BXBX NOVEL Chapter 94 - Ashen Face
“Auction house?” Yan Tianhen’s eyes lit up, “Is it the Font of Fortune Auction House owned by the Duan family?”
“That’s right.” Lin Xuanzhi nodded, “Why not we make a trip to the Duan residence first?”
“Okay!” Yan Tianhen said, “Then I can see Yuyang Gege too!”
Ah Bai and Hu Po ran over one in front of the other. Ah Bai wagged his tail when he saw Yan Tianhen.
Yan Tianhen picked Ah Bai up, then said to Lin Xuanzhi, “Dage, Ah Bai wants to eat demonic delight fruits. Do you still have some with you?”
Lin Xuanzhi took out two demonic delight fruits and gave one to each tiger cub.
After he ate his demonic delight fruit, Ah Bai began to act all cute in Yan Tianhen’s embrace while he purred in satisfaction.
Hu Po was still his reserved self, but from the rate at which it was licking the demonic delight fruit, you could tell that he really did like it a lot.
Lin Xuanzhi suddenly thought: in the past life when these two tiger cubs ran away with Han Yuran…don’t tell me it’s because Han Yuran fed them enough demonic delight fruits?
But of course, this idea was obviously just a joke.
Although both the Duan and Lin family were considered to be big families within Qing city, one was a far cry from the other. Together with the Han family, they formed the tripartite alliance that was built around Qing city.
The Duan residence’s building was constructed in the style of a fortress. Lin Xuanzhi and Yan Tianhen stood in front of the Duan fortress as they were stopped by a guard, but after these few guards recognised who Lin Xuanzhi and Yan Tianhen were, they immediately let them in.
Once they were inside the fortress, Yan Tianhen sighed, “The Duan family is guarded pretty heavily.”
“Of course.” Lin Xuanzhi nodded. His gaze swept across the guards who were moving around quickly, “The Duan family is a first-class family after all, and they’re the face of the Qing city, so naturally they would need to stand out from the rest of the families.”
Yan Tianhen blinked, “It looks really grand. When can the Lin family look this grand too?”
Lin Xuanzhi said, “One day, it will be.”
A family’s power comes from its numbers; they were divided into different tiers, and thus had their unspoken rules because of such a division.
Elite-class families should have the grandest structures, followed by first-class families. For a third-class family like the Lin family, their structure can’t surpass that of the local first-class Duan family, or else it would be treated as a provocation on their end.
And thus, within Qing city, the Duan family should have the grandest structure, followed by the Han family, then the Lin family.
Yan Tianhen was considerably familiar with the Duan residence. In the past when Lin Xuanzhi had his gloomy days and found him unpleasant to the eye, he would go to the Duan family with Duan Yuyang to stay there for some time.
The two tiger cubs swaggeringly opened up the path in front of them. They used to follow Yan Tianhen here to play, so naturally they knew how to navigate the place as well. When they were approaching Duan Yuyang’s yard, Yan Tianhen saw Duan Yuyang’s personal attendant, Yuan Bao.
Yuan Bao saw Yan Tianhen too. His eyes lit up immediately before he put down whatever work was at hand and ran over, “Young Master Tianhen, you’re here!”
Yan Tianhen nodded and asked, “Where’s Yuyang Gege?”
Yuanbao said, “Young master went to the training field to watch a show.”
“What show is there to watch?” Yan Tianhen wondered.
“Ktf Lecvgfv Mjwlilfr Xjatfglcu lr jqqgbjmtlcu. Mbg atf qjra akb vjsr, lc bgvfg ab oluta obg j qijmf, atf Gejc ojwlis qeqlir tjnf yffc olutalcu bcf jcbatfg fnfgsvjs ecali atflg tfjvr mgjmx bqfc ja atf agjlclcu olfiv.”
Yan Tianhen rubbed his nose, “Didn’t they say that as long as you’re at the fifth layer of your Refining Qi Stage and not beyond the third layer of your Foundation Stage, you can attend the gathering?”
Tejc Djb kjr fnlvfcais rtbmxfv. Lf rjlv, “Dea ktfc Tbecu wjrafg kjr mbcnfslcu beg ojwlis tfjv’r kbgvr, tf rjlv atja atf Gejc ojwlis bcis tjr akb qijmfr jnjlijyif.”
And he had even taken one entry permit for himself, so only one was left! If any Duan family pupil wants to participate in the competition, they would have to fight for the last place through a formal contest of strength.
Yan Tianhen, “…”
Duan Yuyang is really mean…he doesn’t even blink when he lies, and he’d even deceive his own siblings.
Yan Tianhen looked at Lin Xuanzhi and said with slight melancholy, “Dage, I always feel like Yuyang Ge will be beaten to death someday.”
Lin Xuanzhi nodded as he felt the same way, “Moreover, that day isn’t too far away.”
Yuan Bao, “…….”
Were they really his young master’s good friends?
Why does he feel like young master’s friends are quite unreliable??
But then again, his young master seems even more unreliable.
Lin Xuanzhi said, “Let’s go and have a look.”
Yuan Bao hurriedly led the way.
Within the Duan family’s training field, Duan Yuyang sat on a rattan chair with one leg over the other. His fingers would pinch a cut-up spirit fruit from a fruit tray once in awhile as he contentedly watched the sufferings of Duan Yuhao and another Duan family as they engaged in a duel. He would even uttered tsks and comment on their fight from time to time.
“Aiya, Duan Yuhao did you forget to drink your milk this morning? You actually want to fight at the Hundred Families Gathering with that bit of strength?”
“Duan Yuhao, you need elegance, elegance! Those moves of yours look waaay too ugly, where’s your elegance at?”
Duan Yuhao, “…….”
Duan Yuhao really wanted to explode, but he held back.
“Yuyang Ge.” Yan Tianhen called out as he stood behind Duan Yuyang.
Duan Yuyang almost fell off his chair. He jumped up, patted his chest and said, “Why don’t you make a sound when you walk???”
Yan Tianhen rubbed his head, “Because I recently found the knack to cultivating, so I’m quite amazing now.”
Duan Yuyang scrutinised Yan Tianhen before he said in surprise, “Third layer of the Refining Qi Stage?”
Yan Tianhen proudly puffed his chest out, then nodded forcefully, “I just knew it. Since I’m so amazing, others would definitely be able to tell how great I am with a single glance!”
Duan Yuyang, “…”
Duan Yuyang turned around and said to Lin Xuanzhi, “Master Lin! What a rare guest! You wouldn’t come to my place unless you have business with me, so say it, why are you looking for honourable me?”
Lin Xuanzhi said, “Delivering some business to your doorstep.”
Duan Yuyang raised his eyebrows, “You have another magic tool you want to get off your hands?”
Lin Xuanzhi nodded, “That’s right.”
Duan Yuyang’s interest was piqued. He said, “Let’s go somewhere quiet to talk ba. Anything that comes off your hands would definitely be unusual.”
He had personally seen Lin Xuanzhi whip up a top-grade magic tool like it was nothing. Duan Yuyang could hardly wait to see what kind of treasure he would show him this time.
On the training field’s platform, Duan Yuhao had already thrown his opponent off the stage angrily — that posture of his did look quite ugly.
Duan Yuhao jumped down from the training field, then walked towards Duan Yuyang as he reined his anger in. His contemptuous gaze swept over Lin Xuanzhi and Yan Tianhen before it landed on Duan Yuyang’s face.
Duan Yuhao coldly said, “I’ve already won my matches against all the other Duan family pupils. That placing is mine.”
Duan Yuyang nodded and said, “Okay~”
Duan Yuhao was stunned. He thought that Duan Yuyang would definitely make things difficult for him; he didn’t expect Duan Yuyang to let him off this easily.
“Buuuut……” Duan Yuyang dragged this one word out.
Duan Yuhao’s heart squeezed. He said with an ugly expression on his face, “But what? I’m warning you, even though Father had handed over the affairs of the Hundred Families Gathering to you before he left, it doesn’t mean that you can do whatever you want. If you dare act according to your own will, I’ll get Mother to call the shots.”
“Calm doooownnn~ am I that kind of person?” Duan Yuyang waved his hand, then casually said, “After this round of tests, I feel like all the Duan pupils who managed to last till the end aren’t too bad. I’ve decided to let all of you go to the Hundred Families Gathering.”
Duan Yuhao, “…what do you mean?”
Duan Yuhao was obviously trying to contain his rage, even his voice had risen a few decibels.
Meanwhile, the frustrated Duan family pupils were all regaining their excitement one by one.
“Young master, what do you mean by that?”
“You still have more placings in your hands?”
“So the rest of us still have a chance, don’t we?”
Duan Yuyang looked at all these small faces that were full of expectations, then scratched his head and said, “Ah, well, didn’t you guys all go through some tests a few days ago? As long as you’re at the fifth layer of your Refining Qi Stage and below the third layer of your Foundation Stage, and you’re not older than 27, you are eligible to participate in the gathering. Okay, that’s how we’re deciding it. Everyone has seen where your shortcomings lie too, so you guys should make use of the next three months to cultivate well and be reminded of your own weaknesses at all times!”
After Duan Yuyang spoke, he immediately ran away with a trail of smoke behind him.
The Duan Yuhao who snapped out of his daze immediately roared with anger.
“Bastard, you fucking tricked me?!”
Duan Yuhao wanted to chase after him to beat him up at first, but he was stopped by the Duan family pupils next to him.
“Yuhao Ge, don’t get so angry ba.”
“Yeah, the young master has always been like that. He loves joking around, don’t lower yourself to his level.”
“That’s right. And also, Yuhao Ge, you were the one who lasted all the way till the end. In the future, you will surely become the next leader of our Duan family!”
These pupils had been beaten off the platform and had initially thought that they wouldn’t get the opportunity to attend the Hundred Families Gathering. But who would have known that in the end, Duan Yuyang would give them such startling news! These pupils were absolutely thrilled, so how could they allow Duan Yuhao to provoke Duan Yuyang?
Although Duan Yuyang had played them, this group of simple-minded pupils were still happier than they are angry.
Duan Yuhao saw no trace of Duan Yuyang anymore, so he couldn’t do anything for now while he bore a grudge against Duan Yuyang in his heart: he’s obviously just a Refining Qi Stage third layer trash, so why is he fit to be the young master? And how could he have gotten an entry permit for the Hundred Families Gathering?
Within Duan Yuyang’s yard, Lin Xuanzhi took out his Rocking Sky Fan.
Duan Yuyang is the Duan family’s young master not because he had a high cultivation level — in fact it was the opposite, his cultivation wasn’t even worth mentioning amongst the entire Duan family. But he had one advantage over the rest: the other pupils in the Duan family definitely couldn’t match up to his judgment nor his skill at making money.
For a big family, the richer they are, the more able they are to swallow strong cultivators, then they would become even more prosperous. A cultivator’s cultivation level mostly depends on money — spiritual pills, magic tools, manuals; which one of these doesn’t cost money?
As such, Duan Yuyang was sitting comfortably on his position as the young master of the Duan family.
Duan Yuyang took the fan and looked it up, right, left and down before he revealed a stunned look. He couldn’t help but look at Lin Xuanzhi and said, “Lin young master, how long did you take to craft this magic tool?”
Lin Xuanzhi said, “Last night.”
Duan Yuyang sucked in a breath of cold air, then gave him and thumbs up, “Amazing. Given enough time, you’ll definitely become one of the biggest powerhouses in the Five Continents. This Rocking Sky Fan is not only a high-grade magic tool that’s rarely seen in the first place, but it’s also a three-in-one offensive-defensive-auxiliary tool which is practically equivalent to three magic tools. Its price would naturally multiply in correspondence as well.”
Duan Yuyang was a bit reluctant to part with it as he said, “Do you intend to auction it off at Font of Fortune, or do you want me to introduce a buyer to you?”
Lin Xuanzhi said, “Font of Fortune. Also, I don’t want other people to know that I was the one who crafted that fan.”
Duan Yuyang said, “What? This is a great honour you know? After this, your Lin residence’s courtyard would be as crowded as a marketplace, and no one would still dare to look down on you, Lin young master.”
Lin Xuanzhi shook his head and said, “It’s still better to keep a low profile. Also, I don’t have that much time right now to work for my family. If others were to know that I’m capable of crafting such an item, my family would definitely assign tasks to me, and outsiders would use all kinds of methods to probe around for my secrets.”
Duan Yuyang stared at Lin Xuanzhi with a profound gaze, “You really do have a huge secret ba.”
Lin Xuanzhi lightly said, “Of course. Who wouldn’t have any secrets?’
Duan Yuyang nodded and said, “Got it. There’s an auction this afternoon, I’ll send it over for you now. Oh right, I saw a flame-shaped symbol on it just now. Is that your insignia?”
Lin Xuanzhi nodded, “I guess so.”
“You guess so?” Duan Yuyang raised his eyebrows.
“The equipments that are crafted with my own identity won’t be emblazoned with this insignia.” Lin Xuanzhi smiled slightly, “But items crafted under my other identity would probably be marked with this.”
Duan Yuyang looked like he had an epiphany as he snapped his fingers, “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely get you a good price for this.”
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