Turns Out, I’m In A Villain Clan!

Chapter 249: The Necklace of Eternal Love

The auction pressed on, treasures unveiled one after another.

To the great relief of many, Bai Zihan really didn’t raise his hand for the Earth-Grade Artifacts and Techniques.

Not once did he bid for the Earth-Grade artifacts that appeared, allowing the other powers to compete freely without his shadow looming over them.

Meanwhile, in his VVIP Room, Bai Zihan leaned back casually, trying to calculate the money that he had earned.

All the Earth-Grade artifacts and techniques consigned under his name had already been sold, each fetching an average of two million gold.

Altogether, the sales had netted him nearly twenty million. Even after subtracting his earlier expenditures, his profits towered above imagination.

Of course, there was still one more item left—the true pinnacle of the evening. The Heaven-Grade artifact.

With that yet to be sold, Bai Zihan had no need to worry about anything as trivial as expenditure.

The auction was also coming to a close with the next being the second-to-last item of the evening.

Lan Yuerong, ever radiant, tapped her jade hammer lightly.

Her smile deepened as attendants carried forward a jade box of extraordinary craftsmanship, its surface inlaid with intricate lotus motifs.

Her voice softened, melodic, carrying a subtle warmth that drew the hall into quiet reverence.

”Ladies and gentlemen... our second-to-last item of today’s grand auction is not merely an artifact—it is a piece of history, a token of love that has survived the centuries.”

The box opened, and inside lay a necklace of delicate silver threads interwoven with luminous pearls.

At its center, a single crimson gem pulsed faintly, as though alive.

A soft, soothing aura spread from it, not sharp like weapons, not firm like armor, but gentle—like an embrace.

Lan Yuerong continued, her tone laced with romantic allure:

”This Earth-Grade Artifact is called the Heart’s Bond Necklace. Forged three thousand years ago, it was a gift from the Great General Yun to his beloved, Lady Qiu, whom he married against the will of their clans. Legend says that as long as the necklace was worn, their hearts would remain linked—no matter life or death, distance or time.”

She continued.

”When General Yun fell in battle, Lady Qiu is said to have felt the shattering of his heart through this very gem. She perished not long after, but her final smile was serene, for she knew he had been hers until the end.”

A hush fell. Even the most hardened warriors found their chests heavy at the tale.

”This artifact is not famed for its might on the battlefield,” Lan Yuerong admitted softly, ”but for its symbolism. Lovers across the generations have sought it, desiring to prove their devotion through a treasure that once witnessed eternal love.”

The crimson gem shimmered faintly, casting a rosy glow that seemed to warm the coldest of souls.

”This necklace,” Lan Yuerong said, raising her hand gracefully, ”is a true treasure of love. A piece for the heart rather than the sword. The starting bid... is five hundred thousand gold.”

Silence stretched for a moment, then—

”Five hundred thousand!”

A voice rang out from a balcony where a wealthy merchant sat with his wife, his hand clutching hers tightly.

”Six hundred thousand!”

Another followed from the lower floor, a young heir flushed with emotion, stealing glances at the veiled lady beside him.

The hall began to stir. For once, bids were not driven by greed for power, but by yearning hearts and whispered dreams.

All the while, as the red glow of the necklace danced across the hall, dozens of eyes once again drifted upward.

Toward Bai Zihan.

Would he... bid for this as well?

But the Bai heir only swirled the wine in his cup, lips curving faintly, as if amused by the romance that ensnared the hall.

The bids climbed higher.

”Eight hundred thousand!”

”Nine hundred thousand!”

Seated in the VVIP room, Bai Zihan swirled his cup lazily, watching the hall erupt with sentimental fervor.

Then—

Poke.

A soft nudge at his arm.

He turned, brows arching.

”What is it, my dear sister?”

Bai Xueqing leaned forward, her eyes gleaming mischievously. She tilted her chin ever so slightly towards Chu Ziyan.

She sat there quietly, her figure refined, her bearing calm and dignified as ever.

Even in the glow of the necklace’s crimson light, she betrayed no outward desire. Yet Bai Xueqing’s meaning was obvious.

Bai Zihan blinked.

”...You want me to buy it? For her?”

”Of course,” Xueqing whispered with a grin. ”What kind of man lets such a treasure of love slip by when his fiancée is watching?”

Bai Zihan frowned, honestly puzzled.

”Why? You know our marriage is for convenience.”

At those words, a weary sigh echoed in his mind.

The figure of the Emperor Soul Feilian manifested, shaking his head as though deeply disappointed.

”Bai Zihan, Bai Zihan... you really don’t understand women’s hearts. Power and duty bind them, yes—but even a bond of convenience can be softened, deepened, if you show sincerity. A girl wishes to be cherished, not simply carried along the currents of fate. Try harder to win her heart.”

Bai Zihan’s expression darkened slightly.

”I’ve no interest in lectures about romance.”

But wanting to silence both his sister’s insistent eyes and the Emperor Soul’s nagging tone, Bai Zihan finally lifted his hand.

”Three million!”

The words rolled out carelessly, but they struck the hall like thunder.

Gasps exploded from every corner. The price leapt past all expectations, leaving no room for competition.

Silence fell heavy as the hammer in Lan Yuerong’s hand froze mid-air, her eyes flashing with quiet delight at the scene.

In an instant, every gaze shifted upward once more.

The hall went still. For a long breath, no one dared raise their paddles.

Then the whispers began.

”Ah, Young Master Bai is bidding for it!”

”Of course—it must be for his fiancée. Who else could it be?”

”Hah... to spend so much without batting an eye, just for a necklace of love... if only I were in her place.”

”Envious? I could die of it. Imagine, a single bid worth more than what we’ll earn in ten lifetimes, and all for a woman’s smile.”

”Bai Zihan truly is unmatched... not only powerful and rich, but he even treats his betrothed like this.”

Up in the VVIP, Chu Ziyan lowered her gaze, looking at Bai Zihan.

She would have liked it more if Bai Zihan truly intended to give this to her with his heart but knew better.

At least, to the eyes of the crowd, she was now the most blessed woman in the Empire.

Three million!

Lan Yuerong’s eyes gleamed as she lifted her jade hammer. Her voice rang, honey-smooth but firm.

”Three million going once!”

The crowd held its breath. Some were still waiting for a competitor to show up—but who would?

Even for an Earth-Grade Artifact, most of them only wanted to spend around two million, and going above it required serious thought.

Not to mention, those who had a lot of money to spend still needed to think about the last item that was going to be auctioned.

The Heaven-Grade Artifact!

To win that, they needed to save their money.

”Going twice!”

Every pair of eyes strained upward toward Bai Zihan’s VVIP room.

”—Sold!”

The jade hammer fell with a crisp clack, sealing the bid.

Lan Yuerong’s smile deepened, her voice carrying like silk over the hush.

”Congratulations, Young Master Bai. To claim such a treasure of love—how enviable indeed.”

Her gaze lingered meaningfully on his VVIP Room, before she inclined her head with grace.

Applause thundered through the hall, not only for the conclusion of the bidding, but for the romance that everyone assumed had just unfolded.

Moments later, attendants ascended the staircase with utmost care, carrying the jade box cradled in silk.

They bowed deeply as they presented it to Bai Zihan.

Bai Zihan took the box with casual ease, as though three million gold was a trivial matter, no more than a drop of rain on the ocean of his wealth.

He turned, the crimson light of the necklace gleaming faintly within the open lid.

Chu Ziyan sat there quietly.

Bai Zihan extended the box toward her. His tone was unhurried, unflustered, almost indifferent.

”This is yours.”

For a heartbeat, her composure wavered. The faintest trace of warmth flickered in her eyes as she accepted the necklace with delicate hands.

She lowered her gaze, but a smile—gentle and radiant—curved her lips.

”Thank you!”

”Don’t mention it.”

Bai Zihan replied as he went back to his seat.

Well, for him, the auction had ended, and the last item was only for counting his money.

The auction reached its peak, the hall charged with restless energy. Every breath, every glance, carried the same question—what would the final treasure be?

Everyone knew it was a Heaven-Grade Artifact. But what kind of artifact?

Lan Yuerong’s jade hammer tapped once, sharp and clear, cutting through the murmur.

”The moment you’ve all been waiting for has arrived,” she announced, her smile radiant, her tone solemn.

Attendants stepped forward, carrying a long jade case bound with golden talismans, each shimmering faintly with celestial light.

With a graceful flick of her hand, the seals dissolved, and the case opened—revealing a fan whose feathers gleamed with colors of starlight and dawn, its presence alone making the hall fall silent.

Lan Yuerong’s voice rang out, crisp and resounding.

”Ladies and gentlemen... we bring you the Celestial Feather Fan!”