Devouring Soul Emperor

Chapter 340: Chapter 340: Isn’t It Ridiculous?

"Haha, he’s blocked at the entrance, so of course he can’t get in. What other reason could there possibly be, Young Master Ye?"

From inside, Dong Xin of the Dong Family burst out laughing.

In an instant, Ye Junhao and the others understood. They all broke into laughter, their gazes toward Chu Qingyun filled with mockery and disdain.

To be stopped at the door while trying to sneak into the VIP area with a woman—it was utterly humiliating.

"Chu Qingyun, I happen to have an extra invitation here. My fourth uncle couldn’t make it. How about this: you beg me, and if you please me, I’ll let you have it. What do you say?"

Ye Junhao stared at Chu Qingyun, his face a mask of gloating satisfaction.

After speaking, he actually took out an invitation and dangled it in front of Chu Qingyun.

Immediately, the onlookers erupted in another round of derisive laughter.

"Chu Qingyun, let’s just go. How dare they target us! They’re letting others bring people in but not me. Let’s go find my grandfather and see if they still dare to block us then."

Qin Ya’s face was pale with anger. She grabbed Chu Qingyun’s wrist and started to pull him away.

The sight stirred another wave of uncontrollable jealousy in the hearts of the onlookers.

As the future heir to the Qin Family, not to mention her stunning beauty, captivating charm, and phenomenal figure, Qin Ya was the dream girl for many men—an object of their fervent pursuit.

However, Chu Qingyun didn’t move. Instead, he grabbed her arm in return, holding her back.

Despite the mocking gazes and derisive laughter from the crowd, Chu Qingyun suddenly smiled. A glint of coldness flashed in his eyes as he looked toward Steward Huang.

"You’re Steward Huang, correct? I previously consigned several very valuable items with your auction house. That should be enough to grant me access to the VIP area, wouldn’t you say?"

Chu Qingyun produced the token he had received for his consigned goods and spoke to Steward Huang in a perfectly earnest tone.

Steward Huang was taken aback, apparently not having expected Chu Qingyun to have consigned anything.

But he quickly recovered and sneered. "Hmph. Kid, you think you can fool me? It’s not that easy. Even if you did consign something, you’d better scram."

"Otherwise, forget entering the VIP area. Be careful, or I’ll have your consignment canceled altogether!"

The long queue at the Treasure appraisal station was a clear sign: when it came to consignments, the auction house held an absolute position of power and dominance.

Thus, Steward Huang was utterly dismissive of Chu Qingyun’s tactic.

"Oh? You’ll have it canceled? Do you have that kind of authority?" Chu Qingyun retorted with a cold smile, his eyes flashing.

At his side, Qin Ya seemed to realize what Chu Qingyun was doing. She calmed down considerably and joined him in watching Steward Huang with a cold smirk.

The items Chu Qingyun had put up for consignment—be it the ninety-four Nascent Condensation Pills or the two Spiritual Longevity Pills—were far too valuable for a minor steward to cancel on a whim.

"Still trying to put on a brave front with me? You ask if I have the authority? Kid, I’m telling you, you’ve really managed to provoke me today!"

"I’m laying it down right here, right now: your consignment is off! I refuse to believe a puny first-level Martial Spirit could have anything valuable to sell!"

Goaded on by the taunts and stares of Han Libin, Ye Junhao, and their group, Steward Huang became incensed, puffing out his chest as he spoke.

In Steward Huang’s eyes, Chu Qingyun was weak and incapable of getting an invitation. Adding to that the slander and bad-mouthing he’d heard from Han Libin, Dong Xin, and the others...

Therefore, Steward Huang naturally saw Chu Qingyun as just another ordinary first-level Martial Spirit who had stumbled upon some slightly valuable Spiritual Medicine or other trinket to sell.

He’d seen plenty of people like that!

"Sigh... your auction house really does throw its weight around. Since that’s the case, I’ll just withdraw my consigned items. Forget the whole thing."

Chu Qingyun said with a light sigh.

An intrigued smile spread across Qin Ya’s face. "That’s right, let’s not consign them. Take everything back, and let’s see what he does then!"

"Hmph, quite the act you’re putting on, kid. Too bad it won’t work on me! Do you think I was born yesterday?" Steward Huang continued with a cold laugh.

The fawning from the crowd and their jeers at Chu Qingyun made him feel incredibly smug.

’A mere first-level Martial Spirit dares to talk back to me? You think you’re so great just because you’re with that woman from the Ten Thousand Treasures Tower? We’ll see how you get out of this!’

The commotion caused by the crowd blocking the VIP area soon attracted the attention of one of the auction house’s chief stewards. He approached, flanked by two men.

"Huang Qiu Liang, what is going on here? You’ve made a complete mess. The invited VIPs will be arriving any moment!" the man demanded, frowning from the edge of the crowd.

Upon seeing this man, the previously arrogant Steward Huang instantly became meek and subservient. "Chief Steward Zhou, it’s like this. This fellow, Chu Qingyun, has no invitation but is shamelessly trying to force his way into the VIP area. I stopped him, and well, this is what happened."

"You’re lying! I have an invitation, so on what grounds are you stopping me from bringing someone with me?" Qin Ya demanded, brandishing the invitation in her hand.

At this, Chief Steward Zhou’s brow furrowed.

Steward Huang quickly explained, "Ahem, Chief Steward Zhou, you see, Miss Qin Ya’s invitation belongs to Elder Qin. Since Elder Qin himself isn’t here, she should, by rights, only be allowed to enter by herself, not bring a guest."

Hearing this, Chief Steward Zhou more or less understood the situation.

This was a loophole in the rules. The auction house stipulated that someone *with* an invitation could bring a guest, but it didn’t specify whether that person had to be the original owner of the invitation or merely the one holding it.

Chief Steward Zhou shot Steward Huang a sideways glance before turning to Qin Ya. "Miss Qin Ya, please proceed to the VIP area. As for you," he said, looking at the other, "Chu Qingyun, is it? Be a good lad and go sit in the general seating area."

As they were both from the auction house, Chief Steward Zhou naturally wouldn’t side with an outsider against one of his own. Besides, Steward Huang wasn’t technically wrong. Exploiting a loophole in the rules was, in a way, a skill of its own.

As for why he was targeting Chu Qingyun, that was none of Chief Steward Zhou’s business.

"You... You’re all just bullies! Why can they bring people using someone else’s invitation, but I can’t? I’m going to my grandfather and telling him all about this!"

Faced with another unreasonable person, Qin Ya was about to burst with fury.

Meanwhile, Steward Huang sidled up to Chief Steward Zhou and said with a sycophantic smile, "Chief Steward Zhou, that kid just threatened to cancel his consignment with our auction house if we don’t let him into the VIP area. Isn’t that just ridiculous?"