Chapter 6: Rushing to Utan City
After leaving the Soul Realm, Hun Ruo Ruo didn't immediately depart from Central State as she had told Soul Heaven Emperor. Instead, she continuously disguised herself with different identities, spending a large amount of time exchanging all the resources he had given her.
It seemed somewhat thankless, but at least the origin was reliable, so she didn't have to worry about any tricks being played.
After all, she never hesitated to suspect Soul Heaven Emperor's gifts with the greatest malice.
Central State Northern Region, Jiang City
As a border area of Central State, Jiang City was not as prosperous as the Central Region, but it could be considered a vital hub connecting the Northwest Region and Central State, so its popularity naturally wasn't too far behind.
Within Jiang City, various forces stood in abundance, with the Zhenjiang Auction House being the most respected. Although it bore the name of an auction house, with the formidable strength of its Earth Rank Dou Ancestor director, it practically monopolized all the economic lifelines of the entire city.
Under the protection of such a powerful individual, the auction house's advantages were maximized—wealth, information, connections were all readily available. Coupled with its neutral stance, it didn't cause resentment among other forces in Jiang City.
In fact, if anyone offended the auction house, they would be ostracized or even expelled by the entire Jiang City. This unified attitude made many passersby marvel.
However, it was also reasonable; who would go against money?
In a lounge on the top floor of the Zhenjiang Auction House, Hun Ruo Ruo, dressed in a black robe, leaned by the window, overlooking the scenery of Jiang City below.
Looking at the endless shops outside the window and the continuous flow of people on the streets, the girl pondered, muttering to herself, “So much time has passed in a flash. There’s really too much stuff in this na ring.”
As the strongest individual on the continent, even a na ring casually taken out by Soul Heaven Emperor would contain a collection that could be described as vast as the sea.
Rather, precisely because he gave it casually, most of the items inside had not been screened or considered, piling up haphazardly.
According to Hun Ruo Ruo’s count, there were as many as twenty scrolls of Earth Rank Dou Technique alone, and so many Profound Rank ones that she couldn't even remember their names.
If all these Dou Technique were auctioned off, it would probably be enough to buy an entire city in the Northern Region.
Fortunately, after her repeated confirmation, these Dou Technique were not created by Soul Heaven Emperor, so she didn't have to worry about him playing any tricks with them. She only needed to finish exchanging the remaining Heaven And Earth Treasure and Medicinal Pill in the na ring, and then she could put aside her suspicions and safely head to the Northwest Region.
“Honored guest.”
As she pondered, the door to the room was gently knocked, and a mature, beautiful woman dressed in revealing attire entered the room. Her attitude was respectful, and she bowed as she spoke, “The items you entrusted for auction have concluded their bidding. As per your request, they have all been exchanged for medicinal ingredients and low-rank Medicinal Pill, with some remaining gold coins. I have brought them all with me.”
With that, she gently took out a na ring and a luxurious crystal card from her embrace, placing them on the tea table nearby.
“Additionally, the maps of the various countries in the Northwest Region that you asked our establishment to collect have also been prepared in the na ring. Given the extremely high value of the items you provided this time, we will not charge you extra for the maps.”
“Thank you.”
Upon hearing this, the mature beautiful woman revealed a professional smile. After a brief chat, she left the room on the pretext of work, leaving Hun Ruo Ruo with ample privacy.
After the other party left, Hun Ruo Ruo picked up the card placed on the tea table and scanned the amount of gold coins on it.
“Oh my, this ‘Life-Returning Pill’ truly lives up to its name as a life-saving item, fetching nearly double the price of a typical seventh-grade Medicinal Pill.”
She put the card into her close-fitting pocket, then pulled out the map of the Gama Empire from the dazzling array of medicinal ingredients in the na ring.
The girl licked the corners of her lips, her captivating big eyes blinking, her gaze flowing, adding a few hints of bewitchment to the pure face hidden beneath the black robe.
“Leaving Central State, I can finally shed these accursed disguises.”
Two months later, Utan City
“Dou Qi, three segments!”
Looking at the familiar dark stone monument in front of him, the young man couldn't help but press his hand on the monument with a little more force.
One second, two seconds...
After a long while, the five large characters on the test magic stone monument did not change at all. The shining light at this moment seemed even a bit dazzling.
He withdrew his hand expressionlessly, a hint of self-mockery on his lips. His other clenched fist, due to excessive force, caused his fingernails to dig deeply into his palm, bringing waves of piercing pain.
“Xiao Yan, Dou Qi, three segments! Level: Low-level!” The middle-aged man standing beside the test magic stone monument announced his score indifferently.
As soon as his voice fell, a wave of mocking commotion erupted from the bustling bluestone training ground, as if people had long expected this result.
“Three segments? Hehe, as expected, this ‘Genius’ is still stagnant this year!”
“Alas, this good-for-nothing truly shames the Family.”
“If his father wasn't the Clan Chief, this kind of good-for-nothing would have been expelled from the Family to fend for himself long ago. How could he still be allowed to eat and drink for free here?”
Listening to the mockery and sighs from the surrounding people, the young man who stood frozen like a wooden stake breathed slightly rapidly. He raised his head, revealing a delicate and youthful face.
“These people are still so harsh and snobbish. How humble they once were in front of me, that’s how arrogant they are now. Is this... collecting a debt?” Xiao Yan showed a bitter, unreadable smile. He nodded blankly in the direction of the test administrator, then turned and walked dejectedly towards the last row of the team.
That solitary figure seemed somewhat out of place with the surrounding world.
“Well, fine, after all, this world... never belonged to me.” The young man glanced at the noisy crowd with some disinterest, then self-consciously pulled at the inside of his clothes to wipe away the blood overflowing from his palm.
The wound hurt, and the bloodstains on his clothes were very red.
“Alas, never mind, after all, this world… never belonged to me~”
“Who?!”
Xiao Yan was greatly startled and turned his head sharply in the direction of the voice.
Beside him, where no one stood, only a gentle breeze carried a falling leaf, as if silently mocking him.
“An illusion?”
Xiao Yan’s frustration grew even more intense. He turned to look at the crowd—
As expected, accompanied by his sudden shout just now, the crowd, who already looked at him with disdain and ridicule, became even more blatant. The gazes cast his way even carried a hint of pity, as if they pitied him, this fool who had gone mad due to the immense disparity.
Overwhelming malice swept through the young man’s heart. He gritted his teeth tightly, no longer caring about rules, and turned to leave the training ground.
“Next, Xiao Xun Er!” The test administrator’s voice sounded at just the right moment, causing Xiao Yan’s movements to become somewhat hesitant.
The noisy crowd suddenly quieted down upon hearing this name. Most people cast aside Xiao Yan’s comical actions from just now, turning their gaze to the front of the stage.
Only to see, at the focal point of everyone’s gaze, a beautiful girl in a purple dress calmly walk onto the stage. Her pretty face was serene, and her elegant and ethereal demeanor caused the crowd below to burst into cheers.
“Xun Er...”
Xiao Yan gazed at the girl on the stage, who was like the moon surrounded by stars, in a daze. His steps stopped and started, finally letting out a long sigh and averting his gaze.
He moved his feet, leaving only a solitary figure that seemed isolated from the world.