thought of that woman, his mother.

She had brought him into this world, only to discard him in a land of ten thousand miles of frozen desolation.

The meal ended in a strangely harmonious atmosphere.

The two walked out of Heavenly Fragrance Tower side by side, the afternoon sun spilling down and casting two long shadows on the bluestone road.

Xue Qinghe remained in high spirits, pointing at the buildings on both sides of the street to recount interesting anecdotes about Heaven Dou City to Lan.

Lan followed quietly by his side, listening and watching.

Before they knew it, the two arrived before an open plaza.

A massive and magnificent building suddenly came into view.

It was constructed entirely of white stone, with a towering dome and an imposing aura. Most eye-catching of all was the top of the building, which was carved with a gargantuan golden auction hammer.

"We've arrived."

Xue Qinghe stopped, his tone carrying a hint of pride.

"This is the Heaven Dou Grand Auction House. It is the highest-spec auction house in all of Heaven Dou City, and indeed, the entire continent."

He turned his head to look at Lan and smiled: "As long as you have money, you can buy anything here."

Lan's gaze fell upon the building, and he nodded.

The two stepped forward toward the main entrance.

"Halt!"

Two armored guards at the entrance immediately crossed their halberds, blocking their path.

"This is a restricted area of the auction house; no idlers allowed!"

One of the guards shouted in a deep voice, his eyes guardedly sizing the two up.

Just then, a crisp, melodious female voice drifted from inside the doors.

"Are you two distinguished guests here to participate in the auction?"

A beautiful woman with a graceful figure and a silver mask walked out slowly.

She glanced at the two and asked in a formulaic tone:

"Do you possess the auction qualification certificate?"

Xue Qinghe did not change his expression, simply taking a golden token engraved with snowflake patterns from his sleeve and flashing it casually.

"The Crown Prince's Token!"

The guards and the masked woman's expressions shifted instantly, and they bowed in salute.

"We were unaware of Your Highness's arrival; please forgive our offense!"

Xue Qinghe waved his hand, signaling them to forgo the formalities.

However, Lan did not follow him inside. Instead, he stepped forward and spoke to the masked woman:

"I am here to sell something."

The masked woman was visibly stunned, a flicker of surprise flashing in the beautiful eyes behind her mask, but she quickly regained her professional demeanor.

"So you are a seller. Please, follow me."

She turned to the side, gestured for him to proceed, and personally led the way.

Under her guidance, the three of them bypassed the front hall and arrived at a quiet appraisal room.

Inside the room, a female appraiser, also wearing a mask and possessing a calm temperament, sat behind a desk.

"Please take out your auction item," the guiding masked woman said.

Lan said nothing; a faint light flashed from the storage Soul Tool on his wrist.

The next moment, a leg bone, radiating a chilling aura and crystalline like jade, was gently placed on the table by him.

The moment the Spirit Bone appeared, the temperature in the entire room seemed to drop by several degrees.

The female appraiser's body jolted, her eyes locked firmly onto the Spirit Bone.

She reached out with trembling hands, carefully lifting it, her shock no longer able to be concealed.

"This... this is..."

She snapped her head up:

"A thousand-year! It is a thousand-year Ice Plains Snow Wolf left leg Spirit Bone!"

"Honored guest, please wait a moment!"

Xue Qinghe watched her flustered departure, then turned to look at Lan, his eyes filled with inquiry.

Lan, however, simply stood there with a calm expression.

Before long, the female appraiser came trotting back, followed by an elderly man with graying hair and a steady aura.

The old man took the Spirit Bone, closed his eyes, and traced his wrinkled fingers carefully over the bone's surface.

After a long while, he opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them.

"Correct."

The old man's voice was steady and powerful.

"It is indeed an Ice Plains Snow Wolf Spirit Bone, and a leg bone at that—a rarity."

"Judging by the condensation of the soul power fluctuations, its age... should be around thirteen hundred years."

He looked up at Lan, his tone carrying a hint of respect.

"Absorbing this bone can significantly increase the user's speed and affinity for the ice element; it is a treasure that any agility-type Spirit Master would dream of."

Hearing this, Xue Qinghe's handsome brows furrowed slightly.

He turned to the side, his gentle gaze landing on Lan's face.

"Lan."

"If you are short on money, you only need to tell Brother Xue. Why go so far as to sell such a precious Spirit Bone?"

Lan met his gaze, his deep eyes devoid of ripples, and he simply shook his head.

"No need."

To him, this was merely a trophy from a casual hunt.

In his system space, a pile of such thousand-year Spirit Bones lay quietly, and there were even a few ten-thousand-year ones among them.

Seeing Lan's resolute attitude, the female appraiser quickly stepped forward and said respectfully:

"Honored guest, a thousand-year Spirit Bone of this quality is rare even in our Heaven Dou Grand Auction House, appearing perhaps once a year."

"We have decided to set the starting bid for your Spirit Bone at one million Gold Soul Coins."

"Furthermore, you will directly become a red-level VIP, our highest tier, and enjoy the highest level of service."

As she spoke, she presented a card made of an unknown red crystal with both hands.

Lan took the card and casually tucked it into his storage Soul Tool.

Under the personal guidance of the female appraiser, Lan and Xue Qinghe walked through a long corridor and entered the main auction hall.

The scene before them opened up in a flash.

It was magnificent and resplendent!

Above the massive dome, a complex and magnificent star chart was painted, while the floor was paved with milky-white marble as smooth as a mirror, every detail showcasing extreme luxury and grandeur.

Thousands of seats were arranged in a circular formation, and at this moment, not a single one was empty.

"The private box for the two distinguished guests is on the third floor."

The female appraiser led them toward the VIP passage on the side.

Just then.

A roar, suppressed with pain and tinged with a hint of impatience, erupted without warning from a corner not far away.

"My Evil Fire, I can't hold it back anymore!"

Following the sound, Lan's gaze fell upon the corner.

A fat man dressed in fire-red clothing was leaning against the wall, drenched in sweat, his eyes bloodshot as he breathed heavily.

It was Ma Hongjun.

At this moment, he was staring fixedly at a female server nearby who was carrying a tray, her figure lithe and graceful.

The female server had a pretty face and a hot body, yet her expression was completely numb.

A suppressed low growl escaped Ma Hongjun's throat as he lunged forward, his hands reaching out to grab the woman.

"Bang!"

Two guards clad in silver armor appeared in an instant, standing like two iron towers before him; one of them extended a gauntleted hand, easily blocking him.

"Sir, you are only a white-tier VIP."

The guard's voice was devoid of emotion.

"I am afraid you do not have the qualifications to touch the 'merchandise' here."