Chapter 972: I’m Just Here for the Noise

"I'll kill him!" Sun Ji, with his lifeless eyes, glanced at the old man beside him.

The old man sent a whispered message: "Don't worry, our people will find him once he leaves the Carefree Pavilion."

Only then did Sun Ji calm down slightly, and he led his group towards the venue.

After both parties had left, the guards of the Carefree Pavilion gathered around the steward. "Elder Wei," one said, "that jade token was given too easily. While the cornflower blue gem is precious, it's not enough for the Pavilion to treat him this way." They clearly didn't understand why they would offend a renowned figure in Yi Commandery for this arrogant young man. The steward replied, "Of course, one cornflower blue gem isn't enough. However, this type of gemstone is only found on certain islands in the mysterious South Sea, which is the territory of the Sea Clan. Ordinary people can't obtain it. I suspect he might have connections to the Sea Clan, which is why we specially granted him a jade token, hoping to foster good relations with the Sea Clan." The other guards sighed, "What good is the Sea Clan? They may dominate the ocean, but on land, they have little influence. Now that he's offended Young Master Sun, he might not leave Yi Commandery alive." The steward frowned, recalling Zuan's arrogant tone. "We've done all we can," he said. "What happens to him afterward is no longer the Pavilion's concern."

Meanwhile, Zuan entered the venue. A server quickly came to greet him, and seeing the jade token in his hand, his expression became even more respectful. He led Zuan to a private room. "Esteemed guest," the server said, "when the auction begins below, if you see anything you wish to bid on, you may raise your jade token, and our staff will notice." Zuan observed the layout. It resembled a theater from his previous life, with the main hall at the bottom center where staff were busy preparing items for the upcoming auction. Rows of seats below were presumably for regular guests, while the top floor featured a circle of small private rooms like his, furnished with expensive teak tables and chairs, cushioned with soft cashmere pads. Fine sandalwood incense burned in the corner, and the porcelain cups on the table were of a quality comparable to those in the imperial palace. Zuan was increasingly struck by the deep connections of the Carefree Pavilion.

"Would the guest prefer tea or wine? We have famous beverages from all corners of the world," the server asked with a smile.

"A pot of Sparrow's Tongue tea, please," Zuan replied, recalling the code phrase Gao Ying had mentioned on the way.

The server nodded, then handed over a small booklet. "Does the guest have any familiar ladies on the second floor? If needed, you may call them up for service. As you hold the most distinguished jade token, you are free to summon any of the top courtesans from the second floor." Zuan took the booklet curiously, discovering each page filled with vivid portraits of beautiful women—some pure, others alluring, representing every style imaginable. It had to be said that the artists in this world, unlike those from his previous life who focused on abstract impressionism, leaned more towards realism. Each woman in the booklet was incredibly lifelike, almost identical to a photograph, yet imbued with even more vitality. Besides their portraits, there were detailed descriptions of each woman and their unique talents, such as proficiency with instruments like the xiao. Zuan was deeply moved, thinking, *This truly is a professional establishment! In my previous life, those footbath parlors would ask if you had a preferred technician, but how could I know who I was familiar with if I hadn't even seen their faces?*

"No, thank you," Zuan said, closing the booklet and returning it. He wasn't particularly interested in courtesans, and besides, what if he accidentally summoned someone who was currently serving Pei You? That would surely sink the ship of their friendship.

"Should you need anything else, please feel free to call me," the server said, not lingering, and slowly retreated after taking the booklet.

Zuan went to the window and found the design quite ingenious. He could clearly see the situation in the main hall, yet it was difficult for those outside to see into his private room, creating a feeling of ambiguity between a public and private space. His expression became somewhat odd; no wonder the server had mentioned summoning courtesans from the second floor—some people must enjoy that kind of atmosphere. Unable to see clearly into the other private rooms, he scanned the entire hall, realizing that the guests in the seats below were truly hidden masters, many with high levels of cultivation. His gaze settled on a gaunt man shrouded in a black robe. The man seemed to have deliberately concealed his qi fluctuations, but with Zuan's current cultivation, he could still discern a part of it—at least eighth rank. Besides this, he also sensed the aura of a ninth-rank master in the hall, though he couldn't pinpoint their exact location. *It seems to be coming from backstage,* he thought, *it must be someone from the Carefree Pavilion. No wonder they can maintain order in such a diverse and complex place.* While Zuan had seen a fair number of grandmasters, that was in the capital, a place where influential figures converged. Grandmasters were rarely seen on ordinary days; a ninth-rank expert was already considered the pinnacle for martial artists, capable of commanding respect anywhere they went.

Not long after, a beautiful host walked to the center of the hall. Dressed in a form-fitting gown similar to a cheongsam, she moved with captivating grace. Although the distinguished guests were accustomed to beauty, they couldn't help but gaze at her a few extra times. "The Carefree Pavilion really knows how to do things," Zuan chuckled. Though he no longer cared much for such beauty, admiring a pleasing sight was still an enjoyable experience. The beautiful woman sweetly smiled as she introduced the auction's procedures and rules to the entire hall. There must have been a sound amplification array in the venue, as her average voice carried clearly to every corner.

The bidding for the first item quickly began. The host picked up a brocade tray, unveiled the silk covering, and revealed a beautiful sapphire. She smiled and introduced it: "This exquisite cornflower blue gem comes from the depths of the South Sea..." Her extravagant praise made Zuan, the original owner, almost reluctant to sell it. *If this woman's eloquence were in my previous world, she'd definitely be another top-tier live-stream seller,* he thought. Zuan hadn't expected his own item to be the first one auctioned, indicating that the Carefree Pavilion truly valued this gemstone. The Carefree Pavilion set the starting bid at 100,000 silver taels, with each subsequent bid not less than 5,000 taels. Soon, bidding paddles rose one after another. While this sapphire offered little aid to cultivation, its appeal to women was undeniable, making it quite useful for winning a woman's favor. However, once the price reached 150,000 taels, the frequency of bids slowed, with only two or three people remaining in contention. After all, the item was useless for cultivation, and everyone had a price limit in mind.

Just then, a mocking voice came from one of the private rooms: "Two hundred thousand taels!" Zuan's brow furrowed, recognizing it as the voice of Sun Ji, the man with lifeless eyes. The moment the bid was made, the entire hall fell silent. While the gem was precious, 200,000 taels was clearly a massive overpayment. Furthermore, many recognized Sun Ji's identity, so naturally, no one dared to compete with him.

"Is Young Master Sun buying it to pursue a lady?" someone whispered.

"I heard Young Master Sun has been pursuing a stunning beauty named Qiu recently. I wonder if it's for her."

"Not necessarily, perhaps it's just to vent some anger, after what happened at the entrance just now..."

Soon, whispers spread through the crowd. The conflict that had occurred outside had quickly made its way around the hall. It was a direct confrontation between the two jade token holders, and people watched with excited expressions, munching on sunflower seeds. Sun Ji was now standing at his window, relishing the awe and shock in everyone's eyes. He loved to show off, so even in the Carefree Pavilion, where guests typically wore masks to maintain anonymity, he didn't mind revealing his true identity. Zuan thought, *Is this guy an idiot? We're at odds, yet he's sending more money my way?*

Soon, a server from the Carefree Pavilion delivered the sapphire to Sun Ji's private room. Sun Ji toyed with the gem in his hand for a moment, then suddenly slammed it against the railing. The sapphire instantly shattered into pieces. A collective gasp rose from the hall, and the Carefree Pavilion staff grew anxious. "Young Master, what are you doing?" they exclaimed.

"It's nothing," Sun Ji replied. "I just bought it to hear it crack. The money due will be paid."

Hearing that he would pay as promised, the Carefree Pavilion staff finally breathed a sigh of relief. However, everyone else was stunned. 200,000 taels just to hear something crack? That was outrageously extravagant! Those who didn't recognize Sun Ji began inquiring about his identity.

Even the old man, Yang Long, frowned and whispered a reminder to Sun Ji, "Young Master, this is too wasteful. Your father might be displeased if he finds out."

"Don't worry," Sun Ji replied. "Once he leaves the Carefree Pavilion, we'll just take the money back from him. I lose nothing, and I get to make a grand show. Besides, for him to have such a gem for auction, he must have even better ones. He's clearly a fat sheep ready for shearing. By then, I can find an even bigger and prettier one to give to Miss Qiu." Sun Ji was almost impressed by his own cleverness.

Yang Long's expression was odd. He realized he had underestimated his young master. Though arrogant, Sun Ji knew who he could afford to offend and who he couldn't. This particular individual, it was clear, was not an influential figure from Yi Commandery. Judging by the gem he produced, he likely came from the South Sea. Even if he were a Sea Clan dragon, he would have to lie low on Yi Commandery's territory. Yi Commandery had a fierce local culture, rampant with cults and bandits. It was common practice to plunder wealthy merchants and then blame it on the cults or bandits—an open secret among those in the know, as living lavishly on official salaries alone wasn't easy. Therefore, Yang Long no longer tried to dissuade him, already considering Zuan a dead man.

At this moment, Sun Ji grew more excited the more he thought about it. He provocatively looked in Zuan's direction. "Some people think a mere broken rock can put them on equal footing with me," he scoffed. "Unfortunately, your pride means nothing in my eyes."

The crowd suddenly understood: this was clearly a grudge match. Everyone waited to see how the owner of the other private room would respond, but considering the power of the Sun family, that person would likely have to swallow their anger. It would be fortunate if they could even leave safely.

Who knew that just as Sun Ji's words fell, a black streak of light flew out, instantly striking him in the face. With a crisp *crack*, Sun Ji screamed and stumbled backward. When he finally managed to get up, his mouth was full of blood, and several teeth were missing.

At that moment, Zuan's figure appeared at his window. He smiled slightly and said, "My apologies, I just wanted to hear a crack too."