The air inside the Golden Lotus Pavilion grew heavy with silence.
Wu Chen leaned back in his seat, his expression unreadable. A relic from the Trinity Palace?
Xu Rong observed him carefully. "From your reaction, I assume you've heard of it."
Wu Chen simply smiled. "I may have."
Li Wei, however, was confused. "Master, what's the Trinity Palace?"
Wu Chen didn't answer immediately. Instead, he turned back to Xu Rong. "Tell me about this scroll."
Xu Rong tapped his fingers against the table. "The details are scarce. It was discovered by an old wandering scholar who recognized ancient markings on it. He planned to sell it at an upcoming auction hosted by the Moonlight Auction House."
Wu Chen's eyes narrowed slightly. Moonlight Auction House… a neutral but ruthless organization.
Xu Rong continued, "If our intelligence is correct, that scroll might contain information about a lost technique or location tied to the Trinity Palace."
Wu Chen remained silent, deep in thought.
The Trinity Palace was where he had been tested, where his journey had truly begun. If this scroll contained even a clue about its secrets, he couldn't ignore it.
Xu Rong studied him carefully. "So, what do you think?"
Wu Chen tapped the table lightly, then smiled. "I'll take the job."
Xu Rong exhaled slightly, as if relieved. "Good. The auction is in three days. Until then, I'd suggest staying discreet."
Wu Chen chuckled. "Discreet? I thought the whole city already knew my name."
Xu Rong smirked. "Then you have your work cut out for you."
As Wu Chen and Li Wei left the pavilion, a dozen eyes tracked their movements.
The rumors had spread too far. Mercenaries, rogue cultivators, and ambitious young warriors were watching him closely.
Li Wei tugged at Wu Chen's sleeve. "Master, we're being followed."
Wu Chen didn't even turn his head. "I know."
Instead of taking direct action, he strolled casually toward a nearby alleyway, allowing the shadows to swallow them.
The pursuers hesitated for a moment before following.
Big mistake.
The moment they stepped inside—
BAM!
A figure crashed into the wall, his wrist twisted at an unnatural angle.
The others barely had time to react before a shadow moved—
CRACK!
Another one fell, unconscious before he hit the ground.
In just three moves, half the group was down.
The remaining pursuers panicked.
One of them stammered, "W-We were just… looking to talk—"
Wu Chen finally turned to face them, his gaze cold. "Then you should have spoken instead of creeping in the shadows."
The last few fled in terror, vanishing into the city streets.
Li Wei stared at their fallen pursuers, stunned at his Teachers speed.
Wu Chen dusted off his sleeves. "Let's go. We have preparations to make."
---
Far away, inside the Heavenly Blade Sect, Lin Yufeng listened as a scout reported.
Wu Chen had easily taken down multiple spies.
Lin Yufeng clenched his jaw. "We underestimated him again."
Elder Huang, however, simply smiled.
"It doesn't matter. The rumors have already done their job."
Lin Yufeng turned toward him. "What do you mean?"
Elder Huang's eyes gleamed. "The Moonlight Auction House… doesn't care about background or status. But they care about money."
He leaned forward. "And what happens… when someone like Wu Chen suddenly shows up with a fortune, willing to bid on a mysterious treasure?"
Lin Yufeng's eyes widened in realization.
Elder Huang grinned.
"They'll start wondering… where his wealth is coming from."
The Moonlight Auction House was the most powerful merchant organization in the Azure Flame Kingdom, independent from sects and noble clans.
But their true power lay in information.
A man in dark blue robes stood inside a private chamber of the Auction House. His expression was calm, but his eyes gleamed with intelligence.
He was Elder Zheng, one of the auction house's chief appraisers.
Before him knelt a scout, who had just finished his report.
Elder Zheng tapped his fingers against his chair. "Wu Chen… the boy who appeared out of nowhere and suddenly has a million gold coins to gamble?"
The scout nodded. "Yes, Elder. Many are asking where his wealth came from."
Elder Zheng remained silent for a moment.
"Investigate him. Find out everything."
The scout hesitated. "Elder, the Golden Lotus Chamber has taken an interest in him. If we move too aggressively—"
Elder Zheng's gaze sharpened. "I didn't say to move aggressively. I said to investigate."
The scout swallowed hard and quickly left.
Elder Zheng turned toward the window, gazing at the bustling city below.
"A mysterious boy, sudden wealth, and an interest in an ancient scroll? This will be an interesting auction."
Meanwhile, Wu Chen and Li Wei had returned to their rented inn.
Li Wei sat on the floor, deep in meditation, but Wu Chen was lost in thought.
He could feel it. Eyes were watching him.
Not just spies from sects… but the Moonlight Auction House itself.
They were trying to figure out who he really was.
Wu Chen smirked slightly. Let them try.
Instead of worrying, he focused on preparing for the auction.
He needed to ensure that when the time came, he would not only win the bid… but also handle whatever came after.
Lin Yufeng was pacing inside his private chamber, irritation flashing across his face.
"He's still walking freely," he muttered. "Even after everything we did."
Elder Huang, however, remained calm.
"That's because we haven't made our real move yet."
Lin Yufeng frowned. "What do you mean?"
Elder Huang chuckled. "Wu Chen is planning to attend the auction in three days, correct?"
Lin Yufeng nodded.
"Then we'll make sure he doesn't leave with what he wants."
He handed Lin Yufeng a sealed letter.
Lin Yufeng opened it and scanned its contents. His eyes widened.
"This…"
Elder Huang's smile was cold. "We won't be the only ones after him. The moment he wins that bid… the hunt begins."
Lin Yufeng's lips curled into a smirk.
"Then let's make sure he wins."