Inside the peach grove, Lin Qianxue helped Luo Yue spread a cloth under a peach tree that was thicker than the child, and everyone sat around while Luo Yue played with a flowing peach in the middle.
"When I was buying things just now, I heard that the City Lord's Mansion is going to hold an auction in Liuke Grove later. I heard the City Lord obtained a spiritual treasure born of heaven and earth within an ancient mystic realm."
"But as everyone knows, those kinds of treasures are never easy to take. In the end, she was injured by the karma of the Great Dao, and to this day she still has no idea what she actually obtained."
"The auction being held now is precisely to find an expert proficient in the arts of fate and karma, hoping they can graft away this karmic burden so she can cut her losses in time. Furthermore, besides the heavenly spiritual treasure, she has also promised to unconditionally fulfill three requests for the other party, provided they do not cross her principles."
Liu Mingshuang looked at Lin Qianxue with curiosity written all over her face, practically having the words "let's go take a look" plastered across her forehead.
"To be able to force a Divine Venerable Realm powerhouse to this state—ordinary people would likely touch that karma and die instantly. Besides, nowadays, leaving aside the Great Dao of karma and fate, as far as I know, throughout the entire God Domain, apart from God Lord Bai Shenji of Tianshu who might have such capability, there is only the elusive and untraceable Daoist Piaomiao. If you could find anyone else who has mastered those Dao principles, you'd be doing well."
Hearing Su Wanyi's words, Lin Qianxue fell into deep thought. She was weighing whether to take Luo Yue over to join in the excitement. After all, karma was a vague and ineffable thing, yet it undeniably and truly existed.
Only those who understood it knew its true terror; she was afraid that rushing over blindly might embroil them in some unwarranted karmic entanglements.
"In my opinion, we'd better not go join in this excitement. Although the three of us haven't reached Divine Enlightenment, we at least have cultivation to protect us. Taking a glance would do no harm even if we got touched by some karma. But Xiao Yue'er is different; he is still just an ordinary child. I'm afraid he couldn't withstand this kind of karma."
"Mm, I think Senior Sister's consideration is reasonable. We aren't afraid, but Xiao Yue'er can't take it. Let's just honestly play here for a while, and when Xiao Yue'er has had enough of playing, we can take him for a stroll around the area and then return to the Holy Land."
Considering that Luo Yue was still present, Su Wanyi didn't dare to rashly go and watch either. Having no choice—they lived in the God Domain, where opportunities and crises alike could easily claim an ordinary person's life.
This was the cruelty of the God Domain: lacking sufficient strength meant that even a grand opportunity could cost you your life, let alone an ordinary mortal like Luo Yue.
"But I'm curious what kind of treasure it actually is! Aren't you guys even a bit curious about what sort of heavenly spiritual treasure could injure a Divine Venerable Realm powerhouse to this extent?"
"Not curious."
"Sometimes curiosity is the most terrifying death warrant. What's more, if Xiao Yue'er suffers even the slightest bit of harm, just wait and see if Emperor Venerable Shuanghan spares your life out of consideration for you being a disciple of the Yaoguang Holy Land, before she turns that City Lord Huaran into dust."
Lin Qianxue gently wiped the flowing peach residue from the corner of Luo Yue's mouth, using the gentlest tone to state the most cruel reality.
"Hmph, if worst comes to worst... worst comes to worst, I'll go take a look by myself. I'll just go take a single glance and come right back."
Out of spite, Liu Mingshuang stood up and headed straight in the direction of the auction. Seeing this, Lin Qianxue couldn't help but shake her head.
"Wanyi, go keep an eye on Mingshuang. Usually, she's the one who causes the most trouble."
"Fine, then. It just so happens I also want to take a peek at what that heavenly spiritual treasure capable of injuring a Divine Venerable actually looks like."
Su Wanyi stood up and hurried after Liu Mingshuang, leaving behind a bewildered Luo Yue staring at the direction the two of them had departed.
"Senior Sister Qianxue, where did Senior Sister Wanyi and the other go?"
"Them? Your Senior Sister Mingshuang is throwing a little temper, and Senior Sister Wanyi went to discipline her. Never mind them—does Xiao Yue'er want to go look around somewhere else?"
Lin Qianxue pointed at the surrounding beautiful peach grove and asked.
"Aren't we going to wait for Senior Sister Wanyi and the rest?"
"Them? They won't be able to run off."
"Then, where are we going?"
Luo Yue quickly and efficiently stowed the flowing peach in his little belly, then sprang up in a flash. Clearly, eating and playing were much more important.
Seeing that Luo Yue was ready, Lin Qianxue waved her hand to put away the things on the ground, then bent down to pick Luo Yue up, and the two of them walked all the way along the distant stream.
......
A white butterfly flew past Luo Yue's eyes and slowly landed on the tip of the grass by the bank of the stream.
Seeing this, Luo Yue crouched down and crept slowly toward the butterfly. Just as Luo Yue reached behind the butterfly—
"Plop!"
A colorful fish the size of a palm leaped out of the stream, swallowed the butterfly in one gulp, and with a flick of its dragon-like tail, splashed right back into the stream.
Yet, as luck would have it, just as Luo Yue lunged forward, his chubby little face directly took a slap that no one his age should have to bear.
Seeing the colorful fish swim a joyful circle back in the stream as if mocking Luo Yue,
how could Luo Yue swallow such a grievance? He turned his head and looked aggrievedly at Lin Qianxue, his expression practically screaming that the baby was being bullied by a colorful fish.
That aggrieved little expression looked as if he could burst into tears at any second. This was the first time in so long that Lin Qianxue had seen Luo Yue show such a look.
"Why does that fish just now look so much like the legendary Daoyun Colorful Scale? I heard even the Yaoguang Holy Land only has seven or eight of them, and those were specifically gathered from across the entire God Domain over a thousand years by Emperor Venerable Huachen back in the day, treated like absolute treasures."
Luo Yue: If I had known, just watch if I wouldn't cook you up →_→
"Senior Sister~"
"Alright, alright. How could there be Daoyun Colorful Scales in a place like this? Besides, who told it to bully our Xiao Yue'er? Never mind whether it's a Daoyun Colorful Scale or not—just wait here, Senior Sister will catch it for you."
Lin Qianxue tapped her toes lightly and soared through the air.
Realizing the situation was dire, the Daoyun Colorful Scale accelerated and shot away like a colorful thread, its fishy sixth sense telling it that if it didn't run, it would end up on a dinner plate.
"The little thing sure runs fast. Xiao Yue'er, follow along the stream, Senior Sister will go catch the fish for you first."
Seeing Lin Qianxue chase off along the stream, Luo Yue hurriedly scrambled after her on his short little legs.
After chasing for a while, Lin Qianxue vanished from Luo Yue's line of sight. After walking who knows how long, Luo Yue's vision blurred, and he found himself in an unfamiliar place.
"Where is this?"
—— Bitter Tea —— (Did you miss me?)
At the Liuke Garden auction grounds.
Liu Mingshuang and Su Wanyi were sitting in a wooden pavilion, eating and chatting. There were many similar wooden pavilions scattered around, and right in the middle of them, an auction was taking place.
Among the pavilions in their line of sight, there was one completely screened off by folding screens. The screens were ordinary enough, yet not a single person present dared to release their divine sense to pry.
Reclining sideways inside the screens was a beauty dressed in a pink-and-white wide-sleeved dress, her collar embroidered with a few peach blossoms, while her sleeves bore the embroidery of two peach trees.
Only, the beauty's complexion was extremely pale at the moment, making her look quite haggard, and the helplessness on her face was laid completely bare.
"Who is it?"