The auction at the Tower of Pride concluded with a finality that left the hall buzzing with the echoes of the night's absurd events.
Mu Chen received Purple Orchid Wine. However, as soon as it reached Mu Chen's hands, it was promptly claimed by Shen Xi. Even Nibi, the golden cat perched on his shoulder, let out an insistent meow, tapping the bottle with a paw.
She seemed to be signaling that the mental exhaustion she had suffered from coming up with the plan to humiliate Tianxuan deserved a liquid reward of the highest caliber.
As they wove through the corridors of the grand tower, Yun Er could no longer suppress her burning curiosity. Her peach-blossom eyes darted between Mu Chen and Xiao Li as she leaned in, her voice hushed but eager for gossip.
"I still don't quite understand," Yun Er began, looking at Mu Chen's indifferent profile. "Why exactly would Tianxuan target you guys with such venom? Was it really just because of the guards at the gate losing face, or did you do something even bigger to provoke the City Lord's Mansion?"
Xiao Li, walking with a skip in her step, let out a light giggle. "It's likely not just about the guards. It's almost certainly related to Ling Xi. Didn't you say yourself that Tianxuan has become his loyal lackey lately?"
Yun Er's brow furrowed in genuine puzzlement. She tilted her head, her long dark hair cascading over her shoulder. "But how does Ling Xi fit into this puzzle? He's the pride of the Ling family, sure, but what does he have against a group that just arrived in the city?"
"It's like this..." Xiao Li started, her expression turning mischievous.
She began to recount the events that had transpired before they reached the Great Xia Imperial City, detailing the total collapse of the Ling family's Soul Tempering Pagoda and the theft of their most precious soul crystal.
Yun Er listened with her mouth slightly agape, her eyes widening as the full picture of the Ling family's humiliation came into focus.
"So, you guys were the ones who took care of the Ling family's case?" Yun Er said, letting out a long, regretful sigh once the story was finished.
She slapped her hands together in frustration. "What a crying shame! I wasn't there at the time to see it. If I had known, I would have made sure to participate too. Missing an event that exciting feels like losing hundreds of thousands of spiritual stones!"
Xiao Li laughed at her friend's reaction. "Hehehe, Sister Yun Er, it really was a lot of fun. You should have seen their faces! I spent half the time just cursing those old fellows while they fumed with rage, unable to do a single thing because Sister Shen Xi was handling them so easily."
Yun Er turned her gaze toward Shen Xi, her smile turning both charming and slightly predatory. "I never imagined Sister Shen Xi would be so incredibly strong. It looks like the list of genius prodigies for this generation is going to need a serious rewrite."
Her eyes, sparkling like those of a little vixen, lingered on Shen Xi with newfound respect.
...
The group made their way to the Tower of Pride's restaurant, a sprawling hall of polished stone and candlelight that smelled of rare spiritual ingredients and old money.
"Order whatever you want, don't be shy at all," Yun Er announced, her voice filled with a sudden, grand generosity as they were shown to their table. She patted her storage pouch with a flourish. "Today, I, Young Miss Yun Er, will be the one to pay the bill."
Mu Chen looked down at Nibi, who was already sitting on the table, her golden eyes fixed on the ornate menu. A subtle look passed between the boy and the cat—a shadow of a smile that wasn't quite a smile, but something far more dangerous for Yun Er's wallet.
Shen Xi caught the exchange and couldn't help but sigh. She looked at the unsuspecting princess. "Yun Er, are you sure about this? You might end up regretting that offer."
Yun Er huffed, leaning back in her chair and crossing her arms. "Shen Xi, why would you say that? Don't tell me you honestly think I can't afford to pay for a single meal? My Yun family isn't that poor!"
Shen Xi simply shook her head, a trace of pity in her eyes. "You will soon find out."
Mu Chen picked up the menu, but it was Nibi who did the real work. The cat focused on the text with a professional intensity, her paw darting out to tap on specific, high-priced items. Mu Chen read them aloud as the waiter stood by with a trembling brush.
"Steamed Thunder Tiger Head," Mu Chen started.
"Iron Bone Wolf, grilled over aged charcoal."
"Golden Unicorn Goat, sautéed with sun-kissed spiritual herbs."
The list continued. Mu Chen and Nibi ordered seven or eight dishes in total, each one a masterpiece of spiritual culinary arts. These were not mere meals; they were crafted from high-quality ingredients harvested from rare beasts, each plate costing tens of thousands of spiritual stones.
By the time they finished, the total for the dinner was rapidly approaching the staggering sum of one million cost.
Yun Er watched the orders pile up. Her generous smile wavered, becoming a bit strained. "Hey, I told you not to be shy, but the truth is you're not being shy at all," she said, her voice dropping an octave as she stared at the rising bill.
"Didn't you say I could ask for whatever I wanted?" Mu Chen asked, his face a mask of perfect, innocent puzzlement.
The sight of his confusion made Yun Er grit her teeth in sheer frustration. She felt like she had walked into a trap, but since she had made the offer so publicly and with such pride, she couldn't take it back now without embarrassing herself in front of everyone.
"Hmph..." After taking a deep breath to stabilize her racing heart, Yun Er forced another small smile. "As long as you enjoy your meal, that is all that matters."
The sight made Shen Xi and Xiao Li burst into laughter. Shen Xi leaned over, a teasing glint in her eyes. "Didn't I tell you?"
Soon, the spiritual feast was served. Everyone ate with great gusto, finding the food to be worth every bit of its exorbitant price. The flavors were profound, and the portions were generous enough to satisfy even Nibi's bottomless appetite.
Yun Er, however, chewed her food with a thoughtful expression. She made a mental note that even if she decided to invite them out again, she would never bring them to the Tower of Pride's restaurant.
Everything here was far too expensive; if every meal cost her a million spiritual stones, her personal reserves would be drained dry before the ancient ruins even opened.
...
Late that night, within their suite, Mu Chen and Shen Xi sat by a low table, finally uncorking the Purple Orchid Wine. The fragrance of flowers and aged nectar filled the room.
On the large bed nearby, Nibi was sprawled out on her back like a feline queen, her stomach rounded from the night's feast. She was sleeping soundly, her snores a rhythmic accompaniment to the quiet of the room.
Mu Chen took a slow sip of the violet nectar, letting the spiritual energy wash over his palate.
"Decent," he commented, though his tone was far from impressed. "But it isn't better than the Dreamwake wine I once brewed."
Shen Xi swirled her own glass, watching the liquid catch the moonlight. "You brewed that batch with spiritual herbs that had matured for thousands of years. It wouldn't be easy to find another wine of that quality anywhere in this domain."
"That's true," Mu Chen conceded, leaning back against the cushions.
"Are you two having a secret date?"
The gossipy voice of Yun Er suddenly rang out from the doorway. Mu Chen hadn't bothered to close the door, and the princess had quietly let herself in. She pulled out an empty chair and sat down, resting her chin on both hands as she watched them with an intense, playful interest.
"We're just enjoying our time," Shen Xi replied, her voice calm and unaffected by the intrusion.
"Oh, is that so? Do you want to chat for a bit?" Yun Er asked, her beautiful peach-coloured eyes blinking as she flashed a charming, vixen-like smile.
"It's time to sleep. I'll go first," Mu Chen said abruptly. Before Yun Er could respond, he had already moved to the bed.
It was a mystery to everyone how Nibi managed to sense it while deep in sleep, but the second Mu Chen's weight hit the mattress, the cat jumped onto his chest. She let out a single, sleepy meow and then immediately curled back into a ball to resume her nap.
Seeing Mu Chen settle in, Shen Xi also stood up. She offered Yun Er a small, apologetic smile before heading to her own bed and closing her eyes.
Yun Er was left sitting at the table alone, her eyes blinking in utter, stunned puzzlement. It took a few moments for the reality of the situation to sink in. When it did, her face instantly flared with a heated anger.
To think that she, a princess of the Yun family and a legendary beauty, had been dismissed so casually! They had simply run away to sleep as if she weren't even in the room. It was an intolerable insult to her charms.
"Pff! Sister Yun Er, I'm so sorry, it really wasn't my intention to laugh!"
Xiao Li burst out laughing from the hallway; she had been watching the whole scene unfold from the shadows.
"You! Xiao Li! Just wait until Sister teaches you a proper lesson!" Yun Er shouted, clenching her small fists. Since she couldn't vent her frustration on the sleeping Mu Chen, she decided she would have to kill her boredom by chasing the little princess.
"I won't tell a single soul! I'm leaving right now!" Before Yun Er could reach her, Xiao Li sprinted back to her own room, slamming the door and locking the windows with a resounding thud.
Yun Er stood in the quiet hallway, feeling completely exhausted. She, the "little demoness", had suffered so many losses in a single day at the hands of this group. However, rather than discouraging her, it only further fuelled her fighting spirit. She had to get her revenge, or at least a proper reaction, eventually. To leave things like this would be far too humiliating.
...
The peace of the night did not last long. Shortly after the manor had fallen silent, the sky above the Great Xia Imperial City was suddenly torn asunder. Six brilliant beams of light, charged with an indescribable, bone-crushing pressure, descended from the heavens.
The inhabitants of the city felt the shift instantly. A powerful, ancient aura filled the space between heaven and earth, a weight of existence that normal people could not possibly hope to cope with. Throughout the various inns and pavilions, the gathered prodigies looked toward the sky, their faces pale with awe.
"Experts of the Soul Infusion realm... they are truly powerful," many muttered to themselves.
The time for games and gossip had ended. The opening of the ancient ruins was finally at hand, and the envoys of the Super Sects had arrived.