Return to Before the Villain’s Corruption

Tonight, Lin'an City was unusually lively. From one end of Tianque Street to the other, crowds bustled, packed shoulder to shoulder. On the high tavern balconies lining both sides, young nobles in brocade robes and veiled maidens leaned against red-lacquered railings, laughing and chatting freely—a scene even more vibrant than the annual Tianlin Festival.

Qiu Shi walked side by side with Song Yunhe through the streets. Her hair cascaded like a waterfall, with two small locks at her temples braided into long strands. Her delicate face, already petite, now appeared even more youthful and mischievous, resembling a little sprite sneaking out to join the revelry behind the adults’ backs.

Song Yunhe guided her through the throngs of people. Fuyu Zhai stood at the heart of Lin'an City, where Tianque Street ended, its gates wide open. Well-dressed attendants stood on either side, bowing their heads in polite smiles as they welcomed guests.

Here, the crowd thinned.

For tonight’s auction, Fuyu Zhai had halted all transactions of spiritual treasures since daybreak, only opening its doors as night fell, allowing patrons to stream in one after another.

Gaining entry required a lengthy process and a special ring issued by Fuyu Zhai. The attendants at the gate would verify each guest’s credentials before permitting them inside.

In short, one had to prove substantial wealth—enough to bid on the auction’s offerings. Based on this, Fuyu Zhai divided attendees into three tiers.

Those with white rings sat in rows of circular seats in the main hall. The most common and numerous, their aims were typically spiritual herbs beneficial for cultivation or low-to-mid-tier enchanted weapons. Of course, a few formidable figures hiding their identities also mingled among them, hoping to stumble upon a bargain.

Those with orange rings were wealthier, often from prominent local families with long-standing ties to Fuyu Zhai. They were seated at the forefront, eyeing cultivation manuals for their juniors or rare treasures to help their elders break through bottlenecks.

As for those with red rings, no explanation was needed—they had traveled from across the Six Realms specifically for the secret treasures from the underwater mystic realm. They were ushered into lavishly decorated private chambers above the auction hall.

Unsurprisingly, Qiu Shi and Song Yunhe were stopped at the entrance.

Song Yunhe had prepared for this. He retrieved a token from his sleeve and handed it to the attendant, who bowed and said, “Esteemed guests, please wait a moment.”

A young page behind the attendant solemnly carried the token through Fuyu Zhai’s inner gates.

Around Qiu Shi, others passed by without sparing the scene a second glance. These days, many had presented their insignias at Fuyu Zhai—aristocrats and sect disciples from every corner of the realm.

Since attendants couldn’t authenticate such tokens themselves, they deferred to the elders to prevent imposters from slipping through.

Before long, a short, portly man—evidently a steward—hurried out, trailed by the page from earlier.

The man clasped his hands and bowed deeply. “This humble servant, Kang Ruhai of Fuyu Zhai, greets the Young Master and the Young Miss.”

Instantly, countless gazes, deliberate or otherwise, settled upon the pair. Some exchanged meaningful glances, as if to say: *Look, another one has arrived.*

Song Yunhe, accustomed to such attention, merely nodded for Kang Ruhai to rise and lead the way. Qiu Shi, however, was far less restrained.

She lifted her chin, meeting the onlookers’ stares with a radiant grin, crescent eyes sparkling and a hint of playful fang peeking through. Her expression was utterly sincere—and utterly brazen.

After that, no one dared steal another glance.

Song Yunhe had witnessed this scene countless times, yet it never failed to amuse and exasperate him.

“You’re not a child anymore. Why must you still act like one?”

He shook his head, signaling for her to follow.

“Several familiar faces in the crowd,” Qiu Shi remarked airily, withdrawing her gaze like a sunbeam retracting. “If people stare at me in secret, I’ll stare back openly. If they whisper behind my back, I’ll say it to their faces. That way, word spreads—they’ll know not to trifle with me.”

She tilted her head and added, “At least, not in my presence.”

Her candor was so unshakable, her defiance so fearless, that Song Yunhe could only laugh helplessly, momentarily at a loss for words.

Kang Ruhai led the way until they reached a quieter stretch. Pausing, he turned to ask, “Young Master, Young Miss, would you prefer a private chamber upstairs?”

He couldn’t quite gauge the preferences of this younger generation. Lately, many scions of noble houses had reserved the upper rooms, while others of equal status insisted on sitting in the main auction hall. To avoid missteps, it was safest to ask directly.

Qin Donglin, who loathed noise, would never sit below in the crowd.

Qiu Shi gave a soft hum of acknowledgment as she surveyed the surroundings before speaking, "Find us a south-facing private room—one where we can see the bidding prices immediately."

Facing the young masters of the two main cities, Kang Ruhai adopted an exceptionally humble and amiable demeanor. He quickly relayed instructions through a Sound Jade, and before long, an elegant maidservant with a graceful figure approached, bowing respectfully as she presented a silver tray.

Kang Ruhai picked up the amber-colored spirit ring from the tray and offered it to Song Yunhe, saying, "This is a small token of appreciation from our Jade Talisman Pavilion—a mid-grade spirit treasure. With this ring, you and the young lady will enjoy a five percent discount on all future purchases here."

For an entity as formidable as the main city, such gestures were grand. A five percent discount meant relinquishing hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of spirit stones—a truly substantial concession.

Just as Song Yunhe reached out to accept it, Qiu Shi intercepted him.

The small amber spirit ring nestled in her warm, delicate palm, its surface shimmering like flowing water. She slowly closed her fingers, forming a loose fist around it.

Song Yunhe cast a deep glance at Qiu Shi, whose uncharacteristic eagerness was impossible to ignore, then smoothly remarked, "The Jade Talisman Pavilion’s generosity is appreciated by the main city."

"Lead the way."

The status of a main city’s young master was an unimpeachable pass, effective anywhere.

Before long, Qiu Shi and Song Yunhe were seated in the south-facing private room. Though not overly spacious, the room was well-appointed—neatly arranged chairs, tea sets, and understated ornaments—while the entire front wall was made of transparent, specially crafted material. From their elevated vantage point, they could clearly observe the auction stage below.

Those outside couldn’t see them, but they could scrutinize everything on display without restraint.

A specialized auction spirit treasure hung in the corner, amplifying the auctioneer’s voice in real time for their convenience.

Once seated, Qiu Shi removed the Sound Jade from her waist.

After a moment’s thought, she reasoned that given Qin Donglin’s temperament, he likely hadn’t fully cooled off yet and might ignore her. So she settled for the next best option: contacting Wu Fei.

Wu Fei’s surroundings were quiet—he, too, was seated in a private room.

"We’ve arrived," Qiu Shi said, glancing at the placard by the door before adding, "In Earth Room Number One."

Fifteen minutes later, Wu Fei entered alone, rubbing the bridge of his tall nose.

Behind him followed Qin Donglin, his brow heavy with tension, his expression cool and detached.

Sensing the uneasy atmosphere, Qiu Shi studied Qin Donglin briefly before directing a questioning look at Wu Fei.

The three of them reverted to childish antics whenever they met, but Song Yunhe—ever composed—ignored their antics, pouring each of them a cup of hot tea without so much as a glance.

"On our way here," Wu Fei said, tucking away his cherished jade fan before gesturing at Qin Donglin, "we ran into Yun Xuan."

"It almost escalated."

Hearing the name unexpectedly, Qiu Shi’s head snapped up. "What’s he doing here?"

Her brows furrowed as she turned toward the transparent crystal wall, genuinely puzzled. "What kind of treasure could a minor secret realm produce to draw even the Three Celestial Princes into a bidding war?"

"If there really were such treasures, why haven’t I heard a whisper of it?"

Their presence at the auction was merely circumstantial—Qin Donglin needed a large quantity of spirit materials to heal his sword spirit, so they’d decided to try their luck and join the excitement. But Yun Xuan? The celestial clan was countless miles from the main city—what business did he have here?

Song Yunhe also paused to look over.

"Don’t overthink it," Wu Fei said, meeting the siblings’ gazes before explaining. "It’s the beginning of the month. With Uncle Song’s birthday at the end of the month, it’s no surprise the celestial clan would send envoys."

"As for why they’re at the auction..."

He gave Qiu Shi a meaningful look. "The Little Celestial Maiden is here too."

Qiu Shi immediately understood.

Speaking of the Little Celestial Maiden, she was another prominent figure among the younger generation—matched only by Qiu Shi in terms of infamy for being troublesome and meddlesome.

The youngest daughter of the Celestial Emperor, she was doted on by her elder brother, the Ninth Heaven’s Crown Prince Mo Changheng, and the Three Celestial Princes treated her like their own sister.

Moreover, it was common knowledge that Luo Ying—the most formidable of the Three Celestial Princes—was a sickly boy she’d brought home during her childhood wanderings. Taciturn and shrewd, he obeyed her every word, indulging her to the point of absolute submission.

Between the celestial clan’s little princess and the demon clan’s treasured jewel, sparks flew every time they crossed paths.

The rivalry between Qiu Shi and Mo Ruanruan had only intensified over the years, never once waning since childhood.

Mo Ruanruan had Luo Ying; Qiu Shi had Qin Donglin. Mo Ruanruan had her crown prince brother; Qiu Shi had hers. With their backers evenly matched, they always found other ways to compete.

Like the contents of their personal treasuries.

After a long silence, Qiu Shi began pulling out spatial rings of varying designs and sizes from her sleeve.

Under the gaze of the three men, she slipped one spatial ring after another onto her slender, jade-like fingers—each brimming with spirit stones and rare herbs. Left hand, then right, until both were adorned with a gaudy, mismatched array of jewelry.

Lifting her eyes, she tilted her index finger, where an oversized emerald-encrusted spatial ring gleamed, and mimicking Mo Ruanruan’s sugary tone, she pointed first at Song Yunhe, then at Qin Donglin. “Go ahead,” she declared, “pick whatever catches your eye. I’ll cover the bill.”

Song Yunhe pressed a hand to his forehead, shaking it in resigned exasperation.

Wu Fei winced and looked away, clapping Qin Donglin heavily on the shoulder. Through a private voice transmission, he muttered, “Mark my words—after she drains the coffers dry this time, you’ll be forced to drop everything and go scouring for treasures again. Our little celestial maiden here has no concept of thrift.”

Qin Donglin’s eyelid twitched violently.