Chapter 033: Suffering Defeat (Part 1)

Shen Duo frowned, nemesis meeting on a narrow road; she hadn’t expected them to attend the auction as well. Lei Hang noticed the subtle change in Shen Duo’s expression and followed her gaze—Shen Qing and Shen Ao Fan were speaking with the auction staff, giving instructions. Both seemed to sense the attention from this side, turning to look back. Shen Qing’s lips curled into a sly, malicious smile, clearly aware of their presence.

Lei Hang snorted, turned away, and gently pulled Shen Duo back to their seats in the private suite.

As the opening announcement of the auction rang out, the entire hall fell instantly silent. From behind the curtain on the auction stage emerged a bewitching young woman clad in a striking leather outfit that accentuated her shapely figure; her long black hair fell carelessly over her shoulders, exuding an alluring charm. Her features were exquisite, and those captivating phoenix eyes could stir a man’s soul with a single glance. Whistles erupted from the crowd.

Shen Duo raised her eyebrows, surprised by the auction’s first presenter. Lei Hang’s voice sounded beside her, timely as ever, “Lina, the newly crowned top expert of Luocheng, works for the auction house. She’s a nine-star Illusionist, just a step away from becoming a Sky Illusionist. I didn’t expect her to host the event herself; it shows how extraordinary this mysterious treasure must be.”

Shen Duo was astonished. One truly couldn’t judge by appearances; such a beautiful and seductive woman was actually Luocheng’s foremost master.

Lina scanned the crowd, lingering for a moment when her gaze landed on their suite, her lips curling into a faint smile. Shen Duo, her face cool and impassive, stared back, puzzled by Lina’s smile. Just then, Shen Ao Fan shouted loudly, “Lina!”

Shen Duo’s lips twitched. She’d heard rumors before—Shen Ao Fan was obsessed with a woman from the auction house and attended every event she hosted. So, this was Lina; no wonder he’d never won her favor.

Lina glanced disdainfully at Shen Ao Fan. Despite receiving the cold shoulder from the beauty, Shen Ao Fan did not quiet down, intending to shout again, until Shen Qing grabbed him and shot him a chilly glare, forcing him to reluctantly return to his seat.

Many harbored improper thoughts toward Lina, but considering her strength, few dared to act rashly.

Lina’s crisp, sweet voice rang out, “Thank you all for joining this afternoon’s auction. I’m sure everyone knows about the highlight of today’s event. The auction will proceed as usual, and at the end, we’ll present the treasure and announce its reserve price.”

Amid cheers from the crowd, the auction officially began. Perhaps because of the anticipation for the final treasure, the ordinary items failed to spark much interest. With Lei Hang’s assistance, Shen Duo acquired a set of silver reefs for thirty gold coins—a bargain price. Shen Duo smiled at Lei Hang, but felt Lina’s gaze fixed upon her.

At last, the moment arrived for the mysterious treasure to appear. Excitement surged through the crowd; everyone craned their necks toward the stage. Under their expectant stares, Lina wheeled out a quaint little platform, its contents veiled by a piece of red gauze. Even covered, faint glimmers of light could be seen shining through.

Lina smiled toward the audience, waved her hand, and lifted the red gauze. A dazzling blue light flashed, and as the object was revealed, the crowd gasped in shock, then grew even more fervent.

“My goodness, are my eyes deceiving me? Is that a Water Spirit Flower up for auction?”

“I wish my eyes were deceiving me. Who would be foolish enough to sell a Water Spirit Flower at an auction?”

“You don’t understand—it could be a Sky-level master.”

“That’s easy to say, but how many Sky-level Illusionists are there on the continent?”

The Water Spirit Flower was a top-tier advancement ingredient, useful only before the Sky Illusionist stage. On this continent, most were Grand Illusionists, and Sky Illusionist was a distant aspiration for many. That was precisely why the Water Spirit Flower was so precious.

Seeing the Water Spirit Flower on stage, Ao Defan beside Lei Hang nearly burst out laughing—searching high and low, only to find it effortlessly. The mysterious treasure truly was the Water Spirit Flower, and his luck was extraordinary. He was determined to claim it today.

Shen Qing’s murky eyes lit up at the sight; he’d been a nine-star Grand Illusionist for over twenty years. After failing his first attempt to advance to Illusionist, subsequent efforts had been fruitless, leaving his strength stagnant. In this world, everyone craves power—especially someone suppressed for so many years. At this moment, Shen Qing’s gloomy face was swept with wild joy.

Lina, pleased with the crowd’s reaction, smiled and announced, “Top-tier advancement ingredient, Water Spirit Flower. Reserve price: thirty thousand gold coins.”

Her effortless announcement drew another gasp from the crowd. Thirty thousand coins was a fortune to an ordinary Illusionist; most could never earn so much in a lifetime. Half the audience could only sigh in envy.

Yet some immediately called out their bids: “Thirty-one thousand!” The bidder gritted his teeth, painfully shouting the amount. He was a rogue nine-star Grand Illusionist, having stalled at this level for years. If he could buy the Water Spirit Flower, he’d gain a rank, and after reaching Illusionist, earning back the money would be easy. But before he could savor his dream, others began to bid.

“Thirty-two thousand!” came a crisp female voice. As soon as she spoke, bids flew in rapid succession, and in moments the Water Spirit Flower’s price had soared to fifty thousand gold coins.

Ao Defan still smiled, holding back, while Shen Qing’s suite across the hall remained quiet.

When the bidding downstairs stalled at sixty thousand, no one raised the price further. At that moment, the red stone outside the second-floor suite lit up, and Lina smiled, “Mr. Roth bids sixty-one thousand!”

Shen Qing, sitting in his suite, sipped his tea and cursed under his breath, “That old fox Roth wants to compete with me for the Water Spirit Flower? Not a chance!” He glanced at Shen Ao Fan, who promptly strode to the suite balcony and arrogantly proclaimed, “Seventy thousand!”

Pressing the bid stone in the suite usually increased the price by a thousand coins, but Shen Qing had skipped that entirely—prideful indeed. Shen Ao Fan cast a fawning smile at Lina on stage. Lina raised her eyebrows, “Anyone else wishing to bid? Opportunity knocks but once.”

Roth’s eyes twitched and he decisively abandoned his bid; that old fox Shen Qing was even craftier than he.

Ao Defan hadn’t expected Shen Qing to appear out of nowhere and contend for the item. He moved to his suite balcony and shouted, “Eighty thousand!”

Shen Duo watched the scene unfold, and a smile unconsciously tugged at her lips.