Ch122 – Seizing the Treasure from One’s Hands

　　Yan Tianhen nodded pensively and asked, “Then how much has he saved?”

　　Duan Yuyang said, “30,000 gold.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi’s gaze swept over Duan Yuyang.

　　Duan Yuyang laughed in embarrassment, “I mean, he was the one who reported a price of 31,000 gold, and that’s beyond my control! The one who calls the shots is the auctioneer, I can’t rush forward to interrupt the auction. That would be unreasonable.”

　　Lin Xuanzhi nodded, “You really are good at doing business.”

　　Duan Yuyang rubbed his head and his smile seemed even more embarrassed, “You’re too kind, too kind.”

　　Outside, on the auction stand, the auctioneer was grinning so widely that his eyes were about to turn into slits. Today, that Elder Han actually met with such a tough nut. That generous young man must be some young master from a certain big sect who was roaming about in his travels; adding 9,000 gold in one shot was such a grand sum that could never be done by the young masters in Qing city.

　　And now he could take advantage of the fact that he doesn’t understand the implicit rules of the Duan’s auction house, and doesn’t know that Elder Han could at most report 30,000 gold, so he would continue to engage in a bidding war with Elder Han.

　　In the room, Elder Han was so angry at Lin Xuanzhi that he ended up laughing instead.

　　“Young fellow, since you’re so rich and keen on pretending to be someone you’re not, then honourable Elder will let you have a good taste of what it means to ask for trouble!” Elder Han sneered and shouted, “49,000 gold!”

　　He sneered and waited for the other party’s offer. If the other party dared to raise his bid, then he would continue increasing his offer as well. He would like to see just how much money that kid had for his coffin!

　　However, just as everyone was waiting for Lin Xuanzhi to offer a higher bid to slap the face of this Elder Han who had a bad reputation in the auction house, that voice didn’t ring out for several seconds.

　　“He.” Lin Xuanzhi’s soft laugh travelled out of a room. He said indifferently, “Since the old gentleman likes it so much, then how could I seize his beloved item? That Flaming Cloud Stone is yours.”

　　Duan Yuyang uttered a pft and burst into laughter. He had no sympathy for the auctioneer at all. Lin Xuanzhi’s act of pulling the carpet from under his feet was truly cunning.

　　Outside, the auctioneer was still waiting for the guest to offer a higher bid, but he didn’t expect that he would get this kind of result!

　　The auctioneer’s heart jolted. Although there was at least 30,000 gold deposited in Elder Han’s gold card, but now, after a few auctions, it barely had 20,000 gold!

　　According to Elder Han’s usual behaviour, he definitely wouldn’t pay more than he had to as well. By then, if the auction house and the seller of the Flaming Cloud Stone were to want someone to take responsibility for it, it wouldn’t be a burden that a mere auctioneer like him could afford!

　　Below the stage, most of the guests revealed a look of disappointment on their faces.

　　“Ai, that person has been so arrogant and overbearing for so long, and I thought he had finally met a prickly match.”

　　“Yeah, I didn’t expect the other party to cower so quickly.”

　　That damn kid.

　　However, what made him angrier was what happened afterwards.

　　The steward of the auction house knocked on the door of the room and walked in. He smiled as he said, “Elder Han, our auction house made an estimation just now and according to your creditworthiness, you can only quote 18,000 gold at most. And according to the regulations of our auction house, you could either charge an extra 31,000 gold or give up on the Flaming Cloud Stone. What do you–”

　　Elder Han’s beard pointed up at once. He stared at the steward with a malicious look and said, “Do you know who honourable Elder is? Yet you still dare to be that bold, are you tired of living?”

　　The steward stood straight up, yet he said unhurriedly, “Elder Han, this is the Duan family’s auction house. My backer is the entire Duan family.”

　　“He, what is the Duan family worth.” Elder Han said with disdain. He was a craftsman who was more important and precious than a first-class family!

　　The steward’s face turned slightly cold. The edges of his lips curved up as he said, “The Duan family is nothing much in the eyes of a crimson soul craftsman, but, I’m sure that Elder Han knows clearly that one of overseers of the Duan family is a peak crimson soul craftsman!”

　　Elder Han, “……”

　　Damn, he almost forgot about that.

　　When the steward saw his expression, he smiled, “Or, we could ask our family’s craftsman to have a talk with you?”

　　Who the fuck wants to see a craftsman who was more powerful than him and could oppress him in every aspect!

　　Elder Han pulled a long face and raised his voice, “Honourable Elder can’t be bothered to argue with a low-class junior like you. You can just take away that Flaming Cloud Stone!”

　　As soon as he said that, the entire auction house erupted into a heated discussion.

　　This was their first time seeing Elder Han let go of an item just like that.

　　“Maybe the other party is stronger than him?”

　　“Who on earth is the person inside that room? He has such a pleasant voice.”

　　“Yeah, my ears went numb just listening to his voice.”

　　“You bunch of love-struck fools. He might look incredibly uncouth.”

　　“But he’s still better than you.”

　　The auctioneer was extremely embarrassed in his heart, yet he didn’t reveal a trace of it on his face. He said calmly, “Since that’s the case, then this Flaming Cloud Stone and its companion stone would go to the guest in room no.2 for 40,000 gold!”

　　“Thank you for your trouble.” Lin Xuanzhi said, “And thank you to the old gentleman, for bearing to part with your treasured item.”

　　“Hng! Honourable Elder can’t be bothered to argue with a rascal like you whose hairs aren’t even fully grown yet.” Elder Han has already lost the item, so he couldn’t lose his imposing manner, of course.

　　But, he still felt like he had lost a lot of face and was infuriated. Thus he waved his sleeves, turned his head and left.

　　Han Yanran bit her lower lip and didn’t follow him, but instead cast a glance towards Lin Xuanzhi’s side.

　　Lin Xuanzhi no longer spoke.

　　Yan Tianhen said with a lot of indignance, “He’s spouting nonsense!”

　　Duan Yuyang nodded, “Yeah, how could he be that magnanimous? It’s obviously because he’s too stingy and can’t afford it.”

　　Yan Tianhen shook his head, “That’s not what I’m talking about.”

　　Duan Yuyang said, “Then what were you talking about?”

　　Yan Tianhen said, “My Dage’s hairs are obviously fully grown.”

　　Duan Yuyang, “……pfft.”

　　He was about to spit out a mouthful of blood.

　　Lin Xuanzhi was struck by an impulse to hold his forehead. He rubbed the crease between his brows and said, “Ah Hen, you don’t need to especially mention something like that.”

　　Yan Tianhen stuck his tongue out, “I know. I was wrong, Dage.”

　　Yet Duan Yuyang suddenly felt enthusiastic. He moved over and made eyes at him, “Henhen, how do you know something like that? Don’t tell me you’ve seen it before with your own eyes?”

　　He has always felt like there was some sort of ambiguous, flirtatious atmosphere between Yan Tianhen and Lin Xuanzhi. If it wasn’t because Yan Tianhen was still young, he would’ve definitely treated them as a Dao couple.

　　It was time to unmask their secrets.

　　Yan Tianhen thought about it for a bit, “I’ve never seen it.”

　　“I don’t believe you.” Duan Yuyang retorted.

　　Yan Tianhen looked at Duan Yuyang in surprise. “Don’t tell me you’ll usually bathe with your younger brother?”

　　When Duan Yuyang heard that, he felt a sudden wave of nausea wash over him. He rolled his eyes and said, “Of course not! Who would want to bathe together with that brainless idiot?”

　　Yan Tianhen said, “That’s right.”

　　“This isn’t the same.” Duan Yuyang couldn’t explain where the difference lies, so he said, “Then how do you know that his hairs are fully grown?”

　　Yan Tianhen scratched his head and said innocently, “My Daddy said that when a man is fourteen or fifteen years old, their body would undergo changes. You’re older than my Dage, don’t tell me such changes haven’t occurred to your body yet, so you don’t know about it?”

　　After he finished saying this, Yan Tianhen thought that conjecture was the most reasonable one so he immediately stared at Duan Yuyang with utmost concern and sympathy. He shook his fist and said, “Yuyang Gege, Daddy said that if you have a disease then you must treat it. Don’t hide it and get it treated early, then you’ll recover early as well.”

　　Duan Yuyang, “…what the fuck! Lin Xuanzhi, aren’t you going to control your younger brother?!”

　　Lin Xuanzhi smiled lightly and tossed the innocent Yan Tianhen a look filled with appreciation, “My younger brother is the one in charge and beyond the control of his older brother. Also, my family’s Ah Hen has always liked to say it as it is.”

　　Duan Yuyang, “….humble me has lost!”

　　Yan Tianhen’s eyes turned into crescents as he grinned, “Hahaha!”

　　After they got the Flaming Cloud Stone and its companion stone for 40,000 gold, the rest of the auction proceeded smoothly. Lin Xuanzhi didn’t see anything that he wanted in particular, yet his Blasting Bamboos was unexpectedly sold for 10,000 gold in the auction.

　　After the auction ended and Lin Xuanzhi handed the money over, he placed the Flaming Cloud stone and the companion stone into his storage bag, then planned to bring Yan Tianhen home with this full harvest.

　　Just as they walked out of the auction house, Lin Xuanzhi was stopped by a familiar person.

　　Han Yanran, whom they hadn’t seen in a long time, wore a purple dress for female cultivators and blocked Lin Xuanzhi’s way.

　　Han Yanran looked at Lin Xuanzhi and blinked, “Lin Dage, are you still in contact with my Gege?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi glanced at her, “No.”

　　Han Yanran was slightly disappointed, but after she pondered over it a little, she mustered up the courage to say, “When my Dage contacted me a few days ago, he said that although the two of you weren’t bounded by an engagement anymore, the two of you could still be friends.”

　　Be friends?

　　Lin Xuanzhi had never thought so before. He couldn’t be bothered to have anything to do with that sort of person 一 even sparing him an extra glance seemed superfluous.

　　Yan Tianhen frowned, “Han Yran, although I don’t know what that guy Han Yuran is planning, my Dage has nothing to do with him anymore.”

　　Han Yanran’s gaze swept over Yan Tianhen’s face, revealing obvious disgust on her face. She rolled her eyes and said, “You damn cripple, I’m not talking to you anyway. Who do you think you are? Do you think you have the right to speak to me in your brother’s place?”

　　Lin Xuanzhi originally wore an apathetic expression on his face, but now it darkened within an instant.