Return to Before the Villain’s Corruption

At the same time, in the luxurious private chamber labeled "Celestial Ten," over a dozen individuals sat on stools and chairs, all dressed in identical white cloud-patterned robes. At their cuffs was an exquisite emblem depicting a crane swooping down and a vermilion bird spreading its wings—so lifelike in detail that the creatures seemed almost real.

A hazy spiritual glow shimmered around this distinctive symbol, exuding an extraordinary pressure and signifying a formidable status.

The only woman in the chamber stood facing a massive crystal wall. She was petite, her small, round figure giving her a childlike appearance, with plump, rosy cheeks and eyes as clear as freshly washed glass. Dressed in a pristine flowing fairy gown adorned with delicate tail feathers along the hem, she looked youthful and innocent.

Her gaze was fixed intently on something, her large, round eyes reflecting the bustling auction hall below as people gradually took their seats. Only when she heard the names "Qin Donglin" and "Wu Fei" did her ears twitch slightly, and she finally turned her head back.

"Song Qiushi is here too."

Mo Ruanruan frowned, her delicate brows knitting together. The moment she reached this conclusion, her small face scrunched up unhappily.

The rivalry between Mo Ruanruan and Song Qiushi had started from their very first meeting, and after all these years, the Celestial Clan had grown accustomed to it.

The people seated in the private chamber were part of the Celestial Clan’s delegation sent to offer birthday congratulations. Led by Mo Changheng, the crown prince of the Celestial Clan’s main lineage, the group also included three elders bearing precious gifts from the Celestial Emperor. Additionally, the Emperor had instructed Mo Ruanruan, Luo Ying, Yun Xuan, and others to accompany them, allowing them to observe the customs and talents of various realms and clans.

No sooner had they arrived than they received word from their informant at the Jade Talisman Pavilion—a rumor had surfaced about a treasure map appearing in a small undersea mystic realm. Specifically, a relic map of the Luyuan Secret Realm.

What was the Luyuan Secret Realm? It was a burial ground for countless ancient powerhouses from the primordial era. The remains and essence of saints had nourished rare treasures, lost techniques, formidable legacies, and divine guidance—all of which could potentially be found there.

The Luyuan Secret Realm spanned an immense territory, stretching thousands of miles from north to south. Once the most prosperous region of the Central Continent, it had flourished during the era when the Six Realms were still united, when the Demon Emperor ruled the land, and when spiritual energy was at its peak. Mighty races had thrived there—the primordial beasts of the demon race, the cultivation sects of the human race, and the celestial paradises of the Celestial Clan.

When this once-glorious land was reduced to ruins, the opportunities it left behind were enough to stir the hearts of all who came after.

But the realm was vast, and danger lurked everywhere. Three years was neither long nor short—whether one could find fortune depended entirely on luck.

Yet, with a relic map in hand, even if it only led to a minor ruin, the benefits one could reap were beyond ordinary imagination.

For those about to enter the secret realm, the temptation was especially strong.

And so, even though such an item was tightly controlled by the upper echelons of the Jade Talisman Pavilion, and even though the rumors remained unverified, they had still come to witness the spectacle.

Who would have thought they’d immediately run into Qin Donglin and Wu Fei?

And from that, they deduced: "Song Qiushi must be here too."

The moment Mo Ruanruan uttered Song Qiushi’s name, the others in the room exchanged glances, their smiles tinged with resignation.

At this point, they all knew—whether the map was real or fake, whether it existed or not, they were bound to pay a steep price today.

Mo Ruanruan glanced at the three spatial rings on her fingers, her lips pressed into a displeased pout.

Mo Changheng remained unmoved by her pitiful, expectant gaze and said bluntly, "I didn’t bring much with me. Save it for bidding on the relic map."

Her eyes immediately shifted to Yun Xuan. Under her stare, the young celestial prince quickly caved, pulling two spatial rings from his sleeve and placing them in her palm.

After handing them over, he couldn’t resist adding, "This is an auction hosted by the demon race. The more you spend, the higher the taxes they’ll pay to the main city."

His tone and expression practically screamed: *Don’t find ways to line Song Qiushi’s pockets.*

Mo Ruanruan’s lips pursed even tighter. She reached out, tugging at the sleeve of the man beside her, her round face scrunched up like a steamed bun.

The celestial prince, who shared the top rank on the Six Realms leaderboard with Qin Donglin, moved his slender fingers slightly. Several elegant spatial rings materialized on the table beside them. He picked one up, cradling Mo Ruanruan’s plump little hand, and slowly slid it onto her finger.

By the time all ten fingers were adorned with rings, Mo Ruanruan stared at the dimples on her knuckles and blinked up at Luo Ying in confusion. "Have I gotten fatter?"

"You haven’t."

Luo Ying’s gaze was deep, his presence imposing, and his reply was utterly serious: "This is just right."

Just as easily pleased, Mo Ruanruan brightened up. She tucked away her chubby little hands and finally found the time to respond to Yun Xuan’s earlier earnest advice: "If I can outshine Song Qiushi on her own turf, I’d be happy to throw money at her."

She spoke with such conviction and righteousness that Yun Xuan’s lips twitched. Staring at the handful of spatial rings on her fingers, he was left utterly speechless.

=====

Time flowed leisurely by, and the auction hall gradually filled with people, row after row of seats occupied.

By the time the moon hung high, its silver glow radiant, the auction hall’s bell tolled three times, and the clamor of voices quieted as if under a spell.

The auctioneer and his young assistant stepped onto the stage, met by the gaze of hundreds.

The auctioneer was an elderly man with the youthful vigor of a child, his complexion rosy and his smile perfectly measured. Clearing his throat, he began with the familiar opening remarks.

"Without further ado, you’ve all come seeking something. May every esteemed guest here tonight find the treasure they desire and leave satisfied."

In the VIP chamber marked "Earth One," Song Qiushi jolted awake the moment the word "satisfied" left the auctioneer’s lips. She rose from her reclining chair, dragged a stool to the crystal wall, and peered down at the scene below, where everything was laid bare before her.

Seeing her ready-for-battle stance, Wu Fei immediately understood.

Snapping his fan shut, he slumped against the back of his chair, transforming from a refined young master into a lazy, boneless heap. With a faint lift of his eyelids, he addressed the other two men in the room: "Well, that’s our cue. Nothing left for us to do but watch."

The auctioneer’s voice, transmitted flawlessly through the wall’s enchanted artifact, reached them without delay.

The auction had officially begun!

For the first half-hour, Song Qiushi was brimming with enthusiasm. But as low-tier spiritual treasures, herbs, and weapons were auctioned off one after another, she grew restless, shifting in her seat. She turned to Song Yunhe, who sat as still as a meditating monk with his eyes closed, and asked, "How long has it been?"

"Only fifteen items so far."

Song Yunhe replied, "Be patient. There’s still a long way to go."

Wu Fei chimed in sagely, "An auction like this won’t wrap up in less than three or four hours. The good stuff always comes later—let’s see what they’ve saved for the finale."

Song Qiushi fell silent again, but when the next item was presented, her interest waned. She moved her stool back and sidled up to Qin Donglin.

It had to be said—the bone structure and features of the Nine-Tailed Silver Fox clan were flawless, and Qin Donglin was the most striking among them. His nose was straight as a bridge, his brows sharp as blades, and when he wasn’t speaking, Song Qiushi could stare at his face all day without growing bored.

Qin Donglin’s eyes were closed, his dark lashes casting delicate shadows beneath them, lending him an uncharacteristically gentle aura.

Song Qiushi’s gaze traced his brows, his eyes, and finally settled on the alluring beauty mark at the corner of his eye. She held her breath.

But the sleeping beauty’s patience was thin. By the fifth time her eyes wandered over him, his brow furrowed, and his long fingers tapped twice against the armrest.

Before he could speak, Song Qiushi hurriedly said, "Don’t say anything. I’ll just look for a bit."

Qin Donglin exhaled in barely restrained irritation, his sharp brow arching. Then, her voice piped up again, this time laced with curiosity: "Hey, Wu Fei mentioned you called us here because you had your eye on something. What is it?"

Qin Donglin opened his eyes to find her small face before him—her arched brows, round eyes, and even his own reflection in her pupils.

The sight reminded him of a scene from two months ago, when she’d looked at him the same way, sweet and clingy, every word dripping with honey.

Her thoughts had been clear, her goal unmistakable.

She’d wanted the Dragon Pearl.

But that pearl had been swallowed whole by his injured sword spirit before he could stop it, becoming nourishment for the Posa Sword.

Later, while listening to the steward and Ruan Yuan’s report, he’d learned that tonight’s auction would feature some extraordinary items.

Song Qiushi loved extraordinary things. Perhaps one of them could replace the Dragon Pearl she’d been obsessing over.

That was why they’d all gathered here tonight.

"The steward mentioned that a few unusual items emerged from the recent underwater secret realm," Qin Donglin said, his pale, veined hand lifting to gesture idly toward the western side of the hall. "Among them, a relic map of the Luyuan Secret Realm."

Both Wu Fei and Song Yunhe opened their eyes at once.

Song Qiushi, too, looked surprised.

"Could be baseless rumors. We’ll see," Qin Donglin said, clearly unwilling to elaborate further. He turned his head, his gaze landing on the spatial rings adorning Song Qiushi’s fingers. "If you like anything, bid for it."

Before she could respond, the auctioneer’s voice rang out crisp and clear:

"—One Eight-Sectioned Dragon Spirit Herb."

The old man's voice carried a mesmerizing charm: "The Eight-Sectioned Dragon Spirit Herb bearing three fruits—its efficacy needs no elaboration, I trust you all understand. It is a supreme restorative medicine. The starting bid is five hundred thousand spirit stones."

Without hesitation, Song Qiushi pressed the bidding button in her private booth, her voice amplified through a specially crafted artifact: "Six hundred thousand."

They were about to enter the Luyuan Secret Realm, and healing medicines like this were in high demand. Every extra item they could secure was invaluable.

Soon, another voice—soft yet unyielding—chimed in: "Eight hundred thousand."

The voice matched its owner—Mo Ruanruan.

Song Qiushi wasn’t surprised. In fact, she almost felt a sense of inevitability.

She tapped the bidding button again, stood up, and leaned forward slightly. With a familiar, faintly provocative tone, she enunciated each word deliberately: "One million."

While others raised bids by increments of one or two thousand, these two were jumping by two hundred thousand at a time.

The soft voice shot back without hesitation: "One and a half million!"

This price had already surpassed the previous recorded sale of an Eight-Sectioned Dragon Spirit Herb.

But when these two clashed, rationality was the first casualty. Both were pampered young princesses who could spend spirit stones like water without batting an eye.

And so it went.

Song Qiushi had no intention of backing down.

Wu Fei covered his face in exasperation.

The outcome was exactly as he expected.

"One point six," Song Qiushi declared crisply.

"One point seven million," came the immediate counter.

By now, the rest of the auction hall had fallen silent. The seated guests whispered among themselves, baffled by the fierce rivalry between these two women.

The bidding war seemed endless—and utterly pointless.

Qin Donglin frowned.

As Song Qiushi reached for the button again, he pressed his fingers to his temple, his voice low and cool: "One point eight million."

A long silence followed from the other side. No further bids came.

Song Qiushi let out a puzzled hum, successfully securing the overpriced Dragon Spirit Herb.

"Did Mo Ruanruan suddenly decide to give me face?" she mused, glancing at Qin Donglin. "Or was my voice just not as intimidating as yours?"

She soon got her answer when they found themselves competing again—this time for a jade Buddha statue.

Midway through the bidding, Mo Ruanruan’s voice was abruptly replaced by a man’s—cool, slightly hoarse: "Two point three million."

Song Qiushi recognized it immediately: Luo Ying.

Recognition, however, didn’t translate to intimidation or deference.

Her finger hovered over the button, but before she could press it, Qin Donglin spoke her name: "Qiushi."

Back when Qin Donglin had been in a better mood, he’d always called her that—a simple, ordinary address. At the time, she hadn’t thought much of it. But ever since the incident with Cheng Yi, "Qiushi" had become "Song Qiushi" for a long while. Hearing the old form of address again now gave her an almost flustered sense of being… unexpectedly favored.

Qin Donglin tapped the seat beside him, his tone lazy. "Come sit here."

Song Qiushi glanced between him and the bidding button.

"Come."

His voice was casual, almost coaxing. "Be good."

Like he was talking to a child.

By the time Song Qiushi had dawdled her way to his side, the jade Buddha had already been claimed by Mo Ruanruan.