Aftermath and Rewards
"Please, go ahead," Li Xiao replied, as they both took their seats. Ling Ying, ever attentive, poured tea for the two of them.
Gu Xun'er hesitated for a moment before asking, "I was wondering, where did you obtain the Heavy Xuan Ruler?"
Li Xiao chuckled softly, realizing that Gu Xun'er had indeed been curious about Xiao Yan's Heavy Xuan Ruler and why it had appeared in the Heaven Ascending Pavilion's auction.
"It's a weapon I acquired by chance many years ago. Rest assured, Miss Xun'er, it is not the same weapon that belongs to your little friend," Li Xiao explained with a reassuring smile.
Gu Xun'er visibly relaxed upon hearing this, her earlier anxiety dissipating. She had been deeply concerned that Li Xiao might have killed Xiao Yan to obtain his weapon and techniques. Ling Ying, too, let out a silent breath of relief. If something had happened to Xiao Yan, Gu Xun'er would have been driven to take drastic actions against the Heaven Ascending Pavilion, which could have plunged the world into chaos.
Li Xiao took a sip of his tea before speaking again, his tone light and casual, "Miss Xun'er, there's no need to address me as Pavilion Master. If you don't mind, you can call me 'Brother.'"
Caught off guard, Gu Xun'er instinctively responded, "Brother Li Xiao…"
The sound of Gu Xun'er softly calling him "Brother Li Xiao" sent a delightful shiver down his spine. He couldn't help but think how easy it was to understand why Xiao Yan was so enamored with Gu Xun'er—her soft and alluring voice, those lips... Who wouldn't be enchanted?
Li Xiao then pulled out a jade pendant and placed it in front of Gu Xun'er. "This is a jade pendant crafted from the magic core of an eighth-rank magical beast. It can protect you from a fatal attack by a Dou Venerate. Consider it a gift from your brother."
Gu Qing Yang and Ling Ying were both visibly stunned. An eighth-rank magical beast was equivalent to a Dou Venerate, and to craft its core into a protective treasure required the strength of a Three-Star Dou Saint and a vast amount of soul power for the final fusion. Most people preferred to forge armor or weapons, but no one crafted jade pendants, especially one with autonomous defensive capabilities. Its rarity and preciousness defied imagination.
Gu Xun'er hurriedly shook her head, "No, no, this is too precious, Brother Li Xiao. I can't accept it."
Even her father, Gu Yuan, had never given her such a high-grade protective item. To think that Brother Li Xiao was so generous! If this pendant were put up for auction, it would easily fetch a price comparable to an Tier-8 pill.
Li Xiao, however, gently took Gu Xun'er's soft hand and placed the pendant in her palm. "I insist. Since you've called me Brother, how could I let you leave empty-handed?"
"And perhaps, you don't yet know what I really look like," Li Xiao added, shrugging slightly before removing the menacing mask from his face.
With no outsiders present, Li Xiao wasn't concerned about revealing his true appearance.
Gu Xun'er had expected that Brother Li Xiao might have a plain appearance, but as the mask came off, she realized how wrong she had been. Li Xiao had sharp, handsome features, with a high nose bridge and long, jet-black hair that gently swayed in the breeze.
Even Gu Qing Yang and Ling Ying were taken aback, momentarily speechless. The Pavilion Master, Li Xiao, was strikingly handsome, with mesmerizing peach blossom eyes that made Gu Xun'er's heart skip a beat.
He was far more handsome than Xiao Yan—by at least tenfold.
She felt her cheeks flush as she looked at Li Xiao. His strength, talent, status, and appearance were simply flawless. It was no wonder that so many beautiful women were drawn to him at the Heaven Ascending Pavilion.
Her delicate face turned a deep shade of red, and she found herself unable to meet Li Xiao's gaze any longer. His image had imprinted itself in her mind, refusing to fade.
Li Xiao noticed her reaction and smiled. He was well aware of the effect his appearance had on women. Almost no one could resist his charm, especially not a young girl like Gu Xun'er who was just beginning to explore the depths of her emotions.
Gu Qing Yang observed the interaction between the two and couldn't help but think they were a match in heaven—a talented man and a beautiful woman, a pair destined for each other. In his mind, Xiao Yan paled in comparison to Li Xiao. Li Xiao was like a dragon among men, while Xiao Yan was no more than a mere mortal.
If Gu Xun'er and Li Xiao were to be together, the Gu Clan would undoubtedly solidify their dominance over all other great clans. And if the Gu Clan could obtain a pill from Li Xiao that could break the barrier to the Dou Saint level, it would be worth any price.
With this thought, Gu Qing Yang memorized every detail of Li Xiao's appearance, determined to report everything back to the clan leader upon his return.
Gu Xun'er, still shyly lowering her head, softly said, "Thank you, Brother Li Xiao. I truly appreciate your kindness."
"It's nothing," Li Xiao responded, waving his hand dismissively as he set down his tea cup. He gestured for her to be at ease.
After finishing her tea, Gu Xun'er decided it was time to return to her clan. Although she was reluctant to leave, she knew she had to explain everything to her father herself. If she relied only on Uncle Gu Qing Yang's words, her father might not believe the situation fully.
As Gu Xun'er left, Ling Long approached Li Xiao and gently dusted off his robe. "Master, why did you give that Gu Clan girl a jade pendant crafted from an eighth-rank magical beast's core?"
"I have my reasons," Li Xiao replied, playfully pinching Ling Long's cheek. "Take care of cleaning up the venue. I'm going to head back for a while."
"Understood," Linglong responded, nodding with a smile.
…
Back in his room, Li Xiao eagerly opened up his system interface. This auction had been incredibly profitable, netting him a total of 18 million Spirit Coins, equivalent to 1.8 billion gold coins. Opening the system, he immediately converted all the Spirit Coins into system currency, adding to his points.
This time, the auction had garnered him 18 million Spirit Coins, translating into 180,000 system points.
—
Name: Li Xiao
Race: Human
Cultivation Level: Three-Star Dou Emperor
Skills: Primordial Body Refining Art, God-Slaying Palm, Kunpeng Creation Technique
Bloodline: Dou God Bloodline
Subordinates: Ling Long, Niu Meng, Bing Shuang, Lian Xue, Bai Ling
Total Assets: 350,000 System Points
Main Mission Activated: Earn 10 billion gold coins within five years; rewards will be cumulative and unlocked upon completion.
Current Progress: 35/100
—
[Congratulations on breaking a new record for a single auction. You have been awarded a Peak Dou Saint Experience Card, usable for one minute!]
[Congratulations on auctioning the God Seal Technique for an astronomical price. You have been awarded two pieces of the Tier-8 pill, the Congeal Holy Water Pill!]
[Congratulations on auctioning the Nine Nether Wind Flame for an astronomical price. You have been awarded a Tier-9 Alchemist!]
[Congratulations…]
Li Xiao skimmed through the myriad of rewards displayed on the system interface, casually tossing most of them aside. What truly caught his attention were the Peak Dou Saint Experience Card and the Tier-9 Alchemist.
What Li Xiao needed most at this moment was a top-tier alchemist, and the system had perfectly met his needs by rewarding him with one.
Tier-9 Alchemists were extremely rare across the entire Dou Qi Continent. Even Tier-8 Alchemists were highly sought after by powerful figures. Tier-9 Alchemists, on the other hand, were as rare as Phoenix feathers and Qilin horns, their existence almost mythical.