Even at seven hundred and seventy thousand, the Patriarch of the Li family had truly reached his limit.
Seated within the luxury box, his face was ashen with suppressed fury.
"Grandfather, are you alright?"
Li Ke'er asked softly, her voice tinged with concern.
"I'm fine," he muttered, forcing himself to remain calm. At least the scroll hadn't fallen into the hands of any local rival factions in Loulan City. Though it meant losing a rare opportunity to strengthen his cultivation, there was nothing more he could do.
Whoever had arrived from outside the city was clearly here for this spirit scroll—perhaps they hailed from some great power.
That thought somewhat eased the tension in the Li Patriarch's heart.
Chen Yihan's expression remained impassive, as if he hadn't heard the earlier outburst. A final price of seven hundred and seventy thousand was quite satisfactory in his view.
"No further bids?"
"Eight hundred thousand!"
Just as everyone believed the bidding had come to an end, a voice suddenly rang out again—an astonishing bid of eight hundred thousand!
Gasps swept through the crowd. All eyes turned toward one of the VIP boxes that had, until now, remained silent.
"Ah!"
Even Sikong Ran exclaimed in surprise.
"That voice…"
Gu Qingli frowned. It sounded familiar...
"That's Chairman Shao Yan's private box from the Mercenary Guild."
"Knew it—it's Uncle Shao! I thought that voice sounded familiar."
Gu Qingli raised her brows. She hadn't noticed when Uncle Shao had arrived. He must've remained hidden, waiting for the crucial moment to strike.
"Uncle Shao has that kind of money?"
Wasn't the Li family considered one of the wealthiest in Loulan City? Even they couldn't come up with such a sum—yet Uncle Shao could?
"Heh, little Li, among the noble families, the Li clan is indeed flush with cash. Your Gu family might have deeper roots, but in terms of liquid wealth, you can't compare."
Sikong Ran thought Gu Qingli was merely upset that her own family didn't rival the Li family's wealth.
"Young Master Sikong is right. Sixth Miss, perhaps you are unaware, but the Li family's origins lie in commerce—naturally, they're rich in coin. As for Chairman Shao's wealth, it's no surprise either."
"Exactly! The Mercenary Guild isn't some small operation—it would be odd if they weren't wealthy. Besides, Chairman Shao rarely bids at auctions. He's probably been saving up for this very moment!" Sikong Ran explained knowingly.
The moment the bid of eight hundred thousand rang out, the crowd erupted in excited murmurs.
"Eight hundred and fifty thousand!"
The voice from the unknown guest's box rang out again, though this time it lacked the composed tone from before. They clearly had funds left, but hadn't expected a competitor in Loulan City to match them, thus the slight crack in their calm.
The previous jump to seven hundred and seventy thousand had likely been an effort to conserve resources. Now, it seemed they would be forced to go all in.
Shao Yan appeared unfazed. There was no trace of panic or pride in his demeanor—his voice remained as tranquil as ever.
"Nine hundred thousand!"
"Whoa! He's loaded!"
"No wonder he's the chairman of the Mercenary Guild—such dominance!"
The casual guests in the audience exchanged awed whispers, their eyes full of admiration and envy as they stared at Shao Yan's private box.
The mysterious opponent across the hall was clearly feeling the pressure now. Their next bid came slower, and their voice sounded more strained.
"Nine hundred and fifty thousand!"
It had been many years since Loulan City's auction house had seen such a staggering figure.
"One million!"
Shao Yan's tone remained even as he calmly declared the monumental sum, causing the entire hall to erupt in astonishment.
On the other side, silence reigned. The opposing bidder had clearly reached their limit. As Chen Yihan called out three times with no further response, the scroll was officially claimed by Chairman Shao. It was a historic moment—the highest bid ever recorded at Loulan City's auctions.
"Since there are no further bids, this spirit technique scroll shall be sold at the price of one million gold coins to Chairman Shao Yan of the Mercenary Guild," Chen Yihan announced.
Only then did a faint smile appear on Shao Yan's face.
"Uncle Shao is truly impressive," Gu Qingli said with a soft chuckle. Though the scroll was tempting, she hadn't yet reached the King-tier and couldn't cultivate it anyway.
When that time came, her Gu family would surely have its own spirit techniques. Besides, she had a Master at the Sovereign level—Dongfang Kunlun certainly wouldn't lack for such treasures.
As the auction concluded and Gu Qingli's group exited their private box, they unexpectedly ran into an all-too-familiar face—Li Ke'er and the Li family patriarch had just emerged as well.
Enemies meeting by chance, the tension instantly crackled.
Li Ke'er's eyes blazed red with resentment—grudges old and new surged to the surface.
"Gu Qingli!"
The Li Patriarch's icy gaze swept over Gu Qingli. It was the first time he'd laid eyes on this young girl—but already, she posed a serious obstacle.
"Hey! Li Ke'er, what do you want? Looking for trouble?"
Sikong Ran stepped forward, shielding Gu Qingli, locking eyes with Li Ke'er.
"Gu Qingli, is hiding behind men all you know how to do? Don't think I've forgotten today's humiliation. Just you wait!"
Li Ke'er's lovely features twisted with fury.
Gu Qingli rolled her eyes toward the heavens.
She was just a teenage girl—why so consumed by darkness and hatred? Truly exhausting. Was this what it meant to get caught in the crossfire?
With a final venomous glare, Li Ke'er raised her chin and strode past with the Li patriarch.
"I really don't get where that girl gets her confidence," Sikong Ran muttered in exasperation. He hadn't remembered Li Ke'er being so unstable.
Gu Qingli shrugged, showing she didn't care. Whatever schemes Li Ke'er had prepared, she wouldn't be intimidated.
"Still, Sixth Miss, do remain cautious. The Li family is… not without their tricks," Elder Shui reminded her gently.
"Heh, that doesn't matter right now! Little girl, about that pill of mine…"