My Celestial Ascension

One of the women glanced at Denise with a tired and fearful expression, hesitating before she spoke. "Young Master, perhaps Sir Gordon is having a hard time convincing those women to come here and... 'entertain' you. After all, they're exceptionally beautiful. Women like that often hold onto their dignity."

"Indeed," another woman added, her voice trembling slightly. She kept her gaze averted, afraid to meet Denise's eyes. "Such remarkable beauty often comes with higher pride than women like us, Young Master Denise. Sir Gordon might have to offer them a significant price to persuade them."

Denise frowned, pondering their words for a moment before sighing and leaning back against the sofa. "You might be right. Those women are likely to be arrogant and prideful because of their beauty."

He waved a dismissive hand. "Now, be quiet and let me focus on the auction. If you three are hungry, order something. Get whatever you like."

With that, Denise shifted his attention back to the auction, slipping his shirt back on before pouring himself a glass of wine. His eyes flicked toward Teressa's radiant smile as she animatedly encouraged the bidders, her enthusiasm filling the room.

"500,000 gold coins!" Heidi's calm and composed voice rang out from her VIP room, drawing everyone's attention.

"600,000 gold coins!" Elias countered from another VIP room, the magic lamp above his suite illuminating brightly to signal his bid.

"Tsk." Denise clicked his tongue in annoyance, his frustration evident. "Look at them shamelessly fighting over the treasure I've set my sights on. They're a disgrace to the Ten Great Families."

His fingers drummed against the armrest as he took another sip of wine. "Well, this is an auction. It would be foolish to get too angry over it. Let's see how long these fools can last. This could get... interesting." His eyes gleamed with anticipation, a flicker of light reflecting his excitement for the financial battle ahead.

"700,000 gold coins!" Princess Livia's voice echoed from her VIP room. Inside, Holy Son Arthur stood beside her, his face alight with satisfaction as he pressured her to bid for the gauntlet he desired.

"800,000 gold coins!" King Richard's commanding voice suddenly resonated through the arena.

Though King Richard had no personal use for the gauntlet, it was an ideal gift for his son, who had recently begun training his body despite being a mage. The shift in his son's mindset and goals had occurred after witnessing Yuan's unparalleled physical prowess as he battled against hordes of monsters and corrupted creatures.

Since returning from the Forest of Never Return, King Richard's son had dedicated himself to physical training every morning. The results were promising—his frame had grown stronger, and he had even begun practicing swordsmanship. While still far from mastery, his determination was undeniable, and the gauntlet would be a significant aid in his journey.

"900,000 gold coins!" Crown Prince Kian of the Nightshade Empire declared from his VIP room, his calm yet commanding voice resonating across the stadium.

"1 million!" Ajex countered from his VIP room, his magic lamp glowing brightly to signal his bid.

Inside his suite, Denise's lips curled into a satisfied grin as the bidding war for the Purple Lightning Gauntlet crossed the one-million mark. Yet, it wasn't the amount that amused him—it was the familiar voice behind the bid.

'Ah, so Ajex finally steps into the fray,' Denise thought, leaning back against the plush sofa. 'For a moment, I assumed he'd remain quiet. But I see he couldn't resist.'

He swirled the wine in his glass, his grin growing wider.

"Ajex's interest makes this challenging," he muttered to himself, arrogance gleaming in his eyes. "But I'm not one to back down. This treasure will be mine."

Taking a long sip of his wine, Denise chuckled. "I may have lost out on earlier treasures, but not this time. This time, I'll show everyone why I'm the Young Master of the Drake family."

He leaned forward, pressing the bid button with deliberate force.

"1.2 million!" His voice echoed confidently, the magic lamp above his room lighting up to signal his bid and drawing the attention of many.

In her VIP room, Heidi raised an eyebrow, amusement playing across her face as she noticed the activity in Denise's suite. "Oh, so he finally decides to join the bidding. I was beginning to wonder if he'd sit this one out."

A sly grin spread across her lips as she leaned toward her companion, Veni. "Shall we have some fun and make him bleed for it?"

Veni smirked, nodding in agreement. "Let's make him pay dearly. But remember, no one in our clan truly needs that gauntlet."

"Don't worry," Heidi said, her voice laced with mischief. "I won't go too far. Just enough to make his blood boil."

She pressed the button on her table, raising her voice to the crowd. "1.5 million!" The magic lamp above her room illuminated, drawing murmurs of interest from the spectators.

Denise clenched his fists as her voice reached his ears, and his eyes darkened with rage. He recognized her all too well.

"That bitch!" he growled, his voice low and venomous. "Always getting in my way. I'll make her regret this the moment I have her under me."

His fury fueled his determination. Without hesitation, he pressed his bid button. "2 million!" he bellowed, his voice echoing with unrestrained anger.

"2.5 million!" Heidi's swift counter came almost instantly, her tone mocking as she smirked in her room.

Denise's face flushed with rage, his jaw tightening. "3 million!" he roared, his shout reverberating through the stadium and drawing gasps from the audience.

"3.5 million!"

"4 million!" Denise shot back, his tone a mix of defiance and desperation.

The stadium buzzed with excitement, the crowd captivated by the escalating duel of wealth. All eyes shifted between the two rivals, eagerly awaiting the next move in this battle of pride and gold.

Meanwhile, Yuan and his wives, along with Miss Zara and Little Zoe, were engaged in a pleasant and lively conversation. Yuan, in particular, was eager to learn about his grandmother and asked many questions about her and the clan.

"Well, our clan is located in the northern part of this continent. It's a cold, snowy region, but its beauty and tranquility are unmatched, far removed from the bustling city life," Aisha explained with a soft smile as she sat between Yuan and Lily, gently hugging them both.

Yuan and his wives listened intently, their excitement growing as they learned that one of the Ten Great Families operated in such a serene and secluded place, far from the chaos of urban centers.

The Blank Clan was one of the three most powerful clans on the continent, its influence extending even to the Beast Continent—a perilous land where only the strong survive. With over a thousand family members, the Blank Clan boasted numerous powerhouses. The clan leader, Aisha's father, Nicolas Blank, was a Saint Rank Mage whose ice magic was so formidable he could freeze an entire lake in an instant.

However, Aisha's tone shifted as she spoke about her father. His actions had deeply disappointed both Aisha and her mother, Angela Blank, souring their relationship with him. She noticed the anger flashing in Yuan's and Lily's eyes when she mentioned him and quickly decided to change the subject.

Aisha then began describing the daily responsibilities required of family members. "Lower-ranking members must complete specific tasks to earn their resources. Even though the clan is wealthy, it's impossible to sustain everyone without contributions. If resources were handed out freely, the clan would eventually lose its power and influence."

She added, "Higher-ranking members, however, have more privileges and can opt out of these duties."

Yuan and Lily were fascinated by the complexities of life within the Ten Great Families, so different from the bustling cities and empires they were familiar with. However, Yuan had no intention of joining any family, even the Blank Clan, despite it being the family of his two mothers. The mistreatment his mothers had endured from the clan, especially from his grandfather, was something Yuan could not forgive.

Aisha eventually turned to Anna Grace, her expression curious. With a playful smile, she asked, "Since I've answered so many questions, how about you explain something to me this time, Big Sister? I'm still shocked by what I witnessed earlier."

"About what?" Anna Grace tilted her head, her face a picture of feigned ignorance, as if she had no idea what Aisha was referring to.

Aisha rolled her eyes, her expression turning serious as she looked at Anna Grace. "I'm talking about you! How did you become two people and then merge back into one? That was incredibly shocking, you know? You owe me an explanation, Big Sis!"

She then turned her gaze toward Yuan.

"And how come none of you have any Mana in your bodies?" Aisha asked, her curiosity piqued. "And how did you do that earlier? How did you manage to fly? Not to mention, you lifted that mysterious spear so easily."

Yuan chuckled, flashing a playful grin. "Let's just say all of these are our secrets. It wouldn't be any fun if we revealed our cards to you, after all."

Aisha pouted immediately, feigning disappointment and sadness. Her puppy eyes, however, didn't sway him, and Yuan stood firm in his resolve.

Realizing that her handsome nephew wasn't going to give anything away, Aisha shifted her attention to Lily. Without missing a beat, she pulled Lily into her embrace.

"How about you, Sweetheart? Won't you tell your poor auntie your secrets? I swear I won't tell anyone," Aisha asked, her voice dripping with sweetness as she cuddled Lily, hoping to have better luck than she did with Yuan.