Chapter 60: A Decision in Silence
But unfortunately… the Emperor of Star Luo would have to break his promise.
Because the champion of this tournament—without a doubt—would be Team Sun and Moon.
As for Shrek Academy… they would have no choice but to stand on the sidelines.
That was what I thought to myself, as I observed the course of the auction with a cold gaze.
Jiujiu's voice brought me back to reality:
"And now… we arrive at the final item of today's auction."
At that moment, the spirit-guidance screen once again turned completely golden.
The golden light was not merely a color—it flooded the hall like a sudden sunset, reflecting upon the faces, upon the tables, upon the eyes of the covetous.
Then that radiance slowly began to recede…
And when the scene was revealed once more—Jiujiu had changed her attire.
A long golden dress flowed gracefully around her form, catching the light and returning it as if it were woven from solid threads of sunlight.
The hall whispered.
Everyone understood the meaning of this sight.
The wearing of the golden auction attire…
meant that the final price could exceed one hundred million soul gold coins.
Jiujiu took a step forward, and her tone this time was not light.
It was serious.
"Honored guests…"
She spoke steadily, "From my attire alone, you can understand the value of this final auction item."
She paused, then added with an unusual frankness for such an occasion:
"Honestly… I have only seen this item once in my entire life."
"And in my opinion… its value has become extremely difficult to measure by money alone…"
With her words, the image on the spirit-guidance screen inside the private guest rooms changed.
A pure white plate appeared on the screen.
Above it—there was a small wooden stand, but it was inlaid with no fewer than a hundred different colored gemstones.
Red, blue, green, violet—each stone reflected a different kind of energy, as if the stand itself were an artifact from a forgotten age.
And upon that relatively small wooden stand…
there was a mass of white current.
Not solid.
Not liquid.
But more like a strand of condensed light, moving lightly, rippling slowly, as if it were a living being breathing.
The white current did not emit a strong glow… yet everyone who looked at it felt something strange.
A deep stillness.
And an invisible weight.
Even the air in the hall seemed to slow down.
The final item… was something that went beyond the concept of a "treasure."
And everyone understood that—even before Jiujiu explained anything further.
What appeared at that moment was no ordinary object.
It was not a weapon, nor a soul bone, nor a rare material.
It was a Grade Nine spirit-guidance device — a Sealing Platform.
Its mere presence on the screen was enough to make everyone present feel an invisible weight pressing down upon them.
As for that white mass sealed within it…
it was none other than the Snow Empress, after having transformed into an embryo.
When I saw this scene, I slowly straightened in my seat.
The fleeting calm in my expression vanished, replaced by pure seriousness.
A faint glimmer flashed within my eyes.
I was thinking.
Then… after a brief moment,
my body relaxed once more, as if the decision had already settled within me.
I closed my eyes.
And plunged into the Sea of Consciousness.
Inside the Sea of Consciousness…
The space was still and white, its air filled with a pure chill, like the breath of early winter.
I looked at the Ice Empress.
I smiled.
"Well… I suppose you recognized that egg. Am I right?"
A short silence followed.
Then the Snow Empress slowly exhaled.
Her expression was calm, but within her eyes lingered a trace of bitterness she did not attempt to conceal.
"I did not expect…"
she said in a voice as cold as shattering ice,
"that my fate would be like this.
To be sold… in this manner."
She looked at me steadily.
There was no weakness in her gaze—only wounded pride.
"Can you do me a favor?"
She paused for a moment, then added with quiet frankness,
"I promise… I will repay you."
My smile widened slightly.
"You want me to buy her."
It was not a question.
It was a statement.
Then I added in a light tone,
"Very well… but remember, you owe me."
She looked at me for a long moment.
She showed no hesitation.
She nodded.
"Alright."
There was no submission in her voice.
Only an agreement between two parties who each understood the value of the other.
Outside…the hall remained immersed in its golden silence.
And inside…the decision had already been made.
After a long sequence of explanation… allure… and deliberate insinuation from Jiujiu, the emotions within the hall had fully ignited.
Her words moved in a calculated rhythm—magnifying value, feeding greed, pushing imagination to its utmost limits.
An embryo of a one-hundred-thousand-year spirit beast.
Merely speaking the number was enough to make some breaths grow heavy.
Who would not desire to possess such a thing?
A living treasure.
Future power.
A legacy capable of changing fate itself.
A thirty-minute viewing and intermission period was announced.
During it, the image of the one-hundred-thousand-year embryo was magnified upon the spirit-guidance screen, until it seemed as though it were suspended above the entire hall.
The white mass within the sealing platform moved slowly, as if breathing.
The light reflecting upon it made it appear pure… but those who understood its truth knew that beneath that whiteness lay terrifying power.
In the side corridors, some of the guests who intended to bid began to move.
Messages were sent.
Servants hurried back and forth.
Quick arrangements were made with Starlight Auction House to exchange funds through collateral.
The tension was not loud…
It was fermenting in silence.
Inside Room Number Two.
Qing Ya was standing beside the sofa.
Her eyes were watching me—without appearing to do so.
But I could feel her gaze.
I noticed a subtle trace of confusion in her expression when she saw that I showed no visible reaction.
No gasp.
No tension.
Not even a glimmer of greed in my eyes.
In truth, while she had been assigned to receive Team Sun and Moon… she had also been given a secret task.
Her mission was clear:
When the one-hundred-thousand-year embryo appeared—regardless of the method—she must push Ji Lin to participate in the bidding.
But I remained seated calmly.
As if the matter had nothing to do with me.
After a moment of heavy silence, Qing Ya decided to act.
She stepped closer.
In a soft, carefully measured tone, she said,
"Young Master Ji Lin… this one-hundred-thousand-year embryo is truly priceless."
"And I am honestly curious… why do you appear so calm?"
"Do you not wish to compete for it?"
I lifted the cup in my hand.
I took a light sip—deliberately slow.
Then I gave a small smile.
So… she finally couldn't endure it any longer, could she?
I thought to myself quietly.
I knew very well—that in the original story, this embryo had been nothing more than bait.
And the true prey…
was none other than Xiao Hongchen.
The calm I displayed was not hesitation.
It was waiting.
Waiting for the moment when the hunters began to believe that they were the ones holding the thread…
while in truth, they were the ones walking toward it.