"Young man, are you sure you want to buy the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife and not another ranked carving knife?"
Xu Jiujiu still found it hard to believe. Wasn't this just throwing your life away?
She was beginning to think that the auction house shouldn't have taken the knife back in the first place, just because it was a ranked carving knife.
Mu Chen nodded. "Of course I'm sure."
His Martial Soul might not be able to deal with this ranked carving knife, but Old Tang wouldn't just stand by and let anything happen to him.
That was why Mu Chen dared to buy the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife without a care in the world.
Xu Jiujiu nodded. "We run an auction house, and business is business. Since you need it, Jiujiu won't stop you. I'll just offer you one piece of advice, young man: don't use the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife lightly unless you're absolutely certain you can control it."
Mu Chen nodded. "Thank you for your concern, Your Highness. Now, let's talk about the price of this carving knife."
Xu Jiujiu looked at Mu Chen. His willingness to buy the thing was already a great help to her, so she was happy as long as she didn't take a loss on the price.
"Young man, you name your price."
Mu Chen didn't waste time. He held up one finger.
"One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins."
Looking at his firm expression, Xu Jiujiu could only smile helplessly.
"Young man, isn't that a little low? It is a ranked carving knife, after all."
The Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife hadn't yet failed to sell at auction so many times, so its starting price hadn't dropped to one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins. That was why Xu Jiujiu couldn't accept the offer.
One hundred thousand wasn't quite a loss, but it came very close.
In the original story, they'd had no choice. They simply couldn't sell it, so they'd finally lowered the price to that amount.
It hadn't failed to sell so many times yet, and Xu Jiujiu still held on to the hope that she could get a higher price.
"Then one hundred thousand it is. Forgive my bluntness, Your Highness, but even if you lower the starting price to one hundred thousand, no one will buy it. Who'd want to take something like this home? They'd think it was bad luck just to keep it as a collectible."
Xu Jiujiu said nothing. She knew he was telling the truth.
She was only clinging to a hope; she wasn't being unrealistic.
Xu Jiujiu looked into Mu Chen's deep blue eyes and realized she couldn't bring herself to refuse him.
"Ah, all right. We'll do as you say, young man. One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins."
Supervisor Li was stunned. The princess, who was usually so skilled at conducting auctions, had somehow become as green as a raw recruit in front of this young man.
Mu Chen smoothly took a Gold Soul Card worth exactly one hundred thousand out of his Storage Soul Tool.
"Supervisor Li, go bring the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife over."
Xu Jiujiu waved her hand and instructed Supervisor Li.
Though Supervisor Li was deeply frustrated, he still did as he was told. After all, it was the princess's order.
"Young man, I still don't know your name."
Xu Jiujiu sat beside Mu Chen, keeping her eyes on him without looking away for even a moment.
"Your Highness, my name is Mu Chen."
"Don't call me Your Highness. Just call me Jiujiu."
Seeing Xu Jiujiu's sincere expression, Mu Chen could only change how he addressed her. "Then thank you for today, Miss Jiujiu."
"What are you thanking me for? I should be thanking you. Without you, I really wouldn't have been confident that I could sell this carving knife."
As they spoke, Supervisor Li returned.
He was holding a jade box.
"Young man, the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife is in here."
Mu Chen took the box. To be safe, he released his Martial Soul.
As the Ocean Martial Soul appeared, four Soul Rings—yellow, purple, purple, and black—materialized beneath his feet.
Xu Jiujiu was the most shocked by the sight.
Compared with her, Supervisor Li was much less surprised.
He'd already guessed that the boy was no ordinary person when Mu Chen had withstood his pressure without releasing his Martial Soul.
But even Supervisor Li hadn't expected him to be extraordinary to this extent.
A thousand-year Second Soul Ring and a ten-thousand-year fourth Soul Ring—he'd lived a long life, and this was the first time he'd ever seen anything like it.
"Truly, heroes have always emerged from youth. No wonder you're confident you can wield this carving knife, Mu Chen."
Along with her admiration, Xu Jiujiu's gaze held something else now.
A trident appeared in Mu Chen's left hand. Holding it, he pried the box open a crack.
With Supervisor Li escorting her, Xu Jiujiu retreated several steps.
A huge cloud of black smoke billowed from the crack, carrying an indescribable, terrifying aura.
Mu Chen hurriedly closed the box again. It would be safer to ask Old Tang for help later.
For now, all he needed was to confirm that the box contained the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife.
From the black smoke, Mu Chen had already caught a glimpse of the carving knife inside.
"Everything looks fine, Miss Jiujiu. I'll take my leave now."
He had the item, so there was no need to stay any longer.
Mu Chen put the box into his Soul Tool, turned around, and walked out of the auction house.
"Mu Chen really is different."
Xu Jiujiu put away the Gold Soul Card and turned back toward the depths of the auction house.
After finding an inn and renting a first-class room, Mu Chen shut the door and took out the box.
"Old Tang, Old Tang, are you there?"
"What is it?"
At a critical moment, Old Tang was still there the moment Mu Chen called.
"I just got my hands on a real treasure, but it's cursed. Can you help me deal with it?"
At the words "real treasure," Old Tang's interest stirred.
Through Mu Chen's eyes, he saw the box.
Without even opening it, Old Tang could see what was inside.
"It's certainly an interesting thing. This little curse is nothing to me. Open it; I'll protect you."
That was exactly what Mu Chen had been waiting to hear.
He eagerly opened the box.
This time, the black smoke that poured out was countless times thicker than when he'd only opened it a crack.
Just as it was about to engulf Mu Chen,
a golden trident mark suddenly appeared between his brows, then burst into dazzling golden light.
When the black aura touched the light, it was like a flame meeting water—utterly suppressed by its natural counter.
As the light continued to shine, the black smoke was swiftly wiped out.
"Is this the Sea God's Light?"
Mu Chen was inwardly stunned.
Old Tang really was something. This was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
Before long, all the black smoke had been cleared away, and the carving knife was revealed.
It was a dark-green carving knife that made anyone who looked at it feel uncomfortable.
"Xiao Chen, circulate the Mysterious Jade Hand and pick it up. I'll purify it for you."
Mu Chen had learned the Tang Sect Secret Arts six years ago. By now, his Mysterious Jade Hand had reached the point of perfection.
Mu Chen circulated his cultivation technique, turning both hands the color of white jade, then picked up the carving knife with his right hand.
Even with the Mysterious Jade Hand active, Mu Chen could still feel a curse trying again and again to invade his body.