So it's true: privileges are damn useful, especially in a world where material abundance is still a long way off.
Come to think of it, when Wang Yan took Shrek's reserve team to the Starlight Auction House to broaden their horizons in the original story, he really was being treated rather unfairly.
No, wait. Wang Yan had brought the reserve team members. Attending that lowest-tier auction was just right for providing them with ready-made Soul Tools to bolster their combat strength... Could that have been part of his calculations too?
Watching Mu En skip the entire auction process and buy the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade directly from a Starlight Auction House employee for less than its starting price, You Jie couldn't help marveling inwardly.
Of course, this was partly because Mu En had revealed his Sea God Pavilion identity outright. It was also because the people at the Starlight Auction House were eager to get rid of this unsold item.
Otherwise, even someone from the Sea God Pavilion would have to pay at least the starting price to buy an auction item ahead of time, even though the starting price of the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade—a Ranking Engraving Knife—had already crashed straight through the floor.
After buying the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade, Mu En didn't take You Jie and Zhang Lexuan back to Shrek Academy. Instead, he booked a luxurious suite at the Star Emperor Hotel as a temporary place to stay.
Mu En might have looked like an honest man, but when it came to men and women, he was no less skilled than Dai Mubai had been in his day.
Even now, when he was already a frail old man, he wouldn't pass up the chance to play matchmaker for You Jie and Zhang Lexuan and give them a novel experience.
Looking at the arrangement in the suite's largest bedroom, which could easily set anyone's blood racing, You Jie—though he hadn't personally visited such a place in either of his two lives—could still tell from certain works of art what sort of establishment this decor belonged to.
With Mu En smiling benevolently and Zhang Lexuan unable to resist lightly licking her lips, the corners of You Jie's mouth twitched. He wore much the same expression Juggler had when he heard one of his subordinates wanted to dissect him.
But honestly, being devoured by Zhang Lexuan felt pretty good, and she wouldn't completely eat him up and leave nothing behind.
It was just that right now...
"Grand Ancestor, can I go purify that Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade now?"
The smile on Mu En's face faded somewhat, but he still took the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade out of the Storage Soul Tool provided by the Starlight Auction House. Wrapping it in his robust Soul Power, he handed it to You Jie.
The moment You Jie gripped the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade, he felt an evil thought gush out from within it, intent on invading his Sea of Consciousness through his arm.
But the next instant, when the phantom of the Dark Red Demon Dragon appeared beside You Jie, the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade immediately quieted down, and the evil thoughts that had emerged vanished without a trace.
At the same time, Electrolux appeared once more in You Jie's Sea of Consciousness. Borrowing You Jie's vision, he studied the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade with keen interest.
"Oh? Life Gold? I never thought you'd manage to find something so precious, You Jie."
"Elder Yi, if possible, could I ask you to..."
You Jie communicated something to Electrolux through his mental power. Electrolux first looked surprised, then intrigued.
The next moment, You Jie looked at the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade in his hand. Three Soul Rings—one yellow and two purple—appeared on his right arm, and the third Soul Ring shone brilliantly.
"Petty Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade, you dare show off your meager skills before me?
"Third Soul Skill: Solemn Judgment!"
You Jie's third Soul Ring transformed into a huge purple card. In the image, a white-haired old man in gray calmly raised his left hand, as if rejecting something.
Solemn Judgment—Electrolux Version.
The Holy Necromancer was a god too. He could purify evil forces and render their effects completely null and void. Naturally, that counted as Solemn Judgment as well.
As for why the Electrolux version of the Solemn Judgment card looked a little different from the original...
First, there was such a thing as alternate artwork.
Second, aside from showing off, You Jie would never let an activated card reveal itself to everyone in this manner.
Therefore, even though Huo Yuhao would one day be able to use Spiritual Detection to produce an effect comparable to the new card Pegasus had printed overnight to counter transmigrators, You Jie wasn't worried about any problems at all.
The next instant, a beam of gray light shot from Electrolux's left hand and landed on the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade.
The Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade immediately began trembling violently, then let out a series of buzzing cries like shrill screams.
"I can't believe some fool poured evil thoughts and curses into Life Gold. This must be the astonishing wisdom you mentioned, You Jie.
"This method can't even bring out Life Gold's most basic abilities. I really can't imagine what the person who came up with it was thinking."
Electrolux couldn't help thinking this to himself. Then he increased the output of the purifying light, and the beam shifted from gray to pure white. The Light-attribute energy it contained was enough to astonish even Mu En.
Ultimate Light! It was Ultimate Light!
Bathed in the white beam, the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade—now aware it was about to be sent to the afterlife—stopped trembling and began its final, desperate struggle.
A rich blue-green light suddenly burst from the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade. In the air, it formed a ferocious face that seemed to roar in madness, as if it meant to devour the slender white beam Electrolux had released.
But it didn't matter, because it was utterly useless.
In fact, the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade's final, desperate struggle gathered all the evil within it in one place, which actually made it easier for Electrolux to finish purifying it.
In less than a minute, Electrolux had purged the last of the evil, and the Spirit-Devouring Evil Blade revealed its true, original form.
Its once pitch-black blade had turned a vivid, glistening jade green, and a vast, pure life force poured from it.
Mu En immediately felt as though his body had gained new vitality. The baleful energy he had once struggled to suppress within himself seemed to have diminished as well.
Zhang Lexuan felt the change just as clearly. The accident caused by the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder had left her with terrifying injuries. Though she had recovered with the tremendous help of Shrek Academy and You Jie, that was only in comparison with an ordinary person.
Compared with the health she ought to have enjoyed, Zhang Lexuan was still in a subhealthy state.
Yet the life force radiating from the engraving knife was even purer than that of the Golden Ancient Tree. Even a little of it made Zhang Lexuan feel so comfortable that she nearly let out some rather inappropriate sounds.
As for You Jie, the one holding the engraving knife, even though he hadn't yet fused with it, he benefited from being right beside it. The life force from the Life Gold easily replenished the energy he'd spent using Solemn Judgment.
In fact, You Jie felt so good that during the night's bout that followed, he even had the sense he might turn the tables and take charge.
And then...
You Jie understood the meaning of a certain saying.
Your senior sister might not be your senior sister, but your Lexuan will always be your Lexuan.
Before you continue