86: Bombshell! The auction for the Yaochi Mirror fragments has been cancelled!

Tens of thousands of gazes from the audience, a mix of shock, envy, jealousy, and gossip, pierced through him like needles.

Su Chen felt like a puppet being pulled by invisible threads.

He was "escorted" by Ye Linghan just like that, stepping onto the Star Gazing Platform that hovered above everyone's heads step by step.

Standing aloof from the world, the Star Gazing Platform was the most esteemed location in the entire auction venue.

Standing here, one could see everything below at a glance, like a god looking down upon the mortal realm.

But Su Chen didn't have even the slightest bit of the "standing atop the mountain and looking down at all others" pride.

Right now, he just wanted to die.

[Holy shit, she actually brought me up here!]

Su Chen felt like crying but had no tears; he felt like a rare protected animal placed inside a glass case for people to observe.

[This Crazy Woman is doing it on purpose, right? She just wants me to die of social death in public! She wants everyone to see my pathetic, kidnapped state!]

[My lifelong reputation, Su Chen's name! It's all ruined!]

[How am I supposed to maintain my status in the salted fish world of the Xuanyuan Continent in the future?]

He could clearly feel at least tens of thousands of Divine Thoughts, like countless slimy insects, crawling all over his body, scanning him from his hair to his heels no less than eight hundred times.

Especially from a certain direction on the second floor.

That icy gaze almost solidified into substance, mixed with a sky-toppling rage and a strange sense of determination that said, "Wait for me, I'm coming to save you," making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.

[No need to think, it's definitely that big-breasted and brainless woman, Ling Qingzhu.]

[She definitely misunderstood! She's one hundred percent sure that I've been taken hostage by this Crazy Woman!]

[It's over, it's over. Now I can't even wash this clean by jumping into the Yellow River. One Crazy Woman was enough for me to handle, and now here comes another self-righteous master of mental gymnastics. Is my life even worth living anymore?]

Su Chen wailed inwardly; the sky of his future was now pitch black.

"Husband, what are you thinking about?"

Ye Linghan's demonic voice rang in his ears.

Not only did she not let go of him, but she also pushed her luck further, leaning her entire body against him like a boneless snake, her jade hand naturally wrapping around his waist.

Su Chen's body instantly stiffened.

[Big sister! Don't get so close to me! Don't you know about the propriety between men and women?!]

[Most importantly, that Devilish Qi on your body is chilly, giving me goosebumps from the cold!]

He wanted to dodge, but found himself imprisoned by an invisible force, unable to even move a finger.

He could only watch helplessly as this Demoness "put her hands all over him" in front of the whole world.

That look of being weary of life and at the mercy of others fell into the eyes of Ling Qingzhu in the second-floor VIP Room, igniting her anger once again.

[Enchantress! She truly is an Enchantress!]

Ling Qingzhu clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her flesh.

[She actually used a Demonic Technique to control Su Chen's body! Making it impossible for him to resist!]

[She is humiliating him in public! And also humiliating me, his Fiancée!]

[Su Chen, hold on a bit longer! I'll soon, very soon, be able to think of a way!]

Amidst this eerie atmosphere.

"Clang—"

A melodious chime of a bell echoed through the entire venue.

The originally boisterous discussions came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone's gazes were simultaneously directed toward the high platform in the center.

The auction had officially begun.

A high-level Auctioneer from the Myriad Dao Merchant Guild, dressed in a brocade robe and possessing a steady aura, slowly walked onto the high platform.

His face was somewhat pale, and a trace of shock that hadn't completely faded still lingered in his eyes.

Clearly, that unprecedented "zero-dollar shopping spree in the treasury" from earlier had left him with a lifelong psychological shadow.

He first cupped his hands toward the surroundings, pausing for a moment as his gaze swept over the VIP Rooms of the Yaochi Holy Land, the Wang Family of the Northern Region, and others.

Finally, his gaze landed on the Star Gazing Platform at the very top.

When he saw the strange combination of Su Chen and Ye Linghan, his eyes twitched noticeably, but he immediately put on the most respectful and humble smile and bowed deeply to Su Chen.

This bow caused the audience to erupt in an uproar once again.

Everyone knew that the Myriad Dao Merchant Guild had a profound background, and their Auctioneers only needed to treat the masters of Holy Lands as equals.

But now, he actually performed such a grand salute to Su Chen!

This was enough to show that the status of the Divine Son of the Su Family, in their hearts, had already transcended all other powers!

Seeing this, Su Chen didn't feel happy at all.

[Why are you bowing to me?]

[The one you should be bowing to is the one next to me! She's your true God of Wealth!]

[She helped you clear out thousands of years of unsellable inventory overnight; it would be unreasonable for the Myriad Dao Merchant Guild not to set up a longevity tablet for her!]

After the Auctioneer finished his bow, he cleared his throat and spoke in a deep voice infused with spiritual energy.

"Fellow Daoists, Seniors, welcome once again to the Myriad Dao Merchant Guild to participate in this grand finale auction."

His voice, amplified by the Array, spread clearly to every corner of the venue.

"Before the auction begins, our Myriad Dao Merchant Guild must announce a very regrettable piece of news."

He took a deep breath, a grave expression appearing on his face.

"Due to certain... force majeure factors."

At this point, his voice paused, and his eyes subconsciously glanced toward the Star Gazing Platform, filled with endless complexity.

Then, in an almost mournful tone, he announced word by word:

"One of the grand finale treasures originally scheduled for this auction, the core fragment of the 'jade pool mirror'—the Sect-guarding Imperial Weapon lost by the Yaochi Holy Land for tens of thousands of years—is canceled!"

Boom!!!

These words were like a thunderclap, exploding violently in the center of the entire venue!

"What?!"

"Auction canceled?! Are you kidding me! I came here specifically for that thing!"

"What the hell is the Myriad Dao Merchant Guild doing? Are they making fools of us?!"

"Force majeure? What kind of bullshit force majeure! I think they just want to hike the price on the spot!"

The entire venue instantly boiled over!

Countless Cultivators who had come with high expectations exploded in anger on the spot!

Angry roars and dissatisfied questioning merged into a terrifying wave of sound that almost blew the roof off the venue!

However, amidst this overwhelming clamor.

Only three places were as quiet as a secluded paradise.

On the Star Gazing Platform, Su Chen and Ye Linghan shared a tacit understanding.

[Nonsense, how could it not be canceled? The thing is already in the hands of Ice Block Face; where are you guys going to bid for it? The air?]

Su Chen complained wildly in his head, the corners of his mouth even twitching into a trace of schadenfreude.

On the second floor, inside the Yaochi Holy Land's VIP Room.

Ling Qingzhu lightly stroked her brow with her jade hand, feeling the mirror fragment that had already merged with her Divine Soul; a rare smile appeared on her cold, pretty face.

[Su Chen, this is all thanks to you.]

And in an inconspicuous corner of the venue.

Liu Ruyan swirled her wine glass, the corners of her mouth under her mask curling into an extremely mocking arc.

[Giggle, these fools are still clamoring for something that was already decided internally.]

[Little do they know, the real show has only just begun.]