Volume One: A Beauty’s Bane Chapter 22: The First Encounter

"Honored guests, welcome to the Wanbao Pavilion!"

"As always, I, Qin Yumei, will be your host for this auction. I look forward to your support!"

At this moment, Qin Yumei stood upon the auction stage. Her charming and captivating voice, enhanced by spiritual energy, flowed like a mountain spring, echoing throughout the entire underground auction hall.

"Pavilion Master Qin! Pavilion Master Qin!"

No sooner had she finished speaking than the hall erupted. It was as if the guests present had not come for rare treasures, but had gathered specifically for this peerless beauty, Pavilion Master Qin.

"Your Highness, the eldest lady of the Wanbao Pavilion seems to have made further progress in her cultivation," the sword-bearing middle-aged man whispered to Murong Hai.

"Oh? Uncle Han, what is her cultivation level now?" Murong Hai frowned slightly, showing a hint of concern.

"Reporting to Your Highness, this young lady has reached the early stage of the Spirit Sea Realm," the man replied.

"What? Early Spirit Sea Realm? How is that possible?" Murong Hai was stunned.

In his memory, when he first met Qin Yumei at the Imperial Capital two months ago, she had only just broken through to the Great Perfection of the Spirit Spring Realm. To advance from the Great Perfection of the Spirit Spring Realm to the early stage of the Spirit Sea Realm in just two short months was simply inconceivable!

Even for a cultivator with exceptional talent, it would take at least a year or more of practice, and that would be assuming there was no shortage of Sea-Forming Pills to achieve such a breakthrough.

Furthermore, as the Pavilion Master of the Wanbao Pavilion in Yongan City, she had to devote half of her time to managing the auction house, which made Murong Hai—who was also at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Spring Realm—feel incredibly astonished.

"She must have encountered some extraordinary opportunity during this time," the middle-aged man murmured.

"Hmph! Qin Yumei, no matter how strong you become, you will never escape my grasp!" Murong Hai’s expression turned sinister. It seemed this prince could not bear the thought of the woman he desired being more powerful than himself.

"But this only makes me more impatient. Once I finally conquer such a proud and powerful woman, it will surely be a most gratifying experience," Murong Hai thought, a lecherous smile curling his lips.

"Qin Yumei? As beautiful as jade, yet utterly enchanting. She truly lives up to her name," Jiang Hao whispered to himself.

He, too, was deeply drawn to her peerless beauty; after all, everyone appreciates beauty.

In reality, Qin Yumei was eight years older than Jiang Hao. For a youth like Jiang Hao, in the prime of his spirit, this mature grace held a fatal attraction.

"Brother Jiang Hao, why do you look like that 'beast in human clothing' you were talking about earlier..."

As Jiang Hao’s gaze remained locked on Qin Yumei, Fan Caiyun, who had been watching his every move, teased him with a glint in her eyes.

"You little girl, what nonsense are you spouting? How could Brother Jiang Hao be compared to those people?" Hearing her tease him, Jiang Hao snapped back to reality and hurriedly explained.

"Alright, since Brother Jiang Hao says so, Caiyun will believe you for now. I just don't want you to be blinded by beauty. After all, the prettier the big sister, the better she is at lying," Fan Caiyun said, looking aggrieved.

"Alright, you little girl." Seeing her innocent and cute demeanor, a warmth spread through Jiang Hao’s heart, and he couldn't help but reach out to pat her head.

Just as Jiang Hao and Fan Caiyun were talking, Qin Yumei, prompted by her assistant Yantao, caught a glimpse of Jiang Hao.

"Seeing him today, this young man named Jiang Hao is indeed full of vigor! I only wonder what level of cultivation his master possesses," Qin Yumei whispered to herself, clearly taken with him.

A few days ago, when Jiang Hao came to the Wanbao Pavilion to trade with Yantao, Qin Yumei had been hidden behind a curtain, hearing only his voice without seeing his face. Later, when he left, she had only caught a glimpse of his back.

Seeing him today satisfied her curiosity. However, she was even more curious about the master behind him who could provide a Sky Spirit Fruit.

In Qin Yumei’s eyes, a youth with only ninth-level Spirit Qi cultivation could never have obtained a Sky Spirit Fruit—a treasure comparable to a fourth-grade pill—on his own. If Jiang Hao did not have a powerful master behind him, she would never believe it.

"Miss? Miss!" Seeing Qin Yumei lost in thought, Yantao hurried over and whispered a reminder.

"Ah?" Qin Yumei was startled and immediately regained her composure.

Yantao covered her mouth and giggled, whispering, "Miss, are you infatuated with that young master? But he is only seventeen or eighteen years old!"

"Xiao Tao, what nonsense are you saying? I am merely curious about the expert behind him. If not for that Sky Spirit Fruit, I would not have broken through my cultivation a few days ago," Qin Yumei replied, shaking her head softly.

"Oh..." Yantao pretended to understand, then added, "Miss, that young master seems to have broken through to the early stage of the Spirit Spring Realm."

"Oh? I didn't observe that carefully. I suppose he used two Spirit Gathering Pills," Qin Yumei replied softly. Following Yantao’s lead, she looked up at Jiang Hao once more.

This time, their eyes met, and both felt a tremor in their hearts.

"What beautiful eyes!" Jiang Hao whispered to himself, momentarily dazed.

As a prince of the Yan Yang Kingdom, he had seen countless stunning beauties, but none compared to Qin Yumei. If there was any, it would be his master, Feng Ling'er, who resided within his mysterious pendant.

However, Jiang Hao would never dare to harbor improper thoughts about his master; such a treacherous act was beyond him. As for his wife, Ji Yue, though her beauty was no less than Qin Yumei's, she was now the enemy who had killed his father. With only endless hatred in his heart, how could he have thoughts of romance?

Thus, when the peerless beauty Qin Yumei appeared before him, Jiang Hao felt as if the heavy burden on his heart had momentarily lifted.

On the other side, Qin Yumei was also deeply attracted by Jiang Hao’s handsome face. Especially his expression, which carried a maturity beyond his years, as if he bore the weight of many stories and experiences.

"Such clear eyes!" she thought. She had never seen anyone look at her this way. Her intuition told her that the purity in his gaze was something unmatched by others.

Over the years, almost every man who looked at her revealed filth and lechery in their eyes. She often felt a naked sense of desecration from their stares.

Because of this, she had always longed to be stronger; only then could she no longer be threatened by such men and truly control her own destiny.

"Miss? Miss!" Seeing Qin Yumei lost in thought again, her gaze drifting, Yantao couldn't help but step forward.

"Ah?" Qin Yumei finally returned to herself. "Xiao Tao, what is it?"

"Miss, everyone is here. We can begin the auction!" Yantao said with a helpless smile.

"Oh, right..."