The cold, clear voice echoed throughout the auction house.
Although it was not loud, it carried an undeniable sense of authority that momentarily stunned all the nobles and officials present.
Even the words of protest they were about to speak died in their throats.
From the private room, Luo Shuiling gazed at the youth standing at the center of the auction stage.
She narrowed her eyes slightly, a complicated expression flashing across her face.
She had never expected that the treasure capable of stirring her Ice Jade Physique would turn out to be a person.
In fact, the moment the youth had been pushed onto the stage, Luo Shuiling had already sensed something strange.
At first, she thought the auction house staff had made a mistake with the item.
However, the intense longing coming from her Ice Jade Physique quickly dismissed that possibility.
There was no doubt—the youth in the cage was special.
He was most likely a mortal with a rare physique who had yet to embark on the path of cultivation.
With this in mind, and considering the possibility of finding a new immortal seedling for the sect while also investigating the reaction of her Ice Jade Physique, Luo Shuiling decided to take the youth back to the Proud Sword Sect and guide him onto the immortal path.
If he turned out to lack immortal aptitude, making him a sweeping servant in the sect would be of little consequence.
Besides, the youth was indeed quite attractive.
This was another important reason that drew Luo Shuiling’s interest.
After a moment, the nobles and officials who had been intimidated by Luo Shuiling gradually recovered.
Especially the representative from the Zheng family, who had been on the verge of obtaining Yun Hao. His face was particularly gloomy.
Setting aside whether Luo Shuiling’s actions followed proper auction etiquette, the Zheng family had served as prime ministers in the Yuan Sheng Empire for generations.
Aside from the current emperor himself, they stood above all others.
Who would dare openly snatch something right under their nose on their own territory within the Yuan Sheng Empire?
Moreover, this was done in front of so many fellow court officials.
It was a blatant show of disrespect toward the Zheng family!
The Zheng family representative narrowed his eyes and scanned the surroundings, trying to identify who had dared to steal his prize.
However, after looking around, he found nothing.
Failing to locate the person, he gave up the search.
Instead, he loudly declared in a booming voice,
“Which fellow official is trying to snatch the peach from halfway up the tree?”
“This item already belongs to my Zheng family. For you to seize it so shamelessly is rather inappropriate, is it not?”
As he spoke, the man from the Zheng family stood up straight, puffing out his chest to display the full might and prestige of his family.
He wanted to see exactly which fool had the audacity to compete for something the Zheng family had set their eyes on.
Inside the private room.
Luo Shuiling frowned slightly as she watched the Zheng family member stand up below.
She disliked having to repeat herself.
The Proud Sword Sect disciples standing beside Luo Shuiling had initially been somewhat puzzled when their eldest senior sister suddenly decided to bid on a youth.
However, under the questioning from the person below, that doubt was now set aside.
In their eyes, when a cultivator showed even the slightest interest in something from the mortal world, it was that person’s great fortune.
They should be kneeling in gratitude, kowtowing in thanks, and offering everything they had.
That was the proper attitude mortals should display toward cultivators.
Yet this person below not only failed to respectfully offer the item up, but even dared to question them.
He had the audacity to refer to their eldest senior sister as a mere “fellow official.”
Did he even deserve to call her that?
This was nothing short of an insult to their eldest senior sister.
The Proud Sword Sect disciples standing behind Luo Shuiling managed to restrain themselves despite their displeasure.
However, Bai Shengxiao, who was standing right beside her, took a large step forward, his face filled with rage, preparing to descend personally and teach the man a lesson.
Bai Shengxiao’s action was not purely out of loyalty to his eldest senior sister.
The mortal’s disrespectful attitude toward cultivators made him feel insulted.
In his view, this was not only an affront to Luo Shuiling, but an insult to him as well!
Just as Bai Shengxiao was about to fly down from the private room, Luo Shuiling gently stopped him with her spiritual power and said calmly,
“There is no need. The auction house manager knows what to do.”
“Eldest Senior Sister, these mortal folk are far too arrogant. I believe they need to be taught a lesson.”
Although stopped by Luo Shuiling’s spiritual power, Bai Shengxiao still looked displeased.
However, out of respect for his eldest senior sister’s status, he offered a respectful objection.
“They do not know our identities and are used to throwing their weight around. There is no need to waste words over something that will not change.”
“Senior Sister may think so, but those people below certainly do not. Only by properly disciplining them will they truly understand the difference between immortals and mortals.”
Luo Shuiling glanced at Bai Shengxiao, who still seemed eager to act.
Unwilling to argue further, she used her spiritual power to pull him back behind her and continued sitting cross-legged on the cushion.
Feeling the spiritual power binding him, Bai Shengxiao knew his eldest senior sister would not allow him to go down.
He let out a heavy snort and remained inside the private room.
Below, seeing that no one responded, the Zheng family representative let out a cold laugh.
“Could it be that this fellow official is so timid that after saying just one sentence, he dares not speak again?”
With that, he raised his chin arrogantly.
When had the Zheng family ever needed to consider anyone’s face besides His Majesty the Emperor?
Clearly, the man believed he had successfully intimidated the thief who tried to snatch his item.
He grew increasingly overbearing.
Little did he know that Zhang Li backstage was so terrified he nearly fainted.
Cold sweat poured down his greasy, plump face.
He had finally seen one of the immortals in the private room show interest in something.
Even though it meant cutting off the Zheng family’s bid, it was an immortal.
Having an immortal take a liking to your item was your blessing.
You should have respectfully offered it up.
How dare they talk back to an immortal?
And not just once, but twice—the second time even with mockery! Did they not want to live anymore?
Panicking, Zhang Li immediately ordered a servant to explain the situation to the Zheng family member: that person was no ordinary guest, but one of the immortals who had been staying at the auction house since the previous night.
The nobles and officials below watched the unfolding drama with great amusement.
Such incidents were quite rare over the years.
Openly stealing something from the family of the current prime minister, and doing so in front of so many people—this was truly entertaining.
Now it seemed the outcome was as expected. After the Zheng family representative stood up, the other party had fallen silent.
The nobles secretly sighed in their hearts.
The Zheng family is still the Zheng family after all.
Even after what happened thirty years ago, they remain the prime ministerial clan since the founding of the Yuan Sheng Empire.
Their dignity cannot be challenged.
Just as the guests prepared to see how the situation would conclude, a servant hurriedly ran up and whispered a few words into the Zheng family representative’s ear.
The previously smug expression on the Zheng family member’s face visibly paled at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Large beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
The arrogance from moments ago had completely vanished.
Forcing an awkward smile that looked more like he was trying not to cry, he spoke in a trembling voice,
“Since it is a… distinguished guest who desires it, then this humble one shall treat it as a gift and present it to the honored guest.”
He then signaled the auctioneer to wheel Yun Hao off the stage, intending to deliver him personally as an apology.
The sly auctioneer, seeing the situation, smoothly announced,
“Then this final treasure shall be purchased by the Zheng family representative and presented to that distinguished guest.”
He then struck his gavel, signaling the end of the auction.
Those who had purchased items were to collect them backstage, while those who had not could leave first.
After the auctioneer declared the auction over, the Zheng family representative ignored his friends’ invitations and walked toward the backstage area in a daze.
He needed to personally deliver Yun Hao to the private room and apologize to the immortals.
Thinking back on his earlier attitude, he wanted to slap himself several times.
Why did his mouth have to be so cheap?
He had brought a massive disaster upon himself and the entire Zheng family.
He had no idea whether those immortals would forgive him. If they refused, his life might very well be over.
***
“This humble one, Zheng Meng, begs the immortals for mercy. It was this humble one’s fault for being blind and disrespectful. I beg the immortals to be magnanimous and spare my lowly life. In the future, this humble one will be eternally grateful and burn incense in worship of the immortals day and night.”
Luo Shuiling did not even glance at Zheng Meng, who was kneeling at the doorway begging for forgiveness.
Instead, her beautiful eyes were fixed intently on Yun Hao, who had been brought up and still looked somewhat lost.
After a long moment, she finally spoke,
“What is your name?”
Yun Hao looked at the ethereal and captivating woman before him.
An indescribable feeling rose in his heart as he answered in a daze,
“Immortal Sister, my name is Yun Hao.”
Yun Hao… Luo Shuiling silently savored the name.
She looked at the youth in front of her, paying no mind to his way of addressing her as “Immortal Sister.”
After gazing deeply at him, she spoke again.
This time, her words shocked everyone present.
“Yun Hao, are you willing to cultivate with me?”