“How strange, a seventeen-year-old lad actually made our Captain Hua Lüyying, famous for her rich romantic history, yield completely?”
Hua Fuguang delicately wiped her mouth with a silk handkerchief and smiled.
“Please don’t mention it, Sis. That fellow isn’t human at all. He’s a monster!”
Hua Lüyying gave a bitter laugh. “You really ruined me today. You insisted I use charm arts on him, and I only ended up humiliating myself.”
“You used charm arts and still couldn’t subdue him? His willpower is that strong?”
Hua Fuguang asked in astonishment.
“It wasn’t a matter of willpower. His soul force is simply too powerful. The instant I cast the charm, it felt as though a demonic god appeared before me. The technique backfired, and I completely made a fool of myself.”
Speaking of it, Hua Lüyying felt like dying. To think such an embarrassing display had been witnessed by an outsider, and the very man she had declared she would pursue. It was utterly mortifying.
“It seems this Ling Xiao must have cultivated soul-related martial arts. According to our investigations, he knows a Soul Clan woman called Ling Yixue. He probably learnt it from her,” Hua Fuguang said thoughtfully.
“Ling Yixue! Sis, you mean Ling Yixue?”
At that name, Hua Lüyying shot to her feet in shock.
“Exactly. Ling Yixue, the Holy Maiden of Heroic Soul Hall, an unparalleled genius,” Hua Fuguang confirmed.
“No wonder that Ling Xiao is so arrogant. Who’d have thought he actually has ties to a terrifying power like Heroic Soul Hall?”
Hua Lüyying wilted completely.
“That’s not quite right. After Ling Yixue left Cloud Sky City on Heavenly Dragon Continent, she and Ling Xiao lost contact. Ling Xiao doesn’t know about her current situation, and he has no real connection with Heroic Soul Hall. Besides, the people there are true martial overlords. They would never deign to notice someone like Ling Xiao, let alone permit Ling Yixue to be with him,” Hua Fuguang explained. “Enough about Ling Yixue. Since Ling Xiao refuses to join, let him miss out. It’s his loss, not ours. What you should focus on now is that treasure.”
“The Imperial Seal of the Realm?”
“Precisely. Word from above says the Imperial Seal has appeared in Sin City, though we still need to find its exact location. Once we obtain it, we can report back successfully. The rewards will be extraordinary,” Hua Fuguang nodded.
“Alas, a pity. Yesterday at Black Wind Inn a bronze great seal was auctioned, but it wasn’t the Imperial Seal,” Hua Lüyying sighed. She had meant to concentrate on the seal, yet her mind kept drifting back to Ling Xiao’s figure.
“What on earth is wrong with me?”
She touched her slightly burning cheeks and smiled wryly.
“Enough, little sister. Once we secure the Imperial Seal, we’ll set sail again. The Mysterious World is vast, and outstanding young men are plentiful. There’s no need to hang yourself on one tree.”
“I understand, Sis.”
Her lips said yes, but deep down she felt a powerful reluctance. Was she really going to give up a man she herself had chosen?
…
The next day, the auction at Black Wind Inn proceeded as planned.
Although many things had happened the previous day, they did not affect today’s event.
Among today’s items, the highlights were a high-grade yellow-tier pill, a fairy-grade treasure sword, and several martial arts sets suitable for Celestial Realm cultivators.
These finale pieces eventually sold for a total of one hundred million low-grade spirit stones.
After Black Wind Inn took its twenty-percent commission, Ling Xiao still received eighty million.
Hua Lüyying remained at Black Wind Inn, because the Imperial Seal might appear there at any moment. Her elder sister Hua Fuguang was already investigating in secret.
Feeling rather bored, she glanced toward the VIP boxes and noticed Ling Xiao was not present. A trace of disappointment flickered across her face.
“Tower Master Mang Tian, Ling Xiao isn’t coming today?”
In the end, she could not resist asking Mang Tian.
“Ling Xiao? He won’t be here today. He’s preparing for the alchemy convention. I’ll deliver the spirit stones to him personally later,” Mang Tian replied.
Although he still harboured great resentment toward Ling Xiao, he absolutely did not dare provoke him now.
Ling Xiao’s strength was unquestionable.
But even more terrifying were the two women beside him, whose depths were unfathomable.
The weak submit to the strong. It was only natural. He had no wish to gamble with his life.
“Mang Tian, let me take the spirit stones to him. No need to trouble yourself. Anyway, you don’t particularly want to see him, do you?”
At that moment, Yunya finished her hosting duties, walked over, and smiled at Mang Tian.
“If Princess Yunya is willing to do it, I would naturally be most grateful,” Mang Tian said.
He truly did not wish to see Ling Xiao. Every glimpse reminded him of his dead brother Mang Yuan, and he feared he might lose control and do something reckless.
As he spoke, he handed a storage ring to Yunya. “Exactly one hundred million low-grade spirit stones are inside. Once Princess Yunya delivers them to Ling Xiao, simply return the empty ring.”
“One hundred million? You didn’t deduct the commission?”
Yunya asked curiously.
“The chief said no commission for him.”
Mang Tian did not know the reason, but the chief Mang Wu’s word was law. Everyone in the Black Python Clan had to obey without question.
“Mang Tian, where’s that Ling Xiao? He didn’t come to Black Wind Inn today?”
Just as Yunya took the ring and prepared to leave, a figure suddenly burst in. His crude, overbearing voice roared through the building like a wild beast.
Many people frowned in annoyance.
Yet when they saw who it was, they swallowed their complaints and dared not utter a word.
At the entrance stood more than a dozen men. Leading them was a giant of a man with an eyepatch, towering close to three metres tall, built like a miniature titan.
Countless scars crisscrossed his head and body, making him look ferocious and terrifying, adding greatly to his menacing aura.
“Who else could it be but Captain One-Eye of the One-Eyed Pirate Crew? What do you want with Ling Xiao?” Mang Tian asked coolly.
“Nonsense! Of course I’m here for the Gluttonous Martial Soul! This shouldn’t offend Black Wind Inn, right? Where is that brat? Tell him to get out here and present the Gluttonous Martial Soul to me with both hands!”
One-Eye declared loudly, not bothering to hide his intent in the slightest.
“So he really is after the Gluttonous Martial Soul,” the surrounding martial artists thought to themselves.
In fact, late the previous night, news of the Gluttonous Martial Soul’s appearance had spread like wildfire, clearly deliberately leaked by someone.
