CHAPTER 97: CHAPTER 97: BROTHER, HOLD ME

Su Ruan couldn’t understand the implication of Lu Shinian’s words; she nodded earnestly and replied, "Yes, this time it’s in the snow."

After a pause, she said thoughtfully, "Is your fully beastified form a Snow Wolf? You get very excited whenever you see snow."

When she said excited, it was clearly just superficial excitement.

However, these words turned into a different kind of excitement in Lu Shinian’s ears.

Lu Shinian’s eyes darkened, his first regret was not having memories of the Ancestral Stage, Ruan Ruan on the snow must look beautiful.

Seeing him silent, Su Ruan assumed it was something unspeakable and did not press further.

She stood up, patted the snow off her body, and was the first to change the topic.

"It seemed like a neighbor came by earlier."

Lu Shinian’s eyes narrowed slightly; he stood up too, and a hint of killing intent flashed in his eyes, "Neighbor?"

"But he probably didn’t see your face." Su Ruan poked his chest, "Restrain some of your killing intent."

Lu Shinian grabbed Su Ruan’s wrist, his thumb gently rubbed the middle of her wrist, obediently restraining his killing intent without showing a trace.

"He seemed to have left something at the door, I’ll go take a look." Su Ruan said as she tried to break free from Lu Shinian’s large hand, but he held her tighter.

"I’ll go with Ruan Ruan." He said, pulling her hand as they walked towards the main door.

Once closer, they both saw a Level 1 Energy Stone placed on the ground.

The transparent Level 1 Energy Stone gleamed faintly under the refraction of air; it wasn’t dazzling yet gave a sense of discomfort.

Su Ruan stared at that Energy Stone, feeling unsettled in her heart; she instinctively used spiritual power to "probe," only to find that there was no trace of black mist inside this Level 1 Energy Stone.

For a moment, she even thought her previously purified Level 1 Energy Stone had been discovered.

But those Energy Stones had been fully absorbed by the previously sick Lu Shinian, and she hadn’t purified any Level 1 Energy Stone recently.

Could it be... natural?

As Su Ruan pondered, Lu Shinian seemed to sense something; his eyes flickered, and he looked at Su Ruan with a deeper meaning.

Just at that moment, he seemed to feel a touch of spiritual power.

Was it Ruan Ruan?

But spiritual power below S-Class cannot extend outward; he remembered Ruan Ruan’s Spiritual Power Level was D+.

The military department’s detection device wouldn’t be wrong, so either it was his illusion just now or Ruan Ruan’s spiritual power was peculiar.

Lu Shinian was confident in his own spiritual power; it couldn’t be an illusion, so the answer seemed to leave only one possibility.

His eyes darkened as he picked up that Level 1 Energy Stone, playing with it between his fingers, and his lips curved, "Interesting."

It’s unclear whether he was referring to the Energy Stone or Su Ruan.

Hearing his voice, Su Ruan snapped back to reality and followed his topic to ask, "What do you mean?"

"This." Lu Shinian held the Level 1 Energy Stone between his fingers, "Didn’t I mention the Illusion Insects on Star River Star are quite special?"

Su Ruan nodded; she remembered this matter; it was one of the reasons they came to Star River Star.

"This thing." Lu Shinian’s fingers lightly pinched, and the Energy Stone crumbled like sand from his fingertips, blown away by the wind leaving nothing behind, "Created by the Illusion Insect."

His eyes slightly squinted with hints of danger, "It’s said to be a Level 1 Energy Stone with zero impurity, now already spreading at the Galaxy Auction on Star River Star."

"The auction two days later will auction this zero impurity Energy Stone."

He said with a sneer, "But it’s fake."

"Do people really think that just because a zero impurity Energy Stone appears in the Second World, they can fool people in reality?"

Su Ruan blinked, nearly blurting out that zero impurity Energy Stones exist in reality and he just absorbed one; fortunately, she stopped herself in time.

It’s not about distrusting Lu Shinian, just that before she has the ability to protect herself, the fewer people know about this the better.

"Should we go to that auction now?" Su Ruan asked, "What does the neighbor named Zhang Shan mean by giving us this? Does he know this Energy Stone is an illusion created by the Illusion Insect?"

Lu Shinian lowered his gaze, deep within his eyes lay profound darkness, immeasurable.

"We’ll find out when we meet them."

"Wear a mask." Su Ruan emphasized, "Zhang Shan knows you were in the Ancestral Stage earlier, although he didn’t see your face, it’s best to be cautious."

Recalling the earlier Ancestral Stage, Lu Shinian’s gaze on Su Ruan carried a hint of desire.

He toyed with Su Ruan’s small hand, his throat moved slightly, "Cold?"

"Not cold." Su Ruan shook her head, "If you’re feeling cold, we can go inside."

Lu Shinian paused, his gaze fell upon the snow, his tone melancholic, "The snow is quite nice."

Su Ruan: ???

"But not now." Lu Shinian regretfully retracted his gaze, his fingertips lightly caressed Su Ruan’s cheek, "We have business to attend to first."

He took out two masks from the Space Button and handed one to Su Ruan, "Put it on."

Su Ruan took the masks, "Are we going to find Zhang Shan now?"

"No." Lu Shinian lifted private mode, pulling her as they walked outside, "We need to get tickets to the auction."

Since the message of a zero impurity Level 1 Energy Stone at this Galaxy Auction came out, the previously ignored auction suddenly became hugely popular, with tickets hard to get.

Lu Shinian pulled Su Ruan outside, "The timing is about right; it should have started."

They boarded the hover car, and within minutes, arrived at the destination.

From the outside, it looked like an ordinary office building; only upon entering did Su Ruan realize there was more than meets the eye.

This place, evidently, was a large casino.

Everyone wore masks, diverse and colorful, and all were paired up.

In the center was a large round table facing them, across sat a red-haired man with a lion mask, accompanied by a man wearing a fox mask, talking with each other.

Seeing that tuft of red hair, Su Ruan’s lips twitched; could it be just a coincidence?

The person sitting opposite—could it be her star thief brother?

She glanced at Lu Shinian; the mask obscured his expression, visible only were his deep eyes piercing straight at the red-haired man opposite.

Remembering their dealings, Su Ruan’s heart skipped a beat; she tugged on Lu Shinian’s sleeve, speaking softly, "Brother, my foot hurts."

Indeed, Lu Shinian’s attention shifted to her, no longer looking at the person opposite, instead lowering his gaze towards Su Ruan, "Tired from walking?"

Su Ruan nodded, extending her hand, her voice softened further with a hint of coquettishness, "Brother, carry me~"

Lu Shinian’s gaze darkened, his voice hoarse with undertones, "Behave, don’t seduce me outside."