Chapter 19

Chapter 19: The Mysterious Stone Sphere (Part One)
Long Haochen’s brows furrowed slightly. Ignoring the long-haired young man, he turned to Li Xin and Lin Jialu, saying, “Sisters, let’s go.”
“Hey, hey, don’t leave! I really want to buy it. How about two thousand gold coins?” the young man exclaimed hastily, setting aside his self-pity.
Hearing this figure, Long Haochen couldn’t help but halt his steps. To claim he felt no temptation would be false; two thousand gold coins far exceeded the starting bid. Such a price might not even be reached at an auction.
The middle-aged man at the auction house grew somewhat impatient and said sternly to the long-haired youth, “Do not disrupt order here. Leave immediately.”
The long-haired young man curled his lips, pulled a black card from his robe, and handed it over. “Big brother, you must be new here. You don’t even recognize the Great Master.”
The middle-aged man, who had been utterly impatient just moments before, froze instantly upon seeing the black card. Carefully taking the card into his hands, he examined it thoroughly from every angle before respectfully returning it to the long-haired youth.
“Honored guest, you have the right to make an advance bid on any item for sale, provided the seller agrees.”
The long-haired youth smugly retrieved the card, then turned to Long Haochen and said, “How about it, brother? See, I haven’t broken any of the auction house’s rules. Sell it to me. Two thousand gold coins is no small sum, you know. I need certain parts from this Emerald Twin-Blade Demon for medicinal purposes.”
Lin Jialu blurted out in surprise, “You’re a demonic alchemist?”
The long-haired young man’s face darkened. “Who said I’m a demonic alchemist? I’m a mage—an extremely, extremely powerful mage. Making potions is merely my hobby. Let me tell you, this great master is about to participate in the Demon Hunter Squad Selection Tournament. Have you heard of the Demon Hunter Squads? They are the spearhead of our Six Holy Temples.”
Long Haochen seemed not to have heard his words. Pointing at the Emerald Twin-Blade Demon, he said, “Two thousand gold coins; it’s yours.” He had always preferred tranquility and felt little affinity for this talkative and somewhat narcissistic fellow.
“Good, good! Hand over your spirit crystal card, and I’ll transfer the funds.” As he spoke, he waved his left hand; a flash of red light passed, and the Emerald Twin-Blade Demon vanished instantly.
Long Haochen glanced at him in surprise; clearly, the young man before him also possessed a magical item for storage.
“I don’t have a spirit crystal card,” he said, shaking his head.
“Just get one then. You can do it right here, across the way. Come on, I’ll take you there.” The youth pointed toward the counter opposite them. As he spoke, he enthusiastically reached out and slung an arm around Long Haochen’s shoulders.
Long Haochen gave a slight shrug of his shoulders, shaking off the other’s hand.
The long-haired young man didn’t mind, chuckling as he said, “No need to be so formal. Look at us—both so handsome, truly like Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang of our time. We should get closer. My name is Lin Xin; what’s yours?”
“Long Haochen.”
“What a good name, what a good name.” Lin Xin laughed heartily and led Long Haochen across to register for his Magic Crystal Card.
Lin Jialu glanced at Li Xin and asked doubtfully, “Could this guy be a fraud?”
Li Xin whispered in response, “Just keep an eye on him. How could a mage like him possibly escape?”
The middle-aged man behind the counter rolled his eyes and said, “Two young ladies, there is absolutely no need for such concerns. The black card presented by that young master just now is our Holy Alliance Auction House’s highest-tier Black Envoy VIP card. Such cards cannot be purchased; they can only be obtained through gifting. Holders of this card enjoy a ten percent discount on any purchase at our auction house, with the one-tenth difference covered by us. Moreover, they may overdraft up to one hundred thousand gold coins at any Holy Alliance Auction House.”
The two women gasped sharply, their expressions instantly changing. Given their backgrounds, they had never even heard that the Holy Alliance Auction House possessed VIP cards of such caliber.
Obtaining a Magic Crystal Card was far more troublesome than Long Haochen had imagined, and it required a handling fee of one hundred gold coins. How could Long Haochen possibly have that much money! Lin Xin then took out his own Black Envoy Card and waved it; astonishingly, the fee was waived immediately.
A Magic Crystal Card is only half the size of a palm, featuring four embedded gemstones on its surface. To issue one, internal spiritual energy must be infused into it; therefore, only practitioners of tier three or above can obtain such cards. Since everyone’s spiritual energy possesses unique characteristics, using a Magic Crystal Card also requires an infusion of one’s own spiritual energy. Consequently, there is no fear of loss or unauthorized use by others.
Transferring funds is even simpler. In the center of the Magic Crystal Card lies a specific area. Using a small needle-like rod attached to the card, one writes down the desired amount. Then, both parties infuse their spiritual energy, bring the two Magic Crystal Cards into contact, and the transfer is completed successfully.
It took about half the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, and two thousand gold coins were added to Long Haochen’s magic crystal card.
“Done and dusted.” Lin Xin retrieved his spirit crystal card, patted Long Haochen on the shoulder, and said, “You’re here for the auction too, right? What a happy coincidence—let’s go in together. Stick with me, big brother, and you’ll get discounts on your purchases.”
Having received two thousand gold coins, Long Haochen was also in high spirits. He nodded and replied, “Then let’s go together.”
Calling over Li Xin and Lin Jialu, the four of them walked into the auction house together.
Upon entering the Holy Alliance Auction House, Long Haochen was immediately stunned by the scene before him. The interior featured concentric rings of seating; every five rows shared a distinct color. As Lin Jialu had explained, seats of different colors carried different ticket prices, increasing the closer one sat to the center. At the very front and lowest level encircled a row of enclosed private boxes. In the exact center of the auction hall stood a circular platform, clearly designed for displaying items up for auction.
As soon as he entered the auction house, Long Haochen immediately felt a dense surge of magical elements washing over him; clearly, there were numerous magical devices installed here.
“Our tickets are for the back rows,” Long Haochen said to Lin Xin, who was heading forward, after glancing at the numbered tag Li Xin had given him.
Lin Xin stopped in his tracks and said, “It’s fine. I have a private room ahead. Since I’m alone anyway and it’s quite spacious inside, let’s just share it.”
Long Haochen still hesitated, but Lin Jialu gently nudged him from behind, signaling him to agree. Both Li Xin and Lin Jialu were highly curious about this long-haired young man. After all, Alchemists were extremely rare, holding far higher status than Mages. Although this fellow denied being an Alchemist, he had mentioned having an interest in that field and even possessed a Black Envoy Card; befriending someone like him was certainly no bad thing.
“Alright,” Long Haochen finally agreed.
Under Lin Xin’s lead, they followed the stairs diagonally downward until they reached the private room area at the very front. Here, they were greeted by dedicated female attendants. Each of these women was slender and delicately beautiful, dressed in silver gowns.
“Master Lin, you’ve arrived.” Seeing them descend, a waitress hurried over to Lin Xin, smiling as she bowed respectfully. Her eyes openly brimmed with undisguised admiration.
Lin Xin spoke boldly, “Xiao Nuo, these are my friends. Please show us the way.”
“Yes.” As the young woman’s gaze swept across Long Haochen’s face, a hint of surprise flickered in her eyes. Lin Xin’s appearance was already exceptionally handsome among men, yet compared to Long Haochen, he still fell somewhat short. Standing side by side, Lin Xin was instantly overshadowed.
Nevertheless, these young waitress attendants were clearly of high caliber; after meeting their gaze briefly, they led the four along the red-carpeted corridor toward the private rooms.

The Mysterious Stone Sphere (Part Two)
Lin Xin’s private room was number six, boasting an excellent location directly facing the auction stage. The waitress he called Xiao Nuo opened the door and ushered them inside.
The private room spans a hundred square meters, its floor covered with a thick, light brown carpet that feels incredibly soft and comfortable underfoot. The interior is elegantly decorated, with green plants arranged along both sides. In the center stands a large, semi-circular white leather sofa, spacious enough to seat over a dozen people without feeling crowded. Directly ahead is a wide, transparent crystal glass panel, offering a clear view of the auction stage below.
On the coffee table in front of the sofa, an assortment of fresh fruits and delicate desserts is neatly arranged.
Lin Xin said, “Brother Long, and you two lovely ladies, please sit, please sit. Xiao Nuo, bring us two bottles of Sweet Dew Red Devil.”
“Alright, coming right up.” Xiao Nuo gave him a sweet smile, closed the door properly, and walked out.
Lin Xin sat down beside Long Haochen and said, “Brother Long, do you have any other magical beasts to sell? Alive or dead, either works. Magical beasts like the Emerald Twin-Blade Demon are truly hard to find nowadays. You’ve really saved me from an urgent predicament this time.”
Long Haochen shook his head and replied, “I only have this one demonic beast to sell. What can the body of an Emerald Twin-Blade Demon be used for?” He was also very curious about Alchemists.
Lin Xin chuckled and said, “Take a look.” With a flash of red light, a crystal vial appeared in his hand; through its transparent body, three crimson pills could be seen nestled inside.
“These are my Strength Pills. One of the main ingredients is powder ground from the carapace of the Emerald Twin-Blade Demon. Quite a treasure, if I do say so myself.”
Long Haochen paused in surprise. “Strength Pills? What are they for? Can they enhance external spiritual energy?”
Lin Xin shook his head mysteriously. “You’ll find out soon enough. The auction’s starting; let’s watch that first.”
Xiao Nuo entered the private room once again, set down two bottles of red fruit wine, poured a glass for each person, and then quietly withdrew. This was clearly what Lin Xin had referred to as the Sweet Dew Red Devil.
“Try it; this stuff is quite good. It’s a specialty from a small town in the south.” After taking a sip, Lin Xin turned his gaze toward the auction stage outside.
Long Haochen also lifted a glass and took a small sip. Upon first contact with his tongue, there was a slight tartness, but soon, a rich fruity fragrance filled his mouth, even permeating his breath. A warm sensation slid down into his stomach, making his body feel comfortably heated and indescribably relaxed.
Li Xin and Lin Jialu sat to the side, watching Lin Xin converse with Long Haochen while sipping the Nectar Red Devil wine; the astonishment in their eyes only deepened. Long Haochen had never encountered this fruit wine before, but they had. Lin Jialu’s father possessed a single bottle, treasured as an invaluable gem, so precious that he could not bear to drink it. It was said that this Nectar Red Devil was crafted from a grape variety known as Rose Nectar through ninety-nine intricate processing steps, with an annual production limited to merely twenty bottles. Yet here was Lin Xin, offering such a treasure to entertain them.
To think that just one cup of this Nectar Red Devil in their hands was worth more than the Emerald Twin-Blade Demon Long Haochen had just sold. This fellow must be incredibly wealthy.
On the auction platform, a beautiful female auctioneer had already taken her place. By now, the main auction hall outside was at least half full.
The female auctioneer wore a rose-red, floor-length gown. Tall and voluptuous, with her long black hair elegantly pinned up, she exuded both beauty and competence. Stepping to the center of the auction platform, she raised her arms to either side and bowed slightly. Her voice, soft and melodious, rang out, “Welcome, honored guests, to the Aimei City Holy Alliance Auction House. I am Xingxuan, and it is my great pleasure to serve you all.”
Cheers and whistles erupted instantly, clearly showing that this female auctioneer was extremely popular.
“Next, let us bring out our first item for auction.” The female auctioneer did not indulge in excessive emotional rhetoric; after bowing to the cheering bidders, she went straight to the point.
Lin Xin, sitting beside Long Haochen, had hearts in his eyes. “Sister Xuan is still as beautiful as ever, truly elegant! If I weren’t only eighteen, I would definitely try to pursue her. Brother Long, what do you think of her? Isn’t she pretty?”
“Mm.” Long Haochen nodded slightly, somewhat shyly.
A waitress dressed identically to the earlier Xiao Nu pushed an exquisite golden cart onto the stage from the side, its contents concealed beneath a layer of red cloth.
Xing Xuan smiled and said, “I believe everyone has already guessed our first auction item: the mysterious Master Lin makes another appearance. Many have asked me about other avenues to purchase pills refined by Master Lin. Here, I shall answer all at once. Master Lin has partnered with our Holy Alliance Auction House; all pills he crafts are exclusively distributed through us. They cannot be purchased anywhere else.”
Almost immediately, Long Haochen turned his gaze toward Lin Xin beside him. “Is she talking about you?”
Lin Xin replied with a hint of pride, “Who else could it be but this great master? Ah, youth is wonderful! Out there, even if I claimed these pills were refined by me, no one would believe me anyway. It’s best that they don’t; it saves me a lot of trouble.”
Long Haochen was slightly taken aback. “Then why tell me? Aren’t you afraid I might spread it? We’ve only just met.”
Lin Xin smiled mysteriously and said, “Of course I’m not afraid. Let’s watch the auction first.”
The red cloth was lifted, revealing a beautiful crystal vial on the golden cart. The private room offered an excellent view, and Long Haochen immediately recognized that the red pill inside the crystal vial was identical to the Strength Pill Lin Xin had shown him earlier. However, this vial contained only a single pill.
“Crafted by Grandmaster Lin, the Jasper Body-Protecting Pill is a peak third-tier elixir. Upon ingestion, it increases external spiritual energy for bodily defense by five hundred points for half an incense stick’s duration, rendering the skin as hard as refined steel. It proves equally effective against both physical and magical attacks. As this is not the first time the Jasper Body-Protecting Pill has been auctioned, I shall spare further elaboration. On the battlefield, possessing such a pill is nearly equivalent to gaining an extra life. The starting bid is one thousand gold coins, with each increment no less than fifty gold coins.”
An increase of five hundred points in external spiritual energy for defense? This means the amplified spiritual energy cannot be used for offense, yet what does five hundred points of external spiritual energy signify? It renders almost all attacks below the fourth tier ineffective. Moreover, the effect lasts for half an incense stick’s duration.
Long Haochen remained relatively composed, but Li Xin and Lin Jialu wore expressions of sheer astonishment. The starting bid for a single pill reached as high as one thousand gold coins! No wonder alchemists are hailed as the wealthiest profession. This Grandmaster Lin is truly extraordinary.
Soon, bids rang out incessantly. Within moments, the price for this Jasper Body-Protecting Pill soared to fifteen hundred gold coins.
Long Haochen felt somewhat tempted. The auctioneer Xingxuan was right; with such a pill, as long as one wasn’t facing an enemy above the fifth rank, it was truly equivalent to having an extra life. Simply put, when he had faced the Emerald Twin-Blade Demons that day, if he had possessed such a pill, he wouldn’t have been injured at all.
In the end, this Jade Body-Protecting Pill was sold for eighteen hundred gold coins.
Lin Xin seemed somewhat dissatisfied with this price. “Only eighteen hundred? Last time it went for two thousand. It seems I should sell fewer of them. Rarity increases value; this great master would rather keep them to eat like candy beans than let others have them cheaply. Brother Long, how about we make a deal?”
A thought stirred in Long Haochen’s heart. “What kind of deal?”
Lin Xin smiled as he held out the crystal vial containing three Jade Body-Protecting Pills, saying, “You only need to answer one question of mine, and this vial of Strength Pills is yours.”

The Mysterious Stone Sphere (Part Three)
Long Haochen stared at him in astonishment. Eighteen hundred gold coins per pill? These three were worth over five thousand gold coins altogether. What kind of question could be worth so much?
Lin Xin chuckled, “No need to be so surprised. They may sell for a high price out there, but for me, the cost is merely a few dozen gold coins. Do you have any idea how many of these can be produced from a single Emerald Twin-Blade Demon? I wouldn’t dare exaggerate, but at least eighty to a hundred pills can be yielded.”
Li Xin, fearing that Long Haochen might suffer a loss, quickly interjected, “You tell us what the question is first. If we can answer it, then we’ll see whether we actually can.”
Lin Xin chuckled and said, “The question is simple; you should be able to answer it. I just want to ask: was that Emerald Twin-Blade Demon slain by you?”
Li Xin was stunned. “It’s really that simple?”
Lin Xin spread his hands. “Isn’t it just that simple?”
Li Xin said, “What’s the big deal? We were the ones who killed it.”
Lin Xin snapped his fingers, slipped the crystal vial into Long Haochen’s hand, and said, “Excellent. Deal.”
Long Haochen could hardly believe his ears. “Lin Xin, this is far too valuable; I cannot accept it.” Over five thousand gold coins! In all his nine years, he had never seen so much money.
Lin Xin slapped his own forehead, looking utterly helpless. “Brother Long, I already told you this is a transaction, not a gift given for nothing. Moreover, I actually have a favor to ask of you.”
Innately pure and kind-hearted, Long Haochen held the precious item; though his heart delighted in it, he still did not put it away. “What favor?”
Lin Xin smiled slightly, speaking with complete confidence: “If I’m not mistaken, you must be heading to the Holy City to participate in the Demon Hunter Squad Selection Tournament.”
Li Xin asked in surprise, “How did you guess?”
Lin Xin replied, “It’s not hard to figure out. Anyone traveling from the south toward the Holy City must pass through our Aimei City. Your ages match the requirements, and your earlier answers proved you qualify for the selection tournament. Isn’t that obvious? When I said I wasn’t afraid you’d expose me as Master Lin, it was firstly because no one would believe someone my age could craft third-tier pills, and secondly because you wouldn’t be staying long in Aimei City anyway—you’re heading straight to the Holy City for the selection tournament. Am I right?”
Li Xin raised an eyebrow and said, “What? Trying to take out the competition early?”
Lin Xin hurriedly shook his head and said, “How could that be? I merely wish to cooperate with you all. Brother Long, what I’m asking of you causes you no harm whatsoever. I only hope that during the Demon Hunter Selection Tournament, if we both reach the final stage and you manage to secure one of the top three positions, you would choose me as your teammate.”
Hearing this, Lin Jialu immediately objected, “Why should he choose you? I am a mage too.”
According to the rules of the Demon Hunters, a complete six-member team must consist of members from each of the Six Holy Temples; in other words, a single Demon Hunter team can have only one mage.
Lin Xin replied, “Sister, let me speak plainly then! In my opinion, given your current cultivation level, it might be rather difficult for you to advance to the final stage!”
Lin Jialu was stunned. “You can tell my cultivation level?”
Lin Xin chuckled and said, “That’s my secret. Brother Long, what do you say? Will you agree? Once you accept my request, we’ll be brothers in the same team. Nothing else matters; I’ll supply you with all the pills you need, completely free. Right now, the only things I have left are pills and money.”
Although he was handsome, the smile on his face at that moment carried a wicked flavor, like a big bad wolf eyeing a little white rabbit.
Long Haochen asked puzzledly, “But how can you be so certain that I’ll make it into the top three?”
Lin Xin said, “Let’s take a gamble. It won’t hurt me if you fail to rank in the top three. Agreeing won’t harm you either, and besides, accepting these three Strength Pills from me should put your mind at ease.”
Suddenly, Long Haochen’s body shook violently. Immediately afterward, a glow emerged between his eyebrows as a purple-gold rune lit up on his forehead. This rune was peculiar; upon appearing, it began as a single purple-gold dot, but quickly extended upward into nine streaks of purple light. Each streak measured an inch in length, emanating a hazy fluctuation of spiritual energy.
A purple halo expanded, and with a flash of light, a figure appeared before Long Haochen—it was Haoyue.
At this moment, Haoyue was clearly acting strangely. As soon as it appeared, it immediately began hopping on its feet while emitting continuous whimpers toward Long Haochen, as if trying to convey something.
Others could not understand what Haoyue was saying, but Long Haochen, who shared a telepathic bond with it, could. “Haoyue, calm down. I’ll do my best,” he said, raising his head to look toward the auction platform outside.
By now, a new cart had been brought onto the auction stage. On this golden cart rested a stone sphere about the size of a human head, upon which faint emerald-green veins could be discerned. Xingxuan, the host on stage, was introducing it.
“The next item up for auction is somewhat unusual. Even our auction house’s most authoritative appraiser has been unable to identify what it is. However, the seller offering this item has set a starting bid of ten thousand gold coins. The Holy Alliance Auction House has always operated on the principle of fairness; we would never defraud our honored guests of even a single gold coin. Now, I shall present to you the evaluation of this item by our chief auctioneer.”
“This auction item appears unremarkable, much like an ordinary stone sphere. Yet, no investigative magic can penetrate it; all such attempts are blocked by its outer stony shell. Unless the surface is shattered, not even a powerful ninth-rank professional can probe what lies within. The only certainty is that fluctuations of spiritual energy are seeping out from inside the sphere. The patterns on its surface were formed by this leaking spiritual energy. According to our chief auctioneer’s prediction, this stone sphere likely contains a rare metal, or perhaps something else entirely. Bidding now begins, with a starting price of ten thousand gold coins. Honored guests, please consider carefully before placing your bids. Once sold, there will be no returns.”
Clearly, because this item was so unremarkable yet priced so exorbitantly, the auctioneer Xingxuan deliberately emphasized these points; it was evident that the Holy Alliance Auction House held little hope for this lot.
Ten thousand gold coins—that was ten thousand gold coins! At this moment, Long Haochen’s heart was locked in fierce turmoil.
Haoyue’s sudden appearance had not been summoned by him; instead, Haoyue had teleported here on its own. This already surpassed the scope of an equal contract and was clearly the effect of a blood pact. Moreover, it was precisely when this stone sphere was pushed onto the stage that Haoyue sent an urgent signal to Long Haochen, as if this sphere were extremely important to it.
Because their bloodlines were connected, whatever Long Haochen could sense, Haoyue could sense as well, even when not by his side. Therefore, it had rushed here immediately, and its current frantic jumping up and down was solely driven by its desire to obtain this stone sphere.
What a spendthrift! This is utterly wasteful! Watching Little Guang and Little Huo with eyes gleaming, looking as though they wouldn’t rest until they obtained this item, Long Haochen could only feel helpless. He had just received two thousand gold coins, which he still needed to share with others; how could he possibly afford ten thousand gold coins for such a thing!
While Long Haochen was gazing at the stone sphere on the platform outside, Lin Xin was observing Haoyue. The moment Haoyue appeared, Lin Xin’s face filled with astonishment. He had encountered far too many types of magical beasts, including numerous rare species, yet he had never before seen anything like Haoyue.
Lin Xin had once purchased a spell called Insight at a high price during an auction. With this spell, he could examine the condition of any practitioner, including magical beasts, provided that the cultivation level of the target did not exceed his own by more than one rank.

The Mysterious Stone Sphere (Part Four)
Clearly, Haoyue was at most a fourth-rank magical beast, not even reaching the peak of the fourth rank, which would be equivalent to a third-rank human expert. Yet, his Insight spell had failed. Moreover, this was not the first time it had failed today. The reason he felt such closeness toward Long Haochen was that, when he used his examination technique on Long Haochen, apart from detecting his current spiritual energy strength and age, he could not discern any other detailed information. This was precisely why Long Haochen had sparked such great interest in him.
How strange; what kind of magical beast is this? Lin Xin’s heart was filled with bewilderment.
At this moment, the auction outside had already fallen silent. Ten thousand gold coins were no small sum. Remember, a single gold coin was enough to feed a family of three for half a month. Ten gold coins could buy a suit of ordinary armor. Ten thousand gold coins would be sufficient to equip an entire hundred-man knight squadron from head to toe.
This stone sphere was said to possibly contain rare metals, but among rare metals, how many could command such a high price? Moreover, who knew how large the metal inside might be? If it were only the size of a fist, even something like Mithril, a top-grade magical metal, would not be worth so much.
On the stage, Xingxuan asked for the third time, “Is there any distinguished guest interested in this auction item?”
Still, there was no response. Those who frequently attend auctions are rarely impulsive. If the price were a hundred gold coins, perhaps someone might take a gamble; but at ten thousand gold coins, few would be willing to risk it.
“Brother Lin,” Long Haochen suddenly called out. Seeing Haoyue’s gaze filled with hope, he finally made up his mind.
“Huh?” Lin Xin, still pondering Haoyue’s origins, only snapped back to reality upon being called.
“Brother Lin, if you lend me the money to purchase this item up for auction, I will agree to your request,” Long Haochen stated firmly and decisively.
“There’s no need to borrow from him; Sister will buy it for you,” Lin Jialu suddenly said after remaining silent for a while. She quickly stepped forward and swiftly entered the figure of ten thousand gold coins on the bidding console before her.
On the auction stage.
Xingxuan remarked with some regret, “It seems our second auction item is likely to go unsold. Wait, though. Guest in Box Six has bid ten thousand gold coins. Ten thousand gold coins, going once.” Seeing someone place a bid, she immediately felt a surge of delight, but upon noticing that the bid came from Box Six, her delicate eyebrows furrowed slightly, and she cast a mildly reproachful glance toward Lin Xin’s booth.
The crystal glass of the private room is made from a special material; it allows those inside to look out, but prevents anyone outside from seeing in.
Outside the auction hall, a clamor had already erupted, filled largely with mocking laughter. What they did not know, however, was that within Auction Room Number Six, someone was currently screaming in agony. That person was Lin Xin.
“Big sister, you can’t do this! Brother Long already said he was going to lend me money; how can you cut in line?” Lin Xin complained with a frustrated expression.
Lin Jialu smiled charmingly and said, “Haochen is my younger brother. Isn’t it perfectly normal for an older sister to buy him a gift?”
Long Haochen was startled. “Sister Lin, how can I accept this? That’s ten thousand gold coins!”
Lin Jialu stood up, walked over to Long Haochen, and gazed at him tenderly. “Haochen, if you were over twenty years old this year, I would have shamelessly fought to win your heart, even if it meant offending Xiner once again. Unfortunately, the age gap between us is simply too great; I can only be your sister. I will never forget what happened that day—twice, yes, twice, you saved my life. Especially the second time, when I could already smell the scent of death itself; it was you who pulled me back from the brink. If you don’t give your sister a chance to repay you, I will never find peace in my heart.”
“Sister Lin, I…” Long Haochen anxiously tried to refuse again, but Lin Jialu raised her hand and gently pressed it against his lips. “Say nothing more. Do you truly believe that my life isn’t worth ten thousand gold coins? I’ve already discussed this matter with your Sister Xiner, and she agreed as well. If you still refuse to accept, then don’t call us ‘sisters’ ever again.”
Ever since completing the trial mission that day, Lin Jialu had been nearly every night jolted awake by nightmares; she could never forget the cold, sharp blades of the invisible Geke warriors. A life-saving grace indeed! Without Long Haochen, she would have surely perished that day. She was someone who always repaid kindness with gratitude. Over these past days, her relationship with Li Xin had also eased considerably. In truth, there had never been any irreconcilable conflict between them; once everything was openly discussed, past grievances were laid to rest. The idea of purchasing something for Long Haochen at the Aimei City auction house had formed in her mind several days ago. This was a grand auction house, undoubtedly filled with fine treasures. Buying something truly useful for Long Haochen, who would soon participate in the Demon Hunter Squad selection competition, was the best way she could think of to repay his kindness.
Long Haochen took a deep breath, finally nodded, and said, “Sister, thank you.”
Lin Jialu was overjoyed, patted his head, and said, “That’s my good little brother.”
Li Xin remarked with a hint of jealousy, “Hmph, I’ll have to earn more money from now on too.”
“Third and final call, sold. This mysterious stone sphere belongs to Guest Number Six.” Xingxuan’s voice came from outside; with no further bids, it was finally sold for ten thousand gold coins.
Lin Xin said dejectedly, “Brother Long, please keep looking. If you see anything else that catches your eye, just tell me. This time, it’s on me, as long as you agree to my request.”
Long Haochen smiled and shook his head. “There’s nothing else I want. However, I will consider your proposal. But we must both make it to the finals of the Demon Hunter Selection Tournament before there’s any chance, isn’t that right?”
At this moment, Haoyue had calmed down, yet the longing in its eyes only intensified. Lying at Long Haochen’s feet, Xiao Guang and Xiao Huo kept rubbing against his legs.
Lin Xin sat there, seemingly lost in thought. Just then, a knock sounded at the door. It opened, and the young girl named Xiao Nu entered, pushing the same golden cart used earlier on the auction stage. Resting atop it was precisely that mysterious stone sphere.
Upon seeing the stone sphere, Haoyue nearly lunged forward. Long Haochen cast it a glance, and only then did Haoyue restrain itself, though its body trembled slightly.
Since bringing Haoyue out from the Knight Sacred Mountain, this was the first time Long Haochen had ever seen it so agitated. Ten thousand gold coins were an astronomical sum for Long Haochen; even though Lin Jialu had covered the cost, he firmly etched this favor into his heart, determined to repay it someday.
Had it been anyone else, they would never have acted so recklessly, spending money far beyond their current means simply to satisfy the whims of their magical beast companion.
But Long Haochen was different; he valued family bonds above all else. Haoyue shared a blood pact with him, each carrying a portion of the other’s blood within their veins. Long Haochen practically regarded him as a younger brother. Seeing Haoyue’s urgency, he chose to trust this “brother’s” intuition and made up his mind to purchase the stone sphere. Moreover, he believed that someday he would surely earn an amount as vast as ten thousand gold coins.
Lin Jialu stepped forward to pay using her magic crystal card. After Xiao Nuo pushed the cart inside, she had intended to greet Lin Xin, but seeing him seated there seemingly lost in thought, she felt curious yet withdrew nonetheless. In her memory, Master Lin’s face had never been without a smile.
Long Haochen did not hand the stone sphere directly to Haoyue; instead, he stored it within his Forget-Me-Not ring. After all, Lin Xin was an outsider. Regardless of whether the stone sphere held any miraculous properties, this auction house was clearly not the appropriate place to reveal them.