Chapter 28: Something Suspicious

Sponsored Content

As soon as Ni Jun’s words fell, the excitement of many were extinguished.
What was the use of obtaining a Peak-Quality Spirit Tool shield, but it wouldn’t be used? Were they looking to abuse themselves?

“According to you, then it’s useless for us to buy this shield!” They wouldn’t believe nonsense like it was only suitable for a fated one—they only believed that this shield was faulty.

“That’s right.
Then can we try whether we can use it before we buy it? If we can use it, then we’d buy it.” Some people still held a great desire for this shield, so they wanted to try.

Following, a series of doubts sounded from the seats, and there were also some who didn’t want to give up and give the shield a try.
If they could control it, then they’d buy it.

Ni Jun seemed to have expected such a situation, so he said without rush: “Letting those who want to buy it to try to use it was definitely impossible.
This shield’s value is indeed very high, and it’s also true you would have to risk the possibility of being unable to use it.
Whether you buy it or not is your choice, but our Ming Alliance of Merchants wouldn’t joke with our reputation.”

This shield was entrusted to them for auction by a regular client of theirs and he didn’t allow potential buyers to test it.
Besides, if someone decided to buy this shield, then they should bear the unforeseen risks.
After all, it was a fortuitous opportunity if they bought it and could use it.

Due to the strength of the Ming Alliance of Merchants, even though Ni Jun’s words made some people unsatisfied, but no one dared provoke him.
The result would only be death.

“The value of this shield depends on what you personally feel it’s worth.
We’ll start the bid now.
The starting price is five hundred thousand black-gold coins.” Ni Jun quoted the minimum price.
If this shield didn’t have the defect, then the starting price definitely wouldn’t be lower than three million black-gold coins.

“Six hundred thousand…”

“Nine hundred thousand…”

Sponsored Content

Regardless, it was still a peak-quality defence-type Spirit Tool, not to mention it was made by Great Master Yan, so many still participated in the bidding, but they had their individual baselines.
If it exceeded it, then they’d stop.

To them, it felt like food that was tasteless, yet was a pity to discard1.

When the price reached nine million, Lou Mu Yan saw Yun Lan hesitating, tapping his finger on the table gently.
She looked up and said: “Cousin, this shield is definitely worth it.”

“Lou Mu Yan, such a defective product isn’t even worth spending ten million black-gold coins or more.
There’s still Spirit Tools to bid for later, A’Lan can definitely choose a more practical one.” Seeing Lou Mu Yan instigate Yun Lan, Yun Luo frowned in displeasure, but his tone was still considered tactful.

Lou Mu Yan’s eyes overflowed with brightness.
She didn’t answer Yun Luo, but instead chuckled and turned to Yun Lan.
“Cousin, you need to believe in your instincts.”

Yun Lan was a little hesitant at first.
He leaned towards buying the shield as that shield gave him a mysterious feeling, but what Yun Luo said was also the truth—that’s why he was tossing between to bid or not to bid.

Now that he heard Lou Mu Yan’s words, he suddenly became enlightened and bid: “Ten million.”

“Yun Lan, I say your head’s full of water today2.” Yun Luo said with a little displeasure—Yun Lan was just unreasonable today, constantly accompanying Lou Mu Yan in her craziness.

Yun Lan smiled helplessly.
He knew that his cousin was doing this for his own good.
But he also didn’t know why, when he saw Lou Mu Yan radiate such self-confidence, he also inexplicably wanted to believe in her.

Sponsored Content

“Twelve million.” A voice rang from another private room.

“Thirteen million.” Yun Lan followed.

“Fourteen million.” The other party still didn’t give up.

“Fifteen million.” This was all the black-gold coins Yun Lan had on him today, but luckily, the other party stopped after hearing the price.

In the end, Yun Lan won the bid for this shield for fifteen million black-gold coins.
Chi Yi Xuan and Xiao Zi Ang both revealed a disapproval look, but since it was Yun Lan’s choice, they didn’t say anything.
However, their understanding of Lou Mu Yan’s wilfulness increased another layer.

Yun Jin had the opposite reaction to the others, however.
He smiled merrily at Lou Mu Yan and asked: “There’s something suspicious about this shield?”

“Smart.” Lu Mu Yan was rather surprised—Yun Jin actually believed her as well.
She was in a good mood, which was rare, as she nodded.

“What’s suspicious about it? Let’s hear it.” Yun Jin continued to ask.

“You’ll know in a bit.” Lou Mu Yan was too lazy to explain.
Besides, when the people from the Ming Alliance of Merchants arrived with the shield, they’d know.

The corner of Yun Jin’s lips twitched.
But he realised he’d know the answer soon, so he didn’t pursue it.

Sponsored Content

Ridicule flashed in Gu Yan Ran’s eyes as she took delight in her coming misfortune—as if she’d believe that there was anything suspicious about the shield.
This was no doubt all a ruse to show something to Chi Yi Xuan.
It was just that this stupid woman didn’t know that Yi Xuan didn’t like this sort of sloppy behaviour.

Zeng Rou snorted, but when she saw Yun Lan cast a cold look at her, her smile quickly vanished and her hatred for Lou Mu Yan increased.

Yun Luo and Xiao Zi Ang glanced at each other—they didn’t believe in Lou Mu Yan’s words and only hoped Yun Lan would learn his lesson after this and stop spoiling his trash cousin unscrupulously.

Lou Mu Yan saw everyone’s expressions, but she didn’t care.
She only ever cared about people she valued, and the rest were nothing to her.

When she glanced over to Yun Xin, she saw a gentle smile—a sliver of interest rose in her eyes.
This woman’s scheming sure was deep.
She didn’t display either happiness or anger.
As expected from a princess raised by the Imperial Family.

After a while, a knock sounded on the door.

The auction items of the Ming Alliance of Merchants were all inspected and paid for on-site with their crystal cards.
One auction was divided into several rounds, and after one round, the auctioneer will announce a break of a quarter of an hour, then after the transactions of the items, they’d continue the next round.

The person who sent the shield over was Shopkeeper Lu.
Towards every superior in the Imperial Family of every country, the Ming Alliance of Merchants would all have secret ways of cooperation and contacts.
Knowing Yun Lan was Yan’zhou Country’s Emperor’s favourite son, he naturally caught the attention of the person in charge of the Alliance in Yan’zhou Country.

“Third Prince, this is the Spirit Tool you won, please inspect it.” Shopkeeper Lu took the tray from an attendant behind him and handed it to Yun Lan.

Sponsored Content

Yun Lan nodded with a smile, “We’ve troubled Shopkeeper Lu to come in person.”

When saying that, he reached out and took the palm-sized shield from the tray.
After channelling some Elemental Energy into it, the shield’s reaction was the same as the demonstration by Ni Jun.
Only a layer of light-yellow light surrounded the shield and there was no other response.

Upon seeing this, Shopkeeper Lu smiled helplessly and reminded: “The shield was identified as a Peak-Quality Spirit Tool precisely because it couldn’t be controlled.
If the Third Prince could discover how to control it in private, then its level wouldn’t simply be a Spirit Tool.”

These kinds of auction items were just like that.
It depended on luck.
If one couldn’t find a way to control it, then it would just be a burden.
But if one did find a way, then its value was definitely several times higher, perhaps dozens of times higher than the auction price.

“No worries.
I can still bear this risk.” Yun Lan’s expression remained unchanged.
He always felt that this shield wasn’t that simple.
After the auction was over, he could carefully examine it.

“Lou Mu Yan, didn’t you say that the shield was suspicious, so you got the Third Prince to win it?” Zeng Rou jumped out after receiving Gu Yan Ran’s look, “Now that the Third Prince couldn’t use this shield, then I trust you have a solution?”

After she said that, everyone cast their gazes onto Lou Mu Yan.

Coldness flashed in Yun Lan’s eyes.
He saw Gu Yan Ran and Zeng Rou exchange glances just now.
The Gu Clan had become more arrogant because the Imperial Noble Consort gained favour, while Zeng Rou dared to be so presumptuous—their education was definitely horrible.
It seemed that it was time for the Zeng Clan to change their head of the family.

1idiom meaning it didn’t have a lot of value, but they were reluctant to part with it.

2equivalent to having a screw loose or one’s head’s not in the right place.