The next day.
At the auction, Helian Yi attended in elaborate attire, drawing all eyes. She was second only to the Four Great Beauties and was considered the epitome of beauty in Jiangnan. As the governor's daughter, countless men pursued her, believing that winning her hand would grant them unchallenged influence in the region. Of course, this was mere wishful thinking, as Helian Yi, born into nobility, would never deign to notice them.
Seeing all gazes fixed upon her, Helian Yi felt a surge of pride. She had status, but alas, she had not been recognized as one of the Four Great Beauties. This remained a regret in her heart.
Her objective today was simple: Lin Tianxin and Jiang Xueyan. Firstly, she had long been displeased with them. After all, their status was nowhere near hers, so why were they chosen as two of the Four Great Beauties, while she was not?
Secondly, her father had instructed her to attend this charity auction. A certain arrogant individual had appeared in Jiangnan, one who not only dared to openly defy her father, Helian Shan, but also became a thorn in his side. This person was Yun Fan. She had already investigated and found that Yun Fan protected the Jiang and Lin families. Therefore, today, she intended to make these two families bleed. While not a direct confrontation, it would serve as a warning to Yun Fan. Of course, she alone was not enough to deal with Yun Fan. She would deal with him later, as long as it was all above board, Yun Fan wouldn't dare to act rashly.
However, Jiang Xueyan and Lin Tianxin were conspicuously absent, making Helian Yi anxious. Just then, Lin Tianxin and Jiang Xueyan arrived, instantly drawing all attention away from Helian Yi.
"See? This is the aura of the Four Great Beauties. They are simply stunning!" someone exclaimed. "Their beauty even surpasses Miss Helian's!"
However, upon noticing Helian Yi's murderous glare, they wisely fell silent. Helian Yi was consumed by jealousy. Although she was usually the center of attention wherever she went, with these two women present, she would never be the protagonist.
"Miss Lin, Miss Jiang, I thought you weren't coming!" Helian Yi approached the two women with a sarcastic smile.
The assertive Jiang Xueyan stated directly, "Since you invited us, if we didn't come, wouldn't that embarrass you?"
The atmosphere immediately turned frigid. No one expected Jiang Xueyan to be so blunt, leaving Helian Yi with no face at all. Despite her inner anger, Helian Yi maintained her composure and said, "You two jest. Although this auction is just a charity event, there are many good items. Have you brought enough money?"
"Don't worry, we're richer than you!" Lin Tianxin replied directly, also showing no deference to Helian Yi.
Helian Yi's fury surged, but she knew that impatience could ruin great plans. She had to endure this moment.
"Who is he?" Helian Yi pointed at Yun Fan, whom the two women were arm-in-arm with.
At this, the onlookers finally realized that they had been so captivated by the women's beauty that they hadn't noticed Yun Fan between them. If Yun Fan knew their thoughts, he would be immensely frustrated, feeling like a mere backdrop.
Jiang Xueyan spoke first, introducing him, "He is my boyfriend, Yun Fan!"
"What?" The crowd erupted in disbelief, astonished that Jiang Xueyan already had a boyfriend.
"He is my fiancé!" Lin Tianxin declared, not to be outdone. She privately grumbled that in a moment of distraction, Jiang Xueyan had beaten her to it.
"This relationship... let me sort it out!" some struggled to comprehend, finding the situation too complex.
Their companions scoffed, "Why sort it out? It's clearly the wife and the mistress!"
"This..." Everyone present looked on with envy and jealousy, bewildered by the charm this man possessed to have captured two such beauties. What surprised them even more was that the two women had agreed, and the hierarchy was so perfectly established. This world was truly insane.
Of course, this was before they knew Yun Fan's true identity. Although Yun Fan had already turned Jiangnan upside down, very few knew who he was.
Helian Yi was stunned. The formidable figure who had caused her father to lose face and who had defeated the Imperial Dragon War God and Ouyang Shaohui was this seemingly effeminate man. She looked at Yun Fan with curiosity. His presence had caught her off guard, especially since he was known for his decisive actions. However, her intentions today were above board, so she wasn't afraid of Yun Fan. After all, she reasoned, Yun Fan wouldn't dare to attack her in front of so many people.
"Low-key, low-key!" Yun Fan said with a pretentious smirk. The crowd wished they could beat this show-off to death.
At this moment, Helian Yi suppressed her anger and politely said, "So it's Mr. Yun. I've heard so much about you!"
Just as she was about to extend her hand for a handshake, the two women blocked her. Helian Yi's killing intent flared. This was the third time she had lost face at the auction, proving that these two women were no pushovers.
After a brief moment of awkwardness, the auction began. The first item was a landscape painting. Lin Tianxin, a lover of landscapes, immediately bid, "Ten million!" While the painting wasn't worth that much, since it was for charity, Lin Tianxin didn't care about the money at this point. The crowd was surprised by Lin Tianxin's generosity, starting with ten million. However, the Lin family was wealthy, and as another philanthropic family after the Su family, such a bid was understandable.
"Twenty million!" Helian Yi immediately countered. Lin Tianxin was instantly furious, realizing this woman was targeting her. It was impossible for her not to be angry.
"Fifty million!" the extravagant Lin Tianxin pushed the price to fifty million.
"One hundred million!"
Yun Fan was about to intervene, but Lin Tianxin had already called out the price. He knew Lin Tianxin had fallen into a trap; it was all Helian Yi's scheme. As expected, Helian Yi stopped bidding. This obscure landscape painting had made Lin Tianxin a fool.
"Miss Lin is indeed wealthy. I'll let you have this painting!" Helian Yi said with a smile, thoroughly enjoying seeing Lin Tianxin embarrassed.
"You..." Lin Tianxin also realized she had gotten carried away and could only swallow her loss. The painting was then delivered to Lin Tianxin.
"How could you be so foolish! Falling for it so easily!" Jiang Xueyan chided her. Lin Tianxin gave her a glare and then sheepishly turned to Yun Fan, "I'm not usually like this!" She wanted to explain to Yun Fan that she wasn't stupid.
Yun Fan smiled and comforted her, "It's alright, think of it as a small setback!"
"Mhmm!" Lin Tianxin set the painting aside. However, the painting suddenly caught Yun Fan's attention. It was indeed an obscure landscape painting, even unsigned, but it held a hidden secret. The inscription on it contained a profound martial art. He would need to take it back and study it carefully to ascertain its nature.
"You found treasure!" Yun Fan said excitedly to Lin Tianxin.
Everyone looked at them, finding it amusing that they considered a garbage painting worth one hundred million a treasure. It seemed not only Lin Tianxin was foolish, but this man was even more so. Seeing all the scornful gazes directed at them, Lin Tianxin became uneasy and quickly said to Yun Fan, "I know you're comforting me, but it's okay. One hundred million is just money, and it's for charity!"
"No, I'm serious!" Yun Fan was not enticed by the martial art in the painting itself, as the Ghost Valley sect's teachings were comprehensive and passed down through generations, sufficient for him to learn. However, the painting's delicate brushwork suggested it was painted by a woman, and thus, he believed it to be a martial art for women. He could extract it and let them learn.
Hearing this, Helian Yi, who had been mocking Yun Fan's foolishness, grew suspicious. Yun Fan, who could defeat those prodigies, was clearly not an idiot. Coincidentally, her guard beside her said, "Young miss, that painting indeed has a hidden secret! We were mistaken!"
"What?" Helian Yi asked in confusion, "What is its value?"
"Priceless!"
At this moment, Helian Yi could no longer remain seated. Such a valuable item had been inadvertently purchased by Lin Tianxin. For ordinary people, one hundred million was a sum they couldn't earn in a lifetime, but for them, it was negligible. Lin Tianxin had indeed profited, but her anger was temporary; she soon calmed down, knowing this painting would eventually be hers.
Next, the second auction item appeared: an antique, a small cauldron. It was the first time anyone had seen such a small cauldron. It was evident that this cauldron would not weigh more than thirty pounds. For everyone present, this cauldron was worth far more than the painting. Bidding commenced.
"Five million!"
"Eight million!"
"Ten million!"
Finally, at twelve million two hundred thousand, the bidding stalled.
"Five hundred million!" Yun Fan bid directly. The two women were dumbfounded. They had thought they were extravagant spenders, but Yun Fan had surpassed them by a mile. However, money was meant to be enjoyed, and even though Yun Fan's actions were unconventional, they said nothing. Five hundred million cash was a considerable sum even for them.
The crowd immediately fell silent, wishing they could curse Yun Fan. Was wealth that impressive? If Yun Fan could hear their thoughts, he would have replied, "Yes, wealth is truly impressive, and it allows one to do as they please!"
Helian Yi was about to bid when Yun Fan suddenly pushed the price so high that she no longer needed to. However, she quickly realized Yun Fan was no simple person. Bidding such a high price suggested the cauldron was valuable. Since it was a good item, she didn't want Yun Fan to benefit for free.
"Seven hundred million!" Helian Yi stated.
Yun Fan continued, "Nine hundred million!"
"What?" The crowd was aghast, astonished that a cauldron was being bid up to such a price. Even as an antique, it shouldn't be worth that much. Helian Yi, who had been suspicious, now had no doubt. This cauldron had to be hers.
"Young miss, don't get carried away!" her guard cautioned her cautiously. But Helian Yi ignored him and declared, "One billion!"
Silence fell over the entire venue. Even Yun Fan stopped bidding.
"This..." The two women looked at Yun Fan in confusion. He had seemed determined to win it, and they assumed he truly wanted it. Now, he had stopped bidding. They thought he might not have that much money, and they offered to help him pay.
"No, I don't want it!" Yun Fan stated directly. This time, it was Helian Yi's turn to be stunned. Yun Fan continued, "It's just an antique; it's not worth that much!"
At these words, the crowd sensed Yun Fan's deep malice. Helian Yi panicked. She had lost one billion, thinking it was a treasure, only to be tricked by Yun Fan. She was furious. She immediately said to the auctioneer, "This person is maliciously bidding; the previous auction is void!"
At this, the crowd looked at Helian Yi with disdain. As the governor's daughter, such a disregard for rules would be a huge embarrassment if it got out. The auctioneer, appearing troubled, said, "Miss Helian, the rules of the auction house are clear. The highest bidder wins. He did not break any rules, nor was he maliciously bidding!"
Helian Yi's eyes were filled with hatred. She had intended to trap the two women, but instead, she had fallen into Yun Fan's trap. However, the situation had reached this point, and she could only grudgingly accept the loss of one billion. She could already imagine her father's scolding when she returned home. The two women were overjoyed to see Helian Yi suffer.
"You're so wicked!" the two women teased, impressed by Yun Fan's clever tactics. The more they acted, the angrier Helian Yi became, nearly losing control.
Subsequently, several more items were auctioned. Honestly, their quality was good, but they were not what Yun Fan and the two women wanted, so they did not bid. Helian Yi, who had intended to toy with the trio, also became subdued. After all, she had no more money and was afraid of being tricked by Yun Fan again. Clearly, even in a fair fight, she was no match for Yun Fan.
The final auction item was brought forth: a purple crystal crown. Its beauty alone was enough to captivate many women present, let alone its value. What woman wouldn't want their prince charming to place this crown upon their head? However, in reality, the princess was in a KTV, and the one sheltering them was not a prince but a Mr. Wang. Helian Yi also liked it. She could imagine how dazzling she would be wearing this crown. Thus, she immediately bid, "Fifty million!"
This bid instantly overshadowed the dreams of women whose "Mr. Wangs" might have considered buying them the crown. That price was beyond the means of even their wealthy benefactors. Lin Tianxin and Jiang Xueyan intended to bid, but Yun Fan was one step ahead, bidding, "One hundred million!"
"What?" The crowd was surprised that this man, known for his scheming, was bidding again. They even suspected if Yun Fan was an auction house shill. Helian Yi was furious and was about to bid, but she quickly suppressed her desire. What if this was another of Yun Fan's tricks? She would lose out again. However, one hundred million was still below the crown's true value. She directly bid, "Three hundred million!" This was approximately the crown's value. She decided that if Yun Fan continued bidding, she would stop.
Yun Fan then said, "Three hundred million and one!"
"You..." Helian Yi glared at Yun Fan, her face contorted with rage. She had guessed correctly; Yun Fan was turning the tables and playing with her. She dared not bid further, lest she be tricked again. Yet, she was unwilling to be played by Yun Fan and said to the auctioneer, "He's toying with me, aren't you going to do anything?" The auctioneer, again appearing troubled, replied, "As long as the bid increases, it is not considered toying, even by a single dollar!"
"I'm not bidding anymore!" Helian Yi gritted her teeth and gave up. The auction then concluded.
Yun Fan was puzzled. The items in this charity auction were extraordinary, with several being top-tier. He wondered which family had provided these items, as their origin must be significant. Initially, he thought it was Helian Yi. However, it was clear the Helian family lacked such capability. It was truly baffling.
After the auction, the banquet continued, but Helian Yi had lost interest. She approached the auction house manager.
"Chairman Liu, hello!"
"Miss Helian, is there something you need?" Chairman Liu asked, looking puzzled, as he was about to speak with Yun Fan.
Helian Yi said, "Chairman Liu, could you please arrange for that landscape painting to be sold to me?"
"The painting has already been sold, and I have no authority to decide otherwise!" Chairman Liu refused directly. However, Helian Yi was persistent. If she could obtain the painting, her father would not blame her. Therefore, she was determined to get it.
"Chairman Liu, in Jiangnan, my father's word is law. If you help me with this, my father will surely assist you with any future difficulties!" Helian Yi invoked her father, Helian Shan, believing Chairman Liu would grant her request. After all, offending her father would make it impossible for the auction house to operate in Jiangnan. To her surprise, Chairman Liu said coldly, "Since the item has already been auctioned, we will not take it back. Please, Miss Helian, do not be unreasonable!"
"Fine, this young lady will remember your auction house!" Helian Yi threatened. Chairman Liu, however, was unfazed and said, "Please, Miss Helian, settle the payment for ten billion!"
Helian Yi suddenly remembered that she had not paid for the cauldron she had bid on. Ten billion was a sum she was reluctant to part with. Thus, she declared, "That was a misunderstanding. This young lady will not pay!"
"Are you sure about that?" Chairman Liu's expression turned cold. He was angered by Helian Yi's willingness to break auction rules.
"Hmph!" Helian Yi snorted, "No one in Jiangnan dares to threaten this young lady!"
"Is that so?" Chairman Liu said coldly, "If Miss Helian does not pay, then tomorrow, the entire Huaxia will know of Miss Helian's disgrace!"
At these words, Helian Yi trembled. As a young lady from a prominent family, such news spreading throughout Huaxia would undoubtedly tarnish her reputation and even implicate the Helian family. At that point, it would be more than just ten billion that would be at stake. Yet, she stubbornly said, "This young lady does not believe your auction house has the capability!"
"Then Miss Helian can try!"
Finally, Helian Yi conceded. Seeing Helian Yi obediently going to pay, Chairman Liu approached Yun Fan.
"Mr. Yun, hello. My name is Liu Ming!" Liu Ming said respectfully to Yun Fan.
"Do you need something?" Yun Fan asked, bewildered.
Liu Ming smiled and said, "Not really. I'm just following my master's instructions to tell you a message. The item has been given to you; it's up to you whether you like it or not!"
"Hmm?" Yun Fan was taken aback. As he suspected, this auction house had significant backing, otherwise, they wouldn't have so many items for charity.
"Who is your master?" Yun Fan asked directly.
Liu Ming smiled and said, "My master did not instruct me to reveal his identity to you, Mr. Yun, so please forgive me for not being able to tell you!"
"How peculiar!" Yun Fan was speechless. This man was speaking in riddles again. Liu Ming then said a few more words before departing. Shortly after, the purple crystal crown was delivered to him.
"Are you going to put it on me yourself, darling?" This time, Lin Tianxin acted first, not giving Jiang Xueyan a chance.
"I..." Yun Fan didn't know what to say. This was, after all, a gift he had intended for his Seventh Senior Sister, Leng Ningshuang. How could he respond now that Lin Tianxin had said that?
Jiang Xueyan cursed Lin Tianxin for being deceitful and stepped forward. "My boyfriend knows I like purple, so this purple crystal crown is naturally for me!"
"Well!" Everyone was utterly speechless. Two of the Jiangnan Four Great Beauties were now arguing over him. Undoubtedly, the crowd had become mere spectators.
"Who is it for?" Just as the two women were at a stalemate, a voice echoed.
"Do you three even qualify to wear this crown? Of course, it's for me!" As the voice faded, a woman walked in from outside.
"It's her!" Everyone was shocked. The newcomer was none other than Zhuque, one of the Four Great Beauties. Who would have thought she would show up? Even more surprising was her involvement with Yun Fan. Had three of the Jiangnan Four Great Beauties already fallen for Yun Fan? This was simply unbelievable!
The scene descended into chaos. The dispute between the two women had escalated into a three-woman conflict. Before the three women could resolve their differences, two more figures arrived.
"You three shameless sluts! Don't you know this was specially prepared for my junior brother?" Yang Xuejian said with disdain.
Instantly, the crowd gasped. They had heard rumors recently about the famous star Yang Xuejian having a rumored boyfriend. They had dismissed it as mere media hype. But now, it seemed to be true. Furthermore, they recognized the woman beside Yang Xuejian as Zhao Fanghua, another of the Four Great Beauties. It appeared that all of the Four Great Beauties had been won over by Yun Fan. And not only that, but a famous star like Yang Xuejian as well. This was like a phone promotion: buy one, get one free. They had to re-evaluate Yun Fan. What astonishing background did this man possess? The dispute among the three women had suddenly become a five-woman conflict, a plot more dramatic than any palace intrigue.
Amidst the women's argument, Yun Fan quickly slipped away, not even daring to leave the purple crystal crown behind! Rather than deciding who to give it to, it was better to let them decide. He even thought it was his own fault for impulsively buying the purple crystal crown. Of course, he couldn't be entirely blamed. First, he wanted to toy with Helian Yi. Second, if Helian Yi hadn't bid, he would have bought it for his Seventh Senior Sister. He never expected it to escalate to this situation. He was outta here!
...
Upon returning home, Helian Yi recounted her embarrassing experience at the auction to Helian Shan.
"Scoundrel!" Helian Shan roared with frustration. "I told you not to provoke him for now, you idiot!" Helian Shan's original plan was to wait for the four great families to arrive, then attack Yun Fan from both open and covert angles. He never expected his daughter to act independently and make such a low-level mistake. He was thoroughly disappointed in Helian Yi.
"Father, it's all my fault. Please punish me!" Helian Yi knew her father disliked excuses, so she readily admitted her mistake.
"Forget it. Just don't act on your own next time!" Helian Shan sighed in disappointment.
"Yes!" Although Helian Yi outwardly agreed, a torrent of hatred simmered in her heart. She was already planning her next scheme. "This Tianfeng Auction House is too arrogant! Father, please investigate them!" Helian Yi thought that since she couldn't deal with Yun Fan for now, she would take her anger out on Tianfeng Auction House.
However, she was met with an angry slap from Helian Shan. "Slap!" Helian Yi clutched her face, looking at her father with hurt confusion. She didn't understand why he hit her. After all, he had only blamed her for losing ten billion.
Helian Shan roared, "Do you know who the owner behind Tianfeng Auction House is?"
"Who?"
"The Ye family!"
At these words, Helian Yi was almost scared to death. She had never expected Tianfeng Auction House to have such an astonishing background. It was owned by the Ye family, the foremost of the four great families. It completely exceeded her expectations. Even with her noble background, she was insignificant compared to the Ye family. Fortunately, she had paid the money today; otherwise, angering the Ye family would be something even her father, Helian Shan, couldn't bear.
...
Back home, Yun Fan opened the landscape painting. It was exquisitely painted. Although unsigned, it was undoubtedly comparable to that of a contemporary master. However, an unsigned painting, no matter how good, had no traceable origin. Without the martial art within, its value would be greatly diminished for ordinary people. He then began the process of extracting the martial art. Fortunately, as a disciple of the Ghost Valley sect, he was proficient in all sorts of skills. Therefore, it presented no difficulty. For anyone else, even if they knew this martial art was supreme, they would not dare to extract it arbitrarily, as any error in the sequence of incantations could be fatal. Even for Yun Fan, it took an hour to extract it. As he had suspected, it was indeed a martial art for women to cultivate. He couldn't use it, but they might.
Having obtained the martial art, Yun Fan planned to put the painting away. However, upon seeing the acrostic poem, Yun Fan froze. The poem concealed his name. If this were a coincidence, he wouldn't believe it; it was clearly deliberately done by someone. Who was this person? This piqued Yun Fan's interest, and he immediately ordered Tianying to investigate the forces behind the auction house. Tianying was highly efficient. In less than an hour, he sent a message to Yun Fan: "Ye family!"
Yun Fan didn't understand why the Ye family would do this, bestowing such a great benefit upon him. He had no idea what the Ye family's objective was. If they intended to deal with him, there was no need for such a circuitous approach. The situation was becoming increasingly mysterious.