Chapter 442 - 440: Prince Shen Ran

Qiu Rong Wanxue tilted her head in thought. After a moment, her expression changed as she said, "Jian Xuan... isn’t that the heir of Mingdu Marsh? I heard he was an incredible genius. He actually became a monk?"

"It should be him." Li Qiye chuckled. "Monk Dazhi ran outside Feihuai Village to build Dazhi Temple and become a monk. I’m afraid it wasn’t just to probe the mysteries of Feihuai Village, but also to hide from someone."

Thinking of what Monk Dazhi had said, Qiu Rong Wanxue couldn’t help but look at Li Qiye. "Do you have a fiancée?"

"What, are you jealous?" Li Qiye leisurely gazed at the mature and captivating woman before him and said with a smile.

Qiu Rong Wanxue was both annoyed and angry. She shot him a glance and said irritably, "Don’t you think you’re a little too narcissistic? As if I would ever like you. Besides, you should be worrying about your own fiancée getting jealous!"

Although Qiu Rong Wanxue was annoyed, she didn’t lose her composure. Her elegance was still quite admirable.

"Well, you don’t have to worry about that." Li Qiye laughed, looking carefree. "There’s no woman I can’t handle. If I truly wanted to marry her, I absolutely wouldn’t need to worry about something like jealousy."

"Has no one ever called you a narcissist?" Qiu Rong Wanxue rolled her eyes at him irritably. Though she was a mature and voluptuous woman, this girlish display was utterly charming and enough to make one’s heart skip a beat.

"Someone has said that about me." Li Qiye spoke slowly and deliberately, smiling. "But, that’s not narcissism, it’s capability. I am Li Qiye. There is nothing I can’t settle. Wouldn’t you agree?"

Qiu Rong Wanxue was left speechless. She sighed softly to herself and couldn’t help but smile wryly. ’Perhaps there’s some truth to what he’s saying.’

Central City. In truth, there was no place officially called Central City in Fengdu City. However, because this city was located in the central part of Fengdu City, outside cultivators had taken to calling it that.

Central City was an ancient and bustling place, one of the major cities within Fengdu City. Upon entering, they found the streets to be a sea of people—both human and ghost alike. In fact, visitors to Fengdu City rarely bothered to distinguish between the two. Everyone understood that this was a Ghost City, and those who stayed for any length of time grew accustomed to coexisting with them. Besides, the ghosts here weren’t true ghosts, but merely lingering obsessions that got along harmoniously with the visiting cultivators.

After Li Qiye and Qiu Rong Wanxue entered Central City, they quickly found out the location of the Little Ghost’s Coffin Auction and learned that it would begin in the afternoon.

"An auction in the Ghost City? I’ve never heard of an auction house here." After entering Central City, Qiu Rong Wanxue couldn’t help but feel curious.

Although there were always young outside cultivators in Fengdu City, most were unwilling to stay for long. Those who remained for three to five years were basically here for a specific item.

Because of this, although people frequently came to Fengdu City, few stayed for long, let alone established sects or marketplaces here.

Even if there were marketplaces in Fengdu City, they were only temporary. Qiu Rong Wanxue had been to Fengdu City several times, but this was the first she had ever heard of an auction.

"They happen occasionally," Li Qiye said. "But if it’s the Little Ghost’s auction, then that’s something else entirely. It’s guaranteed to be a high-quality event. The items up for auction will be absolutely extraordinary."

"The Little Ghost?" Qiu Rong Wanxue asked curiously. "Is it a ghost from Fengdu City?" This was truly the first time she had ever heard of the local residents of Fengdu City holding an auction.

"Well..." Li Qiye’s eyes narrowed slightly as he smiled. "I’m afraid no one knows the answer to that. Whether they’re human or ghost has always been a mystery. Some say a ghost, others say a human."

Qiu Rong Wanxue looked at Li Qiye, sensing that he knew something. But since Li Qiye didn’t elaborate, she didn’t ask.

The Little Ghost’s Coffin Auction was held in an Ancient Courtyard in Central City. To call it an Ancient Courtyard was generous; it was more like a ruined one. It had once been a large, old residence, but it had long been abandoned and had since collapsed, leaving only a dilapidated courtyard. The courtyard was huge, large enough to hold a thousand people.

When Li Qiye and Qiu Rong Wanxue arrived at the Ancient Courtyard where the auction was to be held, many people were already there waiting. All of them were young cultivators from the outside.

In fact, news of the Little Ghost’s Coffin Auction had been circulating for several days, though no one knew who started the rumor. However, since Fengdu City had never had an auction before, the sudden appearance of one called the "Little Ghost’s Coffin Auction" immediately piqued the curiosity of many outside cultivators.

Whether they came for the auction itself or just to join the excitement, many young cultivators flocked to attend after hearing the news.

Anyone could participate in the auction called the Little Ghost’s Coffin Auction; there were no qualifications required.

However, this auction really didn’t resemble a proper one. After arriving at the Ancient Courtyard, many found that there was no one to greet them. Everyone had to find their own spot. Some sat on the ground, some floated in the air, and some had even brought their own pavilions...

After Qiu Rong Wanxue and Li Qiye arrived at the Ancient Courtyard, they found several hundred people already waiting inside. Even Mo Li Dao, the heir of the Heaven-Reaching Sect whom they had met at the Five Realms Gate, was there.

The towering Mo Li Dao stood out from the crowd. In truth, it wasn’t just his height that made him stand out; his status and strength were more than enough to set him apart.

"Many of them are disciples from Great Teaching Territories." Seeing the young cultivators who had come to the auction in the Ancient Courtyard, Qiu Rong Wanxue was quite moved. "A lot of people have come to Fengdu City recently."

"More and more will come in the future," Li Qiye said. ’If the world knew that the First Evil Tomb was about to open, countless Great Teaching Territories and Emperor Immortal Gates from the Ghost Sacred Realm would come swarming. For anyone, the First Evil Tomb is an irresistible temptation.’

Following Li Qiye, Qiu Rong Wanxue looked around the Ancient Courtyard and asked, puzzled, "Why aren’t there any local residents of Fengdu City? Is it restricted to cultivators only?"

An auction was suddenly being held in Fengdu City, and yet everyone who came was a young cultivator from the outside. The local residents of Fengdu City and the Ghost Envoys from the sects within the city were nowhere to be seen.

Li Qiye withdrew his gaze and said, "If you were a ghost of Fengdu City and you knew about the Little Ghost, you wouldn’t attend this auction either."

"Is the Little Ghost very frightening?" Qiu Rong Wanxue detected something unusual in Li Qiye’s tone and couldn’t help but ask.

"The Little Ghost..." Li Qiye narrowed his eyes. "That depends on how you define the word ’frightening’. If you say he’s frightening, then he is indeed very frightening. If you say he’s not, then he isn’t frightening at all."

"If you don’t want to say it, then don’t. Why beat around the bush?" Qiu Rong Wanxue was a little annoyed and rolled her eyes at him. Her slight pout was surprisingly alluring, making one’s heart itch.

Li Qiye smiled faintly and said, "In any case, don’t try to figure out the Little Ghost’s origins. It wouldn’t be a good thing, not for anyone."

Li Qiye’s warning sent a chill through Qiu Rong Wanxue’s heart. For Li Qiye, everything was always treated with a light and casual air. The fact that he was warning her so seriously now meant something entirely different.

"HEH, HEH, HEH, looks like I’m not late." Just then, a sinister voice echoed as a mist coalesced, and a figure suddenly appeared on the scene.

"Ye Sha—" Seeing the person who had suddenly appeared, a chill ran through the hearts of many present. Those closest to Ye Sha couldn’t help but take a few steps back.

Ye Sha, however, clearly enjoyed the fear others had for him. He chuckled sinisterly and said, "I’m not some man-eating demon. Is there a need to be so dramatic?" Although that’s what he said, his expression showed he was savoring the moment.

"Ye Sha, stop showing off and acting high and mighty!" At that moment, a cold, arrogant voice rang out. "You’re not the only heroic expert from Nanyao Yun!"

At this time, a young man arrived with a group of young disciples. Divine Flames flickered around his body, and the holy aura he exuded made him seem like a Son of the Heavenly God, blessed by the gods themselves.

"Prince Shen Ran." Seeing the young man walk in, many of the young cultivators present went up to greet him.

The newcomer was none other than the prince of the Divine Burning Country, the younger brother of the Shen Ran Phoenix Lady. He arrived with disciples from the Divine Burning Country, his presence immense, carrying an air of looking down on everyone.

"So it’s Prince Shen Ran. Forgive my lack of respect." Ye Sha sneered when he saw the prince, his voice cold. "Aren’t you also showing off your might?"

Prince Shen Ran gave Ye Sha a cold, arrogant glance and said, "So what if I am? If you think you’re so tough, go say it to my sister!"

Prince Shen Ran’s words were domineering and aggressive. Many of the young cultivators present could only watch from the sidelines, not daring to get involved in such a matter.

Prince Shen Ran’s aggressive words made Ye Sha’s expression change. Although he was indeed an arrogant person, when it came to the Shen Ran Phoenix Lady, even an assassin like him had to be wary.

This wasn’t just because the Shen Ran Phoenix Lady was an incredibly powerful Heavenly Pride Girl. What was even more intimidating was her fiancé—Emperor’s Throne!

In the Ghost Sacred Realm, no matter who it was, they would be wary at the mere mention of Emperor’s Throne! He was one of the Three Heroes of the Netherworld! The heir to the Ten Thousand Bones Throne and a Daoist Lineage that had produced three emperors—how terrifying was that!

Among the younger generation of the Ghost Sacred Realm, no genius, no matter how talented, was willing to make an enemy of a character like Emperor’s Throne.

Ye Sha had to swallow his anger. He was confident that his Dao Practice was no worse than Prince Shen Ran’s. He was even certain he could assassinate the prince, yet right now, he was being suppressed by him.

"Prince Shen Ran, only one’s own strength represents everything," Ye Sha said with a cold, sinister tone. He said this to mock the prince for borrowing the might of a tiger like a fox—relying on his sister’s prestige to intimidate others.