Chapter 53

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Chapter 53: Mind and Spirit Bound

She was an extraordinarily beautiful woman. Unlike Qin Chu Yi’s cold and aloof demeanor, she exuded a gentle softness as she lowered her head. The white attire that Qin Chu Yi wore appeared icy and pristine, but on the woman in the cage, it seemed pure and untainted. Yet, that pristine white was now on the verge of being dyed crimson by the blood seeping from her body.

Perhaps it was the prolonged darkness caused by the black cloth, but as Shu Er drew it aside, the woman in the cage squinted her eyes and shrank back timidly, her demeanor fragile and fearful. This sight stirred a palpable reaction among the surrounding cultivators.

Ming He smirked, her lips curling with amusement as she noted the sudden hush in the air, broken only by the heavy breaths of the men. A delicate, blood-stained woman, trembling with fear, was the perfect catalyst to ignite their protective instincts—and, of course, their desire to conquer.

As Ming He observed the woman, her smile deepened. There was one more crucial detail: this woman was not of the human race. Her hair was a deep, oceanic blue, as were her eyes, shimmering like the waves of the deep sea. The white garment she wore was not crafted by human hands; it resembled something more ethereal—gauze, perhaps? The thin fabric clung to her body, dampened by blood, revealing her graceful form in a tantalizing, misty allure.

“This is a mermaid,” Shu Er announced, her lips curving into a satisfied smile as she gauged the reactions of the cultivators. “From the mermaid clan of the central region’s deep sea, sent here by the Pursuit of Life Tower. I trust I need not elaborate on the implications?”

A mermaid? Ming He’s eyes flickered with curiosity as she noticed the sudden shift in the expressions of those around her. She knew the mermaid clan dwelled in the depths of the central region’s seas, rarely interacting with the human race. Though their numbers were few, each member was formidable. Mermaids were renowned for their beauty, their enchanting songs and dances, their ability to weave water into gauze, and their tears that turned to pearls. Yet, these traits alone didn’t seem enough to elicit such a strong reaction from the assembled cultivators.

Was there something more to this mermaid? Ming He furrowed her brow, suppressing her curiosity and waiting for someone else to voice the question.

“A mermaid? What’s so special about her? Does she truly deserve to be the final item in this auction?” As Ming He had anticipated, a cultivator voiced the question on everyone’s mind.

“An ordinary mermaid would not merit such a position,” Shu Er replied smoothly, “but she is no ordinary mermaid. She has broken through to the Wind Master realm. Any cultivator who engages in dual cultivation with her before reaching the Wind Master realm will face no bottlenecks in their training. Even beyond that realm, her assistance will prove invaluable.”

Shu Er, well aware of the woman’s greatest value, said no more. “The starting bid is five thousand middle-grade spirit stones.”

Five thousand middle-grade spirit stones. Ming He blinked, finding the price exorbitant. Yet, the other cultivators, who clearly understood the rarity of such an opportunity, struggled to contain their excitement. Most of those present were not scions of noble families or disciples of prestigious sects but rather rogue cultivators—wanderers with limited talent and resources. For them, five thousand middle-grade spirit stones was a steep price, but the promise of a guaranteed path to the Wind Master realm made it a worthwhile investment. And, of course, the mermaid’s beauty was an added bonus.

“Will the Young Master bid for her?” Ming He overheard a hushed question from the private room across from hers.

“Just a mermaid,” replied the Young Master with the surname Gongsun, his tone dismissive. “She’s decent-looking. I’ll take her as a concubine. That way, I’ll add another unique woman to my collection.”

In the adjacent private room, a young man dressed in white, his expression tense and urgent, muttered under his breath, “The woman in white once saved my life. Today, I must save her.”

“Damn it!” He slammed his fist on the table in frustration. “Whoever runs Baiyu Building clearly doesn’t care about my status!”

“Young Master,” his attendant interjected cautiously, “the master has ordered you not to involve yourself with the mermaids. And with only eight thousand middle-grade spirit stones, I fear—”

The attendant wisely fell silent under the Young Master’s furious glare, though it was clear he doubted his master’s chances of success.

“I am of the mermaid royal bloodline,” the woman in the cage finally spoke, lifting her head. Her beauty was breathtaking. When she had looked down, she had seemed fragile and helpless, but now, as she raised her gaze, Ming He saw the elegance and nobility that radiated from her.

The woman in white, though bloodied and in a pitiful state, held her head high with an air of pride, as if she were seated on a celestial throne rather than trapped in a cage. Her grace and dignity, deeply ingrained, were not easily shattered.

Her gaze lingered on Ming He for a moment, and with a fleeting smile, she raised her head and repeated, “I am of the royal bloodline of the Mermaid Clan.”

She was of the royal bloodline of the Mermaid Clan.

So what? Ming He wondered. Did royal blood truly make her more noble in this dire situation than an ordinary mermaid?

“Royal bloodline of the Mermaid Clan?” A cultivator gasped in surprise.

“Young Master, shall we place a bid?” the attendant asked Young Master Gongsun.

“Forget it,” Young Master Gongsun replied with a frown, feeling irritated. Offending the Mermaid Clan over a woman wasn’t worth the trouble.

This mermaid, hailing from the central region’s deep sea and delivered by the Pursuit of Life Tower, was likely a casualty of power struggles among the elite, destined to be bought as a servant or maid.

But a mermaid with royal blood was different. She represented the dignity and bottom line of the Mermaid Clan. Even in defeat or rivalry, they were still part of the same clan, and their royal bloodline was not to be questioned or provoked, especially by the powerful human race of the Tianwu Continent.

By revealing her identity, the woman in the cage had effectively eliminated any chance of being purchased by disciples from prominent families. Only those from noble families feared the Mermaid Clan’s retribution and strength, while rogue cultivators had no such reservations.

Rogue cultivators, with nothing to lose, feared nothing; they had only their lives to risk.

So, did she wish to fall into the hands of rogue cultivators? Was she seeking a chance to escape?

Young Master Gongsun glanced indifferently at the woman in the cage and lost interest. Her cultivation was nearly destroyed, she was severely injured, and the unique seal from the Pursuit of Life Tower bound her tightly.

No matter whose hands she fell into, escape was impossible.

“I bid six thousand spirit stones; she is mine,” declared a cultivator without noble lineage, unaware of Young Master Gongsun’s thoughts. Others quickly followed suit.

“Six thousand five hundred spirit stones,” someone offered boldly, clearly pushing their limits.

“Eight thousand spirit stones,” the young man in white from the adjacent private room declared loudly. “I offer eight thousand middle-grade spirit stones.”

“I am Yu Wen Xi,” he stated lightly, hoping to deter others from bidding against him.

“Ah, so it’s Young Master Yu Wen!” a cultivator exclaimed, surprised. He hadn’t expected the usually gentle scion of a powerful clan to take an interest in the mermaid.

Was it for her beauty? The cultivator’s smile faltered as he quietly withdrew from the competition, reasoning that he didn’t have enough spirit stones and it might be better to give Young Master Yu Wen face.

While some stepped back, others remained defiant.

“So what if it’s Yu Wen Xi? In an auction, it’s all about spirit stones. I won’t give up my chance to break through to the Wind Master realm for a mere favor,” one cultivator retorted.

After a brief pause, others continued bidding. “Eight thousand three hundred spirit stones.”

“Eight thousand four hundred!”

The room fell silent momentarily after Yu Wen Xi’s declaration, but the bidding soon resumed with fervor.

“Damn it!” Yu Wen Xi muttered under his breath, raising his hand to summon a servant from Baiyu Building. “I’ll pawn my life’s sword artifact.”

“Young Master, you can’t!” His attendant looked distressed. “That’s the foundation of your strength; you can’t part with it.”

“Miss Bai saved my life; I must rescue her.”

“Young Master, Baiyu Building only accepts spirit stones. They won’t take anything else,” the attendant said urgently. “The woman in white is only being bought; her life isn’t in danger. The master has ordered you not to interfere with the Mermaid Clan’s affairs. If you disobey, the elders may not support you, and your position as Young Master—”

The implication was clear.

Yu Wen Xi fell silent. “For the woman in white, that would be worse than death,” he murmured. She was so proud.

But he had no choice. He was merely the fourth son of the Yu Wen clan, not the Young Master.

Ming He watched the scene with amusement. Among cultivators, some sought enlightenment through life-and-death trials, while others staked their cultivation on a woman.

From the central region’s deep sea, the Mermaid Clan, a mermaid above the Wind Master realm, who could aid others in breaking through and accelerating their cultivation—wasn’t that akin to an alchemical furnace?

The term “alchemical furnace” felt utterly mismatched with the woman in the cage.

Ming He glanced at the woman, who, after speaking, lowered her head again, seemingly lost in thought. But that was no longer Ming He’s concern.

Ming He felt a pang of pity but had no intention of rescuing her.

First, she was poor; second, she was weak.

So, she decided to let it go.

Just as she was about to look away and watch who would claim the beautiful prize, the woman in the cage lifted her head.

She locked eyes with Ming He, staring intently. From a distance, Ming He saw her sky-blue eyes, cool and serene, yet hiding a deep pool within. She could even see her own reflection faintly in the woman’s gaze.

The woman smiled gently, and the dim light from the ancient lamp above illuminated the corner of her lips. That smile resembled winter ice melting away, yet also felt like the darkness after the sun and stars had set.

Ming He held her gaze, captivated. She thought to herself about yet another exquisite beauty who could join the male lead’s harem. The woman in the cage reminded her of a phrase she’d heard in her past life.

Both pure and alluring.

It turned out this phrase truly existed; someone could possess both these strikingly different qualities without conflict, even exuding more charm.

The woman in the cage also gazed at Ming He, her sky-blue eyes shimmering with emotion. She smiled gently, remaining silent, yet seemed to share something unspoken with Ming He.

In that moment, Ming He felt her heart tremble, as if bound. She stood up and declared coldly, “I bid ten thousand middle-grade spirit stones!”