Chapter 274 - 113: Coming a Thousand Miles to Be the Scapegoat, You’re Just My Little Pet Cat

Ye Ming’s appearance brought the auction for the Exotic Stone to an abrupt end.

Neither Jiang Lan nor Shang Mingyu had any interest in continuing the auction.

This was even more true for the others. A Life-extending Divine Object could only be chanced upon, not sought, and even if someone did possess one, they wouldn’t carry it around so casually.

Jiang Lan returned to his private room, a profound smile on his face.

’The fish took the bait, just as he’d expected.’

He knew Ye Ming possessed that precious vial of Longevity Liquid, but of course, his goal was not to obtain it for himself. With the financial power of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, finding a Life-extending Divine Object was not difficult.

If the auction had only accepted Spirit Stones, then no matter how interested Ye Ming was in the Exotic Stone, his cautious nature would have prevented him from taking such a risk.

But if the price was something he already possessed, the outcome would be entirely different.

Once Ye Ming realized that he, Jiang Lan, was determined to get the Exotic Stone, all the frustration that had been building up inside him would surely compel him to interfere and prevent Jiang Lan from winning the auction smoothly.

Not to mention, he had a potential ally right in front of him in Shang Mingyu, who was clearly worth winning over.

Therefore, it was highly likely that Ye Ming would make a move.

Jiang Lan had anticipated this, which was why he’d had Jiang Xun change the terms of the auction ahead of time.

He had set the trap and was just waiting for Ye Ming to jump in. And, just as he had wished, Ye Ming dove right in.

Now, not only had Ye Ming lost his Longevity Liquid, but he had also attracted the attention of the various Immortal Sect Lineages and Noble Families. On top of that, he had won an auction for a so-called Exotic Stone that was completely empty inside, containing only a wisp of Blood Evil Qi.

This would give Jiang Lan more opportunities to move against Ye Ming down the line.

After all, Ye Ming was now a remnant of the Blood Immortal Sect, suspected of having obtained its inheritance. For him to disguise himself as a Yijian Palace Disciple and hide in the Imperial Capital—he must have some grand scheme.

"Did he come all this way just to take the fall for me? What a kind soul." Jiang Lan chuckled.

In the main hall, Ye Ming was led backstage by the auction organizer.

The news that he possessed Longevity Liquid was already spreading through the private rooms.

The people from the various Immortal Sect Lineages and Noble Families all began to take notice of this Yijian Palace Disciple.

’This person is actually a disciple of our Yijian Palace? How did I not notice him before?’

Meanwhile, the Yijian Palace Elder who had come on this trip had a flickering gaze, his expression dark and uncertain. He ordered the Disciple beside him to make inquiries about Ye Ming.

This "Zhang Yuan" possessed a Life-extending Divine Object like the Longevity Liquid, and the Sect had been completely unaware. He then used it here to bid on that Exotic Stone.

For Yijian Palace, this was simply a tremendous loss.

After all, life-extending items were incomparably rare and difficult to find in any era.

Countless old masters, their lifespans nearly exhausted, had to resort to sealing themselves away to slow the decay of their life force, reduced to little more than the Sect’s hidden reserves, just barely clinging to life.

’He truly has no sense of priorities. If the Sect had known he possessed such a Life-extending Divine Object, how could we possibly have treated him poorly? He doesn’t prioritize the Sect’s interests. This Disciple is unfit for any great responsibility.’

The Yijian Palace Elder’s face was grim. The expressions of the few Inner Disciples accompanying him also changed, and they planned to personally find "Zhang Yuan" later to confront him about this.

’That Disciple’s name is Zhang Yuan?’

Shang Mingyu’s expression was serene as she sat in her private room. With a delicate hand, she lifted a teacup and took a sip, composing herself.

Just moments before, her handmaiden had already gathered information about Zhang Yuan from the others.

He was just a very ordinary Inner Sect Disciple from Yijian Palace, with no outstanding achievements in his past—completely unremarkable.

’An ordinary Disciple... How could he possibly obtain a Life-extending Divine Object?’

Shang Mingyu’s expression shifted. She decided to use the Ball of Grand Aspiration to perform a divination, but she was soon stunned to find herself blocked, unable to proceed smoothly.

Within her Sea of Consciousness, the Ball of Grand Aspiration hung suspended, but a hazy mist of destiny obscured it, preventing her from looking directly at "Zhang Yuan’s" fate.

’This man harbors a great secret. He is no ordinary person.’

’But no matter what, the Exotic Stone is in his hands. I must seize it, no matter the cost.’ She had made her decision, and killing intent glinted in her eyes.

With her grand plan to restore her nation at stake, anyone who stood in her way was an enemy.

On the other side, Ye Ming was backstage following the auction’s rules. He had to hand over a full six drops of Longevity Liquid just to cover the winning bid for the Exotic Stone.

One of those drops was for the auction house’s commission, which made his heart ache with every pang of loss.

The vial of Longevity Liquid, which hadn’t held much to begin with, was now nearly empty.

He had thought a "drop" meant a single bead, like a drop of dew. Who would have thought the auction house had its own special container for measurement? That wasn’t a drop; it was a spoonful!

Fortunately, the auction house staff reassured him that the Exotic Stone would be delivered safely into his possession and guaranteed that no one would dare try to snatch it during the transaction.

However, once he left the Imperial Capital, that guarantee no longer applied. The auction house had always prided itself on its integrity and would never do anything to ruin its own reputation.

Ye Ming relaxed slightly at this. Then, with both parties as witnesses, he began to inspect the authenticity of the Exotic Stone.

The Old Ghost helped him inspect it, and only after confirming there were no issues did Ye Ming use a Secret Technique to place it in his Sumeru Bag, his anxiety easing slightly.

He took this opportunity to request a meeting with the mysterious senior who had consigned the Exotic Stone, but the auction house declined, stating that they needed to protect their client’s privacy.