"Little miss, here are the last of your items," Zhenlang said as another female attendant followed behind him, carrying two jade boxes balanced carefully on a polished wooden tray.
Li Xuan walked forward and waved his hand over the boxes. A faint blue-silver light shimmered from his palm, dancing over the jade surface before the boxes dissolved into motes of light and vanished into his storage ring.
"I think that's most of them," Li Xuan said, brushing invisible dust from his sleeves.
"Doesn't Mr. Li Xuan require the Heavenly Dao Fruit?" Xiao Fengqi inquired, tilting her head slightly, her tone casual but her eyes holding a glimmer of interest.
Li Xuan nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I might not know the Trade Tower that much, but I'm sure the items sold there are sold through bidding."
"Yes," Xiao Fengqi said, shifting her weight forward, her voice calm yet assured. "But since Mr. Li Xuan wants them, I think we should visit the Trade Tower."
Li Xuan's gaze flickered toward her, studying her with quiet intensity , the way a hawk studies the edge of a cliff before taking flight. For a long while, he hadn't been able to figure her out. Xiao Fengqi — the girl who, for reasons beyond reason, chose to help him. She had paid for his needs… all without hesitation. Even if she was from a wealthy clan, this level of generosity was not casual
"Thank you for everything," Li Xuan said softly, his voice gentler than usual, "I'll forever be grateful… and I'll make sure to repay you."
Xiao Fengqi looked at his unsettled posture, his voice too soft to match his usual confidence. The corners of her lips curved into a faint smile .
"Alright," Zhenlang interjected, his tone firm but polite. "Please follow me."
Xiao Fengqi brightened almost instantly, her steps light, nearly skipping as she followed the old man. "Mr. Li Xuan, are you coming?" she called over her shoulder.
Startled from his thoughts, Li Xuan straightened himself and nodded. "Coming," he said, taking long strides to catch up.
They were led toward the back of the shop, where a spiral staircase wound upwards like a coiled dragon. Each step seemed older than the next, polished smooth from centuries of use. As they climbed, the air grew lighter infused with faint spiritual essence.
At the top, a narrow hallway stretched forward, ending in a door unlike any other. It wasn't wooden nor metallic, but an intricate construct of overlapping plates inlaid with glowing crystals. At the heart of the door was a six-pointed crystal formation pulsing faintly, like a heartbeat.
Zhenlang raised his hand, and a hexagonal token materialized in his palm. He tossed it forward. The crystals on the door hummed to life, arcs of pale lightning leaping toward the token and pulling it into the center. The heart of the door blazed, the mechanism shifting and unlocking with a deep, resonant hum.
"This is…" Li Xuan murmured, eyes narrowing in wonder as he watched the energy patterns coil through the mechanism.
"This is the entrance to the Trade Tower," Zhenlang said, his voice heavy with respect. "The Trade Tower exists in an isolated space , one created long ago by an ancestor of the Xiao family. It serves as a secure vault for the rarest items in all of Mingdu State which are owned by the xiao family"
As the door opened, a flood of cool light poured out. Beyond it was not a room, but a vast emptiness filled with floating crystals of varying sizes. Each crystal emitted a soft glow, suspended in midair like stars frozen in time.
Li Xuan stepped in cautiously. His boots didn't touch solid ground but it was as if he were walking on air. A strange sensation filled him, as though gravity itself had forgotten its purpose. He could almost taste the power that lingered in this space.
To open such a realm… only the strongest cultivators could manage it — perhaps the Principal of Soul Academy or the patriarchs of the Eight Great Families.
"Both of you, place your hands on the crystals," Zhenlang instructed.
"The Trade Tower operates through soul bidding," he explained, gesturing toward the floating lights. "Once you touch a crystal, your consciousness will enter the Main Space where the auctions occur. Only your soul will be transported but your bodies will remain here. Once there, you simply declare your bid."
"Heavenly Dao Fruit," Li Xuan said, his tone steady but his pulse quickened.
Zhenlang placed his hand on a large, central crystal. It glowed bright, illuminating his face. His brows furrowed as he concentrated. "Currently, there are nine bidders vying for the Heavenly Dao Fruit," he said after a moment. "The highest bid so far is thirty-four thousand gold coins. Are you ready?"
"Yes," Xiao Fengqi answered, pressing her hand firmly against a smaller crystal.
Li Xuan followed suit.
A pulse of light enveloped them and suddenly the ground vanished.
He felt weightless. His body evaporated like mist, and then he was falling, only to crash into what felt like water. Yet, when he looked, there was no water, only light and rippling around him.
When he opened his eyes, he saw a translucent version of Xiao Fengqi standing beside him. Her presence was radiant even in this soul realm.
"You okay?" she asked, bending slightly to inspect him. She couldn't reach him, but concern lingered in her voice.
"I'm fine," Li Xuan said, steadying himself. His eyes swept across the place — nine figures sat in a perfect circle, faceless yet exuding overwhelming presence. In the center floated a bright orb that pulsed like a living star.
"Two new bidders have joined," a deep, disembodied voice echoed, its tone both polite and commanding. "The current bid for the Heavenly Dao Fruit stands at forty thousand gold coins."
"What's your price?" the voice asked.
A low chuckle came from one of the seated figures. "Hmph, children. My bid is forty-five thousand gold coins."
"Mine is forty-seven thousand," another voice declared, smooth and proud.
Li Xuan frowned slightly. The bidding was rising fast — faster than he'd imagined. Moments ago, it was thirty-four thousand, and now… nearly fifty. The Trade Tower truly devoured gold faster than flame devoured paper.
"Sixty thousand gold coins," Xiao Fengqi said suddenly, raising her hand.
The words struck like thunder.
Every figure in the room stiffened.
"I give up."
"I give up."
"I give up."
Three of the bidders dissolved instantly into fading mist.
The rules were simple — the highest bidder wins. And clearly, few were ready to challenge a madwoman's courage.
"Sixty-five thousand gold coins," said the man who had first bid forty-five thousand, his voice tight. "Let's see how long your generosity lasts."
Li Xuan's stomach twisted. Sixty-five thousand? That was insane. Even if Xiao Fengqi could afford it, such a sum could fund a small sect for a year. There was no way she would spend that much just for him
"Xiao Fengqi," Li Xuan said softly, his voice strained, "this is too much. I'm grateful already."
She glanced at him with that same mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Fine," she said. "But let's go one more round."
The voice boomed again, cold and neutral. "Do we have a final bid at sixty-five thousand?"
"I give up," four voices echoed together.
The room dimmed, leaving only three figures — Li Xuan, Xiao Fengqi, and one remaining bidder. The last man stood slowly, his silhouette sharp and unmoving.
"Seventy thousand gold coins," he said.
Silence. The air vibrated with tension.
Xiao Fengqi pressed her lips together, her mind running quick. Then she smiled — that dangerous, confident smile of hers that made even the air around her feel alive.
"One hundred thousand gold coins," she said clearly.
Li Xuan almost choked on his own breath. A hundred thousand? That wasn't a bid — it was madness!
The unseen voice reverberated again, this time slower. "One hundred thousand gold coins. Final offer. Does anyone raise?"
The figure clenched his fists, his aura trembling. For a moment, Li Xuan thought he might actually push it higher but instead, the man's shoulders sagged.
"I give up," he muttered, and dissolved into light.
"The Heavenly Dao Fruit goes to the two young guests," the voice declared.
The glowing orb pulsed brighter, then split into a single beam that shot into Xiao Fengqi's waiting hands. She closed her eyes, and the space shattered like glass around them.
When they opened their eyes again, they were back in the crystal chamber. Xiao Fengqi stood holding a small fruit in her hands — golden, faintly translucent, exuding a sacred aura that filled the room.
"This… is the Heavenly Dao Fruit," Li Xuan breathed, awe breaking through his calm mask.
"Congratulations on your purchase," Zhenlang said, his tone both impressed and amused as he withdrew his hand from the crystal.
"Mr. Li Xuan," Xiao Fengqi said softly, extending her hand. The fruit floated gently toward him, suspended in spiritual light.
He caught it carefully, staring at it as though holding the essence of heaven itself. The warmth it radiated seemed to pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat.
"This might be the most expensive thing I've ever held," he murmured.
Zhenlang watched quietly, eyes flicking between them. "This girl seems love-sick for this boy," he thought with faint humor. "To offer such an item so freely…"
"I can't," Li Xuan said suddenly.
He waved his hand, and the Heavenly Dao Fruit drifted back toward Xiao Fengqi. She caught it, surprise flashing across her face.
"Li Xuan, what's wrong? Isn't this what you wanted?" she asked.
"You've already done more than enough," Li Xuan said calmly. "Some favors… I can't repay. Not yet. Not in my current state."
Xiao Fengqi looked down, her eyes clouding over with a soft, quiet hurt. Her fingers tightened around the fruit. "But I thought you wanted this," she whispered, the words trembling slightly.
Light ran along the surface of the fruit — thin, golden streams that seeped into her skin, illuminating her veins. Zhenlang's eyes gleamed faintly with curiosity.
"The Heavenly Dao Fruit resonates with your spiritual essence," he said, stepping forward. "It seems it was fated for you. Perfect for cultivation."
Li Xuan chuckled softly. "Then it seems the fruit has chosen you."
Xiao Fengqi's gaze lingered on the fruit as the golden light flowed into her. She could feel its vast purity, limitless, a missing piece of her cultivation. Like Li Xuan, she had stagnated at the Foundation Level despite her family's vast resources. This fruit… it was the key to breaking through.
She smiled faintly and tucked the Heavenly Dao Fruit into her storage ring. "Then I'll treasure it," she said softly.
Just as the last shimmer faded, a voice echoed in Li Xuan's mind .
You fool.
It said .