///___///

"You… I don't even have words for the disrespect this is." Shan remarks on my current actions.

"Lord Xiang… This humble one does not dare-"

"Use the right title or don't speak at all." I interrupt the Auction owner. Her brow twitches violently for a moment, then she lowers her head before speaking again.

"This dog does not dare to question you. However, this action will greatly anger the Golden Lotus Sect."

Yes. Yes, it will. What am I doing? Why of course, I'm selling Cheng Hong's cultivation manual in the auction. The movement and combat technique manuals could be useful eventually, so I decided to keep them.

"This Lord cares not for the opinion of ants so easily crushed by my boot. Do as I said. They can buy the manual back in the auction if they're so desperate for it."

That's the second reason right there. Taking out the competition. Seeing as this is the core cultivation technique of their Sect, they can't afford to not buy it. And since the other Sects are also here, well, they obviously won't make it easy for the Golden Lotus Sect.

"I'm starting to think your curse just makes you act truer to your character." Shan snarks.

Acting truer to my character would be focusing all my effort on bending you over in the ring realm. Can souls get pregnant? I doubt it but this is cultivation land.

"With the amount of lust you just directed at me I see that was wrong. Lecherous brat." Shanny mumbles. Good, she's learning. It's her fault for being a hot blonde. Then again, the two women I've wanted to fuck so far could both probably easily kill me. (If she were able to leave the seal in Shan's case). Ah bad brain, don't think of a Shanny/Teacher sandwich right now. I'm trying to be serious here.

"Well, dog? Why haven't you barked in confirmation yet?" Sorry lady, it's just too easy to bully you.

"Apologies, this one-"

"I said, bark." Okay, I might be taking it a bit too far. Yet, looking like she's sucking on a lemon, she lifts her eyes to meet mine.

"Woof."

"You're a despicable man." Aww that's so sweet, love you too Shanny. "Stop sending me affection when I insult you!"

///___///

The auction was delayed a few days. My unexpected addition to their items in the Ancient stones caused a big uproar yesterday. I hadn't added the manual at the same time as I didn't want the Golden Lotus Sect to prepare to buy it in time. I even got the dog- that was close, thinking like Rong a bit too much lately. I got the auction owner to hide it in the item list. The second cause for the delay is the Emperor of Huanglong is showing up after he originally said 'lol, nah'. So the auction is rushing to accommodate him properly. Whoopsies. Eh, it'll probably be fine. It'd look unbecoming for an Emperor to take items from a solo bidder. Then again, I'm fine losing a few items, I'll still ultimately win.

Why would he know I'm a private bidder in an auction where you can hide your identity? That's the fun part, you can't now. I had the auction lady take away the privacy screening. I want the Golden Lotus Sect to know everyone is fucking with them so I don't just get all their ire when they inevitably find out I killed Cheng Hong and took his shit. I want the Child of Heaven I reeled in to know I'm the one that took most of his shit by outbidding him. The whole trap falls apart if the privacy screens are up.

Plot thoroughly underway, I'm on my way back to the VIP area when Blue comes up to me with- That's a Fatty, Blue found himself a proper Fatty companion. My gaze glances up at their halos. The Fatty's is Red. What kind of Fatty has a red fucking halo? That's literally the Child of Heaven tier. Ah, the Heaven's dog showing up at the auction must be gold or higher then. That means I've trapped a big fish.

As for Blue's halo… it's still blue. Not entirely blue, however, as I see a few wisps of orange in it. The first time I've seen that phenomenon on anyone other than myself. Yet, even then it's still different. My black halo is still as black as before, acting as the night sky to stars of red and gold. Blues halo, the orange is seeping in, slowly encroaching on the territory of blue. It's a difference between me being an anomaly and Blue's luck changing in real time. Essentially, it's like that one lady who lost her luck but the reverse, and slower.

"Master! I am honored to introduce you to my friend!" Blue chatters excitedly when I let my mind run at normal human speeds.

"This Fatty… he has the blood of Giants. It's rather prominent, too." Shan comments when my gaze turns to said man. She has more ability to sense out of the ring if someone's wearing it properly on their finger. As she essentially taps into their senses. Also, what the fuck did you just say, Shan?

"This humble man is honored to be friends with your servant. My name is Wang Fatty, but most reverse it and call me Fatty Wang." He smiles over his quintuple chin and clasps his hands in greeting. The man's gigantic. Makes sense with the blood of giants. He's standing over two feet taller than me and I'm pretty sure this body is around the same height as my last, if not half an inch taller (Finally, six feet feels so liberating). Also why the fuck is his real name Fatty, isn't that supposed to be a title!? Was he born fat?

"Ah, Fatty, Master Xiang doesn't do greetings," Blue says some ridiculous shit. I was just stunned by this dude's size and halo okay!?

"You're much too arrogant for that, yes." Shan hums in agreement. Et tu, Shanny?

"Ah my apologies, Young Master Xiang," Fatty says, wiping some sweat off his brow. "I'm very pleased to meet the man my friend looks up to. My merchant company is at your service if you have a need for us before the auction."

This… could be an opportunity.

"Tell me, Fatty, what do you think of bid-rigging?" I ask with a hum. See I found a loophole for the Rong speech for this man. His name is already an insult if I say it with a certain cadence. He frowns, brow so heavy I think it might cover his eyes entirely if he isn't careful.

"This one wouldn't engage in such an uncouth act. I strive to keep my image as an honorable merchant." He says, greed shining in his eyes despite his words. In response, I take out a single Ancient Spirit stone. His eyes widen.

"A shame, it seems I'll have to put this stone in the auction as well."

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

"I believe honor is something unbecoming for a merchant, such a cutthroat business. Truly this one has seen the error of his ways. I thank you for the guidance, Lord Xiang." He bows again, completely sold in my scheme. Knowing how the great sects of Huanglong and the Emperor are here, it's a fat chance in hell this Fatty could win one of the stones.

Now he knows I'm the one that put them up. And by working with me he gets one automatically.

A grin comes to my face. It's the grin of a man about to make a lot of money.

///_???_///

He's here, she found him.

Her beloved.

He remains utterly oblivious to the danger he is in. Even if they couldn't harm a hair on his head in their plotting. They wouldn't have gotten the chance to try. She will protect him this time.

This time… the strange feeling of her heart being wrenched out. She doesn't know the details. She only knows she failed to protect her beloved, in another life, another time. The feelings engraved in her soul never let her truly forget.

Either someone had turned back the clock, or she and her beloved were reborn in another world. She doesn't know how it happened. She doesn't care how it happened. She won't have her beloved, her heart, so brutally torn from her again by conniving snakes plotting.

No, this time she will be the one tearing out hearts.

"Pl-please.. we weren't going to kill him." The snake begs for its life, and her gaze hardens.

"Shhh. Don't talk. Talking won't save you."

"It was the Wei clan! I only accepted the job!"

She warned him. Now she has to make it unpleasant.

She gently lays her gloved hand (Only her beloved can touch her) on the snake's bound legs. She had bound them together to have him better play his role as a serpent.

"They will meet you again in time." She tells the snake. Then with a smile she promptly uses her Flesh Crafting Technique to fuse his legs together in the most agonizing way possible.

The snake screams like a man possessed, at one point attempting to bite his tongue off. Having none of that she took away all his teeth save for the four incisors.

Ah, how he screams. A blissful feeling travels through her at the screams of her beloved's enemy. Something only second to being in her beloved's arms, wrapping him with her own so as to never let him go.

She could never do so. She would never hold her beloved back. She will be content with being his shadow, a much better one than the puny Nascent Soul following him around. Until her beloved takes her by his side, she will protect him from the dark.

Amidst the screams of the snake, Mo Sha looks to the sky and imagines a future of bliss with the one she loves, any time or place.

///___///

I'm using the Auction House's garden to drink the bottle of Divine Wine in the Moonlight. My whole day was spent making a plan with Fatty Wang. After that, I just had a long bath and some light reading (The Shade Serpent Inheritance). As for why I'm drinking the bottle when I said I'd save it. It's because I had two, and, well, it seems Teacher is going to pop in rather often.

The woman just appeared in my room mid-bath. She took one look at me, blushed something fierce, and then disappeared immediately after. When I got out of my bath I discovered another bottle at the door, presumably an apology for seeing me naked or interrupting my bath. Teacher truly is adorable.

"You have company, brat." Thank you, Shanny, love youuuu. "Stop doing that!"

Rather abruptly the empathy bond gets cut and I almost chuckle. Whoever blessed this world with tomboys that are weak to compliments and affection, you have my highest regard. Then my gaze pans to the visitor and I honestly think I'm seeing things for a moment.

"Xiang Rong." Greets Luo Xue, my former fiancé states my name in both greeting and seemingly reluctance. And in the place of her orange halo is a golden one.

"You… you changed your fate." My mouth speaks before I can even really think about what I just said. Seriously? What in the fuck is this bullshit? Confirmation for my words comes as her expression morphs into one of shock and surprise. You would figure someone at- She's at the peak of Qi Gathering now. Huh, neat.

"You… how much do you know?" She asks after my quick perusal of her using my divine sense. "Or should I call you Hong Yue?" Who the fuck is Hong Yue? Aight, fuck this she's either friend or foe. As it is, I've no incentive to kill her outright as she's from a big Clan and Sect. She's also done nothing to me save break off our engagement, which I had no issue with seeing I got a big payday from it. She also doesn't have a physique to make it worth it in the first place. If she's a friend, she can be useful, if she's a foe, well, I mean, she has a golden halo now. Easy pickings.

"This Lord would hope your memory isn't faulty enough to not remember you're formerly betrothed." I snark at her and she bristles some.

"I wish to stand on my own."

"Being in a Sect is standing alone?"

"It's only temporary!" She snaps. Ah, so easy. Yeah, she's fun to bully. I'll put her as a 'Friend' for now.

"Forget it. This humble Lord knows not how you changed your fate as a damsel to be saved. It also matters not as you are still beholden to Heaven as one of its dogs." She freezes at that, confusion clear in her eyes. Good, that means I'm doing this right. "You are but a frog in a well, Luo Xue, only seeing what's in front of you when there is an entire world outside your hole in the ground." I stand up, and then I finish my jade wine glass, quickly putting it and the Divine Wine bottle away after.

"You… what are you…"

"Take this paltry gift as a lesson. Until you experience the truth, you will never escape Heaven's leash." I scoff at her for added effect, immediately after I take out the Foundation Building pills and throw the bottle at her. Luo Xue catches it, a look of shock coming to her face. I turn to leave, my cloak dramatically swaying in the moonlight (hell yeah, nailed it).

"Xiang Rong, wait!"

"I will see you in the auction. Do not disappoint me." I say, not turning to face her.

She doesn't call after me again, taking my words to heart. My dramatic moment was a resounding success.

"You… you just like bullying women, don't you?" Shan asks.

Luckily for me, I catch myself as I almost trip. I will not have my cool exit ruined.