Rise of a Lunar Legend

As the mysterious man approached the Tang family's private box, Tang Chun Xi watched every detail with interest. She had already deduced that he was an ally of her father, but her curiosity still gnawed at her.

'Could he be one of my father's trusted guards? Or perhaps an old friend?'— she wondered, exploring different possibilities, until her train of thought was interrupted by Tang Wei himself, who stood up to open the door.

— "Hello, my friend! It's been a long time!" — exclaimed Tang Wei, with a rare warm smile as the man removed his cloak, revealing his appearance. He was tall and robust, with tanned skin, heroic features, and the unmistakable traits of someone who had faced countless battles.

— "Hello, Tang Wei. Let's go inside and talk more calmly."

The man entered the box, and the door closed. Down below, in the main hall, the murmurs of the crowd began to subside as the auction proceeded, but the attention of those present remained fixed on the Tang family's box.

In the Shang family's box: — "So, they know each other..." — murmured Shang Zhi, the elder accompanying Shang Hua-Yen. "From the aura of this cultivator, he's no weaker than I am. I think Hua-Yen can kiss her precious resource goodbye."

Shang Zhi's mocking tone made Hua-Yen's face darken even more. Feeling the blood boil with anger, she narrowed her eyes, silently vowing revenge.

— "They'll soon have bigger problems to worry about..." — Hua-Yen murmured, not hiding the dark intent in her words.

The elder, however, shifted his focus elsewhere. He thought of Hua-Yen's sister, Shang Hua-Ren, whose imminent return could change the power balance within the family. For now, I need to leave Hua-Ren alone, but in the future... he thought, skillfully hiding these reflections.

— "Focus on the Flaming Vine's Blazing Whip," — Shang Zhi warned, with a more serious tone. —"The patriarch will be extremely displeased if you fail."

The mention of the patriarch made Hua-Yen shudder. She knew all too well the kind of punishment that awaited those who disappointed her father. Determined to obtain the whip, she forced herself to momentarily push aside thoughts of vengeance.

In the Tang family's box: With the door closed, Tang Chun Xi looked at the newcomer with curious eyes. It was the first time she had seen one of her father's friends, and this stirred a mix of surprise and interest in her. Tang Wei noticed his daughter's gaze and smiled slightly.

— "Chun Xi, let me introduce you. This is Liao Chen Wei, my friend through thick and thin. You can call him Uncle Chen."

Tang Chun Xi bowed politely.

— "Hello, Uncle Chen."

Liao Chen Wei smiled at the young woman and stepped forward, handing her a flask of Amber Natal Milk, along with a small book wrapped in silk.

— "Hello, little Chun. Here's what you wanted, and a small gift from me. Take your time looking at it later. Your father asked me to buy the item in secret, so now it's safe with you."

Tang Chun Xi held the items carefully, feeling relieved to finally have the rare resource in her hands. Though curious about the book, she decided to read it later. Her focus now was on the auction.

Meanwhile, she overheard snippets of the conversation between her father and Uncle Chen, learning fascinating details about their past. They had been mercenaries in the past, facing countless battles side by side. This made Chun Xi realize that her father's past was far more complex than she had imagined.

The Flaming Vine's Blazing Whip: Finally, the most anticipated moment of the night arrived. The hall fell into absolute silence, and the auctioneer Rin Bao's voice echoed with enthusiasm:

— "Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I present the most awaited item of this auction: The Flaming Vine's Blazing Whip!"

The curtains opened, revealing a tray adorned with sparkling spiritual runes. On it rested the whip, seemingly alive. Made from the rare Fire Vine, its surface was intertwined with patterns resembling veins of fire, and small flames danced along its length, as if testing its destructive power.

— "This whip is a level 2 spiritual weapon, combining the attributes of fire and wood. It was forged from an extremely rare material and enhanced in a high-level spiritual forge, using cores from spiritual beasts of these two elements. In addition to its raw power, it possesses the special ability 'Flame Surge Strike,' which amplifies the power of the flames with each successive strike."

The audience was ecstatic, murmurs filling the hall, and the tension in the air was palpable.

— "The starting bid is 10,000 spiritual stones, with minimum increments of 100 stones!"

The first bid came from someone in the lower rows, but it was quickly surpassed by participants in the private boxes. The bids escalated quickly, until the competition narrowed to two contenders: Li Feng-Yu, the direct heir of the Li family, and Shang Hua-Yen, the arrogant young woman from the Shang family.

Li Feng-Yu's resentment: Li Feng-Yu narrowed his eyes as he looked at Hua-Yen in her box. He still felt the humiliation she had inflicted on him the day before. He had confessed his admiration for her older sister, Shang Hua-Ren, but instead of being respected, his confession had been ridiculed. Hua-Yen had mocked him publicly, exposing him as a foolish lover, someone who would never be worthy of her sister.

I have always been polite to this woman out of respect for Hua-Ren, he thought, clenching his fists. But now, I will prove my worth, and I will humiliate her just as she did to me.

The Flaming Vine's Blazing Whip was perfect for his revenge. He planned to deceive her and make her pay a much higher price.

Hua-Yen's determination: In the other box, Hua-Yen remained focused. She knew the whip was essential to please her family's patriarch. Even so, each bid from Li Feng-Yu made her grit her teeth. She saw him as a mere insignificant insect daring to compete with her.

'This whip belongs to the Shang family, she thought, determined. And I will not lose to an idiot who spends his life chasing after my sister's shadow.'

The fierce competition: — "15,000 spiritual stones!" — Hua-Yen called out, her voice clear and full of authority.

— "16,000!" — Li Feng-Yu replied without hesitation, a challenging smile on his face.

The bids kept climbing, the tension in the hall growing, and the murmurs of the audience rising.

— "18,000 spiritual stones!" — Hua-Yen shot back without flinching.

— "19,000!" — Li Feng-Yu immediately responded, his determination unshaken.

— "20,000!"

Now, all eyes in the hall were fixed on the contest. No one else dared to join in. It was a personal duel, charged with rivalry and resentment.

— "22,000 spiritual stones!" — Hua-Yen raised the bid, her gaze cold as ice.

Li Feng-Yu pretended to hesitate briefly— "23,000 spiritual stones!" — he responded, his voice laden with provocation.

The two exchanged defiant glances, and the atmosphere seemed ready to explode.

Hua-Yen's victory: The competition intensified, the bids skyrocketing until they reached 30,000 spiritual stones. Finally, with an authoritative tone, Hua-Yen shouted:

— "30,000 spiritual stones!"

Li Feng-Yu smiled. He looked at the Shang family's box, where Hua-Yen wore a triumphant smile, and said, "Miss Hua-Yen really treats money like trash; I admit defeat."

— "Congratulations, Miss Shang Hua-Yen!" — announced Rin Bao, as the audience applauded the dramatic conclusion of the auction. —"The Flaming Vine's Blazing Whip now belongs to you!"

In the Shang family's box, Shang Hua-Yen fumed when she realized she had been tricked, but it was too late, and she had to take the whip. Her father would not be pleased with how much she had spent.

Hua-Yen clenched her fists, swearing that this defeat would not go unpunished. Meanwhile, in the Tang family's box, Chun Xi simply watched the scene with a slight smile on her lips, savoring the spectacle while holding her precious Amber Natal Milk. And so, the auction came to an end.

The auctioneer Rin Bao's voice echoed, joy in her tone:

— "Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I declare today's auction concluded, and thank you all for your presence and contribution."