The Return Of The Exiled Villain

The auction hall was already crowded by the time Gray, Elira, and the Crimson Moon Princess reached the private viewing chamber.

Unlike the lower floor, this part of the building was almost completely silent.

Rows of luxurious seats were arranged around a large circular stage, while enormous crystal screens floated above the room, displaying the items being auctioned in real time.

Several private balconies overlooked the stage from the upper levels, each one occupied by members of powerful clans.

The moment the three entered together, several heads turned.

Gray ignored them.

He was far more interested in the long shelves behind the stage.

The artifacts, pills, medicinal materials, treasures... and so on.

A few objects were even sealed inside transparent formations because their energy was too dangerous to leave exposed.

’This is more like it...’

The princess walked into one of the private sections reserved for royal guests.

Elira sat on one side of Gray while the Crimson Moon Princess sat on the other.

Gray looked left before turning to his right.

The two princesses immediately noticed.

”What?” the Crimson Moon Princess asked.

”Nothing.”

”You were looking at me.”

”I was looking at both of you.”

Elira smiled.

”He was probably wondering whether we were going to kill each other before the auction even starts.”

The Crimson Moon Princess looked at her.

”I could wait until afterward.”

Elira’s smile remained.

”That would be considerate of you.”

”I am considerate.”

”Nah, you’re just impatient.”

”You’re one to talk.”

Gray slowly leaned back.

’This is going to be exhausting.’

A bell rang throughout the hall.

Ding...

The conversations gradually disappeared.

A middle-aged demon stepped onto the stage.

He wore a black formal robe and a silver mask over the upper half of his face.

”Honored guests, welcome to the Crimson Vault Auction.”

His voice carried throughout the entire hall.

”Today’s auction contains three hundred and twelve registered items, ranging from ninth-grade cultivation resources to treasures originating from ancient ruins. Several items have been classified as restricted-grade, and we remind all guests that the Crimson Vault bears no responsibility for injuries caused by purchased treasures.”

A few people laughed.

The auctioneer smiled beneath his mask.

”Let us begin.”

The first few items were ordinary... compared to the others.

High-grade weapons.

Ninth-grade pills.

Rare medicinal herbs.

A few ancient formation plates.

Gray only watched.

He had no reason to waste money on things he could find elsewhere.

Then the sixth item appeared.

A large jade plant floated above the stage.

Its roots were completely golden, while nine black leaves surrounded a crimson flower.

”Ninth-grade Blood Tempering Lotus.”

The auctioneer began explaining its properties.

”This item greatly improves the refinement of blood and physical essence. It is particularly effective for demons possessing strong bloodlines. The starting price is ten Demon Gold.”

Gray’s eyes sharpened slighly.

’Bloodline refinement.’

It was extremely useful for Atrinae since he could change the treasure’s alignment by using the Demon Converging Gourd.

Unfortunately... it wasn’t enough to spend heavily on.

The Crimson Moon Princess immediately raised her hand.

”Fifteen.”

Another bidder followed.

”Seventeen.”

”Twenty.”

The princess calmly raised her hand again.

”Twenty-five.”

The room quieted.

Someone else attempted thirty.

The princess answered immediately.

”Thirty-five.”

Gray looked at her.

”You need it?”

She nodded.

”My bloodline has been awakened, but my physical foundation is still changing. This would help me quite a lot.”

Elira glanced toward her.

”It would indeed.”

The Crimson Moon Princess looked suspiciously at her.

”You aren’t going to bid on it.”

”No.”

”Good.”

Elira smiled.

”I’ll leave this one to you.”

The auctioneer counted down.

”Thirty-five Demon Gold going once...”

No one raised the price.

”Going twice...”

The Crimson Moon Princess remained calm.

”Sold.”

The hammer struck.

Bang!

Gray looked at her.

”That was cheap.”

She glanced toward him.

”Not everything needs to become expensive.”

Elira smiled.

”Give it time.”

Gray looked at her.

”What does that mean?”

”It means I know what’s coming.”

The next several items passed.

A Ninth-grade body-refining pill.

A monarch-grade defensive bracelet.

A rare spirit beast egg.

A set of cultivation manuals.

Gray bought none of them because they didn’t exactly interest him. He needed something that would make a noticeable difference.

Something worth spending serious money on.

Then the auctioneer’s voice changed, and the excitement in the room rose immediately.

”Next item.”

The lights dimmed.

A black box was carried onto the stage.

Even before it opened, Gray felt a strange pressure coming from inside.

The auctioneer placed one hand over the lid.

”This treasure was recovered seven months ago from the ruins of an ancient lunar temple in the northern territories.”

The box opened.

A fist-sized crystal floated above the stage.

It was pale silver on one side and deep violet on the other, with a thin golden line running directly through its center.

A soft moonlight spread throughout the hall.

Even Gray could feel the strange energy inside it.

The auctioneer continued.

”The Moon Sovereign Core.”

The room erupted in whispers.

’...The Moon Sovereign?’ Gray frowned slighly.

The Moon Sovereign was quite an important figure in the novel, not as a character, but just by his title alone.

Even in the Divine Realm... if you were a friend of his, you could easily walk through intermediate planes as if you owned them.

The auctioneer smiled.

”This core was formed from the remains of an ancient Moon Sovereign after death. Its energy has been purified over countless years, and it possesses an extremely rare dual lunar nature.”

The Crimson Moon Princess sat straighter.

Elira’s expression changed at almost the same moment.

The auctioneer continued.

”The crimson side of the core contains concentrated bloodline energy capable of strengthening bloodline activation and improving the purity of lunar demonic energy.”

The Crimson Moon Princess’s eyes became sharp.

”The violet side contains refined spiritual energy capable of strengthening the soul, improving illusion techniques, and enhancing mental perception.”

Elira’s eyes narrowed.

Gray looked between them.

’So it benefits both...’

The auctioneer wasn’t finished.

”According to our appraisers, the core is suitable for both bloodline cultivation and spiritual cultivation. The two energies do not reject one another because the core was naturally formed in a location where two lunar laws intersected.”

The auctioneer raised his hand.

”Starting price...”

He paused.

”One hundred Demon Gold.”

The room became strangely quiet.

The Crimson Moon Princess slowly raised her hand.

”One hundred and twenty.”

Elira looked at her.

”You’re bidding already?”

”I need it.”

Elira smiled.

”So do I.”

She raised her hand.

”One hundred and fifty.”

Gray looked at Elira.

”You need it too?”

She smiled.

”My bloodline is different from hers, but the spiritual energy inside that core would greatly improve my illusion techniques. It would also help strengthen my soul.”

The Crimson Moon Princess frowned.

”You have no reason to strengthen your soul.”

Elira looked at her.

”You’re right. I have every reason.”

”Your mental abilities are already irritating enough.”

”Then you should be pleased. If I improve them, I’ll have an easier time irritating you.”

”Pfft...” Gray quietly covered his mouth.

The auctioneer looked delighted.

”One hundred and fifty Demon Gold from Her Highness of the Violet Moon Family. Does anyone wish to continue?”

The Crimson Moon Princess raised her hand.

”Two hundred.”

Several people gasped.

Elira looked at her.

”You’ve become quite generous... huh?”

”I want it.”

”So do I.”

”Then bid.”

Elira raised her hand.

”Two hundred and twenty.”

”Two hundred and fifty.”

”Two hundred and eighty.”

”Three hundred.”

The room became louder.

People were no longer looking at the item.

They were looking at the two royal princesses.

The auctioneer looked like he had just been handed a gift from the heavens.

”Three hundred Demon Gold from Her Highness of the Crimson Moon Family!”

Elira leaned back slightly.

”You have changed.”

”I have a reason to.”

”So do I.”

”You don’t need the whole thing.”

”Neither do you.”

The Crimson Moon Princess’s ruby eyes narrowed.

”Then why are you still bidding?”

Elira smiled.

”Because I don’t like losing to you.”

Several nobles nearby immediately looked down.

Gray almost laughed.

This had nothing to do with the treasure anymore, as they only seemed to be competing right now.

He glanced at the crystal again.

’Interesting.’

He leaned slightly toward Elira.

”The violet energy seems stronger than the crimson.”

Her eyes immediately moved toward him.

”You noticed?”

”Yes.”

The Crimson Moon Princess looked at him.

”What are you saying?”

”Nothing.”

Elira’s smile widened.

”You think the violet side suits me more?”

”It does look compatible with your bloodline.” Gray shrugged.

The Crimson Moon Princess frowned.

”Really?”

Gray turned toward her.

”But the crimson side is more suitable for your bloodline.”

Her expression softened slightly.

”I knew it.”

Elira looked at Gray.

”You really know how to make people happy.”

Gray smiled.

”I’m only telling the truth.”

The Crimson Moon Princess glanced toward Elira.

”Then stop bidding.”

Elira laughed.

”I was about to tell you the same thing.”

The Crimson Moon Princess lifted her hand.

”Three hundred and fifty.”

A few people gasped.

Elira’s expression changed.

”Four hundred.”

”Four hundred and fifty.”

”Five hundred.”

Gray looked at the two.

’There we go.’

He had not needed to say much. All he had done was point out that each side of the treasure suited one princess.

The rest was a matter of pride.

The auctioneer looked positively thrilled.

”Five hundred Demon Gold!”

No one else dared compete except the Crimson Moon Princess.

”Five hundred and fifty.”

Elira smiled.

”Six hundred.”

The Crimson Moon Princess stared at her.

”Are you serious?”

”Completely.”

”You don’t need it more than I do.”

”That isn’t for you to decide.”

”You are wasting money.”

”So are you.”

”I’m buying something useful.”

”So am I.”

”You always have to turn everything into a competition.”

”And you always have to act like you’re the only one allowed to win.”

The princess leaned slightly forward.

”I wasn’t aware you still cared about winning after all these years.”

Elira’s smile disappeared.

”I care whenever the person across from me is you.”

The room became silent.

Gray quietly raised his eyebrows.

’That sounded quite personal.’

The Crimson Moon Princess smiled coldly.

”Then you should already know how this ends.”

”Do you?”

”Yes.”

”Then bid.”

The Crimson Moon Princess raised her hand.

”Seven hundred.”

The room erupted.

The auctioneer nearly shouted.

”Seven hundred Demon Gold!”

Elira stared at her, before smiling innocently.

”Eight hundred.”

Gray looked at the two princesses.

At this point, even the people in the private balconies were watching.

No one cared about the other auction items anymore.

Eight hundred Demon Gold for a single cultivation core.

The Crimson Moon Princess clenched her fingers.

She clearly wanted it, but she also knew the price was beginning to become ridiculous.

Gray suddenly looked at the crimson side of the crystal before turning to the crimson princess.

”If you lose...”

She turned toward him.

”What?”

”You’ll probably regret letting her take it.” Gray shrugged.

The princess’s eyes sharpened.

Elira looked at him too.

”Why would you tell her that?”

Gray smiled.

”I thought she should know.”

The Crimson Moon Princess raised her hand.

”Nine hundred.”

Elira looked at her.

A long silence followed.

Her lips twitched slighly before she spoke:

”One thousand.”

The room exploded.

Even the auctioneer looked momentarily stunned.

”One thousand Demon Gold!”

The Crimson Moon Princess stared at her rival, and slowly leaned back.

She looked toward Gray.

Gray remained perfectly calm.

”You really wanted it.”

”I do.”

”Then why aren’t you bidding?”

”Because I know what it’s worth.”

Elira looked surprised.

”You are finally being reasonable.”

The Crimson Moon Princess’s expression turned cold.

”Don’t misunderstand. I’m not giving up.”

She turned toward Gray.

”I’ll get something better.”

Gray smiled.

”That’s what I was hoping you’d say.”

Elira frowned.

”What?”

Gray looked at her.

”You paid one thousand Demon Gold for half a treasure.”

Elira’s eyes narrowed.

”So?”

”The other half isn’t useful to you.”

”Not nearly as much.”

”Then you overpaid.”

The Crimson Moon Princess looked at him.

”You think so too?”

Gray nodded.

”Yes.”

Elira slowly smiled.

”You’ve been manipulating us.”

Gray froze for the briefest instant.

The princesses stared at him.

Then Gray laughed.

”You caught me.”

The Crimson Moon Princess’s eyes narrowed.

”You were deliberately making us compete.”

”Only a little.”

Elira crossed her arms.

”You’ve been telling each of us exactly what we wanted to hear.”

”Not exactly.”

He smiled.

”I simply pointed out facts.”

The Crimson Moon Princess gave him a look of disbelief.

”And you expected us to turn them into a bidding war.”

”Maybe.”

Elira laughed.

”You are shameless.”

”I learned from the best.”

Both princesses stared at him.

”Which one of us?” Elira asked.

Gray looked from one to the other.

”Both.”

For a moment, there was silence.

Then the Crimson Moon Princess started laughing.

Elira followed.

The people around them looked completely confused.

The auctioneer eventually called for the next item.

The Moon Sovereign Core was sold to Elira for one thousand Demon Gold.

Gray sat back with a small smile.

The moment the auctioneer announced the next lot, the Crimson Moon Princess leaned toward Gray.

”You owe me.”

Gray looked at her.

”Why?”

”You deliberately made me lose.”

”You still received nothing.”

”Exactly.”

She stared at him.

”Now you owe me something better.”

Elira smiled from the opposite side.

”I agree.”

Gray looked at her.

”You agree?”

”Yes.”

She rested her chin on her hand.

”Since you helped create the most expensive bid of the afternoon, I think you owe both of us.”

Gray stared at the two princesses with a twitching smile.

’...Fuck.’