The news of the auction spread like a drop of water splashing into boiling oil, causing Qingrong City—which was already bustling with noise—to completely erupt into chaos. The three-day period stretched endlessly, as if every moment was being pulled apart. The air was filled with a peculiar atmosphere that mixed greed, anticipation, and tension. Cultivators from all directions poured into the city, inns were packed to capacity, and even the prices of various businesses in the city skyrocketed.
Xiao Qi and Liu Yun were not idle. According to their plan, Liu Yun, relying on her relatively rich experience in the martial world, mingled among tea houses, wine establishments, and other crowded places, quietly gathering fragmentary information about the auction, the featured fragment, and various factions. Though straightforward in personality, she was also meticulous. Moreover, with her Foundation Establishment stage cultivation being quite remarkable among rogue cultivators, she encountered no real trouble. However, most of the information she brought back was trivial and difficult to verify.
Xiao Qi, on the other hand, chose a different approach. He stayed confined in their inn room, taking out several concealment and detection-related magical artifacts from the pile of test products that Second Senior Brother Luo Feng had given him, along with the Auspicious-Omen Compass. He carefully infused his pure spiritual energy—particularly that containing a trace of purification properties—into these artifacts, attempting to debug and improve them.
At the same time, he began organizing his storage bag. From the secret realm gains, sect rewards, and previous acquisitions—setting aside what he needed to keep—he sorted out unusable demon beast materials, spirit herbs of insufficient age, and several average-quality magical artifacts. He planned to exchange these for practical talismans and pills, or directly convert them into spirit stones, to prepare for the auction.
On the morning of the third day, the fat innkeeper duly delivered two wooden tokens for entry to the auction, ordinary seats in the back rows of the main hall. Xiao Qi paid the remaining spirit stones. The innkeeper weighed the spirit stone bag and lowered his voice to share a piece of news: Honored guest, things have been quite uneasy lately in the city. Besides cultivators from everywhere, there seem to be some people not convenient for showing their faces, also active here. He pointed upward, with meaning in his gesture. I hear that people from Silver Face have appeared nearby. You two should be extremely careful.
Silver Face? Xiao Qi's heart grew solemn, though his expression remained unchanged. Thank you for the warning, innkeeper.
After the innkeeper left, Liu Yun had just returned, her expression grave: Xiao Qi, something's not right. Today at the Listening-to-the-Wind Tea House in the city's south, I sensed several extremely hidden yet incredibly powerful auras. One of them was icy cold and sharp, carrying an uncomfortable viscous feeling. Although it flashed by just for an instant, it felt very similar to the high-ranking Shadow Snake Pavilion cultivators we encountered before—and seemingly even stronger.
Xiao Qi's gaze sharpened. Are you certain?
Not certain, but that feeling was unmistakable. Liu Yun confirmed. Moreover, people in the tea house were quietly discussing how they saw a mysterious figure wearing a silver mask appearing in the abandoned district of the city's west.
Silver-Faced Envoy! The true core leadership of Shadow Snake Pavilion! They actually appeared in Qingrong City! And not from Aunt Su's faction.
Xiao Qi walked to the window, looking through the restriction at the bustling street outside. Under the sunlight, Qingrong City remained noisy as ever, but he seemed to see beneath the surging crowds the converging and colliding invisible undercurrents. The auction, the ancient soul power fragment, Shadow Snake Pavilion's Silver-Faced Envoys... these factors combined were definitely no coincidence.
Their target is likely that fragment as well. Xiao Qi spoke gravely. Or perhaps they're using this opportunity to search for the person they want to find. He touched his chest, where the jade pendant hung quietly.
What about us... Liu Yun was worried. Being targeted by a Silver-Faced Envoy was pressure far beyond what those outer-rank trash could bring.
We'll still attend the auction as planned. Xiao Qi turned around, his gaze sharp. The more so, the less we can back down. This concerns not only clues, but also an opportunity to understand Shadow Snake Pavilion's current movements and strength. However, the plan needs adjustment.
He took out the two entry tokens, contemplating: We enter separately. You take the main entrance; I'll find another way in. At the auction, act as if we don't know each other. Focus on observing who shows strong interest in that fragment—especially guests in the box area. Those who could sit in boxes were either wealthy, prestigious, or exceptionally powerful. Shadow Snake Pavilion members were likely among them.
You'll find another way? What method? Liu Yun was confused.
Xiao Qi didn't explain, only taking out several materials from his storage bag and bringing out the Portable Multi-Function Alchemy Crucible. He intended to use the remaining time to attempt crafting a simple talisman that could temporarily alter his aura and subtly change his appearance, to be used together with Second Senior Brother's mysterious Concealment Cloak. Though the effect might not be perfect, it would suffice to deceive ordinary detection and distant observation.
At the same time, he quickly calculated in his mind. If that fragment was truly related to the Soul-Controlling Jade or his father's condition, then even if he couldn't win the bid, he must find out where it went. If necessary, some unconventional methods would have to be considered.
At dusk, the setting sun hung like blood, dyeing the giant banyan tree's canopy a desolate and gorgeous red. Qingrong City lit its lanterns at twilight, becoming even more lively than usual. Countless cultivators streamed toward the most magnificent building in the city's central area—the immense structure woven from countless thick aerial roots—the Ten Thousand Treasures Auction House.
Xiao Qi and Liu Yun parted at the inn's entrance, merging into different streams of people.
Xiao Qi wore an unremarkable gray cloak, and beneath it, Second Senior Brother's tattered cloak that was said to be able to interfere with spiritual sense detection. His features slightly rippled with spiritual energy, making his appearance somewhat more ordinary. He didn't head toward the brightly lit, crowded main entrance of the auction house. Instead, he circled to a relatively dark alley at the side rear of the building.
There were cultivators gathered here as well, mostly people who hadn't obtained advance entry qualifications and wanted to try their luck or find another way in. Some vendors sold internal invitations of questionable authenticity, while others murmured to each other, their eyes darting about.
Xiao Qi observed quietly, his spiritual sense spreading like an invisible spider's web. Suddenly, his gaze focused, landing on a corner at the alley's depths that was almost merged with shadow.
Someone stood there.
That person also wore a loose black cloak, obscuring their form. On their face hung a meticulously crafted silver mask gleaming with cold metallic luster! The mask revealed only a chin and a pair of emotionless eyes, like a poisonous snake's.
Silver-Faced Envoy!
Though he couldn't confirm if this was the same one mentioned by the innkeeper and Liu Yun, that icy cold, obscure yet powerful aura matched his memory of Shadow Snake Pavilion's high-ranking cultivators, perhaps even deeper. Like a block of ice, out of place in the greedy, noisy surroundings, yet perfectly hidden within the shadows—seemingly waiting for something, or observing someone.
Xiao Qi immediately gathered all his aura, even his breathing becoming barely perceptible. He hid his body behind the crowd at the alley entrance, leaving only an extremely faint strand of spiritual sense, like antennae, carefully sensing that direction.
The Silver-Faced Envoy seemed unaware of Xiao Qi's observation. Their gaze occasionally swept across the surging crowds at the alley entrance, but most of the time they simply stood motionless, like a frozen sculpture.
Who were they waiting for? Or were they monitoring this side entrance of the auction house?
Thoughts raced through Xiao Qi's mind. A Silver-Faced Envoy from Shadow Snake Pavilion personally appearing at such a place absolutely meant great scheming. Was it to ensure getting the fragment? Or to search for himself—the one possessing purification power?
At that moment, the auction house's side door opened. A middle-aged person wearing Ten Thousand Treasures Auction House attendant robes walked out quickly. Their gaze swept through the alley, soon locking onto the Silver-Faced Envoy. They hurried forward, their expression carrying respect and even a trace of fear, murmured a few words with the envoy, then stepped aside with a please gesture.
The Silver-Faced Envoy gave a slight nod, without speaking, and followed the attendant through the side door, silently entering the auction house.
Xiao Qi watched that side door close again, his gaze profound.
The Silver-Faced Envoy actually had connections with internal personnel of Ten Thousand Treasures Auction House? Cooperation, or infiltration?
It seemed the waters of this auction ran far deeper than he imagined. That ancient fragment was like bait, attracting all manner of powerful beings, and Shadow Snake Pavilion, hidden in the dark, had already spread its invisible net.
He suppressed the turmoil in his heart, reconfirmed his disguise, then walked toward another direction. He needed to find other ways into the auction venue, or at least get as close as possible without drawing attention.
Night fully descended. At Qingrong City's center, the Ten Thousand Treasures Auction House resembled a massive beehive emitting enticing fragrance while bristling with traps, waiting for everyone's entry. And the shadow brought by the Silver-Faced Envoy had already cast a cold, murderous veil over this about-to-begin grand gathering.