A young nobody Lin Ye had never seen before dared to glare at him with accusation in his eyes?
That was truly asking for humiliation.
Xia Lianzhou never imagined Lin Ye would slap him.
If Lin Ye hadn't been holding back out of minimal respect for the auction house's identity, Xia Lianzhou's head would already have been twisted off.
Humiliated in front of so many people—on his own territory—Xia Lianzhou erupted with rage.
"You're dead!"
He threw a punch straight at Lin Ye.
Lin Ye lifted a hand and caught the fist effortlessly.
Then he bent the arm downward with a casual twist.
Thump.
Xia Lianzhou dropped to his knees instantly, his entire arm forced to the very edge of being snapped.
"Mercy… mercy, my lord! My arm—my arm!"
Xia Lianzhou begged without hesitation.
His father had taught him well:If you meet someone you cannot provoke, kneel first.
Face was worthless.You could repay humiliation later—after gaining real power.
Lin Ye had expected a spine.
Instead, he found jelly.
He could see the calculation in Xia Lianzhou's eyes, but it wasn't worth caring about. Someone like this would never amount to anything significant.
Lin Ye looked down at him.
"I'm taking your storage ring. You don't mind, do you?"
"I don't mind! I don't mind at all!"
Lin Ye released him.
The crushing pressure vanished, and Xia Lianzhou's arm stopped trembling on the edge of fracture. Only then did he dare breathe again.
The disturbance on the first floor was loud enough to reach the second floor.
A brocade-clad young man frowned and descended immediately.
"What's going on?"
The attendants and guards surrounding him lowered their heads.
"Young master!"
"Young master!"
A minor guard-captain hurried up to him.
"Young master, this man forced his way in and injured Instructor Yue!"
"Lin Ye, why are you here?"
Just as the brocade-clad youth turned his gaze toward Lin Ye, a woman in a black dress entered from the front doors.
It was Xia Wei.
The moment Xia Wei saw the brocade-clad youth, she froze slightly.
"Lord Murong, what brings you here today?"
Lord Murong.
The Murong Clan of Golden Dragon City—the number one family in the region.
Anyone living within the Wind-Thunder Riverlands knew what the name "Murong" represented.
Golden Dragon City was a city in name, but behind it stood no sect at all.
Its sole ruler was the Murong Clan.
A single family strong enough to rival an entire sect.
That alone spoke of terrifying power.
But Lin Ye didn't know any of that.
The noble young man before them was named Murong Xuan'ang.
He had come personally from Golden Dragon City and was a frequent presence at the Grand Prosperity Auction House, because he had been openly pursuing Xia Wei for a long time.
Everyone knew it.
And Xia Wei despised him just as openly.
His character was no secret.
"Lord Murong heard about the Five Tigers Cloud-Suppressing Cauldron and came from Golden Dragon City specifically for that matter."
Chief Steward Xia Hui hurried out and spoke quickly.
Then he stepped closer to Xia Wei and lowered his voice.
"Lord Murong happens to possess a cauldron called the Heavenfall Flame-Suppressing Cauldron."
"Its quality is even higher than the Five Tigers Cloud-Suppressing Cauldron."
"If we can obtain it, then the Fire Cauldron Sect problem is solved immediately."
"This is not a time to act on emotion."
Xia Hui was clearly trying to persuade her: in his eyes, Murong Xuan'ang was arriving like salvation in a blizzard.
Xia Wei replied coldly.
"I will handle the cauldron matter myself."
She had her own plan.
She had no interest in owing the Murong Clan such an enormous favor.
Murong Xuan'ang smiled, overflowing with confidence.
"Little Wei, with the friendship between us, all you need is a single word."
"I will place the Heavenfall Flame-Suppressing Cauldron into your hands personally."
Xia Wei's response remained calm and distant.
"Thank you for your kindness, Lord Murong."
"But I won't trouble you. I have my own solution."
Xia Hui, hearing this, nearly stomped the floor in panic.
If they failed to solve the problem and also offended the Murong Clan, the consequences would be catastrophic.
Offending the Fire Cauldron Sect only meant losing a supplier line. That could still be repaired in time.
But offending the Murong Clan?
If they decided to strangle Xia Clan business routes from Golden Dragon City, the Xia Clan would be in real danger.
Murong Xuan'ang laughed loudly, unfazed.
"Fine."
"I like that about you."
"I'll stay at Six Fortune Pavilion for the next few days."
"When you change your mind, come find me anytime."
He was clearly preparing to leave. A subordinate handed him his cloak.
As for Lin Ye and the matter with Instructor Yue—
Murong Xuan'ang didn't care.
The instructor simply lacked the skill to avoid humiliation.
Publicly reacting to it would only make Murong Xuan'ang look petty.
Lin Ye could be dealt with later.
This was Xia Wei's territory, and Murong Xuan'ang understood the unspoken rules.
"Let's go."
"Safe travels, Lord Murong!" Xia Hui rushed forward, eager to see him off.
Murong Xuan'ang didn't even glance at Lin Ye.
Someone already dead wasn't worth looking at.
Xia Wei exhaled quietly.
At least the conflict hadn't escalated further inside the auction house, or it would have become difficult to contain.
But then—
"Wait."
A voice cut through the air.
Everyone turned.
It was Lin Ye.
Murong Xuan'ang stopped and frowned.
Was this man seeking death today?
"Lin Ye…" Xia Wei was stunned. She didn't understand what he was trying to do.
"Something you want?" Murong Xuan'ang asked indifferently.
"Leave the Heavenfall Flame-Suppressing Cauldron," Lin Ye said, stepping forward. "Name your price."
The surrounding guards instantly tightened, moving to block Lin Ye.
Lin Ye stopped calmly. He wasn't trying to fight—he just wanted to do business.
But the shock around him was immediate.
Xia Lianzhou was dumbfounded.
Who was this man?
He had just slit a throat, and now he dared to demand something from Murong Xuan'ang—with this tone?
Even Murong Xuan'ang himself froze for a moment.
He had expected Lin Ye to kneel and beg. If Xia Wei asked, Murong Xuan'ang might spare him by simply cutting off an arm.
But instead, Lin Ye wanted Murong Xuan'ang's cauldron?
Murong Xuan'ang almost laughed from rage.
"You… what did you just say?"
Xia Wei instinctively wanted to step in and stop Lin Ye—this was suicidal stupidity.
But Xia Hui grabbed her arm tightly.
"Remember," he hissed. "You are Xia Clan."
One sentence made Xia Wei's body stiffen.
She stopped herself.
She respected Lin Ye.She admired Lin Ye's father.
But this was far beyond her ability.
The Murong Clan was not something she could offend.
Lin Ye spoke again, cool and impatient.
"Turn your face away. I don't like looking at it."
"Sell me the cauldron. You can leave."
His tone was so arrogant it felt unreal.
Murong Xuan'ang's eyes narrowed.
"You want me… to turn my face away?"
He lifted a hand.
His followers moved instantly.
The auction house doors slammed shut.
The message was obvious:
No one was leaving peacefully today.
Lin Ye sighed.
"You talk too much."
Then he moved.
One step forward—
His speed was violent and terrifying.
Murong Xuan'ang only felt a gust of wind slam into him.
At Murong Xuan'ang's side, an old man's aura exploded outward.
Earth Transformation Realm.
But as the old man released his aura, Lin Ye was already in front of him.
A single finger thrust.
Heaven-Piercing Finger.
Boom!
The old man's protective qi shattered instantly.
He coughed blood and flew backward, crashing into the ground.
Murong Xuan'ang's shock deepened.
But in the next instant—
He felt his ear being grabbed.
Lin Ye's hand twisted violently.
"You have ears but you don't listen. Fine."
"I'll remove them for you."
Rip.
Lin Ye tore off one of Murong Xuan'ang's ears—cleanly, brutally—ripping it from his head.
Blood sprayed.
Murong Xuan'ang's scream hadn't even left his throat yet.