<b>Chapter 266: Sky-High Price</b>
“Hurry!” Li Qiye said slowly. This gentle word carried a dignified tone without a hint of anger.
Chi Xiaodie's heart shivered for a moment after being stared at by Li Qiye. She didn't know why, but her heart suddenly acquiesced at this moment as she angrily spoke: “Fine, I'll bid then!”
At this time, Chi Xiaodie loudly shouted amidst the clamoring crowd to the auctioneer: “If this ruler starts at 3,000 Heavenly Sovereign Refined Jades, then I will be willing to bid.”
Chi Xiaodie's sudden declaration of 3,000 Heavenly Sovereign Refined Jades attracted the gaze of many people. It was not a small amount; a memento worthy of such a price would be quite amazing.
“3,000 Heavenly Sovereign Refined Jades to buy a wooden ruler memento? Are you crazy? Is this broken ruler really worth that much money?” Li Qiye looked at Chi Xiaodie and exclaimed with an exaggerated expression.
Chi Xiaodie was fed up since she was supposed to act with him, but right now, he was making fun of her; how could she not be angry? She angrily glared at him and snapped: “What does it have to do with you! I like to collect mementos! If I like it, then I'll buy it!”
Unsuspecting spectators watching their noisy scene actually thought that they were quarreling lovers and laughed at the interesting spectacle.
“If Sister likes it, how about I buy it for you?” Seeing an opportunity, Sima Longyun immediately voiced his concern.
Chi Xiaodie coldly glared at him and responded: “I will buy the items that I like myself! It is not only your Furious Immortal Saint Country that has money!”
Sima Longyun could only smile awkwardly after being met with Chi Xiaodie's response.
“Little Sister, if you like it, then I'll buy it for you.” At this time, Bing Yuxia actually decided to join in as she cheerfully smiled: “A girl like a noble canary with some temper — my favorite type. How about I buy it for you?”
Finished speaking, she told the auctioneer: “3,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades! I want this wooden ruler.”
“This is too crazy.” Everyone immediately became lost in a furor the moment Bing Yuxia stated this price. 3,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades to buy a ruler like this — this was truly having too much money without an outlet for spending. But what can one do? This person came from the Ice Feather Palace and she was the descendant; she truly had such wealth!
Even if Sima Longyun wanted to buy the wooden ruler to please Chi Xiaodie, with Bing Yuxia bidding 3,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades, he didn't have any other option. And it wasn't just not having 3,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades to buy a wooden ruler; even if he did, he would be scolded to death by his elders. Even if he did come from the Saint Country, this amount was still monstrous to a young disciple like him!
The auctioneer immediately shouted: “3,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades. Is there a higher bid?” He didn't think that 3,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades was a sellable price after Li Qiye's interference. However, with Bing Yuxia's gesture, this was the best chance to profit.
“Crazy…” The other buyers all shook their heads and let go of this thought. Such an amount of refined jades to buy a useless wooden ruler — this was too insane.
“For what reason will a little girl dress like a boy all day!?” At this time, Li Qiye had to repress the urge to curse in his mind. He wanted to buy it cheap, but he didn't expect for this Bing Yuxia to interfere and ruin his plan!
Bing Yuxia didn't care for Li Qiye's expression. She stared at him with her pretty eyes that flashed a hint of happiness and leisurely said: “It is my hobby, does Fellow Daoist have something to say about it? I can't believe Miss Chi is so beautiful and charming, are you interested in visiting my Ice Feather Palace as a guest?” Having said that, her eyebrows slightly raised, giving off a playful expression while teasing Chi Xiaodie.
Chi Xiaodie was at a loss for words. Bing Yuxia was clearly a beauty, yet she — time and time again dressed — like a man and even went as far as teasing other girls!
“Quit your bullshit!” Li Qiye put on a rough appearance and pulled up his sleeve to say: “Oh how grand you are. You, this pervert, actually wants to steal my woman!? 3,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades? Your father will go with 4,000. As long as Miss Chi likes it, I will buy it even if it is at a higher price!”
“This is so crazy. This brat's boldness truly reaches the sky; he actually dares to oppose the Ice Feather Palace's descendant like this!”
The buyers present couldn't help but to rowdily discuss this matter after seeing Li Qiye's display.
Another buyer added: “This is called a newborn calf not being afraid of a tiger. This brat probably just recently came out with high spirits so he doesn't know the immensity of the heaven and earth; this is probably why he dares to provoke the Ice Feather Palace.”
“4,000! 4,000! Is there a higher bid?” The auctioneer immediately shouted after hearing Li Qiye's bid: “4,000! Just 4,000 jades and then you can obtain the happiness of the beauty and bring her back — this is absolutely worth it!” [1. The “bring her back” here is actually carry/embrace her back, which is more of an expression about winning a lady's heart — not literally. But it is still funny because it sounds very sexual.]
As for the heroine of this stormy competition, Chi Xiaodie's face became hot and didn't think about how this matter was getting more and more ridiculous.
“You think you are deserving of Little Sister? Why not look in the mirror first?” Sima Longyun became furious at the unknown junior who competed with him for a woman, so he coldly shouted: “I bid 5,000.” [2. The raw here for “look in the mirror” is actually “use a puddle of pee to look at yourself first”. A lot more foul than the English version, but it sounds a bit weird.]
“10,000, I bid 10,000.” At this time, Bing Yuxia was still as relaxed as before. She looked at Sima Longyun and slowly asked: “Do you dare to bid 20,000?”
Sima Longyun immediately lost his temper after being provoked by Bing Yuxia. In fact, his bid of 5,000 was only a momentary impulse from being blinded with jealousy. It was too ridiculous to use 5,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades to buy a wooden ruler like this. He essentially didn't dare to follow up to the end after Bing Yuxia's new bid.
“If Miss Bing likes this wooden ruler, then I won't compete for something you like.” Sima Longyun cupped his fist with a personable demeanor. This was an easy ladder to step down on while maintaining his gracefulness — truly perfect. [“Ladder to step down on” is an easy way to get out of something without losing too much face. The ladder, in this case, is his excuse of not competing for something she likes.]
“10,000! 10,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades!” The auctioneer immediately cried: “Is there a higher bid?”
“Do you still want to bid?” At this time, Bing Yuxia stared at Li Qiye with a cheerful smile and a provocative furrow of her brows. Initially, she was a great beauty, but dressing as a man gave her a different attractive flavor.
“My grandmother! Why are you, a girl, competing with me for a woman!” Li Qiye couldn't help but curse with a rude attitude: “Your father only wants to lose money, but not lose the battle! I will do 20,000!”
In fact, he wanted to tell her to stop. This was really messing up his good matter. He could initially buy it with a low price, but now, it was a sky-high price!
“So insane!” At this moment, everyone became staggered with shock while shaking their heads. This was no longer an auction, but rather, a competition for one's lover!
“You're crazy!” Even Chi Xiaodie could not bear to watch any longer. Spending 30,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades to buy this wooden ruler was too irrational. However, her attitude — in the eyes of others — made her seem to be a distressed lover who was sad about her honey wasting money. Sima Longyun was especially cold to the extreme as his eyes flashed a frightening murderous intent.
“20,000! 20,000 refined jades! Is there a higher bid?” The auctioneer couldn't contain his excitement. Naturally, he wished that this love competition would become even more intense!
“Oh, quite a character.” Bing Yuxia laughed and looked at Li Qiye with simpering eyes. She leisurely said: “It seems like… I have to bid 30,000, then?”
Li Qiye was quite annoyed. He could have bought this for a much cheaper price, but because this young miss was causing trouble, his plan completely failed.
“You are a girl so why are you causing a ruckus, here? If you were a boy and came here to flirt, then I wouldn't blame you, but why is a girl like you competing for a girl with me!? Do you have nothing else to do? You're just a little girl; don't pretend to be a boy all day long. Go back to your Ice Feather Palace; go to the Grand Monarch Ridge and take a good look at the Heaven Cutting Tablet. This is something a girl should do!” Li Qiye snappily scolded her with some rude gestures.
However, Bing Yuxia was quite shocked when Li Qiye brought up the “Grand Monarch Ridge's Heaven Cutting Tablet!” Her eyes became serious as she glared at Li Qiye.
“This brat is too arrogant. He actually went as far as to offend the Ice Feather Palace like this.” Buyers were quite amazed at Li Qiye speaking to Bing Yuxia in such an unrestrained manner.
Sima Longyun — on the other hand — was sneering in his mind. This thing that doesn't know the immensity of the heaven and earth! He dares to provoke Ice Feather Palace like this — truly courting death.
But right when everyone thought that Bing Yuxia would explode, she suddenly revealed a beautiful laugh that was capable of toppling cities and kingdoms in her male outfit, stirring an indescribable feeling in others.
“Fine, since you want to buy this item to please the heart of the beauty so much, I will oblige and let you have it.” Bing Yuxia beamingly smiled and said.
Li Qiye rolled his eyes a bit. If it wasn't for this girl messing around, he would have been able to buy this wooden ruler at a much lower price.
“20,000! 20,000! Does anyone else want to go higher?” The auctioneer shouted after seeing Bing Yuxia withdraw from the competition.
Other people naturally would not bid against such a price to buy a wooden ruler. Only a madman would do such a thing.
Some buyers were curious, so one guy asked: “What is this brat's origin? 20,000 Virtuous Paragon Refined Jades is not a small number.”
Ordinary cultivators would not be able to get so many refined jades, so a few grand characters were quite curious.
Li Qiye eventually grabbed this wooden ruler, and the auction was now over. The majority of the buyers already left, but one buyer couldn't help but to express his feelings of regret: “It is a shame that there were no Monarch Medicines like within my expectations!”
Sima Longyun was filled with anger, but right before he left, he still maintained a gentlemanly air. He said goodbye to Chi Xiaodie and sent her an invitation: “Would Sister be available to visit my Furious Immortal Saint Country as a guest? I am willing to be your tour guide.”
Chi Xiaodie was not very fond of Sima Longyun so Chi Xiaodao quickly defused the situation: “Brother Sima, when we have time in the future, we will surely visit your country.”
Before Sima Longyun left, he gave Li Qiye a fierce glance while Li Qiye was too lazy to look back at him.