The Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife

Auctioneer Qingya smiled. "Our first lot is a Level 3 offensive Soul Tool, a fairly common Soul Guidance Ray. This Level 3 Soul Guidance Ray can be attached to the right arm for use, and was made by a Level Six Soul Engineer."

"The Soul Guidance Ray carries a paralysis effect, so its true name should be the Soul-Paralysis Ray. Anyone struck by it with a cultivation below Soul King will be affected. The degree of the effect depends on the Soul Master's own cultivation."

"This Soul-Paralysis Ray has low requirements for its user, yet is very practical. It's a rare gem among Level 3 Soul Tools. Bidding starts at one thousand Gold Soul Coins, with a minimum increment of fifty. Let the auction begin."

As soon as Qingya finished speaking, someone raised a paddle. "One thousand three hundred Gold Soul Coins."

"A Level 3 Soul-Paralysis Ray? Something like that can appear at the Starlight Auction House?"

Xiao Hongchen couldn't help making a snide remark.

"You can't put it that way. Today's a Level 4 auction, and they're only selling Soul Tools up to Level 6."

Jing Hongchen had looked into the auction's rules beforehand and explained.

After that, more Soul Tools below Level 7 went up for auction. Xiao Hongchen was bored stiff; he could make most of them himself.

"Honored guests, our mysterious gift is about to make its appearance. It's also the final lot of the evening. Its price is very high, but I believe that anyone who truly understands it will consider it worth every coin. Now, please welcome our attendants as they bring this mysterious gift to the stage."

The cart slowly rolled onto the stage from one side. Unlike the previous lots, this time the cart was larger, and the cloth covering it had been replaced with a vivid, dazzling red.

Soon, it had been pushed to the center of the stage, beside auctioneer Qingya.

Is the big one finally here? At last, tonight's main event.

The instant the cloth was lifted, everyone's eyes were drawn to it as if by a single thread.

The lot itself was very small, about half a foot long and only as thick as a finger. It was plain, dark, and ancient, with faintly etched patterns and a subtle, archaic air. Yet there was something gloomy about it.

Wasn't this the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife Xiao Hongchen had been longing for?

He didn't even listen to the rest of Qingya's introduction.

Xiao Hongchen's consciousness had already sunk into his Sea of Consciousness, a silver-white world calm as a mirror.

His gaze settled on the depths. The gray orb of light floated in place, gently rising and falling. Xiao Hongchen watched it for a long while, but there was no sign it would wake.

Strange. Could Electrolux not sense that carving knife?

Xiao Hongchen lingered in his Sea of Consciousness for a moment, then withdrew.

His consciousness returned.

Qingya's introduction was drawing to a close.

"...The bidding for this Spirit-Devouring Cursed Blade starts at two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, with a minimum increment of five thousand. You may begin bidding." Her expression was smiling, and her voice was gentle, but she wasn't excited at all.

With nearly ten years of experience as an auctioneer, she could tell from the audience's reaction: silence, murmurs, not a single paddle raised. This Spirit-Devouring Cursed Blade would probably go unsold yet again.

"Two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins."

Qingya followed the voice with her eyes. It came from the second floor, from the golden private room. Behind its one-way glass, no faces could be seen. She heard only a young man's voice, tinged with nonchalance.

It was Xiao Hongchen who had bid. Though he was puzzled that the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife cost twice what he remembered, he still placed his bid at once.

The entire hall fell silent for several breaths. No one raised the price. Two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins for a cursed carving knife? Those present either thought it wasn't worth it or considered it an ill omen.

After waiting a moment, Qingya raised her auction hammer.

"Two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, once."

"Two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, twice."

"Two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, three times. Sold!"

The hammer fell. Qingya kept her professional smile. After all, a one-percent commission meant two thousand Gold Soul Coins! Even if she spent it freely, it would last her years.

Inside the private room.

"Brother, why did you buy a cursed blade? Aren't you afraid of its curse?" Meng Hongchen leaned closer.

"I have a use for it."

Meng Hongchen waited several breaths. When he showed no sign of explaining, she pouted and turned to Ye Guyi. "Sister Ye, do you know what he's planning?"

Ye Guyi fell silent for a moment.

"...I don't know."

But she glanced at Xiao Hongchen, then quickly looked away. She was clever; it didn't take long for her to connect this to the time Xiao Hongchen had sought her out a week ago. Could he be hoping to use my Holy Angel to dispel the curse on that blade?

"Let's go," Jing Hongchen said from the front.

He had just retrieved the cursed blade from the auction house.

The four of them left the auction house. Not a word was spoken along the way.

Back at the hotel, Meng Hongchen, who was usually so boisterous, retired to her room unusually early.

Jing Hongchen handed Xiao Hongchen a small box, sealed tight.

"Tell me before you begin." That was all Jing Hongchen said before turning to leave.

The spacious corridor was left with only Xiao Hongchen and Ye Guyi.

An awkward air quickly settled over them.

"It's not what you think."

He didn't know why he had said it. He hadn't sought Ye Guyi out with the intention of using her, but if he had to put it that way, then he supposed he had. He truly had no idea what to say.

Seeing Xiao Hongchen's flustered expression, Ye Guyi actually smiled.

Xiao Hongchen froze. "...Why are you laughing?"

He had imagined her wariness, her questions, even her turning and walking away.

But he hadn't imagined she would smile—and he certainly hadn't expected that her smile would make his heart skip a beat.

He's willing to explain himself to me. Doesn't that prove he cares what I think of him? He must have feelings for me!

At the thought, Ye Guyi's cheeks warmed slightly, and the last trace of resentment in her heart vanished without a trace.

"I understand," she said.

Xiao Hongchen looked at her. He didn't know whether he should ask, "What do you understand?"

But Ye Guyi didn't seem angry with him, so he just stood there blankly, watching her enter her room.

"...Get some rest," Xiao Hongchen managed at last.

His voice was as dry as sandpaper scraping across wood.

Ye Guyi's eyelashes fluttered. "...Mm."

The door closed softly.

"Ahhhhh!"

Xiao Hongchen buried his face in his pillow and let out a muffled battle cry. Recalling his performance just now made him cringe with embarrassment.

He twisted around on the bed like a snake, his toes practically carving out a three-bedroom apartment.

He could faintly hear Meng Hongchen laughing in the next room. Just how loudly was she laughing? This was the Star Emperor Hotel...

Ten minutes later, Xiao Hongchen had finally recovered enough to contact Jing Hongchen through his Communication Soul Device.

"Grandpa."

Jing Hongchen's voice came through the communicator. "Are you ready?"

"Mm. I thought I should let you know before I begin." Xiao Hongchen paused. "I'm planning to open the Sealing Box now."

There was a moment of silence on the other end. "I'll be right over."

Jing Hongchen soon arrived in Xiao Hongchen's room.

He took four fist-sized metal spheres from his Storage Soul Tool and placed them at the four corners of the table.

A faint golden membrane rose from the four corners, enclosing the entire tabletop. The Level 7 Isolation Array could block Soul Power fluctuations, sound, and most of the energy released by curses.

Jing Hongchen opened the Sealing Box, revealing the Spirit-Devouring Cursed Blade inside.