Chapter 040: Fiancée?!!
“As long as mother doesn’t abandon us, that’s all that matters.” The childish voice, though trying to sound mature, couldn’t hide the joy beneath its words.
The other child’s voice was much more straightforward; even without seeing her, one could hear her excitement and delight: “This is wonderful, brother! Mother wants us!”
On the Treasure Platform, the egg that had previously settled down suddenly stirred again, this time with far greater movement. Even the Treasure Platform itself shook along with it.
The crowd was instantly astonished. “No way, is this egg really about to hatch?!”
“It must be! Otherwise, how could the commotion be so great?”
“If the egg hatches right now, we’ll be witnesses to it. Do you think the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Treasures will pause the auction and wait for the egg to hatch?”
“I doubt it. Who knows what this egg will hatch into? Right now it’s worth a hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, but if it hatches something with no combat power, wouldn’t that be a total loss?”
“But what if it hatches some ancient divine beast?”
Yan Shu listened to the crowd’s discussion, curiosity piqued as to what the Pavilion would do. This egg was like gambling on a stone—one stroke could bring wealth, or ruin.
Just then, from the fifth floor, Ying Zi Heng spoke again: “The illustrious Pavilion of Ten Thousand Treasures would not stoop to such petty actions, would it? I have already offered a hundred thousand. If there are no higher bids, this egg should belong to me.”
The man in blue on the stage regained his composure and hastily called out, “Sect Leader Ying has offered one hundred thousand. Are there any other offers?”
From the third floor, Qiao Yue Ru’s voice rang out: “Beast Master Sect offers one hundred and fifty thousand.”
This egg was extremely rare, and it was uncertain if another existed in the world; bidding in the name of the Beast Master Sect was perfectly reasonable.
Ying Zi Heng narrowed his eyes in the fifth floor’s private room. “Two hundred thousand!”
“Two hundred and thirty thousand!”
“Two hundred and fifty thousand!”
The egg shook violently on the Treasure Platform as Qiao Yue Ru and Ying Zi Heng’s bids climbed to five hundred thousand.
Qiao Yue Ru looked at the trembling egg, bit her lip in frustration, and fell silent. Five hundred thousand was the Beast Master Sect’s limit; even if her master were present, a higher bid would be impossible.
Yan Shu, meanwhile, felt numb. Clearly, to these wealthy folk, spirit stones were mere numbers.
She cast her gaze at Liu Zhi Qing and whispered, “Senior brother, why is there such a gap between sects?”
Liu Zhi Qing was indignant. “That’s not fair. The Beast Master Sect may be rich, but their swordsmanship can’t compare to our Xuan Tian Sect!”
Yan Shu snorted, “What about the Tai Chu Sect? They’re wealthy and a sword sect too.”
“They can’t match Xuan Tian Sect in alchemy!”
“And what about the Fan Tian Sect?”
“They can’t match Xuan Tian Sect in crafting!”
Yan Shu: ...
When matched with a sword sect, he compared craftsmanship; with a crafting sect, he compared swordsmanship. This wasn’t comparing sects—it was comparing shamelessness!
Impressive. Truly formidable.
“Senior brother, do you still have any Illusion Face Pills?”
“I have two left. What do you need them for, junior sister?”
“Until my thick skin matches the Xuan Tian Sect’s, I’d like to use the Illusion Face Pills as a shield.”
Liu Zhi Qing: ...
While Yan Shu and Liu Zhi Qing whispered, the man in blue on the stage began his countdown: “Fifty hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, once! Fifty hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, twice! Fifty hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones, th—”
Just as he was about to announce the egg’s owner, a sudden change occurred!
The egg, which had only been trembling, soared into the air, heading straight for the fifth floor.
Everyone was stunned by the sight, craning their necks to look up. Even those in the private rooms on the third, fourth, and fifth floors emerged, staring at the egg.
Yan Shu and Liu Zhi Qing, though in whispered conversation, wore brilliant expressions, while Yu Wen Che observed the silent sparring between the siblings with a smile at his lips.
Suddenly, something tore through the air. Yu Wen Che’s expression cooled as his sword flew from its sheath, Liu Zhi Qing tensed, ready to act, but something dropped into Yan Shu’s arms before he could move.
Her arms felt the weight; the egg settled firmly on her knees, then began to bounce gleefully up and down.
Two childish voices rang in her mind: “Mother! Mother!”
Yan Shu stared blankly at the egg bouncing on her lap.
Others are happy to become fathers, but she’s happy to become a mother...
“Did... did the treasure choose its master on its own?”
“Who is inside that private room? What fortune!”
“Whoever it is, anyone on the fifth floor is beyond our reach.”
“How will the auction proceed? There’s no precedent for this!”
“Surely, it will belong to the one chosen by the treasure. Anyone on the fifth floor could afford the bid anyway.”
“I’m not so sure. Let’s see what the Pavilion says.”
The man in blue on the stage was at a loss. Though he was the master of the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Treasures in Fan Tian City, there was no precedent for this; he could not decide.
Xiao Ji Han frowned as he looked at the fifth floor’s private room. He knew there were others inside besides the woman, but he had a strange premonition—the egg had chosen her as its master.
But could she afford five hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones?
Liu Zhi Qing eyed the egg in Yan Shu’s lap, hesitantly saying, “Junior sister... this egg is rather expensive.”
Rather expensive was an understatement.
Yan Shu reached out and patted the jubilant egg, and instantly two cheerful voices rang in her mind: “Brother, mother touched me!”
“Mother touched me too!”
Though the childish voices were pleasing, now was not the time for conversation. Yan Shu quickly ordered, “Quiet.”
The egg calmed instantly, gently rolling into her arms and nestling against her.
Watching, Liu Zhi Qing clicked his tongue in wonder. “Junior sister, the egg really did choose you as its master. So obedient.”
Yan Shu, however, felt no joy at all, her face bitter. “But they’re too expensive.”
“They?” Yu Wen Che sheathed his sword, glanced at the egg in Yan Shu’s arms, and whispered, “Are there two spirit pets in this egg?”
Yan Shu didn’t hide it from him; she couldn’t afford it, and had no connection with the Pavilion that might help her return the two children. Ultimately, she would have to rely on Yu Wen Che to resolve the matter.
She whispered back, “Yes, two—a boy and a girl.”
Spirit pets are usually referred to as male and female, but Yan Shu used human terms.
Yu Wen Che immediately noticed the difference. After a moment’s thought, he said, “Yan Tong, if you trust me, let me handle this matter.”
Aside from leaving it to him, Yan Shu had no other option.
She nodded. “Very well.”
Upon hearing this, Yu Wen Che’s expression relaxed. He looked at her deeply, then stepped out of the private room and called loudly to the man in blue on the stage, “Master Jia, this egg has chosen my fiancée as its master. Please grant us your favor.”
Fiancée?!!