Holy Land Trial Chapter 29: The Grand Finale Treasure

Luo Chen smiled and glanced at Qing Xuanyu, then signaled her with his eyes toward the items on the table. After a moment's hesitation, Qing Xuanyu shifted her gaze to the items laid out before her. She looked for a while, then lowered her head in disappointment. Luo Chen saw this and secretly chuckled before gathering up the things on the table.

"Yu’er, this is for you."

With those words, Luo Chen produced a crystal bracelet and handed it to Qing Xuanyu. The moment she saw the bracelet, her face lit up with joy. She snatched it quickly, holding it close to her chest as if afraid Luo Chen might take it back, which made him smile helplessly. He then reached for the wine jug and cups on the table, pouring himself a glass.

Leaning back comfortably on the long bench with his cup in hand, Luo Chen prepared to wait for the auction to begin. But just as he brought the wine to his lips, Qing Xuanyu snatched both the cup and the wine right from under his nose. Luo Chen smiled, thinking she meant to drink it herself, but to his surprise, she sat down in his lap and gently sipped the wine.

After setting the cup down, she turned toward Luo Chen. He started to get up to fetch another cup, but before he could react, Qing Xuanyu pressed her lips to his. His mind went blank—he hadn’t expected this from her at all. Feeling her gentle breath, he gradually relaxed.

Soon, he sensed a warm stream of wine passing from her lips into his mouth. Luo Chen didn't resist; the mellow, sweet flavor slid down his throat, bringing with it a gentle warmth. After a few breaths, as the last drop was swallowed, Qing Xuanyu slowly sat up, her cheeks tinged with a delicate blush. She bowed her head shyly.

"Ladies and gentlemen! I am Hua Ling. The auction will begin now."

The elegant voice of a woman from below drew Luo Chen and Qing Xuanyu’s attention to the main hall, where a graceful woman stood at the center—presumably the self-introduced Hua Ling. With a clap of her hands, a one-meter-high platform slowly rose beneath her feet. Another veiled woman approached, carrying an item draped in red silk.

"The first treasure is forged from rare mithril. It has been appraised by our Treasure Pavilion as an Earth-grade artifact. The starting bid: two million spirit stones! Minimum increment: two hundred thousand!"

With that, Hua Ling lifted the red silk, revealing a silver shield. Luo Chen looked at the so-called treasure and smiled faintly; he hadn’t expected such a high starting price—two million spirit stones. If the first item was so valuable, what would the second one fetch? Qing Xuanyu, noting Luo Chen’s relaxed demeanor, grew anxious.

"Brother Chen, I don’t know where you got these things, but if people find out the two treasures up for auction today came from you, have you thought about the consequences?"

Luo Chen’s expression grew serious at Qing Xuanyu’s worried words. Indeed, he hadn’t considered this. He knew full well how valuable Earth-grade treasures were—just look at the shield, already bid up to over five million. He couldn’t help but feel uneasy.

After all, the next item was of an even higher grade—Heaven-grade. If an Earth-grade artifact was worth millions, the Heaven-grade one would be priceless. Should word get out that he was the source, the results would be disastrous. The thought made Luo Chen’s throat tighten.

"Sold!"

"Congratulations to the distinguished guest in Box Nine for winning the first treasure at a price of eight million spirit stones!"

Hearing the announcement and the applause from below, Luo Chen stood up, excitement bubbling in his chest. Eight million! Overnight, he’d become rich. Plans for spending his fortune swirled in his mind, and he turned to share them with Qing Xuanyu—only to see she was still deeply worried. He sat down beside her, gently taking her hand.

"Yu’er, don’t worry! Trust me—nothing will happen."

Qing Xuanyu knew Luo Chen was trying to comfort her, but his resolute gaze eased her anxiety. In his eyes, she seemed to see all that had come before—the man so deeply etched into her heart. She couldn't find words to describe the feeling.

Back then, he had entered the Heavenly Thunder Array—regarded by all as a death trap—without hesitation. For half a year, everyone believed he was dead, yet he reappeared before her, unharmed. Compared to worrying, Qing Xuanyu preferred to trust the man she loved would not act recklessly. With that thought, she nodded, her worry fading and excitement taking its place.

Seeing her spirits lift, Luo Chen felt it was time to celebrate. He poured two cups of wine, handed one to Qing Xuanyu, and after a casual toast, downed his glass in one go. As the wine slid down, he caught Qing Xuanyu watching him with affectionate eyes, a coy smile on her lips.

"Brother Chen, do you want to try again?"

Her gentle voice sent a wave of heat through Luo Chen. He gulped down the wine and shook his head vigorously, the coolness that followed making him laugh. Qing Xuanyu giggled and shot him a playful look before turning away. Luo Chen glanced down at the auction; attending such an event was a rare occasion, and with his newfound wealth, he made his way to the front to watch as the veiled woman brought out another item under a silk cover.

"The second treasure is called Flourishing Radiance. Originating from the Land of Extreme Cold, it nourishes the soul. Starting bid: five hundred thousand spirit stones! Minimum increment: fifty thousand!"

With a flourish, Hua Ling unveiled an ice-blue snowflake-shaped pendant. At that moment, Luo Chen thought of the bracelet he’d just given Qing Xuanyu—a piece with similar soul-nourishing properties. The pendant before him seemed a perfect match. Without hesitation, Luo Chen parted the beaded curtain and called out:

“One million!”

All eyes turned to him, and the hall buzzed with discussion. Luo Chen ignored the murmurs, calmly waiting for Hua Ling’s response. He had considered bidding slowly to see if anyone else desired the pendant, but since he’d already decided, there was no need to hesitate. He was confident this offer would secure it.

“One million one hundred thousand!”

The bid came from a box not far away. Luo Chen’s face darkened; he hadn’t expected competition. He peered in the direction of the voice—though the beaded curtain obscured the occupant, it was clearly a woman. He glanced again at the pendant.

“One million five hundred thousand!”

“I bid one million six hundred thousand!”

No sooner had Luo Chen made his bid than the woman immediately raised it. This surprised him; if she truly wanted the pendant, why not simply outbid him with a sum he couldn't match? Then it occurred to him: perhaps she was deliberately driving up the price, knowing he was determined to win. Unsure whether to continue, he turned to Qing Xuanyu, who smiled encouragingly from the bench. Luo Chen steeled his resolve.

“Three million!”

The hall fell instantly silent. All eyes stared at Luo Chen in shock, and even Hua Ling looked taken aback. Luo Chen knew that if anyone dared outbid him at this price, they either genuinely desired the pendant or were as reckless as he was. He fixed his gaze on the box from which the previous bids had come; after a long pause with no further bids, Luo Chen nodded in satisfaction.

“Congratulations to the gentleman in Box One for winning the third treasure at three million spirit stones!”

Hearing Hua Ling’s announcement, Luo Chen smiled and returned to Qing Xuanyu’s side, though he couldn’t shake the feeling he’d overpaid; perhaps spirit stones weren’t as valuable as he’d thought. Still, with five million left and another item yet to be auctioned, who knew what astronomical sum the final piece might fetch?

As the auction continued, nothing else caught Luo Chen’s eye. Still, he saw the event as a perfect way to convert treasures into spirit stones—good items fetched tens of thousands, sometimes without limit. He had plenty more treasures, perhaps a hundred or so. In the future, he could easily auction off whatever he didn’t need. He made a mental note to thank Senior Jian Zhongli for his generosity.

"And now, the final item of tonight's auction—a piece that will be the crowning jewel of our establishment, the most valuable treasure ever offered here!"

As Hua Ling spoke, the veiled woman reappeared, this time flanked by four burly men in ghost-face masks. The woman carried something concealed beneath a red cloth, though it seemed almost nothing was there. When she reached Hua Ling’s side, the four masked men positioned themselves around her, exuding a powerful aura. Luo Chen’s face grew grave—each was at the Void-Breaking stage, and though he couldn’t determine their exact level, they were at least in the mid to late stage of that realm.