Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan!

Chapter 244: An Opening Salvo in Gold!

Inside the Grand Radiance Auction Hall, the air was thick with the fragrance of rare incense, mingling with the faint hum of spiritual Qi.

Dozens of golden chandeliers blazed above, their light reflecting off the white jade floor in dazzling ripples.

The hall was vast, tiered like an imperial court—at the very front, the highest row of seats was reserved for the most exalted guests.

And already, most of them were filled.

On the left, the Li Clan occupied their section with a quiet, oppressive presence.

Li Jianhong sat at the head, his eyes half-closed, but every so often, a faint glimmer of sharp intent escaped his gaze.

Beside him, Li Meiying shifted slightly in her seat, her fingers tightening on the armrest.

The moment her eyes fell on the figure who had just walked in, a flicker of unease crossed her face, betraying a tension she quickly tried to mask.

Opposite them, the Zhao Clan sat in dignified stillness, Zhao Wutian upright and regal, his hands folded over the head of a dragon-carved cane.

Though he smiled faintly, his eyes followed Bai Zihan’s every step—weighing, measuring.

There was no saying how much he hated Bai Zihan, for he was the reason they had lost so much face a year ago.

Not to mention, he had taken away their Heaven-Grade Artifact.

Between them sat the representatives of the imperial family—the First Prince, Yu Zidi, with his cultivated poise; the Fourth Princess, serene as the moon; and further down, the Third and Seventh Princes, each radiating their own brand of authority.

The Fourth Princess felt a flicker of irritation when she saw Bai Zihan. A year ago, she had proposed to him, and to this day, he has given no response—almost as if he didn’t even care enough to reject her.

To him, his rejection back then had apparently been a final answer, one that needed no further explanation.

”Hmph!”

She believes that one day Bai Zihan will really regret this decision.

The moment Bai Zihan stepped through the golden doors, conversations dipped into silence for a second.

Then whispers and murmurs of discussion spread.

Everyone was now sure that Bai Zihan was the next Clan Leader—undisputed—just by how the elders acted around him.

The one who had been hailed as a waste and even thought to be replaced was now revered and respected throughout, though there were still those who disagreed, primarily because of his refusal to participate in the Dragon and Phoenix Competition.

He walked straight forward, neither bowing nor offering the expected greetings to the imperial family or the clan leaders.

He passed the imperial family without so much as a nod, walked past the Li and Zhao Clans as though their presence was no more than background decoration, and made his way toward his VVIP Room.

The guards bowed deeply as he approached, stepping aside to open the heavy, gold-inlaid door that led to one of the hall’s most coveted spaces—a private VVIP room with a commanding view of the auction stage.

Chu Ziyan and Bai Xueqing followed him inside, their expressions unbothered by the waves of whispers below.

Not long after they settled in, the lights in the grand hall dimmed slightly.

A delicate chime rang out, drawing all eyes to the stage.

From behind a silk screen, a graceful figure emerged—a woman in flowing crimson robes, her hair pinned high with jade ornaments, her smile warm enough to charm a stone statue.

When she stepped into the full glow of the chandeliers, the hall stirred with murmurs and appreciative whistles.

Several young cultivators leaned forward in their seats, while older merchants chuckled knowingly.

Indeed, the Grand Radiance Auction was famous for selecting one of the most beautiful women in its employ to preside over the event—a subtle yet effective way to set hearts racing and loosen purse strings.

She gave a graceful bow, her movements as fluid as a mountain stream.

”Honored guests,” she began, her voice clear and melodious, yet carrying a practiced cadence that hooked attention, ”this humble one is Lan Yuerong, and I will have the honor of presiding over tonight’s auction.”

That alone drew a fresh wave of cheers and applause from the audience.

A few bolder voices even called out compliments, earning scattered laughter.

Lan Yuerong’s eyes curved in a light, knowing smile.

”It is our privilege to begin this year’s event with an item most... extraordinary.”

A ripple of curiosity moved through the hall.

She let the anticipation hang in the air before continuing.

”Our first treasure—one that will surely ignite the passion of every cultivator present—is a Mid Earth-Grade Cultivation Technique.”

The effect was instantaneous.

Gasps, sharp intakes of breath, and even a few curses echoed from the audience.

A Mid Earth-Grade Technique was not something one simply bought.

In the entire empire, such manuals were closely guarded treasures, spoken of in the same breath as the legacies of the Three Major Clans and the Imperial Family.

Even the imperial princes leaned forward in their seats.

Li Jianhong’s eyes opened fully for the first time, a flicker of surprise breaking his usual composure.

Zhao Wutian’s hand tightened on his cane.

Who could have expected that the auction would start off with such a precious treasure?

”Impossible... how did the Grand Radiance Auction get their hands on this?”

A sect elder whispered to his neighbor.

The auctioneer’s smile widened at the growing tension.

”Shall we begin at five hundred thousand gold?”

The first bid was immediate—

”Six hundred thousand!”

”Seven hundred!”

”One million!”

...

It was as though a battle had erupted in the hall. Sect leaders, clan elders, even imperial prince and princess threw their voices into the fray, each raising the price like they were fighting on a battlefield.

Only the Bai Clan section remained still.

The reason was simple—the cultivation manual on the stage belonged to Bai Zihan.

From his vantage point, a faint smile played at the corner of his lips.

However, the elders didn’t know this, and they were anxious that it might fall into other hands.

”Young Master, shouldn’t we also bid for it?”

One of the elders asked.

After all, even if it wasn’t of much use to the Bai Clan—since nearly everyone cultivated their own Earth-Grade Technique—it would be dangerous if it fell into their enemies’ hands.

Bai Zihan just shook his hand, showing that he wasn’t interested and had no intention of bidding for it.

Some elders wanted to persuade Bai Zihan; however, they changed their minds when the bid reached two million gold.

For that much money, it made little sense for them to buy a cultivation technique they might never even use.