Heaven Dou Auction House, Provocation

"Oh, buying Whale Rubber, that's no big deal... Wait?!"

Liu Erlong responded instinctively, then abruptly raised her head. Her phoenix eyes instantly widened, as though she had heard something utterly shocking.

"You... what did you say?! What do you want to buy?!"

She even suspected that she had misheard him.

"Whale Rubber."

Xiao Yin repeated himself calmly, as if he were discussing the most ordinary medicinal ingredient.

"Whale Rubber?!" Liu Erlong's voice suddenly rose several octaves, filled with incredulous shock.

"What do you need that stuff for?!"

An extremely strange expression instantly appeared on her face as her gaze involuntarily swept over Xiao Yin's body.

That doesn't seem right... I've seen it... It's pretty big...

In her deeply ingrained understanding, Whale Rubber was practically synonymous with aphrodisiacs!

It was the sort of thing those Heaven Dou City noblemen who had indulged themselves excessively would secretly seek out!

A young man under twenty, at least in her eyes, whose blood and vitality were as vigorous as those of a humanoid spirit beast, was actually asking to buy Whale Rubber?!

Countless thoughts flashed through Liu Erlong's mind in an instant:

Could Dragon Blood Tempering have damaged his body?

Impossible!

Could it be... some special cultivation method? Or had this brat already... at such a young age...

The more she thought about it, the more colorful her expression became. Her cheeks even began to heat slightly, and the look she gave Xiao Yin was full of sudden, knowing realization.

Xiao Yin naturally caught Liu Erlong's ever-changing expression and the deeper meaning in her eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched.

Of course, he knew what she was thinking, but he could not be bothered to explain, nor could he explain.

Was he supposed to tell her that this stuff was used to assist in absorbing Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Rings?

That explanation would only bring even more questions and trouble.

"It's useful."

Xiao Yin's answer was brief and concise, with no intention of explaining. His gaze was so open and frank that Liu Erlong instead began wondering whether her own thoughts had been too dirty.

"..." Liu Erlong choked on the short yet vague answer.

Looking at Xiao Yin's composed expression that seemed to say, "I'm buying it. Deal with it," she opened her mouth, but ultimately swallowed all her questions, such as:

"Did something go wrong with your cultivation?" and "Do you want me to take a look?"

This brat had too many secrets, and his temper was too stubborn. Asking would be pointless anyway.

"Fine... fine! Buy whatever you want! It's none of my business!"

Liu Erlong waved her hand irritably, though the faint embarrassed blush on her face had yet to fully fade.

"If you want Whale Rubber, the biggest place in Heaven Dou City is the Heaven Dou Auction House.

The first floor is a high-end market, with all sorts of rare goods available on the spot. The auction hall is upstairs.

It's at the most conspicuous golden-domed building on Central Avenue. Don't you have a mouth under your nose? Go ask around yourself!"

She paused, looked at Xiao Yin's youthful yet steady face, and added:

"Anyway, with your current abilities and that freakish strength of yours, as long as you don't go looking for trouble, in Heaven Dou City... well, just be a little careful.

The auction house runs deep. Be smart and don't let anyone cheat you. Get back as soon as you're done buying! The academy still has a mountain of things waiting for you!"

With that, Liu Erlong grabbed a file from the table and strode out in a hurry. "I've got another meeting. I don't have time to wander around with you! Remember the place? Heaven Dou Auction House! Go and come back quickly!"

Before her voice had even faded, she had already vanished through the doorway, leaving behind only the sound of hurried footsteps.

Xiao Yin looked at the empty doorway and shook his head helplessly.

Ever since yesterday, the relationship between the two of them seemed to have become somewhat ambiguous...

Heaven Dou Auction House, first-floor lobby.

A massive crystal chandelier cast soft, bright light over the dazzling array of luxurious goods.

The air was filled with a faint fragrance and the scent of money.

Xiao Yin slowly walked past rows of counters displaying rare ores and medicinal herbs, searching for his target.

At last, he stopped in an area dedicated to selling rare treasures from the sea.

Behind the counter stood a young female clerk in a uniform.

"Hello, do you sell Whale Rubber here?" Xiao Yin asked directly, his voice calm.

"Whale Rubber?" The female clerk was visibly taken aback, and her gaze immediately became somewhat strange.

She sized up the plainly dressed youth before her, her eyes lingering on his young face for several seconds.

The professional smile on her face became somewhat subtle, seemingly carrying a trace of imperceptible... sympathy?

This boy looked no older than seventeen or eighteen... and he already needed this stuff?

Or did he have... some unusual preference?

"Ahem... sir, are you sure you want Whale Rubber?"

The female clerk tried her best to maintain her professionalism, but the doubt in her voice still slipped through.

"Our auction house does have it, but the quality and age vary, and so do the prices..."

"I'll take everything over a thousand years old." Xiao Yin interrupted her, his tone leaving no room for doubt.

Naturally, the more Whale Rubber he had, the better.

The female clerk was stunned by Xiao Yin's crisp and decisive attitude, then hurriedly said:

"Certainly, sir. Please wait a moment. I'll go to the storeroom and bring you a sample list and price list." With that, she turned and quickly headed toward the storeroom passage behind her.

The instant the female clerk left, a young voice full of obvious superiority and mockery came from nearby:

"Oh? Whale Rubber? I couldn't tell. You're so young, yet your body's already that weak? Don't tell me... you played around too much outside and spent all your capital?"

Xiao Yin frowned slightly and glanced to the side.

Two richly dressed youths stood not far away.

The speaking youth looked around sixteen or seventeen. He was tall and slender, with long black hair, arrogant eyes, and an undisguised sneer on his lips.

Beside him stood a girl of roughly the same age, with a slim waist and long legs. Her short dark-purple hair framed a pretty face that carried a cold, bewitching aura.

Especially her green eyes, which watched Xiao Yin with the keen interest of a venomous snake. A teasing smile rested on her lips.

They were none other than Yu Tianheng, young master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, and Dugu Yan, granddaughter of Poison Douluo Dugu Bo!

Yu Tianheng had clearly heard the conversation between Xiao Yin and the clerk.

As the young master of one of the Upper Three Sects, he saw Xiao Yin's ordinary clothes and heard him ask for such an indecent item. Mockery naturally rose within him.

In his eyes, people from the lower class were simply unworthy of appearing in a place like this!

Xiao Yin's gaze turned cold.

He did not want trouble, but if trouble came looking for him, he would not back down.

"Want to find out whether I'm weak or not?"

Xiao Yin's voice was calm and flat. He did not even look at Yu Tianheng, keeping his gaze on the counter as though speaking to himself.

Yet the provocation in his words was unmistakable.

The mockery on Yu Tianheng's face instantly froze, then turned into offended fury!

A brat who looked like a commoner actually dared speak to him like that?!

"Insolent!"

Yu Tianheng let out a low shout and stepped forward. The aura of a level 29 Soul Grandmaster instantly erupted, pressing down on Xiao Yin!

"What are you supposed to be? Believe it or not, I'll make you crawl out of here?"

Buzz!