"Senior didn't come?" Ye Chen asked curiously, standing atop Quiet Wonder Peak, eyeing An Yuyi. She'd clearly dressed up, her youthful face contrasting with her maturing figure.

An Yuyi's eyes dimmed slightly with disappointment. Ye Chen was still fixated on her aunt. But, content with his recent warmer attitude, she replied, "Auntie's in seclusion. Otherwise, I'd have definitely dragged her along."

Ye Chen couldn't tell if An Miaoli was genuinely in seclusion or just giving her niece a chance to shine. He didn't dwell on it. With the auction about to start, the two headed to Divine Will City.

Along the way, An Yuyi's face glowed with joy. It had been ages since she'd spent time alone with Ye Chen. In their private booth, she sat close, keeping quiet to savor the rare moment, afraid of annoying him. Her gaze lingered on his profile, almost forgetting the treasures she'd come to bid on.

Ye Chen stayed silent through the first few auction items. Soon, the fourth item was presented.

"This is a portable cave abode once owned by a Nascent Soul powerhouse," the Heavenly Evolution Pavilion deacon announced. "It sustained damage in an incident, affecting its array patterns and materials, but it can still withstand late Golden Core attacks. In dangerous lands, this cave abode greatly enhances safety. Moreover, a master refiner fused an ancient beast bag into it, allowing it to house living demon beasts even when shrunk and carried. Even among fourth-grade cave abodes, this is a top-tier treasure. If repaired, its benefits would be immense!"

The crowd's reaction was lukewarm. They weren't fools. If it were easy to repair, Heavenly Evolution Pavilion would've done it themselves before selling. Offering it as-is meant the repair cost was exorbitant, or it might be unfixable.

Still, some cultivators showed interest. Portable cave abode artifacts were rare, and despite the damaged array, its spiritual treasure-grade materials were valuable. For hunting demon beasts or exploring ruins, having such a place to rest was a significant advantage.

Wang Lun was among the bidders. After the assault that night, he hadn't dared step outside, shaken by the elusive attacker. He'd only come out for the auction to take a break…

The portable cave abode piqued Wang Lun's interest. As a refiner himself, studying it could yield valuable insights, so he resolved to acquire it.

As for whether he could secure it? Please—he was the eldest young master of the Wang Clan. The family, banking on him winning over Li Feihuang, had entrusted him with a whopping 200,000 top-grade spirit stones.

Even if this cave abode was pricier than a third-grade one, its damaged array patterns and diminished material spirituality meant it would cost, at most, 70,000 to 80,000 spirit stones. A piece of cake.

"Starting bid: 10,000 high-grade spirit stones…" the Heavenly Evolution Pavilion deacon announced, kicking off the auction.

Wang Lun smirked, ready to raise his hand and call out 80,000 to clinch it in one go. But before he could speak, a nonchalant voice rang out: "100,000 high-grade spirit stones."

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Wang Lun's mouth twitched.

100,000 for this junk? Are Divine Will City cultivators out of their minds?

The crowd was equally stunned. The bid far exceeded expectations, leaving no room for competition. In a stunned silence, the portable cave abode's auction ended at a breakneck pace.

…

Wang Lun sat in his booth, his face sour. He could only grumble that Divine Will City cultivators had no taste, throwing 100,000 spirit stones at such a thing.

But he didn't leave. The next item was a Star Technique, a legacy of a Nascent Soul rogue cultivator known as the Star Scattered Immortal from two thousand years ago. Wang Lun was keen on it, certain it would benefit him greatly.

Soon, the Star Technique's auction began. Determined to win, Wang Lun knew the Star Scattered Immortal's fame made this Golden Core-level technique valuable, likely fetching around 50,000 spirit stones. He called out boldly, "50,000 high-grade spirit stones!" aiming to seal the deal like the previous bidder.

But the same voice rang out lazily, "60,000."

Wang Lun gritted his teeth. "70,000!"

The voice remained casual. "80,000."

Wang Lun's temper flared. "90,000!"

Yet the voice stayed calm. "100,000."

The emotionless tone made it sound as easy as bidding ten spirit stones. Wang Lun's fists clenched, his frustration boiling over.

Are Divine Will City cultivators insane? Never seen good stuff before? This trash is worth 100,000? Are your spirit stones falling from the sky?

He'd come to the auction to lift his spirits, but now his mood was worse than ever. Divine Will City was clearly his curse. Thankfully, he'd be leaving in just over a month—never to return.

…

In Ye Chen's private booth, he reviewed the jade slip delivered to him and casually paid the spirit stones. He knew full well that neither item was worth the exorbitant prices he'd bid, but his wealth? It might as well have been swept in by the wind. Shelling out a hundred thousand top-grade spirit stones didn't even make him blink.

After the transaction, An Yuyi, sitting beside him, was practically bouncing with joy, her face beaming. The Star Technique was the very reason she'd come to the auction, and Ye Chen's big spending had to be for her. Her heart fluttered with delight.

But she remembered her aunt's advice: don't just take without giving back, assuming others' kindness is owed. She agreed and began pondering how to reciprocate Ye Chen's gesture.

Then, she noticed Ye Chen slip the Star Technique into his storage bracelet without offering it to her. Her mood dipped, and she lowered her head, a bit dejected. Is he going to have Auntie pass it to me? Does he only care about me because of her?

"Yuyi?" Ye Chen's voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

She looked up, forcing a smile. "What—"

Her words cut off as she saw Ye Chen holding a miniature portable cave abode, presenting it to her. It was the one he'd just won.

Stunned, she stared as he said gently, "This is a gift for you. Take it."

An Yuyi's eyes sparkled, her heart soaring. Ye Chen grinned. "Do you like it?"

She nodded vigorously. "I love it!"

The portable cave abode wasn't as vital to her as the Star Technique, but this was the first time Ye Chen had directly given her such a valuable gift—and a cave abode, no less. Did this mean he was accepting her?

Clutching it with both hands, she beamed. "With this, when we venture into dangerous lands, Fellow Daoist Ye, you, me, and Auntie can rest and recover together in it…"

Ye Chen chuckled.

She's too sweet.

Then, a system prompt echoed in his mind, and his pupils contracted. His gaze on An Yuyi shifted, filled with newfound intrigue.

…

Leaving the Heavenly Evolution Pavilion early, An Yuyi reluctantly parted from Ye Chen and rushed to her aunt's cave abode. An Miaoli, not in seclusion, saw her niece's radiant joy and smiled serenely. "The auction with Ye Chen went well, I take it?"

An Yuyi nodded enthusiastically, holding out the portable cave abode. "Ye Chen gave me a home!"

An Miaoli: "???"

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