Chapter 41: The Purchase of the Slave

Xue Sha stood up from the sofa with a sigh, stretching her arms above her head as her muscles woke up. She looked at Bao Qing and the butler, and with a firm but calm voice, said, "It's time to go."

The three of them headed towards the door, where a woman dressed in an impeccable uniform awaited them. Xue Sha looked her directly in the eyes and said, "Take us to the payment location."

The woman bowed deeply, showing a respectful reverence. "Understood, please follow me," she responded in a soft and formal voice.

The woman led them down a long hallway adorned with ancient paintings and crystal lamps hanging from the ceiling, casting a warm and soft light. They passed several solid wooden doors, each with intricate carvings that told stories of times past. The echo of their footsteps resonated on the polished marble floor.

Finally, they arrived at a door with a sign in red letters that read "Number 9." The woman stopped and opened the door with a golden key, inviting them in with an elegant gesture.

The room on the other side of the door was moderately luxurious, with an atmosphere of refined elegance. Two dark leather sofas were arranged around a polished wooden coffee table. On the table, several crystal glasses and a bottle of red wine awaited, reflecting the light from a chandelier hanging from the ceiling. In one corner of the room, a cage covered with a cloth aroused curiosity.

Sitting on one of the sofas, a man in a perfectly tailored suit and a monocle in his right eye observed them with an enigmatic smile. "Welcome," he said in a deep and resonant voice. "Please, have a seat."

The woman bowed respectfully and left the room, leaving Xue Sha, Bao Qing, and the butler alone with the man with the monocle. Xue Sha sat on the sofa opposite the man, while Bao Qing and the butler stood behind her, attentive and silent.

The man in the suit adjusted his monocle and, with a formal and measured voice, said, "I know you have come to pay for the slave, but first, allow me to offer you a glass of wine. It's on the house."

With precise and elegant movements, the man took a corkscrew from his pocket and, without making a sound, removed the cork from the bottle. He gently swirled the bottle to aerate the wine and poured a generous amount into two crystal glasses, filling them to what would be an appropriate sip.

He placed the bottle on the coffee table and, with a refined gesture, took a handkerchief from the inner pocket of his jacket. He carefully wiped the neck of the bottle before putting the handkerchief away again.

Xue Sha and the man took their glasses and clinked them softly. "Cheers," they said in unison. Both slightly swirled their glasses, allowing the wine to release its aromas. They brought the glasses to their noses, inhaling the bouquet of the wine, and then took a small sip. Xue Sha barely touched the wine with her lips, not actually drinking it.

After this ritual, both placed their glasses on the coffee table, ready to continue with the matter that had brought them there.

The man in the suit looked at Bao Qing and the butler, and with a polite voice asked, "Would you like a glass of wine?"

The butler responded with a slight nod of his head, "No, thank you. We must protect the Young Master."

The man sighed slightly and said, "What a pity." He rubbed his hands together and, after a brief clap, added, "Well, let's get to the matter at hand. It will be 100,000 gold coins. Will you be paying in coins or with a card?"

Xue Sha responded confidently, "Card." Just as she was about to take out the red card, the butler intervened, handing her a black card with the number 100,000 engraved in the upper right corner. "Young Master, wait. It's better to pay with this," said the butler.

Although Xue Sha didn't fully understand the reason, she nodded and said, "Alright." She took the black card and handed it to the man.

The man examined the card silently for a few moments before putting it in his suit pocket. "Thank you very much for your purchase," he said with a courteous smile.

He stood up from his seat and Xue Sha followed him. They approached the cage in the corner of the room. The man removed the cloth covering the cage, revealing a girl of about six years old with white hair and blue eyes. The girl had shackles on her hands and a collar on her neck, all connected by a chain that extended to the top of the cage, severely limiting her movement.

The man in the suit looked at Xue Sha and asked politely, "Do you wish to take her as she is or would you prefer we give her a shower and provide new clothes?"

Xue Sha responded firmly, "No need, she's fine as she is."

The man nodded and, while opening the cage, said, "As you wish." He extended his hand and, from the tip of his finger, a small flame emerged that traveled to the chain. In a matter of seconds, the chain began to melt. The man handed it to Xue Sha, warning, "Careful, it's hot. Hold it like this."

Xue Sha took the chain, surprised that the man hadn't had to summon his martial spirit to perform such a feat. She thought to herself, "Perhaps his martial spirit is fire itself, so he doesn't need to summon it. Or maybe it's a skill he has developed, which seems more likely."

Turning to Bao Qing and the butler, Xue Sha asked, "Do either of you have something to cover her?"

Bao Qing was the first to respond. Taking out a long cloak from his bag, he said, "See if this works." He approached and handed it to Xue Sha.

Xue Sha took the cloak and carefully made a hole to pass the chain through. First, she passed the chain and then placed the cloak over the girl. The girl didn't move and her eyes remained almost emotionless.

After ensuring the cloak was properly placed, Xue Sha nodded, satisfied, although the cloak was a bit large for the girl.

The man, with a hand on his chest and a respectful bow, said, "I hope it was to your liking. Until next time."

Xue Sha bid farewell with a slight nod of her head. "Until next time," she said, her voice resonating with calm authority. Then, turning to the man, she asked inquisitively, "Has the slave been trained to be a servant or do I have to train her myself?"

The man, with a confident smile, replied, "The slave is a perfect servant."

Xue Sha looked at him intently for a few moments, evaluating his words. Finally, she sighed, letting out a slight sigh of relief or perhaps resignation.

Xue Sha, Bao Qing, and the butler bowed before leaving through the door of the auction house. Once outside, Xue Sha took a deep breath, letting the fresh night air fill her lungs as she observed the plants illuminated by the moonlight.

"Wow, this will be the last time I come to an auction. I'm exhausted," she said with a sigh, feeling the weight of fatigue on her shoulders.

Looking at Bao Qing and the butler, Xue Sha added, "Come to think of it, why do we wear masks if our clothes give us away?"

With a determined gesture, they removed their masks, revealing their faces in the soft moonlight. The butler, with a calm smile, explained, "It's not just the mask. We also use soul power to blur our appearance. So with the mask, it's more than enough."

As they walked towards the exit of the auction house park, the sound of their footsteps echoed in the silence of the night. Upon reaching the street, they found a row of carriages, each more luxurious than the last. Xue Sha and the others headed to one bearing their crest, a symbol of their status and power.

The coachman, seeing them approach, bowed his head in respect and opened the carriage door. Xue Sha got in first with the girl, followed by Bao Qing and the butler. Once inside, the carriage set off, slowly moving away from the auction house and into the darkness of the night.