Indeed!
The person in private room number ten who wanted to buy "Mu Ling Jiao Sha" was precisely Zi Jin Ling, the second eldest sister of Zi Lin Ling.
Last time, Zi Lin Ling had used Zi Jin Ling's own tactics against her, poisoning her with the Ghost Flower and then verbally provoking her until she was scared out of her wits.
Originally, Zi Lin Ling had planned to "get closer" to Zi Jin Ling, but due to a series of subsequent events, she became overwhelmingly busy and forgot about "getting closer" to Zi Jin Ling.
Later, Zi Jin Ling had placed an order with Gui Sha Lou to assassinate Zi Lin Ling, but Gui Sha Lou's attempts were thwarted twice, with Zi Lin Ling killing the assassins herself.
Since then, Gui Sha Lou had not found another opportunity to strike, so the third assassination attempt was put on hold.
It wasn't until Ye Ling Yuan and Zi Lin Ling unified the four great empires that Gui Sha Lou was forced into silence.
Zi Jin Ling, seeing the unfavorable turn of events, went into hiding.
By chance, her sister, Zi Hui Ling, who had already apprenticed under the Grand Elder Yan Wu Ji of Ling Xiao Mountain, sent her a message and arranged for her to be brought to the Tian Ci Continent to undergo marrow cleansing and baptism, which helped her break through to the Hua Yuan realm.
This time, Zi Hui Ling's senior sister, Duan Ru, brought her along to represent Ling Xiao Mountain at the Lin Xian Wine House's auction.
However, Duan Ru had offended Lin Xian Wine House the previous day and was blacklisted.
Therefore, Zi Jin Ling had to lead the other disciples to attend the auction.
In reality, Zi Jin Ling was unaware that the reason Duan Ru had offended Jin Xian Wine House was because she had offended Zi Lin Ling, and Shen Liu Xing had subtly caused trouble for her.
Consequently, Zi Jin Ling was also unaware that Zi Lin Ling had already arrived.
Of course, she knew about Zi Lin Ling's planned alchemy competition with Lu Zui Chang, but she did not connect the Zi Lin Ling participating in the competition with the Zi Lin Ling herself.
Firstly, she did not expect Zi Lin Ling and Ye Ling Yuan, who had only recently unified the four great empires, to dare to leave the Tian Yuan Continent. Secondly, she did not know that Zi Lin Ling could refine pills.
Therefore, if Zi Lin Ling had not spoken, Zi Jin Ling would never have called out her name.
"Zi Lin Ling, you are truly a persistent shadow! I run into you everywhere!"
Zi Jin Ling hated Zi Lin Ling with such intensity that her voice was filled with the grinding sound of her teeth.
Zi Lin Ling said coldly, "That sentence should be said by me! By the way, second sister, how did the Ghost Flower taste?"
Zi Jin Ling's teeth were about to shatter, "Zi Lin Ling, you poisoned me, didn't you?"
She had always felt that something was wrong with her body, but she didn't know where the problem lay.
It wasn't until the previous time, when Zi Hui Ling had someone help her cleanse her marrow and baptism, that she learned she had been poisoned.
When she discovered she had been poisoned by the Ghost Flower, she was nearly scared to death.
Of course, it was also because of the Ghost Flower poison that the process of her marrow cleansing and baptism became exceptionally painful.
Even so, the Ghost Flower poison in her body was not entirely cleared. Instead, it was forced into her left arm by the person Zi Hui Ling had invited.
Zi Lin Ling sneered, "Second sister, don't frame me. Who knows if you accidentally poisoned yourself while trying to poison me?"
Although she was curious as to why Zi Jin Ling had not relapsed, she could not make a definitive judgment without seeing Zi Jin Ling.
Therefore, she used words to provoke Zi Jin Ling, hoping to extract some useful information.
"You're talking nonsense!" Zi Jin Ling was enraged.
"Whether I'm talking nonsense or not, you know in your heart! Today, I want to tell you that if the Ghost Flower poison from twelve years ago didn't kill me, it means your family's retribution is coming!
Oh, I almost forgot, your father and mother have been reunited. I wonder when the three of you sisters will go down to accompany them!"
Zi Lin Ling's voice was as cold as ice, her inner fury burning like a wildfire.
In private room number ten, the gazes directed at Zi Jin Ling had changed.
They had not expected their goddess sister to have such a venomous side.
"Zi Lin Ling, you clearly killed my father and mother, yet you're here twisting facts. You're truly shameless!" Zi Jin Ling exclaimed in anger.
Zi Lin Ling snorted coldly, "Whether I'm twisting facts or not, you know as clearly as a mirror! As for your father and mother, they were willing to harm an unborn child. Death was too good for them!"
"Zi Lin Ling, you're lying!"
Zi Jin Ling panicked. She didn't know how to refute, so she could only weakly repeat those words.
Zi Lin Ling scoffed, "Lying? Heh heh! You know the truth in your heart. Now, I'll ask you, eleven thousand spirit stones, do you still dare to bid?"
Ming Lan also chimed in appropriately, "Two esteemed guests, Lin Xian Wine House will not interfere in your dispute, but please do not disrupt the auction.
Private room number ten, private room number one has bid eleven thousand spirit stones. May I ask if you wish to bid further? If you do not bid, this copy of 'Mu Ling Jiao Sha' will go to private room number one!"
Zi Jin Ling took a deep breath and said, "Zi Lin Ling, you will eventually pay for your actions. Twelve thousand spirit stones!"
Zi Lin Ling smiled, "We'll soon see who pays the price. Thirteen thousand spirit stones!"
"Fourteen thousand!"
Zi Jin Ling gritted her teeth and called out unwillingly.
In reality, "Mu Ling Jiao Sha" had already far exceeded its value.
But firstly, pride was at stake. If she conceded now, it would be tantamount to losing to Zi Lin Ling.
Secondly, she had a compelling reason to acquire it, as Duan Ru had emphatically instructed her to obtain anything related to the wood element at all costs.
Zi Lin Ling smiled, "Fifteen thousand!"
Zi Jin Ling: "Sixteen thousand!"
"Nineteen thousand!" Zi Lin Ling stated.
Zi Jin Ling gritted her teeth and said again, "Twenty thousand!"
Zi Lin Ling laughed, "It seems, second sister, that you are determined to have it. In that case, I won't snatch what others desire! I don't want this 'Mu Ling Jiao Sha' anymore!"
"Pfft!"
Zi Jin Ling in private room number ten spat out a mouthful of blood.
What could have been bought for ten thousand spirit stones had cost her double.
"Zi Lin Ling, I've noted this! Prepare to face the wrath of Ling Xiao Mountain!"
Zi Lin Ling chuckled, "Second sister, this is repaying kindness with enmity! I clearly gave the item to you, and not only are you ungrateful, but you also declare war on me on behalf of Ling Xiao Mountain. You are truly unappreciative!"
"Pfft!"
Zi Jin Ling spat out another mouthful of blood.
At this very moment, Ming Lan's voice rang out again, "Twenty thousand spirit stones, first call! Twenty thousand spirit stones, second call! Twenty thousand spirit stones, third call! Sold! Congratulations to our friend in private room number ten!"
"Pfft!"
Zi Jin Ling spat out a mouthful of blood again, closed her eyes, and fainted.