Who Do You Think You Are, Putting on an Act with Me?

Buzz!

An imperceptible yet vicious pressure flashed from Xiao Yin's body, like a sleeping beast opening its eyes by a sliver!

It was not directed at everyone, but slammed precisely and viciously onto Yu Tianheng!

"Urgh!"

Yu Tianheng let out a muffled groan, his face instantly turning pale!

A fear originating from deep within his bloodline swept through his entire body in an instant!

The momentum he had just gathered collapsed like a punctured balloon!

His body swayed uncontrollably as he took half a step back, his eyes filled with incredulous horror as he looked at Xiao Yin!

How was that possible?!

Just a fleeting burst of aura?!

Who was he?!

"Tianheng?"

Dugu Yan sharply noticed Yu Tianheng's abnormality and momentary loss of composure, her green eyes narrowing at once!

Among their peers, there were very few people who could make Yu Tianheng suffer with a single look!

And that vicious aura that had flashed across Xiao Yin's body made even her feel somewhat wary... interesting!

"My friend, what formidable presence."

Dugu Yan stepped forward, her voice carrying a languid yet magnetic Charm as her green eyes fixed tightly on Xiao Yin.

"May I ask your name? Just now... there seemed to have been a slight misunderstanding?" Though she spoke of a misunderstanding, her gaze was like that of a venomous snake studying its prey.

Xiao Yin was just about to speak when an uncertain young girl's voice suddenly came from nearby.

"Xiao... Brother Xiao Yin?"

Everyone followed the voice and saw a girl in a simple moon-white dress standing a few steps away. It was Ye Lingling!

She had originally come to the auction house with an elder from her family to inspect a batch of medicinal herbs. As soon as she reached the first floor, she sensed a familiar yet somewhat different aura.

When she saw the tall figure surrounded by Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan, although his temperament had become much more mature and his body taller and sturdier, the contours of his profile and those deep eyes...

She recognized him instantly!

"Lingling?" Xiao Yin was also somewhat surprised. He had not expected to meet her here.

Ye Lingling hurried over, obvious delight appearing on her cool, composed face. She first glanced at Yu Tianheng, whose expression was ugly, and Dugu Yan, whose eyes held amusement, before nodding at Xiao Yin.

"It's me, Brother Xiao Yin. You... have changed so much. I almost didn't recognize you." Her eyes were full of joy.

Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan's expressions both changed slightly when they saw Ye Lingling!

Though Ye Lingling was cool and low-key by nature, everyone in Heaven Dou City's upper circles knew that she was the inheritor of the Nine-Heart Begonia martial soul!

Moreover, they had heard that the academy was recently forming a team for them, and Ye Lingling was the first choice for support!

She actually knew this brat? And even called him brother?

Yu Tianheng barely suppressed the shock and humiliation in his heart, giving Ye Lingling a slight nod in greeting, though it was clearly unnatural.

Dugu Yan's eyes lit up instead, and her smile grew even more bewitching.

"Oh, isn't this little sister Lingling? What, this... Brother Xiao Yin is your friend?" Her gaze moved back and forth between Xiao Yin and Ye Lingling, filled with scrutiny.

Ye Lingling ignored the teasing in Dugu Yan's words. Looking at Xiao Yin, she softly asked, "Brother Xiao Yin, were you... planning to buy Whale Rubber?"

"Yes." Xiao Yin nodded. "The older, the better."

Hearing this, a look of realization appeared on Ye Lingling's cool face, and she said, "As for Whale Rubber... the auction house might not have top-grade stock on hand.

"However, I remember that our family's storehouse seems to have several pieces of Deep Sea Demon Whale Rubber that are quite old. If you need them, I can speak to Mother when I return. She should be able to give them to you."

The family's collection? Quite old? Deep Sea Demon Whale Rubber?!

Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan were stunned once more!

The Ye Clan's collection?! Those would definitely be top-grade goods!

What had this brat done to deserve Ye Lingling voluntarily offering to use her family's treasures?!

Xiao Yin was also somewhat surprised. Just when there seemed to be no way forward, Ye Lingling had unexpectedly provided a lead.

He had not planned to trouble the Ye Clan, but where his own cultivation was concerned, Xiao Yin felt that a little trouble was better!

Just as he was about to thank her, Dugu Yan let out a coquettish laugh and cut in.

"Oh my, little sister Lingling is so generous. But..." She looked at Xiao Yin with a hint of provocation, her red lips parting slightly.

"My friend, big sister here is rather interested in you too. As for Whale Rubber, our family might have even better stock... would you like to have a chat with big sister?

"Big sister might... be able to 'help' you even more?"

Her voice carried a unique Charm. She was very interested in this youth, who looked younger than Yu Tianheng yet possessed unfathomable strength.

Yu Tianheng's expression grew even uglier, but he did not dare vent his anger on Dugu Yan.

Ye Lingling's delicate brows furrowed slightly, and her gaze toward Dugu Yan carried a cool warning.

Xiao Yin looked at the subtle scene before him—Yu Tianheng with his livid face, Dugu Yan's alluring seductiveness, and Ye Lingling coolly defending him.

The corner of his lips curved into an amused smile as he warmly smiled at Ye Lingling. "Then thank you, Lingling."

Then, ignoring Dugu Yan's suggestive invitation, he turned his gaze back to the beautiful clerk, who had just returned and was staring at the scene before her in astonishment, and softly asked,

"How many portions are there in total?"

"Ah? Ah! Sir, we currently have five portions of Whale Rubber over a thousand years old in our storehouse: three that are one thousand years old, one that is three thousand years old, and one that is five thousand years old.

"Do you require all of them?" Clearly, the beautiful clerk's tone had become more restrained.

"I'll take them all." Xiao Yin was somewhat disappointed. Even in the largest trading house in Heaven Dou City, Whale Rubber over a thousand years old was this scarce.

"Very well, sir. The total comes to one thousand Gold Soul Coins... how would you like to pay?" The beautiful clerk's voice carried restraint and a trace of incredulous excitement.

That was no small commission!

However, before Xiao Yin could speak, Yu Tianheng, who had been suppressing his humiliation and anger at the side, seemed to have finally found an outlet. An undisguised sneer instantly appeared on his face.

"Hah! You'll take them all? You certainly talk big!" Yu Tianheng scoffed, deliberately raising his voice and drawing the attention of several nearby customers.

"One thousand Gold Soul Coins? Brat, do you know what that means? You? Don't tell me you're trying to put on a show and expecting Lingling to pay for you?"

He aimed directly at Xiao Yin's shabby clothing, intending to recover the face he had lost through wealth.

"Yu Tianheng!"

For the first time, obvious anger appeared on Ye Lingling's cool face, her voice icy. "Brother Xiao Yin is my friend! It is not your place to question his affairs!"

She stepped forward and directly told the clerk, "Put these five portions of Whale Rubber on the Ye Clan's account. I'll have someone come settle it later."

The moment she said that, low gasps immediately rose from the crowd.

Put it on the Ye Clan's account! That was equivalent to the Ye Clan directly vouching for Xiao Yin!

Their relationship was clearly far more than that of ordinary friends!

Yu Tianheng's face instantly became incomparably ugly. Ye Lingling's actions were no different from publicly slapping him hard across the face!

"Lingling!" Yu Tianheng was shocked and furious, still wanting to say something.

"No need, Lingling." Xiao Yin finally spoke. His voice remained calm, yet carried an unquestionable force.

He lightly pressed Ye Lingling's arm, signaling that she did not need to do this.

Under everyone's astonished gazes, Xiao Yin's thoughts stirred as he connected to the system.

"System, exchange for one thousand Gold Soul Coins."

[Ding! Consumed 10 Wish Value. Successfully exchanged for 1000 Gold Soul Coins. Current Wish Value: 1354.]

A heavy leather money pouch appeared out of thin air in Xiao Yin's hand.

Without even looking at it, he casually tossed the pouch onto the counter with a smack, as though it were nothing at all.

That dull impact seemed to strike everyone directly in the chest.

"Count it."

Xiao Yin said to the stunned beautiful clerk, his tone as flat as if he had merely tossed out a bag of copper coins.

The beautiful clerk snapped out of her daze and hurriedly picked up the pouch. Its heavy weight made her hands tremble.

She carefully untied the mouth of the pouch. It was packed full of Gold Soul Coins, nearly overflowing!

The way she looked at Xiao Yin instantly filled with reverence!

In a trading house, money made the man!

The mockery on Yu Tianheng's face froze completely, as though someone had viciously slapped him across the face. It burned with pain!

He had just mocked the other man for being poor, yet the other had casually produced one thousand Gold Soul Coins!

The slap had come fast and hard!

Only then did Xiao Yin slowly turn his head, his gaze falling directly on Yu Tianheng's face, which alternated between green and white.

That gaze was calm, like a giant dragon looking down upon an ant beneath its feet.

You little punk, trying to act tough with me? Who the hell do you think you are!