First Immortal of the Sword

The bidding began shortly after, but few people participated.

When Su Yi offered three thousand immortal jades, his last two competitors gave up.

But just as Su Yi was about to claim the jade slip, a hearty voice rang out, “I bid ten thousand immortal jades!”

The crowd was instantly flabbergasted. It was just a jade slip, not really a treasure at all. It was already surprising that someone had bid three thousand immortal jades for it. Who’d have thought someone would increase the price all the way to ten thousand immortal jades!?

Su Yi’s brow furrowed. He recognized that hearty voice. It belonged to the man in dark military robes, the suspected divine son!

Meanwhile, in another private room, a woman in hemp clothing was stunned. She recognized the owner of that voice too.

Qin Jianshu, another expert from the God Domain!

She recognized Su Yi’s voice too.

It all seemed rather strange. Just yesterday, Qin Jianshu’s elderly attendant had set her sights on Su Yi.

“Young Leader, why are you suddenly interested in that jade slip?” asked the elderly woman.

“Didn’t you say that guy was Divine Daughter Xi Ning’s subordinate?” Qin Jianshu laughed coldly. “I don’t know what kind of treasure the Fuyou Boat is, but if Xi Ning wants it, it must be extraordinary!”

“But the jade slip merely records where it was last spotted,” said the old woman. “Even if we pay a heavy price to acquire it, I’m afraid it’ll be gone by the time we get there.”

Qin Jianshu said calmly, “So what? It’s not like I’m short on funds! Even if it’s useless, I’ll be happy to have snatched a treasure out of Xi Ning’s hands.”

“...” The old woman understood. He doesn’t care about the jade slip at all! He’s just interested in competing with Divine Daughter Xi Ning!

“Ten thousand, one hundred immortal jades!”

Su Yi’s voice rang out.

It was just one light, airy sentence, but many of the other attendees had strange looks on their faces.

One of them immediately raised the price to ten thousand immortal jades, but the other just raised the price by one hundred jades. It might have seemed stingy, but in truth, wasn’t this a form of provocation? And a counterattack of sorts?

In truth, it was just as people thought. When Su Yi realized that the other bidder was the man in military robes, he knew he was being targeted!

If not for the rule that every bid had a minimum increment of one hundred jades, he would have taken his time to play with his opponent and increased his bid by a single jade instead.

“Hah! You still haven’t given up?” Qin Jianshu laughed, then bid again. “One hundred thousand immortal jades!”

The crowd was in uproar. Even the auctioneer was unwittingly stunned!

The jade slip was in no way worth such a high price!

But it was obvious to everyone that the bidders were both dead set on acquiring it!

Indeed, just as they thought, Su Yi was already making his next bid. “One hundred thousand, one hundred immortal jades!”

Qin Jianshu snickered, then kept up the bidding. “Two hundred thousand immortal jades!”

It was just as he said. He had no shortage of money. He just wanted to compete with Divine Daughter Xi Ning.

Su Yi didn’t let up. “Two hundred thousand, one hundred.”

“Three hundred thousand.”

“Three hundred thousand, one hundred.”

“Five hundred thousand!”

“Five hundred thousand, one hundred.”

…As the price rose to increasingly shocking heights, the entire auction hall shook. Countless people were in uproar.

“Just what kind of treasure is the Fuyou Boat? That slip merely records where it was last spotted. How could that possibly be worth such an astronomical price?”

“I don’t know, but I'm sure it’s extraordinary!”

“Hurry up and search for leads regarding the Fuyou Boat!”

…Numerous prominent attendees could no longer remain seated. All of them realized that the Fuyou Boat wasn’t simple. If it were, how could the bidding have reached such unreasonable heights?

The woman in hemp, Xi Ning, was no longer certain whether Qin Jianshu was really just targeting that young man or whether he was dead-set on acquiring leads to the Fuyou Boat.

“Young Leader, could the Fuyou Boat be one of the Nine Mysteries of Chaos?” exclaimed her attendant.

Xi Ning shook her head. “I don’t know.”

As they conversed, Qin Jianshu increased his bid to one million immortal jades!

His elderly attendant’s heart shook, and she couldn’t help but warn him, “Young Leader, although we aren’t short on funds, if we keep bidding like this, it’ll affect our ability to compete for the relics of the Dragon Palace.”

Qin Jianshu froze, stunned. She’s right! I was so fixated on competing with Xi Ning that I forgot that the true prizes have yet to appear!

Furthermore, there were to be multiple relics of the Dragon Palace up for grabs. A fierce bidding war was inevitable.

Throwing so much money away to acquire a mere jade slip would be decidedly unwise.

“Forget it. I won’t bid any further. If he really wants it, he can have it.” Qin Jianshu couldn’t help but chuckle. “Making that woman Xi Ning waste an enormous amount of money is pretty good too.”

The old woman smiled. “Indeed.”

But this time, Su Yi didn’t increase his bid.

What? He’s giving up? Now of all times!? Qin Jianshu and the old woman’s smiles froze in place.

When the auctioneer announced their victory, they felt as if they’d been punched in the chest. It was so stifling that they almost coughed up blood.

Qin Jianshu slammed the table and said icily, “Xi Ning, did you trick me on purpose?”

His voice spread throughout the auction house. The crowd was unwittingly thrown into uproar.

Even Su Yi was stunned. Who's that? And what did this auction have to do with anyone else?

He’d only given up on the jade slip because he didn’t have enough money. He had no other choice!

Now, it seemed there were secrets behind this little bidding war of theirs!

“Qin Jianshu, what are you talking about?” A clear, melodious voice rang out, but it was tinged with displeasure. “Weren’t you dead set on acquiring that jade slip? So why are you so angry now that you’ve won it?”

Xi Ning didn’t understand either. Was Qin Jianshu born in the year of the dog or something? He’s the one who placed such a high bid on the jade slip. Why is he blaming me for it? It’s completely inexplicable.

“Then do you dare admit that the one bidding against me was one of your servants?” Qin Jianshu snorted.

“....”

“....”

Su Yi and Xi Ning were in separate private rooms, but even without discussion, they both understood.

So, that woman in hemp is called Xi Ning… and that guy mistook me for one of her attendants… Su Yi had a strange look in his eyes. No wonder that guy was so dead-set on opposing me. So, he was actually targeting that Xi Ning woman all along!

Xi Ning’s brow furrowed. She’d figured out Qin Jianshu’s reasoning too, and she couldn’t help but find it funny. Earlier, Qin Jianshu made such high bids because he thought he was competing with me!

The tall, majestic man beside her laughed so hard that his sides hurt. Qin Jianshu thinks far too highly of himself, and he jumped to conclusions, only to make a fool out of himself. He fell for his own trap!

“Why aren’t you saying anything? Do you have a guilty conscience?” snapped Qin Jianshu.

He’d only just thought he could stop bidding here and trick Xi Ning. He would never have thought that he’d really tricked himself instead!

Xi Ning’s faint smile faded. “I have no interest in playing such petty tricks on you. You’ve jumped to conclusions.”

She didn’t explain. Qin Jianshu had tried to target her, but in a strange turn of events, that young man had tricked him instead.

Xi Ning naturally wouldn’t deny her involvement. If she did, given Qin Jianshu’s temperament, he was sure to get even with that young man after the auction.

Better to let him misunderstand. At the very least, with her here to be angry at, Qin Jianshu was unlikely to go after that young man.

“I’ve jumped to conclusions? Hmph!” Qin Jianshu laughed coldly and said no more. Although he was angry, he wouldn’t let it go to his head.

Inwardly, he gnashed his teeth. Xi Ning, I’ll remember this grudge!

He didn’t care about the million immortal jades. He was much more concerned about how she’d tricked him!

That Xi Ning woman is actually quite impressive, thought Su Yi.

He thought back to their past meetings. The first time they met, he acquired three catties of Nine Abyss Divine Spring Water.

She had, in a sense, done him a favor. There was no need for him to offer him her treasure.

The second time they met, she noticed the divine sense tracking him and kindly issued a warning. Anyone else likely would have just ignored it.

These might have been casual favors that required little effort, but no matter what, Su Yi owed her.

Now, in the face of the enraged Qin Jianshu, Xi Ning didn’t argue or explain. This would prevent Qin Jianshu from nursing a grudge against Su Yi.

Su Yi couldn’t help but feel positively inclined to Xi Ning after all this. Her character and conduct were truly excellent, and she was responsible, magnanimous, and brave. It was truly impressive.

But Su Yi wouldn’t let Qin Jianshu off so easily!

His elderly servant had tailed him in secret earlier. That aside, he’d used brute force to seize that jade slip recording the Fuyou Boat’s whereabouts!

Su Yi naturally had to hold Qin Jianshu accountable.

This little interlude passed quickly, and the auction went on. Finally, it was time for the grand finale.

All eyes were focused on the auctioneer.

There were three sealed bronze boxes placed on the tabletop, each containing a treasure of the Dragon Palace!

“The first relic of the Dragon Palace is a set of battle clothes. According to our appraisers, it’s a Great Unity Stage treasure from the Primeval Era. I humbly request your forgiveness, but I’m afraid I cannot divulge its wondrous applications.”

The auctioneer didn’t keep them in suspense for long. “Although the battle clothes are damaged, their overall quality and power are top-notch by the standards of the present day. No, they’re unparalleled! This is for the simple reason that the materials used to craft these clothes have long since disappeared from this world…

Before he could finish, the auction house completely boiled over. Countless gazes heated up.

Great Unity Stage battle clothes!

A treasure of the Great Realm! That alone was enough to make them an unparalleled, precious treasure!

Even Su Yi couldn’t help but arch his eyebrows.

He wasn’t surprised by the battle clothes’ quality. Rather, he was stunned that the Giant Whale Spirit Race would put such a treasure up for auction.

That was obviously out of the ordinary!