Chapter 037: Collaborating with Lina

The old man’s head was throbbing from the argument between the two middle-aged men; the wrinkles on his face seemed to twist together. “Enough, stop arguing. My old brain is about to burst. I won’t go back now. You two take this item back to the academy and stabilize the situation first. When the time is right, I’ll appear on my own.” As he spoke, the old man took a scroll out from his storage ring and handed it to the two men.

Receiving his promise, the two middle-aged men breathed a huge sigh of relief and bowed deeply. “Teacher, we await your return.”

“Alright, alright, get going. Don’t bother me unless I show myself, or I’ll make your behinds bloom!” the old man grumbled.

Shen Duo listened to their conversation in silence, feeling somewhat speechless. The two middle-aged men secured the scroll and swiftly departed.

Watching them disappear, the old man sighed and turned to Shen Duo. “Child, forgive me for the scene.”

Shen Duo smiled, indicating she didn’t mind. She didn’t ask about the men’s identities or the academy.

Glancing outside, the sun was high in the sky—it was just past noon. Shen Duo rose to take her leave; there were still matters to attend to.

The old man didn’t try to stop her, his wrinkled face stretching into a pleased smile as he escorted her to the door. Watching Shen Duo’s upright, straight figure, he grew happier the longer he looked, shrewd eyes already calculating something.

Shen Duo gazed at the familiar scenery ahead and quickly made her way to the auction house. The timing was perfect; she’d catch the afternoon auction. Unlike the auction house in the other plane’s Luocheng, here she could see swordsmen everywhere, clad in swordsman’s robes and carrying heavy swords. Shen Duo bought a ticket and entered the auction hall.

When the auction ended, dusk had already fallen. She hurried to find a secluded grove, sat down, and entered meditation. With her mind, she gently unfurled the scroll glowing white in her dantian. A flash of silver light, and she returned to her original plane.

Yu Sha’s voice sounded at just the right moment. “Little Duo, you’re so sly, truly a shrewd merchant—and I love it!”

Shen Duo was speechless. Since Yu Sha and Ben Yi were in her beast space, they followed her to the other plane, so everything she’d done had been seen by them.

“If I didn’t do this, what would we eat? Don’t you want dew drops and heavenly beef jerky?” she retorted.

Yu Sha snorted twice.

Shen Duo soon arrived at the auction house. She asked the receptionist to announce her arrival, and before long, Lina came out to greet her personally.

Today, Lina wore a pale blue, form-fitting leather outfit, her waist cinched high, accentuating her proud curves and slender waist. Smiling, she looked at Shen Duo. “Shen Duo! What brings you here?”

Shen Duo leaned close and whispered three words.

Lina’s face was full of surprise. “Really?”

Shen Duo nodded firmly. She never lied.

“Let’s talk inside.” Lina, excited, led Shen Duo to a small, private room behind the auction.

Shen Duo took the item from her storage ring, unwrapped it from its gray cloth, and revealed several stones shimmering with faint red light.

Lina cried out, “Fire-patterned stones!” As an auctioneer and expert appraiser, she could usually distinguish genuine from fake at a glance.

“These are top-grade materials for alchemy. The starting price is around a thousand gold coins. If you meet a discerning alchemist, the price could easily double.” Lina’s evaluation was straightforward.

Shen Duo smiled. “Lina, may I put these fire-patterned stones up for auction? I only want half the proceeds; the rest you can divide as you wish. But I need you to promise not to reveal their origin.”

Lina hadn’t expected such a request, but quickly understood. High profile attracts trouble; given Shen Duo’s current strength, it was wise to stay low-key. If others learned she possessed such treasures, she might not even make it out of Luocheng alive.

“Don’t worry, I promised Lei Hang I’d look after you, so of course I’ll keep your secret. But since you’re offering, I won’t refuse your generosity. However, in the future, if you have any valuable items, they must come through me for auction.” Lina valued loyalty, but that didn’t mean she didn’t love money. With such huge profits, there was no need for false modesty.

Shen Duo smiled, knowing Lina was straightforward. “Of course, anything I want to sell will go through Miss Lina.” Since Lina didn’t ask about the origins, Shen Duo saved herself the trouble of explaining. Such an arrangement was just right—mutually beneficial.

She handed the fire-patterned stones to Lina, who appreciated Shen Duo’s decisiveness. With a mischievous smile, Lina asked, “Miss Nine, aren’t you afraid I’ll pocket your goods?”

Shen Duo laughed brightly. “These are small sums. If you betrayed your promise for a bit of money, you wouldn’t be the Lina I know—the top expert of Luocheng.”

Lina burst out laughing with abandon, utterly at odds with her fiery allure. She patted Shen Duo’s shoulder. “Tomorrow at noon, I’ll bring you the auction proceeds in person.”

Shen Duo left the auction house with a smile. That day, she’d only wandered the plaza with Lei Hang and Ao Defan while waiting for the auction to start, when she inadvertently overheard a cultivator mention a rare alchemy material—fire-patterned stone. Unexpectedly, she encountered it at the auction in the other plane. Over there, fire-patterned stones were too common; she’d bought them for just eight gold coins. Turning them over here, she instantly made several hundred gold coins—a profit faster than picking up money!

Yu Sha emerged from beast space, skillfully climbing into Shen Duo’s arms and rubbing his soft tiger head against her neck, though his tone was rather dissatisfied. “That woman got so many benefits. Those coins could buy so much dew and heavenly beef jerky!”

Shen Duo chuckled at Yu Sha. “You’re not that stingy, are you?”

The little white tiger’s eyes spun. “If not for her good figure, I wouldn’t let her take such advantage.”

“So you’re a lecherous little white tiger!” Shen Duo teased.

Yu Sha, embarrassed, jumped out of her arms. Ben Yi also emerged from beast space, transforming into a white wolf that followed Shen Duo. Yu Sha hopped onto his back. “I’m still in my juvenile stage, but once I reach adulthood, I’ll be very handsome!”

Shen Duo couldn’t help but laugh. “Yes, very handsome—a most handsome little white tiger!”

Yu Sha, indignant, bared his teeth and claws. In the darkness, one person and two beasts, the atmosphere was warm and gentle.

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Sorry for the late update. Barring any accidents, updates will be posted between 8 and 9 p.m.; extra chapters will be counted separately.