The Auction Begins

Two streaks of light descended from the horizon. They were Sword Douluo Chen Xin and Ye Guchen.

Unlike the solemn silence with which they had departed, the two now walked side by side. Chen Xin stroked his beard and laughed heartily, while a faint smile played on Ye Guchen's lips. They chatted with considerable warmth.

"The way your Immeasurable Sword Array loops back on itself—I've spent half a lifetime studying the sword, and only today have I truly had my eyes opened."

Chen Xin shook his head with a sigh. There was no dejection in his voice at having lost. Instead, he sounded exhilarated, as though he'd found a worthy opponent.

"You're too kind, Senior. If you hadn't fought at level seventy, my sword array might not have withstood even the first round of attacks from your Seven Kill True Body."

Ye Guchen spoke sincerely, and the respect in his eyes for this senior of the sword dao had only grown.

"Ha ha ha! A loss is a loss. Do you take me for someone who can't accept defeat?"

Chen Xin waved a hand, then a glint flashed in his eyes.

"But next time, I'll spar with you at level seventy-five. We'll see just where the limits of your Immeasurable Sword Array lie!"

"I'll be waiting."

As they spoke, the two entered the reception hall.

Inside, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Fengzhi were seated, sipping tea. They looked up at the sound and saw Sword Douluo enter alongside Ye Guchen.

Chen Xin's face was glowing, and he was all smiles. He hardly seemed like the aloof Titled Douluo he was supposed to be.

Ye Guchen also looked relaxed, as if he'd just returned from an exceedingly enjoyable gathering.

They exchanged glances and saw the same deep confusion in each other's eyes.

Hadn't the two of them gone outside the city to spar in the sword dao? How had they come back looking like old friends?

And yet... Zhu Zhuqing's gaze swept over Ye Guchen. She keenly noticed several tiny cuts in his clothes. He wasn't disheveled, but it was clear he'd been through an intense battle.

She couldn't help looking at Ye Guchen with added concern.

Sword Douluo's robes were also torn in several places, but he looked more spirited than before he'd left, as if he'd grown ten years younger.

"Uncle Sword, Pavilion Master Ye, what happened...?" Ning Fengzhi set down his teacup, a hint of puzzlement in his gentle voice.

As the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, he was an expert at reading people. Even so, he couldn't quite make sense of the bizarrely harmonious atmosphere before him.

Sword Douluo strode over and sat down. He poured himself a cup of tea and drained it in one go, then let out a satisfied breath.

"Wonderful! That was truly wonderful!" He set the teacup down with a thump, his eyes full of admiration.

"Fengzhi, you should have seen Pavilion Master Ye's Immeasurable Sword Array. It truly seemed to seize the workings of heaven and earth! I entered the array with the power of a level-seventy Soul Saint, and even my Seven Kill True Body was trapped. In the end, I had to use Soul Douluo-level power to break out."

At this, Ning Fengzhi's hand stiffened slightly as he held his teacup.

Uncle Sword had needed Soul Douluo-level power just to break the array?

Didn't that mean that even at the same level—or even a whole major realm higher—Uncle Sword might not be able to defeat Pavilion Master Ye with certainty?

He turned to Ye Guchen. The latter merely lifted his teacup with an air of calm, as if Sword Douluo hadn't just been praising him.

"Senior Sword Douluo simply didn't want to bully someone younger. If he'd truly gone all out, I doubt I could have taken three of his strikes." Ye Guchen took a sip of tea and stated it as calmly as a fact.

"Heh, you little brat. You know how to make an old man look good."

Chen Xin laughed as he scolded him, then turned serious.

"But honestly, that Ice and Fire Domain in your sword array can suppress an intruder's strength by forty percent while doubling all your attributes. In all my years, I've never encountered domain power like that."

Zhu Zhuqing listened quietly from the side. Ever since Ye Guchen had returned, her eyes had remained fixed on him. Now, hearing Sword Douluo and Sect Master Ning praise him, a hint of pride spread across her face.

Only after the two men had settled down from the excitement of their battle did Zhu Zhuqing pass Ye Guchen the details of the deal she had just reached with Ning Fengzhi, so he could review them.

But Ye Guchen took the contract, glanced at it without inspecting it closely, then handed it back to Zhu Zhuqing.

"I trust you with this..."

As Zhu Zhuqing took the contract, he tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear.

Watching the two of them so boldly flaunt their affection, Ning Fengzhi shook his head, rose to his feet, and cupped his hands.

"It's getting late. Uncle Bone and I won't impose on you any longer. We'll see you at the auction tomorrow."

Ye Guchen didn't try to keep them. The auction was starting tomorrow, after all, and he still had plenty to do.

After seeing the two men off, Ye Guchen called in the managers once more. He carefully went over the things they needed to watch for tomorrow, then returned to the top-floor office with Zhu Zhuqing.

As soon as they entered the room, Zhu Zhuqing let go of the composure she'd been maintaining and sat right down on the sofa.

She looked at Ye Guchen, her eyes bright with excitement.

"Guchen, I actually did it! I struck such a major deal with the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. It still feels unbelievable when I think about it."

Ye Guchen came up behind her and began kneading her shoulders.

"I told you that you could do it. Keep it up tomorrow, too."

Zhu Zhuqing tipped her head back to look at Ye Guchen, her eyes resolute.

"Of course. I'm your boss's wife, after all!"

Then she closed her eyes and enjoyed Ye Guchen's massage.

"By the way, did you really beat Sword Douluo?"

At her question, Ye Guchen increased the pressure of his hands a little.

"Heh, are you looking down on your boss?"

It didn't hurt, but Zhu Zhuqing played along, twisting her body and pleading for mercy.

"I was wrong, I was wrong... I just didn't know you were that amazing..."

Looking at her perfect figure as she twisted about, and remembering her calm composure during her negotiations with Ning Fengzhi, how she kept overcoming pressure and surpassing herself, Ye Guchen realized that his feelings for Zhu Zhuqing had quietly moved beyond a simple fondness for her looks, advancing toward something deeper.

After they'd played around for a while, it was already late. With a tough battle awaiting them tomorrow, Ye Guchen sent Zhu Zhuqing off to rest first, then began running simulations of the possible situations that might arise at the auction the next day.

Of course, he would still rely on a show of force. With two level-ninety-six Dragon Souls, Dugu Bo, and Tian Meng's disguising Simulation, surely no power guarded by four Titled Douluo would be so reckless as to make an enemy of him the moment they arrived, would they?

He also thoroughly considered how to handle sudden incidents, such as someone causing trouble or driving up prices, and worked out countermeasures for each.

After all, in either of his two lifetimes, he'd never before overseen something on this scale. It was only natural to be cautious.

After finishing the simulation, he headed back to his room to rest. On the way, he passed Zhu Zhuqing's room and saw that the lights were still on inside.

Her silhouette appeared in the window as she organized documents.

Some kinds of persistence and effort simply shouldn't be disturbed. Ye Guchen softened his footsteps and quietly passed her room.