Chapter 417

Chapter 417: You Knew I Did Not Want To Say Yet You Still Asked
Shui Qiu Bai stood not too far and not too close behind him, still wearing his serious, unsmiling look.

Huo Shao Yan was truly afraid of this cousin. When he saw him, his legs shook so much he could not stop them, and he pulled out a smile that looked worse than crying: “Cousin…”

Shui Qiu Bai swept him with a cold glance.

“Immortal Maiden Liu Yun, my cousin is not very reliable, but his brain still works. Since you rarely come to the Water Realm, I should do my part as the host.”

Shui Qiu Bai had not come to drag Huo Shao Yan away. Instead, he followed along with his words and extended the invitation.

Yu Zhao inclined her head slightly: “Since Young Master Shui has warmly invited me, it would be rude of Liu Yun to refuse.”

Whether on purpose or not, none of them mentioned Feng Jiu Si.

After the three of them left the courtyard, Yu Zhao walked in the middle with Huo Shao Yan and Shui Qiu Bai standing to her left and right.

Shui Qiu Bai was very famous in the Water Realm, and on top of that, all three of them had outstanding looks and bearing. As they walked down the street, they instantly drew a lot of attention.

Huo Shao Yan greatly enjoyed the attention. He folded his hands behind his head in a carefree way: “Look at how popular this young heir is.”

Yu Zhao cut straight to the point: “But what I hear them mentioning most is me and Young Master Shui. It sounds like it has nothing to do with you.”

Huo Shao Yan choked on his words, then muttered: “Same thing, same thing.”

Shui Qiu Bai was quiet and not good with words. As a guide, he could not compare to Feng Jiu Si’s patient and detailed style.

But he was very generous with his money. Whenever Yu Zhao happened to look at something for a bit longer, he immediately decided to buy it. Even with both Yu Zhao and Huo Shao Yan, they could not stop him.

In the end, Yu Zhao could only find a random excuse to quickly end the outing.

She had not been back in her room for long before Shui Qiu Bai had people send over everything he had bought.

Yu Zhao did not accept them.

The man who came to deliver them did not say a word and immediately knelt down, knocking his head on the floor to Yu Zhao with loud bangs.

Yu Zhao could not bear it.

So she chose to close the door.

Out of sight, out of mind.

The next day.

When Yu Zhao went out, the man and the things he had brought were all gone.

Feng Jiu Si stood under the corridor. The sunlight fell on his brows and eyes, coating him in a soft glow.

As if he had heard her movement, he lifted his eyes to look over. His refined and handsome face softened like a pool of spring water.

Yu Zhao quietly looked at him.

After a long moment, the corners of her lips lifted into a light smile.

“Sorry to have kept you waiting.”

A faint laugh slipped from Feng Jiu Si’s throat: “It is my honor.”

The auction gathering held by the Shui clan was divided into two sessions. The first session sold mostly products from the Southern Region. They were very expensive, but not especially hard to find.

The second session was the main event.

In the past, Feng Jiu Si, Huo Shao Yan, and the others always arrived before the second session of the auction gathering began.

This time, they had come early to join the first session in order to accommodate Yu Zhao.

The Feng clan had its own special seats at the Shui clan’s auction gathering. As soon as Yu Zhao and Feng Jiu Si arrived, a staff member led them into a private box.

From the box, they could easily see the entire hall.

Yu Zhao and Feng Jiu Si had only been seated for a short time when someone suddenly pushed the door open.

Tu Xiao, who was radiating strong resentment all over, strode in.

“Feng Jiu Si, you are really something!”

Feng Jiu Si lifted his eyes to glance at him but did not speak.

Tu Xiao sat down across from him without any politeness.

Since he was already here, Feng Jiu Si could not very well drive Tu Xiao out. He simply acted as if Tu Xiao were not there and only talked with Yu Zhao.

Of course, Tu Xiao was not willing to be ignored. As soon as Feng Jiu Si finished speaking, he would pick up the topic, making his presence very strong.

After this happened a few times, Feng Jiu Si was also provoked into anger, but he did not have time to vent it.

Two more uninvited guests came in from outside the door.

It was Huo Shao Yan and Shui Qiu Bai.

“So lively, count me in!”

Huo Shao Yan treated himself even less like an outsider than Tu Xiao. He sat down right next to Feng Jiu Si and even casually picked up the snacks on the table.

Shui Qiu Bai only nodded faintly to the few of them and found an empty seat to sit down.

The box was spacious, so adding a few more people did not make it feel crowded.

Feng Jiu Si’s expression faintly darkened.

But in front of Yu Zhao, he still did his best to maintain his composure.

Huo Shao Yan had no such concerns. One moment he asked Yu Zhao why she had not accepted his cousin’s gift, and the next moment he asked Shui Qiu Bai what the auction gathering’s final treasure would be. He did not stop talking for even a second.

Amid his nonstop chatter, the first session of the auction gathering officially began.

Yu Zhao compared the auction gatherings of the two worlds and found that whether it was the process or the bidding methods, they were all about the same. She understood the rules quickly and then focused all her attention on the items being auctioned.

“The next item is the eighteenth lot, the Star Domain Map. It contains the coordinates of eighty percent of the Southern Region’s small worlds and a few small world coordinates from the Northern Region. The starting price is two thousand high-grade spirit stones.”

When Yu Zhao heard the words Star Domain Map, she sat up slightly straighter. After listening to all of the introduction, she felt a brief moment of disappointment, then made up her mind. She had to obtain this map.

“Three thousand high-grade spirit stones.”

Yu Zhao’s voice spread through the auction hall through the amplifier.

Everyone looked up toward the box above the hall, glanced at one another, then knowingly shook their heads and gave up competing.

Inside the box, everyone looked at Yu Zhao in surprise. Deep in their eyes was a tension that was not easy to notice.

Huo Shao Yan asked: “Why are you buying the Star Domain Map?”

“To collect it,” Yu Zhao said lightly.

Her answer was clearly careless. Anyone could hear that it was an excuse.

Huo Shao Yan complained: “If you do not want to say, then do not say it. Why lie to trick people!”

“You knew I did not want to say, but you still asked?”

Huo Shao Yan was at a loss for words.

The others saw him suffer a setback and tacitly chose to stay silent.

Bang, bang, bang!

“Congratulations to the honored guest in Hall One for winning the eighteenth lot!”

While they had been talking, the result had already been decided.

Yu Zhao quietly let out a breath of relief.

Seeing the different expressions on everyone’s faces, the corners of her lips could not help but curve up.

The auction gathering continued in an orderly fashion.

After that, Yu Zhao never placed another bid, as if that last one had really just been on a whim.

Five days later, the first session of the auction gathering ended.

Under the meaningful gazes of Feng Jiu Si and the others, Yu Zhao paid the spirit stones and took the Star Domain Map from the auction staff.

Then, as they walked out, they met Jin Yuan and her companions in the corridor.

The moment Jin Yuan saw Yu Zhao, the corners of her mouth immediately drooped, and undisguised contempt appeared on her face.

“Jin Yuan, Liu Yun is my Madam. You had better show her some respect.”

Feng Jiu Si took a step forward, blocking Jin Yuan’s malicious gaze as he warned her coldly.

Although Tu Xiao and the other two did not speak, their bodies all shifted slightly toward Yu Zhao, clearly showing they were on her side.

Jin Yuan’s gaze swept over the four of them one by one. She gave a cold laugh: “I thought you were different from those people. Now it seems you are no different. I misjudged you. I want to see how long you can keep this up. Let’s go!”

She stepped forward and bumped past Feng Jiu Si, brushing Yu Zhao’s shoulder as she passed by without a trace of expression.

Her companions did not have her confidence. They gave two awkward laughs before quickly hurrying after her.

Yu Zhao turned to look at her back and silently clenched her palms.