"She's here," Jian Dan thought to herself as she flipped through the auction catalog and spotted the item. The Solarfire Crimson Silk—once the personal life-bound treasure of Du Yanran in her previous life.
Back then, Du Yanran had kept the origin of this treasure tightly under wraps, only mentioning that she obtained it through a lucky chance. That so-called 'lucky chance' had been the subject of many rumors—murder and plunder, a gift from a senior, or simply betrayal. Regardless, Jian Dan always suspected the source of that treasure was far from clean. Which is why, in this life, she would claim it for herself. She was curious to see how Du Yanran planned to obtain it now.
"Senior Brother, I like that one," Miao Yunrong said, pointing directly at the crimson silk treasure.
"A Dao cultivator's treasure? Why would you want that?" Mo Su replied flatly.
"But I like it! Can't I just use it to decorate my cave residence?" Miao Yunrong pouted, her voice sweet and stubborn, clearly unwilling to give up.
"Do what you want," Mo Su said, not even bothering to argue.
Before Miao Yunrong could continue acting spoiled, Jian Dan lazily spun her black-gold ring and cut in without warning.
"Little Princess, how about a deal?"
Miao Yunrong's eyelids twitched at the sudden interruption. She glanced toward the head seat where Jian Jūnshàng sat, then quickly put on a smile. "Please speak, Jūnshàng."
"I calculated your fate and found this Crimson Silk is not meant for you. If you forcefully bid for it, you might draw blood upon yourself."
This time, Miao Yunrong's eyelids didn't just twitch. Her heart skipped a beat. Jian Jūnshàng was implying that buying it would invite disaster. Her eyes darted nervously, then she lowered her head and said:
"Then I'll pass. I'll look at other items."
She picked up the catalog from the table and began flipping through it with exaggerated focus.
Mo Su was mildly surprised. Miao Yunrong had always been spoiled and headstrong, used to relying on her status. Yet here she yielded without complaint. He sent Jian Dan a sound transmission out of curiosity. "She actually listened to you. What did you do to her?"
Jian Dan cast him a side glance and replied, "I wouldn't dare do anything to the Little Princess of the Heavenly Demon Palace. I merely showed her that in the cultivation world, strength is what matters. Status doesn't protect you forever."
Mo Su nodded in agreement. That was a principle he fully supported. He shifted his attention back to the auction.
"One thousand high-grade spirit stones. Any higher bids? This is a growth-type magic treasure. Though the forger is unknown, it might be a relic from the previous era. Worth every stone!" the auctioneer proclaimed.
"One thousand one hundred!"
"One thousand two hundred!"
"I bid…"
Eventually, the price stopped rising at two thousand two hundred spirit stones. At that moment, Jian Dan tapped her crystal orb and placed a final bid of two thousand six hundred. No one else raised the price. The item was hers.
Miao Yunrong muttered under her breath after seeing Jian Dan win the bid. "She scared me off just to buy it for herself. She's a demon cultivator too. What's she going to do, hang it in her cave?"
Everyone in the room could hear her, but Jian Dan simply replied with a smirk: "I just thought it was pretty. I'll keep it to admire."
No one had a rebuttal. It was a perfectly valid reason.
Next came the second-to-last item—a map painted on the hide of a fourth-rank single-horned rhinoceros. The exact location was unknown, but it had been verified as a possible treasure map, likely pointing to the inheritance or stash of a powerful cultivator from a past era. Excitement surged again in the auction hall.
Outside the room, Hua Shisan looked slightly strained. He hadn't expected Jian Jūnshàng to be so bold, selecting one treasure after another. He wasn't sure if the Hua family would lose out from this exchange. Composing himself, he knocked and entered.
He handed the diamond ore over to Mo Su, then turned to present the rest to Jian Dan. The willow branch and the Solarfire Crimson Silk were neatly laid out in the tray, along with a pouch of spirit stones from the earlier sale of the Starfall Ore.
"Jūnshàng, here are the willow branch and Solarfire Crimson Silk you requested, along with the spirit stones earned. My master also said, if you are dissatisfied with the willow branch, you may visit our shop and exchange it for another treasure."
Jian Dan nodded. With a sweep of her black sleeve, the items vanished into her storage ring.
"Thank your master for parting with the items. Also, you don't have to hide the news about me buying the Crimson Silk. If anyone asks, tell them. Maybe even earn a couple of spirit stones for yourself."
Hua Shisan looked up at Jian Dan, then quickly bowed his head again. "Understood."
"What rank are you in the Hua family?" Jian Dan asked casually.
"Thirteenth."
Only after answering did Hua Shisan realize she somehow knew his rank. Members of the Hua family without Nascent Soul cultivation had no names—only numbers.
"If I recall correctly," Jian Dan said, "anyone in the Hua family below the Nascent Soul level doesn't get a name. Only a rank."
"Yes," Hua Shisan replied curtly. It was now clear that Jian Dan knew a lot about the Hua family, while he knew nothing about her, other than the rumors caused by the chaos at the auction house.
"No need to be nervous. I have no ill intent," Jian Dan said calmly. "Just pass a message to your master for me."
"Please speak, Jūnshàng."
"A dream of a hundred years. When it ends, the soul returns."
Hua Shisan was thoroughly confused. He didn't understand the meaning, but seeing Jian Dan's serious expression, he solemnly nodded and bowed before leaving.
Jian Dan turned to the silent Cao Chenfeng beside her.
"Cao Xiaoyou, are you interested in that treasure map?"
Cao Chenfeng felt like fate was playing tricks on him lately. Which of her eyes saw interest in him over a crumpled old map? But he still answered respectfully.
"I am not."
Jian Dan caught the hint of frustration in his eyes, and for some reason, it lifted her mood. Her smile reached her eyes. "If you see anything else you like, just tell me. I'll help you bid for it."
"Thank you, Jūnshàng, but I've seen nothing I desire," he replied stiffly.
Miao Yunrong, watching from the side, was inwardly gleeful. It was rare to see this demoness rejected, and it brightened her mood unexpectedly.
And so, the auction concluded. Some left joyful, others disappointed. At the very least, Jian Dan achieved everything she came for.
After leaving the auction room, Hua Shisan immediately sought out his superior, Hua Gen, the Nascent Soul cultivator overseeing the Hua family's operations in Huanle City. He recounted the events in full, including the peculiar message Jian Dan had asked him to deliver.
Hua Gen had expected that keeping the Crimson Blood Ganoderma would attract attention. But he hadn't anticipated that this low-profile Jūnshàng would be so perceptive. The message she left behind felt deliberate. After pondering its meaning, Hua Gen decided to relay the message to the Hua family's main house via sword transmission.
Meanwhile, after delivering the report, Hua Shisan left the steward's office. On the second floor, just as he passed through the corridor, a female cultivator in white robes and a veiled hat stepped into his path.
Her voice was soft and pleasant. "Excuse me, little steward. I'd like to ask you something."
She slipped a few spirit stones into his hand as she spoke.
"What would you like to know?" Hua Shisan asked politely.
"Do you know who purchased the Solarfire Crimson Silk? Could you tell me?"